From: Brett Lim <bbnl1990@...>
Subject: [dlsu_physics_108] Fw: [ttour07] Fw: Idiots of the World - Unite!
To: "albert go" <hardyman02@...>, dlsu_physics_108@yahoogroups.com, three_bee_07@yahoogroups.com
Date: Monday, December 15, 2008, 8:45 AM

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: lady christine pak <ladycpak@...>
To: jorceang06@...; andrewting88@...; Joanna Blanca Ang <kairie_eleison@...>; cloey ang <mamanine@...>; anthonyting1120@...; arvinting@...; athena <littlestupid1206@...>; ressie chan <ressiechan@...>; rose ann chua <honyz_17@...>; genevieve go <genv31@...>; victoria go <g7t7v@...>; Heidi Rose Ko <heidz_qb@...>; donna lee <donnalee6787@...>; Joan Lim <earth_cherub@...>; Hubert & Mary Lim <popirookie@...>; opensourcecommunity2005@yahoogroups.com; Michelle Pak <shh_misuke@...>; Jan Michael Pak <janmichaelpak@...>; karen marie pak <karenmpak56@...>; purebess@...; francis rosanes <francis_rosanes2000@...>; andrew rosario <andrewr05@...>; siang11140430@...; Grace So <graceso67@...>; jennifer sze <natsujen@...>; jerome aaron tan <jeromeaarontan@...>; jenelyn tan <jenelyntan@...>; jane tan <janenathalietan@...>; joy kathleen tan <joykathleentan@...>; ariana tang <jingyu_dong@...>; ttour07@yahoogroups.com; anthony wong <isolator24@...>; yiying9188@...; lester yong <lesteryong@...>
Sent: Monday, December 15, 2008 7:19:13 PM
Subject: [ttour07] Fw: Idiots of the World - Unite!

 

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Janie Lim <janiellim@...>
To: J Joseph Lim <jlsppei@...>
Sent: Monday, December 15, 2008 12:34:11 PM
Subject: Idiots of the World - Unite!

Subject: Idiots of the World - Unite! To: ME  FIRST And the SURGEON  GENERAL says . . Diversionary  tactic. Words of Wisdom.   A  fortune to remember. Stay off the course .  . . Or else! Not  my job     DESPERATE  FOR A TICKET TO THE WORLD CUP BEST  GOOGLE AD   BEST  T-SHIRT DESIGN TIMOTEI  AD   FRIDGE  MAGNET   QUEEN  OF THE BLONDES       What will I be when I grow  up? T his is  just too priceless not to share!

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From: »DŮy ¨L <dandan21817@...>
Subject: The 7th Hong Kong Wushu International Festival
To: rbhalabaso@...
Date: Sunday, November 23, 2008, 11:02 AM

Dear International Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan Association  :   The 7th Hong Kong Wushu International competition will be held from March 6 to 12, 2009, at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre & Ma Shan Sports Centre & Sha Tin Town Hall Hong Kong, China.   We welcome your participation sincerely in Hong Kong   For the details please see the attachment                                                                                          Yours sincerely,                                                                                          DANNY WONG

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¬°¤F¤ŁÂ_´Ł¤ÉYahoo! MailˇA¶®Şę­»´ä¸ŰÁܧA°Ń»P·N¨Ł˝Ő¬d

From: Ed Sevilla <ed.stillmountain@...>
Subject: Fwd: FW: Fresh Lemon Grass (Tanglad) to fight cancer cells
To:
Date: Tuesday, November 25, 2008, 10:06 AM

 

   
  

  
     

 Fresh  Lemon Grass Drink Causes Apoptosis  to Cancer Cells   
   
 
(Apoptosis)  noun: a type of cell death in which the cell uses  specialized cellular machinery to kill itself; a cell  suicide mechanism that enables metazoans to control cell  number and eliminate cells that threaten the animal's  survival.  
   
 
   
 Fresh lemon  grass fields in Israel become Mecca for cancer  patients
By Allison Kaplan  Sommer April 02, 2006  
   
 
***************************************************************

A drink with  as little as one gram of lemon grass contains enough  citral to prompt cancer cells to commit suicide in the  test tube.  
   
   
   

Israeli  researchers find way to make cancer cells  self-destruct

- Ben Gurion  University  
   
 At first, Benny Zabidov, an  Israeli agriculturalist who grows greenhouses full of  lush spices on a pastoral farm in Kfar Yedidya in the  Sharon region, couldn't understand why so many cancer  patients from around the country were showing up on his  doorstep asking for fresh lemon grass. It turned out  that their doctors had sent them. 'They had been told to  drink eight glasses of hot water with fresh lemon grass  steeped in it on the days that they went for their  radiation and chemotherapy treatments,' Zabidov told  ISRAEL21c. 'And this is the place you go to in Israel  for fresh lemon grass.'  
   
 It all began when researchers  at Ben Gurion University of the Negev discovered last  year that the lemon aroma in herbs like lemon grass  kills cancer cells in vitro, while leaving healthy cells  unharmed. The research team was led by Dr. Rivka Ofir  and Prof. Yakov Weinstein, incumbent of the Albert Katz  Chair in Cell-Differentiation and Malignant Diseases,  from the Dep art ment of Microbiology and Immunology at  BGU.  
   
 
 Citral is the key component  that gives the lemony aroma and taste in several herbal  plants such as lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus),  melissa (Melissa officinalis) and verbena (Verbena  officinalis.)   
   
 According to Ofir, the study  found that citral causes cancer cells to 'commit  suicide: using apoptosis, a mechanism called programmed  cell death.' A drink with as little as one gram of lemon  grass contains enough citral to prompt the cancer cells  to commit suicide in the test tube.  
   
 The BGU investigators checked  the influence of the citral on cancerous cells by adding  them to both cancerous cells and normal cells that were  grown in a petri dish. The quantity added in the  concentrate was equivalent to the amount contained in a  cup of regular tea using one gram of lemon herbs in hot  water. While the citral killed the cancerous cells, the  normal cells remained unharmed.  
   
 The findings were published in  the scientific journal Planta Medica, which highlights  research on alternative and herbal remedies. Shortly  afterwards, the discovery was featured in the popular  Israeli press.  
   
