Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Why not try Tao?
Trying to conceive? Why not try Tao?
The ancient Chinese method of using diet to help women get pregnant
getCSS("17452499")
Books on
Smart new titles for your kids
James Patterson asks: What's on your bookshelf?
Discuss: Are you a Harry Potter fan?
An interview with author Sonia Manzano
Get your kids reading, join Max's flock
getCSS("3315076")
Special series: “I Want a Baby”
In a special series, TODAY talks to expectant parents and experts about infertility and solutions.
Video: Viewers' questions answered
Excerpt: 'Gay Dads'
Video: Parents discuss adopting
6 common adoption myths dispelled
Video: Why women miscarry
allDAY: Painful loss of a miscarriage
Video: Women who face infertility
How to up your pregnancy odds
RESOLVE: National infertility resource
Miscarriages: Facts and treatments
Discuss: Can't get pregnant?
getCSS("3314183")
INTERACTIVE
TODAY anchors pick their favorite kids' books Meredith, Al, Ann, Matt and Natalie fondly recall their childhood favorites.
TODAY
updated 6:30 p.m. ET May 3, 2008
function UpdateTimeStamp(pdt) {
var n = document.getElementById("udtD");
if(pdt != '' && n && window.DateTime) {
var dt = new DateTime();
pdt = dt.T2D(pdt);
if(dt.GetTZ(pdt)) {n.innerHTML = dt.D2S(pdt,((''.toLowerCase()=='false')?false:true));}
}
}
UpdateTimeStamp('633454506131000000');
Getting pregnant is one of those things that most women try to avoid for years. But when a woman finally decides it is time, her chances of getting pregnant can be hindered by her fertility. Dr. Daoshing Ni, a specialist in reproductive medicine, and Dana Herko, a patient, have written a how-to guide of Chinese medicine to help woman having trouble conceiving. Here's an excerpt: Finding Your FootingAfter thousands and thousands of years in exile, the Monkey King finally gets a break. Buddha summons him and tells him to get ready, for a long journey awaits him. A monk has been appointed to bring back the sacred scriptures. He will have to travel all the way from China to India and then back again, with the Monkey King as his escort.
Fortunately, the journey you are about to embark on is not quite as long, at least not when measured in miles. But the challenges you face trying to get pregnant can be every bit as daunting. You need to prepare yourself for whatever lies ahead. How can you do this when you might not even know what you are facing? You do it by making sure you are physically, emotionally, and spiritually strong before taking even a single step.In traditional Chinese medicine, the mind, the body, and the spirit are one. You do not live your life in a vacuum. Nor do you stand still — you are in motion every second, every minute, every day of your life. Imagine a clock with the pendulum swinging. But while the pendulum is moving, so is the clock, trying to find balance in motion. Now think of your body. When you are stressed, overworked, emotional ... guess what happens?
You leave yourself vulnerable to outside forces like viruses, germs, and bacteria. Sickness, by definition, is the imbalance of yin and yang, or interopposing and intersupporting forces.
Story continues below ↓
advertisement
dap('&PG=NBC9CO&AP=1089','300','250');
You are a complete and complex individual with a unique constitution. What establishes being in balance for you is entirely different than balance for someone else. Our circumstances, our surroundings, our genetics all leave an imprint on us. In traditional Chinese medicine, there are no absolutes. Everything is relative. There’s no such thing as perfect health. But there is better health. And better health means better fertility. You hold the power to attain it.
You could say that my family has been at this for a long time. I come from almost seventy-six generations of Taoists. Taoism is a lineage, in the same way Judaism and many other spiritual traditions are. But it’s less a religion than a way of life. It is based on embracing nature and understanding the world. It teaches you to care about improving yourself. Most importantly, it teaches you to always embrace nature rather than damage it. In a way, it’s not that different from what Henry David Thoreau, in Walden Pond, believed: that you must preserve nature at all costs. We believe this because the answers to life’s questions lie in nature.In order to try and understand the philosophical underpinnings of balance — of health and sickness, of life and death — Taoists focus on.
“Don’t give up until you’ve opened yourself up to alternatives. This is something that is holistic. Your spirit is so crushed by the process of fertility, and Dao raises up your spirit in a human way. He thinks of you as a person and not just a baby machine. This is part of what he offers — a way of treating the whole person. He gives you a realistic picture in a very ancient but modern way. He allowed me to go on with my life when I was in my deepest despair.”
A child growing up as I did in the Taoist tradition chooses early on which of these paths to walk. There’s astrology, as in fortune-telling, which teaches how constellations and human energies affect out lives. I Ching is another form of fortune-telling, but one based on randomness. It teaches how to handle and manage changes in our lives. Another path is feng shui, the study of how the placement of objects affects our energy and how our physical environment can be conducive to our life force. There’s martial arts, which teaches how to find inspiration and knowledge in the observation of animal movement in nature — a knowledge that can then be used to strengthen our body and increase our understanding of the relationships among people. And finally, there is healing.
I was predestined to be a healer. I started on this path when I was just a little boy. But I did not start with the study of medicine or healing, because for Taoists, the five paths are just extensions of life itself. My father and mother taught me first and above all how to be a good person. That is the Taoist way. We started with an understanding of the good and the bad in the universe, and learned how life worked. My brother — who is also a healer — and I learned to sweep floors, to help out, to understand the importance of family and the social unit. We also learned the importance of cultivating yourself and taking personal responsibility. Many people hear the word responsibility and think of some heavy burden. But as a child, my responsibility was to play hard and study hard, and to appreciate the life I was given. That’s all I was asked to do.
Yet even as I went about my everyday life of playing and doing simple chores, I was learning profound lessons. Take a little thing like sweeping the floor. Looking back, I see that sweeping was so much more than cleaning. It was the way I swept the floor: the patterns I created, the way I felt when I was doing the task. Every day, there was a different energy to my sweeping. Some days, I felt impatient. Other days, I felt so good that I did a little extra work. And on those days when I felt particularly happy, I could see things I wouldn’t have noticed otherwise, like the dust particles on the hardwood floor and the way they danced in the light.
By the time I was in elementary school, I started learning tai chi chuan and chi gong, two Taoist forms of meditative exercise that require.
“There are so few people who really love what they do — and he [Dr. Dao] does. You can read it on his face. But I don’t know if he understands how much he empowers the women he sees.” contemplative thinking and silence. At the time, I didn’t understand this silence and why the people were standing like statues. But slowly I could see the value of this kind of quiet time and the lessons you could learn from it. It taught me how to be calm. That was the real beginning of becoming a healer. I was learning the Taoist ways that would prepare me to go on and learn the practice of Chinese medicine.
So what is Taoism? As I’ve mentioned, it’s the philosophy that you are one hundred percent responsible for your behavior. You are your own behavior; your actions are a reflection of your energy. Above all, Taoism means looking beyond your immediate world. If, for example, safety and prosperity are provided to me, I, in turn, give back more to the world to make it a more peaceful place. As a healer, one of the ways I can do that is to help people actualize their life and their potential. If your goal is motherhood, my role is to serve as your guide along the way.
I am thankful for what I have. I must embrace whatever life dishes out. And I must do so without prejudice, without blame, and without frustration. That is what the Taoist tradition teaches me. Life is a process, a journey of many different destinations. So come, let us begin.
The Importance of Good Nutrition Have you ever seen a beautiful flower growing in concrete? Most likely, you have not. A flower needs more than the sun and water to grow. It needs nourishment. It cannot thrive in rocks and dry dirt. If it doesn’t get the right mix of soil and nutrients, it will wither and eventually die.
Like that flower, you need good nutrition in order to maintain good health and to ensure your fertility. The best way to good nutrition is through food. Obviously, there are situations where you might use supplements and vitamins. But if you are relying on them as your main focus, you are wrong. Eating healthy foods should be your primary concern. Your body absorbs nutrients the best from whole foods. Taoists have a particular perspective when it comes to food. In the United States, we tend to talk about food in terms of the form it takes. Is it fast food? Organic? Natural? Processed? Prepared? But food is like everything else in the Taoist tradition: it’s all about harmony and balance — yin and yang.
getCSS("3088867")
Video
'The Tao of Fertility'May 2: Dr. Daoshing Ni and Dana Herko, authors of the new book "The Tao of Fertility," explain how traditional Chinese ways of preparing for pregnancy can complement Western medicine.
Today Show HealthGrowing up, I ate the food my mother prepared. It wasn’t until I began to learn Taoist and traditional Chinese medicine that I realized her cooking and food preparation have always been based on the yin-and-yang principle, which takes into consideration both the energetic qualities and the taste of food.
All foods — and for that matter, herbs — have five tastes. The sweet taste is nourishing and calming. If you have ever suffered from PMS and craved sweets, then you know what I am talking about.
Sweet foods can calm and quiet down the nervous system when inner stress strikes. The sour taste is astringent and consolidating. Berries, oranges, and vinegars are a few examples of sour foods. They are very good at holding up the body, especially when it is fatigued. The third taste, pungent, is dispersing and moving. Spicy foods fall into this group. They are good at warming the body by moving our circulation. The fourth taste is bitter. The body craves bitter foods like coffee or tea when it needs an energy or mood pickup, or when it needs to feel cleansed. And finally, there is the salty taste. Think of meat tenderizers — they soften the meat. So salt relaxes and softens the body.
In addition, all foods carry one of four qualities. Foods are hot (to invigorate and heat up the body), warm (to gently warm the body), cool (to gently cool the body), or cold (to vigorously cleanse the body). It’s all a matter of common sense, really. When you are chilled in the winter, you need foods like hot soup, beef, or lamb. If, however, you are running a fever and need to be cooled down, pears, watermelon, and water can help.The Chinese believe that the end result of observing these food qualities and then combining them in a harmonious manner is good health and a sense of well-being. There’s nothing mysterious or complicated about it. It’s another way of saying that you should be mindful of what you eat, and of when and why you are eating it. As we shall see, these things are greatly important when you are eating to improve your fertility.
Excerpted from "The Tao of Fertility," by Dr. Daoshing Ni and Dana Herko. Copyright 2008. Reprinted with permission from HarperCollins. All rights reserved.
http://world-taiji.blogspot.com
The ancient Chinese method of using diet to help women get pregnant
getCSS("17452499")
Books on
Smart new titles for your kids
James Patterson asks: What's on your bookshelf?
Discuss: Are you a Harry Potter fan?
An interview with author Sonia Manzano
Get your kids reading, join Max's flock
getCSS("3315076")
Special series: “I Want a Baby”
In a special series, TODAY talks to expectant parents and experts about infertility and solutions.
Video: Viewers' questions answered
Excerpt: 'Gay Dads'
Video: Parents discuss adopting
6 common adoption myths dispelled
Video: Why women miscarry
allDAY: Painful loss of a miscarriage
Video: Women who face infertility
How to up your pregnancy odds
RESOLVE: National infertility resource
Miscarriages: Facts and treatments
Discuss: Can't get pregnant?
getCSS("3314183")
INTERACTIVE
TODAY anchors pick their favorite kids' books Meredith, Al, Ann, Matt and Natalie fondly recall their childhood favorites.
TODAY
updated 6:30 p.m. ET May 3, 2008
function UpdateTimeStamp(pdt) {
var n = document.getElementById("udtD");
if(pdt != '' && n && window.DateTime) {
var dt = new DateTime();
pdt = dt.T2D(pdt);
if(dt.GetTZ(pdt)) {n.innerHTML = dt.D2S(pdt,((''.toLowerCase()=='false')?false:true));}
}
}
UpdateTimeStamp('633454506131000000');
Getting pregnant is one of those things that most women try to avoid for years. But when a woman finally decides it is time, her chances of getting pregnant can be hindered by her fertility. Dr. Daoshing Ni, a specialist in reproductive medicine, and Dana Herko, a patient, have written a how-to guide of Chinese medicine to help woman having trouble conceiving. Here's an excerpt: Finding Your FootingAfter thousands and thousands of years in exile, the Monkey King finally gets a break. Buddha summons him and tells him to get ready, for a long journey awaits him. A monk has been appointed to bring back the sacred scriptures. He will have to travel all the way from China to India and then back again, with the Monkey King as his escort.
Fortunately, the journey you are about to embark on is not quite as long, at least not when measured in miles. But the challenges you face trying to get pregnant can be every bit as daunting. You need to prepare yourself for whatever lies ahead. How can you do this when you might not even know what you are facing? You do it by making sure you are physically, emotionally, and spiritually strong before taking even a single step.In traditional Chinese medicine, the mind, the body, and the spirit are one. You do not live your life in a vacuum. Nor do you stand still — you are in motion every second, every minute, every day of your life. Imagine a clock with the pendulum swinging. But while the pendulum is moving, so is the clock, trying to find balance in motion. Now think of your body. When you are stressed, overworked, emotional ... guess what happens?
You leave yourself vulnerable to outside forces like viruses, germs, and bacteria. Sickness, by definition, is the imbalance of yin and yang, or interopposing and intersupporting forces.
Story continues below ↓
advertisement
dap('&PG=NBC9CO&AP=1089','300','250');
You are a complete and complex individual with a unique constitution. What establishes being in balance for you is entirely different than balance for someone else. Our circumstances, our surroundings, our genetics all leave an imprint on us. In traditional Chinese medicine, there are no absolutes. Everything is relative. There’s no such thing as perfect health. But there is better health. And better health means better fertility. You hold the power to attain it.
You could say that my family has been at this for a long time. I come from almost seventy-six generations of Taoists. Taoism is a lineage, in the same way Judaism and many other spiritual traditions are. But it’s less a religion than a way of life. It is based on embracing nature and understanding the world. It teaches you to care about improving yourself. Most importantly, it teaches you to always embrace nature rather than damage it. In a way, it’s not that different from what Henry David Thoreau, in Walden Pond, believed: that you must preserve nature at all costs. We believe this because the answers to life’s questions lie in nature.In order to try and understand the philosophical underpinnings of balance — of health and sickness, of life and death — Taoists focus on.
“Don’t give up until you’ve opened yourself up to alternatives. This is something that is holistic. Your spirit is so crushed by the process of fertility, and Dao raises up your spirit in a human way. He thinks of you as a person and not just a baby machine. This is part of what he offers — a way of treating the whole person. He gives you a realistic picture in a very ancient but modern way. He allowed me to go on with my life when I was in my deepest despair.”
A child growing up as I did in the Taoist tradition chooses early on which of these paths to walk. There’s astrology, as in fortune-telling, which teaches how constellations and human energies affect out lives. I Ching is another form of fortune-telling, but one based on randomness. It teaches how to handle and manage changes in our lives. Another path is feng shui, the study of how the placement of objects affects our energy and how our physical environment can be conducive to our life force. There’s martial arts, which teaches how to find inspiration and knowledge in the observation of animal movement in nature — a knowledge that can then be used to strengthen our body and increase our understanding of the relationships among people. And finally, there is healing.
