Special Taoist Taiji Stick and Ruler Qigong —Read It? Doin' It?

[cheya]

This is a Taiji Ruler (and Taiji Bang) handbook "imparted by Feng Zhiqiang" and compiled by his son-in-law, Wang Fengming. Half the book is in Chinese, the other half an English translation. I'm sure this is a great book in Chinese, but the English translation is truly awful.

 

Having almost tossed the book at the gitgo, slowly I began to understand a little of it as I kept rereading it. This last time through, I understood a little more. Practicing helps me relate better to what the authors are getting at. At least I think it does. :-)

 

The authors say that practice of TJR will develop what is translated as "Integrated Primary Qi", and Wang says primary qi is also called congenital qi.  This is a central concept in the book, and I would love to know more about the meaning of the Chinese words so translated, and what they actually refer to in terms of experience in the practice. I wrote Wang once, asking, and he suggested I come to a workshop. Which is a great idea, just not practical for me.

 

Anybody got the book and also read Chinese? Or just understand what he's getting at? Or know from experience/practice with the method? Or just want to share their experience of the practice in general?

[Dainin]

Hi Cheya,

 

I have the book, but haven't been doing this version. I agree about the English text. I've been meaning to get the DVD that goes along with it, but haven't yet.

 

The one that I do practice sometimes is the Masterworks International one that you like, only I do it much more slowly than they do on the DVD, and coordinate the movements with the breath.

 

Some other ones that I have (but am not currently practicing) are Wilson Pitts' (brief) DVD. His version is similar to Ken Cohen's, only seated. This one looks good, I just haven't had time for it. Also, I recently got Fong Ha's DVD, but for the ruler, he just demonstrates a basic rocking motion with circling the hands in towards the body (he shows it both standing and seated). He does show two nice versions of Yi Jin Jing and a lot of info on standing meditation (Yi Quan). One other I have is on a DVD of an old tape by Master Sunyata Saraswati. I think he called it the "staff of longevity" or something like that. This still might be part of the Ipsalu Tantra curriculum, but I'm not sure.

 

Maybe the moderators could add this and the other Tai Chi Ruler thread to the "Group Studies" section.

[GreytoWhite]

http://www.charlestauber.com/taijiquanfoundations/index.html

[cheya]

Hi Dainin, 

All this time I thought you were doing Master Feng's version! I have the Feng/Wang DVD, and it is a huge help, but frustrating, as the verbal accompaniment to the performance is done by a woman with a very strong accent, reading word for word that terrible English translation! Word for WORD, I tell ya! That said, the DVD is still a huge help, just seeing them actually do the exercises, way better than 1 or two still pics per practice.

 

Yes, I still do the Masterworks International version too, 3.5 years now, every day. (And as you, much slower, but not necessarily coordinated with breath. My breathing often does its own thing, even when my mind does not approve!)

I've got a little of Master Feng's bang practice thrown in too, and the Chinese balls to get warmed up.

 

Rereading the book, I've started to suspect that some of the elements I have just been noticing are probably supposed to be the main focus of the practice! That I need to be much more closely tracking the internal movement of the chi, which is quite palpable, but there is so much else going on! OK, now after writing that, I say to myself, "Well, duh!". It also occurs to me that Master Feng's version does not rock, so is not co-stimulating the qaio and wei (heel) channels along with every other targeted channel, the way the MWI version does.... Probably just making excuses for myself... :-)

 

I'm also getting more interested in the bang (stick) exercises, which are said to be the yang exercises, and much more focused on developing arm/wrist/hand strength than internal energy. The ruler exercises are the yin, internal side. I learned some of the yang twining back aways, fun, but not so energetic, only to find that now, well down the road, those bang exercises seem HIGHLY energetic.

 

It's hard for me to believe no other DBs are practicing some form of this set... surely there are more of us...

 

 

 

Edited April 4, 2015 by cheya

[cheya]

Hi GreytoWhite,

 

Thank you for the link!

 

Charles Tauber's stuff is great! I have seen some of his vids on youtube, but that's hard for me, being on dial up. But maybe I will get his bang DVD. Didn't see a ruler DVD yet. He makes wonderful bangs and rulers. You can pick the wood and the style, and he will advise you, based on your body measurements and wood and color preferences. He gives very good advice!

 

I know! He made my bang! And it is so beautiful!

 

Wish I knew how to post a pic...

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dainin]

For the bang, you might want to check out Master Jesse Tsao's 8 Immortal Flute material. There are clips on Youtube. I'm not sure if this is a legacy form or one that he created, but it looks good in either case. There was a good article in Qi Journal a year or two ago by a woman who was teaching this form to veterans at the VA. I think that Taomeow may study with him.

 

I recently saw another clip of him doing a form with a cane, which he uses for both stretching and self massage.

[cheya]

Hi Dainin,

 

Yes, I've got Master Tsao's DVD, along with a number of others on TCR/bang/wand, but, for some reason, none of them appeal to me as much as Master Feng's inscrutable version. (Except for the MWI version, of course, which is quite scrutable...) I think I understand the movements, and they are in a way their own instruction... but I really want to understand what Master Feng said about it.

 

As presented in the book, the practice switches back and forth between ruler and bang. One of the strongest  practices reminds me of a witch stirring a cauldron (with the bang), which is a yang exercise?, but that exercise (shaking heavenly pillar) seems to be most closely related to this integrated primary qi.

 

The author writes:

"Through the rotation of Taiji stick driving the rotation of the body and internal qi in the same speed, at the stage of practising integrated primary qi, there is a feeling of internal qi uncontrollable by the meridians and collaterals. When internal qi circulates, it is like breaking out of flood blotting out the sky and the land to come and go. The meridians and collaterals are described as rivers and stream, and the points as villages and towns. But when the integrated primary qi circulates, it is like breaking out of torrents of water engulfing rivers, stream, villages, and towns and everywhere in a vast expanse of water."

 

So, if primary means congenital, this is integrated prenatal qi circulating?

What would that mean?

Edited April 4, 2015 by cheya

[Bruce Qi]

for those who own Special Taoist Taiji Stick and Ruler Qigong dvd , how did you manage to obtain it ?

I have tried contacting the website but no answer ? any ideas ?

thanks