Qigong and Taiji

[chi-ca]

Okay, so I picked up a copy of kungfu taichi magazine today and there is a title I can give you that is likely really well suited to your question. It's called " qigong empower ment " and it's written by Master Shou-Yu Liang and Wen-Ching wu. It costs $34.95 US$ and isa available at www.martialartsmart.com

Blooming Lotus-
I have a copy of "Qigong Empowerment" and it is a good reference. It's actually five books in one, each dealing with a different approach to qigong: medical qigong; Daoist; Buddhist; emitting, absorbing, and healing qigong; and Wushu (intensive Iron Shirt) qigong. It's very interesting and helps the reader get an idea of what sort of qigong is right for him/her. However, it also made me realize that a really good instructor would be REALLY helpful (and that Iron Shirt is definitely not for me!). I got my copy from Amazon.com
Chi-ca

 

[7starmantis]

I am rereading "There are no secrets" by Wolfe Lowenthal. There is a chapter on this in that book. Someone asked the prof. about it. He said that there was different amounts of time required to replenish your chi. And that you should abstain if you were over 50. Although CMC said this, he did not follow it. It was better to be a human being than to be a taoist immortal alone on top of the mountain.

A good book and well worth a read.

Yes, that is a very good book, and I really liked the way he appraoched this subject. I also found it interesting that CMC believed and yet did not practice this. I agree with him though, better to be a human than alone on the mountain top.

7sm

 

[Bloomingtianshilotus]

Lol... perfect irony

 

[Buddy]

I studied with Mr. Frantzis for ten years and his neigong is top notch. That book is an excellant intro to basic neigong. I prefer Gao style bagua to his version but thats me. BTW ignore BL, she's bonkers.
Buddy

 

[East Winds]

Hi Buddy,

Thanks. Yeah, which is why I did not pusue the thread any further with her. I had not studied Neigong until I came across some Wu guys a number of years ago who introduced me to it. After having practised Qigong for so many years, it came as quite a revelation. Did you ony study Neigong with Bruce?

Regards

Alistair

 

[Blooming Lotus]

Blooming Lotus-
I have a copy of "Qigong Empowerment" and it is a good reference. It's actually five books in one, each dealing with a different approach to qigong: medical qigong; Daoist; Buddhist; emitting, absorbing, and healing qigong; and Wushu (intensive Iron Shirt) qigong. It's very interesting and helps the reader get an idea of what sort of qigong is right for him/her. However, it also made me realize that a really good instructor would be REALLY helpful (and that Iron Shirt is definitely not for me!). I got my copy from Amazon.com
Chi-ca

I think reading is essentially a really big part of it IMO, but you do need to find an instructor before you begin your practice and I think even more so than with other many other styles. Iron body is great stuff btw ! What exactly turns you off about it??

Blooming Lotus

 

[Buddy]

Alistair,

Yes I also taught baguazhang for him and studied xingyi and Wu taiji. If you (or anyone) have any questions about his practices, I was one of his senior instructors and would happy to respond as best I can. I'm no earth shaker but have some brief understanding of his Daoist method.
Cheers,
Buddy
PS see my intro on that thread

 

[Hammer Head]

I've been thinking of studying qigong in addition to taiji and am wondering how many of you have done this and if you think it's very helpful. Did your taiji skills benefit from studying qigong or did you find that qigong is interesting but separate?

Qigong should always be practiced with Taiji. Adding to what others have said, I would like to quote from the book "Hunyuan Qigong" by Master Feng Zhiqiang: "Gongfa is the foundation of Hunyuan Taijiquan. The training of Gong is to nurture and to promote internal Qi, internal Jin and internal Gong. The ancients used to say, "He who practices Quan without Gong will be doomed to be void of substance till his last breath."

www.chenzhonghua.com
www.taijichinesemedicine.com

 

[RHD]

Qigong should always be practiced with Taiji. Adding to what others have said, I would like to quote from the book "Hunyuan Qigong" by Master Feng Zhiqiang: "Gongfa is the foundation of Hunyuan Taijiquan. The training of Gong is to nurture and to promote internal Qi, internal Jin and internal Gong. The ancients used to say, "He who practices Quan without Gong will be doomed to be void of substance till his last breath."

www.chenzhonghua.com
www.taijichinesemedicine.com

Are you confusing the term gong with chi gong? I don't this is saying that qigong is the foundation... There are many different gongs, and I believe what is inferred in that statement is that you have to practice some other (external body strengthening and conditioning) gongs to in order have a healthy body to support the taichi. Otherwise practicing only taichi with qigong you will have a weak vessel for all that chi...

Mike

 

[Hammer Head]

Are you confusing the term gong with chi gong? I don't this is saying that qigong is the foundation... There are many different gongs, and I believe what is inferred in that statement is that you have to practice some other (external body strengthening and conditioning) gongs to in order have a healthy body to support the taichi. Otherwise practicing only taichi with qigong you will have a weak vessel for all that chi...

Mike

Well Mike, I'm just quoting from a book written by Master Feng Zhiqiang and translated by Master Chen Zhonghua. Although I don't consider myself qualified to discuss the subtleties of the Mandarin language, it seems to me that in this case the term "Gong" and/or "Gongfa" refers to Qigong or Chi Kung.

Aside from this, I agree with you in terms of the need for proper body conditioning and fitness as a vehicle for Taijiquan or any other martial art.

 

[RHD]

Well Mike, I'm just quoting from a book written by Master Feng Zhiqiang and translated by Master Chen Zhonghua. Although I don't consider myself qualified to discuss the subtleties of the Mandarin language, it seems to me that in this case the term "Gong" and/or "Gongfa" refers to Qigong or Chi Kung.

Aside from this, I agree with you in terms of the need for proper body conditioning and fitness as a vehicle for Taijiquan or any other martial art.

I'm not much of a linguist either. Most of the Chinese I'm familliar with is Cantonese, and in that dialect gong is a term for work/exercises. Chigong would be "chi work" to my understanding. That's why I wondered about it (gong) because it's a such a general term and normally has two parts to it. Another example is heigong which is "air or breath work", which core to the Hung Gar that I practice. Also considered a method of chigong, but practiced along side with fu jow gong/tiger claw training, and various other "external" gongs without which make for weak kung fu.

Mike

 

[Jerry]

I'm gonna do something I hate: I'm going to post on a therad without reading all of it.

Taiji (Tai Chi) is a type of Qigong (chi gung). If you are looking at adding other types of qigong (say Iron Bell, or lohan, or marrow washing) to your existing taiji practice: go for it.

Not the first thing I'd recommend learning remotely, though learning it through seminar or flying to an isntructor isn't all that bad. I don't know too many personally (other than my own), but they are out there. Be warned, there are as many bad qigong people as taiji people, and we know there are a lot of those.

Jerry