Archive for the 'Mindset' Category

Guolin Qigong

The Guo Lin Story

Ms. Guo Lin was a teacher of traditional Chinese painting and was diagnosed with uterine cancer at age 43 and had her uterus removed in 1949 while she was in Shanghai, China. In 1960, the cancer was found to have spread to her bladder, so her doctors removed half her bladder. However, this did not help, her cancer remained and spread and after four other operations, the doctors gave up and in 1964, told her she had only six months to live.

She did not give up hope, but she did not know what to do. As she was cleaning up her home, she found ancient Qigong texts left to her by her late grandfather (a Taoist priest) and began to practice these forms. She found them to be very effective. After six months, she found that her cancer had gone into remission.

In 1970 she started teaching other cancer patients in the parks of Beijing. Her style was called New Qigong Therapy and soon, word was spreading that many of her students were benefiting from this “new” qigong. By 1977 she had gained national prominence and was teaching about 400 students daily in Beijing. She worked tirelessly until her death in 1984 at age 78 (of a cerebral hemorrhage), after having survived cancer for over 34 years and after helping thousands recover from the pain and suffering of various ailments. She had travelled throughout China to lecture, teach and demonstrate.

Now her Qigong style is named in her honor, and it has spread to many countries around the world.

There was a TV special on health called “The Healing Heart”. Near the end of the special was a segment on Guo Lin Qigong. It was about the Shanghai Cancer Recovery Club. These people, instead of being passive in their fight with cancer, were out everyday walking, moving, and breathing in a very special way.

All over Shanghai there were people getting together every morning, hundreds of people in dozens of places, to practice these Qigong forms to help fight their cancer. These groups were run solely by cancer survivors who had used this Qigong. At the time the show was taped, in Shanghai alone, there were almost 3,000 people in these cancer recovery clubs, and besides the Qigong classes they also scheduled group trips, met for yearly anniversaries of members survival, and generally supported each other in their fight.

Now, over a million Chinese with a variety of chronic diseases have learned Guo Lin Qigong, and the various groups claim to have an amazing amount of success (over 80%). One must take these types of claims with a grain of salt, since many of the people may not have been medically diagnosed. However, many hospitals that treat cancer in China will recommend Gou Lin Qigong as part of the treatment.

Guo Lin Qigong was credited as an agent in many cases of cancer remission by the Chinese government. These successes inspired the creation of a cancer survivors club in Beijing, then spreading to many other cities. Today, Guo Lin Qigong clubs can be found all over China. There have been studies done, in China, that seem to prove or provide evidence as to this Qigong’s effectiveness.

Guo Lin Qigong has become a social and medical phenomenon in China. No longer passive, the patients are very active in their own recovery which is strikingly different than what usually happens here.

This Qigong form can be used as an addition to any cancer recovery program. It should not be used to replace any cancer therapy prescribed by your physician. We offer no explicit nor implicit opinion or claim on the effectiveness of practicing Guo Lin Qigong for those with cancer or any other ailment. It is our wish to provide information on Quo Lin Qigong so that those interested can learn this style.

Reference: jadepowerqigong.com

INTRODUCTION OF GUO LIN QI–GONG
by Coach Xu
The new Guo Lin Qi-Gong (GLQG) is a type of self control Qi-Gong therapy consisting of a combination of both slow movements and peaceful meditation. It was initially developed by the late Qi-Gongist, Mrs. Guo Lin who was born China in 1909 and died in late 1984. She was a famous painter noted for her mountain and river scenes of China. When she was six years old, she followed her grandfather to practice child Gong and play Hua-Tuo’s animal analogue demonstration. During her many travels, she visited many famous Qi Gongist throughout China.
In 1949, she contracted cancer of the uterus. Even in spite of her numerous operations, the cancer could not be controlled. In her search for a cure, she turned to the old, traditional Chinese treatment of Qi-Gong. She studied various medical books and continuously applied Qi-Gong therapy to cancer healing. After ten years of
research, she developed a new system of Qi-Gong. Her therapy integrates movement with meditation. Her approach proved to be effective and easy to learn. Since 1972, patients have been using her treatment throughout China. More than ten thousand cancer patients have practiced her new GLQG treatment to fight their cancer. A lot of her cancer patients got healed and did not have any cancer recurrence. In studying the successful cases, it was revealed that GLQG is an acceptable method to add to the treatments integrating TCM with WM. (TCM–Traditional Chinese Medicine, WM–Western medicine)

