Breathing is key to internal arts

By Glenn Gossling

Excerpt from Qi Magazine

Issue 70, January 2003

In the West, the difference between internal and external is also further confused by another complementary pair of terms – hard and soft. A hard art is often seen as one that uses big fast movements and is physically demanding where as a soft art is one that is slow and gentle in as clear cut or as simple as people may think. The answer is that movements do not have to be soft and gentle to be internal and conversely just because a movement is soft and gentle does not automatically make it internal. A slow movement can be tense and if movements are ‘too soft’ they can compromise the posture and structure of the body. It is the principle of have three foundations:

1. Posture

2. Breathing

3. Relaxation

It is not the external appearance that counts but what is going on inside. In Kung Fu you are aiming at an ideal of correct posture, with relaxed breathing and movements throughout. Certainly, this presents a challenge to most people. It is not easy to do a form at full pace, without tension in the muscles and finish with your breathing as relaxed and calm as if you had been sitting meditating, but if you practice enough it is possible.

It is possible because the correct posture allows you to breathe more deeply and use your body’s energy more efficiently. It is possible because a correct use of the body’s structure means that all the body’s movements are interconnected and not dependent on the isolated tensing and relaxing of muscles. In fact this is key to the difference between an internal and an external style. The internal style is not tense. Its movements can be big, fast, hard, and powerful but they are not tense and they do not compromise the internal structure of the body.

Because the muscles are not tense they do not use so much energy or oxygen. Usually tensed muscle sets are working against each other making the movements rigid, which is a double waste of energy and oxygen. This is not what is aimed at in Kung Fu. The movements should be powerful and fluid. The aim is to maximise your energy and oxygen consumption so that your breathing can remain relaxed, because again the act of breathing itself can usea large proportion of the body’s oxygen.

All internal arts have a focus on breathing. This is perhaps because the lungs are one of the easiest of the internal organs to control. It is a lot easier to regulate your breathing than it is to control the secretions of the spleen for instance. The lung is the most ‘external’of the internal organs. Posture and relaxation can be used to affect the breathing and once the breathing is brought under control it will have a beneficial effect on the other internal organs. This is the principle we see in most forms of Qigong. The same is true of Kung Fu with the difference that at the same time it also challenges the physical body.

None of this is easy. To develop the body’s conditioning to a level where ‘hard’ forms can be performed ‘softly’ using large ‘external’movements' with internal energy requires a lot of work. If it didn’tit wouldn’t be called Kung Fu.

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.

Looking at the Limits. By Glenn Gossling

When studying martial arts one constantly finds oneself working against the limits of one's body. Different martial arts approach the limitations of the body in different ways, but all martial arts seek to develop the body and extend the limitations of its capabilities. 

For most martial arts this means doing physical exercises such as press ups and sit ups to make the body stronger and develop stamina, stretching exercises to make the body more flexible and thousands of repetitions of basic techniques to make the body more flexible and thousands of repetitions of basic techniques to make the body faster and more efficient. The approach of Taijiquan is slightly different, in that it begins by emphasizing the internal strength of they body. Basic exercises like Chan Si Gong and Zhan Zhuang strengthen the Dantien and improve Qi flow around the body. When the body is brought into balance and good health it can then be trained harder than by physical exercises alone. The danger with just doing physical exercises is that the body can easily be overworked and become exhausted, having a debilitating effects on the kidneys and pre-natal Jing - especially if the person has a deficiency to begin with. However, this does not mean that Taiji can overcome the physical limitations of muscles. 

Taiji's strategy is to side step the issue. Instead of using physical power or speed to overcome an opponent, it uses technique. A good technique does not need the same level of force that poor technique does. For instance a small insect or even a bit of dust can stop the strongest of people if it gets in their eye. 

Because Taiji does not prioritize physical power this strangely enough leads to it developing more. Taiji emphasizes posture, minimum effort and the coordination of breath and movement. In the majority of training one is taught to let one's skeleton carry the weight of the body, so that the muscles remain loose and relaxed. This means that one finds the easiest path of movement for the body so that the body does not work against itself. 

Because of this approach of doing everything without effort one can actually train much longer than if one only relies on muscles. It also means that when Taiji uses physical power, a greater percentage of the muscle's power can be put into the attack. This use of force is known as Fajing and involves more than just the use of muscles as it concentrates the body's entire energy into a strike or kick. The power of a punch does not come from the arm but the coordinated movement of the whole body. After years of training one can deliver a really surprising degree of force, but this also is just an extension of the limits of the body and not an overcoming of them.

