Xing Shen Zhuang Levels 1-3

[mwight]

I was wondering if anyone here knew of any books or training materials that covered Xing Shen Zhuang levels 1-3 as described by Dr. David Shen Verdesi. I think surely there must be other sources for this information.

[gendao]

Edited January 18, 2008 by vortex

[sheng zhen]

[sunshine]

Hi,

 

So far I know of Jette a student of David teaching in Denmark. Recently I heard of someone teaching in Sweden (I think)... Jette will be to the States in MArch if I remember correctly... so far I know of no other person teaching in the States...

 

the question is what you would want to learn it for. In "our" case it is part of the Foundation training and not "the" Foundation training... so if you are interested in the rest you won'T get it by lerning XSZ alone... and if you learn it from someone else there won't be the "specifics" to it (other specifics likely though)...

 

 

Harry

[sheng zhen]

Hi,

 

So far I know of Jette a student of David teaching in Denmark. Recently I heard of someone teaching in Sweden (I think)... Jette will be to the States in MArch if I remember correctly... so far I know of no other person teaching in the States...

 

the question is what you would want to learn it for. In "our" case it is part of the Foundation training and not "the" Foundation training... so if you are interested in the rest you won'T get it by lerning XSZ alone... and if you learn it from someone else there won't be the "specifics" to it (other specifics likely though)...

 

 

Harry

Luckily for me I live in Norway and can travel to either one of them whenever I want

 

But arent there teachers i Russia, romania, turkey and italy too?

 

The "the" Foundation Training is very interesting so Im looking forward to see what fate has in it for me when time comes.

[sunshine]

But arent there teachers i Russia, romania, turkey and italy too?

 

I assume there are and heard of them, but don't have any contacts to offer...

 

one more: learning from a book. I consider it an impossible task...

 

see you someday Sheng Zhen

 

Jette is a cool teacher and very nice person indeed

 

 

Harry

[Taomas]

Hi

 

I have been practicing XSZ for about six years now. Initially the version taught by David (Verdesi), but the last years my main teacher has been prof Wang Ting Jun, who is also one of Davids teachers in XSZ.

 

There are some differences in what Wang teaches compared to the version David gives as part of his foundation training, but in large it is the same form. To my knowledge, the version found in Zhineng Qigong is also basically the same form, but done quite a bit smaller and also more simplified.

XSZ practice can by quite physically demanding, since the objective is really to prepare the body for the sitting practice, but is the best system I have found for opening up the joints and tendons and promoting general qi flow in the body.

 

There are several teachers in Sweden that offer classes in XSZ, but if you would like to go deep in the system I recommend coming either to the retreat with professor Wang (we host him for a nine day retreat in Sweden end of March-beginning April), or going to the seminar with David in Denmark this summer.

For the retreat with prof Wang, some previous knowledge of the form is required, but I think there will be a beginners week with Jette in Denmark prior to the seminar with David.

 

More info can be found on http://www.qigonginstitutet.se/ (unfortunately only in swedish) and http://www.chikungskolen.dk/english/index.htm

[minkus]

Try this, its not much but its something

 

http://www.translation-guide.com/free_onli...h&to=Danish

[r.w.smith]

Xing Shen Chuan - The Qigong for the Spine

 

The Qigong for the Spine is being taught for the first time here in Greece, by the Chinese Teacher Master Wang Ting Jun, in Seminars that took place and continue to taking place every year in the Greek Healing Tao Center in Kallithea.

 

My Intention is to help those, who already have attended the Seminar of Master Wang Ting Jun, recalling the movements and the order of these exercises. After all, I have taken those notes in the first place,. as a way to remember the movements of this Qigong every time I practice alone at home.

 

Here you will find the basic movements combined, with breathing instructions. There is though no way to learn the Qigong only by using those notes. There are many details that are missing and to write down everything would demand a lot of writing.

 

Also for many other reasons to learning a Qigong- form, a good Teacher is more than necessary.

