Silent Tao » Qigong

Chen Tai Chi Chuan: Original Forms and Exercises DVD

Shawn Cartwright — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 23:51:18 +0000

Our new Chen Tai Chi Chuan DVD is now available. We’ve worked hard to bring you a DVD that is usable for beginners and interesting for more advanced practitioners. This DVD contains eight complete Tai Chi practice sets based on the original style of Chen Tai Chi as taught to us by Grandmaster Chen Quanzhong, 19^th Generation inheritor of Chen Taijiquan. Enjoy the video trailer for this DVD.

陈氏太极拳：传统套路和基本功

Contents

1 Warm Up 热身

2 Post Standing 站桩

3 Silk Reeling 缠丝

4 Four Directions 四正手

5 Four Corners 四隅手

6 Five Steps 五步法

7 Thirteen Postures 十三式

8 First Form (36 Moves) 三十六式

9 Teaching Commentary 分解教学

Using the Six Healing Sounds for Healing

Shawn Cartwright — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 21:33:49 +0000

The Six Healing Sounds (六字訣 Liu Zi Jue) are one of the oldest sets of Qigong breathing exercises. Attributed to the Yellow Emperor, they describe six ways of breathing for self-healing. There is one sound for each of the major organs Liver, Heart, Spleen, Lungs, Kidney and Triple Warmer. By using the sound associated with each organ, you can detoxify and heal the organ.

The sounds are practiced in three main ways. First, you can say the sound loudly, in order to quickly detoxify the organ. Second, you can say it softly gently cleanse the organ. Finally, you say it silently to replenish and strengthen the organ.

Here is a short history of the Six Healing Sounds. It includes a list of the sounds as well as their organ correspondences. The sounds are part of the Tu Na (breathing) methods of Chinese Qigong.

Generally, it is best to practice the Six Healing Sounds in order of the generation cycle of the Wu Xing. You can also use the Wu Xing controlling cycle. Use all six sounds for daily practice or if you don’t know exactly which organ is causing the illness. However, if you do know which organ is causing the problem, you can practice the sound for it.

Getting the proper pronunciation of the Six Healing Sounds can be a challenge for Westerners. Many people prefer to use a guided version of the meditation. Here’s an English MP3 of the Six Healing Sounds that teaches 1) correct pronunciation 2) organ correspondences 3) the generating cycle and 4) the three main ways of practice. The narrator is fluent in both Chinese and English, so you’ll have clear instructions and the correct tone for each sound.

Qigong at Department of Labor

Shawn Cartwright — Mon, 16 May 2011 18:19:57 +0000

TCCII Executive Director Shawn Cartwright taught Qigong at the Department of Labor for Asian-American heritage month. The DOL employees were able to experience first hand the exercise and relaxation benefits of Qigong.

Qigong at the Department of Labor in Washington DC

Meditation for Cancer Patients

Shawn Cartwright — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 01:45:18 +0000

Ready to begin Qigong forms

Cancer patients and their families recently enjoyed a free meditation and Qigong class at Life with Cancer in Virginia. They experienced a powerful self-healing meditation, designed to enhance the effectiveness of their body’s natural healing functions. We taught them Qigong movements to help relax and open the body.

Our meditation series is based on an ancient Taoist tradition. It uses guided imagery and visualization, as well breathing and relaxation techniques. Our teacher, an abbot on Lo Fu Shan, China, used it to great effect on cancer patients, even those with end stage cancer.

The class at Life with Cancer was taught in both English and Espanol.

Cancer patients experiencing a self-healing meditation in Spanish

Yi Jin Jing Qigong Exercises for Beginners

Shawn Cartwright — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 18:59:14 +0000

Here is a video walkthrough of the Yi Jin Jing Qigong set. This set is ideal for both beginners and experienced Qigong practitioners. Also called the Muscle Tendon Changing Classic, it helps strengthen and stretch the bones, tendons, muscles and meridians.

This video features the Marco FL Qigong Ladies, who are learning the set for the first time. If you have never tried this set, follow along and let golden girls share some movement wisdom with you.

Acupressure for Headaches

Shawn Cartwright — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 00:33:10 +0000

Spring is the time of the rebirth of Yang. The sap is rising, and so is the Qi. Spring is associated with wood and the liver and gallbladder organ systems in traditional Chinese medical theory. Just as the new green sprouts shoot up out of the ground, so does the liver energy. For those with liver or gallbladder problems, this can sometimes create headaches. In addition, the blooming trees and plants can exacerbate allergies and create breathing problems.