I was predestined to be a healer. I started on this path when I was just a little boy. But I did not start with the study of medicine or healing, because for Taoists, the five paths are just extensions of life itself. My father and mother taught me first and above all how to be a good person. That is the Taoist way. We started with an understanding of the good and the bad in the universe, and learned how life worked. My brother — who is also a healer — and I learned to sweep floors, to help out, to understand the importance of family and the social unit. We also learned the importance of cultivating yourself and taking personal responsibility. Many people hear the word responsibility and think of some heavy burden. But as a child, my responsibility was to play hard and study hard, and to appreciate the life I was given. That’s all I was asked to do.
Yet even as I went about my everyday life of playing and doing simple chores, I was learning profound lessons. Take a little thing like sweeping the floor. Looking back, I see that sweeping was so much more than cleaning. It was the way I swept the floor: the patterns I created, the way I felt when I was doing the task. Every day, there was a different energy to my sweeping. Some days, I felt impatient. Other days, I felt so good that I did a little extra work. And on those days when I felt particularly happy, I could see things I wouldn’t have noticed otherwise, like the dust particles on the hardwood floor and the way they danced in the light.
By the time I was in elementary school, I started learning tai chi chuan and chi gong, two Taoist forms of meditative exercise that require.
“There are so few people who really love what they do — and he [Dr. Dao] does. You can read it on his face. But I don’t know if he understands how much he empowers the women he sees.” contemplative thinking and silence. At the time, I didn’t understand this silence and why the people were standing like statues. But slowly I could see the value of this kind of quiet time and the lessons you could learn from it. It taught me how to be calm. That was the real beginning of becoming a healer. I was learning the Taoist ways that would prepare me to go on and learn the practice of Chinese medicine.
So what is Taoism? As I’ve mentioned, it’s the philosophy that you are one hundred percent responsible for your behavior. You are your own behavior; your actions are a reflection of your energy. Above all, Taoism means looking beyond your immediate world. If, for example, safety and prosperity are provided to me, I, in turn, give back more to the world to make it a more peaceful place. As a healer, one of the ways I can do that is to help people actualize their life and their potential. If your goal is motherhood, my role is to serve as your guide along the way.
I am thankful for what I have. I must embrace whatever life dishes out. And I must do so without prejudice, without blame, and without frustration. That is what the Taoist tradition teaches me. Life is a process, a journey of many different destinations. So come, let us begin.
The Importance of Good Nutrition Have you ever seen a beautiful flower growing in concrete? Most likely, you have not. A flower needs more than the sun and water to grow. It needs nourishment. It cannot thrive in rocks and dry dirt. If it doesn’t get the right mix of soil and nutrients, it will wither and eventually die.
Like that flower, you need good nutrition in order to maintain good health and to ensure your fertility. The best way to good nutrition is through food. Obviously, there are situations where you might use supplements and vitamins. But if you are relying on them as your main focus, you are wrong. Eating healthy foods should be your primary concern. Your body absorbs nutrients the best from whole foods. Taoists have a particular perspective when it comes to food. In the United States, we tend to talk about food in terms of the form it takes. Is it fast food? Organic? Natural? Processed? Prepared? But food is like everything else in the Taoist tradition: it’s all about harmony and balance — yin and yang.
getCSS("3088867")
Video
'The Tao of Fertility'May 2: Dr. Daoshing Ni and Dana Herko, authors of the new book "The Tao of Fertility," explain how traditional Chinese ways of preparing for pregnancy can complement Western medicine.
Today Show HealthGrowing up, I ate the food my mother prepared. It wasn’t until I began to learn Taoist and traditional Chinese medicine that I realized her cooking and food preparation have always been based on the yin-and-yang principle, which takes into consideration both the energetic qualities and the taste of food.
All foods — and for that matter, herbs — have five tastes. The sweet taste is nourishing and calming. If you have ever suffered from PMS and craved sweets, then you know what I am talking about.
Sweet foods can calm and quiet down the nervous system when inner stress strikes. The sour taste is astringent and consolidating. Berries, oranges, and vinegars are a few examples of sour foods. They are very good at holding up the body, especially when it is fatigued. The third taste, pungent, is dispersing and moving. Spicy foods fall into this group. They are good at warming the body by moving our circulation. The fourth taste is bitter. The body craves bitter foods like coffee or tea when it needs an energy or mood pickup, or when it needs to feel cleansed. And finally, there is the salty taste. Think of meat tenderizers — they soften the meat. So salt relaxes and softens the body.
In addition, all foods carry one of four qualities. Foods are hot (to invigorate and heat up the body), warm (to gently warm the body), cool (to gently cool the body), or cold (to vigorously cleanse the body). It’s all a matter of common sense, really. When you are chilled in the winter, you need foods like hot soup, beef, or lamb. If, however, you are running a fever and need to be cooled down, pears, watermelon, and water can help.The Chinese believe that the end result of observing these food qualities and then combining them in a harmonious manner is good health and a sense of well-being. There’s nothing mysterious or complicated about it. It’s another way of saying that you should be mindful of what you eat, and of when and why you are eating it. As we shall see, these things are greatly important when you are eating to improve your fertility.
Excerpted from "The Tao of Fertility," by Dr. Daoshing Ni and Dana Herko. Copyright 2008. Reprinted with permission from HarperCollins. All rights reserved.
http://world-taiji.blogspot.com
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Acupuncture: Can it help?
Acupuncture: Can it help?
Acupuncture is one of the oldest therapies in the world, but does it really work?
From MayoClinic.com
More on this in Health & Fitness
Back pain: Will chiropractic treatment help?
Acupuncture involves the insertion of extremely thin needles through your skin, to various depths at strategic points on your body. Acupuncture originated in China thousands of years ago, but over the past two decades its popularity has grown significantly within the United States. Although scientists don't fully understand how or why acupuncture works, some studies indicate that it may provide a number of medical benefits — from reducing pain to helping with chemotherapy-induced nausea.
What happens during an acupuncture session?
Acupuncture therapy usually involves a series of weekly or biweekly treatments in an outpatient setting. It's common to have up to 12 treatments in total. Although each acupuncture practitioner has his or her own unique style, each visit typically includes an exam and an assessment of your current condition, the insertion of needles, and a discussion about self-care tips. An acupuncture visit generally lasts about 30 minutes.
Before the needles are placed, you'll lie down on a comfortable surface. Depending on where the needles are to go, you will lie facedown, faceup or on your side. Make sure that your acupuncturist uses single-use sterile packaged needles. You may feel a brief, sharp sensation when the needle is inserted, but generally the procedure isn't painful.
It's common, however, to feel a deep aching sensation when the needle reaches the correct depth. After placement, the needles are sometimes moved gently or stimulated with electricity or heat. As many as a dozen needles may need to be placed for each treatment. Once the needles are inserted, they're usually left in place for five to 20 minutes.
How does acupuncture work?
The traditional Chinese theory behind acupuncture as medical treatment is very different from that of Western medicine. In traditional Chinese medicine, health results form a harmonious balance between the complementary extremes (yin and yang) of the life force known as qi or chi.
Qi is believed to flow through pathways (meridians) in your body. These meridians and the energy flow are accessible through more than 350 acupuncture points. Illness results from an imbalance of the forces. By inserting needles into these points in various combinations, acupuncture practitioners believe that your energy flow will rebalance.
In contrast, the Western explanation of acupuncture incorporates modern concepts of neuroscience. Many practitioners view the acupuncture points as places to stimulate nerves, muscles and connective tissue. This stimulation appears to boost the activity of your body's natural painkillers and increase blood flow.
Who is acupuncture for?
Acupuncture seems to be useful as a stand-alone treatment for some conditions, but it's also increasingly being used in conjunction with more conventional Western medical treatments. For example, doctors may combine acupuncture and drugs to control pain and nausea after surgery.
Scientific studies generally test treatments against placebos, such as sugar pills. It's difficult to conduct valid scientific studies of acupuncture, because it's difficult to devise sham versions of acupuncture. In fact, several studies have indicated that sham acupuncture works as well or almost as well as real acupuncture.
This makes it hard to create a definitive list of the conditions for which acupuncture might be helpful. However, preliminary studies indicate that acupuncture may offer symptomatic relief for a variety of diseases and conditions, including low back pain, headaches, fibromyalgia, migraines and osteoarthritis.
In addition, research shows acupuncture can help manage postoperative dental pain and alleviate chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. It also appears to offer relief for chronic menstrual cramps and tennis elbow.
Pros and cons
As with most medical therapies, acupuncture has both benefits and risks. Consider the benefits:
Acupuncture is safe when performed properly.
It has few side effects.
It can be useful as a complement to other treatment methods.
It's becoming more available in conventional medical settings.
It helps control certain types of pain.
It may be an alternative if you don't respond to or don't want to take pain medications.
Acupuncture may not be safe if you have a bleeding disorder or if you're taking blood thinners. The most common side effects of acupuncture are soreness, bleeding or bruising at the needle sites. Rarely, a needle may break or an internal organ might be injured. If needles are reused, infectious diseases may be accidentally transmitted. However, these risks are low in the hands of a competent, certified acupuncture practitioner.
Choosing an acupuncture practitioner
If you're considering acupuncture, do the same things you would do if you were choosing a doctor:
Ask people you trust for recommendations.
Check the practitioner's training and credentials. Most states require that non-physician acupuncturists pass an exam conducted by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM).
Interview the practitioner. Ask what's involved in the treatment, how likely it is to help your condition and how much it will cost.
Find out whether the expense is covered by your insurance.
Don't be afraid to tell your doctor you're considering acupuncture. He or she may be able to tell you about the success rate of using acupuncture for your condition or recommend an acupuncture practitioner for you to try.
http://world-taiji.blogspot.com
Acupuncture is one of the oldest therapies in the world, but does it really work?
From MayoClinic.com
More on this in Health & Fitness
Back pain: Will chiropractic treatment help?
Acupuncture involves the insertion of extremely thin needles through your skin, to various depths at strategic points on your body. Acupuncture originated in China thousands of years ago, but over the past two decades its popularity has grown significantly within the United States. Although scientists don't fully understand how or why acupuncture works, some studies indicate that it may provide a number of medical benefits — from reducing pain to helping with chemotherapy-induced nausea.
What happens during an acupuncture session?
Acupuncture therapy usually involves a series of weekly or biweekly treatments in an outpatient setting. It's common to have up to 12 treatments in total. Although each acupuncture practitioner has his or her own unique style, each visit typically includes an exam and an assessment of your current condition, the insertion of needles, and a discussion about self-care tips. An acupuncture visit generally lasts about 30 minutes.
Before the needles are placed, you'll lie down on a comfortable surface. Depending on where the needles are to go, you will lie facedown, faceup or on your side. Make sure that your acupuncturist uses single-use sterile packaged needles. You may feel a brief, sharp sensation when the needle is inserted, but generally the procedure isn't painful.
It's common, however, to feel a deep aching sensation when the needle reaches the correct depth. After placement, the needles are sometimes moved gently or stimulated with electricity or heat. As many as a dozen needles may need to be placed for each treatment. Once the needles are inserted, they're usually left in place for five to 20 minutes.
How does acupuncture work?
The traditional Chinese theory behind acupuncture as medical treatment is very different from that of Western medicine. In traditional Chinese medicine, health results form a harmonious balance between the complementary extremes (yin and yang) of the life force known as qi or chi.
Qi is believed to flow through pathways (meridians) in your body. These meridians and the energy flow are accessible through more than 350 acupuncture points. Illness results from an imbalance of the forces. By inserting needles into these points in various combinations, acupuncture practitioners believe that your energy flow will rebalance.
In contrast, the Western explanation of acupuncture incorporates modern concepts of neuroscience. Many practitioners view the acupuncture points as places to stimulate nerves, muscles and connective tissue. This stimulation appears to boost the activity of your body's natural painkillers and increase blood flow.
Who is acupuncture for?
Acupuncture seems to be useful as a stand-alone treatment for some conditions, but it's also increasingly being used in conjunction with more conventional Western medical treatments. For example, doctors may combine acupuncture and drugs to control pain and nausea after surgery.
Scientific studies generally test treatments against placebos, such as sugar pills. It's difficult to conduct valid scientific studies of acupuncture, because it's difficult to devise sham versions of acupuncture. In fact, several studies have indicated that sham acupuncture works as well or almost as well as real acupuncture.
This makes it hard to create a definitive list of the conditions for which acupuncture might be helpful. However, preliminary studies indicate that acupuncture may offer symptomatic relief for a variety of diseases and conditions, including low back pain, headaches, fibromyalgia, migraines and osteoarthritis.
In addition, research shows acupuncture can help manage postoperative dental pain and alleviate chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. It also appears to offer relief for chronic menstrual cramps and tennis elbow.
Pros and cons
As with most medical therapies, acupuncture has both benefits and risks. Consider the benefits:
Acupuncture is safe when performed properly.
It has few side effects.
It can be useful as a complement to other treatment methods.
It's becoming more available in conventional medical settings.
It helps control certain types of pain.
It may be an alternative if you don't respond to or don't want to take pain medications.
Acupuncture may not be safe if you have a bleeding disorder or if you're taking blood thinners. The most common side effects of acupuncture are soreness, bleeding or bruising at the needle sites. Rarely, a needle may break or an internal organ might be injured. If needles are reused, infectious diseases may be accidentally transmitted. However, these risks are low in the hands of a competent, certified acupuncture practitioner.
Choosing an acupuncture practitioner
If you're considering acupuncture, do the same things you would do if you were choosing a doctor:
Ask people you trust for recommendations.
Check the practitioner's training and credentials. Most states require that non-physician acupuncturists pass an exam conducted by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM).
Interview the practitioner. Ask what's involved in the treatment, how likely it is to help your condition and how much it will cost.
Find out whether the expense is covered by your insurance.
Don't be afraid to tell your doctor you're considering acupuncture. He or she may be able to tell you about the success rate of using acupuncture for your condition or recommend an acupuncture practitioner for you to try.
http://world-taiji.blogspot.com
Friday, March 28, 2008
Relationship between Taiji and Qigong
Relationship between Taiji and Qigong
Some people asked me what´s the relationship between Taiji and Qigong , actually , Taiji can be treated as a high level moving Qigong , ordinary Qigong is standing still or sitting still , to achieve peace and quiet . Taiji is to find the peace and quiet during slow movement .
http://world-taiji.blogspot.com
Some people asked me what´s the relationship between Taiji and Qigong , actually , Taiji can be treated as a high level moving Qigong , ordinary Qigong is standing still or sitting still , to achieve peace and quiet . Taiji is to find the peace and quiet during slow movement .
http://world-taiji.blogspot.com
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Monday, March 3, 2008
Why Taiji quan is good ?
Why Taiji quan is good ?
1. Taiji quan is suitable for a kids from 4 years old to old people till 100 years old ?
2. Taiji is not boring , one level of gongfu , one level of theory , no end . from simple body training to self defense to philosophy .
