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What
is Dan Tien?
What is Silk Reeling?
What are the Jing Luo and Wei Chi pathways?
...and the terms Neijin, Weijin and Returning to Void, what do
they mean?
What is the best way to find my dan tien?
Can you go into detail regarding The Physiology?
Can
you explain the energy side of this practice?
What is Zhong Ding?
What is the difference between tai chi, power tai chi and chen
tai chi training?
Can you explain the relationship between outward movment and inner
manifestation?
How can I contact James Weston?
What
is Dan Tien?
The term Dan Tien, sometimes spelled Tan Tian, has many translations,
such as: “Cinnabar Field” and “Field of Elixir”.
The first one, Cinnabar Field, refers to the external school of alchemy’s
practice of swallowing compounds, usually of copper, mercury, gold and
even lead, to attain immortality. A better-living-through-chemistry approach
to enlightenment. Unfortunately, most of the seekers who did this found
an early death instead. The dan tien is now generally recognized as the
lower nexus point or root center of our primary energy system where we
gather, distribute and store our fundamental physical energy. Hence my
choice of the Ocean of Elixir term.
One of the earliest references to the Dan Tien that relate to the practice
of Taijiquan and inner alchemy is usually attributed to Zhang Sanfeng,
a mythical Taoist hermit and supposed progenitor of Taijiquan. In his
treatise of Taoist inner alchemy meditation methods, he gives the following
advice:
"Every day, first be quiet for a time, until body and mind are both
peacefully settled and your breathing is gentle and even. Now lightly
close your eyes and gaze into the region below the heart and above the
genitals, within a space of 1.3 inches, without becoming fixated on it
and without departing from it either. Do not forget it, do not force it.
When myriad thoughts disappear and the soul alone is present, this is
called right mindfulness.
At this time, in this mindfulness is liveliness and buoyancy; in that
energy is serenity and contentment.
When exhalation rises, it is not to collide with the heart above; when
inhalation descends, it is not to collide with the genitals below. Closing
and opening, coming and going, practice this for one to two weeks and
naturally the kidneys and genitals will gradually steam, the energy of
the elixir field will be warm. Breathing will be spontaneously tuned without
you having to tune it; energy will be spontaneously refined without your
needing to refine it.
Once energy and breath are harmonized, then there is naturally no exit
or entry, no coming or going above, in the middle or below. This is womb
breathing. This is spiritual breathing. This is the true bellows, the
true cauldron and furnace. This is the returning to the root and restoring
life. This is the opening of the mysterious female, the root of heaven
and earth."
This guidance gives clear instruction on how to begin the process of awakening
the Dan Tien process. It also highlights the most important aspects of
the process, namely to keep it simple and natural. In my experience with
this method, it also seems to enliven the circulation of chi in the Belt
Channel and Thrusting Channel, starting the refining process of converting
raw chi and original chi into jing (essence).
Most importantly for our practice, it points the way to achieving the
central energy of Taijiquan, zhong ding – central equilibrium as
well as a method to quiet distractions, cultivate refined energy and raise
the spirit.
What is Silk Reeling?
Silk
reeling is the primary movement principle of Taijiquan. It is rooted in
the feet, powered by the legs, controlled at the waist, expressed in the
hands and observed by the eyes. Its’ function is manifold: to dredge
open the meridians, loosen the muscles and condition the joints. “Chen
style Taijiquan combines the study of dynamics (force, energy, motion
and the relationship between them) with the theories of TCM…it makes
use of a spiraling method for moving internal energy, using a small amount
of force to overcome a strong amount of force…It is just like a
screw jack that can raise a truck carrying several tons of cargo…It
[the waist] lightly rotates, and causes your kidneys to expand and contract…Through
rotating your waist and spine, with circular and twining movements, it
is spread throughout your body.” From an application perspective,
it teaches you how to “use the opponent’s own strength to
strike back at him.” Specifically, it enables you to neutralize
incoming force and return it almost instantly, without giving any warning
to your opponent. There are many stories about its’ origin, but
since it is a clear depiction of the fundamental strategy of Taiji, namely
to “lead into emptiness and strike back like lightening”,
it would seem to have a Taoist flavor of non-resistance, lending credence
to the historical references to Taoist martial arts influence.
What are the Jing Luo and Wei Chi pathways?
