The rentrée* is not always an easy time, with the holidays behind and the days shortening into winter. But there ways to maintain your summer glow and stay healthy until the year begins to turn back up towards the light. Here are some things you can do:

1. Stock your kitchen with healthy food and get rid of your junk food. If you do't want to throw it away have a party and invite your friends to help you eat it! If you are not sure what healthy food is I know a man who does…

2. Exercise regularly. If you don't already exercise this is the time to join a class, or learn to be a self exerciser. It does not need to take long to stay fit and healthy, especially when you know how. It's good to mix vigorous and relaxed activities. There are plenty of options out there as well as Kungfu and Tai Chi classes, or take a course to learn How to BE an exerciser.

3. Focus on what you love about the rentrée. Make a list of friends you can get to see, places you can pass through or visit, activities that you'd like to take part in.Know youtr treats. How are you going to reward yourself this year. Keep yourself motivated by having simple things that you give you pleasure available for when you've done good.

4. Get rid of what you've had enough – or too much of. Free up your time and energy and say no to the offers and demands that you realise are draining and no lo longer sustain you. Now is the perfect time before the year's rhythm establishes itself. Need help with setting your boundaries then get some coaching.

5. Connect. Take a moment to recognise the person in front of you, whether in the boulangerie, the metro, the street or your work. Even if they don't notice the world will be a better place for it. Give the blank anonymity of the big city a kick in the teeth (or a relaxing massage if you prefer that as a metaphor deepen and enrich your relations at the Intimacy Experience.

*the rentrée is a Fench cultural event. France pretty much closes down in August, and is already crawling along at the end of July. Then come September it's back to work with extra bisous (kisses)for colleagues,  ritual holiday stories, school starts again and people enrol in courses for the year.

The thing that they had in common was that whatever they practised there was a certain pride in their faces and voices as they named their styles.Their answers also reminded me of several conversations I've had about 'tradition' with my friends Stephane Chollet, Jean-Philippe Gams and my Bagua teacher Luo Dexiu.

Stephane is championing an eclectic approach to martial arts based on an extenseive study of martial traditions. JP and I both teach very specific styles of Bagua, styles that we have invested much time, sweat and sacrifice to learn. All of us are interested in how best to teach our students.

While JP and I feel loyalty and affection towards our teachers, and a desire to pass on what we have learned from them as faithfully as we can. We have both cross trained in other arts, Western and Asian. We prefer to keep the methods of this cross training (if not the experience) largely separate from how we teach Bagua.

What we are doing is passing on a 'tradition'.

When I looked at the martial arts of the people I mentioned at the beginning of this article it was very clear that the styles they practised are very very incomplete in a martial sense. Their styles were fragments of what realistic martial arts training needs to consist of, the favourite bits of a teacher passed down to another teacher, who specialised, edited,  and passed down what remained in the name of refinement.

I'd like to distinguish between essence and tradition. A tradition is something that comes from the past, and people attempt to carry into the future. Traditions all have an origin in the  need to solve a specific problem in a specific context. This is the essence of the tradition.

Let me tell a story about traditions. 

A small child is watching her mother cook  a joint of meat. She notices that her mother cuts a section off the end off the joint and trows them away before puuting the joint in the oven. Having natural curiousity the child asks 

' Mummy why did you cut the end off the meat before you put it in the oven?' 

Her mother answers 'It's a little family secret that makes the meat taste better.'   

'But why does it taste better without the end?' 

Her mother reflects a moment and says 'It's to do with how the juices circulate in the meat.' 

The little girl walks off not entirely satisfied. Later in the week she sees her grandmother and asks the same question.

'Grandma why do we cut the end off the meat before we put it in the oven?'

'We do?' her grandmother asks in return.

'Mummy does. She says it makes the meat taste better.'

'Does she now?' the grandmother laughs 'You know that when your grandmother was a little girl we lived in a little house with a little oven. The oven was so small that I had to cut the end off the joint to fit it into the oven. I guess she's still doing it.'

The problem with traditions starts when the essence is forgotten or becomes unclear. 

