Importance of an Instructor & Correct Standing Alignments!

[Anonymous]

I would like to share my experience of the benefits of not just relying on books and videos, and of having alignments corrected.

I learned several belts worth of Tracy Kenpo from excellent videos, and when I finally met an instructor in the system, although they praised my accuracy and knowledge of Kenpo, they refined some very subtle points I would have never got through videos alone. I may have stumbled across such things many years into my training, but meeting with an instructor accelerated learning and therefore experience of the benefits. Likewise, doing Wing Chun on my own was one thing, and it was through meeting with instructors and experienced students that brought accelerated learning of many subtleties. And so it is with Chi Gung:

I just had an instruction today where I assumed we would get into Cloud Hands. I’m in no rush, it was just a general assumption. The reality was, we only got as far as checking and refining the incredible subtleties of the alignments for standing chi gung, and we didn’t even get as far as the shoulders and head!! It may seem ridiculous to some people to spend a whole hour just examining and refining positioning of feet, knees, tail bone, lower back, kwa and such, but my patience and trust allowed clarification that released a huge amount of tension through correcting subtleties in structure.

I’ve mainly been relying on many years of experience in martial arts training and the instructions on posture in Opening the Energy Gates book. Until meeting an instructor today, I had been creating what I will call ‘needless’ tension through assuming the chi gung posture incorrectly. Through the use of muscles and strong movements I was compacting my body, creating tension, tight muscles, and physical movements that are contrary to the objectives of chi gung.

The instructor helped me slow my assumption of the posture and clarified so many subtle points that once rectified have IMMEDIATELY changed my experience of standing chi gung. I can therefore not recommend enough the importance of correct alignments, and meeting with a qualified instructor to help clarify and refine our experience of chi gung.

There are many videos out there, and it wasn’t until I read Bruce’s Energy Gates book that I understood the great depth and profundity of chi gung. And it wasn’t until I met with the instructor today that I realized the true importance of having them checking my practice out in person. If we don’t have the opportunity, getting clarification through dialogue is useful, but if we are interested in gaining deep experience of Chi Gung, we should set aside some time and money to meet a teacher even if it means traveling to the nearest instructor. This doesn’t mean we won’t gain some benefits on our own, I certainly have, especially from longevity breathing, but to truly gain all the benefits of chi gung, I don’t believe doing it on our own exclusively is a good habit to stay in.

The instructor I met with is Kristen Lang in Seattle Washington. Her presence is a blessing to the world! If you are in this region she can be reached here: http://heavenearthharmony.com/qigongneigong_taiji_tuina_breathing

Yours,
James

[Anonymous]

I agree with you.I will say that this exercise is subtle, completely new to every beginners, the qi benefit is beyond measure (keep you mentally and physically fit even as you age, high level practitioner never have chronic illness. Properly practised as in neigong style the qi stay strong until you die and you don’t find this in any other physical exercise) You want to keep doing it forever, so it is obvious that we want to get a proper start by learning it from someone who knows.This is actually general information in qigong circle but we often don’t see it and miss the point.
Best regards,

[Anonymous]

Hey there James- congrats

(and “hear, hear” I’d say- as in I’d Agree…)
-its the little details that most contrast with our cultural-understandings that are the hardest to see.. and even a momentary comment, from one that can SEE can have a large leverage

Great you were are able to meet with Kristen (been so long since I’ve met with her, but back when I did- I’d say you were lucky to make that connection– and to note that you’re in the Seattle area as well as I, and her -if you go back for a followup after a bit of practice, send a hello. (&/or if you read this K)

I wonder how many other readers of this forum might do that, even if they find a talk-demo, seminar-evening class, or whatever, let alone book some time with an instructor, even if travel is required, as you say a few well placed customized comments can unlock assumption (not just once, but layered).. anyway- I just wanted to affirm and agree.

[Anonymous]

Good job, Kristen is a knowledgeable practitioner and good teacher. Glad that you could get to spend time working with her, she knows what she’s doing.
J

[Author]

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