 Why does it work? Nobody knows  for certain, but the BGU scientists have a theory. 'In  each cell in our body, there is a genetic program which  causes programmed cell death. When something goes wrong,  the cells divide with no control and become cancer  cells. In normal cells, when the cell discovers that the  control system is not operating correctly - for example,  when it recognizes that a cell contains faulty genetic  material following cell division - it triggers cell  death,' explains Weinstein. 'This research may explain  the medical benefit of these herbs.'  
   
 The success of their research  led them to the conclusion that herbs containing citral  may be consumed as a preventative measure against  certain cancerous cells. As they learned of the BGU  findings in the press, many physicians in Israel began  to believe that while the research certainly needed to  be explored further, in the meantime it would be  advisable for their patients, who were looking for any  possible tool to fight their condition, to try to  harness the cancer-destroying properties of  citral.  
   
 That's why Zabidov's farm -  the only major grower of fresh lemon grass in Israel -  has become a pilgrimage destination for these patients.  Luckily, they found themselves in sympathetic hands.  Zabidov greets visitors with a large kettle of aromatic  lemon grass tea, a plate of cookies, and a supportive  attitude. 'My father died of cancer, and my wife's  sister died young because of cancer,' said Zabidov. 'So  I understand what they are dealing with. And I may not  know anything about medicine, but I'm a good listener.  And so they tell me about their expensive painful  treatments and what they've been through. I would never  tell them to stop being treated, but it's great that  they are exploring alternatives and drinking the lemon  grass tea as well.'  
   
 Zabidov knew from a young age  that agriculture was his calling.. At age 14, he  enrolled in the Kfar Hayarok Agricultural high school.  After his army service, he joined an idealistic group  which headed south, in the Arava desert region, to found  a new moshav (agricultural settlement) called Tsofar.  'We were very successful; we raised fruits and  vegetables, and,' he notes with a smile, 'We raised some  very nice children.'  
   
 On a trip to Europe in the  mid-80s, he began to become interested in herbs. Israel  , at the time, was nothing like the trend-conscious  cuisine-oriented country it is today, and the only  spices being grown commercially were basics like  parsley, dill, and coriander. Wandering in the Paris  market, looking at the variety of herbs and spices,  Zabidov realized that there was a great export potential  in this niche. He brought samples back home with him,  'which was technically illegal,' he says with a guilty  smile, to see how they would grow in his desert  greenhouses. Soon, he was growing basil, oregano,  tarragon, chives, sage, marjoram and melissa, and mint  just to name a few.  
   
 His business began to outgrow  his desert facilities, and so he decided to move north,  settling in the moshav of Kfar Yedidya, an hour and a  half north of Tel Aviv. He is now selling 'several  hundred kilos' of lemon grass per week, and has signed  with a distributor to package and put it in health food  stores. Zabidov has taken it upon himself to learn more  about the properties of citral, and help his customers  learn more, and has invited medical experts to his farm  to give lectures about how the citral works and  why..  
   
 
   
 He also felt a responsibility  to know what to tell his customers about its use. 'When  I realized what was happening, I picked up the phone and  called Dr. Weinstein at Ben-Gurion University , because  these people were asking me exactly the best way to  consume the citral. He said to put the loose grass in  hot water, and drink about eight glasses each  day.'  
   
 Zabidov is pleased by the  findings, not simply because it means business for his  farm, but because it might influence his own health.  Even before the news of its benefits were demonstrated,  he and his family had been drinking lemon grass in hot  water for years, 'just because it tastes  good.'

Hi there!   Please join us in our HILOM Wellness Fair this Nov. 22, 2008 at Hope Center, Aurora Blvd. See invitation below.   Get a free sampling of our services and healing modalities.   Bring your family and friends! Hoe to see you there!   Harriet Ms. Harriet H. Hormillosa President/Program Director RCW Foundation, Inc. Tel no.  (632) 436-0710              (632) 426-6832 Fax no. (632) 436-0710 Mobile Numbers:    0919-7181807                                 09...   We,  of  the HILOM ALLIANCE,  invite you to a gathering of like minds and hearts on November 22, 2008, 3:00-7:00 pm at the HOPE Center, 1045 Aurora Blvd., Loyola Heights, Q.C. (in front of PSBA).   The HILOM ALLIANCE is a gathering of wellness and health providers from various health industries, ministries and services who believe in promoting the completeness and wholeness of the Filipino mind, body and spirit.   We believe that complete health goes beyond the physical self and that inner wellness is just as important.   We believe in the Filipino˘s ability to be a major force in the global health and wellness arena.   On November 22, 2008 we will be unveiling our organization to the public and we invite you to be a part of this occasion and get a free sampling of our services and healing modalities.   We likewise invite all of you who are in alignment with our purpose to join the Alliance.

From: Ishilta <ilishta@...>
Subject: [peacemakerscircle] Fw: Intro to Traditional Chinese Medicine 2-day weekend workshop
To: "Ishilta" <ilishta@...>
Date: Wednesday, November 19, 2008, 12:13 AM

