One of the mysterious and less explored concepts in Daoism and Tai Chi Chuan is the so-called Shr Jng also known as the "Center of Time". Shr Jng was also the name of the famed Professor Cheng Man Ching's school located on Bowery street in New York's Village.
Despite its notoriety for the reputation as the main one, the concept of Shr Jng remains elusive because it refers to the state where you are in a middle of things, but untouched by them. You are fully but not rigidly aware, relaxed and even flowing with things - this is a perfect state to be in for a martial artist, as well as someone who is simply seeking to be enlightened, because things are informing you, rather than you informing yourself thus connecting with the Universe around you becomes more of a reality than just a mere invention of some writer or a mythical reality not achievable with modern means.
It becomes harder when the Center of Time needs to be actually experienced, as it is a reality like any other state such as relaxation or stress, which are more common, but it requires tremendous amount of practice, that is not commonly covered it would seem. Why it would seem that way? Just check out the Youtube and see and hear what the guys are talking about.
To continue, the Center of Time is an "internal" concept, in other words it does not come with a technique, but is an off shoot of a quality of the mind, that quality that is also responsible for intuition and deeper levels of the insight. You cannot be a shallow uninterested human being if you want to know more about the center of time - protecting yourself with fleeting things is not a plus either. Dedication however is, and if you have chosen any particular system you will be happy to know that it is there, hiding within just like the future flower is hidden inside the seed.
There is a line in the Tai Chi Classic by Wang Tsung-Yueh which says something like "an old man defeating a group of youngsters, how can that be possible?" it doesn't however give you the answer, and the reader is kept wondering in peculiar style, however one of the answers is - the Center of Time. Having no strength an old man is left with the skill, of which the Center of Time is probably one of the highest indicators.
Even those who have experienced this seem to still be processing it, and going further with trying to understand it more fully. There is no way to understand it - you can only function in it. "Straying by a hair length - you are many miles off the path".
the Center of Time can definitely not be bought, and it is questionable whether it even can be taught. One wonders whether it can even be learned. I would say that it can, but one has to arrive at a non-learning.
All in all this post wasn't meant as an educational material but rather a rumination of something that has been happening there and there. So strive to be in the Center of Time, its beautiful - but don't forget to keep your desires in check...
