There are a number of lines that are important to contemplate.
Centre line from the apex of the frontal facing body. This feels as though the origin comes from the spine and has the full length of the body, it is what every other joint of the body points towards at the apex. As your awareness grows in localized parts of the body, they join this total awareness of a centre line.
Once a concept of a centre line has been developed, simply by visualizing and spending time with this idea in Si Lim Tao, we then can practice in two ways to enhance the centre line idea.
Pivoting with centre line: This is practicing the pivot with centre line moving with us, i.e. the centre line still is the apex of the forward facing body.
Pivoting and leaving the center line in position: This is maintaining centre line facing forward to a fixed spot on the outside environment, and then pivoting the body while maintaining this idea.
Multiple lines: The next progression would be to now visualize multiple lines. Lets say two lines, one forward, and one backward behind you.
The purpose of this is to sense a equal idea of both lines. A balancing point between the two. This is where we discover, perhaps we where leaning into the idea of just a forward facing centre line. Now try pivoting taking these two lines or leaving them, or even taking one line with the pivot and the other left on centre.
The limit here is endless as far as your ability to imagine lines, it all comes down to capacity of awareness. The more lines we visualize the more we dilute our capacity of awareness, so keeping it simple to start with may suit better.
The line of intention: So here in lies the contemplation. Once the lines are developed, and you will observe them getting more defined and sharper over time, are we able to let this idea go. What I mean by this is neurologists define even the thought of moving as movement, so are we providing an idea of push, by giving a line direction and definition.
The concept of less is more may again, as usual in Wing Chun, apply here.
So by visualizing the lines, maintaining at the same time the idea of spine and Taigung, when we gently let go of the idea of lines, there is something left and we add that capacity of thought that was on the lines back to our centre adding to a greater awareness of all.
When we observe our body and environment and the “lines” from this lighter perspective, one can feel that without imagining lines, just by having a very light intention of what you wish to achieve, the lines appear.
In summary: Visualizing lines is a great tool to develop awareness, but in the end as we let go of this as well, we find that we can feel the intention, and its with this intention that we can observe that the lines are already in place.
– Keven Tate, Mindful Wing Chun Hong Kong Grade 5 Senior Student