Hi Just a note to let everyone know, that blog.com is pretty crap at blog hosting, the continually goes down, with very slow uploads and staff who never reply to your requests, even when you try to pay them for the service.
So from now on you can go to www.realtaoism.blogspot.com for more stuff.
thanks CRC
Standing practice refers generally to static exercises that evolved from within the martial arts community of China over many centuries. Specifically, the so called internal arts of Tai Chi Chuan , Hsing-I Chuan and Ba Gua Zhang* have been noted for producing highly skilled fighters who developed seemingly superhuman skill, even from men of slight build. (Men like Sun Lu Tang or Wang Zhang Zhai or my teacher Tian Ying Jia). All the above arts give much attention to structural alignments, namely standing practice. They are as important to the internal martial artist as barre work is to the classical dancer in the west. No dancer worth his salt would fail to execute his structural warm up before dancing or rehearsing and in that respect internal artists and dancers have something in common.
Standing practice gives one the felt sense opportunity to re-align and re-integrate physical imbalances of the body as a whole. You could use the term re- balancing but in actuality that would be too simplistic term, balance is in fact one of many elements to standing practice. A structural method is therefore undertaken, and over months and even years your posture is refined to an increasingly higher level of efficiency. This is done first by standing practice and then whilst moving. Although there are books available for standing practice, like in any art, a proficient and experienced teacher is necessary if one is to seriously make headway.
Standing works on releasing locations of acute and chronic tension held at both the superficial and deep layers of soft tissue. This results in subtle changes that at first may not generally perceived, but later become an inspiration to the practitioner as the internal landscape begins to change and the body itself gains freedom of movement and expression.
There are two distinct methods of standing in the marketplace. One method is for general health but usually fails to teach the sinking and storing of energy in the lower abdominal region of the body, the other is for power development and clearly does. In the latter method, the development of an internally strong body encapsulates both the health and power version, and is in my opinion superior in quality. In other words you will get excellent strength as well as health if you learn the more martially influenced standing practices.
The main point of standing practice is to develop your life force. To build up your Qi/ Chi in Chinese (your intrinsic energy) It is important with such practice to become sensitive to whether or not you either unconsciously inhibit or waste your energy. Standing practice can aid in this perception.
* Traditional Ba Gua Zhang focuses less on standing practice and more on the famed circle walking practice
More on standing next week !!!!
2006 Easter Retreat & Summer Camp News
For all the people who have enjoyed the Tian/ old Yang family large frame Tai Chi we will be conducting a 5 day Easter Retreat at the Purelands centre at Samye ling Tibetan centre in Scotland the week before easter, firm dates and prices to be published soon. The content will include large frame instruction , push hands and the Yang family 8 brocade fa jin training set. (not to be confused with the popular chi gung known as the 8 pieces of brocade) register your interest early.
Also great news for Europen Ba Gua practitioners, Frank Allen and Chris Ray Chappell will be conducting a joint 10 day Summer Ba Gua Zhang retreat, dates and content and prices to be decided. It is likely that we will be covering form, application, rou shou and internal fighting concepts. Please register your interest early places may be limited
The 'Long Hu, Dragon & Tiger' Chi Gung Retreat October 1st-7th- 05
We have a few places for this retreat in October, flights are relatively inexpensive in October, so if you fancy a break and learn some high quality chi gung in a small friendly group with superb food then give us a call or drop us mail.
Teacher Training in 'Long Hu', Dragon & Tiger is still planned for 2006
If you have an interest in becoming qualified in this chi gung set and would like to start your own teaching practice, then please register your interest with us www.realtaoism.com
Hsing-I monthly workshops and Weekly Class
These workshops continue the work presented in London by Frank Allen, our New York guest teacher. All dates are shown on our website and usually posted on the www.taichifinder website. Also a new weekly class will be starting in October, so if you want to sign up for that class let us know.
Here are a few shots of the animal varations of Hsing-I. I have had many discussions with Frank about the value of Hsing-I practice, and this is roughly what Frank had to say on the matter. Frank believes that Hsing-I is a fast and effective method for teaching a person how to develop will power as well as the * Yang (energy) aspects of internal arts practice. For example the yang side of internal practice can often be somewhat lacking and difficult to cultivate within Tai Chi Chuan, the yang side of Tai Chi practice is really hidden within the slow circular motion of Tai Chi , and the remit of Tai Chi is to allow an attackers force to be be redirected, hence the explosive potential of Tai Chi is often lost to the observer and rarely seen or demonstrated.
However in Hsing-I the yang potential of the art is right up front and very apparent in the execution of techniques. The explosiveness and intensity of the art are pretty obvious to the observer.
So someone who is having trouble expressing their strength, either due to their practice or temperament or both, may well find that Hsing-I can help them achieve the ability to produce a strong yang force at will thus helping to bring out the same potential in their Tai Chi practice which may be lacking.
Hsing-I cultivates a continuously rolling force/energy, that literally cuts through obstacles in front of it. It develops will power and the skill to not hestitate, to act decisively, economically and instantly when the need arises. When developing this kind of energetic skill one needs to be able to relax with this kind of force so that ones character and temperament remain in balance. With such power comes a certain responsibility. People with weak will, Yin type characters benefit greatly from cultivating the energy Hsing-I.
Hsing-I is the best bridgeing art to if you want to move from external type training into the internal type arts.
*Yang here refers to the outwardly expanding expressive force of nature.
CRC
Explanation of Hsing-I history
Beng Chuan, the crushing fist of Hsing-I
Universal post practice, standing chi gung
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Veteran Internal Martial Artist Frank Allen in London
Frank Allen of the Wu-Tang Physical Culture Association of New York, flew into London this weekend to present the five elements of Classical Hsing-I Chuan of China. 30 people for all walks of life attended including actor Ewan Stewart, Film director Dominic Murphy, p.r. executive Chris Fox, Tai Chi Instructor Owen Mulcair, 3rd Dan Shotokan Karate and Wing Chun Gung Fu veteran Terry Swaby. Frank's reputation as a practical, amiable and inspirational teacher attracted people from as far away as Ireland, Norway, France andSpain.
What is Hsing -I Chuan?
Trans; MIND INTENT BOXING.
Hsing-I is a sister art to Tai Chi, and contains internal principles of Taoist energy work. It is very simple in construction and provides the fastest way to learn internal fighting concepts. There are five fist techniques, combined with their moving sequences each of them is a strategic combat variation. The system also involve various standing chi Gung practices which develop awareness, balance, internal strength and importantly a strong mind intent. This is the only internal art with,"I" pronounced, "Yee" in the title, thus indicating the primary role it plays.
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Josep Soler, centre of picture, is this years retreat Chef
I am very happy that Josep has agreed to join us from his home in Scotland. Josep is the resident chef at the Purelands retreat centre which forms part of Samye Ling Tibetan Centre in Scotland. Josep has provided us with fantastic vegitarian food for the past 6 years of retreats in Scotland. And now he joins us in France. Excellent!
