A Warrior in the Garden -- Why Peaceful People Learn Martial Arts
My dog Lucky smiles when Nancy or I get home from work or other errands. He is a strong, 55-pound Labrador/Pit Bull mix who could tear one of us apart if he wanted, but instead, he smiles at us when he greets us.
I didn't know why he does this, so I looked it up because someone who doesn't know Lucky might think he is baring his teeth, ready to eat them alive.
When dogs do this, it is called a "Submissive Smile." It is their way of communicating, "I am not aggressive."
I found out about this "Submissive Smile" and realized I do the same thing. When I encounter a stranger, I smile, nod or say hello, even when I just pass someone in the cereal aisle at the grocery store, among the boxes of Cocoa Puffs and Honey Smacks.
I am always quick with a joke or a light comment to put people at ease. I like for people around me to relax and have fun.
Perhaps I'm communicating, "I am not aggressive" in my own friendly way.
I once told someone, "I am a man of peace." The person replied, "Then...
A Beginner's Lesson in Tai Chi Silk-Reeling - Video
If you have a half-hour to invest, try to work through this video -- it's a live class I did last weekend on Zoom teaching the first of Chen Taiji's Silk-Reeling exercises -- "Single-Hand Reeling."
This is helpful to all internal martial artists, but particularly if you practice Taijiquan and Baguazhang.
I have to say that most of the videos I've seen on silk-reeling don't teach it at all. But that should be no surprise. The first teacher who taught me silk-reeling had no clue what silk-reeling is, so I was sent down a blind alley thinking that to achieve silk-reeling, we "imagine" our Qi spiraling through our body. It's part of "Qi cultivation," he said.
Nope.
Silk-Reeling "energy" -- the Chinese term is chan ssu jin -- is a physical skill requiring a spiraling through the body in a connected way.
Some say the spiraling movements add power to your Taiji. I believe the most practical purpose of silk-reeling is the neutralizing and redirecting of your opponent's force. You know the...
Watch a Silk-Reeling Class for Beginners Recorded Live with Ken Gullette
This class was recorded on Saturday, October 15, 2022. I invited the members of this website plus people who are on my email list who receive my Internal Tip-of-the-Week emails.
In this video, I go over the first silk-reeling exercise that I teach students. I learned this exercise from Chen Xiaowang and my first Chen taiji teacher, Jim Criscimagna. The instruction also reflects insights I've picked up from others along the way, including Chen Xiaoxing, Mark Wasson, Chen Huixian and Nabil Ranne.
This is a good example of my live Zoom classes, which I hold for members of this website. I do two live Taiji classes on Wednesdays, and I do live Zoom classes on Xingyi and Bagua at varying times. Members of the website get all the content on the site (close to 1,000 videos and pdf downloads) plus live classes and live one-on-one sessions, at no extra cost.
This video runs 32 minutes but it contains information you won't find on most silk-reeling videos.
After 49 Years of Martial Arts Why Am I Practicing So Much?
A little over a week ago, I marked the 49th anniversary of my first martial arts class. You might know the story by now -- 1973, a garage that had been turned into a dojo in the rear part of a strip mall in Lexington, Kentucky -- a room full of young people inspired by Bruce Lee -- in fact, there were so many new students in the intro class, the garage door was opened and the class spilled out into the shopping center's parking lot.
The following week, a large chunk of people didn't return. The week after that, we all fit inside the dojo with the door closed. Every month that passed, the class got smaller but still had nearly 20 students.
I practiced an hour a day, punching and kicking up and down the 7th floor hallway in Commonwealth Hall at Eastern Kentucky University. I was determined to become good.
Now, after 49 years, I find that I am still just as determined to improve my skills as I was in 1973.
Shouldn't I feel like a "master" by now? Instead, I feel more like a beginner....
50 Years Ago the Amazing Kreskin Gave Me a Lesson in Critical Thinking
Remaining Centered Even When the Ceiling Collapses
Do you know the story of the Buddha and the 84 problems?