 

Xing Shen Chuan is a Qigong that can help against several diseases and disorders of the Spine and the bones and against diseases and disorders of all the other organs of the body as well. It is well known, that the base of our Autonomus Nervus System is the Spine, because there start all the nerves which control the Inner Organs.

 

Practicing this Qigong you will very soon realize that your physical, emotional, and spiritual Health, improve day by day.

 

Master Wang ones said that this Qigong brings our Spirit back to our body and that means, according to the TCM theory that you can achieve with this Qigong clear mind, better understanding while your senses grow stronger, more alert and effective.

 

 

 

Preparation

 

Arms straight attaching the body with palms streched and facing the ground.

 

We move hands forwards to the level of the umbilicus and back , 3 times

 

The palms should always face the ground. We feel the tension in the wrists.

 

The third time with the arms behind our back, we turn the palms to face eachother

 

We bring the arms stretched to the front and to the level of the umbilicus with the palm facing the one the other.

 

We open arms aside and behind our back.

 

We turn the palms to face the Kidneys and we direct Qi from the centre of the palms to the point of the Kidneys without touching it. Left palm to the left Kidney and right palm to the right Kidney.

 

We rise palms upwards slowly and we lower them down and up again to bring the two palms touching eachother's upper side, to the level behind the heart.

 

Lower the hands along the Spine and turn the arms with elbows bent to point with your middle finger the right and the left side of the Thorax in the level of the Heart.. Stay there for a while. Imaging directing Qi from the fingers to this point.

 

Continue turning the flexed hands to bring them to point to the front and then extend the arms to the front in the level of the heart with the palms facing the Heaven. Flex the palms to face the breast with fingers touching eachother. We push from the middle of the wrist to the front.

 

We open arms to the side with palms flexed, we push from the middle of the wrist to the front.

 

We turn the flexed palms to the front till the little finger points the heaven and then to the back till the little finger to point the heaven again.

 

We relax the tension and we bring the hands above our hands to hold the illuminous ball.

 

We lower our hands bringing the illuminous ball into our body and we place our palms below our umbilicus.

 

Excersise no 1

 

In this posture, with palms crossed below the umbilicus (left palm above the right palm for the women and the opposite for the men) we relax the whole body to find the alignment again.

 

1a) We rise slightly the chin and we draw a sqare with it by moving the chin to the front as much as we can, axhaling at the same time. We keep posture without breating. We inhale and we move our chin downwards exhaling at the same time. We keep posture, we hold breathing and empty Lungs. We inhale and we start moving the chin toward our chest with the intension to touch it while we exhale at the same time. We hold our breathing in that posture as long as we can and then we inhale again and then with the exhalation we move the chin along the chest upwards to our first position. We reapeat 3-9 times or as much as we like.

 

1b) We draw the same square the same way but in the opposite direction, first downwards along the chest etc. Repeat at least 3 times.

 

1c) We bring our palms from the umbilicus to our waist. We bend the neck to touching its base. We turn head to face the right side, exhale keep empty. Ear parallel to the ground.

 

We inhale and we start moving the head from the top of the skull to the left, exhaling. Ear parallel to the left shoulder. Hold breath. Inhale and turn the head to allow the chin to touching the shoulder. Shoulders down. Hold breathing.

 

Inhale and rise head to look behind your back while exhaling. Hold breathing

 

Inhale and bend the neck to the front with the face to the left. Follow the breathing instructions while you repeat the movement to the right. Reapeat as many times you like,.at least 3 times.

 

Exercise no 2

 

From the waist we bring the arms to the front bend, like holding a mirror. We open the bend arms to the right and to the left. We turn the palms to face right and left. We extend the arms straight and we push.

 

We try to bring our arms bihind our back with bend elbows and the scapulae to touch the one the other, We exhale and we push our bend arms even lower while we let our head to bend backwards We hold our breath for as long as we can and then we rise arms and then we rise head and inhale.

 

We strech the hands with flexed palms facing to the left and to the right and we push like pushing to walls to the left and to the right.