Chinese Yang Sheng Qigong has a few suggestions to help you successfully manage the rising Yang of Spring. Try this short little Dao Yin acupressure set for the head. May it help you be as spry as a Spring chicken!

1. Press the inside corners of the eyebrow with the index fingers.
2. Use the second knuckle of the index finger to rub along the eyebrow from the inside corner to the outside corner.
3. Press the point located at the base of the eye socket, directly below the pupil, with the second knuckle of the thumb.
4. Rub the base of the eye socket with the second knuckle of the thumb from the inside corner to the outside corner.
5. Press the points on either side of the base of the nostrils with the index fingers and rub up and down.
6. Place the index and middle finger behind and in front of the ears, respectively. Rub up and down vigorously.
7. Use the thumb and index finger to rub the earlobe from top to bottom.
8. Use the thumb to rub the point located at the base of the skull, on either side of the neck.
9. Use the hands in a claw shape to massage the scalp from front to back. Spend additional time on any places that are sore.

Qigong on Marco Island FL

Shawn Cartwright — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 00:21:02 +0000

We just returned from a great Qigong weekend in Marco Island, Florida. It is hard to beat a sunny, warm island in late winter. Especially since our home city, Washington DC, was graced with a bit of snow during our stay on this island retreat.

More than 30 “Marco Ladies” joined us for three days of Qigong study and practice. We covered Taoist meditation and philosophy on aging and lifestyle. We also practice the Five Animal Frolics Qigong set and the Yi Jin Jing Qigong form. The nurses in the group earned 6 hours CNE credit for their Qigong training.

The group in Marco is quite diverse. Some live on the island year round, other travel from all over the United States – avoiding the merciless snow during the winter months. Some of them are cancer survivors. They use Qigong and meditation to accelerate their healing and maintain an active full life – several of our hosts had joined us last year for our Journey to China. More than a few of them are Qigong, Tai Chi, and yoga instructors.

Marco Island Qigong Seminar with TCCII

Qigong Exercises and Forms

Shawn Cartwright — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 23:39:44 +0000

Check out the new trailer for our Qigong Exercise DVD.

The video is designed to let you follow the movements in your own daily practice. It includes eight complete Qigong sets. These sets are the core forms in first level of the TCCII Professional Qigong Certification course series.

About “Moving with the Tao” Qigong Practice DVD

The Five Animal Frolics (Wu Qin Xi Qigong) form of medical Qigong was invented by Hua Tuo, one of the fathers of Chinese Medicine during the Han Dyanasty. It features the Tiger, Deer, Monkey, Bear, and Crane animals which were later incorporated in to Chinese Kung Fu. Eight Pieces of Brocade (Ba Duan Jin) is attributed to the Taoist Immortal Lu Dong Bing and is the most commonly practiced Qigong in the world. Post Standing (Zhan Zhuang) is considered one of the most important foundation exercises in Tai Ji (Tai Chi), Xing Yi (Hsing-I), Ba Gua (Pa Kua) and Yi Quan (I Chuan).

The Body Opening, Meridian Opening, and Shaking Sets are Nei Gong (Taoist Yoga) designed to enhance your overall health and well-being. The Energy Replenishing and Refining sets are meditation in movement. These practices will help energy healers, yogis martial artists and meditation practitioners.

1. Body Opening
2. Meridian Opening
3. Body Shaking
4. Energy Replenishing
5. Energy Refining and Projecting
6. Eight Pieces of Silk Brocade
7. Five Animal Frolics
8. Post Standing

The complete Qigong set is available on DVD at http://www.filmbaby.com/films/4744

The music on the video is “High Mountains and Flowing Waters” from the “Rising Moon” Guzheng CD, by Bing Xia Available http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/BingXia

Crazy People

Shawn Cartwright — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 13:43:41 +0000

I recently got a question from someone asking advice on “How to deal with crazy people?”

There are all kinds of people in this world. Some people are angels, others are assholes. Most people are somewhere in between. But this spectrum (should we call it the A-A spectrum?) is not all there is to defining what people are.

Some people are just crazy.

Of course, a statement like that begs for a definition, but I’m not going to provide one for you. Calling someone crazy, much like calling someone an asshole, is too relative and judgmental. In the cultivation and teaching arts, we strive to avoid attachment to labels like “crazy, asshole, angel, etc.” They tend to stereotype and group people without due consideration to their individual character. But we do recognize that colloquially, these words are used. That is, most people will occasionally come across someone who is, for a lack of a better word, crazy.

