Method to Put in Evidence the Intrinsic Nature (固有分明法) by Yáng​ Bān​hóu​ (楊班侯)

固有分明法

蓋人降生之初，目能視，耳能聽，鼻能聞，口能食。顏色，聲音，香臭，五味，皆天然知覺，固有之良。其手舞足蹈，於四肢之能，皆天然運動之良，思及此，是人孰無？
因人性近習遠，失迷固有。要想還我固有，非乃武無以尋運動之根由:非乃又無以得知覺之本原，是乃運動而知覺也。
夫運而知，動而覺，不運不覺，不動不知，運極則為動，覺盛則為知。動知者易，運覺者難。先求自已知覺運動，得之於身，自能知人，要先求知人，恐失於自己。不可不知此理也，夫而後懂勁然也。

楊班侯

"At birth, the eyes can see, the ears can hear, the nose can smell, the mouth can eat. The colors, sounds, fragrances, odors and five flavors are all natural, intrinsic to one’s nature. Waving hands and dancing feet are within the capabilities of the fours limbs; these are also intrinsic to one’s movement abilities. When one considers using these abilities, how come one does not have it?
The cause for this is that through learning one distances himself from our original attributes, losing the ways of his nature. If one wishes to return to the natural ways, it is not enough to follow martial physical exercises to seek the original movements, as it is not enough to use learning to return to the source of consciousness. What is needed is movement combined with consciousness.
Movement and consciousness, utilisation and perception. Do not apply it unconsciously, do not move without awareness, using the extremes generates the movement, perception of the full generates awareness. Movement with awareness is easy, application with perception is difficult. One must first seek consciousness in one’s own movements, in order to obtain understanding of the body. After self-awareness one is able to understand the opponent. If one is anxious and try to learn the other firs, it is oneself that will be lost. One should not ignore this logic, this is how Understanding Jin is correctly obtained."

Based on the translation by Yang Jwing Ming (楊俊敏) presented in the book Tai Chi Secrets of the Yang Style (太極拳楊氏先哲秘要)

Twenty Seventh Secret Song (歌訣二十七) from the The Thirty-Six Songs of Baguazhang (八卦掌三十六歌) Vigésima Sétima Canção Secreta (歌訣二十七) das Trinta e Seis Canções do Bāguàzhăng (八卦掌三十六歌)

歌訣二十七

剛柔相濟是何言，
剛柔相輔總無難。
剛柔當用乾坤手，
掀天揭地海波瀾。

"What does the mutual supporting of hard and soft mean?
There is no difficulty in the complementarity of hard and soft.
When hard and soft are used in the Qian and Kun hands,
It stirs heaven, exposes earth, and creates great waves in the ocean."

Based on the translations by Yang Jwing Ming (楊俊敏) and Liang Shou You (梁守渝) in "Baguazhang - Theory and Applications" (峨嵋八卦掌) and by Frank Allen and Tina Chunna Zhang in "The Whirling Circles of Ba Gua Zhang"

"What does the mutual supporting of hard and soft mean?
There is no difficulty in the complementarity of hard and soft.
When hard and soft are used in the Qian and Kun hands,
It stirs heaven, exposes earth, and creates great waves in the ocean."

Baseado na tradução de Yang Jwing Ming (楊俊敏) e Liang Shou You (梁守渝) apresentada em "Baguazhang - Theory and Applications" (峨嵋八卦掌) e na tradução de Frank Allen e Tina Chunna Zhang em "The Whirling Circles of Ba Gua Zhang".

Tai Chi Magazine Brazil (Revista Tai Chi Brasil)

One can only rejoice from the fact that this magazine exists. In the same spirit of what was done by the Pakua Chang Journal in the 90's in the US, Revista Tai Chi Brasil is an initiative by practitioners freely available to practitioners. It gives a wide panorama of Tai Chi practice in Brazil, its various schools and traditions. By being freely available it enables the emergence of a nation-wide community.
For a country where the chinese diaspora is small in proportion, it has the advantage of bracing teachers from the whole country, and not only from the major centers. The magazine also presents some content of chinese culture and roots, which makes it more authentic than some international publications that have more of a new age tone.
The magazine is a bit limited by its environment, the range of styles existing in Brazil is less than what can be seen in other countries, either because the chinese diaspora is larger there or because interest in these topics have started earlier. The magazine has also a tendency to be a bit to deferential to ceremonies and rituals that are, in my opinion, somewhat peripheral to the central subject of practice and could sometimes be a distraction.
This caveat does not diminishes the value of the initiative, and it highlights the respect of a traditional way of practice by the editors and contributors. The magazine is highly recommended for those with an interest in Tai Chi Chuan in Brazil.