--- On Tue, 18/11/08, Sonia G. Astudillo <sonia.g.astudillo@ gmail.com> wrote: From: Sonia G. Astudillo <sonia.g.astudillo@ gmail.com> Subject: Intro to Traditional Chinese Medicine 2-day weekend workshop To: Date: Tuesday, 18 November, 2008, 8:22 PM Hi friends, Attached is an invite and the poster for Andre's weekend workshop on intro to Traditional Chinese Medicine.  The workshop will teach the basics on TCM, tips on acupressure and Tui Na massage and lots of other info that you may bring home to your family and loved ones.  It's on the 17th and 24th of January 2009 - a perfect way to welcome the New Year. Hope to see you there!  And hope to get early confirmation for guaranteed slot reservation. Blessings, Sonia  Back to Basics A Weekend Workshop on Chinese Integrative Medicine with International Expert Dr. Andre Sorger, M.Sc, B. Com   Dr. Andre Sorger is a lecturer at the School of Natural Medicine, in the Chinese Medicine Department, at the University of Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa.  He supervises the University clinic whilst running his own private clinic in the city, offering- Traditional Oriental Medicine, Allergy Elimination Techniques, Facial Rejuvenation Treatments, Herbal and Nutritional Support, Chinese Exercise and Tui Na/ Acupressure massages.    He obtained his Post-graduate Diploma in Health Management (Oliver Tambo Fellowship) from the University of Cape Town in South Africa and a Certification of Graduate work in Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine from the Heilongjiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in  Harbin, China.   He took his Master of Science with specialization in Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine from the Traditional Chinese Medicine College of Hawaii in Kamuela, Hawaii.   Dr Sorger is a certified massage therapist (The Acupressure Institute, Berkeley, California) and an expert in Pain management using Acupuncture (Dr. Richard Tan's balance method, San Diego, California).  He also helps to clear allergies utilizing Allergy Elimination Techniques and Traditional Chinese Medicine.   Prior to his work in Cape Town, he has served as a Wellness Director at the Light and Life Spa at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel in Hawaii, Assistant Spa Director at The Bishop's Lodge Spa in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Doctor of Chinese Medicine/Administra tor at the Integrative Medicine Centre in Kamuela, Hawaii and as a Chinese Medicine Assistant at the Centre for Elders, Highland Hospital in Oakland, California.   Learning the Ancient Art of Healing   The ancient art of healing is expanding and reaching a wider following.    While different cultures have different healing arts to share—traditional medicine in China, leech therapy in India, hilot in the Philippines—now, more than ever, we are seeing an integration of all these practices, integration of the different healing arts and the integration with modern medicine.    In Canada and Germany, 7 out of 10 have tried folk treatment as alternative or supplement to modern health care.  More recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) gathered in China to set the regulatory standards and folk medicine in cultures from South Africa to Japan.  Member countries are expected to expand traditional medicine in their health care systems.   These ancient healing arts are making a comeback- appropriately at a time when it is most needed.  Reports on possible economic recession are scaring even the most stable-looking hospitals.  Rising prices of modern medicine are making people think twice about going to the hospital.  On a wider perspective, even fuel, food, the financial crisis and climate change all have profound and profoundly unfair consequences for health, according to WHO Director General Dr. Margaret Chan.  Thus, some would choose to forego health care.    This has been the case in the Philippines, far longer than one can remember. And yet, health care is not something that must be foregone.  It is either we hope for a better health policy vis a vis better health budget, considering the international community's support for health as a key driver for economic progress.  Or we put our fate into our own hands and welcome the ancient healing arts offered by Traditional cultures.   Why Traditional Chinese Medicine?  Why in the Philippines?  For centuries (more than 3,000 years), far longer than modern medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine has proven its worth in the field of healing arts.  The Philippines, on the other hand, with its vast area of fertile lands, has a lot to share in herbal medicine.  These plants' healing gifts are largely untapped while the rest of the people remain sick, unable to get health care because of the absence of nearby hospitals and doctors.   Modern medicine is recommended once disharmony has occurred (curative) while alternative medicine is proving to be the better option for preventative care.  More and more people are moving towards healthy lifestyle changes—an integral part of Traditional Chinese Medicine.  Instead of simply curing existing ailments, people are looking for ways to prevent them.   Healing begins now. This weekend workshop will give a thorough discussion on the basics of Traditional Chinese Medicine.  The participants will do hands-on Acupressure and Tui Na Massage, learning points and techniques to help friends, family and members of the community.  Common misconceptions on Traditional Chinese Medicine will be discussed.  Participants may schedule one-on-one diagnosis with Dr. Sorger between Jan. 20 and 23.  You will learn take-home tools: A new understanding on the value of one mode of alternative healing and why learning this is very apt in these trying economic times Basic on Acupressure and Tuina massage Healthy lifestyle changes  for you and your family The use of foods as medicine.   Who needs this? People interested in the practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine; Health care workers interested in integrating this healing art with modern medicine; Practitioners looking to broaden their skills; Policy makers gearing towards a healthy health system through policy change   Let's go Back to Basics.   Programme   Jan 17 8:30 – 9:00      Registration 9:00 – 10:30    Foundations of Chinese Medicine                         The Yin & Yang / 5 Elements / Meridian Therapy 10:30 – 12:00 Acupressure Meridians Part 1   1:00 – 2:30      Acupressure Meridians Part 2 3:00 – 5:00      Acupressure Hands-On   Jan 24 9:00 – 10:30    8 Principle Theory 10:30 – 12:00  Food & Herb as Medicine   1:00 – 2:30      Tuina Hand-On Part 1 2:30 – 4:00      Tuina Hand-On Part 2 4:00 – 5:00      Closing Discussion and questions   . Back to Basics Weekend Workshop will be held at: Sterten Place Condominum, 7th Floor 116 Maginhawa St., Teachers Village East, Quezon City   For details and reservation, contact: Sonia G. Astudillo, 0917-4344246; sonia.g.astudillo@ gmail.com   You may check-out http://integrativem edicine.multiply .com   -- SONIA G. ASTUDILLO M: +63 917 4344246 / +63 918 9182369 I E: sonia.g.astudillo@ gmail.com |

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Ribbon Cutting

Hon. Juan M. Flavier, Sec. Francisco T. Duque III,   Usec. Jade F. del Mundo, Ms. Cory Quirino               and Dr. Juvencio F. Ordoña

Invocation and National Anthem

Philippine Tourism Chorale

Opening Remarks

Dr. Juvencio F. Ordoña

Inspirational Message

Sec. Francisco T. Duque III

Keynote Speaker

Hon. Manuel B. Villar, Jr.

