A little on Hei Gung: Wu Ji Post by Yun Hoi

A little on Hei Gung:

Opening and closing Hei Gung Practice

Wu Ji Post

Most hei gung sets begin with the Wu Ji posture. 

To take this stance - the feet are shoulder width apart, knees are slightly bent and the weight of the body is focused on the Ki point, not on the heels. The back is held straight with the head gentle lifted. Shoulders relax down and out to the sides so the armpits open naturally. Arms hang loose but in a circular shape if viewed from the front. The palms are relaxed and the fingers and palms are slight rounded. 

The best way to get the right shape is to place your hand with fingers spread on top of your head then move them away without change.

The tailbone is straight in a natural position rather than tucked under. 

The ribcage is naturally open and rounded. 

Don’t depress the ribcage or artificially cramp down the chest – just relax.

Release any tension in the solar plexus and diaphragm area. 

- Yun Hoi

Standing Meditation Principles from writings by BP Chan

STANDING MEDITATION PRINCIPLES

From writings by BP Chan, adapted by Jeff Bartfeld, based on 25 +  years experience as his student.

The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine states that "The cultivation of chi is greatly enhanced by standing meditation."
Standing meditation practice consists of stillness on the outside and motion on the inside. It helps create a new and natural body memory, so that one does not impede the inner flow of energy. It also promotes self healing.
During practice, the mind should not visualize anything, and the body should be void of the physical forces of movement. This helps one recognize and cultivate the inner energy known as chi, the vital essence of the universe.
Standing meditation is an exponentially evolving art that can never be mastered. After practicing standing meditation for some time, one will discover that it leads to many wonderful changes.

To help us with this task, standing meditation principles have been handed down in poems and literature. The most important of these principles are alignment, centering and posture.

Basic Instructions on correct alignment, centering and posture:

• Stand naturally with the feet parallel, shoulder width apart and weight balanced. The outside line of the feet should be straight, if this can be done without hurting the knees.

• Be loose and sink as if sitting on a sofa. When sinking (sitting), the thighs will slightly spread into a natural arch. This will happen if you sit by moving the body straight down (do not use the legs to lower the body).

• Keep the upper body, including the head upright, and do not lean in any direction. The torso should not be compressed – allow the body to open naturally. The cervical vertebra should be aligned with the back of the spine so that the mind can be calmed.

• The body should be centered to allow the energy to sink, and the breath should be natural.

• The shoulders and elbows should be relaxed downward with the armpits open.

• The arms should embrace the chest at a distance of three side fists. The fingers of the hands should be relaxed and separated evenly with the thumbs on a horizontal plain. The wrists should not be bent. Bending them is like bending a hose, which interferes with flow.

• The knees should be above the Bubbling Well acupuncture point, and should never go beyond the toes.

• Maintain the three folds of the body (ankle, knee, Qua)

• The eyes should be level with the eyelids slightly closed and relaxed (this will relax the face)

• The tongue should touch the upper palate when the mouth is closed. This connects the Tu Mo and Den Mo channel (Microscopic Orbit) at its upper point, and allows for the formation of saliva, which must be swallowed in a specific way.

Some Additional notes;

The Breath should originate with the stomach (natural breath), be done through the nose and make no sound.

The Mind should not try to guide the energy. This will lead to over focusing and make it impossible to tap into the force. One should not be fooled by ego driven feelings, they are not real. To sum it up, one should have no thoughts, and function as an inner observer.

Under no condition should one force the breath, use strength or arch the chest.
Note: If you try to physically do the above, you are violating standing meditation principles by creating tension through mind willfulness and force. If you set up the body according to the principles, no force will be necessary.
Jeff Bartfeld
www.qigongforest.com

Qi: One Energy - Two Expressions (3 of 3)

Qi Magazine - September 2007
By Adrian Chan-Whyles, PhD
http://www.chandao.co.uk/

Internal Force

Internal force - or that force which is cultivated and produced in the internal martial arts of China (Xingyi, Bagua and Taijiquan, etc.), has its basis (like external force) in the philosophy of ancient Chinese medicine and the science of Qi. Simply stated, internal force is that power which is produced within and around the bone.

