It must be felt: Probably the easiest to understand and get in ‘tune’ with. A correctly executed Fa-jing strike will send a shock wave from the focus mitt into the body via the hand/arm. Once again we should aim to be able to reproduce this effect repeatedly.

It must be seen: Here, this is a skill that should really be developed by instructors. By continual observation we come to appreciate the subtleties of movement. Stance, flow, explosive power, and this all comes down to small adjustments, and refinement. Through simple observation and experience we can learn to squeeze the maximum available from others and ourselves.

I’m asked many times as to what Fa-jing is. This is of course extremely difficult to describe. Of course we can say it’s an explosion of concentrated energy, but the only way to give an idea of its effect is maybe to compare it with ordinary household fireworks (strange as it seems).

For example, if we compare a rocket to an external punch, and if that rocket is heading your way, with training you may be able to block it, ‘ward’ it off, or even grab it. But if someone throws a “banger” (internal punch) what can you do? It just blows up in your face. Fa-jing is the “unstoppable technique”. I was once overheard discussing Fa-jing with a student by a high degree Black Belt Aikido instructor who assured me that he could lead the Ki/chi of my punch around his body and follow it up with a disabling technique to myself.

When I told him that Fa-jing striking is unlike other punching methods be continued to challenge me to strike him. Well to cut a long story short, he simply could not react quickly enough. I even got to the stage of counting myself in slowly one-two-three... strike!. To be honest his only reaction was to blink, as my fist was in his face before he could react.

Having owned a Martial Art shop for five years I had many an opportunity to ‘compare notes’ and train (in the back of the shop when it was quiet) with instructors from all the major arts. This in itself gave me a good insight. I also came to realize that the word ‘internal’ has become very fashionable. Over a period of time I had two Wing Chun instructors and a third degree Black Belt, Tae Kwan Do (believe it or not) claiming that they taught their respective Martial Arts ‘internally’. After five minutes with the focus milts they changed their minds. It turned out that they were simply practicing in a more ‘relaxed’ manner. So there is a great deal of misunderstanding and ignorance about ‘internal’ methods.

Finally the third part of our fighting approach to Taiji ... ‘Dim-Mak’. This is of course is the long are long-term strategy. No one being on the face of this Earth is going to master all the complexities of all the points, directions, effects, recovery etc. in a short time. So simply start with a good acupressure/acupuncture book. Start slowly by teaching yourself the main meridians and their functions and related organs. Set a goal of learning the location of one point a week and build up your knowledge slowly. Dim Mak is both effective and sophisticated and used in conjunction with Fa-jing is devastating.

I was recently asked by a Tibetan Lama what I thought was wrong with the way Dzogchen was being presented in the West? Dzogchen or Great Completion sometimes called Great Perfection Teachings is recognized has the highest and most sophisticated of the enlightened systems of Tibetan Buddhism and the Bon Tradition which has become very “fashionable” in the West). I replied, I did not know. His reply was very simple, “It’s not being taught step by step”. He continued, “If the teachings are presented correctly and in sequence, you will get there. It makes no difference whether you’re a Tibetan or a Westerner.”

Sometimes it is this ‘step by step’ approach that we cannot handle ... we are in a rush. Maybe we want the status of an instructor or a teacher, or even to ‘talk’ a great deal about our knowledge. All this takes us away from being true students of the ‘Way’. At some stage we must begin to integrate our practice into daily life - to refine it. So then are whole practice is reflected in our compassion, conduct, our speech, our work, diet and so on. The dissolving of our limited, and brittle self importance must come about. For otherwise our practice will resemble a train covering more and more ground but remaining on the track. Refining our practice (which requires less and less accruing of status, reputation and image) teaches us to fly ... first class in Concorde.

At some stage the integrating of our training and our life will present itself. Sometimes dramatically, sometimes not. It will be here that our practice can enter a new dimension. We can then choose our path. The hardest thing to do, of course, is to recognise it when it comes.

Anthony Court

(Article first published in ‘Combat Magazine’ in 1997)