Tei Gong is difficult to define but it has to do with thinking of straightening of the spine and the feeling of energy travelling through the spine from the coccyx area to the top/crown of the head. I have also heard some people say that one may imagine the energy travelling out of the top of the head and travelling down the outside of the body.
I don't believe it's necessary to feel anything (energy or otherwise) travelling up the spine. Instead, the most important aspect of tei gong is to aim the coccyx area to the top of the head and be aware of everything in between.
In order to help you get this feeling, you may try to slightly contract the anus and then follow the feeling of contraction up the spine with your mind. Once you get it, stop contracting and just hold the thought of pointing the coccyx area to the top of the head.
If you do it right, you will feel your joints settle down and an added stability in your structure. Try it while holding your arm out, for example in tan sau:
1. Stand in your stance
2. Bring yourself to the tan sau position. It is important to get to this position by focusing on rotating your joints only - do not use any more muscle than is absolutely essential - this should really feel like you are using no muscle at all - only the joint rotations.
3. Relax ALL your muscles but do not sink - keep your stance the same. (There is more to be said about the stance here, but that is for another article.)
4. Do the above exercise of aiming the coccyx to the top of the head. Remember it's just a thought. Contract the anus slightly if it helps, then let go - this is just to focus your attention in this area. Be vigilant: look for tension in any part of your body and let it go.
5. You should feel a change in your tan sau - almost as if it has more potential and springs forward very slightly. I think of this as the added stability in your stance providing a better foundation for the tan sau.
If your shoulder or back muscles become tense due to holding the tan sau for an extended period of time, just return to the Wu Chi position and relax for a minute.
Jan 2012 Update
While I find the above still useful at times, I no longer really think much about travelling up the spine. Instead, I make sure all my muscles are relaxed. Then I imagine the top of the head pointing at the coccyx and vice versa. At that point, I just try and keep an awareness of the spine being straight, and imagine the spine elongating. Once I have a feeling of where my spine is, and a feeling of expansion, I try to spread this into all my limbs - into the entire body.
Sometimes it can help to imagine the centre of the joint and imagine it rotating. Sometimes this can allow the joints to relax and expand and allow the energy to flow freely. Master Chu Shong Tin suggests imagining a tiny green bean in the centre of the joint, which weights virtually nothing. Then imagine this rotating.
Sometimes I imagine energy travelling from the ground, through my legs, up my spine to the top of my head, and then down to my extremities. But as I said, I don't focus on this feeling for long. I believe the most important thing is to have an awareness of the entire body from the inside.
Summary
Tei gong is the essential ingredient in creating a strong, fluid, and alive Wing Chun stance.
It is also a central focus of Zhuan Zhuang training, or Standing like a Post.
-- this page is a work in progress -- please comment so I can add more great info --
Articles and pages about or discussing Tei Gong:
Monday, August 23, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Zhan Zhuang Sites, Blogs and Forums
Zhan Zhuang is a truly amazing form of exercise, which can unlock massive potential in your body. This will improve you overall health, power, and energy levels. (If you don't know what Zhan Zhuang is, then read this.)
Despite its awesome potential, and perhaps BECAUSE of the internal, quiet nature of the art, it's not that easy to find good sites on Zhan Zhuang (or Ritsu Zen for that matter). Quite a lot of the sits you will find are built to sell things or simply repeat content from other sites.
Over time, I've collected a list of sites and blogs that discuss Zhan Zhuang with no ulterior motive (OK, some sites may have ads or whatever, but they still have real, original articles - that is the important thing).
I've compiled the list below, to help YOU, dear reader, to learn more about Zhan Zhuang.
This list will evolve over time, and feel free to send me your links in the comments or
.
Despite its awesome potential, and perhaps BECAUSE of the internal, quiet nature of the art, it's not that easy to find good sites on Zhan Zhuang (or Ritsu Zen for that matter). Quite a lot of the sits you will find are built to sell things or simply repeat content from other sites.
Over time, I've collected a list of sites and blogs that discuss Zhan Zhuang with no ulterior motive (OK, some sites may have ads or whatever, but they still have real, original articles - that is the important thing).
I've compiled the list below, to help YOU, dear reader, to learn more about Zhan Zhuang.
This list will evolve over time, and feel free to send me your links in the comments or
.
Zhan Zhuang Sites
Zhan Zhuang Blogs
Zhan Zhuang Articles
- Qigong and Shiatsu (issue 8 of The Journal of Shiatsu & Oriental Body Therapy)
- Zhan Zhuang From an I-Chuan Perspective by Gregory Fong
Discusses the connection between Zhan Zhuang and the benefits it brings to martial arts. - What Really Happens When We Stand? by Mark Cohen (from the forthcoming book "INSIDE ZHAN ZHUANG - The Nuts and Bolts of Standing Meditation" by Mark Cohen )
Forums discussing Zhan Zhuang
I have not found any forums purely discussing Zhan Zhuang, so the ones below are general martial art or Taoist forums, whose members mention ZZ sometimes!