3. Taiji do not need special equipment and field , you can play it anywhere without anything .
4. Taiji trains both body and mind . It´s balance.
That´s today´s thought .
http://world-taiji.blogspot.com
1. Taiji quan is suitable for a kids from 4 years old to old people till 100 years old ?
2. Taiji is not boring , one level of gongfu , one level of theory , no end . from simple body training to self defense to philosophy .
3. Taiji do not need special equipment and field , you can play it anywhere without anything .
4. Taiji trains both body and mind . It´s balance.
That´s today´s thought .
http://world-taiji.blogspot.com
Friday, February 29, 2008
What is Taiji quan
Taiji quan is one of the most popular Martial Art spreaded in China , it based on traditional Chinese Taiji yinyang theory , and perfectly combined health and self defense .
Based on traditional Taiji theory , Taiji is a state between Wuji and Liangyi(Two extremes) , mixed with Yin and Yang , and balanced with Yin and Yang . So Taiji quan is full of balance , balance your leg , your hand , your body , your mind .
http://world-taiji.blogspot.com
Based on traditional Taiji theory , Taiji is a state between Wuji and Liangyi(Two extremes) , mixed with Yin and Yang , and balanced with Yin and Yang . So Taiji quan is full of balance , balance your leg , your hand , your body , your mind .
http://world-taiji.blogspot.com
Index to the Thirteen Gates of Taijiquan:13 T'ai Chi Ch'uan Postures
Index to the Thirteen Gates of Taijiquan:13 T'ai Chi Ch'uan Postures (Gates, Stances, Movements, Techniques, Kinetic Movements, Tactics or Powers)
General Remarks
1. Ward Off - Peng
2. Roll Back - Lu
3. Press - Ji
4. Push - An
5. Pull Down - Tsai
6. Split - Lieh
7. Elbow - Chou
8. Shoulder - Kao
9. Advancing Steps - Jin
10. Retreating Steps - Tui
11. Stepping to the Left Side - Ku
12. Stepping to the Right Side - Pan
13. Settling at the Center - Ding
General Remarks
The Thirteeen Postures (8 Gates and 5 Steps) are referred to in various ways by T'ai Chi Ch'uan authors. Some call them the "Thirteen Powers = Shi San Shi." Others call them the Thirteen Postures, the Thirteen Entrances, the Thirteen Movements, or the Thirteen Energies.
The most frequent references to the 13 Postures are in the writings and teaching in the Yang Style of T'ai Chi Ch'uan.
The first Eight Gates or Eight Entrances (Ba Gua or Pa Kau) can be divided into the Four Primary Hands (Ward Off, Pull Back, Press and Push) and the Four Corner Hands (Pull Down, Split, Elbow and Shoulder).
The first eight (Pua Qua or Ba Gua) of the Thirteen Gates are often associated, for mnenomic or esoteric purposes, with the eight basic trigrams used in the Chinese I Ching: Book of Changes.In the order of the first Eight Gates (Pa-Men), the eight I Ching trigrams are Heaven, Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Thunder, Lake, and Mountain.
All thirteen postures, or course, involve some movement of the feet and legs, but the final Five Gates involve more extensive movements of the feet and legs. These are collectively referred to as the Wu-hsing - Five Elemental Phases of Change. The final five gates are associated with the 5 elementary processes (Wu-xing) involving: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth.
Eight Gates(Eight Stances, Postures, Energies, Ways)
1. Peng - Ward Off
Peng - Ward Off
Peng Ching (Jing) is outward expanding and moving energy. It is a quality of responding to incoming energy by adhering to that energy, maintaing one's own posture, and bouncing the incoming energy back like a large inflated rubber ball. You don't really respond to force with your own muscular force to repel, block, or ward off the attack. Peng is a response of the whole body, the whole posture, unified in one's center, grounded, and capable of gathering and then giving back the opponent's energy.
Peng is aften referred to as a kind of "bouncing" energy. It is also considered the fundamentalway of delivering energy and embodied in some way in each of the other Eight Gates.
Example of Form movements: Grasping the Sparrow's Tail (Ward Off)
"When moving, receiving, collecting, and striking, Peng ching is always used. It is not easy to complete consecutive movements and string them together without flexibility. Pen ching is T'ai Chi boxing's essential energy. The body becomes like a spring; when pressed it recoils immediately."- Kuo, Lien-Ying, "The T'ai Chi Boxing Chronicle," p. 44
Tye's Peng Path Analogy
Return to the Main Menu
2. Roll Back - Lu
Roll Back - Lu
Lu Ching is receiving and collecting energy, or inward receiving energy.
Form movements: Grasping the Sparrow's Tail - Rollback"Li is the use of force in a sideways direction, such as where we intercept and move with a forward directed attack, simultaneously diverting it slightly to one side and thus to the void. The greater the force of his attack, the greater the resulting loss of balance on the part of our opponent."- Principles of the Thirteen Tactics
Return to the Main Menu
3. Press - Ji or C'hi
Press - C'hi, Qi or Ji
Chi or Ji Ching is pressing and receiving energy.This is an offensive force delivered by following the opponent's energy, by squeezingof sticking forward.
Form movements: Grasping the Sparrow's Tail - palm pressing on forearm.
"What is the meaning of Pressing Energy? It functions in two ways: (1) The simplestis the direct method. Advance to meet (receive) the opponent, and then adhere andclose in one action, just like in elbowing. (2) To apply reaction force is the indirectmethod. This is like a ball bouncing off a wall or a coin tossed onto a drumhead,rebounding off with a ringing sound."- Stuart Alve Loson, T'ai Chi According to the I Ching, 2001, p. 73
Return to the Main Menu
4. Push - An
Push - An or On
An Ching is downward pushing energy.Pushing power comes from the legs pushing into the earth. Form movements: Grasping the Sparrow's Tail, Fair Lady Works the LoomPushing or pressing with both palms in a downward direction, peng energy directed downward.
What is the meaning of An energy?When applied it is like flowing water.The substantial is concealed in the insubstantial.When the flow is swift it is difficult to resist.Coming to a high place, it swells and fills the place up;meeting a hollow it dives downward.The waves rise and fall,finding a hole they will surely surge in.- T'ang Meng-hsien, Song of An
"What is absolutely necessay in the beginning is to follow the imagination. For instance:when the two hands form the Push gesture, there is an imagined intent to the front, as if an opponent was really there. At this time, within the plams of the hands there is noch'i which can be issued. The practitioner must then imagine the ch'i rising up from thetan-tien into the spine, through the arms and into the wrists and palms. Thus, accordingly,the ch'i is imagined to have penetrated outwards onto the opponent's body."Chen Yen-lin, 1932, Cultivating the Ch'i, Translated by Stuart Alve Olson, 1993
"An Examination of T'ai Chi Push Methods." By Hiu chee Fatt. T'ai Chi: The International Magazine of T'ai Chi Ch'uan. Vol. 27, No. 2, April 2003, pp. 21-25.
"Arn: This posture is normally called to push. However this is also incorrect as it means to 'press'. This is again a yang attacking movement coming from the whole body issuing yin and yang Qi into the attacker's vital points on his chest. Many make the mistake of looking after their legs when they hear about not being 'double weighted' but neglect their hands. Never in Taijiquan is there a two-handed strike or attack using the same power in each hand at the same time. There is a 'fa-jing' shake of the waist causing one hand to strike just before the other. The hands are firstly yin, then yang thus releasing yang Qi into the attacker."- Earle Montaigue, Tai Chi 13 Postures, 1998
Push Hands: Links, Bibliography, Quotes, Notes.
Return to the Main Menu
5. Pull Down - Tsai
Pull Down - Tsai or Cai
Tsai Ching is grabbing energy.A force delivered by a quick grab and pull, usually of an opponent's writst, both backward and down.Form movements: Needle at Sea Bottom.
"Tsai: Sometimes called 'inch energy'. Like picking fruit off a tree with a snap of the wrist. Often on hand will be placed right on top of the other wrist to assist in the power of this jerking motion. It is not a pull of his wrist but rather a violent jerking fa-jing movement that can knock him out by its violent action upon his head jerking backwards and kinking his brain stem. Again, the power must come from the centre and not only from the arms and hands, and a follow up attack is also necessary."- Earle Montaigue, Tai Chi 13 Postures, 1998
"Tsoi is where our opponent loses control of his centre of gravity, and we use a technique to disrupt his balance to such an extent that he is uprooted completely from his position. It is something like a strategically placed lever lifting a heavy rock."- Principles of the Thirteen Tactics
Return to the Main Menu
6. Split - Lieh
Split - Lie or Lieh
Lieh Ching is striking energy that splits apart an opponent.
Form movements: Parting the Wild Horses Mane Slant Flying Wild Stork Flashes Its Wings
"Song of Split:How can we explain the energy of Split?Revolving like a flywheel,If something is throw against it,It will be cast off a great distance.Whirlpools appear in swift flowing streams,And the curling waves are like spirals,If a falling leaf lands on their surface,In no time will it sink from sight."- "Yang Family Manuscripts," Edited by Li Ying-ang "T'ai-chi Touchstones: Yang Family Secret Transmissions," 1983, p. 33
Return to the Main Menu
7. Elbow - Zhou
Elbow - Zhou or Chou
Chou Ching is elbow striking energy. Turn and Chop with Fist
"What is the meaning of Elbowing Energy? The function is in the Five Activities:advancing, withdrawing, looking-left, gazing right, and fixed rooting. The yin and yangare distinguished according to the upper and lower, just like Pulling. The substantialand insubstantial are to be clearly discriminated. If its motion is connected and unbroken,nothing can oppose its strength. The chopping of the fist is extremely fierce. After thoroughly understanding the Six Energies (adhering, sticking, neutralizing, seizing,enticing, and issuing), the functional use is unlimited."- Stuart Alve Loson, T'ai Chi According to the I Ching, 2001, p. 74
Return to the Main Menu
8. Shoulder - Kao
Shoulder - Kao
Kao Ching is a full body strinking energy. The peng energy is mobilized throughout the entirebody, and then the entire body is used as one unit and the force is delivered with the shoulder or back.
Football players are familiar with this use of energy.
Return to the Main Menu
Five Steps (5 Steps, Directions, Footwork Techniques, Movements) - Wu Bu
Nimble, responsive, and coordinated footwork is essential to success in all styles of martial arts. Taijiquan requires precise footwork and legwork. The placement and movement of the legs andfeet as they relate to the powerful and coordinated application of energy in Tai Chi stances and postures gets extra attention by Taijiquan teachers in form work, drills, and push hands.
"In Chinese martial arts, Bu is a general term referring to stance and foot/leg work. If we keep in mind our general definition for the Shi San Shi or the 13 Powers, an ideal translation for Wu Bu might be something like: “powers based on the five stages of footwork” or, “the five implicit behaviors of the stance” or even (considering the interactive nature of the Wu Xing), “the five innate powers and conditions arising from the natural cycle of stages within the stance”. It is the inherent behaviors, strengths and stages that are the subject in the Wu Bu, not the shape or position of the stance as such. The innate conditions for power in stance work. We are also referring to the cyclical way in which these powers emerge and dissolve. Also, as importantly, we are speaking of the natural constraints inherent in the legwork."- Sam Masich, Approaching Core Principles.
"Wubu are the five footwork skills. Wu means five. Bu means step. In fact it is more about Shenfa - body movement skills because footwork and body movement have a very tight relationship. They should be combined together. It is said "the body follows steps to move and steps follow the body to changed", "Body movement and footwork skills cannot be forgotten. If any of these is omitted, one does not needto waste his time practicing any more." The body movement skills and footwork skills are about how to move the body in fighting. Only when the body can move to the right position (distance and angle), can the hand skills work well. Thus, it is said Wubu is the foundation of Bafa."- Break Step, an Entering Forward Step. Five Stepping Methods of Taijiquan
The association of various Kicks with the Five Stepping Movements (9th to 13th Gates) is based solely upon a kickboxing training regiment that I use while doing walking or running exercises. The associations are my own, and, to my knowledge, have no connection whatsover to traditional stepping theory in internal boxing. Tai Chi Chuan does use front heel kicks, toe kicks, jump kicks, sweeping kicks, and knee strikes. The Five Stepping Movements (i.e., forward, backward, to the left, to the right, and staying in place) all primarily involve movements of the legs and feet, with little emphasis upon the arms or hands. When kicking, the arms are used to balance the body, facilitate the control, power, or speed of the kicks, and to have the arms in a defensive position. It seems to me appropriate to associate kicking techniques with the Five Stepping Movements. In Tai Chi Chuan practice, kicking is done slowly, effortlessly, gently, and smoothly; and considerable balance and strength are required to extend the legs fully, slowly, and in strict form. In kick boxing practice the kicks are done with much more speed and power. These are the Yin and Yang approaches to kicking; and, both approaches are needed by martial artists.
9. Advancing Steps - Jin
Advancing Steps, Stances, and Looking (Jin Bu)
Brush Knee and Twist Step
Generally speaking, when moving forward, step forward with your heel first. Carefully transfer weight to the forward foot, while being prepared to retreat the step as needed.Walking forward exercise #6.
" This step is one of the main stepping methods of Taijiquan. The front foot is placed down on its heel, then as the body moves forward, the toes are placed. However, the weight does not come any more forward than the middle of the foot. The thighs and knees are curved and collecting while the rear thigh is less curved than the front. We never retreat in Taijiquan and we can do this because of this stepping method. The rear foot controls the waist in yielding and throwing away the attacker’s strength. The waist is controlled during this step by the rear foot. There is an old Taijiquan saying: "To enter is to be born while to retreat is to die". So we never retreat, we rely upon the rear leg controlling the waist for our power and evasiveness without moving backward."- Break Step, an Entering Forward Step. Five Stepping Methods of Taijiquan
Consider the advance movements in heel kicks and toe kicks with the right or left leg.
Forward movement is associated with the Element Metal.
Return to the Main Menu
10. Retreating Steps - Tui
Retreating Steps, Stances, and Looking Back (Tui Bu)Step Back and Repulse Monkey
Generally speaking, when moving backward, step backward with your toe first. Carefully transfer weight to the backward moving foot, while being prepared to return the footforward as needed.
Walking backward exercise #6
Conside the turning backward set up for a back kick with either the right or left legs.
Backward movement is assocated with the Element Wood.
Return to the Main Menu
11. Stepping to the Left Side After Faking Right - Ku
Left Side Moving Steps, Stances, after Gazing to the Right (You Pan) or faking to the right.Rolling on one foot
Parting the Wild Horse's ManeWaving Hands Like CloudsStrike the TigerDeflect, Parry and PunchSingle Whip
Toe kicks with the left leg.Heel kicks with the left leg.Sweeping kicks with the left leg.Jumping kicks with the left leg.Side kicks with the left leg Spinning kicks with the left leg.
Movement to the left and looking to the left is associated with the Element Water.
Return to the Main Menu
12. Stepping to the Right Side after Faking Left - Pan
Right Side Moving Steps, Stances, after Looking to the Left (Zou Gu) or faking left.Rolling on one foot
Parting the Wild Horse's ManeStrike the TigerBrush Knee and Twist StepSlant Flying
Toe Kicks with the right legHeel Kicks with the right legSweeping kicks with the right leg. Jumping kicks with the right leg.Side kicks with the right leg. Spinning kicks with the right leg.
