Yi Jin Jing

[dwai]

Found this nice guided set for Yi Jin Jing practice from Shaolin Europe. Any one has experience practicing this. I've not done this set before, but have done baduanjin. I must say I find the YiJinJing practice pretty energizing at a different (more physical level) than my Taiji practice (which is more qi and shen level nowadays). 

 

 

[escott]

It's funny you should bring this up at this time. This past weekend I was at a 2-day seminar learning level 1&2 Limitless Gate qigong.

 

https://www.limitlessgate.com/qigong/taoist-qigong-path/

 

Up until this time I had been doing Zhineng 'Lift Qi Up, Pour Qi Down' as my almost daily qigong routine. At the seminar I learned the '12 Devas Tendon Changing' routine. I have been practicing it daily and I have to say I'm feeling a different kind of energy than I felt before. I feel "Charged" in some way.

 

I had also felt Qi moving when I performed Ba Dua Jin in the past, manifested by trembling in the hands. With Zhineng I've basically felt nothing. Just done spontaneous swaying, but I think this is just due to physics and nature. 'Lift Qi Up, Pour Qi Down' is performed with feet close together and eyes closed. Have you ever tried to stand on one foot with your eyes closed? 😁 

 

Zhineng is intended to be gentle, though, with a low risk of Qi Deviation. I had a premature Kundalini awakening many years ago and while the experience was ecstatic I do not want to repeat the after effects of such an experience.

 

Anyway, to get to my point, I see a lot of similarities between the Yi Jin Jing and the 12 Devas. I've been looking at this because information about about the techniques that I learned are scant and cannot be found on the internet. This seems to be intentional. From what I can tell, though, is that Limitless Gate was developed in the Huashan mountains and has similarities to techniques developed in the Wudang mountains (which is about 100 miles away as the crow flies). Maybe someone could confirm this for me.

[dwai]

2 hours ago, escott said:

It's funny you should bring this up at this time. This past weekend I was at a 2-day seminar learning level 1&2 Limitless Gate qigong.

 

https://www.limitlessgate.com/qigong/taoist-qigong-path/

 

Up until this time I had been doing Zhineng 'Lift Qi Up, Pour Qi Down' as my almost daily qigong routine. At the seminar I learned the '12 Devas Tendon Changing' routine. I have been practicing it daily and I have to say I'm feeling a different kind of energy than I felt before. I feel "Charged" in some way.

That's a good thing. The energy I feel from yijinjing a little denser/heavier than with Taijiquan (hence jing, vs qi or shen) . Its nice and the body feels well "lubricated" after going through it. I am planning to incorporate it into my daily routine, as a warm up for taijiquan practice. 

2 hours ago, escott said:

I had also felt Qi moving when I performed Ba Dua Jin in the past, manifested by trembling in the hands. With Zhineng I've basically felt nothing. Just done spontaneous swaying, but I think this is just due to physics and nature. 'Lift Qi Up, Pour Qi Down' is performed with feet close together and eyes closed. Have you ever tried to stand on one foot with your eyes closed? 😁 

 Yeah its fun. There's a yogic pose called "Vrikshasana" (Tree pose), which can lead to some strange results if you close your your eyes...

 

[woogyboogy]

As far as I know, the Yi Jin Jing(Tendon changing Classic) originally was supposed to be a set of principles, passed down in scripture as well as orally and not necessarily a set of postures. Principles that could be incorporated into a lot of different Qi Gong sets. A certain way of internal alignement would be necessary with every "Yi Jin Jing" Set to activate the Yi Jin Jing process. Damo Mitchell writes about it in Daoist Nei Gong and also has a podcast on it. According to him it's the process of building the deep muscles in a tendon like way, through building of the Huang, through building of Qi (roughly said). It is the preparation of the body for more heavy/high level energy work.

 

Ive briefly trained under a monk of Shaolin Temple Europe, and he's the real deal, and has lots of internal knowledge and instruction in his Qi Gong Sets. So I suppose if one would take fulltime training with them, that that would take you through that process, probably also with help of the "Yi Jing Jin" Set above.

 

Interesting fact on the side...

 

The Shaolin Temple Europe is not officially recognized by the original chinese Shaolin Association/Temple - theyre kind of in a clinge. This pared with the fact that it's run by quite young monks, who apparently do some quite in depth and proper Qi Gong practice (as I could witness in their presence) makes it an interesting place to keep an eye on.

Edited July 4, 2019 by woogyboogy

[johndoe2012]

I have not tried the one you linked but this one I have tried and found it very yang and beneficial 

 

 

I think this one is more isometric than the one you linked. 

[Toni]

There are very different versions of yi jin jing, muscle tendon change. In Damo Mitchell latest book is there another version of the set? And how is it? Maybe I should consider buying it

Edited July 5, 2019 by Toni

[Spotless]

I teach yi jin Jing as taught to me by Master Yong Yao former elite grand master monk at Shaolin Temple. 