The musculature, in this instance, becomes secondary as it is no longer required/used as a prime producer of energy but continues to fulfill its function for defense and mobility. Internal power generation is essentially dependent upon postural alignment. The basic Qigong exercise for the development of alignment trains both the body and mind. The bones must be anatomically placed so that they 'sit' squarely upon one another. The shoulder girdle sits squarely over the pelvic girdle and the pelvic girdle sits squarely over the ankles and heels. 

The hips and connected to the shoulders by a naturally 'S' shaped spine and connected to the feet by slightly springy knees. The feet are approximately shoulder width apart and the head sits squarely on the shoulders with the back of the neck extended and the chin tilted slightly forward. The mind focuses upon full, deep breathing, utilizing the full lung capacity. For this to occur, muscular tension in the torso and chest (which prevents full deep breathing) must be relaxed. Initially, tension is relaxed with the focus of the mind upon the tense area. 

Tension is acknowledged with the inward breath, and literally expelled from the muscle with the outward breath. An aligned posture does not require muscular tension to stay in place. With deep, full breathing, the heart beat slows down whilst having more oxygen available per breath, per beat of the heart. Tension would normally prevent oxygen transference around the body - but when tension is relaxed, oxygen and energy may flow freely.

When the skeleton is aligned, gravity acts upon the body mass - creating body weight which is pulled downward into the ground. The unhindered body weight travels downward through the center of the bone gently massaging the bone marrow. The bodyweight hits the ground - thus 'rooting' the practitioner like a tree. In this state, it is difficult for an external force to move the body. As the weight hits the ground, an opposite and equal rebound force is created, that travels back up the body, through the bone marrow, again massaging the bone marrow in the opposite direction.

This gentle massaging of the bone marrow, ensures that the bone is both robust and yet flexible, two essential components of a healthy bone structure. Over time the bones toughen. At this point it must be pointed out that an aligned posture is a rounded posture. The bones of the legs, torso and arms assume a rounded posture that forms what is known as 'Internal Iron Vest.' The rounded posture absorbs, deflects and reflects incoming power. As a blow strikes the aligned posture, the incoming power is automatically reflected back into the attacking limb, causing damage to that limb at the point of contact. With the concentration of the mind through deep breathing and postural alignment, the mind brought to a single point - concentrating and relaxing the energy of the mind. As the intellect relaxes, the intuition comes to the forefront and is experienced as an expansion of awareness that goes beyond the physical limitations of the body. Over the years, this expansion deepens and matures - this is Qigong of the mind. 

From this still position, the rudiments of internal power are both acquired and cultivated. The next stage is to be able to maintain and produce internal power whilst moving the physical body around through time and space. The structure of the sequential forms of the internal arts exist to exercise and manifest this internal force whilst on the move. 

The rebounding, upward force is used to emit energy from the center of the body outwards, whilst the dropping body weight force is used to absorb incoming power. As this force is not dependent upon the rules of muscular power immense force can be produced with virtually no movement as gravity is at work regardless as to whether one is moving or not. No single muscle group can produce the same amount of force created by the bodyweight. Also, muscles tire and need resting, whereas internal force is constant and never grows tired. On a genetic level, human beings are programmed to see muscular movement and prepare to counter it. However, the ability to produce substantial force with virtually no muscular involvement by-passes the natural human instinct for survival. An internal master literally exists and moves within a perceptual gap. If one is not of equal development, then it is very difficult fo confront and counter the internal.

Silk Reeling: The Chen Family Way

Qi Magazine | Issue 48

By Glenn Gossling

Chan Si Gong or Silk Reeling exercises, as they are called in the West, are the foundation of Chen style taiji. These profoundly simple movements show how Qi circulates during the practice of taijiquan.

