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Previous instruction in standing (Energy Gates) started with feeling the top of your head and then downward. The Standing Qigong Mastery Program starts with the feet. Why the difference?
Thanks!
Jeff
My understanding is that when sinking and dissolving the optimal direction is downward. When building alignments, like any other building, start with the foundations and build alignments upward.
Hello Jeff, just checking to confirm clarity, it seems you might be referring to the downward scanning (which is both checking areas, going down, but also links up the areas, inch-by-inch so to speak and “sinking”.. the emphasis is on feeling, just like touching with you finger, and sliding that fingertip contact along- being aware as doing so…),
and the feet (unless I’m not catching your meaning) is in regards to areas of focus and alignments (such as focus on the sole on the ground, the arch and ankle connection and feel the bones and weight of legs/body above stacked-up), which are different..i.e. you may’ start by standing and feel (warm-up) and then scan downward feeling some (as you work down head/scalp/face./neck.. and “while you continue that”.. you start to check in on alignment and stacking-up legs/feet/lower spine etc.. while you are checking alignment.. the downward scanning is happening.. different
Like standing and pressing your palms against a wall or post.. as you continue to push and drive with legs, you keep adjusting and optimizing your alignments to puch… as you do that (keeping the pressure-push and fine-tuning), simul with that, you feel-scan downard (“OR” as ex- scan visually with eyes- say Left to Right.. what is to the left of me? what can I see? what is the first thing I see near that (going Right-ward)… etc.. just what can I see, looking across. (another concept of “scan” but Left to Right, vs Top to Bottom, and Visual-look vs kinesthetic-tactile-feel (vs “emotional-feel”)Hopefully that example works- as can see (?) that looking with eyes, and “Paying attn” is not blocking aligning up body- even lining-it-up better.. to better support.. just as scanning-feeling down (links as well as notice).. is not the same, not does it block working on any of the “parts” he’s covering (whether feet, or knee, or neck, or etc.)…
The logic can be, if the bottom is wobbly the top also wobbles, so why work above, before below is “aligned” -thus feet up.. but can adjust alignment in any order.. (so it isn’t really bottom up), and hopefully that will be what other’s here would agree (not sure, anyone?) is not the same as the downward… but could be blurred as the same thing…. (if not clear the attribs of each task-principle)
Colin – “start with the foundations and build alignments upward” – Makes complete sense. Thank you!
Taokua – “if the bottom is wobbly the top also wobbles, so why work above, before below is “aligned” -thus feet up.. but can adjust alignment in any order.. “
This, too, makes sense in establishing the base first and then working the other alignments. Thank you!I did get a further response from Energy Arts that Mr. Frantzis will probably do a Standing Qigong Q&A this summer, and that, for now, “we can tell you that the program starts in the feet because having
an open lower body is key to developing the downward energy flow. In Energy Gates, he starts with the head based on the assumption that you have already opened the lower body.”
From this I feel very happy to be part of this Training Circle, because it really sounds like it is ground (no pun intended!) zero for all of Qigong and Taji. (This aligns with what Mr. Frantzis writes in “The Internal Power of the Martial Arts” book, that standing is what made all the difference for him.)
Thanks EA!
If I understand the instructions correctly, you begin with the feet grounded. But how do you ground your feet. You do that by scanning your body downward. In another word, grounding the feet is the goal. Scanning down is the mean.
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