The Shanghai Rehabilitation Club for cancer patients was established in 1989. in 1993, a survey was conducted of its 1,054 club members having cancer. The survey results revealed that 64 percent of the members having cancer had recovered. It was conclude that of those cured of cancer, 85 % were persistent in exercising GLQG
Some of the benefits from properly practicing GLQG therapy were improved s1eep, appetite, improved immune functions that contributed to preventing replaces and metastasis, improved quality of life, and prolonged survival.

Today, there even a few teachers of GLQG outside of China , in the United
States, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong and Macao. As a
result, there are adherents of GLQG in these areas. Due to the favorable reputation of
Qi-Gong teachers in the China, our teachers were invited to teach at the Qi-Gong
Association of Japan twice, Once in 1992 and again in 1993. -

The special features of GLQG are that it:
1.– improves physical conditioning which in turn prevents and cures diseases
2.– emphasizes self-training discipline so as to not require external motivation by others;
3.– differentiate Qi-Gong modes, program, and, duration which is, based on the different kinds of diseases including the cause, nature and’location the cancer as well as the physical condition of patients;
4.— is easy to learn and has no proven side effects. However self-training; should be advanced step-by-step and the patient’s willpower must be developed so that they can exert all of their strength.

There are several modes to apply the new GLQG program of treatment, such as:
* Walking with wind respiration:
– natural walking
– quick walking
– stable walking
– 1, 2, 3, point walking
* Waving arms slowly up and down and opened and closed
* Massaging of the Yong Quin acupoint and head
* Hand and Feet rods
* Making special vocal sounds
* Walking slowly for patients with chronic diseases.

Reference: polariswushu.net/koulin.html

Wudang Gong Fu

More links:
Wudang Wushu 武当山 武術 (part 1) youtube.com
Wudang Wushu 武当山 武術 (part 2) youtube.com
Wudang Wushu 武当山 武術 (part 3) youtube.com
Wudang Wushu 武当山 武術 (part 4) youtube.com
Wudang Wushu 武当山 武術 (part 5) youtube.com

Wudang Gong Fu 武当 功夫 (part 1) youtube.com
Wudang Gong Fu 武当 功夫 (part 2) youtube.com
Wudang Gong Fu 武当 功夫 (part 3) youtube.com

The Beginning of the Universe

This exercise helps bring your focus back into your body and wake up your internal energy.

• When doing this exercise while sitting, try to sit up and keep the spine straight.

• When doing this exercise while lying down, lie on your back and keep your spine as straight as possible.

• When doing this exercise while standing, stand straight with your toes pointing forward and bend your knees a little. (If you want to lose weight bend your knees a little more.)

• Set your feet a little more than shoulder width apart for good balance while standing.

• Eyes look forward. An Introduction To Qigong

• Wear a smile on your face to relax every part of the body and stimulate your brain to produce endorphins.

• Draw your chin back a little to straighten the entire spine. Energy travels up and down the spine in the governing channel more easily when the spine is straight.

• Drop your shoulders and move your elbows outward a little.• Open your hands and gently spread your fingers. When you open your fingers you open many energy channels in the body. When you close your fingers you close these channels.

• Slowly take a deep, silent, gentle breath through your nose. As you breathe in, draw the lower stomach in a little. As you breathe out, let your stomach out. This makes it easier for the Yin and Yang energies to communicate with each other and create balance.

