I N F O (for the faint of heart, do not look)
The Chinese have been breeding mulberry silkworms for silk threads for thousands of years. “Mulberry” is because the silkworm caterpillars feed on the leaves of the mulberry tree. Mulberry silkworms, by feeding on mulberry leaves, are able to produce proteins that are the basis for their production of silk thread. Before becoming butterflies for a brief moment, silkworms spend most of their lives as caterpillars, at the end of which they weave a cocoon of a single extremely long silk thread.
In the production of silk, the silkworm cocoons are dipped in hot water, causing the caterpillars to die and the cocoons to be prepared in the best possible way. The beginning of a thread is then found in each cocoon to unwind the entire cocoon. And here lies the most important idea: if the silk thread is pulled too hard when unwinding the cocoon, it will break, and if it is pulled too weakly, the cocoon will not be unwound. The person who unwinds the cocoon should subtly feel the degree of tension of the thread. At a later stage, the single silk threads are woven together to make one stronger thread.
The process of silk production among the Chinese is considered a perfect metaphor to explain the principle of this art.
“Silk Thread” or “Unwinding the Silk Cocoon”, is the basic technique for mastering Tai Chi Quan, the ancient Chinese internal (martial) art of nurturing power. Unlike external styles, internal styles nurture a person’s inner energy and the body’s hypersensitivity. The master of the internal style is invincible, because he can neutralize any impact regardless of its strength, direction and nature. He does not overcome another’s power with fighting techniques, but simply manages it as he needs. Every movement of the wielder uncoiling the Silk Cocoon is aimed at generating energy.
The basic principle of Silk thread performance: “Dantian leads - the body follows”. All working conditions in the Silk Thread are constructed in relation to the lower cinnabar area, and consist of two main aspects - (1) when the energy unwinds from the inside to the outside, and (2) when the energy unwinds from the outside to the inside. In this way, a certain unwinding of the energy spiral is created. It’s not just movements and postures, it’s understanding HOW to get into it. The Art of the Silk Thread refers not only, and not even so much to the way the body moves, but to the Thought that accompanies, or rather determines, the movement. It is much easier to fulfill the principle of continuity externally than internally (our attention is either on the movement or on Dantian - this is a property of the “coarse mind”. Let us add to this that Dantian, moreover, must be constantly moving, rotating (like a silkworm cocoon floating freely in water).
So, two important qualities: “if you unwind quickly, the thread will break, if you unwind slowly, it will get tangled”. Between these opposing qualities you need to find the Middle.
In terms of health effects, these practices are literally a “cornucopia”. They are both massage and stretching of connective tissues, which thereby help to restore and maintain the body in a healthy state. Also, they are beneficial to the body’s state of body coordination and nervous system control.
Energetically and physically, the Art of Silk Thread simply works wonders in correcting imbalances and “stagnation” in the body (i.e., certain areas of “stagnant” muscle tension in your daily life may be so habitual that you may not even realize it). If, for example, you were previously somewhat overly sluggish, you can correct this by becoming more vigorous and “energized”. If you were previously overly tense, you will become more “balanced” by becoming more relaxed. The proper circulation of all energy flows in the body is resumed.
All “styles” (Tai Chi, Bagua, ect.) are actually complexes of cohesive martial techniques (or were originally) that utilize an “internal” form of movement… anyway, the movements of the internal styles can be performed separately from the martial forms.
Speaking of the combat aspect, the “Art of Silk Thread” allows you to freely and instantly change the directions and flows of energies in the body. It allows you to more effectively penetrate into the opening “gaps” in the enemy, to easily catch on the “deceptions” of the enemy, to “wrap” him, in order to use his own energy to redirect it to our advantage. Practically it is concentration on mental movement in the area of Dantian together with Relaxation. It is the area of our attention that is the source of all movements, while the opponent expects to “hear” (feel) it at the point of contact.
Every movement of the arms, conducted generally in a circular orbit, is supported by a spiraling force traveling along the axes of articulation. Both Expansion and Compression necessarily contain a spiral, which gives an additional dimension, making it more difficult for the opponent to read and counteract the effort.
In this project we work on our body, mind and energy, balancing and coordinating these aspects of our being. By moving with the power of Qi and allowing it to move with us, we can combine external energy with life force. At this level, oneness with this world begins when we learn to live in our bodies in a holistic way.
