Interview with Coach Jim Roselando

Interview with Coach Jim Roselando on MIT Radio: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pQaDv8i_Y4

"Qi is a form of energy. Gong means work. So Qigong is a form of energy cultivation. Through still exercise you can cultivate balance and smooth the energy through the whole body. The Dan Tien will be robust, the meridians will be flowing smoothly, which will gradually realign the body. You can stand and be still and cultivate the mind, the body, the breathing, just by relaxing." 

Daoist Wisdom for Healthy Living

Qi Magazine || Issue 60 || April 2002

By Adam Wallace

Qigong training not only encompasses breathing, movement, and meditation but should also include basic knowledge of Chinese medical theory and philosophy. ‘Dao De Jing’, written by Laozi over 2,400 years ago, is a source of wisdom, which when applied becomes high level Qigong skill.

 The following is merely a sampling together with some personal comments for clarification. 

“When a person is born he is soft and supple. 

When he dies he is stiff and hard. 

All things are soft and tender at birth and at death they are withered and dry”.  

When the body and mind are relaxed and soft the Qi flows properly which is essential to health. A stiff body is caused by straining while working or exercising and a stressful mental state. Gentle movement and remaining mentally flexible aids longevity. 

“In concentrating the Qi to achieve flexibility can you be like a baby?”

In the womb babies breathe from the Dantian, which stores Qi. Breathing with the lungs uses Qi. Dantian breathing saves much biophysical energy, which is then converted to True Qi, and serves as an internal massage for the vital organs. 

“Do not swerve from your innate nature and return to the state of infancy”. 

The newly born are pure of mind, without passions or ambitions, etc, and can let go of their emotions. They cry and quickly forget. As adults we internalise our problems, which affects our Qi and health. Meditation is the tool to enable us to return to the peaceful state of infancy and transcend our emotions. 

“A tall tree grows from a tiny sprout. 

A tower begins from the earth up. 

A journey starts with a single step”.

Everything grows from small to big. This is the way of nature. It is a mistake to rush the natural process. Businesses collapse because owners miss this principle and expand too quickly. Qigong practice is no exception - to rush or take short cuts can be disastrous. With regards to illness, listen to your body and catch any problem when it is still small and has not become too big to control. Better still, practise Qigong and prevent disease altogether. 

“If your hallis filled with gold and jade, it cannot be protected. 

If you are wealthy and honoured, pride follows, which can attract mistakes and misfortune. 

When the work is done retire; this is the Dao of heaven”. 

Many people are obsessed with collecting valuables. The more belongings you acquire, the more responsibilities and worries you have. In the end, you no longer possess the valuables, they possess you. Throughout life, we need to let go of our attachments so that we can truly be free. This includes our emotional baggage. 

“No disaster is greater than not knowing what is sufficient. 

No crime is greater than avarice. 

One who knows sufficiency will always have enough and avoid danger”. 

Desire is a disease. The more you accumulate the more you want. ‘What is a rich person? Someone who has everything he or she needs. If your needs are few and you have everything you could want, then you are richer than the person who has has financial wealth but is never satisfied. 

“The five colours cause blindness. 

The five tones cause deafness. 

The five flavours cause the inability to taste. 

Racing about on horseback and hunting cause madness”. 

Overexposure to visual stimulation i.e television, computers etc. expends Qi and damages eyesight. When the eyes are tired rest them or meditate. Constantly listening to loud music impairs the hearing. Those who move to the countryside from the city and find the quietude disturbing have already lost their balance with nature. Choose specific times in the day for silent contemplation. Perpetually eating rich or spicy food damages the palate’s ability to distinguish flavours. Those addicted to high-speed thrills and dangerous situations who only feel ‘alive’ when adrenaline is pumping have also lost balance. 

“Rare commodities cause mankind to do wrong, 

so the Sage concerns himself with his abdomen and not his eyes”.

Gold and rare jewels may seem substantial and worthwhile possessions but you cannot take them with you after you die so they are ultimately worthless. Dantian Qi, on the other hand, may appear intangible but it is more real and valuable as it cultivates your health and spirit, and bestows longevity. The eyes generally look outwards and we are tempted by what we see. Hence, it is beneficial to routinely shut the eyes and look inwards. Sometimes the blind perceive more than the sighted. 

