Peace

Principle: Spiral Power: Connecting Centers

As we proved trustworthy over the years, Sifu Chen began to reveal the method of escape for many of the Chen traps. After exposing one, he would turn to us and say it would have been nice if you had discovered it on your own.

One evening, while playing push hand with Sifu, I accidentally found an escape from a spiral power throw. Sifu had been showing different joint locks, and during one movement, I made a leap in understanding. As he moved to throw, I linked my center with his body, draping my body on him, smothering his move with mine. To throw me would have meant allowing me to grab and throw him in counterattack.

Seamlessly, he gave up on what he originally wanted to show due to counter measures and thew me anyway using a different spiral. Years later, when he takes us through a similar series of throwing movements, I again make a leap in understanding. Locking my center to his is a fatal mistake.

The self-protective measure I was so proud of finding had played right into one of Chen's most powerful, devastating traps. By draping onto Sifu and locking my center to his, I had effectively "grabbed" and attempted to lock him. By then, he had already taught us to "sneeze," so I knew what he could have done. Thank goodness he showed me compassion by not wanting to "win" or teach me a lesson.