Guiding principles for the Study of Wuji in Xingyiquan (總綱形意無極學) from The Study of Xing Yi Quan (形意拳學)

總綱形意無極學

無極者，當人未練之先，無思無意，無形無象，無我無他，胸中混混沌沌，一氣渾淪，無所向意者也。世人不知有逆運之理，但斤斤於天地自然順行之道，氣拘物蔽，昏昧不明，以致體質虛弱，陽極必陰，陰極必死。於此攝生之術，概乎未有諳也。惟聖人獨能參透逆運之術，攬陰陽、奪造化、轉乾坤、扭氣機，於後天中返先天，復初歸元。保合太和，總不外乎後天五行拳八卦拳之理，一氣伸縮之道。所謂無極而能生一氣者是也。
起點面正，兩手下垂，兩足為九十度之勢。此勢是順行天地自然之道，謂之無極形勢也。

孫祿堂

"Wuji means the state during the moment before practice when there is neither thought nor intention, neither shape nor form, neither self nor others, one’s mind is muddled in undistictive confusion, one’s qi is muddy, there is no intention towards any direction. Most people ignore the existence of the principle of inverse motion, and only know the ways of ordinary movement of heaven and earth. In this way Qi is restrained and this become hidden, the mind becomes unclear, the body gets week. They are unaware that extreme Yang leads to extreme Yin and extreme Yin leads to death. Alas, the method to keep fit is not well known. Only the sages can fully grasp the methods of inverse motion, to embrace the relationship between Yin and Yang, to control the natural principles, to reverse Heaven and Earth, to turn the Qi generation, to return from post-natal to pre-natal, to recover the original state of the beginning. To keep the whole in great harmony is nothing more than applying the applied principles of unified stretching and contracting from the Five Elements Boxing or Baguazhang. This is called the ability of generating the unified Qi from Wuji.
The starting point is upright, both hands hanging down, and keeping a 90 degree angle between the two feet. This posture follows the ordinary way of nature and is called the Wuji posture."

From the book The Study of Xing Yiquan (形意拳學), by Sūn Lùtáng (孫祿堂), based on the translation by Albert Liu and Dan Miller.

Sūn Lùtáng (孫祿堂) in Wújí Stance (無極势)

The Study of Wuji in the Sword (無極劍學) from the Study of Bagua Sword (八卦劍學)

無極劍學

劍學之無極者，當人執劍身體未動之時也，此時心中空空洞洞混混沌沌一氣渾然，此理是一字生這〇，一字者先天之至道，這〇者無極之形式，是先天一字之所生。人生在世，未嘗學技動作自然，是道之所行，是一字也。及手執劍正立身體未動，是一字生這〇也。譬諸靜坐功夫，未坐之時，呼吸動作是先天道之自然之所行，如同一字也。甫坐之時，兩腿盤跌兩目平視，雖未垂簾觀玄兩手打扣，而心中空空洞洞無思無想一氣渾然，如同〇也。及心神定住，再扣手垂簾塞兌觀玄，又如同這矣。所以劍學與丹道，初無差別，分之則二合而為一，是即劍學無極之理，天地之始也。或者丹書雲：道生虛無，返回練虛合道，是此意也。學者細參之，此理大中秘密言之。

孫祿堂

"The study of Wuji in the sword refers to a man standing and holding the sword, and his body not yet moving. At this moment the center is empty and formless, the unified qi is undivided. This principle is represented by an empty circle, this character (the circle) and the pre-natal heaven follow the same way. The circle is the form of Wuji, it is the symbol of the creation of the Pre-natal. When people are born into the world, before they had learned skills, their natural movements are spontaneous in the Taoist way. When one holds the sword and stands up before the start of the movement, the symbol of the circle is generated.It is like doing sitting meditation, without sitting. Breathing is natural as the pre-natal dao, as the symbol (circle). At the time of sitting, both legs drop and both eyes look levelly ahead. Although you are not blindfolded, you still see the darkness, both hands closed. The interior is empty; there are no thoughts, no consideration, the one qi is undivided as the circle. The attention is still, again the hands turn inward and hang like a curtain, stop looking, this is like a dot in a circle. There is no difference between the study of the sword and the Daoist alchemy, the two are one. The principles of Wuji in the study of the sword are the same of those of the beginning of the world. The Dan Shu says “the Dao is born out of empty nothing, the practice of returning joins the Emptiness to the Dao”, this is the meaning. The student must pay detailed attention; this principle is one of the major secrets."

起點面正，身子直立不可俯仰，兩手下垂直，兩足為九十度之形式。右手執劍，手為中陰中陽之訣式，劍尖與劍把橫平直，左手五指伸直手心靠著腿，兩手兩足不可有一毫之動作。心中空空洞洞，意念思想一無所有，兩目望平直線看去，亦不可移轉，將神氣定住。此式自動而靜由一而生這〇，即為無極形式，內中一切情形與八卦拳學無異，此道執械則為劍，無械即是拳，所以八卦拳學於各種器械莫不包含，學者可與八卦拳并參之。

"The starting point is to look upright. The body stands upright, it should not pitch forward or backward. Both hands hand down straight. The feet form a 90 degree angle. The right hand holds the sword. The hand shape middle Yin middle Yang is the secret. The point of the sword together with the sword handle are leveled. The five fingers of the left hand are stretched out, the palm is near the leg. Neither hands nor feet should have one bit of movement. The mind is empty. There are not thoughts at all. Both eyes gaze at the horizon. The sight is set at the distance, it does not wander around. The vitality shall be present. This form is naturally moving and yet still, one is born from zero, this is the Wuchi form. In all circumstances it is part of the Study of Bagua Quan. This is the way to hold a weapon and make it function as a sword. Because the study of the fist is without weapon, the study of Bagua Quan includes all kinds of weapons. The student can combine (the study of the sword) with Bagua Quan."

From the book The Study of Bagua Sword (八卦劍學), by Sūn Lùtáng (孫祿堂), based on the translation by Joseph Crandall

The Xíngyì Song of Wújí (形意無極歌) by Jiāng Róngqiáo (薑容樵)

形意無極歌

混淪一氣內外修
涇渭不分至道由
空洞自然凝神靜
化虛還原此中求

薑容樵

"The unified chi of the original void is internally and externally cultivated.
The Jing and Wei rivers do not separate until they reach the source of the Dao.
The nature is empty, the spirit concentrate on quietness.
One seeks to become void and return to the origin."

From the book Xing Yi Mother Fists (形意母拳) and The Miscellaneous Form and Eight Postures Form of Xing Yi (形意杂式捶八式拳合刊) , by Jiāng Róngqiáo (薑容樵), based on the translation by Joseph Crandall

The Song of Wújí (無極歌) by Jiāng Róngqiáo (薑容樵)

無極歌

人生太空，
無爭無竟，
意境渾然，
不著蹤影。

薑容樵

"People are created out of the great void,
Without striving, without contending,
The mind completely enclosed,
No trace is apparent."

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