Movement to the right is associated with the Element Fire.
"Song of Look-Right:Feigning to the left, we attack to the right with perfect Steps.Stricking left and attacking right, we follow the opportunities.We avoid the frontal and advance from the side, seizing changing conditions.Left and right, full and empty, our technique must be faultless."- "Yang Family Manuscripts," Edited by Li Ying-ang "T'ai-chi Touchstones: Yang Family Secret Transmissions," 1983, p. 37
"Gu (or Zuogu - left look around) means to go forward sideways; that really means to close up to the opponent indirectly. Here Zuo (left) means sideway; Gu (look around) means look after or being careful. Usually in martial arts this term means defensiveness within attacking skills. So the main idea of Zuogu is how to rotate and advance forward from sideway with some defense skills. It is usually called rotate attack. It is wood which means straight and grow up continually. It belongs to Ganjin (Liver Channel). When the key point Jiaji is focused on, the qi will automatically urge the body to rotate and advance forward."- Zhang Yun, Tai Chi 13 Postures (This webpage offers some depth of interpretation about the 13 Postures.)
Return to the Main Menu
13. Settling at the Center - Ding
Settling at the Center, Rooting Stances, and Holding Still - Zhong Ding
Golden Cock Stands on Right Leg - Left Knee StrikeGolden Cock Stands on Left Leg - Right Knee StrikeNeedle at Sea BottomFair Lady Works the Shuttles
Centering, holding to one's center, maintaining equilibrium, settling, moving downward, and staying balanced at one's center are associated with the Element Earth.
Knee strikes with the right or left knee.
http://world-taiji.blogspot.com
General Remarks
1. Ward Off - Peng
2. Roll Back - Lu
3. Press - Ji
4. Push - An
5. Pull Down - Tsai
6. Split - Lieh
7. Elbow - Chou
8. Shoulder - Kao
9. Advancing Steps - Jin
10. Retreating Steps - Tui
11. Stepping to the Left Side - Ku
12. Stepping to the Right Side - Pan
13. Settling at the Center - Ding
General Remarks
The Thirteeen Postures (8 Gates and 5 Steps) are referred to in various ways by T'ai Chi Ch'uan authors. Some call them the "Thirteen Powers = Shi San Shi." Others call them the Thirteen Postures, the Thirteen Entrances, the Thirteen Movements, or the Thirteen Energies.
The most frequent references to the 13 Postures are in the writings and teaching in the Yang Style of T'ai Chi Ch'uan.
The first Eight Gates or Eight Entrances (Ba Gua or Pa Kau) can be divided into the Four Primary Hands (Ward Off, Pull Back, Press and Push) and the Four Corner Hands (Pull Down, Split, Elbow and Shoulder).
The first eight (Pua Qua or Ba Gua) of the Thirteen Gates are often associated, for mnenomic or esoteric purposes, with the eight basic trigrams used in the Chinese I Ching: Book of Changes.In the order of the first Eight Gates (Pa-Men), the eight I Ching trigrams are Heaven, Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Thunder, Lake, and Mountain.
All thirteen postures, or course, involve some movement of the feet and legs, but the final Five Gates involve more extensive movements of the feet and legs. These are collectively referred to as the Wu-hsing - Five Elemental Phases of Change. The final five gates are associated with the 5 elementary processes (Wu-xing) involving: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth.
Eight Gates(Eight Stances, Postures, Energies, Ways)
1. Peng - Ward Off
Peng - Ward Off
Peng Ching (Jing) is outward expanding and moving energy. It is a quality of responding to incoming energy by adhering to that energy, maintaing one's own posture, and bouncing the incoming energy back like a large inflated rubber ball. You don't really respond to force with your own muscular force to repel, block, or ward off the attack. Peng is a response of the whole body, the whole posture, unified in one's center, grounded, and capable of gathering and then giving back the opponent's energy.
Peng is aften referred to as a kind of "bouncing" energy. It is also considered the fundamentalway of delivering energy and embodied in some way in each of the other Eight Gates.
Example of Form movements: Grasping the Sparrow's Tail (Ward Off)
"When moving, receiving, collecting, and striking, Peng ching is always used. It is not easy to complete consecutive movements and string them together without flexibility. Pen ching is T'ai Chi boxing's essential energy. The body becomes like a spring; when pressed it recoils immediately."- Kuo, Lien-Ying, "The T'ai Chi Boxing Chronicle," p. 44
Tye's Peng Path Analogy
Return to the Main Menu
2. Roll Back - Lu
Roll Back - Lu
Lu Ching is receiving and collecting energy, or inward receiving energy.
Form movements: Grasping the Sparrow's Tail - Rollback"Li is the use of force in a sideways direction, such as where we intercept and move with a forward directed attack, simultaneously diverting it slightly to one side and thus to the void. The greater the force of his attack, the greater the resulting loss of balance on the part of our opponent."- Principles of the Thirteen Tactics
Return to the Main Menu
3. Press - Ji or C'hi
Press - C'hi, Qi or Ji
Chi or Ji Ching is pressing and receiving energy.This is an offensive force delivered by following the opponent's energy, by squeezingof sticking forward.
Form movements: Grasping the Sparrow's Tail - palm pressing on forearm.
"What is the meaning of Pressing Energy? It functions in two ways: (1) The simplestis the direct method. Advance to meet (receive) the opponent, and then adhere andclose in one action, just like in elbowing. (2) To apply reaction force is the indirectmethod. This is like a ball bouncing off a wall or a coin tossed onto a drumhead,rebounding off with a ringing sound."- Stuart Alve Loson, T'ai Chi According to the I Ching, 2001, p. 73
Return to the Main Menu
4. Push - An
Push - An or On
An Ching is downward pushing energy.Pushing power comes from the legs pushing into the earth. Form movements: Grasping the Sparrow's Tail, Fair Lady Works the LoomPushing or pressing with both palms in a downward direction, peng energy directed downward.
What is the meaning of An energy?When applied it is like flowing water.The substantial is concealed in the insubstantial.When the flow is swift it is difficult to resist.Coming to a high place, it swells and fills the place up;meeting a hollow it dives downward.The waves rise and fall,finding a hole they will surely surge in.- T'ang Meng-hsien, Song of An
"What is absolutely necessay in the beginning is to follow the imagination. For instance:when the two hands form the Push gesture, there is an imagined intent to the front, as if an opponent was really there. At this time, within the plams of the hands there is noch'i which can be issued. The practitioner must then imagine the ch'i rising up from thetan-tien into the spine, through the arms and into the wrists and palms. Thus, accordingly,the ch'i is imagined to have penetrated outwards onto the opponent's body."Chen Yen-lin, 1932, Cultivating the Ch'i, Translated by Stuart Alve Olson, 1993
"An Examination of T'ai Chi Push Methods." By Hiu chee Fatt. T'ai Chi: The International Magazine of T'ai Chi Ch'uan. Vol. 27, No. 2, April 2003, pp. 21-25.
"Arn: This posture is normally called to push. However this is also incorrect as it means to 'press'. This is again a yang attacking movement coming from the whole body issuing yin and yang Qi into the attacker's vital points on his chest. Many make the mistake of looking after their legs when they hear about not being 'double weighted' but neglect their hands. Never in Taijiquan is there a two-handed strike or attack using the same power in each hand at the same time. There is a 'fa-jing' shake of the waist causing one hand to strike just before the other. The hands are firstly yin, then yang thus releasing yang Qi into the attacker."- Earle Montaigue, Tai Chi 13 Postures, 1998
Push Hands: Links, Bibliography, Quotes, Notes.
Return to the Main Menu
5. Pull Down - Tsai
Pull Down - Tsai or Cai
Tsai Ching is grabbing energy.A force delivered by a quick grab and pull, usually of an opponent's writst, both backward and down.Form movements: Needle at Sea Bottom.
"Tsai: Sometimes called 'inch energy'. Like picking fruit off a tree with a snap of the wrist. Often on hand will be placed right on top of the other wrist to assist in the power of this jerking motion. It is not a pull of his wrist but rather a violent jerking fa-jing movement that can knock him out by its violent action upon his head jerking backwards and kinking his brain stem. Again, the power must come from the centre and not only from the arms and hands, and a follow up attack is also necessary."- Earle Montaigue, Tai Chi 13 Postures, 1998
"Tsoi is where our opponent loses control of his centre of gravity, and we use a technique to disrupt his balance to such an extent that he is uprooted completely from his position. It is something like a strategically placed lever lifting a heavy rock."- Principles of the Thirteen Tactics
Return to the Main Menu
6. Split - Lieh
Split - Lie or Lieh
Lieh Ching is striking energy that splits apart an opponent.
Form movements: Parting the Wild Horses Mane Slant Flying Wild Stork Flashes Its Wings
"Song of Split:How can we explain the energy of Split?Revolving like a flywheel,If something is throw against it,It will be cast off a great distance.Whirlpools appear in swift flowing streams,And the curling waves are like spirals,If a falling leaf lands on their surface,In no time will it sink from sight."- "Yang Family Manuscripts," Edited by Li Ying-ang "T'ai-chi Touchstones: Yang Family Secret Transmissions," 1983, p. 33
Return to the Main Menu
7. Elbow - Zhou
Elbow - Zhou or Chou
Chou Ching is elbow striking energy. Turn and Chop with Fist
"What is the meaning of Elbowing Energy? The function is in the Five Activities:advancing, withdrawing, looking-left, gazing right, and fixed rooting. The yin and yangare distinguished according to the upper and lower, just like Pulling. The substantialand insubstantial are to be clearly discriminated. If its motion is connected and unbroken,nothing can oppose its strength. The chopping of the fist is extremely fierce. After thoroughly understanding the Six Energies (adhering, sticking, neutralizing, seizing,enticing, and issuing), the functional use is unlimited."- Stuart Alve Loson, T'ai Chi According to the I Ching, 2001, p. 74
Return to the Main Menu
8. Shoulder - Kao
Shoulder - Kao
Kao Ching is a full body strinking energy. The peng energy is mobilized throughout the entirebody, and then the entire body is used as one unit and the force is delivered with the shoulder or back.
Football players are familiar with this use of energy.
Return to the Main Menu
Five Steps (5 Steps, Directions, Footwork Techniques, Movements) - Wu Bu
Nimble, responsive, and coordinated footwork is essential to success in all styles of martial arts. Taijiquan requires precise footwork and legwork. The placement and movement of the legs andfeet as they relate to the powerful and coordinated application of energy in Tai Chi stances and postures gets extra attention by Taijiquan teachers in form work, drills, and push hands.
"In Chinese martial arts, Bu is a general term referring to stance and foot/leg work. If we keep in mind our general definition for the Shi San Shi or the 13 Powers, an ideal translation for Wu Bu might be something like: “powers based on the five stages of footwork” or, “the five implicit behaviors of the stance” or even (considering the interactive nature of the Wu Xing), “the five innate powers and conditions arising from the natural cycle of stages within the stance”. It is the inherent behaviors, strengths and stages that are the subject in the Wu Bu, not the shape or position of the stance as such. The innate conditions for power in stance work. We are also referring to the cyclical way in which these powers emerge and dissolve. Also, as importantly, we are speaking of the natural constraints inherent in the legwork."- Sam Masich, Approaching Core Principles.
"Wubu are the five footwork skills. Wu means five. Bu means step. In fact it is more about Shenfa - body movement skills because footwork and body movement have a very tight relationship. They should be combined together. It is said "the body follows steps to move and steps follow the body to changed", "Body movement and footwork skills cannot be forgotten. If any of these is omitted, one does not needto waste his time practicing any more." The body movement skills and footwork skills are about how to move the body in fighting. Only when the body can move to the right position (distance and angle), can the hand skills work well. Thus, it is said Wubu is the foundation of Bafa."- Break Step, an Entering Forward Step. Five Stepping Methods of Taijiquan
The association of various Kicks with the Five Stepping Movements (9th to 13th Gates) is based solely upon a kickboxing training regiment that I use while doing walking or running exercises. The associations are my own, and, to my knowledge, have no connection whatsover to traditional stepping theory in internal boxing. Tai Chi Chuan does use front heel kicks, toe kicks, jump kicks, sweeping kicks, and knee strikes. The Five Stepping Movements (i.e., forward, backward, to the left, to the right, and staying in place) all primarily involve movements of the legs and feet, with little emphasis upon the arms or hands. When kicking, the arms are used to balance the body, facilitate the control, power, or speed of the kicks, and to have the arms in a defensive position. It seems to me appropriate to associate kicking techniques with the Five Stepping Movements. In Tai Chi Chuan practice, kicking is done slowly, effortlessly, gently, and smoothly; and considerable balance and strength are required to extend the legs fully, slowly, and in strict form. In kick boxing practice the kicks are done with much more speed and power. These are the Yin and Yang approaches to kicking; and, both approaches are needed by martial artists.
9. Advancing Steps - Jin
Advancing Steps, Stances, and Looking (Jin Bu)
Brush Knee and Twist Step
Generally speaking, when moving forward, step forward with your heel first. Carefully transfer weight to the forward foot, while being prepared to retreat the step as needed.Walking forward exercise #6.
" This step is one of the main stepping methods of Taijiquan. The front foot is placed down on its heel, then as the body moves forward, the toes are placed. However, the weight does not come any more forward than the middle of the foot. The thighs and knees are curved and collecting while the rear thigh is less curved than the front. We never retreat in Taijiquan and we can do this because of this stepping method. The rear foot controls the waist in yielding and throwing away the attacker’s strength. The waist is controlled during this step by the rear foot. There is an old Taijiquan saying: "To enter is to be born while to retreat is to die". So we never retreat, we rely upon the rear leg controlling the waist for our power and evasiveness without moving backward."- Break Step, an Entering Forward Step. Five Stepping Methods of Taijiquan
Consider the advance movements in heel kicks and toe kicks with the right or left leg.
Forward movement is associated with the Element Metal.
Return to the Main Menu
10. Retreating Steps - Tui
Retreating Steps, Stances, and Looking Back (Tui Bu)Step Back and Repulse Monkey
Generally speaking, when moving backward, step backward with your toe first. Carefully transfer weight to the backward moving foot, while being prepared to return the footforward as needed.
Walking backward exercise #6
Conside the turning backward set up for a back kick with either the right or left legs.
Backward movement is assocated with the Element Wood.
Return to the Main Menu
11. Stepping to the Left Side After Faking Right - Ku
Left Side Moving Steps, Stances, after Gazing to the Right (You Pan) or faking to the right.Rolling on one foot
Parting the Wild Horse's ManeWaving Hands Like CloudsStrike the TigerDeflect, Parry and PunchSingle Whip
Toe kicks with the left leg.Heel kicks with the left leg.Sweeping kicks with the left leg.Jumping kicks with the left leg.Side kicks with the left leg Spinning kicks with the left leg.
