What is the experience of no touch like for Master Wang's students? Usually the feeling is quite subtle in the beginning. Over time, stronger reactions are felt. Sensations vary; some students are aware of a sensation of pressure, others feel an electrical jolt, still others report a disruption in their intentions so that they find themselves suddenly stopped in their motion.

Has Master Wang developed such a high martial ability that he can influence another person without physical contact? Certainly masters have claimed they possess empty force which enables them to transmit chi energy over a distance and move an opponent without actually touching them. Sceptics doubt the existence of such chi transmission and claim that any actions on the receiver’s part are due to “cooperation” between teacher and student. They feel the student is pressured to respond as his/her master wishes, and then the master is deluded in thinking he has special powers.

This issue of cooperation is a difficult one to resolve. Master Wang's students have reported different reactions after working with him in a no touch session. Some are extremely sensitive to energy and literally fall over when Master Wang works with them. Others feel little and can’t understand why others are responding when they don’t. One explanation is that one has to develop sensitivity to energy, just as Master Wang needs to develop transmission skills.

In practicing search center, one has to become softer and learn listening skills. The use of contact requires the development of sensitivity and relaxation. If you are too hard, it is easy for your partner to find your centre. No touch is, consequently, an excellent exercise for developing listening skills and sensitivity. If one can respond to lack of touch, then one is more able to feel even very soft contact.

If we, as his students, choose to be insensitive and not respond to Master Wang’s energy, it is possible to resist it. But there is no point in such an attitude. The purpose of tai chi for us is to increase our body awareness and sensitivity, develop chi energy, and to improve our health.

Can Master Wang direct his energy at an unwilling or unaware person and make them move? No, though he does feel this is a future possibility. He feels the mind is capable of almost anything, and that only lack of discipline and practice keep us from accomplishing what is now considered impossible.

(For more information on Master Wang and no touch see Peter Uhlmann's articles in Inside Kung Fu Magazine -
Feb 2002, July 2002 and August 2003)