Chapter 56 (五十六) from the Dào​dé​jīng (道德經) Capítulo 56 (五十六) do Dào​dé​jīng (道德經)

五十六

知者不言，言者不知。
塞其兌，閉其門，
挫其銳，解其分，
和其光，同其塵，
是謂玄同。
故不可得而親，不可得而疏；
不可得而利，不可得而害；
不可得而貴，不可得而賤。
故為天下貴。
老子

"He who knows does not speak; he who speaks about it does not know it.
He who knows it will keep his mouth shut and close the portals.
He will blunt his sharp points and unravel the complications of things;
he will attemper his brightness, and bring himself into agreement with the obscurity.
This is called 'the Mysterious Agreement.'
(Such an one) cannot be treated familiarly or distantly;
he is beyond all consideration of profit or injury;
of nobility or meanness:
- he is the noblest man under heaven."

Unless noted otherwise, all quotations of classical texts and accompanying translations come from the Chinese Text Project

"O que é da compreensão não é a palavra O que é da palavra não é a compreensão
Fechando a boca
Trancando a porta
Cegando o corte
Desatando o nó
Harmonizando-se à luz
Igualando-se à poeira
Isto chama-se o Mistério Comum

Com o qual
Não se pode encontrar aproximação
Não se pode encontrar afastamento
Não se pode encontrar benefício
Não se pode encontrar malefício
Não se pode encontrar valorização
Não se pode encontrar desvalorização
Por isso age como nobre sob o céu

Tradução de Wǔ Rǔqīng (武汝清)

Quiescence of the Mind (心靜) from the Five Key Words (五字訣)

一,曰心靜

心不靜，則不專，一舉手，前後左右全無定向,故要心靜。起初舉動未能由已，要息心體認。隨人所動，隨屈就伸，不丟不頂，勿自伸縮。彼有力我亦有力，我力在先；彼無力我亦無力，我意仍在先。要刻刻留心，挨何處，心要用在何處，須向不丟不頂中討消息。從此做去，一年半載便能施於身。此全是用意，不是用勁。久之，則人為我制，我不為人制矣。

李亦畬

"First saying: quiescence of the mind
If the mind is not quiet, then one is not focused, the strikes back and forth, left and right, will lack precision. Therefore one must be calm. In the beginning the movement fails to follow the mind, it is important to put the mind at rest. Follow the opponent’s movements, follow a curve then stretch; don’t lose, don’t resist; don’t extend or withdraw by yourself. If the opponent is vigourous, I am also vigourous, my power comes first; if my opponent lacks strength, I also let go strength, I still have the intention to come first. One must be focused in every moment; wherever there is contact, the mind must also be; one has to use “don’t lose, don’t resist” to collect information all along. If practiced from now on, in about a year it one will be able to carry this out easily oneself. This is done wholly using Yi (intention) and not using Jin (strength). If practiced for a long time, the opponent will be controlled by me, and not the opposite."

By Lǐ Yìyú (李亦畬), based on the translation by by Yang Jwing Ming (楊俊敏) presented in the book Tai Chi Secrets of the Wu/Li Style (太極拳武李氏先哲秘要) and various translations on the internet

The Song of Liǎngyí (兩儀歌) by Jiāng Róngqiáo (薑容樵)

兩儀歌

鷹熊競志,
取法為拳。
陰陽暗合,
形意之源。

薑容樵

"The eagle and the bear have competing wills
Adopt their methods to serve as your boxing.
Yin and yang will then agree naturally
This is the root of Xing Yi."

From the book Xing Yi Mother Fists (形意母拳), by Jiāng Róngqiáo (薑容樵), based on the translation by Joseph Crandall