Inside Zhan Zhuang PDF
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INSIDE ZHAN ZHUANG Mark Cohen Copyright © 2014 by Mark Cohen All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage or retrieval systems, without written permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review. Digital Edition ISBN 978-0-9883178-7-1 DISCLAIMER The author and publisher of this book is NOT RESPONSIBLE in any manner whatsoever for any injury that may occur through following the instructions in this book. Some training methods described in this book are strenuous and may be dangerous for some people. Stop training immediately if you feel the slightest discomfort or tiredness to avoid injury. Consult a physician before continuing to use this book. Table of Contents Dedication INTRODUCTION RESOURCES LIST OF CHANNEL ABBREVIATIONS UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS THE THREE CHI KUNG CHANNELS THE THREE DAN TIENS THE THREE CATEGORIES OF DEVELOPMENT HEALTH AND LONGEVITY INTERNAL MARTIAL POWER MENTAL AND SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT PREFACE THOUGHTS ON SINKING THE CHI GETTING INTO THE STAND ADJUSTING THE SPINE WUJI SPINAL STRETCH EXERCISE List of Stations of the Back And Neck HEAD AND NECK ALIGNMENT METHOD THE HEIGHT OF THE STAND The Time Factor Mirror Practice The Body Wants To Heal Be Gentle With Yourself Sensitivity To The Chi FEET PARALLEL STANCES Hip Width Shoulder Width Narrow Width The Six External Harmonies External Harmonies - Upper and Lower Correspondences FEET PARALLEL - LEFT-RIGHT WEIGHTED Allow The Heart Chi To Descend TOE-OUT STANCES Toe-Out Hip Width Toe-Out Shoulder Width Toe-Out Narrow Width The Natural Progression Of Stance Training TOE-IN STANCES FULL AND EMPTY STANCES The Difference in Weight Distribution A Variety of Widths and Lengths The Manifestation of Tai Chi Incorporating Zhan Zhuang into a Tai Chi Form INITIAL ADJUSTMENTS Above the Head, Baihui (Crown) Point Head and Neck The Shoulder Girdle and Shoulder’s Nest Dazhui Point Upper Back, Shoulder Blades Chest, Thoracic Region Mid-Back Solar Plexus and Diaphragm Midriff Abdomen Lower Abdomen Lower Back and Sacrum The Spine The Curious Case of the Psoas Muscles The Kua and Hanging Basket Effect Hips and Buttocks Upper Leg Knee Joint Lower Leg Ankle Foot The Upper Extremities Upper Arm Elbow Joint Forearm Wrist Hand Fingers STANDING DIFFERS FROM MOVING EXERCISE STRUCTURE VS. RELAXATION BOTTOMS OF THE FEET ARE THE BENCHMARK Unification of the Chi THE FIVE POINTS OF THE FOOT Front Back Outside Inside WORKING WITH STANDING POSTURES TWO APPROACHES TO RELAXATION Method 1 - Using The Mind Method 2 - Using Pure Feeling FINDING YOUR CENTER Five Regions - Front to Back ADJUSTING POSTURES Adjusting Posture Technique THE CIRCUMSCRIBED METHOD Adjusting Posture Technique - Expansion Sequence UNIFYING THE BODY THE IMPORTANCE OF HARDWIRING WORKING WITH THE BREATH WUJI POSTURE: THE QUICKEST WAY TO THE SPINE THE NATURAL POSITION THE TAOIST POSITION SHOULDER-STRETCH POSITION THE BEAKS POSITION THE CLOSED-FIST POSITION THE CHI ADHERES TO THE BACK List of Regional Correspondences THE TRANSFORMATION PROCESS The Transformational Sequence Physical Energetic Emotions ORGAN AND EMOTION CORRESPONDENCES Mind Spirit WORKING WITH PHYSICAL DYNAMIC TENSIONS The Station Method A Nei Kung Method WORKING WITH ARM POSTURES EIGHT POSTURES FOR MARTIAL ARTS Posture 1 - Holding The Ball, Embracing The Tree Posture 2 - Dropping The Energy Down Posture 3 - Cultivating The Low Dan Tien Posture 4 - Returning To Origin Posture 5 - Cultivating The Upper Dan Tien Posture 6 - Projecting Out Through The Hands Posture 6a - Variation Posture 7 - Cultivating Middle Balance Posture 8 - Emptying Into The Earth FOUR POSTURES FOR HEALTH AND HEALING Posture 1 - Create The Microcosm Posture 2 - Support The Sky Posture 3 - Stand In the Stream Posture 4 - Store And Release INTERNAL