Zhan Zhuang

[Yuen Biao]

I've just begun to practice Zhan Zhuang daily although just for a few minutes.

 

My training currently involves running the 'microcosmic orbit', can anyone give me some principles on Zhan Zhuang training and how that differs in focus?

 

I guess complete relaxation is a good place to start!

 

Thanks.

Edited October 16, 2008 by Yuen Biao

[Zhan Zhuang]

Hi

 

Don't run any orbit whilst standing, aim for relaxation first using the wuji posture.

Start with say 5 minutes, add a minute every week up to 20 minutes. This way you won't notice the increase much. After a few months you can start working with more postures. Don't rush it. You are changing the habits of a lifetime, it takes time.

If you're training this alone, get someone to check your posture every now and again.

There's some good resources online. Lam Kam Chuen's books are about the best around on this subject also.

 

Have fun

 

zz

[Yuen Biao]

Hi

 

Don't run any orbit whilst standing, aim for relaxation first using the wuji posture.

 

Thanks for your response.

When I learned Qigong I was taught to run the microcosmic orbit standing in wuji (although I understand this can also be done sitting).

 

I knew as much to not run the microcosmic orbit when in Zhan Zhuang, is that what you mean?

 

Kind regards.

Edited October 16, 2008 by Yuen Biao

[doc benway]

I also don't practice the micro orbit while standing.

When I stand, I generally sink qi to dan tian and simply stay present and aware within the body allowing the thoughts to pass without attaching to them.

There are neigong exercises that combine a variety of intent exercises with standing but in the beginning I think it's best to stand and develop a connection with the body in the various postures.

[Spectrum]

Don't run any orbit whilst standing

 

I also don't practice the micro orbit while standing.

 

I practice both. Its my opinion that practicing while motivating your movement w/ chi, you get a quicker feeling for sensationless feelings in stillness and the still flight of complete movement.

 

Da Liu addresses this in one of his books "Tai Chi Chuan & Meditation" where he coincides the changes of the I-ching to the energy changes of the body during taijiquan. His descriptions include relating the three burners to the yin yang changes of the b ody during micro cosmic and macro cosmic orbits. I believe he describes the micro cosmic under the pretense of standing in wuji, likewise, he describes the macro cosmic orbit in relationship to the moving forms. His descriptions lend some fine rhyme and reason to even some of the preliminary sensations of heat/blood movement from leg to leg, legs to core, core to limbs, etc.

[Trunk]

When I stand, I generally sink qi to dan tian and simply stay present and aware within the body allowing the thoughts to pass without attaching to them.

I'd agree that the above is the basic instruction, "relax as best you can" being implicit in that.

 

I've also found that it's important to do some things before still standing:

- joint warm-ups, including squats

- self-acupressure

[Spectrum]

- joint warm-ups, including squats

 

Arn't these call Jongs and are for conditioning the tendons connection to bones and muscles? second part of the internal classic I think? I seem to remember once the form is learned these is normal progress. I do same. squats, plank, iron buffalo, dips, inversions, general body weight schema

 

I use self acupressure in tandom while standing, and associate these points into practice as indicators of larger patterns that need addressed. The goal of every practice is to even out all the parts into a smoothly suspended "sung"... a connective whole, doing work as a whole. As long as pain is localized sung is elusive, as soon as deeper levels of relaxation allow the dan tien to take over as the power center, movement however small produces a balanced sensation of dynamically shifting compression and tension. the goal of pile standing is to fuse the pain pleasure response into a dynamically shifting release of S T R E S S. Perhaps this is why crying and laughing can be experienced back to back.

Edited October 17, 2008 by Spectrum

[Trash Filter]

I used to do standing stake for 1hr then 30mins a day for 5 months.

The most important thing is keep the posture correct and relaxed.

I used to focus a lot on my fingers to bring the energy there, but probably a mindless state would benefit you more.

[Trunk]

Arn't these ...

Not a clue, but diggin' your prose.

[sirius]

warming up is important

 

then some basic standing exercises (wu chi, holding the belly, holding the tree, water and earth posture)

you will find these in lam kam chuens books - as other tao bums already mentioned. i would like to give some more details, but this is a little bit difficult, because my english is not that good. if you have no teacher and no one who can correct you you can do the execises from time to time in front of a mirror.

 

cooling down is important, too - at the end of the training - and the gathering of the chi in the lower dantian

 

i would look for an expierenced teacher

 

be patient with yourself

 

good luck on the path!

[sheng zhen]

then some basic standing exercises (wu chi, holding the belly, holding the tree, water and earth posture)

What is Water and Earth Posture? Do you mean Standing in the Stream?

[Yuen Biao]

Interesting responses, thanks to all.

Now I need just find the time, which is itself a problem!

[daoseeker]

Interesting responses, thanks to all.

Now I need just find the time, which is itself a problem!

 

 

finding the time is also my biggest issue for the Zhanzhuang practice....

just one more suggestion: read the book from B.K. Frantzis "Opening the Energy Gates of your body". His practice of "Dissolving" while doing Zhanzhuang is a fantastic way to relax, open up blockades and find a deep relaxation in the wright posture. It will increase your energy quite amazingly and - well - change your life! As somebody said before: Zhanzhuang is changing lifetime habits to tuning in into nature and natural body and energy structures.

 

Keep standing

[sirius]

hello sheng zhen!

 

yes, it`s "standing in the stream" (water posture). the earth posture is the one with the hands forming a triangle (the downside of the hands points to the ground) and you hold the hands at the height of your lower dantian. it`s a little bit difficult to explain, because i have to translate from german into english. if i use the wrong words, please let me know - so i can probably improve my english.

