| If you look up the term "sensitivity" in the | | | | is too late to properly counter the martial artist's |
| dictionary, you'll find something like this: | | | | moves. |
| 1. the state or quality of being sensitive; | | | | In the same way, Tai Chi teaches how to avoid |
| sensitiveness | | | | this kind of trap when someone else sets it up. A |
| 2. Physiology: a. The ability of an organism or part | | | | good practitioner can sense the real intentions of |
| of an organism to react to stimuli;b. The degree | | | | an opponent and not just the misleading cues that |
| of susceptibility to stimulation. | | | | a skilled opponent might send out. A developed |
| Electricity - The ability of a radio device to react | | | | sensitivity also keeps the practitioner focused on |
| to incoming signals, expressed as the minimum | | | | the opponents' intention because opponents can |
| input signal required to produce a specified output | | | | change their intent at any time. A person well |
| signal with a given noise level. | | | | trained in Tai Chi sensitivity can easily pick up on |
| When used in the martial arts, sensitivity means | | | | these changes and adapt to them. |
| being able to sense the weaknesses, strengths | | | | There are many skills that can be developed once |
| and intentions of your opponent. Tai Chi has | | | | powerful sensitivity is achieved. Here are some |
| developed specific techniques for using and | | | | them.You can learn to feel or capture isolated or |
| increasing your sensitivity. Tai Chi practitioners | | | | systemic tension in the opponent and use that |
| develop "Ting Jing" which means "listening." | | | | tension to control or move the opponent thereby |
| However, Ting Jing has to do with more than just | | | | leading them into emptiness. You can find the |
| the ears. It means increasing a of the body's | | | | opponent's source of power and cut it off or |
| abilities to perceive what is going on around them. | | | | move it including surrounding it so that only |
| The third definition above dealing with electricity is | | | | emptiness can be perceived by the opponent. |
| especially important for Tai Chi. When attempting | | | | Not only can you learn to sense the opponent's |
| to sense an opponents' intentions, a practitioner | | | | mind intent, but you can actually learn to block it, |
| will develop their sensitivity so that they do not | | | | disperse it or mislead it. You can capture the |
| need a lot of stimuli to be able to understand an | | | | opponents' breath. You can also find the line of |
| opponent. Tai Chi teaches students to use all of | | | | force that the opponent is attempting to use and |
| the body's abilities to perceive an opponent's | | | | change that line of force. You can divert it by |
| intentions, particularly tactile stimuli. | | | | changing the vector. Divert it and then push it or |
| Tai Chi adds another level of complexity to the | | | | pull it. You can actually receive the line of force |
| issue of sensitivity. It not only addresses the | | | | and then borrow from it. You can also simply |
| person picking up the stimuli, but also looks at | | | | neutralize the line of force as well. There are also |
| how the stimuli can be modified. Martial artists can | | | | ways to affect your opponent's line of force with |
| not only pick up the intentions of an opponent, | | | | energy. |
| but can also send out a signal of intention to an | | | | Sensitivity is a powerful tool in the practice of Tai |
| opponent that will mislead the opponent into | | | | Chi. These are just some of the skills that can be |
| believing the martial artist has one intention until it | | | | developed with Tai Chi Sensitivity. |