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http://www.experiential-dynamics.org/models/heaney.htm
Extending Ch'i
by Tom A. Heaney
email: tom.heaney@bigfoot.com
The Ability
Since this model was first created many more aspects of Ch'i have become evident. Ch'i, under many different names is much more inclusive than the extremely limited definition currently presented here. This model barely scratches the surface of Ch'i. The modeler continues to investigate this realm and as the work continues this model will be updated (hopefully) to include these many aspects.
For now, however, we will focus on extending Ch'i as a tenet of the Martial Arts. We will call it the ability to extend ones awareness, and “life-force” to both sense and affect the world. It is usually manifested in physical conflict situations, either real or simulated, during sparring or competitions.
This ability is valuable and useful for many things. In combat situations or when in unfamiliar or threatening surroundings it can mean the difference between life and death by providing extra-sensory input. For example, in commando training when soldiers are taught to neutralize sentries they are taught to never look directly at the sentry when they are stalking him. They are taught, instead, to use their peripheral vision until they actually attack. The reason for this is that humans (all animals) can "feel" when they are being stared at. A simple exercise, if you have a pet, is to stare at your pet when it is not looking at you. Within seconds your pet will turn to look at you. It senses someone looking. That sense comes from Ch'i.
In competitive Karate settings Ch'i gives the extender an advantage over his/her opponent by providing both an extra sensory channel to perceive their opponent’s next move before they make it, and by extending a "psych" factor or aura of power that can intimidate their opponent. This “aura” can be observed (V, K) by even a lay person totally uninitiated in the Martial Arts. (i.e. the modeler).
As the modeler was entering this model Graham made the comment:
There are some interestingly strange, almost paradoxical, elements to what you got as a model. One of the things which gave me pause was the title, Extending Ch'i. That sounds like an active process. Yet when I stepped into the model I didn't have any sense of activity. Not that it was a flat, quiescent state. It was dynamic in a way, though not with intentionality. It felt full, rather than empty. But full with nothing.
This observation is exactly the experience. Nothing as Something is the experience of Ch'i. This paradox keeps coming up. For example all of the exemplars said stuff like "you can't get there by trying. You have to not try. The harder you try, the farther away it goes."
Graham went on:
This is just the kind of stuff I meant when I said it was strange. The way I made sense of it was that the full nothing state was one in which awareness went out into the surroundings. Went out naturally, as it were. I had been thinking of your title in terms of those martial arts masters who throw ch'i - knocking an opponent over at a distance or setting a sheet of paper aflame. That kind of thing. The experience I was able to connect with (not being a martial arts master myself) was one in which awareness is a state of being more than doing.
Once again this observation is right on. Ch'i is a state of being. It is a very calm, yet strong state. The more experienced the practitioner, the more it is a state of being rather than a state of doing. The modeler does not particularly care for "Extending Ch'i" as a title for this model. His personal take is that a model is an active thing and, therefore, should be labeled with a verb so he came up with something that they were doing with the chi. "Accessing" was considered but we're not sure that really describes it. For the modeler personally, it feels as if he is sending out a psychic force field that acts like an array of sensors so he can feel (deep voice - Darth Vader imitation) "a stirring in the force" whenever someone or something encroaches on his field. The act of reaching out (Obi Wan imitation) "use the force, Luke" combined with the idea of intimidating one's opponent is what inspired the title. Input on possible titles that convey this somehow would be appreciated.
The ability to extend Ch'i is normally developed through many years of training in the Martial Arts coupled with various forms of meditation. The purpose of this project was to attempt to “short-stop” the many years of training and meditation and find a process to teach this ability to lower level practitioners that would allow them to quickly learn to extend their Ch'i for competition.
Exemplars
a. Exemplar 1 – 25 year old male. World Class 4th degree black belt Karate practitioner. Engineer by trade. Coaches the local contingent of the National Team. This gentlman's "aura of intimidation" is what caught my interest in this particular ability. Exemplar 1 has a very visible ch'i. It is not visible (to the modeler, anyway) in the classic sense of an aura (a'la Kirlian photography). Yet, when he walks on to the competition mat there is "something" visible about him that says "I am in charge here and you are not. Prepare to go down." He is not even aware that he does it but every one else in the dojo is extremely aware that he does it. b. Exemplar 2 – 50ish male. Phd in the Martial Arts. 8th degree black belt. He is exemplar 1’s father. c. Exemplar 3 – 50ish male. MD (non-practicing) 9th degree black belt. He is exemplar #2’s master. He exhibits Ch'i through his total calmness and stillness when fighting.
Beliefs
Criterial Equivalence
Nothing (as something). It is defined as totally blank, void of any feeling, total relaxation, Nothing as Everything.
Enabling Cause-Effects
Detachment from body. Years of training.
Motivating Cause-Effects
Very powerful, Only state you can be in and truly project. This is the state to realize your full potential for speed. Auto-pilot.
Surrounding Beliefs
Believe its possible, Know its possible, then it is. True rapport with my god.
This set of beliefs indicates that Ch'i is a spiritual phenomenon and not just a physical ability.
Strategies
Test
It is blank. Sight, sound, texture processing ceases. Sense of going into nothingness.
Primary Operation
Each exemplar has an anchor and the anchor seems to become smaller and more subtle as the exemplar becomes more powerful. The lowest level exemplar had a small ritual. He hears the ref say “Hajime” (fight), he yells and then he gets "funnel" vision(*see modeler's note) and he is there. At the other end of the continuum the exemplar takes a deep breath and it happens.
One exemplar stated that his shoulders go down (slump) his hands relax, he is not breathing hard and he is not expending energy. The other two didn’t mention this set of operations but we believe this could be a fruitful avenue for further investigation.
"Funnel vision" were the words exemplar 1 used to describe it. When he used the word funnel instead of tunnel the modeler just went with the flow. The image that "funnel" conjured was that of looking through a funnel with the broad end closer to oneself so one can see broader field near themself and that field narrows as it moves out toward and focuses on the opponent. "Tunnel", on the other hand brings an image of a tube from one to one's opponent. While it may be broader at the perceiver's end due to perspective it is not the same visually as a funnel.
Secondary Operations
It either happens or it doesn’t. One thing that was very clear is that you can not force it to happen. This point was definite for two of the exemplars. The lowest level exemplar also stated it and then gave a strategy to win the match if it doesn’t happen.
Emotions
Sustaining Emotion
As the ability to do it increases the emotion goes from “really relaxed” to “no emotion” to “well-being”.
External Behavior
Breathing slows, shoulders droop.
Contributing Factors
Training, spiritual connection, training in Transcendental Meditation.
Significant Elements
Ecological Concerns
The spirituality aspects send up some “red flags”. What started as a model of a "physical" ability very quickly jumped into the spiritual realm. Chi and the extending of it is a spiritual phenomenon. This could be a place for hindrances to show up.
Acquisition
To acquire this ability, from a purely physical standpoint, I would first work to get the acquirer to access the state of stillness and nothingness and then set an anchor to allow them to quickly access this state.
last modified Sunday, April 25, 1999 at 19:10:30 (GMT-0500)