Once the principle of these moves is understood it is easy to bring clarity to the many thousands of moves that make up the taiji system, whereas without them one could easily learn many thousand moves without ever attaining a high level of skill or clarity. During his recent visit to the UK Sigong Chen Xiaowang elucidated the fundamental principle of taiji. He stated that the taiji principle is composed of one posture combined with two movements. The posture is based on the Zhan Zhuang meditation stance and the two movements refer to the two directions that the Dantien is rotated during taiji. The basic Zhan Zhuang posture provides the framework for these two movements of the Dantien to direct the Qi about the body. In the Zhan Zhuang stance the spine is upright with the head, shoulders, Dantien and feet in vertical alignment. All the joints are slightly bent and loose. It is vital that the whole body is still and relaxed. This does not mean that the body is allowed to collapse, it means that good posture is maintained but without any tension. With the body relaxed, the movement of the Dantien is able to spiral out from the centre to the periphery of the body in a logical way. The silk reeling energy spirals from the Dantien to the shoulder, to the elbow to the wrist and finally the fingers. The rotation of the Dantien takes the body from a neutral relaxed posture into a state where the body becomes yin then yang, or yang and then yin. In a sense the movement of the Dantien can only take place because of the way that stillness is able to culminate in the Zhan Zhuang posture. Therefore when movement culminates it returns to stillness. This is why taijiquan always begins by preparing posture and consciousness before starting any movements. The breath is sunk to the Dantien. By maintaining the centre of the Dantien it is possible to become still while in movement and in movement while still. This paradox is at the heart of taiji and is what gives taiji its unique spirit.

Relax your Mind, Establish Root, Cultivate Qi.

Qigong General Training by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming

Every qigong form or practice has its special training purpose and theory. If you do not know the purpose and theory, you have lost the root (meaning) of the practice. Therefore, as a qigong practitioner, you must continue to ponder and practice until you understand the root of every set or form. Remember that getting the gold is not enough. Like the boy in the old Chinese story, you should concern yourself with learning the trick of turning the rock into gold. You can see that getting the gold is simply gaining the flowers and branches, and there can be no growth. However, if you have the trick, which is the theory, then you will have the root and you may continue to grow by yourself.

In Chinese qigong society, it is commonly known that in order to reach the goal of qigong practice, you must learn how to regulate the body (tiao shen, 調身), regulate the breathing (tiao xi, 調息), regulate the emotional mind (tiao xin, 調心), regulate the qi (tiao qi, 調氣), and regulate the spirit (tiao shen, 調神). Tiao in Chinese is constructed from two words, "言" (yan, means speaking or talking) and "周" (zhou, means round or complete). That means the roundness (i.e., harmony) or the completeness is accomplished by negotiation. Like an out of tune in piano, you must adjust it and make it harmonize with others. This implies that when you are regulating one of the above five processes, you must also coordinate and harmonize the other four regulating elements.

Regulating the body includes understanding how to find and build the root of the body, as well as the root of the individual forms you are practicing. To build a firm root, you must know how to keep your center, how to balance your body, and most important of all, how to relax so that the qi can flow.

To regulate your breathing, you must learn how to breathe so that your respiration and your mind mutually correspond and cooperate. When you breathe this way, your mind can attain peace more quickly, and therefore concentrate more easily on leading the qi.

Regulating the mind involves learning how to keep your mind calm, peaceful, and centered so that you can judge situations objectively and lead qi to the desired places. The mind is the main key to success in qigong practice.

Regulating the qi is one of the ultimate goals of qigong practice. In order to regulate your qi effectively you must first have regulated your body, breathing, and mind. Only then will your mind be clear enough to sense how the qi is distributed in your body and understand how to adjust it.

For Buddhist and Daoist priests who seek enlightenment or Buddhahood, regulating the spirit (shen) is the final goal of qigong. This enables them to maintain a neutral, objective perspective of life, and this perspective is the eternal life of the Buddha. The average qigong practitioner has lower goals. He raises his spirit in order to increase his concentration and enhance his vitality. This makes it possible for him to lead qi effectively throughout his entire body so that it carries out the managing and guarding duties. This maintains health and slows the aging process.

