Bøger af Andrew Townsend

Wu Wei - The Tao of Non-Doing explores the Taoist principle of wu wei, or non-doing, along with the related practice of wei wu wei, or effortless action. The goal of this book is to present, as clearly and as simply as possible, the various ways in which you can incorporate the principle of wu wei into your own life in order to accomplish your personal goals more efficiently and effectively as well as to enhance every aspect of the precious gift that is your life. As you will discover through reading the material presented in this book, the principle - or better yet, the practice - of wu wei is both diverse and comprehensive in its varied interpretations and applications.While it would be possible to address the principle of wu wei and its applications independently of any broader philosophical platform, it is conducive to the understanding of wu wei to place this principle within the context of Taoist philosophy. For this reason, this book includes a brief introduction to Taoism in order to acquaint the reader with several of the most salient concepts and principles of Taoist philosophy, especially as these concepts and principles relate to the practices of non-doing and effortless action. Accordingly, the chapters one and two address the concepts of Taoist cosmology, Taoist metaphysics, Tai Chi theory, and Taoist psychology. Chapter three investigates the relationships between the principle of wu wei, the concept of yu wu (being and non-being), and the duality of emptiness and fullness.The material in this book is not just theoretical, however. Chapter four explores how to integrate the non-doing of wu wei into everyday life. Chapter five presents strategies for embracing wei wu wei, or effortless action, from a practical perspective in order to incorporate effortless action into your daily life. Chapter six introduces the practice of "tranquil sitting," which is a form of meditation in which the meditator essentially does nothing, merely sitting quietly and observing the nature of the mind. Chapter seven explains how to stand still and do nothing through the practice of zhan zhuang. Chapter eight investigates how the practice of mindfulness can enhance your efforts to incorporate the principle of wu wei into your daily life. Chapter nine explores the non-doing of silence, not only during seated and standing meditation but also when engaging in activity. Chapter ten addresses the subject of abstinence, which is another form of wu wei, or non-doing. Chapter eleven explores a particular form of abstinence, the practice of fasting. Lastly, chapter twelve discusses how to incorporate the principle of wei wu wei into the practice of tai chi chuan (taijiquan).

This book constitutes the third installment of the five-volume series that is collectively titled The Principles and Practices of Taijiquan. Volume one deals with the principles and practices of taijiquan as related to the performance of the solo form, which many practitioners consider to be the primary activity of taijiquan. However, as a complete martial art, taijiquan includes a number other complementary practices and training methods, such as stretching, loosening, single-posture training, internal strength training, weapons training, and martial applications. A number of these ancillary training methods are addressed in the second volume of this series.This book, which is the third volume in the series, is relevant to all taijiquan aficionados who want to expand their practice to include pushing hands as an important aspect of the martial art of taijiquan. The dual-person training activities that are broadly referred to as "pushing hands," or tuishou in Mandarin, bridge the gap between the single-person practices such as the solo form, single-posture training, body conditioning, and internal strength training on the one hand and true martial applications on the other. As explained in this text, the practice of pushing hands was initially developed to train practitioners to apply the principles of taijiquan while interacting with another individual. As such, pushing hands is not intended to directly teach practitioners to employ taijiquan for fighting or self-defense. This is an important distinction and one which is clearly and repeatedly stated in this volume.What this volume does accomplish is to review the principles of taijiquan as they apply to the practice of pushing hands. The author takes the position that practitioners engaged in learning pushing hands must adhere to the principles of taijiquan as elucidated in the Taijiquan Classics as well as in the classical literature of taijiquan. The text employs copious references from the Classics as well as from such important texts such as Chen Kung's Discourses on Intrinsic Energy, the Yang Family Forty Chapters, Li Yaxuan's commentaries on pushing hands, and Chen Xin's Thirty-Six Pushing Hands Sicknesses in order to illustrate how to practice pushing hands according to the principles established by the founders and past masters of taijiquan. The book also includes the wisdom and experience of more contemporary authorities on taijiquan in general and pushing hands in particular, including insights from Dr. Ping-Siang Tao's Tai Chi Push Hands and C. P. Ong's Taijiquan - Cultivating Inner Strength, to cite two specific references. Additional insights and practical training tips are presented based upon the author's own investigation into this fundamental aspect of taijiquan along with the tips and training methods imparted to the author by his many teachers, including his primary teacher, Grandmaster Jesse Tsao, with whom he has trained for the past fifteen years.This volume covers single-hand and double-hand pushing hands patterns, fixed-step, restricted-step, and moving-step pushing hands, along with the progressive development of the skills of sticking, following, listening, interpreting, receiving, neutralizing, and issuing. Specific topics include concepts such as maintaining central equilibrium, rooting, the four sides techniques, the four corners techniques, the five steps, the six directions, using consciousness rather than strength, giving up oneself to follow the other, knowing yourself and knowing your opponent, storing and releasing, alternating soft and hard, employing silk-reeling energy, the secret of the free circle, employing momentum and leverage, controlling the opponent without being controlled, and issuing internal power (fajin).

