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Embodying the Five Elements
Xingyi practice is organized around five element theory as a way to focus the mind on developing speed, power, and an understanding of internal and external forces. Each of the five fists organizes the body so that it has easy access to the attributes of its corresponding element, but the movement and its elemental embodiment…
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Catch the Ball, Carry the Log, Stop the Speeding Train
A good trick for finding the right shape and structure in the body in any given position or posture is to think about absorbing force rather than issuing it. And a good trick for quickly conjuring the complex, well-integrated connections throughout the body necessary to absorb force is to use memory and imagination. With one…
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Standing on the Elephant’s Foot
When attending to the distribution of weight in the foot it is essential not to be misled by extra tension in the tendons around the ankle. It is easy to get a false sense of being rooted from the slight pressing into the ground generated by the muscles of the lower leg and transmitted through…
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On Opening the Elbow
Proper extension of the arm, especially in the context of issuing power (fa jin), requires coordinated, inverse action between the shoulder and the elbow. As the elbow opens, the shoulder must be actively drawn in — that is, moved away from the point of contact. The opening action in the elbow is not the basic…
Welcome
Sun Tan Taiji is dedicated to the study and practice of Sun Style internal arts through the teaching of Jamie Tan.
We’re in the process of compiling a video library and hope to provide an online learning resource including detailed Taiji, Xingyi and Bagua lessons. If you are a current student or beneficiary of Jamie’s teaching, or would like to support us in building this resource, we hope you will consider making a one time or recurring contribution using the “Donate” link above. All financial contributions go directly to support Jamie, his practice, and his teaching.
To learn more, please come visit us in the morning next to the pond in Laurelhurst Park, Portland, OR.