Favorite Bagua resources? (books, teachers, videos, etc)

[RobB]

From a beginners perspective, 8 arm shapes corresponding to the 8 trigrams are used for strength training and for finding lines of force through the body. This is the case in my current practice but has been also true with my previous teacher. These are practiced/investigated statically and circling. There may well be more (there usually is!) but that is where I am at the moment. I also haven't actually done a great deal of this practice as I'm currently focussed on circle walking without falling over! There is a host of stuff on https://jiulongbaguazhang.com/, some of which sort of corresponds to my understanding. It goes off into some very different areas than my practice though.  

[Cleansox]

4 hours ago, RobB said:

There is a host of stuff on https://jiulongbaguazhang.com/, some of which sort of corresponds to my understanding. It goes off into some very different areas than my practice though.  

The part when he relates to the Yijing was sort of what I was looking for, I'll assume there is more info for students that are at that level. Thanks for the link. 

[Gerard]

And the best part, it will delete your animalistic nature/tendencies revealing your TRUE NATURE. It's entirely up to you to find out what this really means.

 

The animal side is what keeps spinning your 'karma' wheel. 
 

Ba Gua Quan, more than a martial art, more than a ceremony and more than fancy body movements coated with Chinese New Age names. It's a very powerful transformational tool but for those who are ready to access that level. 
 

Edited August 10, 2020 by Gerard

[Gerard]

On 07/08/2020 at 8:37 PM, RobB said:

I'm currently focussed on circle walking without falling over!

This is part of "Foundation" work you should be doing outside the circle.

 

Start with this one:

 

Pole assisted Squat

 

I used to do it very slowly down stay there in a squat position and time myself until I was able to do it for 1 hour! That's how ungrounded I was after a lifetime of being a modern professional man brought up in school, universities, work and all that jazz. 

 

Then into Asian Squat which is done on a daily basis like going to the toilet as done traditionally in Asia (probably Europeans too in a distant past before they started thinking too much!). 
 

I used to train a body squat only starting with a kettlebell of 8kg and dropping the weight progressively until I was able to do a full body Asian squat without any extra weight and with bare feet. So 8kg-6-4-2-1. The last weights (2 & 1kg) were small dumbbells as they are cheaper than kettlebells which weren't easy to find either.

 

The Asian squat will enormously help in your Bagua progression (as well as any other IMA); it will ground you nicely. 

[RobB]

1 hour ago, Gerard said:

This is part of "Foundation" work you should be doing outside the circle.

Thanks @Gerard, I've been working on the jibengong of our school for a year - and continue to work on it. Squatting is, as you point out, excellent foundational work. I'm nearly there with the ATG squat! 

[Gerard]

Many years of work and daily maintenance after that especially for  us Westerners who grew up in a culture of thinking, using chairs and couches to eat, sit and the like. Sahara's bedouins and tuaregs, Rajasthan's Gadia Lohars and Chinese villagers and who sit and live on the ground have no problem at all as they think little and are very grounded, hence their pelvic area are loose and wide open.

 

He Jinghan has made available for free online (personal YouTube channel) the most comprehensive training program to train and open that area and the rest of the body's major joints.

 

i also like moving/shifting the body weight from side to side while sitting in the Asian squat; you can also extend the legs adopting the Pu Bu stance to stretch, open and strengthen the pelvis even further.
 

 

[Gerard]

I don't know if o ever mentioned this but the most important aspect of Ba Gua's work is reconnecting with The Mind and establishing a solid relationship with the Internal Organs. This is is deep part of the art...and there is a lot more obviously. Your task is to find out what is really going on, and you will if it was meant to be. 

 

 

Edited August 27, 2020 by Gerard

[Vajra Fist]

On 17/08/2020 at 12:33 AM, Gerard said:

He Jinghan has made available for free online (personal YouTube channel) the most comprehensive training program to train and open that area and the rest of the body's major joints.

 

Read today He Jinghan had to have major back surgery back in 2015. 

[zerostao]

 

Here is the one I think gerard is referring to, 

 

 But in past years,I've seen gerad post links to this one

He Jinbao

 

 

[Gerard]

5 hours ago, zerostao said:

But in past years,I've seen gerad post links to this one

He Jinbao

 

 

Yes the first video is about HJH.
 

Unfortunately I have never posted anything about He Jinbao.

 

 

[Gerard]

On 05/09/2020 at 9:57 PM, Vajra Fist said:

 

Read today He Jinghan had to have major back surgery back in 2015. 

And?

 

Intrigued by the gossip, I also did a web search, found the original source and will post a translation of the Chinese article when I get some time, which anyone can do with Google translate anyway . 
 

 

[zerostao]

2 hours ago, Gerard said:

 

Yes the first video is about HJH.
 

Unfortunately I have never posted anything about He Jinbao.

 

 

Not the first time, my memory has tricked me.

[Vajra Fist]

.

Edited September 7, 2020 by Vajra Fist

[Gerard]

I was going to delete the post because to be honest it's irrelevant talk, something that doesn't benefit the community at large which is the most important thing! 
 

This is the original thread which sure you could have posted rather than I having to go and find it:

 

https://rumsoakedfist.org/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=24220&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&sid=eeaaec831d8f65cc2dbe27e14e3aa685

 

About his Bagua being unusual.
 

