| I can put out a candle with a martial arts power at | | | | physical blessing, but it is the mental benefit that is of |
| about two feet now. This article is about the | | | | most value. |
| techniques I have been working with. I'm hoping | | | | When I put out a candle at two feet I use a tai chi |
| other people out there will want to share their | | | | posture which is labeled Brush Knee, and I work on |
| methods, and we can all start putting out candles | | | | shifting weight, turning hips, and using all parts of the |
| from across the room. | | | | body to do so. The most important thing, the thing |
| Now, just to be clear, it is a trick, but it does have | | | | that showed me gradual and increasing success, was |
| benefits of good value. Mental concentration | | | | to take all the energy out of what I was doing. I do |
| improves, and you learn different things about how | | | | it karate style, and I learned to use less physical |
| the body can be utilized. The body and the mind, to | | | | effort and more mental focus, I do it tai chi style, |
| be truthful, are tools that we have barely begun to | | | | and my success comes when I can take almost all |
| understand. | | | | energy out of the body and move the body from |
| First things first, I learned the cheap shot of putting | | | | outside. |
| out a candle. If you flick the finger in front of the | | | | Yeah, it takes me a while, but as I remove energy |
| flame, the flick is enough to rob the flame of oxygen | | | | from my body, concentrate on not snapping muscle, |
| and make the candle go out. Try it, just hold the | | | | but emptying frame, I tend to get a little back of my |
| hand a few inches back of the candle, then flick the | | | | body. I'm not out, a floating, disembodied intelligence |
| finger as if you are flicking off water, as if you are | | | | wafting through the universe, just a little removed, |
| merely snapping the fingers, and do it on the flame. | | | | comfortably removed, seeing my body from a |
| Next, I worked on the fist stopping in front of the | | | | viewpoint a little behind my eyes. The patience and |
| candle. While there is mental focus involved, this is still | | | | mental resources are quite pitched at this point, |
| a simple rob the flame of oxygen trick. You are | | | | because I am trying to move a body without using |
| robbing oxygen, but it takes mental control of the | | | | muscle, except at the lightest points. |
| body to make it work just right. | | | | Now, there are still problems with the method I am |
| You have to be able to stop the movement of the | | | | using. In spite of the mental sharpness involved, it |
| body precisely, exactly, and with no shake or shiver. | | | | doesn't feel efficient. Also, there seems to be a limit |
| This leads one to the conclusion that it is not just the | | | | to the effective distance, and I can't get beyond |
| muscles involved in this thing, but control of muscle, | | | | about three feet. But at least there is some success, |
| that is important. All those hours of standing in a | | | | and time and patience and sincere study will give me |
| horse stance in front of a candle do have a very real | | | | more. |