 

We make the lotus flower with our palms and we push again from the wrist.

 

We unrolle the lotus slowly to flex our palms again. We push and then we relax bringing our hands to hold the ball in front of our heart.

 

Exercise no 3

 

Bring the palms together crossing the fingers. Bend down the upper part of the body pushing the area of the Kidneys backwards.

 

You twist the upper part of the body to face to the right while keeping the lower part of the body facing the front.

 

Turn the upper part to the left and strech the body by pushing the pelvis backwards and the hands forwards.

 

Turn the pelvis to the front while stretching the left side of the body.

 

Circle to left leading with the top of the head. Repeat and the last time from the left side we slowly rise up the body keeping the hands above the head with fingers crossed.

 

Exercise no 4

 

We bend the 7 cervical verterbras together to touch the chest with the chin.

 

Inhale and exhale. With each exhalation you bend the vertebras of the Spine one by one. First the 12 Thoracic then the 5 lumbar and at the end we bend the sacral with the Coccyx to touching the ground. We push the pelvis backwards.

 

We keep the bending position for a while and we start to rise up the Spine inhaling and exhaling like described bevor. Each time we exhale we rise up a vertebra.

 

The 7 cervical vertbras rise up all together and we bring the arms together above the head.

 

We open the arms to gather energy from the front to our heart and from above to the crown of head through the body to the Dandian.

 

We repeat many times

 

Exercise no 5

 

We stand with open legs in the width of the shoulders. We hold the palms above the belly to face the umbilicus.

 

We imaging a ball insight our belly and we start sircleing the ball inside our belly to the left- to the front- to the right- to the back for 5 times at least and then to the right -to the front- to the back- to the left.

 

We try not to move the hips neither the legs.

 

We try to feel the ball of energy turning inside our belly and massaging our inner organs.

 

Exercise no 6

 

We put our hands to the waist with legs open and the feet like in "Sarleau" way.

 

We turn the palms and we bring them to the front and the side and down again while bending down the knees as lower as we can.

 

We bring the palms in the praying posture in front of the chest.

 

We make circles with the points of the palms like the swimming dragon.

 

3 times to the left and 3 times to the right.

 

We stop in praying posture and we rise up the body straitening the legs

 

Exercise 7

 

We rise up the arms and turn the foot inwardly.

 

We bent down the back with the arms stretched above the head.

 

We stay in this posture for a while

 

We lower to touch the ground and slowly we rise up unrolling the vertebras of the spine one by one. We close with the palms crossed on the belly.

 

Exercise 8

 

With legs closed and the palms on our waist we bend the knees, with shoulders down and waist relaxed.

 

Hold the body sidewise leading our wheight to our knees and we push the elbows to the front while holding the waist with our palms.

 

The crown of the head to the heaven and the chin slightly inside.

 

Keep this posture for some minutes

 

The three parts of the body, head torso and legs to the knees aligned forming 30 deegres with the ground.

 

Exercise 9

 

Hands on the waist. We stretch the left leg forward and the toes point.

 

We sircle the foot left - up-right-down-left for 5 times and then right-down-left-up-right. We rise the knee and we bring the leg next to the other.

 

We repeat with the other leg one time outwardly and one time inwardly.

 

Exercise 10

 

Feet together, we hold the ball of energy with our hands in front of our belly.

 

We push the ball through our belly in our body and we lead it with our hands up through our head. We continue holding the ball to the left the down to the ground left - front- right - up for three times. We continue the same way to the right.

 

We end up with the hands holdint the ball above the crown. We push the ball through the crown into the body to the ground again. We gather with the ball the energy of the Earth and we bring it back through the legs to our belly.

 

We push the ball outside the belly and we hold it in front of the umbilicus. We open and close three times our palms very slightly.

 

We push the ball again through the belly into the body all along to the heart and out throut the heart again. Open and close the palms in front the heart.

 

We push again the ball throught the heart into the body and all along to the head.