Movement to the left and looking to the left is associated with the Element Water.
Return to the Main Menu
12. Stepping to the Right Side after Faking Left - Pan
Right Side Moving Steps, Stances, after Looking to the Left (Zou Gu) or faking left.Rolling on one foot
Parting the Wild Horse's ManeStrike the TigerBrush Knee and Twist StepSlant Flying
Toe Kicks with the right legHeel Kicks with the right legSweeping kicks with the right leg. Jumping kicks with the right leg.Side kicks with the right leg. Spinning kicks with the right leg.
Movement to the right is associated with the Element Fire.
"Song of Look-Right:Feigning to the left, we attack to the right with perfect Steps.Stricking left and attacking right, we follow the opportunities.We avoid the frontal and advance from the side, seizing changing conditions.Left and right, full and empty, our technique must be faultless."- "Yang Family Manuscripts," Edited by Li Ying-ang "T'ai-chi Touchstones: Yang Family Secret Transmissions," 1983, p. 37
"Gu (or Zuogu - left look around) means to go forward sideways; that really means to close up to the opponent indirectly. Here Zuo (left) means sideway; Gu (look around) means look after or being careful. Usually in martial arts this term means defensiveness within attacking skills. So the main idea of Zuogu is how to rotate and advance forward from sideway with some defense skills. It is usually called rotate attack. It is wood which means straight and grow up continually. It belongs to Ganjin (Liver Channel). When the key point Jiaji is focused on, the qi will automatically urge the body to rotate and advance forward."- Zhang Yun, Tai Chi 13 Postures (This webpage offers some depth of interpretation about the 13 Postures.)
Return to the Main Menu
13. Settling at the Center - Ding
Settling at the Center, Rooting Stances, and Holding Still - Zhong Ding
Golden Cock Stands on Right Leg - Left Knee StrikeGolden Cock Stands on Left Leg - Right Knee StrikeNeedle at Sea BottomFair Lady Works the Shuttles
Centering, holding to one's center, maintaining equilibrium, settling, moving downward, and staying balanced at one's center are associated with the Element Earth.
Knee strikes with the right or left knee.
http://world-taiji.blogspot.com
Monday, February 25, 2008
Interview with Grandmaster Liu Rui Zhaobao Taijiquan By Alex Yeo
Interview with Grandmaster Liu Rui Zhaobao Taijiquan By Alex Yeo
Introduction: Zhaobao Taijiquan is one of the major styles in China. In recent years its stature has been raised by being named as one of the Major Five: Chen, Yang, Wu(2), Wu(3) and sun.Zhaobao Taijiquan, like the Chen Taijiquan, is named after its place of origin, which is Zhaobao Town.Something special that distinguishes Zhaobao from other Taijiquan styles is that unlike the latter, Zhaobao has one or two representative boxing forms. Zhaobao literally has dozens of forms. As the Zhaobao is passed down to each generation, each generations practitioners then developed it further, resulting in the many different and training systems collectively known as Zhaobao Taijiquan.That is why it is common today to specify which “branch” (for lack of a better English word to describe the Chinese term.) of Zhaobao Taijiquan is being referred to during discussions. The interview below is with Master Liu Rui, one of the best-known Zhaobao Taijiquan teachers in China. He was in Malaysia to give a seminar and stopped over in Singapore to conduct some classes for his students here before going back home.The style he teaches is known as Wudang Zhaobao Three-Harmonized- in-One Heritage Frame Taijiquan, more simply known as either as Wudang Zhaobao He Style Taijiquan or Zhaobao Heritage Frame Taijiquan.The comments below on Zhaobao Taijiquan are representative of the style he teaches and may or may not represent other Zhaobao styles. For example while other Zhaobao styles may have multiple forms and training methods, Liu Rui’s style has only one and its philosophy is to practice this one form again and again to gain the Taijiquan skills.All the mistakes in translation are entirely mine.Alex Yeo: Thank you Master Liu for this interview. Could you give us a brief introduction to Zhaobao Taijiquan?Liu Rui: Zhaobao Taijiquan is an orthodox school of Taijiquan as created by Zhang Sanfeng. It was passed down to Jiang Fa (1574- 1654) of Zhao Bao town (located in Henan Province) by Wang Zongyue of Shangxi province. One of the better-known inheritors was Chen Qingping (1795- 1869). Chen had many disciples; among them was He Zhao Yuan (1811- 1891)(who created He Style Taijiquan). Zhaobao taijiquan has flourished into various schools [of Zhaobao Taijiquan] and among them, He style has become the main stream of Zhaobao Taijiquan.Zhaobao Taijiquan has the traditional characteristics of Wudang boxing. Although it has been hundreds of years since Zhang Sanfeng created Taijiquan, Zhaobao Taijiquan nothing the less still retained the special characteristics of the three arts [form, push hands, and martial applications] melted into one pot as created by Zhang Sanfeng [from which the name Three-Harmonized- in-One].In the 1920’s my teacher Zheng Wuqing (1894- 1984) followed He Zhaoyuan’s grandson He Qing Xi (1862- 1936) and studied the Dai Li routine. I am Zheng Wuqing’s inner disciple and the 11th generation inheritor. For many generations Zhaobao Taijiquan had been kept strictly within the town. It was only in the time of the 10th generation that the art was taught to outsiders.Alex Yeo: How did you start learning Zhaobao Taijiquan?Liu Rui: I’m not from a martial arts family. It was fate that brought me to it. In the 1950’s and 1960’s, [living] conditions were very bad and due to lack of nutrition I was very, very ill. Basically the doctors gave up on me and even refused to treat me. Fortunately, an old physician recommended me to my teacher to learn Taijiquan. Within 100 days, I showed miraculous recovery, after which I continued to learn and the rest is history. I was fortunate to follow my teacher for 20 years. He was like a father to me, teaching me everything he knew. From 1974, my teacher took almost seven years painstakingly correcting every single minute detail of my form.Alex Yeo: I’m not very familiar with Zhaobao style, but I have the impression that there are many different sets and routines in Zhaobao Taijiquan, unlike other styles such as Chen which only has two representative forms, and Yang, Wu(2), Wu(3), and Sun which only have one representative form each, excluding variations. Why is this so?Liu Rui: It’s about spreading to the masses. Seventh generation Chen Qingping didn’t keep strictly to the rule of keeping the art within the town. He sorted out the routines into three different routines – Dai Li, Ling Luo and Teng Nuo. (1) Chen taught the Dai Li routine to He Zhaoyuan, the Teng Nuo routine to Li Jing Yan, and the Ling Luo to other disciples. Among Chen’s disciples, He Zhaoyuan had the best gongfu. He personally passed down the Dai Li routine (also known as Cheng [heritage or accomplishment] or Chi Cun [measurement] routine0 to his grandson He Qingxi. He Qingxi who based on the principle of, “first from open and wide, then to small and tight,” in turn modified the routine into the Big and Small routines. The Small routine was passed to Hao Ychao and Zheng Wuqing, (who also learned the original Heritage Frame), while the Big routine was passed to other disciples.As the form originated from Wudang, was inherited by Zhaobao Town, and made perfect by the He family, this is why it has also been known as Wudang Zhaobao He Style Taijiquan besides longer-sounding, Wudang Zhaobao Three-Harmonized- in-One Heritage Frame Taijiquan, which is the style I practice and teach.Each successive practitioners of each branch [of Zhaobao Taijiquan] added their own individual experiences and understanding onto the routines they practiced and passed down accordingly. This is why there are so many different routines and methods today, and as they originated from Zhaobao Town it is not incorrect to label them all as Zhaobao Taijiquan.
Alex Yeo: So what is different about the Heritage Frame from other routines?Liu Rui: Our postures are high, our movements are small, and everything is very gentle, refined and elegant. It is very natural. Nature is round, and our movements are round. Nature is yin/yang. , and in the moment we move there is also yin/yang. Nature is also straight, and we are also straight, for example, when we step, the line from knee to foot is straight. (i.e. perpendicular). Where the hands go also the body goes. This form of boxing is governed by the eight characters of zhong, zheng, ping, yuan, qing, ling. rou and huo (center, upright, smooth, circular, light, agility, suppleness and liveliness, respectively). These eight characters are in line with natural human physiology. Lightness, agility, evenness, and slowness reduce exertion of physical strength as well as release a person’s latent and hidden abilities. When your latent abilities are released, your [internal] strength will naturally be more powerful.Every movement is [demanded to be ] light and supple, and every movement is to be accurate down to the last inch [i.e. to be absolutely at the right spot]. When you have trained [correctly] long enough , your internal energy will naturally blend external movements, your internal strength will gradually increase. This is suppleness resulting in hardness, storing up suppleness to become hardness. Supple results in hardness, the method is using suppleness.Storing up (or accumulating) suppleness to become hardness, the strength is the ability to accumulate. The positions of the postures are strict and exact, and after becoming familiar with them, habit will become natural (i.e. subconscious movements without having to think about it).When you cross hand with somebody, the moment you come into contact you will control the opponent, and whether you want to [go on to] hurt him or not is up to you. Yet all these things are done without and exertion of strength, with no trying to force things to happen. With this kind of training, martial skills and health promotion are effortlessly blended into one.Alex Yeo: Speaking of martial applications, how does Zhaobao Taijiquan approach this?Liu Rui: Push hands is the bridge between the form and martial applications. Zhaobao push hands has five characters to note. They are ting, zhan, zhan, nian, and chan (listen, quick, stain, stick, pester, respectively) My teacher Zheng Wuqing once said that push hands is a contest of circles, not contending of strength. The classics say that we have to be (paraphrasing) stable like that of the flat ground yet lively like a car wheel, as well as the qi is to be like the car wheel with the wheel to be the wheel spoke. Usually people will understand the Taijiquan circle to be flat, horizontal circle. Actually, in Zhaobao Heritage Frame Taijiquan the circle is three a three dimensional circle, rotating horizontally, vertically, diagonally, in reality a ball in fact.Take White Crane Spreads Wings, Lazily Inserting Garment. Single Whip, cloud Hands and so on, all of them are doing circular movements. And it is this kind of circularity is not a circle on a flat plane but a three- dimensional circle. Each circle leads into another circle; there is no part that is not circular. In the entire 75-posture routine there are countless circles, thus completing the entire form. In push hands we use countless circles, countless circular movements to probe each other’s strength and stability.The higher the quality of this three- dimensional circulatory, the more able you are able to neutralize any kind of force directed towards you from the opponent and cause it to slide off the tangent of your circle. This ability to neutralize a force off the tangent of you circle seems to be something amazing, maybe even magical, but it is natural physics, all apart of natural science. This is how you handle someone who comes at you with great physical force.The movement of my circle is small, stable but quick without losing my equilibrium. The opponent when applying his force on me will not be able to stand firmly; he has lost his feet, so to speak. This is 4 liang (Chinese unit of weight, about 0.05kg) to move [i.e. 200g to move 500g].[In the circles] everything is moving, and in spheres, constantly, never ceasing. The moon constantly orbits the earth, the earth constantly orbits around the Sun, [and] the Sun constantly orbits the Milky Way.Everything is constantly moving and they follow the circular shape. In Taijiquan we must also be like that. We must find the circle in every movement.In every posture, you have the central equilibrium, and under this condition, you execute your postures with slow, fast, relaxed, supple, nimble and lively movements. You should not nee to use much effort. If you use much effort it is no longer Taijiquan.In high -level training, you move the body with your qi. What is the motive? It is that our hands and legs not moving (i.e. the whole body does not move) you hit your opponent out. This is the highest level. Alex Yeo: So this is the highest level, that without the body moving we can hit the opponent out?Liu Rui: Yes but not entirely, for we still must move, but the movement is so small that is looks like we didn’t move. Observe this (demonstrating). Do you see it? Do you see my hands moving? Do you see my waist moving? There was some movement, but only those who have reached a certain standard will be able to see it.However, this is not kind of “movement” you see others doing shaking here and there. (2) Alex Yeo: How do you train for this kind of skill, or neigong (internal skill)?Liu Rui: Taijiquan is a traditional Chinese health art. [Health is obtained] thru the graceful, slow, smooth and round movements, and obtained slowly.[The aim of] of Taijiquan through the round movements is to remove the external coarse strength and develop the jing, shen, qi (essence, spirit and energy). So it is through this type of training that we obtain the [Taijiquan] internal. Because it is a neijia quan (internal boxing), its emphasis is on the yi nian (the thought); there is no external form. External boxing will talk about strength, linear lines and external shape.So neigong requires a long-term training in the form to obtain. As the saying goes, “A day’s training is a day’s gong (as in gongfu). A day not trained is ten day’s lost.”The way to obtain neigong is to do the form. There is no other way. There is a saying to (paraphrasing) do the form 108,000 times. (3)So if you want to obtain neigong, the method is already spelled out clearly for you.Alex Yeo: Just to clarify, there is only the form, there are no other methods besides the form?Liu Rui: There is no other training method. There is just this form that we have. You just practice this form hundreds of thousands of times. You pursue it endlessly, [To give an example, if it is your goal and you practiced and] if you think you have achieved song (looseness), you practice even more to achieve even an even greater level of song. If you think you have achieved qing (lightness) you practice even more to achieve an even greater level of qing. You just keep pursuing it [i.e. practicing the form] for the rest of your life. There is no end goal to speak of [i.e. reach a point where you have “arrived” and can stop practicing the form.Alex Yeo: Is really possible to gain gongfu just by doing the form only?Liu Rui: Many people have practiced very hard for many years, yet they achieve nothing, and this is why so many people believe Taijiquan is just for health only and cannot produce gongfu.This is not true.As long as you follow all the requirements accurately, you don’t doubt what you are doing. You just do it without hesitation, and, of course you have to persevere, you will achieve the high levels of Taijiquan. It will not happen in the short term, but it will happen.High levels of gongfu is not fiction, nor are they imagination. It is real, it is fact. I don’t know about others but let me tell you about my own teacher, and this I witnessed with my own eyes. [When] he was teaching in the public park, and someone would see some dust on his shoulders or wrinkles on his shirt and went to pat it off without him knowing, that person would find himself sent off about a zhang (Chinese unit of measurement, about 3.33 meters) away. This happened not once but several times on many occasions. [Since he taught in public parks] many people in the Northeast [of China where Zheng Wuqing was teaching] witnessed it too, so this is not a false tale or exaggeration.Thus I say that real Taijiquan gongfu is a real thing, and not mere legend as many make it out to be. There are people who posses this gongfu. To achieve this gongfu is not an easy thing however. It requires many factors, none of which [could afford] to be absent.Why aren’t we surprised that we have an ancient saying, “Practitioners are as many as the furs on the cow, but [those who succeed] are fewer than the hooves a cow has?” Or the other traditional saying (paraphrasing), Three years of Chang Chuan (Long Fist, i.e. external martial art training) and you can kill somebody, [but] 10 years in Taji without leaving the front door?”These saying tell us that you need to put in tremendous effort, laborious effort, and a very long time in order for the gongfu to manifest.I feel that there are no shortcuts in Taijiquan. There is a process, of “[know the] theory, put it into practice, [understand the] theory in relation to the practice, then put [it] into practice again” And the process repeats continually.This is what we call Wudang Zhaobao Heritage Frame Taijiquan, “a level of gongfu, a level of knowledge.”Alex Yeo: How about those that have trained for many years but yet to achieve any success? What could be the reason?Liu Rui: Some practitioners have put in many years of effort but see no progress, so they say there is nothing to gain. As the well-known saying goes, “Gongfu does not let down the person with xin”[Chinese word meaning the will or determination to succeed]. There are some reasons for this lack of progress:You are tied up in your old ideology (i.e. you refuse to accept even when corrected). You were taught the incorrect or wrong method.You need a mingshi (teacher who understands). Then you need the transmission (he must teach you). Which do you not have?Have you learned in a scientific and systematic way?You do not have a deep understanding and knowledge [of the art], or what you know is not enough and you are merely scratching the surface.You didn’t respect your teacher [and so he didn’t teach you].“Those that have the will, will accomplish the matter.” Did you persevere enough? Were you determined enough?Does your teacher really understand, or is he “blind leading the blind?”Did you really do it step by step, or did you try to run before you could crawl?Gongfu is not just obtained through training; you must also understand [it]. Taiji Quan, the quan (boxing), if you want to understand it thoroughly you must put in the effort. If you think training your boxing is just putting forth your strength and energy, this is wrong, this is a big disease. Taijiquan requires song, rou, yuan, huo (relax, supple, round, lively), if you do not realize them [i.e. understand through hands on experience], don’t understand what they mean, then no matter how hard and how long you train you will still not develop any gongfu.