This book is a complete guide for anyone who practices taijiquan. The content covers the full range of taijiquan and includes chapters on the philosophical and theoretical foundations of the art, the fundamental principles of taijiquan, techniques for cultivating and circulating the qi, detailed explanations of individual postures, pushing hands and martial applications, weapons forms, and practicing taijiquan as a method for spiritual cultivation. Unlike many books on this subject that are limited to a single family style of taijiquan, this book includes coverage of four major family styles: Chen, Yang, Wu, and Sun.Written by an author with over twenty-five years of experience in the art of taijiquan and more than ten years of experience teaching taijiquan and qigong, Cultivating the Civil and Mastering the Martial - The Yin and Yang of Taijiquan is comprehensive in its coverage and precise in the detailed descriptions and more than five hundred photographs and illustrations.

This is the final installment of The Principles and Practice of Taijiquan series. The overarching concept of this five-volume series is that the art of taijiquan is governed by a set of guiding principles in conjunction with numerous practical methods for applying those principles. This approach to the study and practice of taijiquan pertains to both the civil and the martial aspects of the art. When we consider the martial applications of the art, we should strive to remain true to these guiding principles even while focusing on the practical methods of self-defense.This approach is particularly relevant to the study and practice of the weapons of taijiquan. Unlike the approach of most external styles of Chinese martial arts, in which the emphasis is on speed and the reliance upon muscular strength to overcome an armed opponent with one's own weapon, in taijiquan the practitioner must employ his or her weapon according to the principles laid down by the founders of the five major family styles. These principles are clearly explained in the first chapter of this volume as they apply to weapons in general. Subsequent chapters investigate the particular principles, methods for handling, and martial applications of each of the following weapons: -the single straight sword (dan jian) -the broadsword (dao) -the double broadswords (shuang jian) and the double straight swords (shuang jian)-the double cudgels (shuang jiǎn) and the double hook swords (shuang gou)-the short stick (bang)-the fan (shang)-the cane (zhang)-the long pole (chang gan)-the staff (gun)-the spear (qiang)-the halberd (guandao)-the two-section staff (chang xiao bang)As this list indicates, the range of weapons trained and practiced within the five family styles is quite extensive. Many taijiquan practitioners may only be familiar with the more common weapons, such as the straight sword, the broadsword, and the spear. The coverage in this volume is intentionally comprehensive in an attempt to present the full complement of taijiquan weaponry. A separate chapter is provided for each of the weapons identified in the above list, with the exception of the double straight swords and the double broadswords, which are covered in a single chapter, and also the double cudgels and the double hook swords, which are likewise addressed in a single chapter.For each weapon, there are specific sections describing the design and components of the weapon, exploring the history and derivation of the weapon, the methods for handling and wielding the weapon, the classically designated techniques for applying the weapon, and multiple examples illustrating the martial applications of the weapon. Hopefully, this level of detail will serve to further the understanding of those individuals who currently practice one or more weapons of the art. For novice practitioners seeking to take up their first weapon, or for those who want add another weapon to their arsenal, this survey should prove an invaluable tool in assisting them with making such a selection.