 

We push through the third eye and we hold in front of it the ball. We open and close the palms three times. Into the head through the third eye again and through the crown of the head outside above the head. We open and close palms three times.

 

We close the form.

 

Notes by Athina Georgiadou

 

source,

 

http://www.the-site-of-athina.gr/xing%20shen%20chuan2.htm

[Aetherous]

Thanks r.w.,

 

That can be helpful to compare with, for those who have only practiced from the Russian dubbed video.

[fizix]

DOCTOR Verdesi LOL.

 

 

cum laude of the prestigious Non-Existent University

[ramus]

I don't give money to David!

I prefer to stay alive!

[TianXian]

and i prefer to train kung fu or buying good books or maybe even expensive ones if i have the money, but NO NO NONONO MONEY TO DAVID FROM ME

[r.w.smith]

So David has been kicked out of China ? Maybe it had something to do with insulting a well known Qigong Master, Often spoken about here....just rumours i guess.

 

Somebody here mentioned He was staying in Malaysia now. Well Malaysia has a very large Chinese population with some well known Taoist & Buddhist Teachers there, Not to mention the countless forms of Islamic Mysticism, endless varieties of Tenaga Dalam. Now we all know what a "Rat" this character "David" is,But Rats are also great surviviors and will adapt to almost any circumstance on the planet.

 

I cant help but wonder what Trick He will pull out of His sleeve next, No doubt He's already found or trying to locate another Sifu or Guru perhaps. When you got the big dollars like David, Its much easier to locate a teacher.

 

No doubt we will hear about it sooner or later.

 

Sincerely,

Bob Smith,

Edited April 11, 2010 by r.w.smith

[YMWong]

XSZ is only one of the MANY forms invented in China in the 80ies on the wave of the Qigong fever.

It was invented by Pang Ming and started to spread through his seminars and lectures, he also published a book which describes the whole practice and its origins cover of which I have scanned for your reference

 

 

Needless to say, Verdesi and many others have embroidered stories recently on many of these decent but very bland practices re-ingineering them commercially into superior 'daoist' <sic> practices

 

They are not

 

YM

[r.w.smith]

Thankyou kindly for the scan Ymwong.

 

Ok i have heard of Pang Ming, I think he is or was very famous some time ago. However i had no idea the form was created in the 80s lol, Thats not even 30 years old ! This topic becomes more absurd the deeper we go,

 

Thanks for the info,

 

Sincerely,

Bob.

[TianXian]

Thankyou kindly for the scan Ymwong.

 

Ok i have heard of Pang Ming, I think he is or was very famous some time ago. However i had no idea the form was created in the 80s lol, Thats not even 30 years old ! This topic becomes more absurd the deeper we go,

 

Thanks for the info,

 

Sincerely,

Bob.

 

let me just say like this:

 

Is Pang Ming a celestial Immortal: No

 

is his Qi Gong to became Celestial Immortal : No

 

High Qi Gong then: No

 

[TianXian]

What i mean with high Qi Gong is Qi Gong there the programme and exercises have one aim only Taoist:TAO, Zen Buddhism: Enlightened differents path but the same final goal.

[TianXian]

PS. I have not train Xing Shen Zhuang and sure never do ( i ready train genuine Qi Gong, there i feel the energi in my body) so it may be that Xing Shen Zhuang is genuine, but like i said Qi Gong with very high aim there meditation etc is include, i don't think Xing Shen Zhuang is!

 

Regards

[philbowser]

( i ready train genuine Qi Gong, there i feel the energi in my body)

 

Regards[/i]

 

Mind sharing some info about the form you practice? Thanks!

[gendao]

let me just say like this:

 

Is Pang Ming a celestial Immortal: No

 

is his Qi Gong to became Celestial Immortal : No

 

High Qi Gong then: No

Well to be fair, I don't think Xing Shen Zhuang was really billed as a "high qigong," but more of a preparatory foundational exercise.

