Chi Gong Insights 8-29-2001 Santa Clara, Granda Inn
Standing
Attitude adjustment when you adjust head to be pulled up from top of head, chin somewhat tucked
to guard the adam's apple - you seem to stand in humility before > <, contrasting my tendency
to be a little arrogant, self-indulgent, even petulant. I wonder if this more proper attitude
could be recaptured during the day by just assuming this posture?
White crane spreads wings, step out to the left and pull back, repeat to right, etc.
has always been a balance challenge. Much progress from sitting more but I just noticed that
often when I'm lifting the extended foot, I also am rising on the planted foot and thus getting
destablized. Another improvement in performance from not just sitting more on the planted foot,
but focus on almost rocking down on it as the extended foot lifts - to counter rising on back and
extended foot at the same time.
Tai Chi private class 7/21/2001 Saturday 9 - 10 Laurel Acres Park 2nd & 3rd Sections
Corrections to my 2nd form after initial part the clouds
Left foot fwd, twisting to left, hands come around together pressing down in front of you,
right over left. When I open my arms, I've been making too wide a fan. Focus more on the
closing of elbows while upper arms open. Pull back with right shifting weight back to right foot,
turn left foot 90 degrees to the left and move forward to left foot as arms enccirle thick post
as right foot moves around next to left.
To achieve better balance, right arm (is below left) and should reach farther to the left (than I've been doing),
counterbalancing coming kick to right. Hands face body but left arm rolls (thumb to face) around
to facing out - keep left shoulder down, left baby finger hidden behind hand, not to far to left but
enough to counterbalance kick to right. Right hand follows right ankle in kick; should be able to execute
slowly keeping balance throughout...
Bring right foot down, arms come around together pressing down in front; left over right.
adjust left foot as you pull with right, shifting weight onto right foot as you bring left foot
up next to right.
Open arms again from elbows, twisting slightly to the right, kick left as above, but then
after kick, twist back to the left, raising left foot with toes up,
encircle thick post with hands facing away from body, left under right. be sure to be sitting on right foot,
press out with elbows, hands. Moving left knee, left elbow together, turn 180 degrees on right heel.
Step forward onto left foot, pressing hand down together right over left.
Should be able to execute slowing...
Turning kick in 3rd form
After brush knee twist step to the left, pulling on left foot to shift fwd, right arm turns out to face up,
left moves face down so that left fingers point at right wrist, turn right foot to 90 degrees to the right.
Turn to right with arms together in above arrangement: right arm extended face up, left fingers (face down)
pointing at right wrist. Press out slightly with left wrist. As you twist left, adjusting right foot back,
hands form fists, arms are close to parallel but plane between hands rotates counterclockwise through
vertical plane around to left. Pull back slightly onto right, pull right arm along left as you turn to
right, adjust Left foot. Right arm moves lower past waist while left arm curls around to the right at
shoulder level, hand (fist) facing body. Twist back to the left as right arm does backhand sweep up,
left upper arm rotates to face out. Then twist right again as right arm continues up and around back to body
as though to left shoulder. Left arm curl around to right as it turns to face body again outside the
arc of right arm. Right fist moves down to follow kick to right at ankle while left arm counterbalances
turning out again and moving out, around to left. Then left fist moves down to middle of right upper arm
to follow right ankle extended in kick in 180 degree turn to right.
Tai Chi class 7/22/2001 Sunday 10:30 - 12 Kim's Karate 1st Section
Grasp the peacock's tail pointers:
After the second grasp the peacock's tail, when you circle your arms, move half step forward,
many people rise up during the half step. To fix this, pull forward on right foot as you do the
half step forward and make sure to be sinking on right hip - this should fix "up and down" motion.
In pulling back from stance where right arm is extended forward, left arm is held elbow bent hand facing out
(counter twist to right hand facing up) - then twisting to right, allowing extended right arm to follow turn
of body, left arm brought around so left hand faces right biscept. Many people stop the motion at this point
before turning back to left. Instead, there is a tiny circular motion where elbows drop slightly.
