Tai Chi

Qigong is closely related to Chinese martial arts training that attempted to combine physical discipline with mental concentration in order to increase power. In the past, the practice was kept within families or certain groups, but it became more widespread as people became more familiar with Chinese practices. Qigong and the meditative state is intimately tied together as part of the mind, body and spirit integration of the exercise. In Chinese monasteries, monks and nuns have used qigong for millenia to keep their bodies healthy while they pursued the meditative path. ...

In this episode of Qigong Radio, Energy Arts Senior Instructor Paul Cavel explains the 3 different layers of neigong practice: Beginner or Foundational Practices -- Dragon and Tiger, Opening the Energy Gates, and Heaven and Earth Intermediate or Power-Production Practices -- Spiraling Energy Body and Bend the Bow Advanced or Integration Practices -- Gods Playing in the Clouds Paul explains what to focus on at each level and how your learning spiral takes you back through them over time. ...

Are you looking for a warm-up exercise that invigorates the blood and loosens up the body? Are you a beginner to physical fitness and looking for an exercise that won’t leave you painfully discouraged? Try this popular form of qigong: Chinese arm swinging exercises are an easy and gentle choice suitable for beginners and professional athletes. The exercise comes from various traditions. In India, British troops learned and adopted the practice of club swinging. Chinese arm swinging exercises are an ancient practice now commonly used in Qigong. The Japanese and other Asian cultures likewise use arm-swinging exercise in the various martial arts disciplines. The basic style and variations find modern use in warm-ups for professional athletes and rehabilitation centers. ...

When you perform standing qigong, you develop acute physical awareness, get access to internal space, and make subtle physical connections that you would never otherwise make if you only did moving practices. According to my teacher Bruce Frantzis, the Taoists developed over 200 different standing postures, so how do you know which one to practice? Guidelines for Holding Qigong Postures As we’ve discussed in the past, whenever you settle in to standing qigong, you need to follow these three principles: ...

In this episode of Qigong Radio, I answer some questions about different sensations readers have been experiencing when they practice. In the Dragon and Tiger Medical Qigong Instruction Manual, Bruce Frantzis lays out important guidelines for what kinds of “chi reactions” to expect. I want to show you how to apply these guidelines to your practice. Expect Chi Reactions Dragon and Tiger is a powerful tool for awakening your body on physical, energetic, emotional, mental and spiritual levels. As you practice these movements and begin to move your body in ways that may be different for you, energy and fluids in your body are stirred up and begin to move more vigorously. At some point you may experience reactions that may seem either positive or negative to you. These are called chi reactions: the body’s response to the effects of energy beginning to flow more freely through previously blocked places. ...

Wu Tai Chi is a type of Tai Chi Ch'uan exercise that comes from China. Tai Chi is known as "moving meditation" because it uses slow, controlled movements to gain strength, balance and mental serenity. There are many schools of Tai Chi Ch'an exercise, and Wu Tai Chi is one of the oldest forms. Origins of Wu Tai Chi This form of tai chi arose out of the traditional Chinese martial arts. Wu Jianquan learned special techniques of neutralizing the enemy's actions from his father. He continued to perfect these techniques, formalizing the movements. The Wu family held this knowledge within their family for many generations. They emphasized special areas of the training: slowness, lightness, perseverance, stillness and precision. After World War II, interest in many of the Asian martial arts increased in the western world and tai chi became popular, both as discipline and as a health regime. ...

I want to thank Paul Brennan for making translations of classic Tai Chi texts available online. Pleasevisit his site and let him know we all appreciate the awesome work he’s doing. In **THE TAIJI BOXING OF MR. WU JIANQUAN - FOR SELF-STUDY, **by Chen Zhenmin & Ma Yueliang, published by the Health Magazine Society, May, 1935, translation by Paul Brennan, May, 2012, the authors explain the foundational body mechanics of Tai Chi. ...

In issue 48 of Qi Magazine, there is an article about Wu Style Tai Chi Master Wang Hao Da. The article describes Master Wang’s early training and his desire to interact with as many different people as possible to refine his art. The description of Zhong Ding, or Central Equilibrium, drawn from the article, explains much of what organized Master Wang’s teaching and personal practice, as described to me by one of my teachers, Robert Tangora. ...

Eating a balanced diet with plenty of vegetables and fruits while exercising on a regular basis is essential for health, but many people find that they can do more to stay healthy by practicing the ancient art of Qigong. Developed in China, Qigong is designed to help you maintain health as well as heal the body and increase your vitality. For this reason, many people search YouTube for Qigong for beginners to see videos that will help them learn about this Chinese practice, which people have been using for thousands of years. It is useful for beginners to read books about Qigong, but they often will want to see Qigong videos to help them learn about the techniques more effectively. ...

This summer, Bruce Frantzis will be teaching a Marriage of Heaven and Earth Instructor training. Heaven and Earth was the first instructor training I attended in 2004 and I can still remember what a profound effect learning to “pulse” had on me. Within the Energy Arts system, Heaven and Earth is considered a bridge from the basic to more advanced practices. ...