How's your ba du jin/ 8 brocades ?

[jun_erh]

I've been doing this for a couple of years now. It's come together a lot more in the last year, during which I started doing weight training. I have a suspician that muscle is better for your health than I initially thought. I seem to get sick alot less. My favorite activity is still the 8 brocade though. and I always do it while watching TV.

One thing I like to do is on the 7th part, with the opening and closing the fists, I like to, on the last section where both arms go out to the side, I like to hold them open for a long time before I close the fist, longer than a breath. It's hard to explain here I guess. That's the only one where I only do three reps.

[jun_erh]

I'm starting to reevaluate all of section 7. too much opening and closing, not enough chi

[GeneChing]

I wonder what the feng shui of that might be? cathode ray qi?

[backbreaker]

Myself, I don't practice qigong while watching tv because it's a meditatative practice for me, not just execise.

[jun_erh]

It takes so long sometimes, like two hours, I feel like if I watch tv I won't try and shorten it out of boredom. feng shui come on man. I drive for a living, plenty of meditatin all day.

[harry_the_monk]

I think there are different versions of the 8 brocades.
Never heard of the tv version though
:)

I prefer using it to become aware of all internal phenomena,
but that's my choice.
Good Luck

Om mani peme hung

[GeneChing]

We just finished publishing a really martial version in our magazine - part one was in our Jan Feb 2004 (http://store.martialartsmart.net/kf200120.html) and two was in Mar Apr 2004 (http://store.martialartsmart.net/kf200121.html). It's one of the more intense versions I've seen. I published one from my Shaolin monk master back in our May Jun 2001 (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=136) issue.
Also we have a poster version (http://store.martialartsmart.net/8512.html) of the Shaolin 8 section that's very similar. Here is a video version (http://store.martialartsmart.net/prjt004.html) that's also really martial (meaning hard). Here's another video (http://store.martialartsmart.net/pr-tp002.html) that's really soft. Quite a range, eh?

[Supervillian]

Hello everyone

I want to know if anyone could recommend a certain version of 8 section brocade to do. I was going to do the version that Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming published in Qigong for Health and Martial Arts, but then I saw the version in the back of the recent Kung Fu tai chi magazine. The version in the back of the mag has more description. Does anyone have any experience with either of these versions? If so, which would be better for a beginner of qigong practice? Thanks

[GeneChing]

...it definately not for beginners. I'd begin with a soft version, then once you have a good feel for it, start researching the others. When dealing with multiple versions, there are a lot of approaches. Some keep each version consistent. Others mix it all up - choose the strongest move in each version. It's probably best to do what feels right for you personally. But definately start with an easier version than the one we just published. That's one of the more advanced versions I've seen.

FWIW, I started with the Shaolin version that I published in 2001 and I've pretty much stuck with it - of course, I don't really practice 8 section that much anymore - but when I do, that's the one I still do. I look at the other versions, like that one we just published, out of a sort of academic curiousity. I always hope they will give more clues about what I'm doing now - lord knows I need another clue ;) - but then again, I'm in a position that I've been taught a lot over the years, more than I can practice anymore, so I'm a bit spoiled when it comes to finding resources. Or maybe, that's just the product of constant research. Whatever the case, I seldom feel the need to learn something like a new 8 section off a non-human source.

[jun_erh]

that was the one I learned it from. But I don't do the deep horse stance. I think I would probably rather enjoy the scenery at songshan mountain rather then mr bill o'reillys face. if i could.

[GeneChing]

that was the one I learned it from. Really? FWIW, Shi Decheng says that you can do your 8 section in a fairly high stance if need be - I think he was directing that to non-martial artists who might practice it. But also, he makes a big point that for the horse stance move, in particular the Sway the haed and buttocks more, you need to go as deep as you can to get real benefits.

[backbreaker]

There are many moves like the one finger move while pulling back, like a bow and arrow in Dao style too, like wild goose qigong and chen taijiquan, sometimes it connects the energy of the finger to acupoints on the other hand. You can pull back like a bow and then shoot out two sword fingers

[jun_erh]

I'll try that one with the horse stance. It's just that if you don't train horse stance then it's hard to relax when doing it and your qigong becomes something else. but even at higher stance, I do change from horse to Bow. I actually do that one in two levels, one for the lower and one for middle back. the second half is kind of strange looking like robot meets i chuan

[GeneChing]

Well, that's the thing with 8 section. I certainly don't have the flexibility nor the time on task to sink into horse like monk Decheng. But you do the best you can. 8 section still works even if you can't sit in horse like a monk. That's the beauty of it.

[el shaitan]

has anyone had any experience with the seated version of the 8 brocades?

[jun_erh]

someone needs to invent some new brocades

[blooming lotus]

or you just apply some of your own knowledge, mix it up and create your own personal sets;)

[martchad]

Hi -

I'm new to this forum, just got signed up. I've had some qigong classes, but I've been practicing the 8 brocades that are in the learn at home course from Cloudwater.