Intermission Number

Philippine Tourism Chorale 

Master of Ceremonies: Dr. Othello V. Enoveso

Moderator: Dr. Isidro C. Sia

Acupuncture for Neurological Disorders

Dr. Tan Cho Chiong

Anthroposophical Concept of Filipino Traditional Healing

Dr. Michael L. Tan

Enrich Your Soul: The Key to Total Wellness

Fr. Momoy Borromeo

From: roh mih <rbhalabaso@...>
Subject: Re: [taichi_phil] Tai Chi: Asian style, western style
To: taichi_phil@yahoogroups.com
Date: Tuesday, November 4, 2008, 10:05 AM

Thanks for this, Dan.   I've read somewhere someone advised not to be preoccupied too much with the form. From the many videos and actual practices I've seen, there are really as many execution of the form as there are practitioners. If tai chi is really strict on the form, then all masters and experts would look identical! :-)   roh mih   --- On Wed, 10/29/08, Dan Mariano <yinyangdan@yahoo. com> wrote: From: Dan Mariano <yinyangdan@yahoo. com> Subject: Re: [taichi_phil] Tai Chi: Asian style, western style To: taichi_phil@ yahoogroups. com Date: Wednesday, October 29, 2008, 11:57 PM Roh Mih, The way I teach TC, I emphasize to the students not to struggle in the form movements. Maintain the relax mode and feel the easiness of which and the Chi is more pronounced to be felt. Everyone is different  in body structure, so I always say that to feel the chi, it is experiential and subjective. I read the book you recommended " The Healing Promises of Qi " . A lot of statements said in there are true in my opinion. And to summarize it for TC and Qigong students, I may say spontaneous, relax, and focus heart/mind practice is the key to feel the Chi. It is said the Chi is like water, pour it to the ground and it will seek  the lowest area and can enter the smallest crevice there is. Chi enters our body all the time like water to the ground. It is a matter of being aware of it. If one crytalizes on the details of the form the mind gets preoccupied of correctness and perfection. Simply express oneself spontaneously and the Chi will be there .  Even Bruce Lee mentioned not to crytalize in the style/form. And in PH, don't we say we become formless to issue an effective fa-jing? God Bless, Dan   From: roh mih <rbhalabaso@yahoo. com> To: Tai Chi Philippines <taichi_phil@ yahoogroups. com> Sent: Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:56:53 PM Subject: [taichi_phil] Tai Chi: Asian style, western style FROM: The Manila Times online   Wednesday, October 15, 2008   COME FLOW WITH ME By David C. Montecillo Tai Chi: Asian style, western style   A few years ago I had the opportunity to take my teacher’s training and certification for Chi Gong in Hawaii, US. My Tai Chi/Chi Gong teacher was the one presiding and giving the certification. It was attended by aspiring Chi Gong instructors from across the Globe. There were Germans, Japanese, Filipinos and of course a lot of Americans.   It was a fun and intensive two weeks of learning how to be a teacher of Chi Gong and meditation. It was in this meeting of cultures that I found out how different westerners think as compared to Asians, particularly Filipinos. The movements of Chi Gong and Tai Chi are slow, meditative and mindful. It’s not like teaching people how to do fast aerobic workouts. There is a certain flow and fluidity to the movements. The trick in being an instructor is to get your students into that flowing rhythm.   There was a part in the program that aspiring instructors had to demonstrate their teaching techniques. It was then I discovered that Westerners relied more on detailed instruction and Asians relied more on the feeling of the movement.   The Westerners described the movements in geometric detail. Their instruction went something like: “As you raise your arms to about 90 degrees of your torso being perpendicular to the ground, extend your hands until they are 30 degrees slanting from the horizontal, tuck your elbows pointing downwards and let your arms fall down slowly. . . ”   Asians, including my teacher who was Chinese, instructed in this way: “Imagine you arms has no bones, there’s just smoke or water in your arms and they flow with the wind around you. Feel your body become like water. . . ”   It was obvious that there was a difference in teaching styles. Westerners were more analytical and very detail oriented down to the last degree of the body’s position. The Asian way was about using visualization and encouraging imagination to help in the learning process. The western participants were left brained and logical, the Asians were right brained and feeling oriented. So what style of teaching was the right one?   As it turned out, both styles were valid and had value. We needed to understand the detail of the movements as well as the feeling. Both were necessary to gain understanding. In the end, my teacher did nothing except observe how we taught each other. I’m guessing he was learning too like the rest of us.

From: Dan Mariano <yinyangdan@...>
Subject: Re: [taichi_phil] Tai Chi: Asian style, western style
To: taichi_phil@yahoogroups.com
Date: Wednesday, October 29, 2008, 11:57 PM

Roh Mih,

The way I teach TC, I emphasize to the students not to struggle in the form movements. Maintain the relax mode and feel the easiness of which and the Chi is more pronounced to be felt. Everyone is different  in body structure, so I always say that to feel the chi, it is experiential and subjective. I read the book you recommended " The Healing Promises of Qi " . A lot of statements said in there are true in my opinion. And to summarize it for TC and Qigong students, I may say spontaneous, relax, and focus heart/mind practice is the key to feel the Chi. It is said the Chi is like water, pour it to the ground and it will seek  the lowest area and can enter the smallest crevice there is. Chi enters our body all the time like water to the ground. It is a matter of being aware of it. If one crytalizes on the details of the form the mind gets preoccupied of correctness and perfection. Simply express oneself spontaneously and the Chi will be there .  Even Bruce Lee mentioned not to crytalize in the style/form. And in PH, don't we say we become formless to issue an effective fa-jing?

God Bless,

Dan

 

---

From: roh mih <rbhalabaso@yahoo. com>
To: Tai Chi Philippines <taichi_phil@ yahoogroups. com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:56:53 PM
Subject: [taichi_phil] Tai Chi: Asian style, western style

FROM: The Manila Times online   Wednesday, October 15, 2008   COME FLOW WITH ME By David C. Montecillo Tai Chi: Asian style, western style   A few years ago I had the opportunity to take my teacher’s training and certification for Chi Gong in Hawaii, US. My Tai Chi/Chi Gong teacher was the one presiding and giving the certification. It was attended by aspiring Chi Gong instructors from across the Globe. There were Germans, Japanese, Filipinos and of course a lot of Americans.   It was a fun and intensive two weeks of learning how to be a teacher of Chi Gong and meditation. It was in this meeting of cultures that I found out how different westerners think as compared to Asians, particularly Filipinos. The movements of Chi Gong and Tai Chi are slow, meditative and mindful. It’s not like teaching people how to do fast aerobic workouts. There is a certain flow and fluidity to the movements. The trick in being an instructor is to get your students into that flowing rhythm.   There was a part in the program that aspiring instructors had to demonstrate their teaching techniques. It was then I discovered that Westerners relied more on detailed instruction and Asians relied more on the feeling of the movement.   The Westerners described the movements in geometric detail. Their instruction went something like: “As you raise your arms to about 90 degrees of your torso being perpendicular to the ground, extend your hands until they are 30 degrees slanting from the horizontal, tuck your elbows pointing downwards and let your arms fall down slowly. . . ”   Asians, including my teacher who was Chinese, instructed in this way: “Imagine you arms has no bones, there’s just smoke or water in your arms and they flow with the wind around you. Feel your body become like water. . . ”   It was obvious that there was a difference in teaching styles. Westerners were more analytical and very detail oriented down to the last degree of the body’s position. The Asian way was about using visualization and encouraging imagination to help in the learning process. The western participants were left brained and logical, the Asians were right brained and feeling oriented. So what style of teaching was the right one?   As it turned out, both styles were valid and had value. We needed to understand the detail of the movements as well as the feeling. Both were necessary to gain understanding. In the end, my teacher did nothing except observe how we taught each other. I’m guessing he was learning too like the rest of us.

