Peng Force, Sinking and Cross-Alignment: Deepening the Foundations of Tai Chi

In our recent class, we began by revisiting the three breaths practice before beginning the form. This seemingly simple preparation exercise serves an important role. Although the historical origins and deeper meanings will be explored further in future discussions, the immediate purpose is clear. These breaths offer a way to connect through the whole body, to gather attention and intention, and to quieten the mind before movement begins. They centre us not only mentally but physically, tuning us in to the internal landscape that Tai Chi demands.

With that settled, we returned to one of the most essential elements of internal Tai Chi — the cultivation of Peng force. Through careful explanation and exploration, we clarified how the standing exercise teaches this fundamental quality. Peng is often described as expansive, but it is more than just outwardness. It represents the balanced and resilient quality of internal force, where the body feels full yet soft, connected yet unstressed. It arises naturally through the relationship of sinking and releasing. The mind’s intention supports this expansion, but it is never generated through tension or muscular force.

This Peng force does not remain isolated to standing practice. It is carried into all postures and movements. Whether we are stepping, turning, or issuing force, Peng is always present. In stepping, for example, it is what allows us to feel "drawn into position" rather than simply falling into it. Through Peng, the stepping action retains internal connection and unity.

We explored this further through the familiar Open and Close movement. Here, we directly experience how Peng arises. As we release and sink downward, and again as we release and rise, Peng supports both phases of the movement. The arms do not lift themselves, nor do they fall with weight — they follow the release that originates in the body's centre. This is the subtle mechanism through which Peng gives rise to all motions, up and down alike.

The deeper meaning of Open and Close also became clear. In this practice, we "swallow the energy of Heaven" while drawing downward, and "borrow the energy of Earth" when rising. This vertical relationship supports our structure and movement. When working with a partner, the presence of Peng is often enough to subtly disrupt their root. When we add further depth to our sinking and borrowing from the Earth, our release into the partner naturally becomes stronger and more affecting.

The class also delved into Cross-Alignment Theory, which we explored through guided bow stance practice. We discussed and demonstrated how release occurs even when fully weighted onto one leg. We also looked carefully at the fundamentals of sticking and following — how, through sinking and releasing, we can move under and forward while remaining connected in push hands practice.

Finally, we clarified a subtle internal map: how sinking down the front of the body and releasing up the back ultimately converge into a unified flow. The role of the heels, like rudders on a ship, was emphasised — guiding the direction of relaxed force as we issue through the body.

Through all of these insights and practices, we are deepening the experience of Tai Chi as a living art. Peng, sinking, releasing, and aligning are not abstract ideas — they are embodied every moment we engage with the form.