 

A (Heming Pang's) Zhineng Qigong site seems to modestly advertise it as a qi detoxing/kinesthetic training exercise:

Level 2: BODY AND MIND METHOD (XING SHEN ZHUANG)

 

The Body and Mind Form constitute the second module of training in Zhineng Qigong and is focused mainly on development of internal qi (internal Hunyuan) . There are ten steps in the Form, each of which exercises ligaments and joints in different parts of the body, starting from head to toes. The exercises facilitate the movement of qi to the peripherals of the body and help to clear stagnant qi in parts of the body that are seldom activated, for e.g. the shoulder blades, hip joints and ribs. It is a training to unite the mind with the body and stresses on directling qi movement with physical movements.

Then again...others do purport more advanced levels with higher alchemical promises

Xing Shen Zhuang

 

Xing Shen Zhuang is a principle of Daoist cultivation and a seminal concept of Zhong Jiao Xuan Xue, which is the counterpart of Daoist philosophy and metaphysics. Translated literally, the name of this form means, "The mastery of the metaphysical entity (vehicle) that allows the formless spirit to manifest in a definite shape." In Daoist cultivation this is represented by the physical body as the ultimate and most perfect among the 10,000 things.

 

The exercises that characterize this form are found in the most disparate and seemingly far Daoist lineages, both orthodox and otherwise. The specific sequence that gives the name to the form was codified in the tenth century on Emei Shan, a mountain in western China. Since then it has been transmitted in several different lines of teachings. Various versions of the form are now practiced by a number of Daoist sects as well as Buddhist and martial sects. It has always been considered a method for "building the foundation." It was and is still practiced by the high ranking initiates.

 

The routine is made of the “opening” composed of 12 movements and 30 exercises codified in a peculiar sequence in order for the transformation process to take place.

 

For clarification, within the category of Lian Duan Tiao Shen, or practice of the body, the so called “changing the tendons and washing the marrow” do not refer in truth to a specific exercise but rather to a level or levels within the practice of the body. This is the reason why there are hundreds of practice sets for changing the tendons and for washing the marrow, each apparently different.

 

Xing Shen Zhuang is actually a master method for changing the tendons and washing the marrow, but it takes a good 2-3 years of intense training to bring the practice to such levels and to notice the results.

 

The goal of the practice is to embody the Shen Guan, or the light of the Shen, within ourselves. The process of reuniting the separate alienated self-mind-consciousness with the body is the ultimate representation of the materialized spirit and soul in Daoist cultivation. This is an important achievement in order to progress. The true healing of the primordial neurosis and schizophrenia of separation of and from the source, which is repeated at birth with the separation from the mother, is a necessary step of reintegration. Once the Shen as the self-mind-consciousness (alchemical mercury) is captured and bound to the body (alchemical lead) the training of Nei Dan can actually start. The constant sense of separation or unconsciousness, the wandering of the mind, the overpowering drive of the senses and desires and the unidirectional pull of the consciousness outward are all manifestations of one and the same condition. In traditional learning the student is told not to try any mental techniques before this attainment is reached. This is in order to prevent the practitioner from falling into the Xiao Dao, or the minor ways, leading toward Guei Qi, or the ghostly/illusory Qi, a problem of the majority of the practitioners in the west. The ability to create a form or vessel to contain the mind, spirit and Qi is a fundamental achievement, without which it is not even possible to speak about the Dan Tian. Practitioners of visualization or imaginative methods will greatly benefit from such a foundation.

 

Level 1

 

Each exercise will focus on a part of the spine, where through a series of internal manipulations, the practitioner is able to open the San Guan, or the 3 gates.

 

A simplified version of these exercises have been adopted in major Chinese hospitals both as a cure and as a rehabilitative therapy for cases of marrow cancer, osteoporosis, all kinds of arthritis, malformation or deformation of the spine, various eye conditions and also the more common diseases. Great results were shown in application for impotency and sterility. Success was also obtained in cases of mental disease such as depression.