“What is dearer, fame or health? 

What is more valuable, health or wealth?”

Everyone should ask themselves this question. You cannot enjoy your wealth or fame in sickness. Health is also the only factor over which you have complete control.

Qigong and the Supernatural

Qi Magazine | Issue 49 | June 2000

By Adam Wallace

There are many human abilities we deem paranormal, or supernatural, which the Chinese respect and term ‘potential’, and regard worthy of scientific enquiry. Qigong follows nature’s principles so any uncommon skills developed through practice are perfectly natural.

Some styles of Qigong claim to offer special abilities including healing powers, aura diagnosis, astral travelling, mind-reading and future prediction, etc. but these are actually genetic. The pursuit of these skills should not be the goal of practicing Qigong but health and longevity. The greater your desire to develop these skills the more elusive they become, and the more mentally unbalanced and unhealthy you will be.

We are conditioned to believe that the universe operates in a certain way and that anything unexplained in scientific terms is ‘supernatural’ and should be treated with suspicion, even though our science is still young. Our rational mind inhibits us from being open to possibilities and if allowed to dominate it is a barrier to our own potential and the truth.

There is a Chinese fable about ahunter who sees a deer in the woods. He fires an arrow through the bushes butthe deer bolts. As he sets forth to retrieve the arrowhe discovers it embeddedin a boulder. Confounded, he returns to his original position and fires at tat the rock. This time the arrow does not penetrate. Previously the hunterheld no preconceived ideas regarding what had happened but when he intellectualised the improbablility of the situation he subconsciously decided the outcome.

Everyone has heard the truetale of the woman who lifted a truck to save her child trapped underneath. In that instant her mind (intent) and body connected to harness ‘supernatural’ strength. She did not stop to rationalize what was possible and had she done so she would undoubtedly have failed. This clearly demonstrates that when our Qi, mind, and body are connected, focused and concentrated we are capable of a great many things. Qigong renders many seemingly impossible feats possible and the difficult seem effortless because it connects the mind, body, and spirit.

Animals possess great instincts and heightened senses as they live closely with nature.We are no different except that we have allowed ourselves to become dulled and go to waste as we seek to remove ourselves from nature and become ill, physically and mentally, from the stresses of living and competing with one another.

The human brain only uses a small percentage of its capacity. We develop our intellectual side but not the intuitive, spiritual side. There are many instances when we think of someone and either the individual is suddenly phoning us or we run into him or her later that day.Sometimes the telephone rings and we know who it is before picking up. Most people explain this as mere coincidence but actually it is because there is a ‘connection’ between the two people and the ‘Sky-eye’ is open.

Messages and information are constantly around us but mostly we are unable to receive them because our minds are distracted or blocked by trivial thoughts, like static radio waves. The mind needs to be relaxed and clear to receive information and then it is possible to know others’ thoughts, their state of health, their problems and other such knowledge. Qigong develops this ‘hidden’ part of the brain. Sometimes you meet people whom you instinctively mistrust. Others may be blinded by their gregarious and effusive nature, fashionable style, affluence, wit or physical appearance but you see their true nature with the ‘Sky-eye’. You can read the person’s unconscious messages which remain undetected by others. Other times you may be somewhere and suddenly ‘feel’ uncomfortable. You are receiving the message that something bad may have previously occurred at that location or it may be a warning of impending danger. You must learn to trust your instincts and follow your intuition to avoid mistakes. Failure to do so is to embrace danger.

The China Qigong Scientific Research Association, in addition to investigating Qigong’s effect on ESP and the like, and medical usage, has firmly established that in the field of academic studies Qigong improves concentration and memory, in sports it raises physical and psychological conditioning for competition, and in the military field Qigong raises endurance, focus, stress threshold, and overall combat capability. Qigong does not endow individuals with any ‘special’ abilities which were not present within them latently from birth. Whatever hidden talents you possess Qigong enables you to realise and develop this ‘potential.’

