Knee pain, other discomfort in 2nd day of standing practice

[Anonymous]

Bruce, friends, I’m having some knee pain while standing. I’ve done Bagua and Taiji, other stuff without pain or strain for some time. Not as concerned about the “unnatural” feel of the “neutral” arm position as taught in the 1st posture as I’ve never held my arms that way, ever, though there are many other positions including the first I-Chuan pose I learned from BP Chan years ago (feels like hands are 2 naturally curved shovels with palms facing the sides, middle finger aligned with the “seam” of the pants (Mr. Chan called his teacher “Master Tailor” ;>), and a wuji pose prior to commencement of Taiji with shoulders rotated as we are doing here, a little space in the armpits…But I digress.

Anyway, would love feedback, suggestions.

J

[Anonymous]

J
Always keep the 70% rule.
Either stand for less time or do it in a more relaxed manner, but stay aware of where the discomfort begins and give it a generous berth.
I think I remember Taokua saying that standing practices bring up deeper imbalances, and maybe this is one for you since you haven’t experienced it in your other practices.
Cody

[Anonymous]

What kind of knee pain ?

Doing the 3 swings vigorously, so that the muscles are wrapping around, and also cloud hands can be useful to free up some tensions. Other thing that is very good is Tao Yin, there are some great DVDs about. You can do the 3 swings a lot.

I see little point in standing uncomfortably … better to work on the knee in other disciplines until you can stand happily. Standing unhappily is a complete waste of time.

Likewise any areas of the knee that need it can be dissolved whilst relaxing on the sofa.

Stand higher.

Also possible to shift over to the right leg so it takes all the weight and stand like that. And then over the left. This can be useful for opening up one leg at a time.

Important that the soles are clicked in to the Earth. The feel should be natural. Unnatural feel probably means doing it wron imo.

Also don’t be so concerned about holding the alignment correctly. If it hurts be flexible.

[Anonymous]

Analyze your foot and ankle.

In Session 03 Bruce gives excellent info on foot/ankle alignments.
Somewhere else (my computer connections are lousy this morning) Bruce talks about:
a. putting your mind in different parts of your body and
b. “melting” your fascia

So, if your knee has a problem look to your foot and ankle alignments.

How?
a. put your mind in your foot
(instead of always thinking about your foot from your brain.)

b. then “melt” the fascia
(the Superficial Back Line)

see also, Myers, “Anatomy Trains.”
A continuous fascia “train” runs from the bottom of your foot all the way to the head and ends at the eye brow ridge.

The back of the knee is just one station on this railroad track.

Bruce talked about turning the kwa from the lower burner by “melting” and releasing the fascia part of the leg.

A released fascia is a super-conductor of energy from station to station.
(muscles and tendons are off-line)

Critical is the ‘Bubbling Spring” on the sole of the foot.
It is the first train station that connects with the energy of the earth and must first be opened.

I don’t know if your also subscribe to the Bagua Mastery Course, but in it Bruce explains the importance of the “foot-brake” in bagua mud stepping.

The “foot-brake” opens the “Bubbling Spring.”
Just pressure there and a slight one-inch slide forward opens it.
Energy then flows to the toes and to the leg.

While “Standing” it helps to focus on the “Bubbling Spring.”

My left knee was blown out 60 years ago
(high-low front-back tackle at the knee.)
I’ve rehabbed it without surgery to about 90% with
yoga, tai chi and bagua.
My left knee joint is bone on bone–no cartilage or fluid.
It fails when I do push-hands with my left leg back and taking weight.
(don’t cry for me: that knee has held up in 20 years of Marine Corps forced-marching–50 years of heavy backpacking.)

Lately, I’ve gotten chiropractic therapy for spinal scoliosis.
I stretch my spine with a cervical traction unit hung on the back of a door with a vertical pull adapter.

It does a good job of stretching my spine.
However, the form requires both knees and elbows to touch the door while sticking the butt out.
Even without weight on it, left knee popped and crackled.
Traction is controlled by bending the knees.

Then I applied Bruce’s techniques–
1. put my mind in my foot,
2. open the “Bubbling Spring,”
3. put my mind in my knee,
4. “melt” the fascia behind the knee,
5. “melt” the whole “train” to the kwa
6. “melt” the whole fascia “train” from foot to head

and

7. Voila! knee dysfunction completely by-passed.

Knees are our weak link and are not designed to bear weight–just transmit energy through them.

Use your knee pain as a tool to correct your basic foot and ankle alignments.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Yo.

Thank you folks.

Even if nothing you said helps, your caring enough to respond at such length and in such detail should do the trick.

I’m whelmed.

Love,

J

[Author]

Posts