If you understand these few things you can quickly enter into the field of qigong. Without all of these important elements, your training will be ineffective and your time will be wasted.

Before you start training, you must first understand that all of the training originates in your mind. You must have a clear idea of what you are doing, and your mind must be calm, centered, and balanced. This also implies that your feeling, sensing, and judgment must be objective and accurate. This requires emotional balance and a clear mind. This takes a lot of hard work, but once you have reached this level you will have built the root of your physical training, and your yi (mind) can lead your qi throughout your physical body.

Regulating the Body (Tiao Shen, 調身)

When you learn any qigong, either moving or still, the first step is to learn the correct postures or movements. After you have learned the postures and movements, learn how to improve them until you can perform the forms accurately. Then you start to regulate your body until it has reached the stage that could provide the best condition for the qi to build up or to circulate.

In still qigong practice or soft qigong movement, this means to adjust your body until it is in the most comfortable and relaxed state. This implies that your body must be centered and balanced. If it is not, you will be tense and uneasy, and this will affect the judgment of your yi and the circulation of your qi. In Chinese medical society it is said: “[When] shape [body’s posture] is not correct, then the qi will not be smooth. [When] the qi is not smooth, the yi [wisdom mind] will not be peaceful. [When] the yi is not peaceful, then the qi is disordered." You should understand that the relaxation of your body originates with your yi. Therefore, before you can relax your body, you must first relax or regulate your mind (yi). This is called "shen xin ping heng," (身心平衡) which means "body and heart [i.e., mind] balanced." The body and the mind are mutually related. A relaxed and balanced body helps your yi to relax and concentrate. When your yi is at peace and can judge things accurately, your body will be relaxed, balanced, centered, and rooted. Only when you are rooted can you raise up your spirit of vitality.


Three Levels of Qigong Relaxation

Relaxation is one of the major keys to success in qigong. You should remember that only when you are relaxed will all your qi channels be open. In order to be relaxed, your yi must first be relaxed and calm. When the yi coordinates with your breathing, your body can relax.

In qigong practice there are three levels of relaxation. The first level is the external physical relaxation, or postural relaxation. This is a very superficial level, and almost anyone can reach it. It consists of adopting a comfortable stance and avoiding unnecessary strain in how you stand and move. The second level is the relaxation of the muscles and tendons. To do this your yi must be directed deep into the muscles and tendons. This relaxation will help open your qi channels, and will allow the qi to sink and accumulate in the dan tian.

The final stage is the relaxation that reaches the internal organs and the bone marrow. Remember, only if you can relax deep into your body will your mind be able to lead the qi there. Only at this stage will the qi be able to reach everywhere. Then you will feel –transparent—as if your whole body had disappeared. If you can reach this level of relaxation, you can communicate with your organs and use qigong to adjust or regulate the qi disorders that are giving you problems. You will also be able to protect your organs more effectively, and therefore slow down their degeneration.

Rooting

In all qigong practice it is very important to be rooted. Being rooted means to be stable and in firm contact with the ground. If you want to push a car you have to be rooted; the force you exert into the car needs to be balanced by the force into the ground. If you are not rooted, when you push the car you will only push yourself away and not move the car. Your root is made up of your body's sinking, centering, and balance.

Before you can develop your root, you must first relax and let your body "settle." As you relax, the tension in the various parts of your body will dissolve, and you will find a comfortable way to stand. You will stop fighting the ground to keep your body up and will learn to rely on your body's structure to support itself. This lets the muscles relax even more. Since your body isn't struggling to stand up, your yi won't be pushing upward, and your body, mind, and qi will all be able to sink. If you let dirty water sit quietly, the impurities will gradually settle to the bottom, leaving the water above it clear. In the same way, if you relax your body enough to let it settle, your qi will sink to your dan tian and the bubbling wells (yongquan, K-1, 湧泉) in your feet and your mind will become clear. Then you can begin to develop your root.

