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Prairie
02-19-2001, 08:54 AM
Hi Everyone,

Is it better to do standing post meditation before or after other qi gong exercise?

Seeya...

Braden
02-19-2001, 01:24 PM
Depends on the other exercise. What is it? :)

Prairie
02-19-2001, 11:51 PM
Well, I don't know the names for the qigong exercises that I practice. Perhaps I can describe some movements.

The following are done standing with the feet approximately shoulder width and knees slightly bent.

1) left arm is held out to side with palm down. right arm is horizontal across body such that the palm is down and fingertips pointing left. let the arms drop down and come back up the right side, over head and back to left side - making a circle. repeat a number of times. then do the same thing in opposite direction starting with hands at right side.

2) with hands starting down at sides, bring each up in an outside arc predominately still at the side and then "push" into the top of the head, and then bring palms down the front of body to begin back at sides. repeat some number of times.

3) same as (2) except "push" into point between eyebrows. repeat some number of times.

4) same as (2) except "push" into solar plexus. repeat some number of times.

5) same as (2) except "push" into dan tian. repeat some number of times.

6) is more complicated a motion and I'd rather not attempt an even more simplified description than those above. it involves "pushing" into the hunyuan point though. no weird jokes please - it's the same idea as those above.

7) holding hands out in front, hands close together but not touching, move them in small outward ovals in opposite directions. then change the direction of each hand.

There is more to the qigong system that this stuff is part of, but I'm really a beginner and don't know all of the exercises. I realize that I didn't write anything about breathing, ect.., but I only wanted to give short descriptions and my knowledge is limited.

Does this help at all?

Thanks for your interest :)

Braden
02-20-2001, 12:23 AM
Yeah, I practice some similar things myself. I've come into the habit of calling them neigong exercises, although I'm sure it's a misnomer.

If you are doing typical standing post style qigong exercises, I have been told to do the standing post first, and the moving neigong second. In energetic terms, the standing practice should be good at cultivating energy, opening up your energy pathways, and getting you to pay attention to your body. The moving practices should be good at circulating the energy in certain ways, depending on the exercise. In many such practices, the exercises have a certain sequential order, such that the energy is "awakened" then progresively circulated around different parts of the body, before being "relaxed" again. It is important to follow the proper order, if this is the case. But it makes sense to me that you want to accomplish the standing first, to be relaxed and attentive and full of energy, before you do the moving exercises. Also, within my own practice it simply feels better.

If you are not doing standing post, but practicing the neigong along with something else, like form work (in a given, single practice session), I have been told you should do the neigong first and the form/whatever second. Again, this sort of makes sense if you think of the neigong moving that energy around your body kind of to warm it up. The one caveat I would offer here is that, in my practices, the order of the neigong exercises is different if you're doing if after qigong than it is if you're doing it alone or before forms/etc. The first exercise done after qigong becomes the last if it's done alone/before forms. This is because the exercise in questions shakes and settles the energy, tests your alignment, and relaxes you. After standing postures, this is good because you are probably tense, and you can imagine that you've been cultivating that energy so you kind of want to "refresh" your body before doing other energy work. However, if you haven't done standing qigong, this should be left until after.

I hope this has helped. :)

Prairie
02-20-2001, 10:38 AM
Yes, thank you very much :)

I do have a related question though. What is the difference between nei gong and qi gong? I've thought of them synonymously, but I gather that there is a difference.

Bye for Now,
Prairie

o
02-20-2001, 05:53 PM
I think the following is true. I got this info from "The Magus of Java" (Kosta Danaos).

Neigong is simply a type of qigong. Qigong is the most basic term for the qi cultivation. Neigong is just a more specific type of qigong. It is supposed to be a powerful type because it incorporates the use of both the yin qi and yang qi. Most other qigong systems just cultivate the yang qi. For a more closer look, you can check out that book.

neijiachuan
02-21-2001, 05:40 AM
I have been told by my teacher (who is a direct deciple of Chen Xiaowang and Senior student of George Xu, I use them for reference because I've assumed this is the order in which he has been taught) to start with Qigong (qi washing & qi gathering exercises), then do standing post, Silk Reeling Exercises, and last but not least form practice. This is the exact way he presented it to me. Now, I never did ask him if I should practice these exercises in this exact order. I've learned to keep my mouth shut and not question my teachers' suggestions. But, I am pretty sure he meant to train in this exact order.

neijiachuan

Prairie
02-21-2001, 09:47 AM
I guess it's clear that there are some different philosophies regarding this. The taiji that I learn comes down from Feng Zhiqiang via a couple of very talented gentlemen of which one is my teacher. I wonder if the qigong that Feng teaches is the same as that of Chen Xiaowang. Perhaps I'll do the obvious thing and ask my teacher. Am I the only one who is sometimes hesitant about asking questions? (rhetorical question :) )

Bye for Now

neijiachuan
02-21-2001, 05:23 PM
Hi Prarie,

Actually, my teacher teaches both the Feng Zhiqiang's Chen Style Xin Yi Hun Yuan Taijiquan and The "Laojia" Chen Style system from Chen Xiaowang. That makes us "kung fu brother/sister!"

Feng Zhiqiang began studying Chen family Taijiquan in 1951 from Chen Fake of the Chenjiagou Village of Henan Province. Master Feng is considered to be one of Chen Fake's most gifted students and headshis own branch of the Chen Taiji called Chen Style Xin Yi Hun Yua Taijiquan or simply Hun Yuan Taijiquan for short.

Zhang Xue Xin has studied with Feng Zhiqiang for over 30 years and is one
of his top disciples, presently living and teaching in San Francisco,California.
my teachers studied extensively with Master Zhang in both
private and group situations beginning in 1991 and our his top students.

From what I now they are NOT the same.

neijiachuan

Prairie
02-21-2001, 08:05 PM
Brother! Nice to meet you :)

I've been exposed to Feng's 24 posture form, but most of my instruction has been on Hong Junsheng's version of yi lu. I've been curious how Hong's form matches up with laojia yi lu as it has quite a different flavour compared to Feng's forms. I realize that Hong also was a student of Chen Fake so Hong's form may also be different from the laojia version. I must say that I love the large circular movements in Feng's form and am excited to devote more concentration to it in the future.

Seeya :)