The Tai Chi Compass: Navigating the Five Directions

Knowing where you are going is always important, and knowing your direction in Tai Chi is fundamental to the thirteen principal movements of Tai Chi.

The five directions described in Tai Chi are as follows: Going forward, going backwards, looking/moving left, looking moving right and holding centre.

These are attributed to the four cardinal points of the compass, North, South, East, West and the Centre.

They can be referenced to the Five Elements and each direction takes on the characteristics of the associated Element.

In terms of Five Elements the postures have these overall characteristics:

Forward - Fire sudden intense energy/ posture.

Backward - Water flow yielding energy/ posture.

Turning left - Metal cutting absorbing energy/ posture.

Turning right - Wood engulfing spiralling energy/ posture.

Holding centre - Earth neutralising heavy energy/ posture.

These directions can be applied literally; some schools prescribe facing in a certain direction when starting a form to take advantage of natural Qi. Then through the flow of directions in the form, the practitioner will balance their energies on completion of the form.

Although this is one interpretation of the five directions, it is limited to advantageous alignment for Qi flow; in terms of practical application, it falls short.

In the flow of combat, you cannot align your opponent to the compass point, which is more advantageous to your Qi; there are too many variables which change constantly.

Use the compass points as a reference to your body, not the pure directions they express. Whichever way you are facing is forward, or South, and your Lower Dan Tien is the Centre. Left, right and backward are always fixed when you are the Centre.

Realising this and absorbing this flexible change in direction, will assist when performing forms.

Whenever we begin to learn a form, it is usually facing the same way in the same space we use all the time. So, we take unconscious cues on which way we face when we are performing certain sections of the form. For example: “I always face the windows when opening the form and I perform repulse the monkey when facing the clock”.

This is not a problem until you practise somewhere else, or you are asked to face in the opposite direction.

Knowing that the direction in the form is causally linked to you, and NOT the environment you are in, is the first step.

Then become aware of the angles you turn through as you step and change. Try to know it is 90°or 180° etc without looking.

Maybe try doing the form or a portion of the form blindfolded to test how accurate your internal compass.

Therefore, when all is in doubt, ‘follow your nose’ forward (South) and remember direction is relative to you and Your Centre. You are the Centre of the form or of the storm, and yet not the Centre of the universe.

So keep your feet on the ground and eyes front.

Here is a video of a simple stepping drill to practise (available from 24th April)

https://youtu.be/SV4d3nkbmZY

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