Wuji Meditation Generates the True Qi

WARRIORS OF STILLNESS: WUJI

By Jan Diepersloot

Both the tragedy and dilemma of modern humanity is that it has internalized the psychophysiology of emergency, flight and fight, on a global scale. In the biological, psychological, spiritual, political, social and economic structures and institutions, humankind is mindlessly ruled by fear and aggression, creating a self-perpetuating and self-feeding emergency situation spiraling out of control and draining the psychological and physical energy reserves both of the human individual and humanity as a whole. Only stillness can provide the antidote within the person and within the civilization. Only meditation gives us the tools to change our current habitual state of stress and emergency into one of harmony. Thus the practice of meditation, in general, takes on immense relevance for humanity, giving us the ability to control our physiological and psychological states through relaxation.

The particular uniqueness and relevance of wuji standing, as we shall see in the course of this book, is that it makes accessible to us the emergency powers of the body while remaining in a state of harmony. In the martial dimension, we reclaim the emergency powers of our mammalian heritage without our organism being overwhelmed or governed by them.

We described in some detail how Master Cai's practice of "raising the spirit and sinking the qi" changes our normal/civilized bodies and enables us to regain our natural/instinctive bodies and enables us to regain our natural/instinctive posture and movement. For indeed the practice of "raising the spirit and sinking the qi" mimic and reinforce basic mammalian response patterns to emergency situations. 

Raising the head and the spirit refers to the alertness response which activates the sensory-neural apparatus and integrates it with the neuromuscular system. Sinking the qi refers to bodily mobilization which activates the "crouch" response. The tucking under of tailbone and pelvis, expanding the lower back and filling the mingmen integrates the upper and lower bodies, making their combined power available to deal with emergency situations.

By "keeping three points on a straight line" and "sinking the qi and raising the spirit," wuji meditation cultivates a state of awareness/being in stillness the may best be described as the perpetual "calm before the storm," the silliness and heightened awareness of the cat that precedes its jump on its prey. The goal of wuji meditation is to acquire the strength of calm so that the storm never breaks, the total alertness and readiness to "jump the prey" without ever jumping. By maximizing cultivation and minimizing use, wuji meditation generates the true qi, i.e. increasing our energy potential and accessing our human emergency powers while continuing to operate under the psychophysiology of harmony.

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.

Stances and Relaxation By David Poon

Qi Magazine - Issue 39 (1998)

When performing martial arts and Qigong stances, 
you will always hear your teacher telling you to relax. 
However, no matter how much you think you are relaxed, 

you are told that you look tense.

Stances are designed to transmit force through the body. For Qigong, the only force you need to consider is the weight of the body itself. Therefore a Qigong stance has to transmit the weight of the body down into the ground. However, for martial arts the stance has to transmit force from the ground, through the body, into the opponent. There are several mistakes we can make. The first mistake is not to line up the joints correctly. This is most often seen in the knees when in a squatting position. If everything is lined up, then the legs are capable of taking a lot of weight. If you have seen a suspension bridge, such as the “Golden Gate” in San Francisco, then you have seen how a lot of weight can be supported simply by a strong cable and two supporting towers. All the weight of the bridge is translated into tension in the cable. However if the supporting towers were not aligned correctly the bridge would not be able to support its own weight.

The muscles along the top of the leg, such as the quadriceps, are like the cable, and the bones in our lower leg are like the supporting towers. Misalignment here will damage the joints in our legs, and in the case of martial arts, prevent the strength from our legs from being transmitted upwards. The second mistake is to lock the joints in the legs and support your weight on them. For example if you want to perform a low stance, it is tempting to lock your hip joint, and sit on top of it. This takes the load off the muscles and puts it on the ligaments of the joint, eventually damaging the joint. Instead, you should gradually develop the strength of the muscles so that they are strong enough to support you in low positions. In order to increase the flexibility of the hip, however, you can break this rule a little. The third mistake is to use too much tension in your back or stomach muscles to keep your stance stable. This usually happens when there is a mistake in the lower body, and the upper body has to be tense in order to compensate. The fourth mistake is more related to martial arts, and is to use muscles that directly oppose the direction that the force is being expressed. For example, pushing someone with your arms uses the triceps under your arm. However it is common for people who weight train to develop the biceps. The biceps oppose the triceps and will prevent you from delivering your punch. Using the triceps only, and other related muscles under your arm is a common theme in martial arts, and is known as “Zhou di li”, or “Strength that comes from under the elbow”. It is difficult to achieve, since when we think we are going to get hit, we automatically tense our biceps in order to cover our face. Relaxed means that the joints are bending the way that they are supposed to bend, and that the load on the body is taken by the appropriate muscles. Initially, these muscles will be uncomfortable, but with time they will develop strength, and will feel relaxed even under load. The body will feel loose, and Qi will be able to flow freely. Most importantly, the strength will continue to develop by itself.