 

happy standing!

 

sirius

[sheng zhen]

hello sheng zhen!

 

yes, it`s "standing in the stream" (water posture). the earth posture is the one with the hands forming a triangle (the downside of the hands points to the ground) and you hold the hands at the height of your lower dantian. it`s a little bit difficult to explain, because i have to translate from german into english. if i use the wrong words, please let me know - so i can probably improve my english.

 

happy standing!

 

sirius

Thanks! Yes, Im very happy with my standing! It a magical practice! Totally unique! Nothing like it! Just gets better and better!

 

Your english works very good(said the guy who has problems with his own english...)

 

Im not shure I understand the Earth posture though. I cant see any reference to it in the Way of Energy book. Do you mean that the hands and forearms are parallell to the floor with finger pointing towords each other like the top of the pyramid?

 

There is not so much information about Zhan Zhuang other than what is presented in The Way og Energy Book.

[sirius]

[sheng zhen]

for me the zanh zhuang chi kung is a very powerful method that changed my life a lot. i practise now for five years, but i feel more and more like a beginner, because i realize that there are still so many things that i can learn... it`s a lifelong process, i think... zanh zhuang seems to be so unspectacular...but "the ordinary things are the spectacular things" (wang ziang zhai)...

Yes, me too! I used to do Zhan Zhuang for years, but never enough to really understand it. Only enough to enchance the chigong I was doing at the time. Then I had about 6 years break before I took it up again 5 months ago.

 

I do it very differently now. Its a practice of its own. There are so many details of posture that Im discovering and constantly correcting, so many muscles and anatomy stuff to discover and connect to, so many energetic things happening, and so many wonderful feelings. Its looks so simple, just standing, but in reality it is anything but simple. I discover new depths to it every day.

[rain]

Yes, me too! I used to do Zhan Zhuang for years, but never enough to really understand it. Only enough to enchance the chigong I was doing at the time. Then I had about 6 years break before I took it up again 5 months ago.

 

I do it very differently now. Its a practice of its own. There are so many details of posture that Im discovering and constantly correcting, so many muscles and anatomy stuff to discover and connect to, so many energetic things happening, and so many wonderful feelings. Its looks so simple, just standing, but in reality it is anything but simple. I discover new depths to it every day.

 

 

mm

[Pranaman]

zhan zhuang proves to be my most physically intense workout. also, it proves to be my most mentally enhancing activity. I most learn to go through the intense heat and shaking, i can only last 30 seconds to a minute of shaking, my goal is ten minutes of pure tremoring and heat without easing up into a taller easier posture.

[Spectrum]

Omgenius form of exercise.

[h.uriahr]

I've just begun to practice Zhan Zhuang daily although just for a few minutes.

 

My training currently involves running the 'microcosmic orbit', can anyone give me some principles on Zhan Zhuang training and how that differs in focus?

 

I guess complete relaxation is a good place to start!

 

Thanks.

Standing meditation is good for circulation in your legs. Sitting meditation is best for building chi.

[Spectrum]

Experiment.

[guangping]

Hello,

 

I've practiced standing meditation for over 20 years. You need to learn this properly from a teacher, as the corrections can be very subtle and non-verbal. You should not try to run energy through your body until you have the basic exercise down and have stood for 200 hours, traditionally speaking. Standing is just the beginning of the practice, but is good by itself.

 

Microcosmic orbit is for sitting meditation, macrocosmic orbit is for standing as it involves the legs.

 

Proper practice begins with at least 1/2 hour of warmup exercises, 40 minutes of standing, and other moving exercises afterwards to distribute the chi throughout the body. If you build up too much chi you also must know how to dissipate excess chi back into the ground. Heating up and shaking is not a goal but a by-product of purging things like lactic acid buildup in the muscles. It's not wise to become addicted to things you are trying to release.

[rain]

Hello,

 

I've practiced standing meditation for over 20 years. You need to learn this properly from a teacher, as the corrections can be very subtle and non-verbal. You should not try to run energy through your body until you have the basic exercise down and have stood for 200 hours, traditionally speaking. Standing is just the beginning of the practice, but is good by itself.

 

Microcosmic orbit is for sitting meditation, macrocosmic orbit is for standing as it involves the legs.

 

Proper practice begins with at least 1/2 hour of warmup exercises, 40 minutes of standing, and other moving exercises afterwards to distribute the chi throughout the body. If you build up too much chi you also must know how to dissipate excess chi back into the ground. Heating up and shaking is not a goal but a by-product of purging things like lactic acid buildup in the muscles. It's not wise to become addicted to things you are trying to release.

 

thanks. this addictive state your talking about, is it like having to readress acidity buildup not being sufficiently discharged?

[sheng zhen]

I got some sort of addiction to Zhan Zhuang in the beginning.

 

It reloaded my energy very quickly, but then I just as quickly lost the energy aswell. I could feel it dissipate within the hour after my practice. And I got less energy than before. So I felt I had to do lots of 5minute ZZ's all the time during the day to reload. I had to go a lot to the toilet to do while it at work. Ive been addicted to things before so I've learned to recognize it and manage to get out of it

 

So I started doing proper ending to integrate and internalize the accumulated energy, and disipline myself to do it only once a day and in longer session. If the energy does not last all day and build you up to greater health and awakefullness, then you are doing something wrong in your practice.

 

I see in the Way of Energy book they recommend doing it at work, sitting waiting for the bus, reading, and everywhere. I would say that really boosts the addictivity is not something I would recommend.