http://world-taiji.blogspot.com
Introduction: Zhaobao Taijiquan is one of the major styles in China. In recent years its stature has been raised by being named as one of the Major Five: Chen, Yang, Wu(2), Wu(3) and sun.Zhaobao Taijiquan, like the Chen Taijiquan, is named after its place of origin, which is Zhaobao Town.Something special that distinguishes Zhaobao from other Taijiquan styles is that unlike the latter, Zhaobao has one or two representative boxing forms. Zhaobao literally has dozens of forms. As the Zhaobao is passed down to each generation, each generations practitioners then developed it further, resulting in the many different and training systems collectively known as Zhaobao Taijiquan.That is why it is common today to specify which “branch” (for lack of a better English word to describe the Chinese term.) of Zhaobao Taijiquan is being referred to during discussions. The interview below is with Master Liu Rui, one of the best-known Zhaobao Taijiquan teachers in China. He was in Malaysia to give a seminar and stopped over in Singapore to conduct some classes for his students here before going back home.The style he teaches is known as Wudang Zhaobao Three-Harmonized- in-One Heritage Frame Taijiquan, more simply known as either as Wudang Zhaobao He Style Taijiquan or Zhaobao Heritage Frame Taijiquan.The comments below on Zhaobao Taijiquan are representative of the style he teaches and may or may not represent other Zhaobao styles. For example while other Zhaobao styles may have multiple forms and training methods, Liu Rui’s style has only one and its philosophy is to practice this one form again and again to gain the Taijiquan skills.All the mistakes in translation are entirely mine.Alex Yeo: Thank you Master Liu for this interview. Could you give us a brief introduction to Zhaobao Taijiquan?Liu Rui: Zhaobao Taijiquan is an orthodox school of Taijiquan as created by Zhang Sanfeng. It was passed down to Jiang Fa (1574- 1654) of Zhao Bao town (located in Henan Province) by Wang Zongyue of Shangxi province. One of the better-known inheritors was Chen Qingping (1795- 1869). Chen had many disciples; among them was He Zhao Yuan (1811- 1891)(who created He Style Taijiquan). Zhaobao taijiquan has flourished into various schools [of Zhaobao Taijiquan] and among them, He style has become the main stream of Zhaobao Taijiquan.Zhaobao Taijiquan has the traditional characteristics of Wudang boxing. Although it has been hundreds of years since Zhang Sanfeng created Taijiquan, Zhaobao Taijiquan nothing the less still retained the special characteristics of the three arts [form, push hands, and martial applications] melted into one pot as created by Zhang Sanfeng [from which the name Three-Harmonized- in-One].In the 1920’s my teacher Zheng Wuqing (1894- 1984) followed He Zhaoyuan’s grandson He Qing Xi (1862- 1936) and studied the Dai Li routine. I am Zheng Wuqing’s inner disciple and the 11th generation inheritor. For many generations Zhaobao Taijiquan had been kept strictly within the town. It was only in the time of the 10th generation that the art was taught to outsiders.Alex Yeo: How did you start learning Zhaobao Taijiquan?Liu Rui: I’m not from a martial arts family. It was fate that brought me to it. In the 1950’s and 1960’s, [living] conditions were very bad and due to lack of nutrition I was very, very ill. Basically the doctors gave up on me and even refused to treat me. Fortunately, an old physician recommended me to my teacher to learn Taijiquan. Within 100 days, I showed miraculous recovery, after which I continued to learn and the rest is history. I was fortunate to follow my teacher for 20 years. He was like a father to me, teaching me everything he knew. From 1974, my teacher took almost seven years painstakingly correcting every single minute detail of my form.Alex Yeo: I’m not very familiar with Zhaobao style, but I have the impression that there are many different sets and routines in Zhaobao Taijiquan, unlike other styles such as Chen which only has two representative forms, and Yang, Wu(2), Wu(3), and Sun which only have one representative form each, excluding variations. Why is this so?Liu Rui: It’s about spreading to the masses. Seventh generation Chen Qingping didn’t keep strictly to the rule of keeping the art within the town. He sorted out the routines into three different routines – Dai Li, Ling Luo and Teng Nuo. (1) Chen taught the Dai Li routine to He Zhaoyuan, the Teng Nuo routine to Li Jing Yan, and the Ling Luo to other disciples. Among Chen’s disciples, He Zhaoyuan had the best gongfu. He personally passed down the Dai Li routine (also known as Cheng [heritage or accomplishment] or Chi Cun [measurement] routine0 to his grandson He Qingxi. He Qingxi who based on the principle of, “first from open and wide, then to small and tight,” in turn modified the routine into the Big and Small routines. The Small routine was passed to Hao Ychao and Zheng Wuqing, (who also learned the original Heritage Frame), while the Big routine was passed to other disciples.As the form originated from Wudang, was inherited by Zhaobao Town, and made perfect by the He family, this is why it has also been known as Wudang Zhaobao He Style Taijiquan besides longer-sounding, Wudang Zhaobao Three-Harmonized- in-One Heritage Frame Taijiquan, which is the style I practice and teach.Each successive practitioners of each branch [of Zhaobao Taijiquan] added their own individual experiences and understanding onto the routines they practiced and passed down accordingly. This is why there are so many different routines and methods today, and as they originated from Zhaobao Town it is not incorrect to label them all as Zhaobao Taijiquan.
Alex Yeo: So what is different about the Heritage Frame from other routines?Liu Rui: Our postures are high, our movements are small, and everything is very gentle, refined and elegant. It is very natural. Nature is round, and our movements are round. Nature is yin/yang. , and in the moment we move there is also yin/yang. Nature is also straight, and we are also straight, for example, when we step, the line from knee to foot is straight. (i.e. perpendicular). Where the hands go also the body goes. This form of boxing is governed by the eight characters of zhong, zheng, ping, yuan, qing, ling. rou and huo (center, upright, smooth, circular, light, agility, suppleness and liveliness, respectively). These eight characters are in line with natural human physiology. Lightness, agility, evenness, and slowness reduce exertion of physical strength as well as release a person’s latent and hidden abilities. When your latent abilities are released, your [internal] strength will naturally be more powerful.Every movement is [demanded to be ] light and supple, and every movement is to be accurate down to the last inch [i.e. to be absolutely at the right spot]. When you have trained [correctly] long enough , your internal energy will naturally blend external movements, your internal strength will gradually increase. This is suppleness resulting in hardness, storing up suppleness to become hardness. Supple results in hardness, the method is using suppleness.Storing up (or accumulating) suppleness to become hardness, the strength is the ability to accumulate. The positions of the postures are strict and exact, and after becoming familiar with them, habit will become natural (i.e. subconscious movements without having to think about it).When you cross hand with somebody, the moment you come into contact you will control the opponent, and whether you want to [go on to] hurt him or not is up to you. Yet all these things are done without and exertion of strength, with no trying to force things to happen. With this kind of training, martial skills and health promotion are effortlessly blended into one.Alex Yeo: Speaking of martial applications, how does Zhaobao Taijiquan approach this?Liu Rui: Push hands is the bridge between the form and martial applications. Zhaobao push hands has five characters to note. They are ting, zhan, zhan, nian, and chan (listen, quick, stain, stick, pester, respectively) My teacher Zheng Wuqing once said that push hands is a contest of circles, not contending of strength. The classics say that we have to be (paraphrasing) stable like that of the flat ground yet lively like a car wheel, as well as the qi is to be like the car wheel with the wheel to be the wheel spoke. Usually people will understand the Taijiquan circle to be flat, horizontal circle. Actually, in Zhaobao Heritage Frame Taijiquan the circle is three a three dimensional circle, rotating horizontally, vertically, diagonally, in reality a ball in fact.Take White Crane Spreads Wings, Lazily Inserting Garment. Single Whip, cloud Hands and so on, all of them are doing circular movements. And it is this kind of circularity is not a circle on a flat plane but a three- dimensional circle. Each circle leads into another circle; there is no part that is not circular. In the entire 75-posture routine there are countless circles, thus completing the entire form. In push hands we use countless circles, countless circular movements to probe each other’s strength and stability.The higher the quality of this three- dimensional circulatory, the more able you are able to neutralize any kind of force directed towards you from the opponent and cause it to slide off the tangent of your circle. This ability to neutralize a force off the tangent of you circle seems to be something amazing, maybe even magical, but it is natural physics, all apart of natural science. This is how you handle someone who comes at you with great physical force.The movement of my circle is small, stable but quick without losing my equilibrium. The opponent when applying his force on me will not be able to stand firmly; he has lost his feet, so to speak. This is 4 liang (Chinese unit of weight, about 0.05kg) to move [i.e. 200g to move 500g].[In the circles] everything is moving, and in spheres, constantly, never ceasing. The moon constantly orbits the earth, the earth constantly orbits around the Sun, [and] the Sun constantly orbits the Milky Way.Everything is constantly moving and they follow the circular shape. In Taijiquan we must also be like that. We must find the circle in every movement.In every posture, you have the central equilibrium, and under this condition, you execute your postures with slow, fast, relaxed, supple, nimble and lively movements. You should not nee to use much effort. If you use much effort it is no longer Taijiquan.In high -level training, you move the body with your qi. What is the motive? It is that our hands and legs not moving (i.e. the whole body does not move) you hit your opponent out. This is the highest level. Alex Yeo: So this is the highest level, that without the body moving we can hit the opponent out?Liu Rui: Yes but not entirely, for we still must move, but the movement is so small that is looks like we didn’t move. Observe this (demonstrating). Do you see it? Do you see my hands moving? Do you see my waist moving? There was some movement, but only those who have reached a certain standard will be able to see it.However, this is not kind of “movement” you see others doing shaking here and there. (2) Alex Yeo: How do you train for this kind of skill, or neigong (internal skill)?Liu Rui: Taijiquan is a traditional Chinese health art. [Health is obtained] thru the graceful, slow, smooth and round movements, and obtained slowly.[The aim of] of Taijiquan through the round movements is to remove the external coarse strength and develop the jing, shen, qi (essence, spirit and energy). So it is through this type of training that we obtain the [Taijiquan] internal. Because it is a neijia quan (internal boxing), its emphasis is on the yi nian (the thought); there is no external form. External boxing will talk about strength, linear lines and external shape.So neigong requires a long-term training in the form to obtain. As the saying goes, “A day’s training is a day’s gong (as in gongfu). A day not trained is ten day’s lost.”The way to obtain neigong is to do the form. There is no other way. There is a saying to (paraphrasing) do the form 108,000 times. (3)So if you want to obtain neigong, the method is already spelled out clearly for you.Alex Yeo: Just to clarify, there is only the form, there are no other methods besides the form?Liu Rui: There is no other training method. There is just this form that we have. You just practice this form hundreds of thousands of times. You pursue it endlessly, [To give an example, if it is your goal and you practiced and] if you think you have achieved song (looseness), you practice even more to achieve even an even greater level of song. If you think you have achieved qing (lightness) you practice even more to achieve an even greater level of qing. You just keep pursuing it [i.e. practicing the form] for the rest of your life. There is no end goal to speak of [i.e. reach a point where you have “arrived” and can stop practicing the form.Alex Yeo: Is really possible to gain gongfu just by doing the form only?Liu Rui: Many people have practiced very hard for many years, yet they achieve nothing, and this is why so many people believe Taijiquan is just for health only and cannot produce gongfu.This is not true.As long as you follow all the requirements accurately, you don’t doubt what you are doing. You just do it without hesitation, and, of course you have to persevere, you will achieve the high levels of Taijiquan. It will not happen in the short term, but it will happen.High levels of gongfu is not fiction, nor are they imagination. It is real, it is fact. I don’t know about others but let me tell you about my own teacher, and this I witnessed with my own eyes. [When] he was teaching in the public park, and someone would see some dust on his shoulders or wrinkles on his shirt and went to pat it off without him knowing, that person would find himself sent off about a zhang (Chinese unit of measurement, about 3.33 meters) away. This happened not once but several times on many occasions. [Since he taught in public parks] many people in the Northeast [of China where Zheng Wuqing was teaching] witnessed it too, so this is not a false tale or exaggeration.Thus I say that real Taijiquan gongfu is a real thing, and not mere legend as many make it out to be. There are people who posses this gongfu. To achieve this gongfu is not an easy thing however. It requires many factors, none of which [could afford] to be absent.Why aren’t we surprised that we have an ancient saying, “Practitioners are as many as the furs on the cow, but [those who succeed] are fewer than the hooves a cow has?” Or the other traditional saying (paraphrasing), Three years of Chang Chuan (Long Fist, i.e. external martial art training) and you can kill somebody, [but] 10 years in Taji without leaving the front door?”These saying tell us that you need to put in tremendous effort, laborious effort, and a very long time in order for the gongfu to manifest.I feel that there are no shortcuts in Taijiquan. There is a process, of “[know the] theory, put it into practice, [understand the] theory in relation to the practice, then put [it] into practice again” And the process repeats continually.This is what we call Wudang Zhaobao Heritage Frame Taijiquan, “a level of gongfu, a level of knowledge.”Alex Yeo: How about those that have trained for many years but yet to achieve any success? What could be the reason?Liu Rui: Some practitioners have put in many years of effort but see no progress, so they say there is nothing to gain. As the well-known saying goes, “Gongfu does not let down the person with xin”[Chinese word meaning the will or determination to succeed]. There are some reasons for this lack of progress:You are tied up in your old ideology (i.e. you refuse to accept even when corrected). You were taught the incorrect or wrong method.You need a mingshi (teacher who understands). Then you need the transmission (he must teach you). Which do you not have?Have you learned in a scientific and systematic way?You do not have a deep understanding and knowledge [of the art], or what you know is not enough and you are merely scratching the surface.You didn’t respect your teacher [and so he didn’t teach you].“Those that have the will, will accomplish the matter.” Did you persevere enough? Were you determined enough?Does your teacher really understand, or is he “blind leading the blind?”Did you really do it step by step, or did you try to run before you could crawl?Gongfu is not just obtained through training; you must also understand [it]. Taiji Quan, the quan (boxing), if you want to understand it thoroughly you must put in the effort. If you think training your boxing is just putting forth your strength and energy, this is wrong, this is a big disease. Taijiquan requires song, rou, yuan, huo (relax, supple, round, lively), if you do not realize them [i.e. understand through hands on experience], don’t understand what they mean, then no matter how hard and how long you train you will still not develop any gongfu.
http://world-taiji.blogspot.com
Thursday, February 21, 2008
An introduction of Zhaobao Taiji
An introduction of Zhaobao Taiji
Zhaobao Tai ji Chuan is a very old form of boxing. It is an excellent exercise method which not only can be used in free fight but also promotes good health and longevity. The consistent and faithful practice of this style is reported to have strengthening effects on people suffering with poor health or chronic illnesses. The characteristic upright headline of Zhaobao Style with its prolonged deep breathing clears the mind, harmonizes blood and qi (ch’i) circulation – thus helping to establish a general state of well being.