3 Essential Skills of Qigong: Relaxation/Qi/Meditation

Marcus Santer || Qigong practitioner and author 

Shaolin Chi Kung: 18 Exercises to help you live a longer, healthier and happier life. 

Give me three minutes and I'll explain why 98% of Qigong practitioners are wasting your time... Remember that Qigong is the art of deliberately controlling the vital energy or Chi / Qi. Vital energy is the "juice" that keeps him alive and enables you to do everything you do. 

* Qigong is similar to yoga, but less intense 

* It's like Tai Chi, but easier and faster to learn 

* Provides health benefits and requires zero athleticism

There are five main objectives that people who exercise Qigong / Qigong want to achieve: 

     1. Improve health and increase vitality 

     2. Longevity 

     3. Develop inner strength 

     4. Mind Expansion 

     5. Spiritual Cultivation 

But I'd say about 98% of Qigong practitioners today are wasting their time because they do not practice the three basic skills of Qigong. If you want to succeed you need to Qigong practice, practice, practice these three core competencies. 

So what are these three basic skills that almost nobody knows? 

1) Enter a QuietStateOfMind - think of it as a higher state of consciousness. It's about being relaxed and focused. Listen, if you can not relax, you can not do qigong. While many people start practicing qigong to be able to relax, and this is a very good reason by the way, relaxation is just the beginning of qigong. 

To enter a QSOM you have to be able to relax physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. 

2) Energy Flow - more poetically known as "flowing breeze, swaying willows" 

One of the most well guarded jealously guarded secrets of qigong... and that is a real shame, because the flow of qi is what makes qigong such a powerful tool for health and vitality. If the flow of energy is not part of the qigong practice, then you are losing at least 75% of the benefits. 

3) Standing meditation - which helps to consolidate the practice.

Seriously, if these three core competencies are not part of their daily practice of qigong everything you're doing is an exercise in low level and if that's what you want to do you can also do the washing, because at least you are getting something useful done at the same time. If you are practicing medical qigong, dynamic qigong, qigong for martial arts, qigong or super hardcore qigong, you need to be practicing the three basic skills of qigong to make the most of the time and effort you invest in your practice. If you're not, you're leaving most of the goodness on the table. 

Qigong is an art because it is cultivation that is important - not the number of exercises you know. It is the mastery of these three critical skills that allows you to get more benefits in just 15 minutes of daily practice than most practitioners of qigong get in an hour. 

Stiff Spines will Loosen Over Time

Spinal Twists in Qigong Benefit the Body by Stephanie Churchill

Adapted from: http://www.totallyzen.com/spinal-twists-in-yoga-and-qigong-benefit-the-body.html

Our spine is the axis in which our body is supported between Heaven and Earth. It allows us the mobility and freedom to move and express ourselves. Our arms and legs extend from this beautiful stack of vertebrae that are tenderly placed one on top of the other. The spine is a work of art and sheer mechanics at the same time.

Keeping the spine supple, maintaining its alignment and its straight form to live actively and pain-free are great goals. They may require a bit of effort but the benefits far outweigh the costs. Stiff spines will loosen over time!

When we perform spinal twists we are releasing trapped energy along the spinal column. After we have twisted to engage the body/back, we breathe to clear the old energy out. Think of collecting the old energy with the movement and releasing it with the breath. Instantaneously you feel more open and at ease. Like wringing out a wet towel.

The benefits of spinal twists are immense:

• Increased flexibility

• Increased circulation

• Increased energy

• Digestion

• Strengthening the muscles through breath and repetition

When our spine is not healthy we may not be able to feel comfortable or able to move with ease. We can slowly improve the spine with conscious spinal twists and lessen back pain or discomfort.