28. About Turn & Brush Knee, Twist Step(right)
After Brush knee to the left, expand, right arm continues forward scoop around the left, palm coming to
face up while left arm continues move down to left raising around up and back to the left, leading with back of
hand. Body twists left initially, then moves back onto right foot. Turn to right accompanies by adjusting left foot
90 degrees to the right as left arm sweeps around to the right at about shoulder level. Right arm does low sweep
with finger outlining circle on ground around your feet. As left arm arrives in front of you and hand begins
to curl in toward your face to move back to another brush knee, the right arm is down and turns in (clockwise), hand
executing a small scoop as your right hip sinks and twist to the left. The hip and right arm turn are one move.
Then right arm continues scoop to end up under left elbow. Then brush knee to right (adjust left foot).
Tai Chi class 5/20/2001 Sunday 10:30 - 12 Kim's Karate 1st Section
Grasp the peacock's tail pointers:
With hands facing each other, the motion of pulling back while you circle your right arm
starts with extending the right arm forward (expanding) as a counter balance to the pulling back motion.
The left arm twists out slowly as it pulls back, so that small finger is close to body.
This helps keep your back open and your posture rounded. As the right hand extends, it begins turning
down, intially as though to stay parallel with left hand, but then the index finger leads a further
turn into a scoop slightly behind you and up at your waist as you reform a circle with left and right
arms. As you bring your arms up in front of you, the fingers are close together and your arms
press outward as your back sinks down and extends back.
There is a counter balance up and down (arms moving up, body sinking down) as well as
forward and back (arms moving forward, body expanding back).
It makes a nice excercise to repeat Grasp the Peacock's tail over and over again.
Brush Knee Twist Step into Search The Needle Deep Of The Sea pointers:
Brush knee twist step stance: weight on left leg (forward), right leg back;
right arm extended hand open, leading with small finger, heel of hand; left arm
forward, low, having just brushed away a kick, facing to the left and down.
Right arm contiues extending, weight shifts back as twist to left continiues.
Left arm sweeps (circles) back to left, left hand articulates fan scoop around to the left, curling
under and back towards waist, turning to face up, moving forward over right arm.
Right arm has followed left arm around to the left and
back, right hand turns to face up gradually as right arm pulls back under left
arm. Body moves forward onto left foot again, body twisting slowly back to right, as
left arm over right moves forward, palm face up. Counter-balancing forward
motion is right arm moving back palm face up. Extending left arm, continue twisting to
right; right hand moves past waist to behind you.
Still face up, right hand fingers point to waist as they go by and continue to
feather out behind you. When fingers are pointing to waist, drop right shoulder, elbow, right hip as right hand
twists around and down to face behind you. Right foot adjusts out as right hand moves past waist.
Right hand feathers out, elbow drops more to turn fingers forward. You are doing it "right"
when you feel the power coming out of your right palm at this point. Right arm
lifts up and left arm curls around and down leading right arm down in a bow to the left -
Search The Needle Deep Of The Sea.
Tai Chi class 5/23/2001 Wednesday 12-1:30 Kim's Karate 1st Section
White Crane Spreading Wings - Brush Knee pointers:
When you "sort of hug yourself", be sure not to collapse your shoulders. To keep your back open
and form rounded, maybe press outward (gently) with back of your wrists and push out (gently)
with your elbows. As you twist left, adjusting right foot, continuing to twist left brings
left foot around next to right. It's a very common mistake to have the left shoulder collapsed as right
arm is turning down and out to the right.
But left shoulder should be open, with arm facing you, twisting slightly down (thump close to waist)
coiling to twist/scoop face up in preparing brush knee twist step.
Carry the tiger to the mountain pointers:
After the big turn, your weight is on your right foot, left foot forward with left arm
in a rounded extension forward face up, right arm crossed underneath left but face down.
