Taijiquan: Through the Western Gate by Rick Barrett
Lesley Jackson checks out the latest title from writer Rick Barrett, who’s new book on Tai Chi compliments his many teachings and seminar workshops in New York and expands on his other work in many martial arts publications.
Taijiquan: Through the Western Gate
Author: Rick Barrett; Publisher
: Blue Snake Books, New Holland; Year: 2006; Pages: 265; Languages: English; RRP: £12.99
Review:
As I recently decided to have a go at Tai Chi as a break from my usual kicking and punching frenzy, I decided to have a look at an in-depth book about my new martial art. Due to the more esoteric nature of Tai Chi, I decided to steer clear of the multitude of ‘how to guides’ that are on the market and as regular Martial Edge readers will know, I’m not much of a fan of the martial arts guide with more pictures than text. So I went for this one, after I had worked out that Tai Chi’chuan and Taijijuan are indeed the same martial art but spelt differently! A wee bit confusing when you are trying to search for information about it on the internet!
This book is certainly one that the Taijiquan practitioner can get their teeth into. It is more concerned with the internal aspects of the art rather than the specific movement themselves and goes into great detail on how one can hone their mental approach to Taijiquan. One of the main themes running through Mr Barrett’s exploration is that of the substantial and insubstantial energies running through the human body, or as he puts it in chapter five, “non-stuff becoming stuff.” One of my favourite analogies he uses to illustrate this is when he explains the meaning of money, and how it has become less and less tangible; from using lumps of gold in exchange for goods to using a credit card to pay for goods with money we haven’t yet earned. Emphasis is also placed upon, “energetic coherence” and reaching a higher plane of thought and movement to reach the more advanced echelons of Taijiquan practise. A holistic programme of personal improvement is stressed in this book, rather than the competitive ‘push hands’ or martial aspects of Taijiquan. As Mr Barrett says, “surrender your ego’s demand for dominance to be able to awaken to the power of the insubstantial.”
What must be pointed out is that this book is certainly not for the beginner of Taijiquan. It is an academic text for the more advanced practitioner and it deals purely with the philosophical and theoretical aspects of the martial art, which to someone just starting out in their first few classes runs the risk of becoming bewildering. Mr Barrett’s prose style is quite dense and at times the discussion runs the risk of becoming so non-tangible that it can disappear into the ether. Perhaps a few bullet points to summarise the more in-depth discussion at the end of each chapter could be used to further enforce learning; I would certainly have found this useful.
However, Mr Barrett’s book does offer some very interesting views and discussions and seeks to challenge the Western way of thinking with an alternative to our fast-paced and materialistic way of living. To the intermediate and advanced student of Taijiquan, this text is definitely recommended reading to further progress in their chosen martial art.
Taijiquan: Through the Western Gate by Rick Barrett
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