Do you know what is so special about internal movement arts? Control. Mind control specifically. That’s where it begins. You focus your attention on a focal point in the body, initiate movement in certain directions and shapes, then sustain that focus. Control the mind and the body follows.
Control doesn’t mean just to hold some place still. It means being more capable of effecting change. It’s very important to realize that control is not about maintaining status quo, it’s about overcoming inertia.
Dragon Journal of Taijiquan 