The Buddha was passing through a village and a farmer wanted to ask some questions. The farmer asked if the Buddha could make it rain so his crops would grow. The Buddha said, "No, I cannot help you with that."
The farmer asked if the Buddha could get his son not to move away from the farm to the city, so the farmer would have someone to help him with his crops. The Buddha said, "No, I cannot help you with that."
The farmer told the Buddha that he owed money to some people, and asked the Buddha if he could get the people to stop demanding payment until the farmer could save more money. The Buddha said, "No, I cannot help you with that."
The farmer was getting angry. "What good is Buddhism if it can't help me with these problems?"
The Buddha said, "Everyone has 83 problems. I can't help you with those. I can, however, help you with the 84th problem."
The farmer thought for a moment and asked, "What the hell is the 84th pro...
One Tai Chi Movement and 25 Self-Defense Applications
One of my favorite things about Tai Chi (Taiji) is the way each of the relaxed movements are powerful fighting applications when you apply the body mechanics and speed it up to fit the situation.
Here is a video we shot yesterday showing 25 fighting applications in one movement - "Buddha's Warrior Attendant Pounds Mortar."
25 Self-Defense Applications for One Tai Chi Movement
I study Taijiquan for several reasons, but my favorite part of this art is the way all these gentle movements can be used for self-defense.
Yesterday we explored some applications for the second movement in most Chen style Taiji forms -- "Buddha's Warrior Attendant Pounds Mortar."
This is a quick look at 25 fighting applications within this movement. For more detailed instruction, including the body mechanics behind the techniques, visit my website and try two free weeks at www.internalfightingarts.com.
The Only Thing a Bully Really Understands
I went to Southland Christian Church in Lexington, Kentucky when I was a child. My mother made us attend on Sunday mornings, Sunday evenings and sometimes on Wednesday evening.
There was a bully in my Sunday School class when I was around 12 years old. John made my life a living hell for several weeks, calling me names and hurling insults at me in his loud voice, causing other kids to laugh at my expense. I guess I looked a little geeky. I was scrawny and wore glasses. Sometimes the glasses had tape on them.
After several weeks of taking his loud abuse and being humiliated in front of the other kids who I had grown up with, I told him to leave me alone.
"If you wanna do something about it, meet me behind Stonewall Elementary today after church," he snarled.
"Okay," I agreed. "I'll meet you at Stonewall at 12:30.
He laughed as if he knew something I didn't. "I'm gonna kill you," John said.
Maybe he would, but the abuse had to stop.
After church, I arrived home, changed out of t...
In the Concrete Jungle of Chicago, a Flower of Kindness Blooms
Rob and Kathryn Swarczewski of the Chicago area deserve a salute. In a city that has a reputation as a dangerous place, they showed two strangers -- Nancy and me -- kindness and generosity. Here is the story.
I rarely find myself in a situation where I have no idea what to do. It is unknown territory. I am always confident I can handle any situation. Like water, I'll find a way around an obstacle.
But when United Airlines left Nancy and me twisting in the wind in Chicago last week, I was at a loss.
We were flying home from Philadelphia, where we spent four days seeing sights and, while Nancy went shopping, I spent four hours each day at a great Taijiquan workshop by Nabil Ranné, who had flown in from Germany.
The first leg of the return flight on Monday evening, May 16 was from Philly to Chicago. Due to severe weather, we sat in the plane on the tarmac for nearly 90 minutes in Philly before taking off. We were supposed to change planes at O'Hare for the trip home to Moline, but sev...
Author - Instructor
Ken Gullette
I have practiced martial arts since 1973 and began studying the internal arts in 1987. My goal is to cut years off your development time by coaching you in the real skills for high-quality Tai Chi, Xingyi, Bagua. To see more about my bio, click the "About Ken" link on the menu at the top of this page.
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