To root your body you must imitate a tree and grow an invisible root under your feet. This will give you a firm root to keep you stable in your training. Your root must be wide as well as deep. Naturally, your yi must grow first because it is the yi that leads the qi. Your yi must be able to lead the qi to your feet and be able to communicate with the ground. Only when your yi can communicate with the ground will your qi be able to grow beyond your feet and enter the ground to build the root. The bubbling well cavity is the gate that enables your qi to communicate with the ground.

After you have gained your root, you must learn how to keep your center. A stable center will make your qi develop evenly and uniformly. If you lose this center, your qi will not be led evenly. In order to keep your body centered, you must first center your yi and then match your body to it. Only under these conditions will the qigong forms you practice have their root. Your mental and physical centers are the keys that enable you to lead your qi beyond your body.

Balance is the product of rooting and centering. Balance includes balancing the qi and the physical body. It does not matter which aspect of balance you are dealing with; first, you must balance your yi, and only then can you balance your qi and your physical body.

Qigong has always been an important part of Chinese martial arts training. Without qigong training, a martial artist will have lost the origin of martial power, and what he or she uses will be only muscular power. This will make Chinese martial arts no different from the Western fighting arts. The most unique elements of Chinese martial arts are in qigong training and the buildup of internal energy (i.e., qi). From this, you will begin to understand the way of your life more deeply.

Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming, is a renowned author and teacher of Chinese martial arts and Qigong. Born in Taiwan, he has trained and taught Taijiquan, Qigong and Chinese martial arts for over forty-five years. He is the author of over thirty books, and was elected by Inside Kung Fu magazine as one of the 10 people who has "made the greatest impact on martial arts in the past 100 years." Dr. Yang lives in Northern California.

Wikipedia on Zhan Zhuang

Zhan zhuang (Chinese: 站桩, lit. "standing like a post", sometimes called "standing like a tree", "post standing" or "pile standing") is a method of training in many Chinese martial arts in which static postures are used for physical training, to develop efficiency of movement, perfection of structural alignment; and hence maximal strength, for martial applications. It is most often practiced among the internal Chinese styles such as tai chi chuan.

 

Contrary to the most common notion of cardiovascular exercise necessitating vigorous movement, it is said that zhan zhuang confers significant physical conditioning. Postures used vary among martial arts and styles, with many schools using postures according to their own traditional forms (though the basic structure and principles of zhan zhuang practice largely do not vary).

Those unfamiliar with zhan zhuang can experience severe muscle fatigue and subsequent trembling at first. Later, once sufficient stamina and strength have been developed, the practitioner can use zhan zhuang to work on developing "zhong ding" or central equilibrium as well as sensitivity to specific areas of tension in the body. Some schools use the practice as a way of removing blockages in Qi flow. This blockage removal occurs because zhan zhuang, when correctly practised, causes a normalising effect on the body. Any habitual tension or tissue shortening (or lengthening) is normalised by the practice and the body regains its natural ability to function optimally. It is thought that a normalised body will be less prone to muscular skeletal medical conditions, and it is also thought that zhan zhuang, when practised for developing relaxed postures, will lead to a beneficial calming effect.

Possibly the most well-known example of zhan zhuang training is the "horse stance" or ma bu 馬步. Many styles, especially the internal styles, combine post standing with breathing training and other coordinated body methods to develop whole body coordination for martial purposes. The martial practice is thought to strengthen the body's Central Nervous System and develop the coordination required for effective martial performance.

Yiquan is known for having discarded adherence to form as found in its parent art, Xingyiquan, in favour of what are claimed to be formless methods, including zhan zhuang. Most Yiquan teachers place emphasis on zhan zhuang as it is the best neigong exercise, and divide it into two distinct categories: jianshen zhuang (health stances) and jiji zhuang (combat stances).