A Second Energetic Interpretation of the Single Palm Change

I thought it would be interesting to do another post on the energetics of the SPC. This should contrast drastically with my previous post and that is intentional. I hope it illustrates how focusing on a different part of the 16 part neigung system can totally change the way you view and train the SPC. In this post I’ll be focusing on twisting from the pinky and thumb. I won’t talk about the legs because it will get too confusing in a short post.

Bruce did a nice job of describing the difference between twisting from the pinky and the thumb in the 3rd installment of the Ba Gua Mastery program. I’m not going to repeat that here. I really hope that you can feel the difference. I will add a few comments that will tie this really simple concept back to the most basic yin/yang theory. Just get that the center is always the central channel of the torso. Out is defined as away from it and in is defined as moving toward it. I think what is so confusing (particularly if you can’t feel it) is that both are present in every twist. If you twist your hand, the pinky and thumb are BOTH going away and moving in toward the center — simultaneously!

From a yin/yang perspective you could say that yin and yang are born at the same time. You can’t have one without the other. To be very clear, at any given time, the thumb is either twisting in or twisting out. It doesn’t do both. The same is true of the pinky. However, you have a pinky and you have a thumb and when you twist your hand they move in opposite directions. This is really simple, but it gets confusing as soon as you realize that you can focus on one or the other and this determines whether the twist is defined as out or in. It can also completely change the energy you create. You always have both twisting in and twisting out, but where you put your mind and focus determines whether you create a yang or yin energy. You have to feel this and play until you get it.

So let’s assume that you understand and let’s apply this to the SPC. You want to create the energy of Heaven which is represented by three yang lines. Another way to say this is everything is yang. So, you want to make sure that every single movement expresses a yang energy, up and out. Let’s forgot about up and focus on creating the out with our twisting. And further focus just on just the hands. So, every movement of each hand has to express yang energy from start to finish in the SPC.

How do you do that? The hands are twisting in and out. They appear to be alternating back and forth, tick tock, in and out. I also said that every twist has a simultaneous in and out. So how can you create a continuous flow of yang energy in both hands from start to finish?

This is where the pinky and thumb are key. You have to focus on the side that makes the twist create a yang energy regardless of the direction of your twist. Start with the first ko. I’ve always thought of both hands twisting in, but the trick is to focus on the thumb side. This will change your focus to the thumbs twisting out and create a peng energy that can be use to ward off (to use Tai Chi language) or block an incoming punch or kick. I mention martial arts because it can help you visualize and create the correct yang energy (away from your center).

As you shift your weight, you twist both thumbs out more until you can’t twist any further with lower hand. Now the lower hand twists in the opposite direction. You’ll need to focus on the little finger twisting out. That twist continues all the way until the strike with the lower hand. Again, that hand won’t be able to twist any further and will start twisting in the opposite direction and your focus will shift from the pinky twisting out to the thumb twisting out. Out, out, out, out.

If you understand what I’m talking about and really analyze this, you’ll realize that basically you’ve performed every combination that is possible: both thumbs twist out, one pinky twists out while the other thumb twists out, the thumb twists out while the other pinky twists out, both pinkys twist out. It is very systematic and brilliant.

Play with this. Whether I’m right or wrong in my interpretation doesn’t really matter. If you can do this, you’ll have a much deeper understanding of twisting and you’ll be able to apply it any way you like.