Qigong Spinal Twist:

Try standing feet hip width distance apart; take your arms with fists or simple palms for your hand positions. Begin with moving the right arm in front, left in back as you twist from your foot, ankle, knee, hip, shoulder, neck to the back. The head follows the twist from side to side. Breathe in as palms swing open through middle and out as they collapse on each side. This should allow for the body to warm slowly and feel wonderful.

Qigong in the News

'Yoga standing up' routine provides physical, mental benefits
Excerpts from The Springfield News-Sun (Ohio)
Original Article by Robin McMacken, Staff Writer

May marks Exercise is Medicine Month, an initiative by the American College of Sports Medicine, and Diana Sebaly, 71, can testify regular workouts have not only lowered her blood pressure to the point where she doesn’t need to take medication anymore but also were key to losing weight. The Oakwood resident works out with a personal trainer four times a week, focusing on cardiovascular exercise and strength training, and she also practices Qigong (pronounced chee gung) weekly with Sharon Trekell, director of the Inner Well Institute in Kettering. Sebaly says “qigong is a marvelous way of strengthening and building balance in a calm and controlled way.”

Qigong, which, like Tai Chi, is often referred to as yoga standing up, combines movement, postural alignment, breathing and mental focus to balance and enhance energy, according to Trekell, who is a certified integral Qigong and Tai Chi instructor. Sebaly, who has had both knees replaced, says her doctor is “delighted” with her overall health. “Qigong is so slow, and it’s a wonderful pick-me-up to do in the afternoons. I feel energized,” she said.

Dana Penn, 57, of Washington Twp. turns to Qigong, which she started in January with Trekell, for its calming effects. “I started Qigong to help me with stress, basically,” she said, adding her job as a business analyst for a software company was particularly demanding.  She also does yoga at Inner Dance Yoga Studio in Oakwood twice a week. She practices Qigong daily for 20 to 25 minutes before breakfast and attends Trekell’s class every Tuesday night at the Church of the Cross United Methodist in Kettering. “I think Qigong is so powerful. I am just in love with it,” she added. “I get a lot of peace from it. I miss it when I don’t do it. ... It’s a different type of movement than yoga, and it challenges the body and the mind in different ways.”

According to the National Qigong Association, Qigong is an ancient Chinese health care system that can be classified as martial, medical or spiritual. Some practices increase the qi (energy); others circulate it, use it to cleanse and heal the body, store it, or emit qi to help heal others. Practices vary from the soft styles such as Tai Chi, according to the association, to the external, vigorous styles, such as Kung Fu. However, the gentle movements of most Qigong forms, of which there are 5,000, according to Trekell, can be easily adapted for all age groups and fitness levels.

Trekell began studying Qigong while she was working on her graduate degree in the early 1990s, and she, too, was looking for a way to ease the pressures of daily life. “It’s a wonderful contemplative practice that keeps you in state of equanimity,” she said. “I just don’t get ruffled much. It’s very grounding and centering. ... Qigong is fabulous for increasing vitality and longevity. We have an extraordinary medicine, called qi, in ourselves, and if we can circulate that, we will have optimal health and stress relief.”

Mary McDonald, 70, of Yellow Springs, cites Qigong as instrumental in helping lower her blood pressure, to the point where she doesn’t need to take medications, and lose weight. With regular Qigong and yoga, McDonald said “my energy level is sufficient for my age, and I am a lot more attuned to my body and what it needs and wants.”

“Qigong in the U.S. is parallel to yoga, in the sense that people want something to feel more alive in their bodies and to be able to calm themselves from the overstimulating qualities of our culture,” said  her instructor, Brad Fraley.

Penn encourages people to consider Qigong as one way to get active. “You have to experience it, and you need to go in with an open mind. On the surface, it doesn’t seem like it’s very much physically, but it is very powerful. It’s not easy to do; the more I do it, the more I am able to focus inward and be very mindful of the movements and what their purposes are. “I am just happy I discovered Qigong,” Penn said. “I am glad I was led to where I am. It’s been a wonderful experience, and I can’t imagine not having in my life.” 

