Drawing Out The Force

When two hands come into contact and don't move as both try not to use force, it is still resisting. Not moving because both are not using force is not relaxing. It is still resisting, albeit using minimum force.

My teacher is able to draw out force. No matter how relaxed and how much I try to avoid using force, once my hand comes into contact with his, he can draw out my force and then start to move me, at his choosing. When we both don't use force, our hands are just in contact. Then, he uses peng and draws out my force, I use a bit of force and he uses it back against me.

If I had used force from the onset, he would have of course used it against me. But even when I try not to use force, he is able to draw out my force. That is what a master in taiji is about.