Good technique does not overcome the limitations of one's own body, but it allows you to work more effectively against the limitations of an opponent's body. Taiji, in its understanding of the energy flows of the body, has extended the range of techniques available to it. Taiji can use technique against bone, muscle, sinew, organ, vein, breath, channel, and acupoint. 

From simply working with technique Taiji looks at developing sensitivity. Sensitivity pervades all aspects of Taiji training. One has to develop sensitivity to one's own body and movements and one has to develop sensitivity to an opponent. Sensitivity can be used offensively to improve the application of one's own techniques and defensively to undermine the techniques of others. et the sensitivity of touch can also have its limitations.

It is in its uses of strategy and energy that Taiji extends beyond the limitations of the body and confronts the principles of the universe. "Still, yet in movement; in movement, yet still - this is spirit."

Qi Magazine - Issue 46 - Winter 1999  

Standing Meditation (Qi Magazine, Issue 44, 1999)

STANDING MEDITATION 
by Glenn Gossling

The meditative aspect of Taijiquan is known as Zhan Zhuang, which is commonly referred to as “holding” or “embracing the tree” in the West. It is one of the best known of all meditation postures.

Zhan Zhuang is common to most styles of Taijiquan and some systems of Qigong. This meditation is one of the foundations of the Chen system and is to be recommended for students of all levels. Zhan Zhuang is a standing meditation and emphasizes many of the basic principles of correct posture that relate to Taijiquan as a whole. Most importantly the posture should look and feel smooth and flowing. The body should be relaxed. Zhan Zhuang begins in the same way as a form. We start by standing with our feet together, arms by our sides, upright and alert. The knees should be slightly bent. It is helpful to take a few moments to calm down, relax, and correct the posture before opening. To open, the left heel is lifted and then the foot is stepped out to shoulder width. We centre our weight and sink into the posture. How deeply you hold this stance is up to you. The deeper you go the harder the exercise is. The important thing is that the posture should be correct no matter how deeply you hold the stance. It can be quite difficult to get the stance correct if you are a beginner, but the principles are very simple. The weight should be centred. It is possible to check this by moving the body slightly and feeling where your weight falls on your feet. Try moving backwards, forwards, left and right until you are confident about where the centre is. The spine should be upright and vertical. It is possible to check this by moving as well. The hips and the shoulders should both be level. The head should be upright. It can be very helpful to work with a partner to get your posture correct. Most of us are far more used to working with our visual rather than our tactile senses. Initially it is a lot easier to correct someone else from the outside than ourselves from the inside, but with a lot of practice considerable sensitivity can be developed. To check someone else’s posture there are a number of factors to look out for. The spine should make a nice clean line from both the side and the back. It should be positioned centrally between the feet. The spine is distorted if the hips or the shoulders are not level. The hips should also be tilted slightly forwards so that the lower back is not arched. Taiji postures need to be “sat into”. If the legs are too straight or the stance is too high it is difficult to correct the spine. The ears, the shoulders and the ankles should all be on one vertical line when viewed from the side. Once the basic posture is correct the arms are slowly raised and the eyes closed. The arms form a circle in front of the body, with the palms facing inwards and very slightly upwards. The circle can be held at a variety of heights but most people aim to train at shoulder height. At this height the elbows should be slightly lower than the shoulders or palms. Once the arms are raised the posture should be checked and corrected again. Particular attention should be paid to making sure the weight is still central, the body is not leaning and the shoulders are relaxed. 

The Zhan Zhuang posture can be held for some time, one hour is a basic standard. Any tension in the body will cause physical discomfort. Tension can be a particular problem for beginners. Most commonly it occurs in the shoulders, especially if the arms are held at shoulder height. Part of the key to the posture is letting the skeleton do its share of the work. The shoulders should be back and relaxed so that the weight of the arms is transferred to the collarbone and spine. Once in the Zhan Zhuang posture one should place one’s attention on the Dantien. The idea is to relax and breathe deeply so that the Qi can be felt circulating. The more you practise the stronger the Qi will become, and the more smoothly it will flow. Just relax, but stay alert. Meditation is not like going to sleep. Pay attention to the different sensations that happen and keep your attention on the exercise. The mind should remain focused and the body still. Zhan Zhuang primarily trains the legs and the skeleton, but it is also very useful for improving general posture, sensitivity, and mental concentration. It is a powerful exercise for developing energy and like other methods of meditation can be beneficial for stress reduction and health promotion. It should be one of the most important components of daily training.