Notes on Wuji Qigong

Qigong - Essence of the Healing Dance

By Francesco Garri Garripoli

Wuji Hundun Qigong, is a 1,200-year-old health maintenance system from China handed down by 95 year-old Master Duan Zhi Liang of Beijing, China. Drawing on Taoism, Buddhism, the Wuji form conforms to the basic principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) which in fact sprung from Qigong concepts that go back 5,000 years. Like all Qigong in this way, the enhanced movement of Qi (life-force, bioelectric vitality) is promoted throughout the body as well as the storing and strengthening of Qi for good health. TCM believes stagnant Qi leads to all pain and disease. Proven useful for healing many diseases, this simple style actually has it's roots in ancient wushu swordplay and gong fu (Kung Fu) inner cultivation of Qi--as useful for the healer as it is for the warrior...and soon we understand how they are one in the same…

Wuji Hundun Qigong is a unique blend of inner (Nei Qi) and outer (Wei Qi) cultivating techniques. Master Duan comes from the practical "old school" of healing arts. He believes a practitioner must also be a teacher. A healer must be a warrior. An intellect must pursue the arts. Our prayer is to seek balance…and we seek balance by letting go of "form"…and seek the essence of all things.

Wuji Qigong is an exercise and stretching system, focusing on synchronizing the breath with slow movements and guided visualizations. Upon deeper study, the transformative nature of this health maintenance modality becomes apparent. Balancing the Taoist and Buddhist traditions of China, Wuji Hundun Qigong seeks to strengthen the body (the mandate of the Taoists) while enhancing spiritual life (the essence of the Buddhist doctrines.) Ultimately, a merging of the two takes place, not intellectually, but through "wu xing" or deep, emotional understanding. Written and oral teaching can only seek to trigger and stimulate you, the true wu xing must come from within--as the truth derives from nature and is constantly accessible. Through cultivating your inner Qi and spirit, you become strong, not as an "individual" against the world but as an integral part of the world; a mirror reflecting light…Sincere practice with an intention to remain receptive is the key…as we come to realize the holistic nature of Wuji Qigong will effect the body, mind, and spirit. 

When all aspects of our life are embraced and brought into balance--from our diet to our daily activities--Qigong's true benefits will emerge. The accompanied reduction in stress will allow our natural healing abilities to work efficiently and we will begin traveling the path of true healing and well being.

May the stretching and opening forms of this style of Qigong, which is equally influenced by the Wushu Martial Arts and Wei Qi healing techniques, help you to remember the natural gifts and tools you possess. The process helps to rebalance stagnation and blocks (the source of all pain and disease.) This process also helps us to cultivate our sensitivity to the subtle forces of Qi…and to bring our conscious intent to where it is required. As the old Chinese maxim states, "Where the mind goes, Qi follows." May we always remember the resonant relationship we have with the world around us.

Six Harmonies

The Right Path of Yiquan
By Wang Xiang Zhai

The six harmonies can be dived into internal and external; the harmony of the heart and the mind, the harmony of the mind and qi, and the harmony of the qi and the strength are the three internal harmonies; the harmony of the hands and the feet, the harmony of the elbows and the knees, and the harmony of the shoulders and the hips are the external harmonies. Also, the harmony of the muscles and the bones, the harmony of the teeth and the flesh, and the harmony of the lungs and the kidneys, are the internal harmonies, while the harmony of the head and the hands, the harmony of the hands and the torso, and the harmony of the torso and the feet are the external harmonies. Summed up, spirit in harmony, strength in harmony, the moving line of the body in movement or posture being opposed to these harmonies, this is called harmony. Terrible indeed, the six harmonies harm people. Students, be careful! be careful!