Jing
Luo literally means “essence road” and refers to the energy
pathways inside and on the surface of the body that constitute our interconnected
energy system. It is one of the primary tenets of traditional Chinese
medicine (TCM), explaining the underlying mechanisms that acupuncture
uses to heal the body. Wei Chi literally means “outside energy”
and refers to the field of energy that we call the aura and which is responsible
for warding off “sha chi” or negative pathogens. According
to Chen Xin’s "Illustrated Explanations of Chen Family Taijiquan”,
wei chi is manifest as “Coiling power (Chan Jin) [that] is all over
the body.” The jing luo are tributaries of the central reservoirs
of energy in the body (the 8 Extraordinary Vessels), so the abundance
of chi in the dan tien is vital if you are to acquire the skill of moving
energy for martial power, healing and transmuting lower nature into higher
nature. When you can feel and manifest energy in the wei chi pathways
as a coiling phenomena, then you have really made a beginning in Taijiquan
practice.
“This power comes from Heart, on the inside it enters bones, on
the outside it reaches skin, it is one (power), not multiple (powers).
Power is Chi that comes from Heart. If it is moved in central and right
way, then it is Central Chi (Zhong Chi); when it is nourished, then it
is Noble Spirit.”
...and the terms Neijin, Weijin and Returning to Void, what do
they mean?
We
are studying an internal martial art. That means many things, but mostly
it implies that we are:
Developing an awareness of subtle energy that is revealed by focusing
within
Enhancing our capacity to store chi and then increasing its’ abundance
Opening the channels of our energy network so this energy can flow freely
Developing and enhancing our awareness skills to direct the right amount
and type of energy to any point on the body, and even outward from the
body
Becoming more and more sensitive to the energy of others in order to be
able to detect and disarm aggression
Being able to react spontaneously to any situation with poise, skill and
power.
In sum, all of this work is so that we are able to manifest a power greater
than our muscles when applying force. By internal, it also means that
we use the specialized body mechanics and the movement methods of silk
reeling in our martial techniques. This constitutes the neijin part of
training.
In order to enable our bodies to manifest and deal with this heightened
power, we also build up the strength of the body with exercises designed
to stabilize our base, loosen our waist and strengthen our connective
tissues. These external exercises are considered weijin exercises, since
their focus is on building strength and tempering the body.
Returning to the void is simple and endlessly interesting. However, it
may not be easy at first. According to Chinese cosmology, that which preceded
all things was Wuji, nothingness. Then awareness was born and there was
movement (Liang Yi – roughly “two intentions”) and a
separation of the original into opposites. Then these opposites, yin and
yang phases of the original emptiness, began to move together, and their
polarized nature created energy between them (chi). From there, the phenomenal
universe as we know it was born. In Taiji practice, we begin by settling
our minds into a state that imitates this undisturbed state. Then in order
to gain the genuine benefits of chi cultivation, we finish in this way
as well. By concentrating the attracted and refined energy into the lower
dan tien, we charge our system with energy.
What is the best way to find my dan tien?
The
best way to find your dan tien is to let your fingers do the walking.
Place your index finger into your navel and let your other fingers rest
on your abdomen. Then place the knuckles of your other hand on the small
of your back, centered on your spine, with your index finger centered
on the deepest part of the curve. Your dan tien is located in the area
in between your pinky finger of the hand on the front and the pinky knuckle
of the hand on your lower back. The anatomical location is the hypogastric
void, a very small, empty area in the midst of your intestines. Another
way to find it is by the sound of rumbling that often occurs when you
finish condensing the chi into the dan tien. Can you go into detail regarding
The Physiology?
::The diaphragms::
Since
one of the goals is to increase the pressure in the dan tien, it is helpful
to be aware of the role that the urogenital and pulmonary diaphragm play
in this endeavor. These two muscles are really more connective tissue
types, with the urogenital diaphragm supporting our lower elimination
and reproductive organs and the pulmonary diaphragm operating our lungs
and providing some support for our thoracic cavity. The urogenital diaphragm
is also associated with our hui yin, the point where yin energy from the
earth enters the Microcosmic Orbit cycle. Together, they create a pumping
action that drives jing deep into the dan tien, thereby increasing the
capacity and amount of energy in our reservoir.
::Connecting the hub to the spokes – tendons and ligaments::
Because
muscular tension and skeletal mis-alignments can inhibit the flow of chi
(or be a result of the underlying blockage), the traditional emphasis
of silk reeling training is on stretching the tendons and nourishing the
ligaments to open the jing luo and prepare the body for form and push
hand training. Further, if you look at an acupuncture model, you will
see that many major points are at the joints and according to TCM theory,
disease begins at the joint. This is one of the reasons why Taiji classes
begin with joint coiling exercises.
Since most stiffness in movement happens because of excess muscular tension,
Taiji emphasizes relaxation of the muscles. However, you still need some
strength to work effectively, so the concentration is on building up the
elasticity and tensile strength of the tendons and ligaments. This is
why it is important to perform the silk reeling movements in an open,
relaxed and refined way.
