Yielding in Taiji contains two components: deferential turning aside of one half of the body, and ushering through by reaching around with the other half. The same turn of the waist effectuates both actions simultaneously; the same turn of the mind creates both moods (deference and ushering) simultaneously. Imagine a school teacher standing in the middle of a zebra crossing, helping a train of ambling school children cross the road: one hand beckons the closest child and encourages it to pass to the other side as the other hand reaches behind that child to connect to the children yet to cross – the teacher turns and extends his arms along an effective timeline. And this example shows clearly the structure of a moment. It is not a discrete static parcel of time, but a passing through – an infinitesimal juncture between past and future, between coming and going – and the most effective way to deal with it is to divide your attention somehow between immediate past and imminent future. Much of Taiji training is learning to split your being into two parts: a conscious part that deals with what is ensuing now, what is passing, in a material concrete way, and an energetic part – emanating largely from the back – that connects with energy and spirit – subtle indications of potential materializations, of things yet to come. So, ward-off is a posture that limits and delimits the conscious extent within a shroud or cocoon of energy which the arms usher round from the spine. Like one of those cape-wearing superheroes whose cape, as well as shrouding them in mystery, also averts normal perception so that ESP can take over. The miracle of all this, from our perspective, is that it is the one action on our behalf that stimulates two seemingly opposite effects in our being. The same as when we sink and relax – that one humble trusting action releases both the body down to Earth and the spirit up to Heaven.