I've had a few emails from readers asking if the pictures below of me suspended in the air a few feet from JK are for real. Yes they are – despite having Photoshop on this laptop I haven't yet had the time to learn how to use it. I've had all the usual questions of incredulity – Would it work on me? Would it work on the man in the street? Would it work if your eyes were closed? Etc.
The first time I saw JK rebound someone without touch was in 1986 – I was just finishing the Short Form at the BTCCA under Dario Ciriello (now in US) and to demonstrate some aspect of energy John threw Dario across the room and into the wall having been a good six feet from him to start with. Being a rational scientist (albeit with an artistic bent) I spent the next fortnight in a state of shock – the whole world was a different place – physically and emotionally, and I guess spiritually – objects seemed fuzzy and connected to each other by strange threads instead of being distinct and discrete as I was accustomed to. It didn't occur to me to question what had happened – my teacher had done it so it had to be right even if it was a put up job. The only other time in my life I had been affected in such a manner was after seeing a joint performance by the four poets Allen Fisher, Lawrence Upton, cris cheek and Erik Vonna-Michel – they managed, in the space of about 2 hours to completely disassemble my mind, leaving me in this strange world of energy for again a good two weeks. The next time I experienced John's rebound energy was when he uprooted Keith Reddick so cleanly both of Keith's Tai Chi slippers remained on the ground – he was plucked out of his shoes. What was even more strange about this event was that John and Keith were in two different rooms with two thick brick walls between them.
Once it became clear to John that I was a keen student willing to attend the school five times a week he tried to speed up my progress by inviting me to special exclusive classes. At one of these classes he tried to work on me with energy and I was completely unresponsive. He got frustrated, called me a lemon and walked away to work with one of the advanced students. He then left me alone for the next 6 years during which time I practised all hours of each and every day (I had retired from usual employment in 1986 – hopefully never to return). When he next deigned to work with me – some time in 1992 – for some reason I was responsive. He explained that my energy had improved sufficiently for me to be of use to him. What he meant by this was not just that I had gotten stronger but that, through my practice – particularly practice with others, I had learned to free and release my energy – not have it locked into either my muscles or my mind. I was therefore able to engage with him properly, that is, energetically, and my responses to his energetic actions were therefore accurate – something he required in order to receive valuable feedback to his own efficacy. The journey since then has been a refining and a deepening. As his energy refines I have to struggle to stay connected with it – otherwise he leaves me behind. I have to completely and unconditionally engage with the moment between us – not really with him – I have to become what the moment demands. The event is created by each of us and the inspiration for the event is mutual. The heat and intensity of the moment and the exchange wakens aspects of the teaching which then showers upon each of us – inspiring us to reach beyond ourselves and into realms we have never before ventured. This is the way of it. It is not a self-defence technique – it is a Heartwork exchange. It is intensely real but not controlled or controllable. It will work with anyone able to engage whole-heartedly (more difficult than it sounds because it requires a looseness and freedom to one's energy). It is the most effective and valuable teaching tool we have because it inspires you to forget self and remember a more essential truth, not just in yourself but in the other and more importantly in the teaching which is always more alive than either of you.
The first time I saw JK rebound someone without touch was in 1986 – I was just finishing the Short Form at the BTCCA under Dario Ciriello (now in US) and to demonstrate some aspect of energy John threw Dario across the room and into the wall having been a good six feet from him to start with. Being a rational scientist (albeit with an artistic bent) I spent the next fortnight in a state of shock – the whole world was a different place – physically and emotionally, and I guess spiritually – objects seemed fuzzy and connected to each other by strange threads instead of being distinct and discrete as I was accustomed to. It didn't occur to me to question what had happened – my teacher had done it so it had to be right even if it was a put up job. The only other time in my life I had been affected in such a manner was after seeing a joint performance by the four poets Allen Fisher, Lawrence Upton, cris cheek and Erik Vonna-Michel – they managed, in the space of about 2 hours to completely disassemble my mind, leaving me in this strange world of energy for again a good two weeks. The next time I experienced John's rebound energy was when he uprooted Keith Reddick so cleanly both of Keith's Tai Chi slippers remained on the ground – he was plucked out of his shoes. What was even more strange about this event was that John and Keith were in two different rooms with two thick brick walls between them.
Once it became clear to John that I was a keen student willing to attend the school five times a week he tried to speed up my progress by inviting me to special exclusive classes. At one of these classes he tried to work on me with energy and I was completely unresponsive. He got frustrated, called me a lemon and walked away to work with one of the advanced students. He then left me alone for the next 6 years during which time I practised all hours of each and every day (I had retired from usual employment in 1986 – hopefully never to return). When he next deigned to work with me – some time in 1992 – for some reason I was responsive. He explained that my energy had improved sufficiently for me to be of use to him. What he meant by this was not just that I had gotten stronger but that, through my practice – particularly practice with others, I had learned to free and release my energy – not have it locked into either my muscles or my mind. I was therefore able to engage with him properly, that is, energetically, and my responses to his energetic actions were therefore accurate – something he required in order to receive valuable feedback to his own efficacy. The journey since then has been a refining and a deepening. As his energy refines I have to struggle to stay connected with it – otherwise he leaves me behind. I have to completely and unconditionally engage with the moment between us – not really with him – I have to become what the moment demands. The event is created by each of us and the inspiration for the event is mutual. The heat and intensity of the moment and the exchange wakens aspects of the teaching which then showers upon each of us – inspiring us to reach beyond ourselves and into realms we have never before ventured. This is the way of it. It is not a self-defence technique – it is a Heartwork exchange. It is intensely real but not controlled or controllable. It will work with anyone able to engage whole-heartedly (more difficult than it sounds because it requires a looseness and freedom to one's energy). It is the most effective and valuable teaching tool we have because it inspires you to forget self and remember a more essential truth, not just in yourself but in the other and more importantly in the teaching which is always more alive than either of you.
2 comments
So, if it has nothing to do with self defence (as in Tai Chi) what is the reason for these impressive demonstrations of issuing energy/uprooting?
Let me put it another way: Is rebound the (only) measure or evidence of a Heartwork exchange?
Is the connexion broken as a result of rebound?
Why is this desirable/practiced?
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