From: Bill Douglas - World Tai Chi & Qigong Day <billdouglas@...>
Subject: Breaking Medical Research! World Tai Chi-QG Day - Asthma, Insomnia, Arthritis
To: rbhalabaso@...
Date: Tuesday, November 4, 2008, 2:42 AM

World Tai Chi & Qigong Day Nov 1, 2008 Dear World Tai Chi & Qigong Day Supporters,   Exciting breaking medical news shows that Tai Chi can be a powerful non-pharmacological solution for some Asthma, Arthritis, and Insomnia sufferers.   Please share this email with everyone you know, your local media, and local health care professionals and institutions!   Sincerely,   World Tai Chi & Qigong Day   Tai Chi and Insomnia Breaking Medical News!   UCLA study finds Tai Chi DOUBLES ability  to improve sleep quality.  Sept. 2008 Learn more by visiting our Medical Research Library at WorldTaiChiDay.org, and searching under "Insomnia." http://www.worldtaichiday.org/WTCQDHlthBenft.html SHARE THIS VALUABLE RESOURCE WITH ALL YOU KNOW !! Click the "Forward WTCQD Email to a Friend" at the bottom of this email, and enter your friend's email addresses. They will NOT be recorded or used for any emails by WTCQD. You and your contacts security is our highest priority.   We work hard to keep the Tai Chi and Qigong world updated on breaking medical research, but our work is so much more valuable when you share it with friends, family Tai Chi and Qigong teachers and students, local media, and health care professionals you are in touch with Tai Chi & Arthritis Breaking Medical Research !   Tufts Medical Center study finds Tai Chi relieves arthritis pain & more. Oct. 2008 Learn more by visiting our Medical Research Library at WorldTaiChiDay.org, and searching under "Arthritis." http://www.worldtaichiday.org/WTCQDHlthBenft.html SHARE THIS VALUABLE RESOURCE WITH ALL YOU KNOW !! Click the "Forward WTCQD Email to a Friend" at the bottom of this email, and enter your friend's email addresses. They will NOT be recorded or used for any emails by WTCQD. You and your contacts security is our highest priority.   We work hard to keep the Tai Chi and Qigong world updated on breaking medical research, but our work is so much more valuable when you share it with friends, family Tai Chi and Qigong teachers and students, local media, and health care professionals you are in touch with. Asthma & Tai Chi Breaking Medical Research !   Allergies/Asthma: Researchers conclude that tai chi can help people control asthma and prove to be an effective, non-pharmacologic adjunctive therapy for people with persistent asthma. Webmd.com - News release, American College of Chest Physicians. CHEST 2008 meeting, Philadelphia, Oct. 25-30, 2008   Learn more by visiting our Medical Research Library at WorldTaiChiDay.org, and searching under "Allergies/Asthma." http://www.worldtaichiday.org   /WTCQDHlthBenft.html SHARE THIS VALUABLE RESOURCE WITH ALL YOU KNOW !! Click the "Forward WTCQD Email to a Friend" at the bottom of this email, and enter your friend's email addresses. They will NOT be recorded or used for any emails by WTCQD. You and your contacts security is our highest priority.   We work hard to keep the Tai Chi and Qigong world updated on breaking medical research, but our work is so much more valuable when you share it with friends, family Tai Chi and Qigong teachers and students, local media, and health care professionals you are in touch with. In This Issue Tai Chi and Insomnia Tai Chi & Arthritis Asthma & Tai Chi... Visit Our Sponsor "Your e-book on "How to be a Successful Tai Chi Teacher" has been the main reason for my success. I am looking forward to the next few months where I will be expanding more into the community and offering Tai Chi, Qigong and Yi Quan to more and more people. Your words echo so true when you talk about being authentic and to enjoy your teaching. Thanks once again! -- James Lincoln, Hobart, Australia, Dragon River Tai Chi  Learn more at: http://www.namasta.com/   university.php#2 Join Our Mailing List

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From: Bill Douglas <billdouglas@...>
Subject: A MAJOR World Tai Chi & QG Day Announcement - NEW WEBSITE
To: rbhalabaso@...
Date: Monday, October 6, 2008, 7:16 AM