Jiang Fa, who studied with Wang Zhong Yue (whose Treatise on Tai Chi Chuan is a classic), was the first generation of Zhaobao Tai ji Chuan. According to a manuscript copy of Zhaobao Tai ji Chuan, Jiang Fa taught the Zhaobao style to Xing Xi (Hsing Hsi) Huai in the final years of Wan Li in the Ming Dynasty (around A.D.1620). Xing passed this style onto Zhang Chu Chen, Zhang onto Chen Jing Buo, Chen onto Zhang Zhong Yu, Zhang on to Zhang Yian, and Zhang Yian onto Chen Qing Ping. Chen Qing Ping have 8 famous students , the oldest one is He Zhao Yuan , He Zhao Yuan passed on what was now called Zhaobao He Style Tai Chi Chuan to his sons He Jing Zhi and He Ren Zhi, and to his oldest grandson He Qing Xi. Later He Qing Xi taught many students, of whom his nephew He Xue Xing, Zheng Wu Qing, Zheng Buo Ying, Hao Yu Zhao and Guo Yun are the best known.Chen's another famous student Li Jingyan created Zhaobao Hulei Taiji , also named as Thunder form .
The basic framework of Zhaobao Style tai chi chuan consists of 72 postures. Each has a collection of large and small, and flowing and reversed circular movements; even the qi inside the dantian is traveling in circles. Every circle is intertwined, thus inside and outside circles become one. Because of this characteristic, He Style is often called the circular fist form.
Framework exercises can be divided into large, medium and small frames. Each pose in each frame is light, agile, circular, brisk and open. In order to meet the requirements of proper body postures such as “three points facing”, “steps following body movement”, “movement without moving”, and “conformity with the bends and the shape of the body,” one must step as if reeling silk, move like flowing water (with each move remaining connected like a lotus root breaking with the fibers still holding together), and follow one form closely after another.
Throughout the whole fist form, the body frame maintains a posture that is central, upright, level, even, light, agile, rounded, and lively, with hard and soft movements complementing one another. During the entire exercise, thoughts are linked together to unite body applications. The exercise can make one healthy, as well as provide self-defense.
One should not expect to be successful in this style in haste. The first step to success is to learn the form. The second step requires accuracy. The third step requires internal energy to lead external movements. The fourth step is to inquire into the truth of applications. A piece of ice that is three feet thick is not formed in one cold day. Those who have patience will be successful in learning the style, and those lacking patience will fail. If one can devote oneself to study this style, learn diligently and practice hard, one can get better and better, attaining lightness, agility, smoothness, vitality, and a state of well being.
http://world-taiji.blogspot.com
Zhaobao Tai ji Chuan is a very old form of boxing. It is an excellent exercise method which not only can be used in free fight but also promotes good health and longevity. The consistent and faithful practice of this style is reported to have strengthening effects on people suffering with poor health or chronic illnesses. The characteristic upright headline of Zhaobao Style with its prolonged deep breathing clears the mind, harmonizes blood and qi (ch’i) circulation – thus helping to establish a general state of well being.
Jiang Fa, who studied with Wang Zhong Yue (whose Treatise on Tai Chi Chuan is a classic), was the first generation of Zhaobao Tai ji Chuan. According to a manuscript copy of Zhaobao Tai ji Chuan, Jiang Fa taught the Zhaobao style to Xing Xi (Hsing Hsi) Huai in the final years of Wan Li in the Ming Dynasty (around A.D.1620). Xing passed this style onto Zhang Chu Chen, Zhang onto Chen Jing Buo, Chen onto Zhang Zhong Yu, Zhang on to Zhang Yian, and Zhang Yian onto Chen Qing Ping. Chen Qing Ping have 8 famous students , the oldest one is He Zhao Yuan , He Zhao Yuan passed on what was now called Zhaobao He Style Tai Chi Chuan to his sons He Jing Zhi and He Ren Zhi, and to his oldest grandson He Qing Xi. Later He Qing Xi taught many students, of whom his nephew He Xue Xing, Zheng Wu Qing, Zheng Buo Ying, Hao Yu Zhao and Guo Yun are the best known.Chen's another famous student Li Jingyan created Zhaobao Hulei Taiji , also named as Thunder form .
The basic framework of Zhaobao Style tai chi chuan consists of 72 postures. Each has a collection of large and small, and flowing and reversed circular movements; even the qi inside the dantian is traveling in circles. Every circle is intertwined, thus inside and outside circles become one. Because of this characteristic, He Style is often called the circular fist form.
Framework exercises can be divided into large, medium and small frames. Each pose in each frame is light, agile, circular, brisk and open. In order to meet the requirements of proper body postures such as “three points facing”, “steps following body movement”, “movement without moving”, and “conformity with the bends and the shape of the body,” one must step as if reeling silk, move like flowing water (with each move remaining connected like a lotus root breaking with the fibers still holding together), and follow one form closely after another.
Throughout the whole fist form, the body frame maintains a posture that is central, upright, level, even, light, agile, rounded, and lively, with hard and soft movements complementing one another. During the entire exercise, thoughts are linked together to unite body applications. The exercise can make one healthy, as well as provide self-defense.
One should not expect to be successful in this style in haste. The first step to success is to learn the form. The second step requires accuracy. The third step requires internal energy to lead external movements. The fourth step is to inquire into the truth of applications. A piece of ice that is three feet thick is not formed in one cold day. Those who have patience will be successful in learning the style, and those lacking patience will fail. If one can devote oneself to study this style, learn diligently and practice hard, one can get better and better, attaining lightness, agility, smoothness, vitality, and a state of well being.
http://world-taiji.blogspot.com
Burn Calories, Dump Stress, Boost Immune Function - Without Sweating ?
Burn Calories, Dump Stress, Boost Immune Function - Without Sweating ?
by Bill Douglas, Founder of World Tai Chi & Qigong Day
Copyright 2005
WORD COUNT: 602
According to a twenty-year study by Kaiser Permanente, between seventy and eighty-five percent of illness is caused by stress, meaning that in the U.S. alone stress is costing us about one-trillion dollars per year in healthcare costs. Since most absenteeism is due to stress, US business is losing upwards of $300 billion per year.
On a more personal level, it is disturbing to realize that aging is accelerated by stress, and stress is a growing issue with all of us. Studies show that change is stressful, even "good" change. So as we computer jockeys settle into the saddle of a new age of rapidly changing information, we need an edge that can help us stay healthy, sane, “younger” and more vibrant, even as we are often at the very center of the hurricane of modern change, such as keeping up with new hardware and software.
Ironically an ancient mind/body tool provides the perfect balm for our generation's modern problems -- it is called "Tai Chi" (pronounced tie-chee). T'ai Chi is a gentle series of relaxing motions that cleanse the body's tissue of accumulated stress and, by doing so, boosts all aspects of our health systems. According to emerging research boosting the immune system’s strength dramatically, while reducing the incidence of depression, anxiety, and even reducing chronic pain conditions, are just a few of T’ai Chi’s myriad benefits.
What makes ancient T’ai Chi the perfect modern balm is that it doesn't require special facilities or clothing, and doesn't even make you break a sweat, meaning you can do it in office attire in an empty boardroom just by kicking off your heels. Yet, it provides the same euphoria of a long run, the cardiovascular benefit of moderate impact aerobics, and burns nearly as many calories as downhill skiing.
Our time is filled with paradox. A problem in this modern age stems from the great promise of the information age -- a tidal wave of data being created by and offered to our "left brain"; that part of our minds that is analytical, calculating, and categorizing the world. Of course, this is a powerful and important part of who we are. This is the part of the mind that gets things done, pays the rent, builds the houses, and makes the cars. Our "right brain," however, is getting left behind in our rapidly changing techno-world, and this imbalance of thought processes is at the heart of modern stress.
Our right brain is the feeling, smelling, sensing . . . enjoying part of the mind. This is the part of the mind that smells the flowers, not to analyze the smell, but to be filled with its beauty -- and this is the part that has been left behind in the digital world. When we go to the cyber mall, for example, our right brain doesn't get to play. The cyber mall is a wonderful thing that saves us time, money, and gas for our cars (and thereby saves the environment), but there are no Auntie Anne's Pretzels to smell in cyberspace, or warm sunlight streaming in through the big skylights.
So what do we do? We get the best of both worlds. T'ai Chi is a series of exercises to balance the mind. T'ai Chi teaches us to experience life for sheer pleasure, thereby creating balance in our busy "get things done yesterday" world. If you learn T'ai Chi and practice in the morning before you sit down at your computer, your right brain (the sensing and enjoying brain) will be turned on more. You will feel the texture of your computer keys. You will remember to take the time to get a nice cup of green tea or herbal cinnamon spice tea, and you'll interrupt your staccato keyboard occasionally to smell the tea's rich aroma, feel the warmth in your hands, and breathe the breath of life deeply into your lungs.
Although you are at the cutting edge of the information age revolution, you are also in the garden of life. This will give you an edge in the long run. Why? Because chronic stress diminishes our cognitive skills and therefore, our creativity.
Einstein said, "Creativity is more important than knowledge." Even if we have the world's knowledge at our fingertips, if we are too stressed out to use the knowledge "creatively,” we are much less effective. Plus, we're not as much fun!
The bottom line is T'ai Chi is a set of exercises to practice enjoying life. It's not enough just to say, "I'm going to enjoy life more." We actually have to practice mind/body tools that can positively affect our brain wave activity, in an integrative way, as T'ai Chi is proven to do.
T'ai Chi is an extremely sophisticated mind/body science that evolved over millennia, and is now being made available to all of us after centuries of being closely guarded secrets in China. Even though the practices are ancient, they are in many ways just as cutting edge as the multi-gigabyte computer.
Don't just be "cutting edge" with your left-brain. Go all the way and stretch the envelope with your right brain, too, by weaving T'ai Chi into your life. You will be forever glad you did, as you discover balance and calm in the eye of the modern world’s ever accelerating storm of changes rushing at us.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Bill Douglas is the Tai Chi Expert at DrWeil.com, Founder of World T'ai Chi & Qigong Day (held in 50 nations each year), and has authored and co-authored several books including a #1 best selling Tai Chi book The Complete Idiot’s Guide to T’ai Chi & Qigong. Bill’s been a Tai Chi source for The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, etc. You can learn more about Tai Chi & Qigong, search a worldwide teachers directory, and also contact Bill Douglas at http://www.worldtaichiday.org
by Bill Douglas, Founder of World Tai Chi & Qigong Day
Copyright 2005
WORD COUNT: 602
According to a twenty-year study by Kaiser Permanente, between seventy and eighty-five percent of illness is caused by stress, meaning that in the U.S. alone stress is costing us about one-trillion dollars per year in healthcare costs. Since most absenteeism is due to stress, US business is losing upwards of $300 billion per year.
On a more personal level, it is disturbing to realize that aging is accelerated by stress, and stress is a growing issue with all of us. Studies show that change is stressful, even "good" change. So as we computer jockeys settle into the saddle of a new age of rapidly changing information, we need an edge that can help us stay healthy, sane, “younger” and more vibrant, even as we are often at the very center of the hurricane of modern change, such as keeping up with new hardware and software.
Ironically an ancient mind/body tool provides the perfect balm for our generation's modern problems -- it is called "Tai Chi" (pronounced tie-chee). T'ai Chi is a gentle series of relaxing motions that cleanse the body's tissue of accumulated stress and, by doing so, boosts all aspects of our health systems. According to emerging research boosting the immune system’s strength dramatically, while reducing the incidence of depression, anxiety, and even reducing chronic pain conditions, are just a few of T’ai Chi’s myriad benefits.
What makes ancient T’ai Chi the perfect modern balm is that it doesn't require special facilities or clothing, and doesn't even make you break a sweat, meaning you can do it in office attire in an empty boardroom just by kicking off your heels. Yet, it provides the same euphoria of a long run, the cardiovascular benefit of moderate impact aerobics, and burns nearly as many calories as downhill skiing.
Our time is filled with paradox. A problem in this modern age stems from the great promise of the information age -- a tidal wave of data being created by and offered to our "left brain"; that part of our minds that is analytical, calculating, and categorizing the world. Of course, this is a powerful and important part of who we are. This is the part of the mind that gets things done, pays the rent, builds the houses, and makes the cars. Our "right brain," however, is getting left behind in our rapidly changing techno-world, and this imbalance of thought processes is at the heart of modern stress.
Our right brain is the feeling, smelling, sensing . . . enjoying part of the mind. This is the part of the mind that smells the flowers, not to analyze the smell, but to be filled with its beauty -- and this is the part that has been left behind in the digital world. When we go to the cyber mall, for example, our right brain doesn't get to play. The cyber mall is a wonderful thing that saves us time, money, and gas for our cars (and thereby saves the environment), but there are no Auntie Anne's Pretzels to smell in cyberspace, or warm sunlight streaming in through the big skylights.
So what do we do? We get the best of both worlds. T'ai Chi is a series of exercises to balance the mind. T'ai Chi teaches us to experience life for sheer pleasure, thereby creating balance in our busy "get things done yesterday" world. If you learn T'ai Chi and practice in the morning before you sit down at your computer, your right brain (the sensing and enjoying brain) will be turned on more. You will feel the texture of your computer keys. You will remember to take the time to get a nice cup of green tea or herbal cinnamon spice tea, and you'll interrupt your staccato keyboard occasionally to smell the tea's rich aroma, feel the warmth in your hands, and breathe the breath of life deeply into your lungs.