All martial arts traditions start with people working on solutions to the problems of combat. In China this was often combat with spears (spears are a cheap and effective military weapon that keeps the enemy a good way out of arms reach), filipino martial arts to combat with machetes knives and other sharp agricultural implements, Indonesian arts to muddy jungles, Japanese martial arts to swords and armour, Westen fencing to the honourable duel  and so on (these are gross simplifications).

Whatever the weaponry, armour and environment the essence of martial arts is always about how to deal with someone using everything in their physical power to kill you.

Because this a problem that most of us fortunately no longer have to face very often it often gets forgotten. It is also a problem that presents physical and psychological challenges to visit. So you see fragments of martial arts, and bizarre justifications – like the mother and her circulating juices. 

Yet to teach a genuine martial art it is essential to revisit the original problem as closely as is possible. If the method has clear value in the original context then it is good, if not it needs modifying, supplementing or dropping altogether.

In Taiji I often see people who have no body conditioning, who see form, push hands and sensitivity the sum of martial arts practise. This is possible because they have not visited the original problem. 

This kind of sensitivity is a 'high level' skill. That means it needs  'low level' skills to function. Supported by a complete system sensitivity is great, but sensitivity alone will not deal with hard, fast, varied and well aimed attacks.

Pretty much wherever you look in Asian martial arts you will find similar attitudes, people who 'know' they practise a superior style because they practise big/small/fast/slow/specific/abstract/relaxed/intense/old/new etc. They often are fixated on the high level speciality of their style while forgetting the the low level skills and specialities of other styles.

In conjunction with this speciality fixation martial artists often get hung up on trying to duplicate movements and exercises, cloning what their teacher presented as their tradition. Really a martial art is just a series of methods to help a group of people learn to control their bodies better for the purpose of fighting. 

The control and body awareness may have many deisrable side effects, health, calmness, coordination, emotional equilibrium, discipline and so on.

However if the students do not actively return to the context of the fight the art can easily become as relevant to the original problem as a travel guide to a distant country written in a foreign language. Reading the book is certainly not a qualification to become a travel guide.

When MMA started it forced the people from more restricted styles (the ones who chose to compete – many others watched from the sidelines and justified their styles bys saying they were too dangerous to compete) to visit the original context of martial arts. 

Since then as UFC and similar tournaments have introduced more rules and become more commercially viable. The essence has shifted slightly so that name fighters can continue to attract crowds. MMA fighters are still more in touch with the original essence of martial arts than most 'traditional' stylists.

You can argue that the context and purpose of martial arts changes with time. I agree, and I'd like to see this clearly expressed and understood by the people who teach their arts. 

For example most of the people who practise Taiji is not really a martial art. The problem that its practitioners want it to solve is no longer how to survive the physical attack of someone trying to kill them. It is how to maintain a healthy mobile body and relaxed mind in a high paced stressful world.

Equally for many commercial schools of martial arts the problem that defines their essence is 'How can I entertain people so that they come back week after week.' but that is another story….

As the problem changes so does the essence  and practise of the art, which is natural and desirable. What is less desirable is that many people practise arts that claim to have an essence that was lost generations back.. Entertainment arts often market themselves on the basis that they solve combat problems.

Taiji's modern focus on health is a worthwhile goal, and I think that the students would be better served if they gave up baggage that comes from paying lip service to a martial art, and felt free to modify their exercises according to the modern goals.

Whatever art you practise ask yourself where it came from. What was the original problem that it was designed to solve. If you want to make the art alive then get familiar with that original problem, not just intellectually, but physically.

It is this clarity that makes exceptional practitioners.

My teacher Luo Dexiu was a skilled Xingy fighter when he started to research Bagua. For him the problem he wanted to solve was how to fight with people considerably bigger than himself. 

Luo did not stop looking with the methods that his teacher gave him, but went to his teachers brothers, each of which had a diiferent body type and personality. He also went to his teacher's classmates and teachers of other styles. He stands out from others of his generation because he did not copy what was taught to him, but adapted it to suit him.