Deep roots and an empty shirt – rooting the feet and relaxing the
torso
Most people have a high center of gravity because of poor posture and
rising chi in their chest due to being over-stressed. This leads to chronic
tension in the neck, shoulders, back and chest. The shallow breathing
and high blood pressure this causes can lead to serious stress-related
illness. It is also the wrong structure for Taijiquan techniques. So one
of the first priorities on the road to Taiji skill is to establish a deep
root and to release this tension.
Our practice of zhang zhuang and hun yuan zhuang are designed to begin
the process of rooting the feet, strengthening the legs, settling the
pelvis and allowing the torso to release tension.
::Spinal power::
Many
masters have been quoted as saying that Taijiquan is primarily spinal
power and skill. Since the spine is our central mainstay, this makes sense.
When the spine is both flexible and strong, the rest of our body will
be better able to move and adapt to our environment, as well as an opponent.
Because the emphasis of Taiji techniques is to neutralize and issue focused
power, we must have a durable equipoise so that we can remain relaxed
in the face of violence and thereby “lead our opponent into emptiness,
suddenly striking like lightening without any notice.” In health-cultivation
terms, a healthy spine ensures that the millions of subtle nerve functions
between the brain and the body are clearly communicated, keeping the body
balanced and in harmony.
However, be careful not to over straighten or collapse the natural curves.
Again, naturalness and simplicity are your best guides in correcting and
improving your practice.
Can you explain the energy side of this practice?
::Awakening the Chi::
The dan tien stores and distributes both the original chi we received
from our parents as well as the accumulated chi from our food and breathing.
So an attainable goal for everyone is to begin to feel the chi growing
and moving within us. This usually involves meditative imagination at
first, using guided visualization to develop the sensitivity to discern
chi in the body.
::Cultivating the Chi::
Once the chi is felt, the next step is to nourish it with meditative and
internal exercises, gradually building up capacity and abundance in the
dan tien and then throughout the system. This can be done with the standing
postures, gentle silk reeling, chi packing and condensing methods. It
is also influenced by diet, lifestyle and regulating our sexual activity.
::Circulating Chi through the Jing Luo::
The water in the well does no one any good in the well. So our next step
is to lead the chi through the jing luo. Of course, this happens naturally,
yet there may be deficiencies or excesses in the system, which can be
corrected. The best ways are the silk reeling exercises and gentle form
practice. This process will work best with a focused intent (yi), using
the mind to guide the process. The paradox is to “be, without being
in the way.”
::Expressing the spiral nature::
This is a high level skill wherein you are able to manifest one of the
fundamental natures of energy movement through your body. Again, this
achievement occurs naturally after years of dedicated practice and contemplation
of the basics. “Springing a surprise or leading in the opponent
is only the turning of a circle.” Because this is one of the fundamental
geometries of nature, it usually manifests naturally through dedicated
and open-minded practice.
What is Zhong Ding?
Zhong
Ding means central equilibrium and is the core energy of Taijiquan’s
8 primary techniques. It refers to the upright posture that is attained
by raising the crown point (bai hui) and sinking the hips. It also refers
to the alignment of the three dan tiens, since each of these energy centers
empower various skills, which many be combined to produce an effective
technique or healing process. Zhong Ding’s root is at the lower
dan tien.
Can you explain the relationship between outward movment and inner
manifestation?
Two
paths harmonize
Throughout Taiji practice, we are continually manifesting yin and yang,
ever changing and flowing one into the other. The lower dan tien serves
as a transit hub for the comings and goings, gathering in and distributing
out both polarities of the one energy. The process is often described
as the mixing of the yin phase from the earth (and the water in the kidneys)
and the yang phase from above (and the fire in the heart). Here is where
the conscious mind begins to lose its’ effectiveness and the xin
or heart mind leads the way.
Open and Close mutually combine
Another experience and useful skill is the opening and closing of the
body simultaneously. They always compliment each other, balancing the
movements and also the chi flow in the jing luo. If you look at any movement
in the form, there are multiple open and closed aspects, each supporting,
inspiring or restraining a body process in order to achieve harmony.
::Spiraling and twining::
Spiraling refers to the outward movement and twining refers to inward
movement. Again, these mutually combine in almost every movement as a
result of the opening and closing process. We begin working the spiral
and twine with the body, next incorporating the conscious movement of
chi within these movement patterns and eventually lead the body with the
intentional coiling energy.
::Peng manifests naturally::
Peng
is the primary energy of push hands skill. It is the buoyant, resilient,
bouncy feeling throughout the body that is a result of the abundance and
free circulation of chi. Without peng energy, the body looks rigid, angular
and when you try to apply a technique, it lacks the springiness and soft
force the enables spontaneous change and instant power.
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