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Hello everyone, I too am new to the Mastery program, and am so very grateful to be apart of this. My question is twofold ; first, I heard it is good to practice a form of zhang Zhuang before doing Ba Gua, Taichi and so forth, with the warmup exercises following afterwards ( or vice versa ? ). Second, I am assuming I need to open my 5 rings to fully raise my arches? Now, I am only in module 1, but through many years of inner and outer dissolving I have noticed most of my energy stuck in my head , and my stance has improved significantly from just getting that excess energy out.
Note, I have not done spiraling upwards at all because every, and I mean every single time I would go past a point I should not ( even a micro millimeter, downwards of course ), the tension would get worse, so I always stayed on that specific block to dissolve. Any wisdom on this would manner I am very grateful for. Thank you.-Adam
Hello Adam, best wishes and luck/congrats on getting this info (I’ve been fascinated with BaguaZhang for so long, and even studying with Bruce in the past, and going through this I was like- why didn’t I see/learn this before?
My first thought is, for myself to be clear what is in this program, what is in my perspective of what I see in this program, and thirdly what I might have heard in other programs…You mention IChuan, and then ZhangZhuan (related, but not the same) before doing- mentioned by? I don’t know if you have gone into the modules he sort of drips the info out, and goes into how it fits together
(even as Bruce teaches TaiChichuan.. that is distinct from NeiGung forms, and from how BaguaZhang works- different methods.. and other teachers have in further different perspectives.. )
—I find integrative-synthetics is useful and good inquiry.. but requires first getting each piece on its own terms, before digesting/Knowing it-in my self- and then I can try and work-it-out.. from my exper.. but until then…
(good to think-ponder, but just thought, to do, what does this program recommend, and can then either choose to do else/vary, or try and follow- at least grasp his logic-teaching)
In short- (with no info on your background- and interests/goals.. ie Ichuan as you love that, and have done that for yrs and want to use that background/tools.. or IChuan you’ve heard/learned and want to learn it new as you newly learn this/bagua… etc.. indiv conditions.. what need/want to work-on/develop) –but crossover-stand 5mins (in first minute, once have the gist of linking.. not sure how to make that link, but just like feeling around for a live-electrical wire in the dark, not sure “where it is” but when you have-it.. zap.. but not an ouch-zap, but a warm-flowing-linkage-ahhhh
then stabilize in that and alt these two: the Kwa SQ- first a mini-bounce sort of (like the baby-toddler thing, or a rubber-ball/espec a big swiss-ball or trampoline- sort of press on it and it squishy rebounds.. up-down in a smoothwave, how line up so don’t wobble and slip, but spring.. (can make it real small, and smooth-loose, or bigger)..
and then the second- actually do it as a deepening (maybe a few inches fold at hip- rather than a deeper sit as shown))… but have that same bounce drive that “SQ” and the Squat conserved and transformed into/via the bounce to reverse…
— and then once or twice a slight lean (#3) staying fully connected legs- on up to skull (not “bouncing” so much, but the same linkage, not dead-standing, but that vibrating bounce-spring helped you feel a solidity throughout– keep that in this)..
— then try some of the PalmStrikes (but not “strike”- but just call it small “JazzHands” – just part of the move- wrists together, and fingers point-out, rotate a steering wheel a bit either way… – with the above Eflow of crossover continued, and the connection-bounce continued, and the leg-to-skull continued.. (and now a touch of feeling turning- like you are covered in wet-clothes: as you move and reach and change palms- what would you feel in “soft tissue”- not a pop movement, but connection).… Doing that not as “before practice Bagua” but actually is the beginning setup- finish that, how different feel? then after that- only add a bit of shifting weight on feet- fwd-back-fwd back.. stabilize each point (not think of as steps- but linkage- basedupon all the prior exers.. just as palm-strike, as above, embeds all the prior activated quals- this shifting, building blocks of steps, embeds all of that).. how long does the above take, espec how long can you shift-feet on and feel the between, and study and shift again- a few minutes, five minutes? (not click-click-step- that works for some, but dig foundation-deep: and your mind will only pay attn so much)… each practice explores and feels– settle, digest.. next practice, feel different? (if feel the same, you haven’t changed from it.. yet).. if you feel different- inside, changed, then you can feel (and do) more.
over time gradually.. — you might know all above, but this approach I’d recommend, and I’d say answers your other concerns– as you feel and adjust and open and flow energy/release blocks thereby = changes you.. etc.)luck- what do you find? (as you get it, what does it elucidate to you about what you find interesting and want- ie your indiv conditions/sits. etc.)
Thank you Taokua, I am very thankful for your insight. I have actually been repeating the warmups ( kwa pump, and so forth ), and realized how bad my hips were. Now that I am opening up my kwa, my stability has increased atleast 80%! It is amazing how one little movement with awareness can be such a dramatic game changer. Thanks again man.
-Adam
Awesome- most welcome, glad my words assisted.. and great to hear you had such a shift
(let alone the deeper adjustments that are likely to accrue over time)..your question had touched on my reevaluating and reframing the warmups- and the whole system– seeing how what is in the Bagua mastery fits together a bit differently (many parts0.. thus also my comments previously, in terms of if one is trying to integrate into their existing practice (IChuan or whatever) vs wondering if should be added.. (if one already was doing such a practice would be an integration issue, and adapting the program).
….
But seeing in how many aspects are layered into the step-seq I mentioned prior (IF one is ok with focusing on the shifting and stepping for a while in-depth, vs getting on to walking and moving.. but how much can be wired-in and thus what palm-strike movement alone brings all the TaiChi and Neigung tissue movement aspects- spherical shrink&grow.. axial-turning etc… so all the building blocks can be warmed-up and activated in there.still absorbed a bit.. luck and we’ll see where this builds-to.
Well, I have been reading all the older posts, and it is extremely amazing how powerful and beautiful Bagua really is ( especially the fact this is all direct lineage teachings ). All the movement aspects and so forth ; how it embodies everything else I have learned and much, much more. The warmups are very critical, and have greatly shifted my awareness.
I was having trouble with the 3 step walking because my feet felt like ice skates ( wobbling etc ), and the sinking would not happen all the way. That is when I decided to do the warmups for a much longer time ( from 5 mins to 15 ), and can not believe how much tension there is over there ( I work on inner and outer dissolving as I gently torque the hips starting from the crown ; and noticed as I move from side to side using my kwa, hidden tension in my crown revealed itself, allowing me to dissolve it….).
Very fascinating to me, how the body really works as a whole unit, and that my stance has improved so much. I have little problem sinking and maintaining proper stability now. Although I have much tension to dissolve still, the BMP, and many members on the board with various topics have truly answered what I have been seeking these last 5 years. I am so very grateful!
-Adam
My first thought is, for myself to be clear what is in this program, what is in my perspective of what I see in this program, and thirdly what I might have heard in other programs…This is an archived forum (read only). Go to our active forum where you can post and discuss in real time.