three regulations (san tiao)
Often there is talk about wing chun containing qigong exercises in the forms. However, although when we practice the forms we may be relaxed and have good structure where is our mind?
for an exercise to be called qigong, it must fulfill the three regulations or san tiao: body, breath, and mind. All of us possess already the three treasures (san bao) of jing - essence, qi - energy, and shen - spirit, but only a qigong exercise regulates these three treasures.
so the body must regulate the jing. We can do this simply by going for a run, we are focusing the body in such a way that we physically improve our fitness.
so the breath must regulate the qi. It is arguable that when doing an exercise that requires us to focus on our breath such as rowing, weight lifting and so on, we are regulating the qi.
Finally the mind must regulate the shen. This is the crucial one, so many of use fulfill the first two while practising the wing chun forms and call it qigong. but where is our mind? in order for it to be qigong our mind must be focused on regulating the spirit. How? by focusing on specific acu points such as the ming men, laogong, dantien.. What place is there in wing chun for this?
So while standing in the goat gripping stance, do we focus on the points on our feet (yongshen?) while pulling back wu sao do we focus on laogong? while turning in chum kiu do we focus on ming men?
i would be interested to hear from anyone who has devsied a complete list of focus points for each part of each exercise... focusing merely on the centre will not make our exercise qigong.
Ecce nunc patiemur philosphantem nobis asinum?
what transcends the buddha and the law? Cakes.
"Practice is better than Art, because your practice will suffice without art, while the art means nothing without practice." - Hanko Doebringer, 14th century