Hidden in plain site is the most important stance in all of gung fu, the ready stance. What is this mythical beast you may wonder? Nothing but standing there as one normally does, but with a little twist.
For clarity sake please understand that I describe the same stance in two different ways depending on the state of being one is in. When I refer to a 'natural stance' I mean just standing there minding your own business arms by your sides with no particular purpose in mind. When I say 'ready stance' I mean roughly the same external shape but present, focused and engaged (linked, connected, activated) with your environment in real time.
The easiest way to grasp this is to look at the natural world and look to your personal experience. When I step on a twig in the woods that kangaroo that was causally grazing suddenly snaps to attention. The heron that favors my local drainage ditch stands seemingly motionless yet maintains a dynamic relationship with its quarry. My kitty cat scrunches himself into a motionless ball but just cant help wriggling this tip of his tail when attempting to pounce on a bird. Engrossed in conversation something suddenly causes me to turn and catch a newcomer to the room giving me stink eye for some reason. A strange sound in the middle of the night and my blissful oblivion shatters as I scrutinize every creak and moan for signs of a threat.
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