When Luo teaches his Bagua is very alive because it comes directly from his research and his ability to solve the problem of how to fight with bigger people. It is full of subtlety, but never at the cost of losing the broad strokes.

Luo does his best to pass on the entirety of what he has learned. He does this both out the frustration he felt from the more conservative teaching that he received and out of loyalty to the people who taught him. Still Luo recognises that it is too much for most people to take on, and even if they do it does not necessarily make it 'theirs'. The student has to revisit the problem to capture the essence and make it really theirs. He does not know where the system he compiled will be in  a couple of generations. Nor do I.

If there is a tradition that he has passed down to me on one level it is forms and exercises of the his Bagua, Xingyi, Taiji and meditative practises. Deeper than that though is the attitude that cuts down to the simplest method to solve a defined problem. I hope that I can be equal to passing that on.

You can also ask yourself what is the problem that you want the art to solve for you now. Do you want to survive a medieval battlefield? Do you want to look good on a dance floor? Do you want to entertainment? Social interaction? Enlightenment? Playful physical contact? A sense of superiority to people who practise other styles?

Whatever it is you'll get more from your art, practise and life if you are clearer. You may decide to take up another practise or modify your existing practise. You may realise that what you are pursuing is nt a worthy use of your life's energy.  Whatever you choose to do this question will help you to clearly pursue the essence of your art or activity.

Join me in the woods for a long weekend of fitness, meditation and martial arts August 13-15th

This is for you if:

• you want to get away from the city 
  
• You want to develop your body, balance and coordination 
  
• you need reflection time 
  
• you enjoy intelligent company that goes beyond superficial social trivia
  

We will stay on a green, wooded property which we share with deer, foxes, wild boar, rabbits, hare owls and many other animals.

Each day we will practise:

• Meditation – seated or standing 
  
• Qigong – for health and body conditioning 
  
• Bagua circular and linear forms 
  
• Partner exercises – to understand angle, distance and application of power and sparring
  
• Natural movement – awaken your animal vitality 
  
• Sensory awareness exercises – clean your city blunted senses 
  

and have time to just enjoy the woods. None of these activities is obligatory – if you need to simply rest, or concentrate one one of these areas you have that option.

You can come for just one day, or for all three days: The price for a single day is €70, and for €180 for all three.

Accomodation: 
There is a large house with a number of bedrooms on the property. I will sleep in the woods, and people are welcome to join me (if you are not used to camping I have some spare equipment and can help you set up).

Food: 
We will eat simply. Cooking and cleaning will be communal. Some cooking will be in the kitchen, but we will also use a campfire. I will supply vegetarian food. If you have special dietary requirements please let me know, you are welcome to bring your own food and treats too (in moderation). Remember this is a retreat so this is not about luxurious food, or alcohol

There will also be some good wild foraging, and ripening fruit on the trees in August.

You responsibilities: 
This will take place in a private property. While we are there it is our job to look after it and clean up after ourselves.

Getting there: 
The property is near the village of Betz in Picardie about one hour from Paris. The closest train station is Crepy-en-valois, from which you can take a taxi. there are regular trains to Crepy-en-valois from gare du nord. Train tickets cost about €40 return, and taxi is about €20. We can arrange taxi sharing if you arrive at the same time. I can send a map in case you want to come by car.

You can arrive on Thursday 12th, set up and settle in so that we can start on Friday morning.

If you have any questions you can call me 06 80 28 86 39.  Call or e-mail to book your place.

I will be in the woods before and after the retreat, so I may not be contactable by e-mail.

You can choose to attend one or both hours.

Each session will cost €10/hour

The dates of the sessions are May 25th, June 1st June 8th,15th, and 29th.

Take a look at the map below to see where we meet.

Afficher Meeting point – Palais Royale sur une carte plus grande

The contents of Luo laoshis seminars in Paris in June this year are here!  

Luo is exceptionally clear and no nonsense in his teaching style. His explanations make the the mysterious aspects of Chinese martial arts not only understandable, but directly practical as well. He is also extremely hands on in his style so you can learn as you watch, listen and feel how he moves.