2008 - WTCQD 10th Anniversary - Beijing Olympics As the World's Eyes Turn East, We Unveil a "New WTCQD" IN THIS ISSUE Visit the NEW WorldTaiChiDay.org NEW VIDEO: Corporate Tai Chi & Qigong...The Ultimate Ergonomics Our NEW "Medical Research" Section... NEW VIDEO: Acupuncture & Tai Chi and Qigong's Relationship JOIN OUR LIST Visit the NEW WorldTaiChiDay.org     World Tai Chi & Qigong Day's international coordinating center's WorldTaiChiDay.org has been reborn, to befit the extraordinary global health & healing event . . .   enthusiasts and teachers of Tai Chi and Qigong worldwide have created . . . together.   Visit www.WorldTaiChiDay.org to see the beautiful, elegant, and powerful educational tool and "Find Local Classes" directory we have created to honor what you have all done together.    OUR SPONSORS     Without your patronage of our Official Sponsor page, the encyclopedic free resources we create and provide, would not be possible.   Thank you for your ongoing support, and for telling friends about our fascinating health and wellbeing promoting Official Sponsor's Page. worldtaichiday.org/health_products.html  Issue: # 1 August/2008 Dear World Tai Chi & Qigong Day Supporters, As the world's eyes turned East for the Beijing Olympics, and World Tai Chi & Qigong Day's unprecedented global health & healing event held it's 10th anniversary . . .   . . . we knew it was time for a large surge to truly honor this amazing global event and resource we have created together . . . We assembled a team of web designers, programmers, video producers, etc. to create a STATE OF THE ART WORLDTAICHIDAY.ORG . . . which now weaves video, animation, graphics, and volumes of new features and resources . . . Why?   Our goal at the organizing center of World Tai Chi & Qigong Day's WorldTaiChiDay.org has been two-fold:   A) To help millions understand that Tai Chi and Qigong may be the single most profound method of enhancing their lives on all levels   B) To connect the millions of visitors to our site, with local teachers and schools. We have connected over a half million visitors to local school and teacher contact information.   However, that was only the beginning. For, today, we are unveiling the NEW www.WorldTaiChiDay.org that will invite millions more in coming years to find local teachers through our free school directory. . Below we will detail a few of the new features on the amazing website WorldTaiChiDay.org has become. But, briefly, what we have done is . . . create a new homepage menu . . .   To make it simple and intuitive to use.   1) The first menu item "About WTCQD" explains our hopeful vision for a healthier calmer world, which has created a global event bringing people together worldwide each year to celebrate health & healing.   2) The next menu item asks "Are You Curious About Tai Chi and Qigong?"   This exposes new viewers to the massive medical research we've accumulated in our Medical Research Library, and also to the Sports and Life benefits Tai Chi and Qigong offer their lives.   Once this section has convinced our viewers they should start a Tai Chi and Qigong program, they are led to the next menu item,   3) "Beginners - Enthusiasts Resources," which directs them to our "Find Local Classes" section. Here we have built a whole new state-of-the-art Teachers and Schools Directory, which you'll need to enter your information in.   This new directory will become the main directory over time, as it offers both "state" and "city" searches for many nations worldwide, making it much easier for our millions of visitors to find you.   NOTE: If you now google "Tai Chi Lessons" WorldTaiChiDay.org appears at the TOP of MILLIONS of related websites. Our new website has "Find Local Classes" or "Find Local Events" at or near the top of all page menus, pointing them to local teachers and schools listing in the new directory.   Many schools have long yearned for more features and resources for their listing capability at WorldTaiChiDay.or, and we have employed a team of artists, video producers and programmers, and web designers to create a mass of resources in the form of Premium Listings.  See the new school directory at "Find Local Classes" for details, posted in the menu on most pages at WorldTaiChiDay.org.   4) "Teachers - Schools Resources," provides teachers with the ability to list their local contact information in our new more user-friendly and easily searchable "Find Local Classes" section which has directed over a half million of our millions of visitors to local school information.   It also provides Tips for teachers to pass onto their students, such as one on "Not Blaming Your Teacher for Challenges in Learning Tai Chi and Qigong," and also educational videos, graphics and animation on Tai Chi and Qigong Terminology and Tips on basic aspects universal to all styles of Tai Chi and Qigong   Teachers, you will find an entire section on valuable "Teacher's Tools" that includes video, animation, graphics, and text content that can help you explain Tai Chi and Qigong in modern science based ways . . . to help grow your classes . . . and interest a much larger part of your community in what you offer   5) Our new "Be a Part of a Global Health & Healing Event" makes it easy for you to engage Tai Chi and Qigong enthusiasts, teachers and groups you know to get involved in our annual global celebration.   This section also can help you build enthusiasm with your local group or students as you organize your event in your area, with an elegant photo and video gallery of past events.   Please take some time to browse thru the NEW WorldTaiChiDay.org to see how we have honored the global health & healing event that individuals, groups, teachers and schools worldwide have created together . . . and utilize it to educate your local media, community, and institutions about why Tai Chi and Qigong should be woven into society at all levels.   Warm regards,   Bill and Angela Wong-Douglas, Co-Founders of World Tai Chi & Qigong Day       Corporate Tai Chi & Qigong     The Ultimate Ergonomics   One of the many videos we've created, to help you educate local businesses on why Tai Chi and Qigong would be powerful additions to their company's Wellness Program, is the one above.   You can view it by clicking the below link: http://www.worldtaichiday.org/VIDEO/Corporate.wmv Or you'll find it in our NEW "Teacher and School Resources" page, along with many other exciting informational tools.  Our NEW "Medical Research" Section     Educate Your Community !    We have completely updated our "Medical Research Library" and completely re-built it to make it faster, more appealing, and professional. Now, you can use it as a public educational tool to engage your local community, media, business, health care, education institutions, etc. about why Tai Chi and Qigong should be woven into society at all levels. This is also a great place to direct friends and loved ones who suffer from an existing condition that Tai Chi and Qigong might help with. You can find this section and view an overview video on it at the below link:   http://www.worldtaichiday.org/WTCQDHlthBenft.html   You will also find links to it, on most pages within the new WorldTaiChiDay.org.   The New WorldTaiChiDay.org's NEW Video Library     Acupuncture & Tai Chi and Qigong's Relationship - VIDEO   The new WorldTaiChiDay.org is filled with educational videos, animation and graphics, to enhance the text content. Visitors can now view, and share with others, beautiful and meaningful video content on "The 3 Dan Tiens," "How Tai Chi and Qigong Help Heal or Prevent Illness," and many others, including the above video on "Tai Chi and Qigong's Relationship to Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine." You can view it in the new "Beginner's Enthusiast's" section at the NEW WorldTaiChiDay.org.  It is the second video down on the page.     http://www.worldtaichiday.org/BEGINNEREnthus.html.   We hope that you are as excited as we are, about the vast work we've put into re-creating this site, with resources that will entertain and educate tens of millions in coming years to the profound benefits of Tai Chi and Qigong.   Our hope is that Tai Chi and Qigong teachers worldwide will be working very hard in coming years, not just teaching classes, but becoming ever more abundant in your lives and careers, and training new teachers to keep up with the world's growing demand for effective mind/body stress management and health and wellness training.   Whether you are an individual new to Tai Chi and Qigong telling your friends and family about it, an enthusiast informing your community about it, or a master/teacher sharing your health tools with your community . . .    . . . together, we are changing the world . . . . . . one central nervous system at a time .     Sincerely,   World Tai Chi and Qigong Day