Changing One's Strength with Zhan Zhuang

The Right Path of Yiquan

By Wang Xiangzhai

To achieve wonders in the martial arts, one must have the changing of one's strength with zhanzhuang as the foundation and starting point. This means changing weak into strong and clumsy into nimble. Like a student of Zen, who starts with religious discipline, becomes skillful in quietude, has an insight, finds evidence of the fountainhead of one's spirit, comprehends the void and then finally reaches the highest achievement; only then can one learn the Tao. What Zen is, the martial arts are as well. When one starts to study, the methods of zhanzhuang are rather numerous, for example, xianglongzhuang ('subduing the dragon' zhuang), fuhuzhuang ('taming the tiger' zhuang), ziwuzhuang ('midnight-noon' zhuang), sancaizhuang ('Heaven, Earth, and Man' zhuang), etc. Now, get rid of the numerous and move towards simplicity, take the strong points of each zhuang (pile) and combine them into one, namely hunyuanzhuang. It is good for developing strength, convenient for actual fighting, contains the essence of striking and defending, and is connected to the study of qi. After training for ten days the student will get results naturally. Written words cannot express its marvel. What must be avoided the most during the study of zhangzhuang is the use of force with the body and mind. Using force makes the qi sluggish; when the qi is sluggish, then the mind stops; when the mind stops, then the spirit breaks; and this breaking of the spirit leads to foolishness. What one should avoid as well, is raising the head or bowing forward, bending the elbows and legs too much, or keeping them too straight; they should always seem bent but not bent, seem straight but not straight, and the muscles and joints should be stretched. The head should be upright, the sacrum and the spine should be straight, the qi should sink, and the mind should be calm. The tips of the fingers and toes slightly used force, the teeth seem closed yet not closed, the tongue is seemingly rolled up yet not rolled up, all over the body the pores seem relaxed by not relaxed, and thus the internal power is issued outward and the weak points are changed into great power. It is not difficult to grasp its essentials. 

May 2nd: Mr. Ma Exercises

Date: 5-2-11

From: JJR "info@apricotforesthall.com"

Subject: Monday Training

Hello,

      Another weekend has come and gone so that means it is time for our Monday night Qigong session @ MIT!  I am looking forward to training with everyone and will change things up a bit by practicing a few different methods from our Yiquan art.  As always, all classes are absolutely FREE so just show up and train train train.......   Simple and effective our Qigong will promote the most direct method of healing (and strengthening) for your mind, body and spirit known to humanity.  

Time: 7:00-8:00

Location: Student Center/Room 306

Cost: FREE

See you soon!

Peace,

Jim Roselando

www.ApricotForestHall.com

Wang XiangZhai on Strength and Combat

First one must make the strength equal all over the body, the muscles agile, and the bones supporting the frame of the body, so that the muscles can contract, stretch, relax, and tense in harmony. Strength should come from inside and be issued outside. In movement, slow excels over quick, be relaxed rather than impatient, the movement should be slight and the spirit full. In trial of strength, one should not have unilateral strength, furthermore, one should not have sheer strength. First of all, one should perceive by intuition whether the strength of the whole body is all-pervading or not, whether the strength can be issued out at any moment or not, and whether one can react to the atmosphere or not, furthermore, one must not let the mind break and the spirit disperse. Have light and heavy forces ready to be issued out, when one part of the body moves, the whole body moves. The strength is consistent, resulting in nimble and heavy insubstantiality, and round and whole substantiality. Up and down, left and right, front and back, do not forget them. To sum up, what cannot lead to comfort, happiness, and gaining strength does not deserve to be called boxing. If one does not have the basic mechanical ability, then no matter what the movement is like, it is all wrong. The same applies to using strength and not using strength. The movements of an ordinary person cannot have strength without constant unilateral tension that disturbs the blood circulation. Every kind of strength based on constant unilateral tension is stiff and inharmonious, and besides that, harmful to health. Having strength without constant unilateral tension is namely having strength without using strength, and when using it, one gains strength. That is what the natural instinctive strength is like. It is like seeking all kinds of real things from the unreal, which is hardly possible to express in words. Anyway, ‘Dachengquan’ is beyond the external form of being good or bad, it actually depends on dealing with the mind. In a nutshell, having a fixed form and fixed techniques are all false. Skills reaching the level of no-mind are getting very rare, this is what the above means.