• Imagine using your whole body to breathe. Visualize the universal energy coming into every cell of your body and collecting in the lower Dantian. This is a primary energy center in your body. The lower Dantian is located in the area behind your navel.

• When you exhale, visualize any pain or sickness changing into smoke and shooting out from every cell of your body to the end of the universe.

• Gently close your eyes and lips.

• Now say the password in your mind: “I am in the universe. The universe is in my body. The universe and I combine together.”

• Continue breathing slowly, deeply and gently and feel the emptiness, the quietness, the stillness of the universe.

Do this exercise for 2 to 3 minutes or longer if you have the time.

Reference:
Born A Healer: I was born a healer. You were born a healer, too!
by Chunyi Lin / Gary Rebstock
ISBN 0974094412

P. 147 - 150

Link: springforestqigong.com

Peter Ralston - Honesty

The Cheng Hsin Body Principles

1. Being Calm
2. Relaxing
3. Centering
4. Grounding
5. Being Whole and Total

Reference:
Cheng Hsin The Principels of Effortless Power
ISBN 1556433026

p. 4

Links:
www.chenghsin.com

Koichi Tohei Unify Mind and Body

The Four Basic Principles to Unify Mind and Body

1 Keep One Point
2 Relax Completely
3 Keep Weight Underside
4 Extend Ki

Reference:
Ki in Daily Life by Koichi Tohei
ISBN 4889960716

p. 27 ff

Links:
Aikido Koichi Tohei sensei part 2 youtube.com

Koichi Tohei at 9th Dan (Part 1/5) youtube.com
Koichi Tohei at 9th Dan (Part 2/5) youtube.com
Koichi Tohei at 9th Dan (Part 3/5) youtube.com
Koichi Tohei at 9th Dan (Part 4/5) youtube.com
Koichi Tohei at 9th Dan (Part 5/5) youtube.com

Koichi Tohei wikipedia.org
Ki-Aikido wikipedia.org

Yiquan Not-So-Straight Straight Punch

Author: Master Yao ChengRong

Translator: J. P. Lau

Translator’s Note: This article has been edited for English readers.

You must learn to effectively deliver the straight punch from your ready stance, from any hand position. There should be no wasted motion and no give-away movement preceding the punch. Upon completing the punch you must immediately reset into your ready stance. The basic ready fighting stance is achieved by a simple, effective mental and physical organization of the whole-body that maintains comfortable, natural relaxation and perfect balance. This allows for quick reaction and smooth coordinated movement.

1. Lead Hand Straight Punch

Stand in left lead Ding Ba Bu with your weight distributed 30% on your front leg and 70% on your rear leg. The size of the step should be comfortable such that you can easily lift your front foot, advancing or retreating with power provided only from your rear leg. Too large a step sacrifices mobility and too small a step sacrifices stability; choose a comfortable neutral step size.

Modify the Hun Yuan Zhuang posture by closing your hands loosely as if holding eggs; do not tense or use any strength. Keep your hands separated approximately three fists width apart, about a foot from your torso. Your lead hand is slightly higher than your shoulder but do not extend it beyond your lead foot. Your rear hand is at shoulder level, protecting your throat, chin and chest. Visualize imaginary springs between your wrists and connecting your wrists to your neck. Visualize sitting on a high stool with a string pulling the top of your head upward. Tuck in your chin as if holding a small balloon between the chin and the neck. Visualize directing a small force in your front knee forward and upward and a small force in your rear hip backward and downward; the forces below the knees push slightly inwards and above the knees push slightly outwards. With your palms facing inwards, your lead left hand is over your left foot, slightly higher than shoulder level and your guarding right hand is at shoulder level. Visualize holding a large balloon between your chest and arms. Prop your elbows outwards, round your back and hollow your chest to maintain “fullness” in your “frame” while relaxing your shoulders and elbows. Establish proper internal isometrics by visualizing these opposing force pairs (Zheng Li) between different elements in your body. Maintain optimal body alignment, connectedness, whole-body integration, perfect balance and a relaxation/tension state that allows for gentle and supple movement with alertness and readiness for action.

