The Way of Energy: Mastering the Chinese Art of Internal Strength with Chi Kung Exercise

[Encephalon]

http://www.amazon.com/Way-Energy-Mastering-Internal-Strength/dp/0671736450/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1284326510&sr=1-1

 

How has this book remained under the radar, or has it? As one reviewer put it, it is "absolutely the ultimate beginner's guide to zhan zhuang," which is THE practice to focus on for beginners and advanced students alike, of whatever specific practice. (At least that is the consensus I got from our ongoing conversation of a few weeks ago, yes?)

Is anyone in here familiar enough with the work to discuss it thoughtfully?

 

Thanks in advance.

[bindo]

It's been mentioned quite a few times. It's a classic. Here's the video instruction. Stand still be fit.

[Sahaj Nath]

 

Is anyone in here familiar enough with the work to discuss it thoughtfully?

 

 

 

sure. what about it?

[Teddy]

I've had a few lessons with Master Lam. He's very good indeed.

[Encephalon]

I've had a few lessons with Master Lam. He's very good indeed.

 

Do you live in London as well?

[LaoTzu21]

i would like to have lessons with him too is he easy to get hold of? i live close to london

[Encephalon]

i would like to have lessons with him too is he easy to get hold of? i live close to london

 

Evidently so. Waterloo Station

http://www.lamkamchuen.com/index.htm

[LaoTzu21]

does he charge?

[LaoTzu21]

the only problem is, is he sounds like this guy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PA2VCQMfVjI&feature=related so id be laughing as he teaches me

[Sahaj Nath]

hmm... i only chimed in because i thought this was going to be a discussion thread about the practices themselves.

 

i'll at least say this much, though: he might be a great guy to meet, but it's certainly not necessary to learn something as basic as zhan zhuang from a master.

 

i've made this analogy before a couple of years ago, but it's kind of like seeking out and olympic gold medalist to teach a P.E. class. it's just not necessary.

 

you should be able to learn basic standing practices from any moderately competent teacher in your area, and it might save you a lot of money to do so.

 

there are more advanced techniques that involve direct transmission from the teacher, but if that's not what he's offering, then you're pretty much going to get out of it what you put into it, and the level of the teacher isn't going to factor in a whole lot.

 

you could learn this from a decent video. even from the book, if you're astute enough. but if you're a total novice, i STILL say you could learn it from a video.

[Encephalon]

I opened up the thread to get feedback on the book. After the past few weeks (maybe months, years?) the subject of zhan zuang has come up repeatedly and I've been in search of hard physiological data on the practice. I was able to squeeze out some of the info from the amazon site.

 

My experience with "Embrace Horse" instruction would corroborate what you said. It was a one-hour instruction, and I bought both the dvd and the book of Chu Nei Kung instruction for reference material. At the three year mark, my waves are pretty strong, and my legs feel the same as my arms did when when they started to open up.

 

I would like to see the physiological dimension demystified enough to see the dissemination of nei kung really blossom, since the world needs it so badly, but, like yoga, I would not want to see it "secularized" to the point of being cheapened. There's balance in there somewhere.

Edited September 14, 2010 by Blasto

[tumoessence]

I opened up the thread to get feedback on the book. After the past few weeks (maybe months, years?) the subject of zhan zuang has come up repeatedly and I've been in search of hard physiological data on the practice. I was able to squeeze out some of the info from the amazon site.

 

My experience with "Embrace Horse" instruction would corroborate what you said. It was a one-hour instruction, and I bought both the dvd and the book of Chu Nei Kung instruction for reference material. At the three year mark, my waves are pretty strong, and my legs feel the same as my arms did when when they started to open up.

 

I would like to see the physiological dimension demystified enough to see the dissemination of nei kung really blossom, since the world needs it so badly, but, like yoga, I would not want to see it "secularized" to the point of being cheapened. There's balance in there somewhere.

Blasto,

Speaking of Chu Nei Gung you mentioned Chu's dvd but isn't it only in vhs still or have they produced a dvd?

[Encephalon]

Blasto,

Speaking of Chu Nei Gung you mentioned Chu's dvd but isn't it only in vhs still or have they produced a dvd?

 

Yes, you're right, it's only out in vhs, which I formatted onto dvd. Also, the book "Zhan Zhuang and the Search for Wu" by Yu Yong Nian is actually a better source for the kind of data I was looking for. I found the pdf somewhere in here but I'm drawing a blank, but I guess it's pretty expensive otherwise.

[johndoe2012]

Maybe the "Internal Gongfu" blog is helpful.

[Gerard]

.

Edited September 21, 2010 by durkhrod chogori

[LaoTzu21]

I've had a few lessons with Master Lam. He's very good indeed.

ive found a local senior practitioner in a town not too far from me i may try that but i bet nothing beats being taught by a master.

Edited September 14, 2010 by LaoTzu21

[TheSongsofDistantEarth]

ive found a local senior practitioner in a town not too far from me i may try that but i bet nothing beats being taught by a master.