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From: roh mih <rbhalabaso@...>
Subject: [taichi_phil] Zhan Zhuang (Standing Meditation)
To: "Tai Chi Philippines" <taichi_phil@yahoogroups.com>
Date: Monday, September 29, 2008, 1:10 AM

From the website of the Longfei Taijiquan Association of Great Britain: Zhan Zhuang - Pole Stance Zhanzhuang is first and foremost a form of Qigong, unlike other forms of moving Qigong Zhanzhuang or "Standing Pole Exercise" as the translation suggests, is an entirely stationary exercise. There are variations on both the position of the arms, feet and trunk but once the Zhanzhuang posture is adopted its static nature is the feature to be nurtured. Figure A The majority of Longfei students are familiar with Daoyin Yangsheng Gong exercises. This system of moving Qigong is very popular but it also adopts some more stationary techniques. I have found that the popularity of standing postures depends entirely on the character of the student. My own introduction was to a one and a half hour session. This period was interspersed with not too frequent instructions to straighten the legs and then to resume the sitting posture. This is not the kind of treatment the majority of students welcome, my own reaction was a version of Nils Carborundum. In 1991 Master Lam Kam Chuen published a very good book on the subject, "The Way Of Energy", this was followed by his equally good TV series "Stand Still to Get Fit" in 1995, subtitled Standing Like a Tree. It presented five basic postures of this system and the programme introduced warming up and cooling down exercises. Although Lam's presentation did not include the martial aspect. He is a Taijiquan master of note. However his Zhan Zhuang deals specifically with fitness and health promotion. The TV series is probably available on video and can be recommended for its content, philosophy and presentation. The prerequisite of all Daoyin, Qigong or Yangsheng Gong in all of the varieties is the cultivation and the art of nourishing life, in traditional Chinese medicine the "Three Gems" (San Bao). These represent the three forces of nature inherent in human beings, essence (Jing), vital breath (Qi), spirit (Shen). These terms are difficult to define in as much as the different Chinese traditions have arrived at separate conclusions. One common thread running through most systems is the use of respiratory disciplines referred to as "Tuna" (taking in and pushing out) or "Xing-Qi" (moving the breath). One quote by Tao Hongjing exemplifies the importance played to Tuna and Xing-Qi: "If one is tired and listless then practice Daoyin exercises and close up the breathing to attack the illness." At some time in Qigong training it must be necessary to take a view on a practical and pragmatic approach to the work. If you ask the average Chinese on the street about Qi, he or she will quite likely wave an arm indicating the air and the ozone. This observation is of course correct but serves little purpose as it represents just a tiny overview of the semantics that can be employed. Perhaps the best approach is through the more reliable source books on Traditional Chinese Medicine and avoid the avenues of mysticism. Chinese medicine emphasises the relationships between human beings and their environment. Chinese doctors considered the Qi of humanity to be an end result of the interaction of the Qi of heaven and earth. It's interesting to note that the characters that indicate Qi are at the same time material and non-material; the two characters indicate vapour and rice. Commentators suggest this implies that which cannot be grasped (vapour, immaterial) and that which can be grasped (rice, material). This does help to understand the Chinese approach to calisthenics having the dual purpose of working on the material of the body and at the same time guiding Qi and nourishing Shen (hence, Daoyin and Qigong). The uniqueness of this self cultivation approach is self evident when students without a clue of the foregoing comment on how good they feel after training, in a relaxed mood and spirit lifted. My introduction to Zhanzhuang came from master Chu King Hung of the International Tai Chi Chuan Association many years before Master Lam's TV programme and book. In this issue I present some elements of my own training with the help of a few line drawings. Wuji Posture The Lower Limbs Taiji and Wuji are terms that have roots in Chinese Cosmogony. Taiji is itself rooted in Taoist concepts that signify the origin of the duality of existence as manifested from the void (Wuji). Taiji is the mother of Yin and Yang. This whole concept is a clue to the posture to be adopted; to be formless with absolutely nothing happening, physically, mentally, emotionally with a quiet spirit. The foundation is in the lower limbs, the feet should be parallel, shoulder width and support the ankle. In turn the ankles will rest directly under the tibia and fibula which in turn support the knee and femur. The knees should be gently pushed out as if a large balloon was being supported and at the same time being inflated. The feet however should be equally weighed from heels to toes and from inside to outside edges. At the same time do not lose sight of the concept of nothing happening. The Torso The trunk should be upright. When dealing with the body one should also address the head. The head should be lifted from the crown (acupoint Baihui), the feeling should be as if a balloon filled with air was lightly drawing the crown up. At the same time one can visualise a weight is lightly drawing down the base of the spine. So the feeling visualised is an opening of the vertebrae of the backbone. In the Wuji posture because the arms are by the sides it can help to relax the shoulders which is important for eradicating discomfort in the shoulder and upper back. The defining line of the trunk would be plumb from Baihui (DU20) and Huiyin (REN1). It is important to give attention to the relaxation of the abdomen, the inguinal joints, hip joints and the sacro illiac area. This will help to sink the Qi to Dantian. Visualisation can be applied to the relaxation of the internal organs. The overall aim should be calm and loose without collapsing. Upper Limbs The arm and hand directives in this posture can be simple. They should hang loosely by the sides with a feeling that a pair of rolled socks were being held in the armpits. The hands and fingers should be relaxed and loose, the hand is slightly dish shaped with the fingers pointed to the ground and at the root of each finger a gap the size of a garden pea. Head The head position is important and we have already commented on the raising of Baihui. The tongue rests on the roof of the mouth connecting the two governing vessels, Du and Ren. The eyes must remain relaxed and look directly ahead; alternatively they can be averted down. When the eyes are averted take care that the head remains lifted. This care with the head should also apply when we lift the crown point. It's a common fault with beginners, that when instructed to lift the crown they also lift the chin. This will be counter productive to the relaxation of the neck, when lifting the crown one must also tuck the chin. As in all meditation techniques all students are confronted with their endless discursive mind. Whatever problems this may present are best discussed with an experienced instructor. With more practice the chattering mind can lose some impetus and the student will adapt his or her approach over a suitable period of time. Remember the instruction to do nothing can be applied on all levels of being. Breathing Breathing should be performed quietly through the nose keeping it simple, warm and friendly. The accent is on being natural and treating yourself