Ernie and I are fast becoming friends, he too seems to be on an inner path of discovery and unlocking his potential. Ernie is a civil engineer and he has quit his job recently to devote more time to his path of self-cultivation and Horacio is a key mentor in his life. Unlike me, he has experience with other inner martial arts such as Pa Gua, in addition to the harder form of TaeKwonDo. I only have 5 years of T.K.D. and, from recently in California, a year of American style boxing.
Each time after our Taichi practice he offers me a ride back and we discuss martial arts, books, music and women. Always women are included at points in the conversation. In fact, more so it seems when Horacio is included in the chat. I am impressed at Horacio's libido and vigor for his age. He has once or twice alluded to Taoist principles of cultivating and recycling male sexual energy and I know he is familiar with Mantak Chia's teachings from his video collection. Recently I too have read these techniques for channeling chi from the male sexual center.
Today the 3 of us meet in the small common garden of the apartment property where Horacio lives, next to a massive Eucalyptus tree. The climate on this gorgeous spring day is exceptional, there is a certain character to the atmosphere that compels me to ponder the grand artistry behind it. Any doubt is dispelled an hour later when Horacio looks up at the sky and comments likewise about the universe being in alignment on this day.
As part of the warmup for the Taichi practice, Horacio has me pat Ernie's tummy in certain clockwise and then counterclockwise patterns, a sort of dantien massage. I feel a bit silly doing this as Ernie closes his eyes and focuses his breathe, I wonder if this is honestly bringing any value to us. And feel downright sheepish when I notice the reaction of the woman on her balcony next door as she is hanging her clothes. Horacio gives further directions, "now, place your hands overlapping like this and leave it on his Dantien", I do so and am startled to feel an acute hot spot beneath my palm emanating from Ernie. This is the first time I have affirmation from another person that the dantien is not a myth. Until then I had wondered if the new sensations I was discovering in my lower belly during yoga and Taichi was my imagination.
On this day, Horacio has me engage him in Push Hands, normally I practice with Ernie only. As we begin I immediately observe that with Horacio, Pushing Hands seems akin to "pushing air" - there simply is no resistance from his movements; and yet he continually redirects my attempts to offset his center, without moving his feet a step. "Here, I'll use only one arm and you try to contain me with both your hands." "Meet me with resistance, the moment I disappear you lose your balance. When you resist it makes me easier to find your center.", as an example I resist and sure enough I stumble the moment he steps aside. "We are programmed to tighten and become rigid, but it is not a natural response. This programming comes from society and any authority in your history", he says. "Find the inner space and grows this space, this is where true freedom lies." A little later, he tells me to "be like water and stick to me." I try but each time his arm finds its way through "my thousand doors", I tighten up in fear and reinforce his attack, it is not easy to stay fluid and react correctly.
After 3 hours of solo form and PushHands practice that fly by, Horacio serves us lunch at a table on the deck beside our practice area. He has prepared a vegetarian meal with herbs from his garden. "When you practice Taichi your body will seek to avoid unhealthy food", he says. As I eat the delicious dish, I take in the scene before me, Ernie and Horacio munching with focus on their plates and the perfection of this gentle spring climate. I am awed by my fortune for meeting these two men who have taught me much and for nothing in return. Ernie too has spoken before of his fortune in spending the time with Horacio.
I look back at the Taichi teachers that I have learned from the past year and it fascinates me to realize that the teachers that brought the most value to my practice were the ones that asked for the least in return. When I had initially arrived in Sydney I could only locate one Taichi instructor that taught the 108 Yang style that I had been learning in Malaysia, she wanted to charge me $120 an hour for a private lesson. I agreed but she decided it was not worth happening if I was unable to commit to a schedule. And here is Horacio, teaching me what I consider to be a true martial art form with immediate application in self-defense wherein the principles promulgated are generally applicable to a mode of living in natural excellence - all for less than $10 a week.
Over our food I ask Ernie if he does any Qigong. "Yeah, sort of...", he replies and describes some breathing techniques and exercises he does. "How long do you do this for?", is my next question. I had heretofore assumed that I was the only guy my age in Sydney that practiced any form of Qigong on his own on a daily basis, now I was wondering if Ernie could top my 20 minute daily routine. "About 2 hours each time", is his casual response. My eyebrows rise at least an inch. That would explain the distinct heat sensation I felt in his Dantien.
Later in the car as we drive across the Sydney Harbor bridge on the way to dropping me at my apartment, I comment on his dantien. "I was wondering if it was heartburn, acid reflux...", we joke.
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