 

In this first level, a lot of attention will be given to the study of each movement in order to accomplish the Tiao Shen, or the regulation of the body. This will reawaken unsuspected faculties and, most importantly, will strengthen the internal organs, heal disease and clear obstructions (both subtle and physical) in the spine. There will be an actual rebirth into new sensitivity, strength, flexibility, lightness and suppleness that, starting from the spine, will extend to the limbs. All this, not with a strenuous kind of exercise that requires a well trained body, but instead from a number of natural standing positions. Within 4 months of regular practice the practitioner will be ready to enter into the next level.

 

Level 2

 

Tiao Xi, or regulation of the breath. This level will introduce Nei Jing or internal power, the opening of the San Jiao, or the 3 cavities, and the refinement of the sexual essence into the higher centers. The greatness of this system is that it works and develops a so-called Neutral Qi and thus it is possible to combine it with most Daoist as well as non-Daoist practices. This peculiarity is of remarkable importance considering that, in most cases, different Qigong practices cannot be combined with each other, as demonstrated by scientific research in China.

 

Level 3

 

Tiao Xin, or the regulation of the mind and heart, will depend on a personal dedication to the practice that, at this point, will be brought to what Daoists consider to be the actual entrance into the Qigong Gate. The method of Fan Guan Ning Shen Ru Ding, or “reversing the light, crystallizing the Shen and entering stability of oneness” will be taught. This stage requires the completion of the Sheng Zheng Gong.

 

David has taken the time to explore the transmission from 4 major teachers of different lineages. The transmissions he received were from the Emei Quan Zhen, Zhi Nen Long Men, Zi Ran Wu Dang, and Huang Ji Dan Dao. He also received two more teachings and partial transmission from the Zi Yu Ba Xian Gong of Taiwan and the Lin Ji Chan Gong. David studied at length with Professor Wang Tin Jun, who is, like himself, a student of Professor He Ming as well as a cultivated Dao Ju Shi.

Edited April 13, 2010 by vortex

[Aetherous]

Well to be fair, I don't think Xing Shen Zhuang was really billed as a "high qigong," but more of a preparatory foundational exercise.

 

Agreed...you know, people always say that what makes a master is skill in the basics. Practicing high level stuff only gets you so far when you haven't yet healed, integrated and centered yourself.

 

Plus, you have low quality foundation stuff and then you have high quality. XSZ does a great job of healing the spine, which is the basis of our well-being. I would rank it in high quality, because it actually accomplishes what people are wanting from "qigong".

[r.w.smith]

Agreed...you know, people always say that what makes a master is skill in the basics. Practicing high level stuff only gets you so far when you haven't yet healed, integrated and centered yourself.

 

Plus, you have low quality foundation stuff and then you have high quality. XSZ does a great job of healing the spine, which is the basis of our well-being. I would rank it in high quality, because it actually accomplishes what people are wanting from "qigong".

 

No doubt XSZ can bring results and build some foundation for the basics. But the students would benefit more if the authentic or compatible daoist methods (whatever they are?) were followed instead of XSZ.

 

From what i can see Davids system is a mixture of many styles all combined into one. Created by him. There is no way a person can study that many different styles and become sucessful in any of them. You would be hard pressed studying two, let alone 7 or 8 as David claims.

 

Not even john chang or wang liping dare i say could study from so many different branches or teachers. Each would conflict with the other im certain.

 

IMO,I think David milked XSZ for all its worth and billed it as a superior practice.

 

Thanks,

Bob,

Edited April 13, 2010 by r.w.smith

[TianXian]

Mind sharing some info about the form you practice? Thanks!

 

np ( no problem) here it is my info:

 

http://www.thetaobums.com/index.php?/topic/14160-xian/page__view__findpost__p__185160

 

[dorian3000]

I was wondering if anyone here knew of any books or training materials that covered Xing Shen Zhuang levels 1-3 as described by Dr. David Shen Verdesi. I think surely there must be other sources for this information.

 

Please, please do me a BIIIIG favour! Do not call the guy 'Dr'. He is not one and he does not even have a degree!