I also have the Yang Jwing Ming brocards book and video, but I found those hard to follow. The Cloudwater ones are similar, but they have a lot more detail on body structure issues and such. They are more health oriented than martial, which is more to my liking.

Thank you,
Chad

[jun_erh]

chad- yes, my favorite versions are the health oriented ones with the commie type people wearing funky golf shirts "official recreatin" wardrobe from China. What is martial qigong anyway? To me Qigong is for healing. My best qigong I do is when I am most banged up.

[el shaitan]

i don't know anything about the cloudwater program, but yang jwing ming's new 8 pieces of brocade dvd is much clearer and more detailed than the video or the book.
anyone familiar with stuart olson's "qigong teachings of a taoist immortal"?

[blooming lotus]

Originally posted by jun_erh
To me Qigong is for healing. .


thats right...but whenyou take into account yin/yang priciples (core to qigong) the opposite side to that coin becomes ???

[jun_erh]

cannibalism

[GeneChing]

...healing is only one catagory. Check out this archive e-zine article (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=471) I did - I discuss the five types.

[jun_erh]

that article is just part of the zionist neocon qigong conspiracy. Norman Finkelstein told me so.

[GeneChing]

Now that you know, we have to kill you. Beware emitting qi attacks. They'll start out slowly - just a little extra gas, maybe some constipation, and then...:eek:

[jun_erh]

sorry about my nonsensical response there. I go to a politcal type board and there's one arab guy who rails against Zionism constantly. I guess I couldn't help but pick a little of that up.

Also, a great way to get to the heart of the 8 brocades is to use them in your life for sore neck or back or whatever. In the same way that kung fu has applications. In fact, when i do the rolling the neck back and forth in my car I get it alot better than when I am doing the full set. Each one is good for something, thugh the last one, the calf one, i don't know what the health "application" for that would really be.

Someone in another thread said that the 8 brocade isn't good for chi building. I think that is actually true. It's not the same experience as say zang zhuang, which is much more chi building.

[blooming lotus]

I probably don't have as much experince as you in the broceds, but I'm begging to differ your theory.

Will you tell me your reasons for that??

[Scythefall]

Also, a great way to get to the heart of the 8 brocades is to use them in your life for sore neck or back or whatever. In the same way that kung fu has applications. In fact, when i do the rolling the neck back and forth in my car I get it alot better than when I am doing the full set. Each one is good for something, thugh the last one, the calf one, i don't know what the health "application" for that would really be.

Someone in another thread said that the 8 brocade isn't good for chi building. I think that is actually true. It's not the same experience as say zang zhuang, which is much more chi building. [/B][/QUOTE]

Okay. The last form in 8 sections of brocade is jolting the body to shake away illness. It's basically designed to help increase your ability to withstand disharmony from nature and the universe in general. Emotional and biological illness, basically. If you are around people that just aren't right, emotional unstable, angry, this is a great way to shake their influence out of your personal space.

You just stand up straight, raise the heels and then jolt down forcefully on bent legs (to take strain off the spine). You can also hop into the air as well.

I work in a building with about 400 people and this one really helps keep me sane. I do the 8 sections almost daily along with Silk Reelers which is a chain form version of 8 sections.

Some of the other points in 8 sections, you may see people rise up on their toes. This works on an acupressure point on the balls of the feet and helps transform sexual energy into more usable chi. Especially in cases of celebacy, you need some way to channel and transform this energy or you're doomed to a frustrated state that could warp your energy.

[jun_erh]

I'll keep that in mind next time I do it thanks

[jun_erh]

so the difference between step 8 of the brocade and toe raises are where you breathe. In a toe raise the focus is on up, in the brocade the breathing is done on the way down.

[blooming lotus]

how is healing not building qi??

[jun_erh]

I wasn't saying that. I was just saying the nature f these two kinds of qigong. You do the 8 brocade and you feel less sore, you feel loose, etc whereas with zhang zuang you get crazy energy. they just have different results

[jun_erh]

shi dechang was right, the lower stance for that one section is much better. the dipping down and going side to side one.

[Scythefall]

Originally posted by jun_erh
shi dechang was right, the lower stance for that one section is much better. the dipping down and going side to side one.

Yeah, that's called shaking the trunk. This is for digestion aid. It basically massages and moves material in the intestines, forcing out hard to digest crap like sugar and red meat as well as any other toxin that may stay overlong in the system.

You don't haveto get all that low with this one and you get the same effect if you stand up straight and rotate the trunk. You do it sectionally in order to massage just the internal organs. You can place your hands on at different spots on your abdomen and practice rotating on your hands so you don't lose focus of where you're massaging. It takes some practice because you'll tend to want to rotate your trunk on your hips instead of mid abdomen.

It's especially important to do this exercise when you're getting over a cold or flu because phlegm hangs around in your intestines for a long time.

[shaolinche]

Does anyone know of the 8 Section Brocade of Grandmaster Yin Chian Ho and Grandmaster Cheng Tsang Lu?