There are also some Facebook groups but they are pretty quiet!
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Zhan Zhuang Training Journal #1
I first learned about Zhan Zhuang (though under a different name/purpose) at Wing Chun class in July 2008. Since then I practiced it every so often before Wing Chun practice and occasionally felt some amazing things.
That was not enough to really incite me into daily practice.
Zhan Zhuang is a form of Qigong (Chi Kung) and literally means 'Standing Like a Tree'. It is fascinating form of exercise because it involves remaining completely still. Despite this, practitioners can raise their heart rate by 2X or more as well as their body temperature. It allows you to get an amazing workout without taxing your lungs.
Even though I have 3 of Lam Kam Chuen's books on Zhan Zhuang, I had not really practised in earnest. About 3 weeks ago I found Stand Still Be Fit on Youtube and decided to do a video per day for 10 days. This is because I have recently been doing a course which encourages massive change through small changes in habit on a daily basis.
So I figured this would be my in-road into daily Zhang Zhuang (and eventually kung fu) practice. Well it worked - I have missed one day in over 3 weeks and tonight I experienced something almost miraculous.
I had a goal to stand in Wu Chi (Wu Ji) for 20 minutes. I managed about 21 minutes, but toward the end of this time my breathing suddenly become extremely deep. As if my diaphram was literally pumping the air in and out of my lungs. I have never felt anything like it. My breathing was deep, peaceful and I felt like I must be getting more oxygen than I ever had.
Also around that time I felt something crawling up my leg - like a spider. I resisted looking and trusted that it is just the sensation of Chi moving in my legs. Sure enough, when I finished, I checked and no insects in sight. Very strange how real it felt.
Usually after about 5 minutes of standing my hands feel very heavy, laden with blood. Lately I notice around 10 minutes my hands start to feel very cold. This time, around the time my breathing changed, my hands sudden felt light and empty - completely the opposite of the heavy feeling above.
It was simply astounding. If you haven't tried Zhan Zhuang yet, you SHOULD. Click on the youtube link above and give it a go. I'm not saying you'll feel this immediately but stick with it.
ZZ is an activity in which you really need to have faith. Just stand in the recommended position and be aware of your body. Try to relax with a purpose. And be curious. You WILL feel amazing things. You just need to be a little patient.
Balance. Calm. The Middle Way.
That was not enough to really incite me into daily practice.
Zhan Zhuang is a form of Qigong (Chi Kung) and literally means 'Standing Like a Tree'. It is fascinating form of exercise because it involves remaining completely still. Despite this, practitioners can raise their heart rate by 2X or more as well as their body temperature. It allows you to get an amazing workout without taxing your lungs.
Even though I have 3 of Lam Kam Chuen's books on Zhan Zhuang, I had not really practised in earnest. About 3 weeks ago I found Stand Still Be Fit on Youtube and decided to do a video per day for 10 days. This is because I have recently been doing a course which encourages massive change through small changes in habit on a daily basis.
So I figured this would be my in-road into daily Zhang Zhuang (and eventually kung fu) practice. Well it worked - I have missed one day in over 3 weeks and tonight I experienced something almost miraculous.
I had a goal to stand in Wu Chi (Wu Ji) for 20 minutes. I managed about 21 minutes, but toward the end of this time my breathing suddenly become extremely deep. As if my diaphram was literally pumping the air in and out of my lungs. I have never felt anything like it. My breathing was deep, peaceful and I felt like I must be getting more oxygen than I ever had.
Also around that time I felt something crawling up my leg - like a spider. I resisted looking and trusted that it is just the sensation of Chi moving in my legs. Sure enough, when I finished, I checked and no insects in sight. Very strange how real it felt.
Usually after about 5 minutes of standing my hands feel very heavy, laden with blood. Lately I notice around 10 minutes my hands start to feel very cold. This time, around the time my breathing changed, my hands sudden felt light and empty - completely the opposite of the heavy feeling above. It was simply astounding. If you haven't tried Zhan Zhuang yet, you SHOULD. Click on the youtube link above and give it a go. I'm not saying you'll feel this immediately but stick with it.
ZZ is an activity in which you really need to have faith. Just stand in the recommended position and be aware of your body. Try to relax with a purpose. And be curious. You WILL feel amazing things. You just need to be a little patient.
Balance. Calm. The Middle Way.
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