Author: Sam

Grasp the Sparrow’s Tail

Posted on by Sam

Grasp the Sparrow's Tail:
The Four Primary Energies of Tai Chi Chuan

Grasp the Sparrow’s Tail is a sequence of postures that you see repeated multiple times in Tai Chi forms. While it’s only four simple postures, it’s repeated because of its importance. In fact, the four postures are considered the main “energies” of tai chi. Here, energy refers to a way of manifesting or expressing the internal power that we create in tai chi. This video guide exists so that you can really dig in and understand this important sequence outside of the context of learning the entire form.

The Primary Energies are: Ward-off (peng), Roll-back (liu), Press together (ji), and Push down (an).

Level 1: Introduction

In the Introduction video we’ll learn the basic movements for the Grasp the Sparrow’s Tail sequence. The basic movements have to become fluid and internalized so that you don’t have to “think” about them. Watch this video as much as you need to. Perform the movements daily or as often as you can. Once they’re memorized, you should move on to the Level 2 videos.

Level 2

Now that you’ve practiced the basic overall movements, it’s time to break down each posture and delve into their specific internal qualities. This will take you deeper into your body as you build the mind-body connection needed to feel the more subtle aspects of each of these. 

I recommend watching only one video per week. Rewatch the same video until you get an understanding of what you’re trying to feel, and then do the whole sequence, but really prioritize which part of the movement you’re doing that week. You can just gently flow through the other parts that you’re not focusing on that week.

Eventually, try to put it all together and feel every part of each posture and energy. 

Home Practice

Once you have watched all of the videos, begin performing this sequence as often as you can. You’ll want to do them for several minutes to get the most out of it. Eventually, it will feel like a place of solace, that you can return to whenever you need to “get away” of reconnect with yourself. This is how you’ll reach the true goal of tai chi, which is to create peace, balance, and harmony in your body and mind and even your life.

Here’s the recommended practice at home. 

  1. Open – Start by shaking out all your joints and doing some breathing exercises to relax and come into the moment. 
  2. Sink – Then stand still for several minutes and begin to sink into your feet and connect your body down to the ground, aka “sinking the chi.” 
  3. Mobilize – Finally, set a timer for 5 minutes (or more), and practice Grasp the Sparrow’s Tail until the timer goes off. The timer will keep you from thinking about getting THROUGH the form. You’ll just practice it until the timer goes off. As I always say, “Don’t try to get through the from; be IN the form.” Live in every minute detail of it. This is how tai chi is practiced.

Enjoy your training!