Whether or not you practise Gao style Bagua the principles that Luo laoshi demonstrates can be applied to any martial art. His quality of movement is superb, with a bewildering mix of light nimble movement, control and convincingly heavy impact.

If you want to learn a skill it is advisable to find the best example of that skill to learn from, and in martial arts Luo is a excellent model.

There are five sessions open to everyone, with a 6th by invitation only. The days can be divided into morning and afternoon sessions. Every session will have a mix of form/solo practise and application.    

Friday June 18th, 19H00-22H00, 單換掌 Single Palm Change and circle walking

These two activities form the basis for Bagua practise – we will go over the most important points in practise and use. Whether you have seen Luo laoshi teach this before you will find new material to work on. This session will be the easiest for people who have little experience of Bagua

Saturday 19th June 10H-17H30, Circular Bagua, 八大掌  Big Eight Palms

Last year we covered the first 2 of these palms. This year we will review the snake and dragon palms, then continue with the next palm changes as time allows.

1. 蛇形順勢掌 Snake form smooth force palm

2. 龍形穿手掌 Dragon form piercing hand palm

3. 回身打虎掌 Returning body, strike the tiger palm

4. 燕翻蓋手掌 Swallow overturning covering hand palm

5. 轉身反背掌 Turn the body over the back palm

6. 擰身探馬掌 Twist the body searching horse palm

7. 翻身背插掌 Overturn the body, through the back palm

8. 停身搬扣掌 Stop the body, move and hook palm

Sunday 20th June 10H-17H30 2nd set of linear Bagua:  坎八式 kan gua

These straight line forms contain many techniques for striking with the hands, and also other parts of the body.

   1. 截肋掌, chui, intercepting ribs palm

   2. 葉下藏花掌 cang, flower hidden beneath the leaf

   3. 內砍掌 kan, inside chopping

   4. 外削掌 xiao, outside cutting

   5. 二仙傳道 er, two sages preach the way

   6. 惡虎撲羊 hu, ferocious tiger pounces on shoulder

   7. 鳳凰奪窩 duo, phoenix robs the nest

   8. 進退連環 huan, advancing and retreating continuing

Monday 21st June 19H-22H00 – sanshou -sticky hands

The sanshou (sometimes called roushou) of our school is a refined skill to link and integrate different techniques. This session is invitation only.    

The seminar will take place at  la Maison du Taiji, 57 rue Jules Ferry, 93170 Bagnolet on the East side of Paris. Prices: 1 session €60, 2 sessions €110, 3 sessions €150, Full weekend €190, Weekend+ Friday €230. Discounts for regular students, students, the unemployed and teachers who bring their students, call or e-mail me to qualify.   

To reserve your place please send deposit of €50 then cash on day. Make and send cheques to Edward Hines, 111 rue Caulaincourt, 75018 Paris until May 25th 2010, and then to 15 quai de la Gironde, Paris 75019.

The dates for Luo laoshi's seminars in Europe and the US are confirmed. It will be a little time before the contents of the seminars are decided, but in most places you can expect a long weekend of teaching that will cover an interesting mix of Bagua and Xingyi.

For people new to Luo laoshi's teaching there are usually sessions that are easy entry points for people without much previous experience.

Paris 17-23rd June

Switzerland 23rd-30th June

Brittany/Rennes 30th June-7th July

Manchester England, 7th-14th July

London England, 17th-21st July

Israel 21st-28th July 

then off to the US

DC 29th July-7th August

Denver 14th-21st August

SF 21st-30th August

then back to Taipei on the 30th.

I will post more information as soon as I have it, including contact details for seminar organisers.

My schedule will probably let me join in with Switzerland and London – as well as Paris, naturally.

During the Summer I taught a number of introductions to Bagua outdoors in the jardins de Palais royale. I had a variety of people come to train, but two young women stood out for me, even if each attended only once. While they were both distractingly pretty what I really liked about having in them in the class was that they moved simply.