This book presents a variety of auxiliary training methods for the practice of taijiquan. Included are instructions for proper breathing; stretching and loosening exercises; three different qigong routines for healing, martial development, and longevity; body conditioning; nourishing life practics (yangsheng gong); silk-reeling and fajin training; pole-shaking; training to develop whole-body power; Taoist cultivation practices including dantien rotation, the Microcosmic Orbit, and the Macrocosmic Orbit; taiji ruler; and neijin cultivation. These auxiliary training exercises are intended to supplement both the solo form covered in volume one and to prepare the practitioner to engage in dual-person training such as pushing hands, which is covered in volume two.

Este libro es una guía completa para cualquiera que practica la Forma Simplificada de 24 Posturas. A diferencia de otros libros más generales sobre el tema de Tai Chi, este libro está escrito específicamente para los millones de personas que practican la Forma Simplificada de 24. Escrito por un autor con más de treinta años de experiencia en el arte del Tai Chi y varias décadas de experiencia enseñando la Forma Simplificada de 24, Los Fundamentos del Tai Chi es completo en su cobertura y preciso en las descripciones detalladas y numerosas fotografías que representan cada postura de la forma.

Brits have spilled the beans on all sorts of subjects. This entertaining book brings together hundreds of facts and figures that have been revealed through different polls and surveys over the years, and paints an intriguing picture of the ordinary - and extraordinary - everyday lives of people in Britain. Author Andrew Townsend decided to compile Brits Spill The Beans! after reading that a small percentage of Brits put up their Christmas decorations in September, yes, September. The revelation set the tone for this book which generally steers clear of the more sobering topics regularly covered by the mainstream media. All the facts and figures have been put in the public domain previously by organisations and businesses for their own purposes. Andrew has brought together the various details to sketch out what is going on in the day-to-day lives of British people. Areas covered include: family life, work, relationships, friendships, neighbours, holidays, weather, pets, health, social life, clothes, money, motoring, phones, television, shopping and food. Be prepared for some surprises!

This book, which is the first in a three-volume series, represents the accumulated knowledge and understanding that are the result of nearly thirty years of dedicated study and diligent practice of the art of taijiquan. Focusing on the solo (or empty-hand) forms of the five major family styles (Chen, Yang, Wu, Hao, and Sun), the author presents fifty distinct yet related principles that are essential to the correct practice of taijiquan. These principles range from the basic, such as "Suspend the head-top" and "Level the pelvis," to more esoteric concepts like "Use consciousness, not strength" and "No shape, no shadow."Accompanying each individual principle, the author has included one or more training exercises designed to assist the reader in cultivating that specific principle and incorporating the essence of the principle into the reader's solo form practice. These training exercises include simple stretching and loosening exercises, zhan zhuang standing, seated and standing meditation, repetitive single-posture training, silk-reeling, and fajin training. Each of these exercises is intended to increase the reader's skill and supplement his or her solo form practice. Although many of the principles come from the collective works known as the Taijiquan Classics, which are generic to all family styles of taijiquan, the author has also included principles that have been excerpted from the works of past and present masters of the Chen, Yang, Wu, Hao, and Sun styles. The insight transmitted to the author from his primary teacher, Grandmaster Jesse Tsao, is that those principles and concepts that would appear to be specific to a given family style (such as the coiling of Chen style or the follow-stepping of the Sun style) are universally applicable to all family styles.Even if one only practices a single style of taijiquan, recognizing the universality of the principles and practice methods that underlie all family styles can broaden the practitioner's understanding and improve his or her skill. Acknowledging this generic approach, the author has produced a book that is comprehensive and universal in its approach to presenting the principles and practice of taijiquan. The general knowledge and practical information contained within this book will be of value to practitioners of all levels who wish to increase their understanding and improve their skill at performing the solo form(s) from their preferred family style of taijiquan.