ORGAN POSTURES Liver Posture Heart Posture Spleen Posture Lung Posture Kidney Posture TWO TAI CHI CULTIVATION POSTURES SINGLE-WEIGHTED STANCES THE SANTI POSTURE WORKING WITH IMBALANCES AS THE WATER SETTLES, THE ROCKS APPEAR SENSATIONS EXPERIENCED DURING THE STAND Sweat Heat Cold Numbness Shaking Discomfort and Pain Dizziness and Nausea Emotional and Mental Anxiety WORKING WITH INJURIES MUSCLE BLOCKAGES AND RELEASING THEM THE DANGER OF OVERADJUSTING POSTURES Touching To Memorize Feeling USING GRAVITY TO RELEASE PRESSURES METHOD TO RELEASE UNKNOWN BLOCKAGES Wang’s Method WORKING WITH ENERGETIC DYNAMIC TENSIONS THE TRANSFORMATION PROCESS REVISITED Skin Muscles Sinews Bones Organs Emotions Glands Chi Mind THE PARADOX OF INTERNAL POWER PERSONALITY CHANGE EXPLORING THE HIGHER LEVELS THE BEST TIMES TO STAND Sunrise Sunset High Noon Midnight List of Organ Chi Circulation Times NOTE ON THE TEMPERATURES OF CHI HOW ZHAN ZHUANG EXPANDS AWARENESS INVESTIGATING THE NATURE OF RELAXATION TRANSFORMATION OF NERVES AND SINEWS OPENING AND CLOSING Vertical Method Horizontal Method WORKING WITH SPIRAL ENERGY WORKING WITH SPHERICAL ENERGY USING THE PHYSICAL TO INFLUENCE THE MIND THE POSITION OF THE EYES OPENING THE CENTRAL CHANNEL ENTERING THE VOID WORKING WITH LIGHT POSITIVE SENSATIONS - CONFIRMATORY SIGNS Relaxation Warmth Lightness Heaviness Internal Movement Pulsing Sensations Sense of Power Connection Euphoria Hollowness Emptiness MAINTAINING CONTROL VS. LETTING GO ADDITIONAL TECHNIQUES THE POUNDING EXERCISE AROUND THE WORLD MEDITATION List of Channel Origin and End Points STANDING’S LINK WITH TAI CHI ZHAN ZHUANG AND FA JING Lower Body Condensing Upper Body Condensing Reducing and Expanding the Sphere EPILOGUE ADDITIONAL PLATES ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dedication This book is for all those seeking to understand more. And to the fearless who are willing to brave the journey inside themselves in order to discover a source of knowledge that never ceases. INTRODUCTION The concept of this work is a little different than the typical manual or how-to book. Instead I’ve approached the presentation of material as if the reader were participating or observing a number of private lessons. Therefore, don’t be surprised by interesting digressions from time to time where I point out various relevant elements that perhaps others may not have thought of or equated with the subject under discussion. The material presented here is a product of many years of personal experience and my own individual journey on the road of achievement. Your experiences may be different. But there are certain commonalities encountered by nearly all at various stages of development. One thing is sure; achievement requires both dedication as well as experimentation and trial-and-error. Wang Xiang Zhai exhorted his students to do just that. Part of this process is the ability to let go of preconceived notions and embrace the possibilities of the unknown. This letting go is one of the keys at every level of advancement. All methods presented herein have been tested and verified on myself. However they do require enough proper attention and focus along with plenty of Kung Fu - perseverance, time and effort, in order to succeed. In many of the photographic sequences I have included examples of both myself and Cynthia, a first year student to show that when one begins training, it is often necessary to modify the postures due to injury or other bodily limitations. This means essentially reducing the amount of stretch or dynamic tension to preserve a unified integrity. The idea here is to accept yourself exactly how you are at the present moment and go from there. This way, as the body opens up over time, the postures will naturally assemble and inflate of themselves, until they reach their optimum balance and efficiency.
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