More gossip. Please refrain from making any comments of this kind until you are proficient enough to do so, thank you. Bagua has many forms not just one but the common thing to all is circle walking. Forms are forms, it's only the surface. Only few go deep enough...wait this is a common occurrence in other schools, arts, styles, religions and philosophies. It's the old story about my Kung Fu being better than yours or my religion is the best and the rest are wrong. In ancient India they called this:

Blind men and an elephant

 

See the danger of 'forum talk' and not enough practice. 

 

Wax on, wax off, wax on, wax off, wax on, wax off...NO TALK. 

 

Edited September 7, 2020 by Gerard

[Gerard]

About how deep you can go:

 

ENDLESS.

 

There is no beginning, there is no end. You are an infinite being constantly evolving. I stop here as I'm saying too much. It's a personal experience abs journey for all of us.
 

I'll invite you to explore the open possibilities of this amazing art, but make sure you solely focus on silencing the mind while walking and doing many circles holding only ONE PALM at the time for the entire practice session. Quieting the "Mind" is one of the most challenging obstacles of this path. Focus on good stepping and breathing while trying to relax as deeply as you can.

 

Happy practice to all .

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Gerard]

Keep your practice simple. I can't emphasise this enough. The more complex and showy the forms the less internal and more ego-focused the art becomes.

 

 

 

 

[zerostao]

On 11/23/2014 at 11:55 PM, Gerard said:

Ma Gui style Bagua

 

Magui Baguazhang Promotion Center

 

"Good information about this lineage inclusive of benefits of training the art, basics, palms, routines, etc."

 

 

Yin Fu style Bagua: The Association for Traditional Studies

 

"ATS’ greatest sucess to date is saving the art of Yin Style Bagua from extinction. Reaching great fame at the end of the Qing Dynasty, by the 1980’s the only fully trained Yin Style Bagua practitioner left was the late Dr. Xie Peiqi (1920-2003). ATS discovered a traditional practitioner disillusioned with modern China and spent 10 years documenting this incredible man. Rebuilding estranged relationships with his students and taking Dr. Xie to Europe and the USA, Yin Style Bagua can now be learned by everyone anywhere in the world."

When Yin style opened up to the public with an immense amount of knowledge; deep, detailed, delightful. That was a marvelous stroke of great fortune  Generously given to the world. If you seek Baguazhang; here it is; cascading down from Dong Haichuan, who brought the Art down from the mountain, taught Yin Fu, who himself was a renowned Shaolin practitioner, Yin Fu passed the torch to Men Baozhen, who wrote the book Orthodox Bagua. Dr. Xie Peiqi grew up next door to Men Baozhen and Mr. Men took a liking to his young neighbor  and Dr. Xie Peiqi inherited the complete system which is mind boggling, considering that a single one of the eight animals is a complete deep Art/system standing alone. To have all eight? Plus, the health and energetics/ power aspects. Has to rank among the all time achievements of humanity…The fascinating history can be read on the 

 

https://www.yinstylebaguazhang.com/YSB_history.html

 
Dr. Xie Peiqi decided to make Yin Style public and his successor, He Jinbao carries on that vision. Offering more Bagua than anyone could absorb. Unless you are the Chosen One.
And just like Gerard says, gonna take tremendous commitment and work. But look at what is within your reach!!

A little Bagua goes a long ways.

 

Gerard posted a link to Ma Gui Baguazhang, which does trace its roots to Yin Style. The Ma Gui branch is rarer and less availability.

however, enough is available to keep you busy this lifetime. 
Walking the circle, Bear style, Ma Gui, correctly, alone, achieves All of Daoist transforming alchemy.

 

Once a certain amount of work is done; Qi itself becomes your guide. So does Shen too, become a guide. 
I still like to hear or read  some feedback from others relating to their experiences.

Now, nearly nine years after Gerard’s post; I am all ears and eyes on what comments Gerard would like to add.

 

 

 

Edited August 29, 2023 by zerostao

[Gerard]

1. Do a bit of circle walking every day or every other day. One needs to have practiced continuously for at least a decade (or more) of consistent and dedicated practice. 

2. Go with the flow as every year is so different. Next is the Wood Dragon. Big change from the Water Rabbit. 

3. The rest find out for yourself. 

 

 

[zerostao]

 

[RobB]

Ha - tried a few of these at the weekend. "then toe move toward the hand" mad leg strength required!

[Gerard]

 

The Story of Ba Gua Zhang - Dong Haichuan part 1

 

It is a four-part series released by the Chinese Mu Shin Martial Culture in 2020.

 

They are broken down in six videos with the following content:

 

-Parts 1 & 2. The official founder of the Internal Art, Dong Haichuan.

-Part 3. Yin Fu. One of Dong's main students.

-Part 4. Cheng Tinghua. The second main student of Dong.
-Part 5.  Sun Lutang.

-Part 6. Li Cunyi & Guo Zhenya.

 

I have only linked the first video of the series. The rest are available on YT.

Edited January 17 by Gerard

[Gerard]

Final section released by the Mu Shin Martial Culture video series about Ba Gua Zhang:

 

 

A Kung Fu Master's Tomb - The Legacy of Ba Gua Zhang

 

 

The rest of rhe videos are the following:

 

1. Last Master of a Generation - Li Zi Ming ep. 1

2. The Prince & The Kung Fu Master

3.  Last Master of a Generation - Li Zi Ming ep. 2

4.  Last Master of a Generation - Li Zi Ming ep. 3

5.  Last Master of a Generation - Li Zi Ming ep. 4

6. Ba Gua Zhang Weapons

Enjoy!

Edited January 17 by Gerard

[RobB]

Interesting talk focused on Ma Gui Bagua