From the left lead, visualize your whole body as a hammer and your left forearm as a nail. Completely relax your shoulder and upper arm. Push off with your right leg; shift your body weight forward onto your left leg. Push off on the ball of your left foot, turn your left heel out, torque your torso a quarter turn to the right, thrust your left shoulder forward, shooting your left forearm loosely and easily forward, upward and inward. Note: a full body pivot on an axis from your rear foot to your head, the shifting weight from one leg to the other and the opening of your joints (ankle, knee, waist & back, shoulder and elbow) are used to power this punch. The lead side of the body anchors the pivot point (visualize stretching the imaginary spring from you lead foot to your head).

Simultaneously, as you shoot out your left arm, rotate your left forearm to palm facing down; pull your right hand backward, upward and outward as if breaking a string between your wrists, keep your rear guard hand up. “When punching with the lead hand, concentrate and focus on the rear hand.” Coordinate your body to move as an integrated whole-body; push your front knee forward and your rear hip slightly backward; push your forehead slightly forward and upward; look at your intended target; keep your chin tucked. The head, the left fist and the left foot must arrive simultaneously.

Do not tighten your fists when initiating/delivering your punch; tensed stiff muscles prevent the proper release of power. When you punch, visualize holding an egg in each hand, do not crush it or let it drop. On contact, instantaneously tense and focus your entire body. Tighten your fist (visualize crushing the egg in your hands; your fingernails piercing your palm), twist and snap your wrist downward slightly (the back of your hand and forearm should be straight) hitting with the knuckles of your index and middle fingers with palm facing downward. Proper delivery of your punch is important in preventing injuries to your hands and fingers. The punch accelerates from the instant of contact until the ceasing of contact, driving clear through the target. After contact, immediately relax and withdraw your left hand along the same path of your delivery. Bring your hand back as fast as you thrust it out, like you have touched a red-hot iron plate. Keep your left arm well up while withdrawing for any possible counter. Push off with your front leg and bounce back to your small step posture; shifting your weight back to 30% front 70% back. You should be relaxed almost all the time, tensing only momentarily as you thrust through your target. Carry the shoulder and arm relaxed and ready at all times for follow-up punches.

Use your entire reach to punch through your target. The fist comes straight from the center with the full power of the leg behind it.

“Deliver your balanced force from curved form.” To reduce injuries to your elbow and prevent your opponent from countering, do not lock your elbows when executing the straight punch. Thus, the straight punch is often referred to as the “not-so-straight” straight punch.

2. Rear Hand Straight Punch

To punch with your rear hand the body must follow the punch. Add force by pivoting your body to a position over the lead foot. When using a body pivot, turn on the balls of both feet while punching. “Waist pivots like a wheel; legs twist like drills.”

From the left lead, drill down with the ball of your right foot, turn your right knee slightly inwards, torque your torso a quarter turn to your left to drive your right shoulder forward to propel your right forearm and fist. Your weight begins on the ball of your rear foot. Twist your forearm as your rear fist travels. You twist at the waist and your weight is shifted forward into the punch and to your lead foot before connecting. Make sure your rear heel and rear shoulder turn in one piece on an axis from your rear foot to your head. Like the lead hand straight punch, your proper body alignment supports your body weight, freeing the entire body to propel the rear fist. The shifting of your center of gravity is a major contributor of power in your punch. Shift your body weight to your left foot as you punch with your right hand, hinging the left side of the body and freeing the opposite side for an explosive pivot. Shoot out your punch loosely and easily; do not tighten up until your punch connects. As you shoot out your right rear fist, pull your left lead hand backward, upward and outward, keep your left hand well up in the guard position. As you connect, twist your right forearm inwards, snap your right wrist slightly downward, tighten your fist, focus and tense your entire body on impact. Drive through your target. Immediately relax and withdraw you right hand along the same path.

