Stephen Chang-eight brocades etc.

[Taoist81]

Some of you have read some of Dr. Changs books. How do you feel about his versions of some of the exercises. His 8 brocades (in The Complete System of Self Healing) seem even further from the usual than the broad range of demos usually available of this exercise (ex. "imagining lifting a dumbell" instead of supporting the heavens). Any experiences here? The 5 animal play also seems somewhat unusual. Pros/cons anyone?

[Taoist81]

Topping to see if anyone might have info.

[Franklin]

he teaches them basically just like they are in the book...

 

i learned them in a seminar i attended with him

 

the five animal frolics are basically just like in the book as well....

 

his eight brocades are a nice variation of the set

he says they can be done to the eight direction to harmonize with the energy of the different directions/trigrams

 

i think the dumbbell thing is an easy and quick way to get western people to have the mind intent for the movement- (maybe a slightly different mind intent from the hands supporting heaven

 

 

in his book "complete system of self healing"

he gives a program to follow in his prescriptions section

it is actually a very nice book

 

 

franklin

[Taoist81]

he teaches them basically just like they are in the book...

 

i learned them in a seminar i attended with him

 

the five animal frolics are basically just like in the book as well....

 

his eight brocades are a nice variation of the set

he says they can be done to the eight direction to harmonize with the energy of the different directions/trigrams

 

i think the dumbbell thing is an easy and quick way to get western people to have the mind intent for the movement- (maybe a slightly different mind intent from the hands supporting heaven

in his book "complete system of self healing"

he gives a program to follow in his prescriptions section

it is actually a very nice book

franklin

 

Franklin,

 

Thanks for the response. Yes the book does seem great, it was just the apparently significant differences between his versions and the "usual" versions taught other places that stood out. Have you noticed differences in the effects of his versions vs. others (of the 5 animals/ 8 brocades etc.). Some of the stuff in the book seems quite similar to traditional methods (with extra info) while other parts are very different. The Yi Jin Jing are quite different as well.

 

Thanks again.

 

Taoist81

Edited July 22, 2009 by Taoist81

[Franklin]

I forget how many different versions of the eight section brocade i have learned over time

the one i practice the most and teach is not the version I learned in Dr. Chang's seminar

although i do sometimes practice the set every now and then (mostly if i have about a minute or two and just want to get things moving)

 

also he taught one of his eight section exercises as a way to gather the energy from the rising sun

sometimes i will practice that in exercise for that purpose.

 

 

also the five animal frolics that i practice and teach are much different from the 5 animal exercises that Dr. Chang went over in his seminar

the version i practice and teach takes about an hour or so to go through if you do 3-5 reps of each exercises for all the 5 animals- but each set can also be practiced individually- it is a great set for training the body

 

 

as for what Dr. Chang presents in his book- my feeling is that it is most likely very traditional (but with a modern presentation)

I had learned may similar practices to many of the exercise he presents in the text

 

and i think the presentation is good and thorough

my mom benefited from the daily practices recommended in Dr. Chang's book

 

 

franklin