Zhan Zhuang

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I have heard that one should practice Zhan Zhuang daily. However, I have been alternating it with Ashtanga yoga. So I am doing some form of energy work every day. Must I do Zhan Zhuang every day to accrue maximum benefit from it? Or is it OK to practice it every other day as long as I am alternating it with yoga or other forms of qigong?

Any comments are welcome. You may know more than you think you do.

Thanks,
Craig

[Anonymous]

Craig, it depends on your goals in life. Where do you want to get, and where do you want to be when the Angel of Life and Death knocks on your door? Yoga has the Indo-Arian stem “Yug”, English “Yoke”, with the initial meaning and action of “(re-)uniting” 2 oxen, and metaphorically You and Heaven. Yoga will redirect your Chi up to your brains, in order to give you “Enlightenment” and TaiChiQuang/QiGong/ZhanZhuang will let it rest your TanDien, the Area where your Taoist Eternal Child resides, more or less. But still, what is your purpose? Getting stronger? To do what? To get softer? With whom? To enhance power? To hit whom? Or to love more deeply? Love whom? And why? And conditionally or unconditionally? If putting your little right toe in your left ear makes you a healer, all the better for you. If hugging trees prepares you for deeply loving thy neighbor, all the better for humanity (see: the Mastery of Love, don Miguel Ruiz). So many questions answering your question, it isn’t fair. Is Life?

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