Move Towards Simplicity: Hun Yun Zhuang

The heart of Yiquan Qigong training is the Universal Post (aka Hun Yun Zhuang)! Anyone who studies the art of Yiquan Qigong will spend much of their foundation practice standing and cultivating in that one posture. Master Wang Xiang Zhai's philosophy was that of all true masters!  He was able to take the complicated and find the essence. Read below what Master Wang felt about the Hun Yun Zhuang:

The methods of Zhan Zhuang are rather numerous, for example, xianglong zhuang (subdue the dragon post), fuhu zhuang (taming tiger post), ziwu zhuang (midnight-noon post), sancai zhuang (heaven, earth & man post) etc..  Now, GET RID OF THE NUMEROUS AND MOVE TOWARDS SIMPLICITY, take the strong points of each Zhuang and combine them into one, namely Hun Yun Zhuang!  -WXZ

To achieve wonders in the health arts, one must have the changing of one's strength with Zhan Zhuang as the foundation and starting point. This means changing the weak into strong and clumsy into nimble.  In training Zhan Zhuang we get rid of the numerous and move towards simplicity. After training for only TEN DAYS the student will get results naturally. Written words cannot express its marvel.  -WXZ    

Strength Originates in the Void

All sorts of strength originate in the void and nothingness, which can only be felt gradually by the tiny edges and corners of the body. Seek fullness of spirit and mind, not resemblance of form, posture is changing with mind movement, form is simple and intention rich!

Wang XiangZhai

Therapeutic Effects of Zhan Zhuang

THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF ZHAN ZHUANG

By Master Wang XiangZhai

Zhan zhuang enables regulating nervous and respiration systems, improves blood circulation and metabolism. This is why this method brings good results when treating diseases of nervous, respiration, vascular and digestive systems, problems with muscles and metabolism. It works especially well when treating diseases which turned into chronic ones. From my 50 years of practice I know that effects are varying, different with different people and diseases, sometimes bigger, sometimes smaller, sometimes slower, sometimes faster. But apart from situations when someone was sometimes practicing, sometimes stopping, there were almost no cases without improvement. Many people after getting rid of the problem continued practice, strengthening body and staying healthy until old age.

Health is extremely important. And health is depending on constant cultivation and appropriate exercises. To know if some exercises are good for health, some research and practical tests are necessary. How can you test their value? Before someone will start practice, some scientific methods should be used - state of his heart should be checked, blood pressure, pulse, breathing, number of white and red blood corpuscles. After some time of practice, the testes should be conducted again. This will enable deciding if some exercise method is proper. Proper method is the one which conforms with the natural principles of functioning of human body. Only such method can be favorable for people's health.

Formless Relaxation, Agility of Spirit

By Master Wang XiangZhai

Zhan zhuang is a form of exercise where you are seeking strength in lack of strength, seeking slight movement in non-movement, seeking fast movement in slight movement. The more relaxed the body, the faster blood circulation and the faster increase of strength. If using force, body becomes tense, loosing ability of agile changes, it can even cause disturbance of blood flow. Proper kind of force is mainly related to spirit and is formless. If there is a form of force, the essence of movement is lost. This is why masters of old were saying: if there is form, body is broken, when there is no form, spirit gathers. In other words, when body is relaxed as much as possible, spirit focused as much as possible, although external form doesn’t look impressive, there is agility of spirit. Those who practice for longer time can experience this.

Presidents Day Email from Coach Jim Roselando

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Date: 2/21/11

From: Jim <info@apricotforesthall.com>

Subject: Strength From No-Strength

Just a little reminder that we will be training tonight @ MIT!  If you are off for today's holiday then this is a perfect night for a powerful session of Zhan Zhuang Qigong!  Bring some friends and introduce them to the pound for pound most simple and effective internal health art known to humanity!!!!   

One of the most common statements in the Yiquan art is: 

Develop Strength From No-Strength!  

Listen to what Master Wang Xiang Zhai had to say about this maxim:

"The Standing Pole exercises seek to develop strength from no-strength (non-exertion), movement from non-movement, and rapid movement from slight movement.  The more relaxed the body, the faster the circulation of blood, and the faster strength will develop.  If one exerts brute strength one will tense up, and the body will thus lose its spontaneous flexibility, often to the point of obstructing blood-flow.  This (relaxation's) type of strength is largely formless, and of the mind (shen).  If one uses the strength of "form", then the intrinsic nature of movement is lost...  When the body is relaxed as possible, the mind (shen) is completely collected.  Thence, though the form may appear base and sluggish, the mind is agile."