JUICE Radical TAIJI Energetics

by Scott Meredith

JUICE Radical Taiji Energetics describes the entire process of generating maximal internal power (qi) through the slow motion martial art of Chinese Taijiquan (T'ai Chi Ch'uan). All aspects of cultivation and deployment of Taiji's spirit energy are described in accessible terms. This book explains that the great past Taiji masters were not pointing at mere physical structure or mechanical principles in their teachings. Rather, they have left us a legacy of ecstatic internal energy methods that are unwrapped, unraveled, and demystified in this book. The presentation is clear, engaging, and profound, and includes working solo, working with a partner, and mastering the Taiji sword. JUICE is an essential companion for anybody from the raw beginner to the long-term veteran practitioner or teacher of Taiji. Which feels better, crack cocaine or Taiji energy? Why is spirit power (not physical structure) Taiji's true engine of mastery? Whether you're a seasoned player or merely Tai-curious, JUICE will hand you the hidden master keys to TAIJI (T'ai Chi Ch'uan) Contents include: The BRUTE level of internal energy; Taiji's MISSING BASIC for universal energy permeation; The ARC OF STEEL for Taiji's Full Body Activation; The SURGE and the STATE; The real purpose and method of Taiji's PUSH-HANDS exercise; The TAILOR'S TOUCH for supreme sensitivity; YINJECTION and YINFUSION for power emission; The SHELL and its SPIKE, SLIDE, SLURP, and NUDGE power concepts; Taiji's energy meta-tool: the Chinese STRAIGHT SWORD; and much more. JUICE isn't a photo-sequence textbook, illustrating a set of dance poses. JUICE doesn't blandly re-parrot the arcane Chinese philosophy from which Taiji emerged. This book lays out the specific mental "settings" that super-charge any style of Taiji and explains how to use Taiji for personal energy cultivation - with effects that anyone can experience immediately. Whether you currently practice Taiji or you're just thinking of getting into it, you should read JUICE before taking another step.

Genres: Martial Arts, Taoism

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 8, 2012

Reviews

[James]

a sassy book, also lays out a clear method of practice, although "no sequences of diagrams" as the author is very self-conscious about..

Indeed, my taichi teacher likes the structural fallacy, so I'll have to watch out for that..

I'll have to see how far I can go with the relaxation

[Anne Beardsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I doubt very much that I was the target audience of this book. Inner Energy is all new to me. I don't know any Taiji, and the only teachers in my area are the 'old folks home' variety.
I practice a traditional Japanese sword style.
This book changed everything for me.

While obviously directed at the serious Taiji practioner, the principles are universal. The author takes an extremely esoteric, difficult subject (which most classical writers could only describe in the vaguest language) and goes through it step by step. His language is remarkably clear and direct. Juice taught me to pay attention to certain energies and sensations, to cultivate certain areas ... and it's completely changed all my weapons practice. Mr. Meredith has explained all of those funny tinglings and small shocks I had been feeling in my arms and legs, and showed me how to turn them into something more. Okay, a lot more. It is as if someone poured a gallon of gasoline on a smoking tiny burning leaf I hadn't even noticed. Everything went Fwoom.

I can't bring myself to give this book less than five stars.
Believe me, I tried.

You see, sometimes the author annoyed me. His defensiveness, his endless acronyms (which made nothing any clearer), his certainty that all his readers had low-value priorities in life (such as feeling good instead of, say, character growth).... these things and more all grated on me. Sometimes I really wanted to detract a star or two for them.
But the book's content is just too good for that. Well played, Mr. Meredith. You win this one.

In the month since I began to read this book, I have worked on inner energy nearly every day. The progress I've made seems incredible to me. Two years ago I did not believe in Ki, Chi, Inner Energy...whatever you want to call it. Today I'm a convert, looking forward to long years of steady, patient work. Already it has changed my sword style.

While Mr. Meredith does everything he can to try to be snappy and conversational, it's an information-heavy subject. There's a lot of ground to cover, most of which was entirely new to me. It reads a bit like a textbook. With the information density, that's inevitable.
Still, the clarity and directness of the explanations provided are refreshing. I have pages of notes to review.

I am grateful that I found this book.

[Saul Levene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Useful strategies and an enjoyable background to the workings of energy. Wonderful.