Whether punching with your lead hand or rear hand, you should use your body to drive your hands. For fast follow-up or sequential punches, the proper body mechanics demand that the body should move more than the hands. “The entire body must pivot to initiate every move/punch.” Maintain correct internal isometrics, body alignment, connectedness, perfect balance and a relaxation/tension state at all times to be able to deliver follow-up punches after your straight punch. Start the punch from wherever your hands are with no added motions and finish in your on-guard position.

Training tips:

1. When learning these punches, a beginner should start with slow relaxed “trial & feel” motions to learn the whole-body neuromuscular coordination; do not use any brute strength but avoid physical laxness and diminished consciousness. Pay attention to perceiving internal opposing force pairs, relaxation/tension exchange, and the transmission of forces from the ground through the body to the hands. When you have proper body mechanics, then increase the power and speed of your delivery.

2. The time of tensed focusing should be instantaneous. Release your power at the instant of contact accelerating your punch through your target until the cease of contact. Immediately relax and return to your ready stance whether your hit is effective or not. You can deliver an explosive discharge only from a proper mental and physical relaxed/tranquil state. Relaxation and tension are intrinsic opposites that you use appropriately to release your balanced force.

When you have mastered the straight punch from the fixed step, you should combine it with stepping e.g.: shuffle step lunge punch, one step three punches, three steps three punches, free stepping etc. Then add variety by executing circle step straight punches on a sandbag as well as using it in sparring. If you deliver your straight punch but open your hand at the instance before connecting and strike with the palm of your hand, this is the forward palm heel strike. Whether you are punching with the lead or rear hand, always use whole-body movement to drive your punches.

Reference:
www.yq-zywg.com

Power discharge in yiquan

By Yao Cheng-rong

Translated by Tu-Ky Lam

An overview of power discharge

People who practice martial arts must have heard of the term “jing” which means strength, or power. When we hit an opponent or throw him away with force, we discharge our power, which is called “Fa li” in Chinese. If we want to release power, we must make sure that we have already had the power at our disposal. In order to build up our power, we must train hard on zhan-zhuang (standing practice), shi li (testing of strength), and zou bu (stepping). Only after we have developed strong internal strength through doing the three stages of Yiquan training can we start to learn how to discharge power because power discharge is an explosive expression of the three.

It is not easy to discharge power. You need to work hard on the basics first. In the above-mentioned foundation training, zhan-zhuang helps to develop “Hun yuan li” which is whole body force. Shi li intensifies the strength developed from zhan-zhuang. It is a means to test our strength to see if it is still strong when we do a move. Shi li is, in effect, a bigger movement of zhan-zhuang. Zou bu, which means stepping, helps us make our whole body – arms, torso and legs - move in unison when we step forwards or backwards, and is very useful in fighting. After we have spent considerable time in the basics, we can start to learn power discharge.

Power discharge and opposite tension

When we practice power discharge, we must know how to gather our strength first. To gather strength is to adjust our body so that our energy can gather together ready to be discharged. To achieve this, we should have total concentration during standing practice, all our joints should remain bent all the time, and our energy should go inwards. When stepping forwards or backwards, we have to pay attention to these points as well. Also, our mind should be in control of the whole body, our posture should not collapse, and the force of the whole body should be united so that it is ready to be used. Our mind and body should make us ready for defense or attack at any time.

Power discharge is very important in all martial arts systems. We should be able to discharge power with our hands or any weapons. Power discharge requires that we should be able to release explosive force from small movements. Our power should be released as though dynamite explodes. This force is called explosive force.

When we practice power discharge, our whole body is under the guidance of our mind, which helps our body to produce more force with visualization. When our mind wants to release power, our bones, our tendons and our muscles will move with our mind to discharge strong force. Power discharge should be relaxed and natural so that power can be sent out of our body on to our opponent.