Although you are at the cutting edge of the information age revolution, you are also in the garden of life. This will give you an edge in the long run. Why? Because chronic stress diminishes our cognitive skills and therefore, our creativity.
Einstein said, "Creativity is more important than knowledge." Even if we have the world's knowledge at our fingertips, if we are too stressed out to use the knowledge "creatively,” we are much less effective. Plus, we're not as much fun!
The bottom line is T'ai Chi is a set of exercises to practice enjoying life. It's not enough just to say, "I'm going to enjoy life more." We actually have to practice mind/body tools that can positively affect our brain wave activity, in an integrative way, as T'ai Chi is proven to do.
T'ai Chi is an extremely sophisticated mind/body science that evolved over millennia, and is now being made available to all of us after centuries of being closely guarded secrets in China. Even though the practices are ancient, they are in many ways just as cutting edge as the multi-gigabyte computer.
Don't just be "cutting edge" with your left-brain. Go all the way and stretch the envelope with your right brain, too, by weaving T'ai Chi into your life. You will be forever glad you did, as you discover balance and calm in the eye of the modern world’s ever accelerating storm of changes rushing at us.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Bill Douglas is the Tai Chi Expert at DrWeil.com, Founder of World T'ai Chi & Qigong Day (held in 50 nations each year), and has authored and co-authored several books including a #1 best selling Tai Chi book The Complete Idiot’s Guide to T’ai Chi & Qigong. Bill’s been a Tai Chi source for The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, etc. You can learn more about Tai Chi & Qigong, search a worldwide teachers directory, and also contact Bill Douglas at http://www.worldtaichiday.org
Health Benefits of Tai Chi
Health Benefits of Tai Chi
Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese system of slowly flowing movements and shifts of balance that strengthens the legs while conditioning the tendons and ligaments of the ankles, knees, and hips, increasing their range of motion and making them more resilient, less prone to injury. The constant weight shifts train balance and body awareness, leading to confident ease of movement within the form and in everyday life. Tai Chi is a physical exercise that focuses the mind, while conditioning the body. Practicing twenty minutes a day dissipates stress and reduces stress-related debilities, increases stamina, and strengthens the body and will. Western Science recognizes the following benefits of practicing Tai Chi: increased oxygen uptake and utilization (more efficient breathing), reduced blood pressure, slower declines in cardiovascular power, increased bone density, increased strength and range of motion of joints, greater leg strength, knee strength, and flexibility, reduced levels of stress hormones during and after practice, improved immune function, and heightened mood states.
Science and Tai Chi
Tai Chi cultivates health benefits beyond those studied by western medicine. Tai Chi conditions the sleaves between muscles and nerves, the films that separate and support the organs, the facia. The acupuncture meridians of Chinese Medicine run through the facia. By conditioning these boundary layers between tissues, Tai Chi reduces chemical cross-linking, cellular rust. Move it or lose it, the Taoists say. The turning of the trunk flexes the spine, producing some of the same benefits as twists in Yoga (improved spinal flexibility, release of tension on the perispinal muscles, alleviating imbalances that can lead to back pain while improving blood flow to the discs). And like Yoga, Tai Chi conditions the psoas, that deep muscle of balance that underlies the lower abdominal organs and mediates the relationship of the spine to the pelvis and legs. Proper Tai Chi practice places certain demands on the body: The sinking of the weight, over time, tells the legs to add muscle and bone mass, while the turning of the body, in conjunction with deep abdominal breathing, "wrings out" the organs, flushing blood out as they're compressed and allowing it to flow back in when the movement compresses another part of the torso. This flexing and unflexing reduces pockets of stagnation in the various organ systems.
Physical strength peaks in the mid-twenties, declines modestly to age 50, and steeply thereafter. Studies show a loss of one-third of lower extremity strength by age 70. In advanced age, few people are able to stand on one leg for more than a few seconds. Premature decline need not be the case. Tai Chi exercises all the joints and major muscle groups in a slow, rhythmic, mindful way, priming the body for whatever demands the day may make. Leg strength increases with practice, which pays off every step you take, every time you stand in line, every time you climb a flight of stairs. Your joints stay loose and flexible, so everyday chores around the house and garden don't take as much out of you. When you practice Tai Chi in the morning, it's just easier to move for the rest of the day, and concentrate on what you have to do. You waste less energy and attention on body static, so you have the stamina to ride out crazy days and long hours at work and still have something left for your family, your mate, your art. Tai Chi is for anyone who wants to move with greater strength, grace, and ease as they get older. In the U.S., studies have shown that even people in their 70's and 80's can learn a simplified series of Tai Chi forms, and benefit tremendously: Study subjects show a marked decrease in injurious falls, reductions in blood pressure, and improved measures of balance and confidence. If Tai Chi can do this for geriatric beginners, think of what it can do for someone who starts a few decades sooner, and stays with it.[ more detail information: go to Science and Tai Chi page ]of page
Tai Chi and Stress
Stress is competing demands, overabundant choices, too much to do in too little time. Stress is modern living, the American way, Life in Silicon Valley. Chronic stress is bad because it makes the body focus on short-term emergencies, at the expense of long-term regeneration. Chronic stress undermines the body's ability to fix itself. Stanford Professor Robert Sapolsky received a MaCarthur Award for his research on stress, and codified much of the work in Why Zebras Don't get Ulcers (© 1994, W.H.Freeman and Company), a primer on stress and its consequences. Sapolsky contrasts the appropriateness of the stress response in the case of a lion chasing a zebra across the savanna with stress in the face of "modern" stressors: "If you are that zebra running for your life, or that lion sprinting for your meal, your body's physiological response mechanisms are superbly adapted for dealing with such short-term physical emergencies. When we sit around and worry about stressful things, we turn on the same physiological responses--and they are potentially a disaster when provoked chronically for psychological or other reasons. A large body of convergent evidence suggests that stress-related disease emerges, predominantly, out of the fact that we so often activate a physiological system that has evolved for responding to acute physical emergencies, but we turn it on for months on end, worrying about mortgages, relationships, and promotions." The stress response is designed to get you out of immediate danger: Your body mobilizes energy and delivers it where it's needed most. Glucose and amino acids are released from storage in your fat cells, your liver, your muscles. Heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rates go up. Blood supply is shunted from the organs (except for the heart and lungs) to the skeletal muscles. Pain is suppressed, and the mind achieves a peculiar clarity. Digestion shuts down, regenerative processes are put on hold, reproductive urges and capabilities dwindle, and, for some as yet unexplained reason, the body starts actively dismantling the immune system. Sapolsky goes on: "During an emergency, it makes sense that your body halts long-term, expensive building projects. If there is a tornado bearing down on the house, this isn't the day to repaint the kitchen. Hold off until you've weathered the disaster. Thus, during stress, digestion is inhibited--there isn't enough time to derive the energetic benefits of the slow process of digestion, so why waste energy on it? You have better things to do than digest breakfast when you are trying to avoid being someone's lunch. Similarly, growth is inhibited during stress, and the logic is just as clear. You're sprinting for your life: grow antlers or extend your long bones some other day." "That the stress response itself can become harmful makes a certain amount of sense when you examine the things that occur in reaction to stress. They are generally shortsighted, inefficient, and penny-wise, and dollar-foolish, but they are the sorts of costly things your body has to do to respond effectively in an emergency. If you experience every day as an emergency, you will pay the price. If you constantly mobilize energy at the cost of energy storage, you will never store any surplus energy. You will fatigue more rapidly, and your risk of developing a form of diabetes will even increase. The consequences of chronically over-activating your cardiovascular system are similarly damaging: if your blood pressure rises to 180/140 when you are sprinting away from a lion, you are being adaptive, but if it is 180/140 every time you see the mess in your teenager's bedroom, you could be heading for cardiovascular disease. If you constantly turn off long-term building projects, nothing is ever repaired." If you constantly turn off long-term building projects, nothing is ever repaired. This is the bodily cost of chronic stress, life as we know it. We make it hard for our bodies to fix themselves. Anything we can do to dissipate stress is time and energy well spent. Tai Chi is a great way to reduce stress. The mental focus of the mind leading the movement, thinking only of the movement, the slow, flowing shifts of balance, the regular, deep breathing, the harmonious turning of the limbs, the circular openings and closings of the Tai Chi form make it one of the best stress reducers in the human repertoire.
Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese system of slowly flowing movements and shifts of balance that strengthens the legs while conditioning the tendons and ligaments of the ankles, knees, and hips, increasing their range of motion and making them more resilient, less prone to injury. The constant weight shifts train balance and body awareness, leading to confident ease of movement within the form and in everyday life. Tai Chi is a physical exercise that focuses the mind, while conditioning the body. Practicing twenty minutes a day dissipates stress and reduces stress-related debilities, increases stamina, and strengthens the body and will. Western Science recognizes the following benefits of practicing Tai Chi: increased oxygen uptake and utilization (more efficient breathing), reduced blood pressure, slower declines in cardiovascular power, increased bone density, increased strength and range of motion of joints, greater leg strength, knee strength, and flexibility, reduced levels of stress hormones during and after practice, improved immune function, and heightened mood states.
Science and Tai Chi
Tai Chi cultivates health benefits beyond those studied by western medicine. Tai Chi conditions the sleaves between muscles and nerves, the films that separate and support the organs, the facia. The acupuncture meridians of Chinese Medicine run through the facia. By conditioning these boundary layers between tissues, Tai Chi reduces chemical cross-linking, cellular rust. Move it or lose it, the Taoists say. The turning of the trunk flexes the spine, producing some of the same benefits as twists in Yoga (improved spinal flexibility, release of tension on the perispinal muscles, alleviating imbalances that can lead to back pain while improving blood flow to the discs). And like Yoga, Tai Chi conditions the psoas, that deep muscle of balance that underlies the lower abdominal organs and mediates the relationship of the spine to the pelvis and legs. Proper Tai Chi practice places certain demands on the body: The sinking of the weight, over time, tells the legs to add muscle and bone mass, while the turning of the body, in conjunction with deep abdominal breathing, "wrings out" the organs, flushing blood out as they're compressed and allowing it to flow back in when the movement compresses another part of the torso. This flexing and unflexing reduces pockets of stagnation in the various organ systems.
Physical strength peaks in the mid-twenties, declines modestly to age 50, and steeply thereafter. Studies show a loss of one-third of lower extremity strength by age 70. In advanced age, few people are able to stand on one leg for more than a few seconds. Premature decline need not be the case. Tai Chi exercises all the joints and major muscle groups in a slow, rhythmic, mindful way, priming the body for whatever demands the day may make. Leg strength increases with practice, which pays off every step you take, every time you stand in line, every time you climb a flight of stairs. Your joints stay loose and flexible, so everyday chores around the house and garden don't take as much out of you. When you practice Tai Chi in the morning, it's just easier to move for the rest of the day, and concentrate on what you have to do. You waste less energy and attention on body static, so you have the stamina to ride out crazy days and long hours at work and still have something left for your family, your mate, your art. Tai Chi is for anyone who wants to move with greater strength, grace, and ease as they get older. In the U.S., studies have shown that even people in their 70's and 80's can learn a simplified series of Tai Chi forms, and benefit tremendously: Study subjects show a marked decrease in injurious falls, reductions in blood pressure, and improved measures of balance and confidence. If Tai Chi can do this for geriatric beginners, think of what it can do for someone who starts a few decades sooner, and stays with it.[ more detail information: go to Science and Tai Chi page ]of page
Tai Chi and Stress
Stress is competing demands, overabundant choices, too much to do in too little time. Stress is modern living, the American way, Life in Silicon Valley. Chronic stress is bad because it makes the body focus on short-term emergencies, at the expense of long-term regeneration. Chronic stress undermines the body's ability to fix itself. Stanford Professor Robert Sapolsky received a MaCarthur Award for his research on stress, and codified much of the work in Why Zebras Don't get Ulcers (© 1994, W.H.Freeman and Company), a primer on stress and its consequences. Sapolsky contrasts the appropriateness of the stress response in the case of a lion chasing a zebra across the savanna with stress in the face of "modern" stressors: "If you are that zebra running for your life, or that lion sprinting for your meal, your body's physiological response mechanisms are superbly adapted for dealing with such short-term physical emergencies. When we sit around and worry about stressful things, we turn on the same physiological responses--and they are potentially a disaster when provoked chronically for psychological or other reasons. A large body of convergent evidence suggests that stress-related disease emerges, predominantly, out of the fact that we so often activate a physiological system that has evolved for responding to acute physical emergencies, but we turn it on for months on end, worrying about mortgages, relationships, and promotions." The stress response is designed to get you out of immediate danger: Your body mobilizes energy and delivers it where it's needed most. Glucose and amino acids are released from storage in your fat cells, your liver, your muscles. Heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rates go up. Blood supply is shunted from the organs (except for the heart and lungs) to the skeletal muscles. Pain is suppressed, and the mind achieves a peculiar clarity. Digestion shuts down, regenerative processes are put on hold, reproductive urges and capabilities dwindle, and, for some as yet unexplained reason, the body starts actively dismantling the immune system. Sapolsky goes on: "During an emergency, it makes sense that your body halts long-term, expensive building projects. If there is a tornado bearing down on the house, this isn't the day to repaint the kitchen. Hold off until you've weathered the disaster. Thus, during stress, digestion is inhibited--there isn't enough time to derive the energetic benefits of the slow process of digestion, so why waste energy on it? You have better things to do than digest breakfast when you are trying to avoid being someone's lunch. Similarly, growth is inhibited during stress, and the logic is just as clear. You're sprinting for your life: grow antlers or extend your long bones some other day." "That the stress response itself can become harmful makes a certain amount of sense when you examine the things that occur in reaction to stress. They are generally shortsighted, inefficient, and penny-wise, and dollar-foolish, but they are the sorts of costly things your body has to do to respond effectively in an emergency. If you experience every day as an emergency, you will pay the price. If you constantly mobilize energy at the cost of energy storage, you will never store any surplus energy. You will fatigue more rapidly, and your risk of developing a form of diabetes will even increase. The consequences of chronically over-activating your cardiovascular system are similarly damaging: if your blood pressure rises to 180/140 when you are sprinting away from a lion, you are being adaptive, but if it is 180/140 every time you see the mess in your teenager's bedroom, you could be heading for cardiovascular disease. If you constantly turn off long-term building projects, nothing is ever repaired." If you constantly turn off long-term building projects, nothing is ever repaired. This is the bodily cost of chronic stress, life as we know it. We make it hard for our bodies to fix themselves. Anything we can do to dissipate stress is time and energy well spent. Tai Chi is a great way to reduce stress. The mental focus of the mind leading the movement, thinking only of the movement, the slow, flowing shifts of balance, the regular, deep breathing, the harmonious turning of the limbs, the circular openings and closings of the Tai Chi form make it one of the best stress reducers in the human repertoire.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
