Taiji Lesson today

Mr Yang shared his encounters with a Mr Ding, former principal of Ai Tong school. After retirement, Mr Ding was diagnosed with cancer. Numerous operations and chemotheraphy rendered him weak and the doctor had informed his family to prepare for the worst. Mr Ding did not wish to accept his fate as such and went to China's villages to look for answers. Apparently he came to a remote village and saw the villagers practising a form of exercise. Curious, he asked one lady and was told that all of the villagers were all cancer patients. He stayed on and learnt the exercise. According to Mr Yang, Mr Ding's cancer went into remission and he is still alive today. Mr Ding agreed to teach Mr Yang the exercise provided that Mr Yang promised to teach others.

Mr Yang then offered his personal experience. After his father and then his elder brother passed away with cancer, he began to worry that he also had cancer one day when he felt pain in the right side of his chest. Many tests later would show that he was not suffering from cancer.

But he said the experience thought him that one's will or frame of mind affects one's wellbeing. When he thought he had contracted cancer, he began to feel weak, depressed and desperate. But when he was cleared of cancer, it was like turning on a light in a dark room, he felt strong immediately.

Another learning point today was when he shared Taiji's grand ancestor Mr Wang Zongyue's Taiji Thesis. I asked him about one phrase "意气君，肉骨臣 ". The crux of the phrase is on what is "君" and what is "臣". The phrase therefore means that the will and spirit （意气）should be the master （君）and therefore lead the body（肉骨）.