Simple natural body movement is something so obvious that it probably needs explaining, and the best way I can explain it is through contrast.

I have seen a lot of martial artists in my classes and seminars, as well as the ones that come to Luo laoshi’s seminars. These martial artists are mostly male, and come from a variety of styles. When I watch them copy a movement, or try and perform and exercise it is clear that their prior conditioning makes it very hard to move naturally.

Actually I think that their conditioning makes it hard to even see what was demonstrated. They see what they think martial arts should look like, and in imposing these ideas they warp their natural movement.

I see two main ways that these people to warp their movement.

The first is that they try and make a movement snappy and forceful– more common from shaolin or karate backgrounds.

The second is that they try and make the movement conform to some idea of what they think their art should look like. As a result their movement is excessively flowery, complicated and contrived. Often the more contrived the movement the smugger they seem in their ‘achievement.’ Often I see both in the same person. I call this martial arts disease.

In the case of Bagua these people think that Bagua is circular, so they try to move in a circular manner and twist themselves into bizarre contortions.

It is not Bagua that is circular, it is human movement that is circular.

Trying to move in a straight line is like trying to stop change. It is difficult if not impossible. If sometimes we do give the impression of moving a hand or an object in a straight line it is the result of a whole range of joints circling around each other.

Look at people involved in other sports. The legs of football players swing in arcs as they run, as do the arms that harmonize and add to the overall motion. Football and basketball players curve around each other as they aim to conserve their momentum on their way to their goals. Cricketers and golfers swing their implements through circles around their centres, bowlers and pitchers transfer the momentum of their bodies into a roundly whipping arm that releases a projectile at a tangent which gently curves downwards in gravity’s embrace.

None of these athletes needed to be told to move in a circular fashion. While they may have spent time developing their fitness, strength, reflexes and coordination their movement is essentially natural.

Natural movement means using the anatomy we have to perform a function. For example to get somewhere fast, lift something, throw something, kick something, or dodge something. The movement is derived from the function, the intention to achieve a certain result. Natural movement does not come from trying to micromanage the body, or make it conform to an idea.

Internal martial arts may seem complicated and a long way from natural, simple movement. After all they give so many instructions as to how to hold the body – sink the shoulders, drop the elbows, hollow the chest, raise the back, unify the upper and lower body.

It is simple if you just think of these as useful tips to maintain integrity through the body while applying force in different directions.

Now let’s take a step backwards. The first requirement is internal martial arts is ‘to relax’ which really just means to use appropriate natural power – not too much and not too little. But due to movement habits, bizarre ideas, stiffness from lack of use, poor coordination or emotional over reaction actually not many people in our society have very relaxed movement.

Is there a remedy for contrived movement? Yes, there are several. The hard part is to show people that they are doing it.

Some people are so invested in the contrivance of their movement that they find it hard to give them up. They fear that simple movement would make them less special or unique. After all simple movement is just every day and ordinary, like babies or sunsets or cats. They may have forgotten that just as we do not have to try to move circularly we do so automatically, we also do not need to try to be unique – we already are.

I have decided that the best way to make them aware of their unnecessary complication is through relentless teasing.

You can divide the antidote to contrived movement can be divided into two parts. The first is in simple movement, for example easy qigong with no application, just feeling the weight of the body and moving with minimal force. Gentle Yoga or Feldenkrais serve the same purpose.

The second is in joyful exertion. Run faster than your mind can coordinate. Give the controls back to your body. Play football, basketball, frisbee, rugby, tennis or anything that you do not associate with a style.

All our movement is based in (but not reduced to) the transfer of mass through the medium of bone, tendon, connective tissue and supported by the earth. We can go into levels of refinement but that’s the foundation. We can explore an intricate pattern of angles, shapes and directions but they still come back to a dance of mass.

I do not know if the two women who I referred to at the start of this article will come back explore the swirl of arcing physical forces, animal emotions and human ideals that I love in martial arts. Their natural movement will be welcome.

If not I’ll simply have to ask them for a drink.