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I read Jess’ post about the energies of the palm changes and I realized that I’m irritated by the notion of using vague descriptions of feelings to guide my daily practice. I’ve heard these descriptions for over twenty years and they still make no sense. Anyway, it made me think “So, What’s next?”
I’m moving on to the Chi phase. I think I’ve completed the etheric sphere as well as I can at this point. It took a couple of years to complete the work sufficiently and I realize it isn’t mastered yet, but I’ve learned over the years that you can’t complete the body for example if the mind is locking it up. You have to move onto practices that address the source of the problem and then cycle back. So, I’m moving onto the Chi phase and using Liu Hung Chieh’s overview to guide my practice.
I plan to begin working with the three tan tiens and the major channels in a very systematic fashion and in a very particular order. I’ve used the Single palm change and the Double palm change to find what I currently think is the one change. I’ve used the Wind and Thunder palms to begin refining the mastery of the major channels starting with the yin/yang channels. This work has been primarily focused on the lower tan tien.
I’m now starting to use the left and right channels in contrast to the yin/yang channels. In this practice the yin/yang channels are balanced by the left/right channels. I use the Fire palm as the container. Simultaneously the middle tan tien is used for the left/right channels and the lower tan tien is the focus of the yin/yang channels.
This might sound complicated and a little crazy but it fits into Liu Hung Chieh’s overview, step number two (see my previous post). It also is consistent with Bruce’s instruction that ultimately the lines of the trigrams are instructions for the lower, middle, and upper tan tiens. And, it is the only organization of the material that explains the order of the trigrams: heaven, earth, wind, thunder, fire, water, mountain, lake.
I posted previously that I see the jing, Chi, and shen phases corresponding to the mastery of the lower, middle, and upper tan tiens respectively. I’m now more convinced of this than ever. Even if I’m wrong, I know that the channels and tan tiens are a major subject and I need a way to work with them. I’m not sure how to incorporate the next energy bodies so I’m going to let them evolve naturally.
Just a side note: to date I’ve found that stability of the mind (step #3) is a by-product of the practice.
That’s my plan.
Each of the trigram energies have a lot of aspects to them. The easiest and best way for me to is to feel them physically. For instance the impact of a Thunder strike from Kumar is quite different from the impact of a Wind or Heaven hit. Each has different techniques, strategies, mindsets, etc, but most important of all is the impact. And once you feel it can you begin to replicate that energy inside the palm change solo, then in two person co-operative practice, then in two person non-co-operative practice.
Irritating perhaps, but nothing vague about it, that’s for sure.In terms of the map you are developing for doing ba gua, one of Kumar’s interviews included these directions:
1. Unify everything in physical and energy bodies.
2. Awaken and engage the Central Channel.
3. Explore and discover the 8 Trigram energies.So I’ve been on that route for a while now.
Good to see you are keeping up the training, always more to learn and discover, it’s a good system.
J
At first I thought this approach was like trying to learn about guns by having someone shoot you with different caliber bullets. But, I’ve experienced how it feels different when Bruce uses different “energies” and I know those experiences can be invaluable.
I think we agree on everything but the details on our approach. Every practitioner has to decide how they are going to use their time and take responsibility for their practice and choices.
I thought more about Kumar’s simple 1,2,3 list. I can’t help but wonder if #2 is really the point when you realize who you are. I also think in this simple progression, Bruce is aligning the 8 Trigram energies with the 8 energy bodies. This would make particular sense if this list was in a spiritual context.
Anyway, thanks for posting. If you could share any of the descriptions of the trigram energies from your notes or experiences, I’d be interested.
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