As you continue turning to the left, the left elbow goes through three different ideas. First,
the left elbow drops as the left arm curls behind right arm. Then as you twist to the right,
the left shoulder pushes out,
slightly up and the left hand begins forming fist. Then both elbows
are pressing in together slightly making the hands part, right hand forming fist.
small child worships buhda
keep left knee above foot (don't let it sag to the left) keeping a line
between knee and big toe. this will keep left foot flat on ground and
not tipping over on left edge.
always move hands: left rocking toward you, heel of left hand pushing out, balancing
two points back of neck, as right hand slices up outside left. This happens as you
turn hips to left, sinking left hip especially.
as you spread you hands, feel elbows coming together, fanning hands slightly.
hands end up pointing around giant circle "at" each other.
as you move back to left, hands point out a little further apart as they turn into right scoup,
left extend; shift to right rolling left hip up; shift back to left rolling left hip down and then out
into movement.
lion plays with the ball
brush knee twist step- remenber to adjust left foot. Then shift left foot back
to begin lion plays with ball. Ball stays same size throughout. Pivot forward foot
on heel, step forward Sitting.
grasp peacocks tail
left knee should be pointing to left, not right (collapsed). This way you can't
be pulled over (someone pulling on right arm), body much more stable.
last qi gong
back arm: elbow down, or else vulnerable to being uprooted with slight push.
keep feet flat in all qi gong (i.e., don't tip foot on one side or other) -
this is essential to be able to sit. monitor lower back being open -
bad foot position is sometimes bad because not sitting, back closed.
1st Section
In turn arms, my arms are too straight. Drop hip to initiate turn to right; expand left elbow downward.
In 3rd peacock's tail, sink on right hip; this makes half step forward easier, more controlled.
The right hip makes a small circle as the right hand little finger curls around.
Single whip. Left arm NOT straight; instead, sink elbow, left little finger curls up, right hand correspondingly
turns counter-clockwise also. Hip initiates turn to right; hands (arms) unwind clockwise in sweep to left.
Swing Arms: hands reach to the ground, and also, elbows reach to the ground! Pulling foot is receiving energy
from the floor. Pull from deep in the ground, increases the effect. You are trying to be deeper
(more rooted) than your opponent [push hands context in background...]
Ward Off: When you feel that both arms are pushing water together rather than just two handfuls, it feels
like you're moving LOTS of water.
Block & Strike: little finger initially leads when raising arm, but arm turns just as in openning form.
Rotate the ball: First turn to the left, right arm forward, left hand still extended, left arm moving back with
left hip. Feel especially the left elbow expanding forward as you turn to the left.
Standing posture points: relax to expand waist from sides to groin, feeling heavy energies sink
down, lighter energies rise. Of course, lower back is relaxed and sunk also. Don't push or try too hard.
Practice whenever you're standing!
Third form, when initiating snake creeps down or three elbow press, sink especially left hip as you
turn to the left. Snake creeps down: hands twist, and curve as though polishing large balls, like in
two dragons competing Qi Gong. Feel warmth between palms. (Elbows down, expanding - receiving...)
As you step forward into golden cock lifts leg, make sure right arm is bowed, hand and fingers continuing
the arc, as you move the right arm forward. Left elbow and left hip sink, facilitating right foot step and raise.
Twist to left at same time, rounding to turn back to the right as you put right foot down. Then twist again
to the left as you raise your left foot, sinking down especially right hip, left elbow.
There is an acupuncture point on lower back of hand above wrist, you can feel for as a hollowness if you
bend your hand back slightly. Called "wei quan", it should be kept open by avoiding this bent-back hand position
so that the wrist is "straight".
If someone presses you via a hand on your chest in such a way that their wrist is bent back, you can
take advantage:
sink and expand so that your chest slightly gives way, receiving, and your collarbone area or pec muscle
pushes their ring and baby finger back towards them, giving, and your arm expands behind their arm,
fingers lifting their under arm near shoulder, elbow expanding foward to lift them up; then turn to the side from
your waist.
Correction to my early attempts: keep eye direction in sync with intent: look toward the direction you are
sending the opponent.