 

 

There's not a whole lot to it. Read his books, and watch the videos. They are even on YouTube, so there is no excuse. The main thing is to stand Zhan Zhuang every day, slowly increasing your time standing. A good teacher can correct your posture. You don't need a master to learn it, it's not like many other things. Since you're near London, go see Lam Kam Chuen for acupuncture in his clinic, he can correct your stance if you ask him. Otherwise, begin and perhaps work with the practitioner near you. Just do it.

[LaoTzu21]

There's not a whole lot to it. Read his books, and watch the videos. They are even on YouTube, so there is no excuse. The main thing is to stand Zhan Zhuang every day, slowly increasing your time standing. A good teacher can correct your posture. You don't need a master to learn it, it's not like many other things. Since you're near London, go see Lam Kam Chuen for acupuncture in his clinic, he can correct your stance if you ask him. Otherwise, begin and perhaps work with the practitioner near you. Just do it.

 

i am but with every practice there is an art to it. underestimating an artform is detrimental to the progression. its like not having good foundations. if your going to take something seriously its better to do it with a teacher than half assed. on your own. from my experience in just general learning. its the details that set you apart from someone elses practice.

[Encephalon]

There is only one teacher required to practice ZZ:

 

 

"Mr. Dufy lived a short distance from his body." James Joyce

 

I'm not so sure about that, but you could be right. In my experience as a personal trainer in LA, there is a huge population of people who share Mr. Dufy's plight, people who've learned to live their lives almost entirely in their heads, as disconnected from their physical selves as they can be while still alive and awake.

 

I think we've demonstrated that ZZ doesn't require advanced training and instruction, but there are a number of postural adjustments that require mindfulness and regular correction, and some folks are simply not "embodied" enough to do this without some basic instruction. Granted, that population may not be reflected by TTB folks.

[al.]

It's well worth going to a class with Master Lam, or with any of his students. However, the crux seems to be what type of class you go to- basically, if you attend a class with Mater Lam you can be sure you'll be standing for a straight 30 mins, and then some. The group energy keeps you focused, and the results are great. If you go to a class where you're not standing for that amount of time, the effects are different.

 

I've heard (from another teacher) an interesting theory about standing- when you take a low stance, you want to shift/ align your weighting so there is no stress on the knees- for this your weight should be in the centre of the foot/just forward of the heel (so as the weight is evenly balanced on the whole surface of the sole) and one should gently pull in from the navel so as to lift the pressure up the thigh and away from the knee. The higher one can take the weight, the better (so long as you can keep relaxed).

Now, supposedly this area of the body, the upper thigh, has the the largest amount of mitochondria. Mitochondria is one of the closest suspected links to the concept of Qi. So, we might make the assumption that holding and using this part of the body in this kind of way is a surefire method of boosting your energy/tonifying your Qi!

Another benefit of going to Master Lam's class is learning the postures of Da Cheng Chuan (fantastic!), not to sure but i don't think these are taught in his books.

A

[adept]

A classic book it is indeed.

My first exposure to ZZ was this book. IMHO it is very easy to learn from.

To be absolutely sure I was doing it correctly, I asked an advanced practitioner in IMA to critique my posture and alignment.

It turned out to be fine.

The follow up book 'The Way Of Power' is also very good.

[Gerard]

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Edited September 21, 2010 by durkhrod chogori

[ZhengLi]

Anyone who says that you don't need a teacher to learn how to stand, is really just saying that you can learn how to stand the way that they stand, without a teacher. Standing is deceptive in the manner that it is the easiest method to misinterpret, and because of this there are very few that actually know how to do it the way Wang Xiangzhai, his teacher, and so on did.

 

Most people only have a reference point of standing in the correct posture, relaxing, maybe visualizing something, continually correcting their posture, and that is pretty much it. Wang Xiangzhai's method of standing was the opposite of this, as he would use his mind to completely engage his muscles in real physical activities. His standing was completely mobile and moving all of the time, although not always visibly. The physical intensity would grow greater every second, and this is how he gained so much energy and power. Wang understood qi too, despite adopting scientific language for the pragmatic sake of useful teaching.

 

As far as I've seen with my own eyes, Professor Yu Yong Nian's "lineage" is the place to learn zhan zhuang and yichuan for martial power and health. I imagine Lam Kam Chuen is good. There is no way that someone can learn this without a teacher. In the United States we have one of the best, his name is Sifu Gregory Fong. His teacher too was Professor Yu Yong Nian also. I suggest reading his article on Zhan Zhuang. It illustrates some of the essential elements of an advanced standing practice. I plan to visit Lam when I eventually get to London again, I might come here to post something when that happens.

[Gerard]

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Edited September 21, 2010 by durkhrod chogori

[Mattimo]

Anyone who says that you don't need a teacher to learn how to stand, is really just saying that you can learn how to stand the way that they stand, without a teacher.

 

Hogwash. Who taught the teacher? Who taught the teacher that taught the teacher?