Qigong and Meditation: Relaxation is the Key

MEDITATION and QIGONG

by Glenn Gossling

Qi Magazine - Issue 20 (1995)

Meditation and the movements of the forms are yin and yang aspects of Qigong. You need both to balance your study. The movements unblock channels, open acupoints and stimulate the organs. Meditation allows you to center and collect energy. The stillness of your meditation posture also allows you to feel the effects of the forms as Qi circulates around your body. The combination of the two exercises will give you completely different experiences to meditation on its own.

It is essential that you maintain good posture during meditation. Initially this may be uncomfortable but you should not give in to backache or other irritations. It is only by committed regular practice that you can improve your posture and remove the root causes of these problems.

Correct posture and breathing are interlinked. If you allow your shoulders to hang forward they close the chest. If you sit in a slouched posture your rib cage compresses your abdomen. Your posture and breathing also affect the way that Qi flows around your body. Poor posture and restricted breathing will cause Qi to stagnate. Once your posture is correct and your breathing relaxed, meditation becomes an engine for clearing problems. Deep breathing and relaxation are difficult without good posture.

Some people with previous experience of meditating find Qigong meditation difficult because we use no mantras or visualization techniques. Visualization and mantras are often used badly, as a way to ignore what is happening in your body and mind. It is not healthy to suppress these things. You should just let your emotions and physical sensations arise so that they dissipate or you can deal with them. Mantras and visualization techniques focus the mind and can cause side effects if used too much. Any mental techniques will eventually upset the stomach if used too much. In Qigong, a thorough knowledge of our physical selves is the foundation from which we advance to higher levels of study.

Some people wonder whether this might make us too body orientated and not mental enough. It should be remembered that in Chiense medicine there is no mind/body dichotomy. It is well known that the heart rules your shen (spirit) and the liver harmonizes your emotions and so on. By concentrating on your physical sensations you are dealing with your mind too. 

In Qigong we lightly focus on the Dantien or breathing. The trick is just to relax and let it all happen. For sure, to begin with, you are going to find that your mind floods with all kinds of thoughts - what am I going to have for tea? What is the sound? How long have I been sitting here? etc. If you persist in your study eventually these thoughts will settle down. Then you will be able to observe yourself. This is the original use of visualization - you concentrate on an image (such as the meeting of a tiger and dragon, which are symbols of yin and yang, a visual metaphor for the process of meditation) just long enough for the mind to settle and then you get on with the real process of meditation (listening to your body). Don't simply expect the mental visualization to do the work for you.

It can be very hard to maintain this 'unfocussed' concentration. It is all too easy to let your mind wander. One possible solution to this can be to keep a meditation diary. Knowing that you are going to have to write something down at the of your meditation can help keep your thoughts on what you are doing. It gives you a record so that you can examine how your experiences change and develop over a period of time. It will also allow you to discover patterns in your experiences which add to your knowledge and understanding of Qigong.

Relaxation is the key to meditation. Once you are in a relaxed state you can 'watch' what happens and experience the different effects of Qigong. By keeping still you let your Qi flow naturally to any part of your body that needs it so that you can heal yourself. Over long periods of time you can store your Qi in your Dantien to raise your energy level. Eventually maybe, you might even form a crystal there. 

Practicing Qigong in Public

Qigong and Practice: by Glenn Gossling

Qigong Magazine - Issue 18 (1995)

Any skill worth having takes time and effort to acquire. Qigong is no different. You need fresh air and space to practice, but often people are put off by curious passers by and neighbors who pretend they have not seen you. So is it worth it?

To experience the full benefits of qigong, regular practice is essential. Very few of us have gardens big enough to practice qigong in, or have gardens at all. Doing qigong without enough room is no good. You constantly have to interrupt your flow to take a few steps back or to the side. Also, the average garden lawn is rapidly ruined by the regular repetitoin of movements. The best thing is to find a suitable park.

You should make a defeinte effort to find a good place to practice and not just use the nearest open space to your house. The park you choose should be attractive. It is important that you should want to go there and that you enjoy being thre. 