 

It is very powerful.

 

the class generally is 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Edited July 5, 2019 by Spotless

[Toni]

Are you in Europe Spotless?

[Spotless]

I live in Alameda California and teach Qi Gong in the town of Berkeley not far away.

It is free

 

When teaching I am "in practice" and they are practicing with me. Generally I do not teach during class though I am aware and sometimes adjust a posture or remind them to breath into the LDT or grab the ground with their toes etc.  

I arrive an hour and a half prior to class in order to answer questions and prepare and I also stay after class for as long as students wish.

 

ShaolinMaster.org

 

I'm Deputy Director of the US Regional Department of Shaolin Fohanmen.

Edited July 5, 2019 by Spotless

[yugenphoenix]

57 minutes ago, Spotless said:

I live in Alameda California and teach Qi Gong in the town of Berkeley not far away.

It is free

 

When teaching I am "in practice" and they are practicing with me. Generally I do not teach during class though I am aware and sometimes adjust a posture or remind them to breath into the LDT or grab the ground with their toes etc.  

I arrive an hour and a half prior to class in order to answer questions and prepare and I also stay after class for as long as students wish.

 

ShaolinMaster.org

 

I'm Deputy Director of the US Regional Department of Shaolin Fohanmen.

 

It’s amazing you teach such priceless treasures for free!

 

You are truly a realized man, you give me hope that all of these teachings aren’t lost in money, books, salesman super power videos and forums.

 

If I lived near you would absolutely take your classes. I hope those around you realize what unbelievable lucky access they have to a true man and his knowledge. Knowing most of humanity it’s doubtful 😀

 

 

Edited July 5, 2019 by yugenphoenix

[silent thunder]

58 minutes ago, Spotless said:

I live in Alameda California and teach Qi Gong in the town of Berkeley not far away.

It is free

 

When teaching I am "in practice" and they are practicing with me. Generally I do not teach during class though I am aware and sometimes adjust a posture or remind them to breath into the LDT or grab the ground with their toes etc.  

I arrive an hour and a half prior to class in order to answer questions and prepare and I also stay after class for as long as students wish.

 

ShaolinMaster.org

 

I'm Deputy Director of the US Regional Department of Shaolin Fohanmen.

We're about to pass through your town on our way to Oregon on vacation. 

What days do you teach?  I just may be able to catch a class on our way through...

 

[Spotless]

Every Tuesday and Thursday

5:45 to 6:45

Class was free and live for about a month via zoom - I might resume that though it was a bit distracting because of the technical aspects.

 

I will be on vacation from July 16th to the end of the month.

 

Contact me ahead of time and we can have lunch - it would be great to meet you! (All Bums are welcome)

My schedule is open - if you wish to take in a class please show up at least 45 minutes prior to class since it will be your first time - it is useful to go over fine points. 

You can also look up "Practice Notes" at ShaolinMaster.org

 

Easy to contact me - ShaolinMaster.org or Monkwithfamily.org

 

 

 

 

Edited July 5, 2019 by Spotless

[dwai]

10 minutes ago, Spotless said:

Every Tuesday and Thursday

5:45 to 6:45

Class was live for about a month via zoom - I might resume that though it was a bit distracting because of the technical aspects.

 

I will be on vacation from July 16th to the end of the month.

 

Contact me ahead of time and we can have lunch - it would be great to meet you! (All Bums are welcome)

My schedule is open - if you wish to take in a class please show up at least 45 minutes prior to class since it will be your first time - it is useful to go over fine points. 

You can also look up "Practice Notes" at ShaolinMaster.org

 

Easy to contact me - ShaolinMaster.org or Monkwithfamily.org

 

 

 

 

I'll be in the bay area between 7/20 and 8/2. Let me see if I can find some time to stop by your class  too

 

NVM, I missed the part about you being gone the second half of july

 

Edited July 5, 2019 by dwai

[Spotless]

13 minutes ago, dwai said:

I'll be in the bay area between 7/20 and 8/2. Let me see if I can find some time to stop by your class  too

Wow! - that would be great!

I can always create a private class if it is difficult to schedule - no charge - would be an excellent moment together.

 

If I had known you would be in town then I would have changed the dates!

 

I will keep 8/1 and 8/2 clear for you - not sure when we arrive back from the Oshkosh Air Show  https://www.eaa.org/en/airventure?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIv6__gqWe4wIVCL3sCh1tjwnbEAAYASAAEgLhc_D_BwE

where we also spend a week with my brother and his grandkids for a week in Minnesota as well.

If we need to meet the evening I arrive back that is fine with me if I get to shower!

Edited July 5, 2019 by Spotless

[Toni]

I wish I could come, but i am in europe!

