The Tai Chi Field

With time and increasing sung (relaxation) and ting (sensitivity), we can start to feel the energies outside our body limits. We begin to feel like we are inside a sphere of energy that spans several feet around us. The greater our awareness of the taiji pole that flows through us (or rather that which we are part of), and where the two poles are (ie the heaven and earth poles), greater it seems is our ability to sense this sphere.

The farther apart these two poles are, the large the field. In essence, the field is infinite and is only dependent on our awareness of it. If we we are aware of it, it is there. The stronger our intent, the more easily this field can be changed or played with.

When we do a ward off (one of the eight energies of Taijiquan, think of it like magnetic repulsion), suddenly the ward off is a movement of the energy in the field, whereas earlier (before this became apparent), it would be localized to or nearer to the body. When we do a roll back (another primary energy of Taijiquan, think of it as magnetic attraction), it is not a manipulation of ours and our opponent's localized body energy, but a creation of a reverse flow in the taiji sphere field.

The larger this field, greater our access to objects that enter this field. The stronger our intent, the greater our ability to manipulate these objects in space and time. This is akin to swimming in a lake or pool and being able to make the volume of water move at will.