Before we release power, we should use our mind to make our force move to opposite direction first. This is called “Zhen-li” meaning opposite tension. For example, if we want to release power to the front, we should move one part of our body slightly backwards first, and vice versa. If we want to discharge power upwards (or downwards), we move one part of our body slightly downwards (upwards) first. The same principle applies to discharging power to the left and the right. When parts of our body go in opposite directions, they create tension/strength, which will help us generate the force of the whole body moving towards our opponent. The opposite tension stretches our joints and tendons, and can make us feel that we have a lot of strength. All our strength should come out from our center. We strike hard only at the point of contact. After power discharge, we move back to our normal posture again.

Power discharge exercise

You start from “Hun yuan zhuang” or the “Embrace-a-Tree” standing posture, with your fingers clenched to make fists. Your palms still face your body, and your “tiger’s mouths” face up. When discharging power, imagine that your opponent is striking fast and hard at your front forearm, you counteract by making your front forearm moving slightly downwards and then forwards with the back forearm moving in accordance. The distance between your fists is about two-fist’s length. When your fists move to almost above your front toes, and your palms are facing the ground. Now imagine that your fingertips have touched your opponent’s chest or your target position. Also imagine that your torso is like a slash hammer, your forearms (from hands to elbow) are like big nails, but your upper arms and shoulders do not exist. Your torso (like a hammer) moves slightly backwards and then quickly forward to strike at your elbows (like nails). At this moment, you release your fists and your fingers tips are pointing upwards. Imagine that your strength is going through your opponent’s back and afar. Once you have released power, you have to move back quickly, just like you have touched a piece of burning iron. You move not only your hands back, not also your internal energy. When practicing power discharge, you need to concentrate, and mobilize the force of your whole body, and you feel your fingers are like ten upright spears.

Things to remember

1. When discharging power, your head moves quickly forwards and upwards. You imagine that you are holding a thin metal plate between your teeth, and you want to bite the plate into pieces. (But do not bite too hard.) Your tongue moves slightly back.

2. Your shoulders and elbows should extend left and right and your chest slightly draws in. Use “shi sheng” or yelling technique and quickly eject a small sound to make qi sink to your lower abdomen.

3. Before discharging power, the palm of your front foot should be slightly empty or relaxed. When releasing power, the palm of your front foot has to push hard into the ground and at the same time your back leg pushes forwards. Discharging power is like suddenly braking your car. Your head strikes forwards, your legs push hard and your hands release power. You release power at the point of contact and then stop immediately. When you move back to your starting position, your knees move outwards and your back hip sits slightly back.

Reference:
www.yq-zywg.com

The Sung of Zhu Datong

Links:
Wu Style Taiji/Taichi quan Kongfu of Zhu Datong youtube.com
Wu Style Taiji/Taichi quan Push hand of Zhu Datong youtube.com

Walking Meditation

Take my hand.
We will walk.
We will only walk.
We will enjoy our walk
without thinking of arriving anywhere.
We walk peacefully.
We walk happily.
Our walk is a peace walk.
Our walk is a happiness walk.

Then we learn
that there is no peace walk;
that peace is the walk;
that there is no happiness walk;
that happiness is the walk.
We walk for ourselves.
We walk for everyone
always hand in hand.

Walk and touch peace every moment.
Walk and touch happiness every moment.
Each step brings a fresh breeze.
Each step makes a flower bloom under our feet.
Kiss the Earth with your feet.
Print on Earth your love and happiness.

Earth will be safe
when we feel in us enough safety.

Thich Nhat Hanh Walking Meditation
ISBN 1591794730

Longevity is attainable

Go by the laws of yin and yang, do body-building exercises best suited to one’s conditions, practice temperance in food and drink, follow a regular schedule in daily life, avoid overexertion, keep calm and cheerfull.

Liu Zhengcai The Mystery of Longevity
ISBN 7119012517

p. iii