[woogyboogy]

5 hours ago, Spotless said:

I live in Alameda California and teach Qi Gong in the town of Berkeley not far away.

It is free

 

When teaching I am "in practice" and they are practicing with me. Generally I do not teach during class though I am aware and sometimes adjust a posture or remind them to breath into the LDT or grab the ground with their toes etc.  

I arrive an hour and a half prior to class in order to answer questions and prepare and I also stay after class for as long as students wish.

 

ShaolinMaster.org

 

I'm Deputy Director of the US Regional Department of Shaolin Fohanmen.

 

Do teach your Qi Gong in the way to hold attention at the LDT at all times, or also to spread awareness in different parts of the body involved in the movement?

[Spotless]

On 7/5/2019 at 2:36 PM, woogyboogy said:

 

Do teach your Qi Gong in the way to hold attention at the LDT at all times, or also to spread awareness in different parts of the body involved in the movement?

It is more general - for new students (those without a past in Traditional Yoga from India, meditation and other practices) breathing into the LDT is expressed as very desirable all the time - in or out of practice - as well as awareness in the LDT. 

 

However - the location of Awareness is also taught to be in centeredness if not in the LDT to try and be in the Central Axis and this is often reminded. Awareness in the Center of Head vs forward in the head or outside of the head - or Awareness in the Middle Dan Tien or Lower dan tien - along the axis always so if one drifts up to the head - be in the middle of the head in the Axis or in the whole axis at the same moment - it depends on the student. Drifting in ones awareness is not considered a problem - but in general where it is most desirable is effective in freeing up the student from too much concentration in the movement and more feeling of the movement.

 

The teaching as presented is far more tailored when specific to an individual - A student progresses in getting to fully feel a movement as though in the movement of tides:

 

there is incoming tide - slack tide - out going tide - slack tide

 

In some movements it feels like only incoming and out going - but in a great many it can be seen and felt that there is Inhale - then a leveling of the incoming and a spreading and then a very fine clear end to that and an out going Exhale - then a leveling of the outgoing and a spreading and then a very fine clear end to that and again an Inhale. 

 

Timing is also specifically altered often so the postures do not induce trance which is often the case in flowing regularize movements. Breath is sometimes very long and then in the same posture it may be shorter. I teach IN practice so this is not particularly a conscious teaching manipulation - from that standpoint I often do not hold the breath as long as I would be inclined or go as slow as I would be inclined so as not to "kill" my students or appear to be showing off - and the class is supposed to be only one hour but it is generally an hour an 10 or 15 minutes. If I were doing it privately it might go several hours.

 

Often students are reminded to  "grab the floor with your toes",   "breath lower dan tien",   "awareness lower dan tien",  "remember to take deep breaths"  or  "remember to breath" - this is about the extent of speaking during class other than "Inhale"  and  "Exhale"

 

At this time I am not teaching teachers or giving out certificates - I do not know the name of one posture - this may seem impossible to be a teacher and not know the names of the postures - but I was not interested in them and my master spoke no English other than a Very few words. When I looked at the names they were long and of no interest to me. With that said according to him is was told by a close longtime aid to him that I am the most advanced student he has ever had in Qi Gong - I was surprised to hear that - some of his long time students consider the names of the postures and "what they are for" very important - perhaps they are correct - I have never been very concerned about either - it is not the focus of what I teach.

 

What a posture "is for" is a moving target in Qi Gong - unless it is Medical Qi Gong - postures have vastly different effects on different people and this is always changing. Breath is changing and expanding - sensitivity is expanding and changing - energy is expanding and changing - my students are new each day.

Each day comes with different compressed rigidified patterns - some are continuous themes for some and others are quite bouyant - Qi Gong frees up and breaks up rigidified patterns - this is the core of what is taught.

 

All the rest will grow with no Doing necessary - 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 8, 2019 by Spotless

[Spotless]

On 7/3/2019 at 10:45 PM, woogyboogy said:

The Shaolin Temple Europe is not officially recognized by the original chinese Shaolin Association/Temple - theyre kind of in a clinge. This pared with the fact that it's run by quite young monks, who apparently do some quite in depth and proper Qi Gong practice (as I could witness in their presence) makes it an interesting place to keep an eye on.

It is interesting that you noted the "clinge" - this seems common rather than the exception.

 

Also - were they actually monks - most from Shaolin are not monks (did not take vows etc).

 

On another note - they don't teach Qi Gong there to the students until after 5 years of Kung Fu - Qi Gong is considered high training.

[Dainin]

I met someone at a workshop who took this online course on Yi Jin Jing with Robert Peng and spoke very highly of it:

 

https://www.robertpeng.com/teachings/class.php?category=10

 

There is a class beginning on July 21. He is not a Shaolin monk though, nor is it free.

