Episode 5 - Stillness in Movement

This picture was taken at a floating market in Thailand.

The Thai hawkers at the floating market run their businesses on small boats without being affected by the flowing water. Some hawkers cook food on their boats and consume the same there as if they are sitting or standing on solid ground.

Internal martial art requires a practitioner to be concentrated, relaxed, and to maintain his balance whilst in motions, without being affected by any external forces.

This is the principle of "Stillness in Movement" (see Episode Three for Movement in Stillness).

If a practitioner is not relaxed, his internal power will be blocked by the joints in tension. The term "relax" should not be taken in its face value. It involves the flow of energy from within the body and the ability to absolve external force without affecting the balanced bodily structure.

Total "relax" plus high concentration of attention is the key to the effective transmission of internal power.

To maintain one's balance, a practitioner has to adhere to the principle of keeping the centre (See Episode 18)