In the park find a suitable location. Most importantly - you should have enough room to do the forms uninterrupted. Tennis courts are good - you are less likely to be disturbed by curious people or dogs because they are enclosed. It should be sheltered to some degree; trees can give you shade in the summer and help break the wind in the winter.  You should try to avoid being close to roads or other sources of pollution. Much of this is common sense. You will find that with regular practice you naturally gravitate to places where the energy is the best even with no knowledge of feng shui.

For many people it may seem like a big step - moving from the privacy of your own garden or house to a public space. In the West we seem to get very embarrassed by doing 'strange' things in public, which is a little odd when you consider how many down right stupid things are accepted as normal (such as smoking or driving in city centers). However, this is a problem that has to be overcome if you want to practice regularly throughout the year. 

The Chinese kung fu master Pan Qing Fu (when interviewed recently) made the point that martial arts are like painting. If the painting is good you put it in a prominent place and show everyone, but if it is ugly you show no one. Fortunately, for us the majority of Chinese exercises are very beautiful and martial arts extremely exciting. Because of this, none of us needs to worry about practicing in public. Although, needless to say, you should be motivated to perform the forms as well as possible which means practice. No one wants other people to see their bad habits.

Practicing in public is very much a frame of mind. Once you start, you very rapidly find that the uninterrupted practice of forms enables you to improve and correct them, with a corresponding benefit to your health. Your confidence also increases not only because of the improved practice but because of the psychological commitment you are making. The sooner you take the plunge the sooner you will reap the rewards.

Relaxation: using metal to cool fire (Qi Mag 1995)

Qi Magazine - Issue 17 (1995)

Relaxation, Focus and Meditation

These terms are widely known, but alas, widely misunderstood. This misunderstanding can have quite marked effects on your practice. So now it's time to clear up all the confusion.

The concept of relaxation often seems to be a problematic linguistic distinction between Western and Chinese cultures. In the West, relaxation seems to be almost wholly associated with sleep and unconsciousness. To the Chinese, especially to those associated with the martial arts or meditation, relaxation has some quite specific qualities. 

The first quality of relaxation is simply 'not tense', which does not mean 'limp' or 'floppy.' You quite often see this mistake in Taiji classes, when the teacher tells students to "relax" or be "soft." In fact, what the teacher is usually trying to tell the students is that their movements are too rigid, that they should be more fluid, flexible and light, rather than hard, heavy and stiff.

Unfortunately, when the teacher says "relax" the students don't just become limp they also tend to half-shut their eyes and go into a mental mode that can only be equated with that of a sleep walker or zombie. This is not too much of a problem when students are meditating because all they do is waste their own time, but so far as martial arts are concerned, this attitude is a positive liability.

This problem is compounded by the Western misinterpretation of phrases like "without force," "no mind," "empty mind," "go with the flow" and so on. "Going with the flow" for instance may well include a certain 'acceptance' of situations but it doesn't mean accepting a punch of the nose. "Going with the flow" means not using 'direct' resistance. You don't let things just happen to you and nor do you necessarily meet them head on like two rams clashing their horns together; instead you simply step off the line, avoiding hard attacks or even helping them on their way. Likewise, keeping an 'empty mind' does not mean being vacant. It means that you should got concentrate on particulars above the 'gestalt.' In other words you should not be concentrating so hard on your technique that you miss what the other person is doing to counter you.

When you understand how these ideas apply to the martial arts it is relatively easy to apply the same principles to meditation. Relaxing does not mean letting your postures collapse or going to sleep. It means letting go of tension, deepening and slowing your breathing. When your breathing relaxes your heart will naturally slow as well. Five element theory explains this as using metal to cool fire.

Keeping an empty mind means not concentrating on particular things. If you imagine that your body is like a theatre stage, your organs are like the dancers and your mind is like the lighting. The idea is that you watch everything that happens rather than focusing your mind on one thing like a spot light; because when you focus say on your heart, the rest of the stage goes dark and the liver might fall over. In this way you can let your mind be like a lantern shining on now.

With regular practice the energy of your body becomes smooth and your organs become healthy. It is easy to see and deal with problems before they become too advanced. As your meditation improves, your skills of concentration and relaxation will benefit your martial arts and also improve the quality of your whole life. 

-by Glenn Gossling