In some cultures, the crazy people – the British might say ‘madmen’ – are thought to have seen a glimpse of the God’s face. What is certain is that they see the world differently than most people. For some, their perspective is so different they become dangerous. These people are not all locked up, but the truly dangerous ones can generally be avoided if you take reasonable self-defense precautions. These aren’t the people we’re talking about here.

Most crazy people are relatively harmless and somehow manage to function in society.

Let’s just say crazy has degrees, or shall we say variations.

Certain activities, like Qigong and Kung Fu, tend to attract those who are crazier than others. That is why my friend, a Tai Chi teacher, asked the question. Here’s a summary of what I shared with him.

The Kung Fu crazies are usually those who think they are (or want to be) Bruce Lee reincarnated, or something like that. Most of them are not so much crazy as they are lacking serious perspective. Sadly, they probably won’t get it until they run into someone (perhaps someone who falls on the wrong end of the A-A spectrum) who teaches them a hard lesson.

On the spiritual or Qigong side, you might meet “Thor” (Note: fantasy name changed to protect fantasy identity.) Who is channeling the spirits of deceased Druid Extra- Groovy High Priests from Pluto. Who knows, maybe he is channeling something. While it’s possible for this phenomenon to happen, it is far rarer than people would like to believe. For the most part these people are harmless, and are usually perfectly happy with their current situation. At most they usually just take up a little time while they tell you something about themselves. If you weren’t trying to work with a group of Qigong students, they might even provide you with a plot for a bad Hollywood B movie script.

The third major category of “crazy” people is those in serious need of help. They usually know they need help, but the way they ask for help is, well, not always normal. They might for example, have a real medical problem but blame the root cause of the problem on some nebulous conspiracy. These people can be the most difficult to deal with because their problems often prevent them from getting the help they need. So what should you do when these people show up? Should you shut them out? Should you try to “fix” them?

As Taoist and Buddhist cultivators, we have a concept of synchronicity. That is, things happen, people show up, because of certain conditions. Buddhism relates it to the law of cause and effect. The Chinese would say that “you have common affinity”. Yes, as strange as it sounds, that means that you and “Thor, the Channeled Spirit of the Dead Druid High Priest from Pluto” have a connection.

Buddhism asks its practitioners to have compassion.

Taoism reminds its practitioners that “softness and gentleness is the application of the Tao.”

So, when “Thor” shows ups, consider a few things. First, unless you are in a profession that is qualified to treat that person’s problem with a particular modality, don’t try to fix them. Instead refer them to a professional who you believe can help them. This is just common sense and applies not only to crazy people, but to everyone.

Second, before you give your advice, find something in them to which you can relate. Because they are ‘crazy’ they will likely have a hard time understanding suggestions that imply they aren’t normal. For example, telling “Thor” to “go see an exorcist” is probably not going to help, even if that is what he should do. You see, such a suggestion carries with it so many unwritten connotations that it can be extremely hard for him to accept without other conditions being in place. When you can find something in other people that you can relate to, it means that you have found a way to connect with them. If you can connect with them in a way they can trust, then your gentle suggestion is more likely to be accepted.

Third, you have to learn how to manage the time these people will want to take up in the class. In some cases, you might have to ask them to leave. But in most cases, you can probably find a way to help them, even if just a little bit. For nothing else, a kind word might be in order. In any case, the important point is there is a middle way to walk between having the crazy person disrupt the class and totally shutting them out.

Remember, even crazy people have real problems. Use compassion, wisdom and gentleness. It might even help them. And you might even get a movie plot…

Pathways Natural Living Expo at the University of Maryland

Shawn Cartwright — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 13:30:19 +0000

We just finished a fun filled and interesting day at the Pathway’s Natural Living Expo at the University of Maryland. TCCII’s Executive Directors taught a Qigong and meditation class. We had expected about 30 people to show up but the room was packed with more than 70. Everyone go to know their neighbor during the Qigong movements. However, the large group was ideal for the meditation.

TCCII Meditation practice at Pathways Natural Living Expo at the University of Maryland

Many of the participants were experienced with meditation or were naturally sensitive, so the meditation was particularly powerful. Afterwards, many of them shared their experiences with us. Quite a number of the participants travelled from several states away to attend this year’s show. All in all they were a very sincere and kind group of people.