The intended purpose of this book is to enhance your understanding and appreciation of the Chinese martial art of taijiquan, of which there are five major family styles: Chen, Yang, Wu, Wh/Hao, and Sun. Although anyone interested in learning and practicing this profound and challenging art will benefit from studying the material presented here, it will be most relevant to those individuals who presently practice at least one traditional family style of taijiquan. This book is divided into three sections. Part one addresses the fundamental concepts and principles of the art of taijiquan. As you read through this first section of the book, you will note that many of principles and concepts are shared by more than one family style, and that the most basic principles are universal to all styles of taijiquan.Part two, which is the main focus of this book, presents a number of postures which are included in all five of the main family styles of taijiquan. Practitioners of these styles will be familiar with these postures, although the names may vary somewhat depending upon the family style.In deference to the original thirteen postures of taijiquan, thirteen representative postures that occur in each of the five major family styles of taijiquan have been selected for analysis and comparison.As the various family styles of taijiquan developed and diverged from one another, each family style developed its own distinctive defining characteristics. While some postures, such as Single Whip (dan bian) or Parting the Wild Horse's Mane (ye ma fen zhong), retained their original names, the postures themselves began to change in appearance. These differences can appear, at least superficially, to be quite distinct. Adherents of a given style are encouraged to discover both the differences and the shared elements within each posture presented within part two as they are expressed individually in each of the family styles.Part three explores the more martial aspects of the art of taijiquan, which are more evident in the so-called "fast forms" as well as in the two-person practices, such as pushing hands (tuishou), large Rollback (dalu) and choreographed dual-person sets (sanshou). Weapons training, including the use of straight swords (jian), curved swords (dao), spears (qiang), and halberds (guandao), to list the more common weapons, are also an important component of each of the five family systems of taijiquan. This book encourages practitioners of a given family style of taijiquan to at least superficially explore the principles and practices of the other four family styles. There are a number of distinct benefits to be obtained from practicing multiple family styles of taijiquan. One particular benefit from practicing multiple family styles of taijiquan is the overall depth of understanding of the art that is gained from recognizing the differences among the various family styles while also acknowledging their unifying characteristics. Having completed a thorough review of the fundamentals of the art of taijiquan, an examination of a number of representative postures common to each of the five major family styles of taijiquan, and an exploration of the martial applications of taijiquan as presented within this book, it is hoped that inquisitive readers will have increased both their knowledge as well as their understanding of this richly complex and profound martial art. Based upon this increased store of knowledge and understanding, it is further to be hoped that such readers will be inspired to explore multiple family styles of taijiquan in order to expand and broaden their practice.

The Tao of Mindfulness explores the practice of mindfulness from a multi-disciplinary perspective. Although fresh and contemporary in his approach, the author has remained true to the roots of this ancient practice by explaining the foundations and principles of mindfulness practice as they pertain to Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism. The book includes detailed discussions on topics ranging from mindfulness, meditation, contemplation, revelations from the Vedas regarding clinging and attachment, Buddhist teachings (or dharma) on pain, suffering, and impermanence, the Taoist approach to living in accordance with natural law, as well as instruction how to be mindful of one's thoughts, desires, speech, actions, consumption, and livelihood.

This book is a complete guide for anyone who practices the Simplified 24 Tai Chi Form. Unlike other, more general books on the subject of Tai Chi, this book is written specifically for the millions of individuals who regularly practice this universal Form. Written by an author with over twenty-five years of experience in the art of Tai Chi and more than ten years of experience teaching the Simplified 24 Form, Tai Chi Essentials- The Simplified 24 Form is comprehensive in its coverage and precise in the detailed descriptions and numerous photographs depicting each posture in the Form."As a Tai Chi player for 12 years, I found Tai Chi Essentials - The Simplified 24 Form, to be purposefully written. This book covers the 24 Form in a concise manner, while answering many of the questions that arise when learning Tai Chi. I will use it regularly in teaching and learning." -Theresa Chase, White Tortoise Qi Gong & Tai Chi"An invaluable resource for those in the early stages of the practice of Tai Chi. Clear, concise and thoughtfully written, Andrew Townsend conveys his vast knowledge of this ancient art in a manner that accelerates learning and promotes an understanding of its origins."-Dr. Zelda Zeleski, Ed.D."This book is a treasure trove of information. Written with a historian's eye for detail, it is accessible (and useful!) to beginners, while offering substance that more advanced practitioners will appreciate. Among the many books that have been written on tai chi, this volume stands out."-Damian Bonazolli, Jd

This book offers a practical step-by-step guide to action research and an examination of the underlying principles and challenges.