Pablo

Holding the ball works on the whole energy system. Most of us have problems passing qi through the middle dantien. I'm not qualified to give you a proper answer to your request on the subject. There is an interesting article related to MD and MCO written by skilled taobum posters at: http://www.precisiondocs.com/~altaoism/index.htm

Glad it worked. You may try also to round your back, that is making concave (hollow) your chest. Notice that your elbows will move a little both to the sides and forward. And if any day you're having big trouble with emotions, you could try holding the ball at navel level. Let your arms expand and contract by the belly breathing. It has helped me quite a lot. IME it won't solve the blockeage at the middle tantien, but may put it on hold while developing a better foundation at the lower tantien. Best,

Check if your thoraxic diaphragm isn't tight, if your breath can't go down to your tantien. Try breathing with your belly and floating ribs. Also don't held your elbows above nipples level (but at the diaphragm)and try a narrower ball with your arms. Hope this helps!

Sifu Terry, Thanks for the answers, I'll stick to your method. As for your question, actually I don't practice Chen but Yang style. I found Hunyuan Neigong a valuable practice, after all the open-close breath & body coordination is much the same in any style. Regarding Zhan Zhuang, hopefully in a future seminar you could teach me your standing positions. Recently a major improvement in alignments made me shorten my ZZ practice from 45 to 20 minutes (I cannot bear more without tensing) but triggered many weird experiences. As for now, I'm enjoying Monk gazing at the Moon and having better sleep. Best wishes, Pablo

WTM, I do Hunyuan Qigong and Zhan Zhuang in the morning and Flying Phoenix Qigong in the evening after my Taijiquan class, so I guess there should't be any problems with that schedule. Correct me please Sifu Terry if I'm wrong. In my case, Hunyuan is like a warm-up, abling a quick torso-to-limb connection that I later use in Zhan Zhuang. The only drawback is that I got used to reverse breathing while FPQ prescribes direct abdominal breathing (at least in DVD #1), so I have to stay focused and not be mistaken in Bending the Bows. Also, I practice Zhan Zhuang mostly to correct alignments and dissolve tensions, no breathing patterns or movements involved. The six directions of force mentioned before are included in some Yiquan-like drills I practice, not in Zhan Zhuang.

Hi, I've been visiting Taobums on an off since last year but this thread really hooked me and decided to join. I recently bought Sifu Terry Dunn's DVD series and yesterday I started with the warmups, Monk Facing the Moon and Bending the Bows. I'm planning to work on them daily and if you wish I could report my progress every two months. Probably my experience could have some value to others like me, who practice Zhang Zhuang and Taijiquan. I also practiced for 3 years Feng Zhi Qiang's Hunyuan Qigong, but it's more a neigong than qigong set IME, rendering a nice whole-body integration for performing arts like TJQ, but little help if any in healing and meditation. I have high expectations on Flying Phoenix Qigong, the breath patterns appeal to me, seems like a balanced mix of yin movements and yang breathing. Sifu Terry Dunn, there are a couple of questions I would like to ask: 1. Is full lungs capacity inhale mandatory? Or could I grow over time from say 70% to 100%? The more oxygene I inhale the more hard for me is to exhale at a steady rythm (it happens fast), and also feels like my upper chest is extended, blown up, even after I exhale all the air. 2. arms, legs and torso should be moved like yiquan's opposite forces method? or just simply move them? You said to move at the speed of a shifting sand dune, and so feels much similar. On a side note, I saw a white glow in your arms in the first DVD. What was that??? Best wishes, Pablo

Hello! I've been visiting TaoBums for over a year and now decided to join in, partly because of Flying Phoenix Celestial Qigong thread. I'm from Buenos Aires (Argentina) and have been in touch with Taoism for almost 25 years, first through I Ching, then 10 years ago started with Tai Chi Chuan and Chi Kung, and last year began to try seated meditation methods. TaoBums is an astounding library of skilled practioners, so my posts would mostly be questions. Pablo

This week is much more warmer than the previous one, hope your friend is enjoying his/her visit. Thanks for your welcome Rainbow_Vein! Best wishes, Pablo