[yugenphoenix]

On 7/5/2019 at 6:15 PM, Spotless said:

It is more general - for new students (those without a past in Traditional Yoga from India, meditation and other practices) breathing into the LDT is expressed as very desirable all the time - in or out of practice - as well as awareness in the LDT. 

 

However - the location of Awareness is also taught to be in centeredness if not in the LDT to try and be in the Central Axis and this is often reminded. Awareness in the Center of Head vs forward in the head or outside of the head - or Awareness in the Middle Dan Tien or Lower dan tien - along the axis always so if one drifts up to the head - be in the middle of the head in the Axis or in the whole axis at the same moment - it depends on the student. Drifting in ones awareness is not considered a problem - but in general where it is most desirable is effective in freeing up the student from too much concentration in the movement and more feeling of the movement.

 

The teaching as presented is far more tailored when specific to an individual - A student progresses in getting to fully feel a movement as though in the movement of tides:

 

there is incoming tide - slack tide - out going tide - slack tide

 

In some movements it feels like only incoming and out going - but in a great many it can be seen and felt that there is Inhale - then a leveling of the incoming and a spreading and then a very fine clear end to that and an out going Exhale - then a leveling of the outgoing and a spreading and then a very fine clear end to that and again an Inhale. 

 

Timing is also specifically altered often so the postures do not induce trance which is often the case in flowing regularize movements. Breath is sometimes very long and then in the same posture it may be shorter. I teach IN practice so this is not particularly a conscious teaching manipulation - from that standpoint I often do not hold the breath as long as I would be inclined or go as slow as I would be inclined so as not to "kill" my students or appear to be showing off - and the class is supposed to be only one hour but it is generally an hour an 10 or 15 minutes. If I were doing it privately it might go several hours.

 

Often students are reminded to  "grab the floor with your toes",   "breath lower dan tien",   "awareness lower dan tien",  "remember to take deep breaths"  or  "remember to breath" - this is about the extent of speaking during class other than "Inhale"  and  "Exhale"

 

At this time I am not teaching teachers or giving out certificates - I do not know the name of one posture - this may seem impossible to be a teacher and not know the names of the postures - but I was not interested in them and my master spoke no English other than a Very few words. When I looked at the names they were long and of no interest to me. With that said according to him I am the most advanced student he has ever had in Qi Gong - I was surprised to hear that - some of his long time students consider the names of the postures and "what they are for" very important - perhaps they are correct - I have never been very concerned about either. 

 

What a posture "is for" is a moving target in Qi Gong - unless it is Medical Qi Gong - postures have vastly different effects on different people and this is always changing. Breath is changing and expanding - sensitivity is expanding and changing - energy is expanding and changing - my students are new each day.

Each day comes with different compressed rigidified patterns - some are continuous themes for some and others are quite bouyant - Qi Gong frees up and breaks up rigidified patterns - this is the core of what is taught.

 

All the rest will grow with no Doing necessary - 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gold brother 🙏

 

[Spotless]

Central Axis - Taiji Pole

https://images.app.goo.gl/VcxeR5V7M9HtrzLD8

 

This - comes to look / feel like this:

https://images.app.goo.gl/XXQMQucsMfdLgfqT8

 

Edited July 7, 2019 by Spotless

[escott]

I read the Preface in Damo Mitchell's book online

 

https://www.amazon.com/Comprehensive-Guide-Daoist-Nei-Gong/dp/1848194102

 

In here he says he spends a lot of time explaining sinew-changing practices in the book. My interest is now peaked. I might have to buy this. Has anyone read it?

[Dynasty]

On 7/10/2019 at 10:08 AM, escott said:

Has anyone read it?

 

No. But it's on my to read list. 

 

Mitchell's podcast is gold. I really like it.

[liminal_luke]

On 6/7/2019 at 6:17 AM, Dainin said:

I met someone at a workshop who took this online course on Yi Jin Jing with Robert Peng and spoke very highly of it:

 

https://www.robertpeng.com/teachings/class.php?category=10

 

There is a class beginning on July 21. He is not a Shaolin monk though, nor is it free.

 

Yi Jin Jing seems to be in the air.  There´s another thread now about Robert Peng´s online class as well.  I think it starts on July 20, though.  I plan on taking it.  https://www.penguniversity.com/,  

[dwai]

On 7/10/2019 at 12:08 PM, escott said:

I read the Preface in Damo Mitchell's book online

 

https://www.amazon.com/Comprehensive-Guide-Daoist-Nei-Gong/dp/1848194102

 

In here he says he spends a lot of time explaining sinew-changing practices in the book. My interest is now peaked. I might have to buy this. Has anyone read it?

I've read the book. It's good. He does cover the Yi Jin Jing in the book, but not the practice of the set of 12 "forms" per se. He treats Yi Jin Jing as a principle. So while it is illuminating, it still leaves an opening for a teacher to explain and correlate the practice with the "principle of Yi Jin Jing" as outlined in his book.