gently. The respiration should be deep and slow but this should arrive naturally and never forcefully. Remember that any mental effort to govern the breath will be counter productive to some overall relaxation. It is permissable and practical to be attentive to the flow of breath even to count them as an aid to meditation. General guides to good practice It is better not to push yourself too hard; we are looking for nourishment not punishment. Perseverance and patience and a little training daily will bring its own rewards eventually. When practice is established non-practice can result in withdrawal symptoms. The exercise we are discussing is not directed to martial arts training. Standing still has been found to be very beneficial for a variety of health problems but one can only gain experience for oneself. So the aim is to build strength and improve general health. When I was training with Master Chu, when the legs become tired I was urged to use a technique of rocking backward and forward and from side to side. This served two purposes: the first is quite obvious, when rocking to either direction there is alternating relief for the legs; the second, and not so obvious purpose, is finding a position where the legs experience the least strain. When the legs experience the least amount of strain it allows the upper body to relax more. When rocking forward or backward one feels the greater pressure on the legs that arises to stop us from falling over. With experience this will enable us to find a resting posture with just sufficient leg strength to keep us upright. In the work of Yiquan this is known as stablising one's posture and allowing the mobilising muscles to be passive. I have discussed Zhan Zhuang with Professor Li. He feels that there is insufficient knowledge about the beginning of this form of exercise to place dates on its arrival in Chinese history. In the programme "Stand Still to Get Fit" Lam Kam Chuen's teacher, professor Yu, remarks that this form of exercise dates back 2,700 years to the times of Lao Tzu and was one of the most ancient forms of oriental exercise. There is a tendency in Chinese health arts to assume that locating the beginnings in antiquity will somehow bring greater credibility. However a great deal of the current popularity of stationary postures can be attributed to the work of professor Yu's teacher, Wang Xiangzhai (1885-1963). Master Wang was among the most famous Chinese martial artists of the twentieth century. Wang developed the art of Yiquan from his previous martial arts experience which was heavily influenced by his Xingyiquan training. Yiquan fundamental training is based in stillness unlike many other martial arts with the basics concentrated in forms. Wang was considered a formidable fighter and built a considerable reputation but when the communists came to power in 1949 he abandoned his Yiquan Club in Beijing, apparently discouraged from teaching the Yiquan as a martial art by the authorities. He was subsequently invited to teach the standing meditation at the Hebei Institute for Traditional Chinese Medicine. This prohibition would have continued through the cultural revolution and until the passing of Mao Zedong some twelve years after Wang's own death. This sequence of events goes some way to explain why Zhan Zhuang became more popular during the second half of the twentieth century. Its spread to the West has been a slow process since China opened up after President Nixon's visit to Beijing in 1972. I have no personal reference to any teacher presenting standing exercise before Master Chu King Hung brought it to London in 1976. Chu stressed both the benefits to health and its application to martial arts practice. More about this aspect later. Figure B Most of the general observations for Figure A, apply equally to Figures B and C. It's obvious from the illustrations that the knees are bent, the bending of the knees is not excessive and a good guideline is not to allow the knee to move forward beyond the toe. Care must be taken not to lean back or to incline the body forward. A third point to note is that the bottom must not stick out. The sitting must be just that, as if we were sitting on a bar stool. This is by no means an easy posture to adopt for a novice and supervision is advised with regular checks on attaining the correct posture. Each one of us can bring a variety of problems to the training, these can be from a lifetime of bad postures or inherited traits and also from accumulated psychological tension. The position of the arms is very comfortable, it allows the shoulders to relax, sink and sit comfortably. The elbows must also sink and relax. The fingers are open as in Figure A, the tips are apart with a gap approximately the width of the head. The feeling is not as if holding and clutching something heavy to the body; on the contrary it's as if the arms were floating or being supported by a balloon, with the muscles and tendons relaxed and the ligaments open. Cultivating the correct feeling is of prime importance. Remember in Figure A, the knees are relaxed but not bent in Figure B they are bent using the guidelines above. Figure C The obvious change here is the lowering of the arms, the arm formation is with the palms facing up as if supporting the abdomen and the feeling as if sinking the energy to Dan Tien. All the general observations for postures in Figures A and B apply equally to Figure C. Before starting practice one should do some gentle warming up exercises, stretching and loosening the body in preparation for sitting. It's also advisable to cool down with some breathing exercise. The continual process of practising Zhan Zhuang is self-learning and self cultivation, correction to postural defects, arranging the skeletal structure as if we were erecting a building so that we have a good foundation, a sound structure allowing our internal organs to breathe and our metabolism to function at its optimum. In the West the work of the Alexander technique and the Feldenkrais system have brought awareness to the problems of habitual postural abuse and its effect on function. In Chinese medicine the simple view that senility begins from the ground up (not confined to the brain) explains the position of Zhan Zhuang's approach to strengthen the legs. In recent years we are constantly being reminded of the need to use exercise to strengthen our leg bones and muscles to counter the onset of osteoporosis. Perhaps the gentle work of Zhan Zhuang ideally fits the bill. It's certain that osteoporosis sufferers need to be very selective about their exercise to avoid the onset of stress fractures. Longfei has been working with the North London Osteoporosis Society for some years. When the body's framework is arranged correctly with the muscles relaxed and using only enough strength to maintain equilibrium we can experience the unobstructed circulation of the blood (and Qi). While this form of exercise will bring a slight rise in the heart rate it certainly avoids the excessive rise in metabolic rates induced in more vigorous forms of activity. This will facilitate the possibility of taking the exercise into our most advanced years. In general practitioners should proceed at their preferred rate. However one should persevere in a disciplined fashion, it's very easy to shorten or retreat from regular and correct training. A good plan would be to make a start with five minutes twice a day with posture A progressing to fifteen minutes and then experiment with postures B and C. Practice can be taken indoors or in the open, the air outside is considered beneficial in most of the Chinese methods of exercise. The aim of Zhan Zhuang is to bring a greater awareness of the body and its functions, to improve overall health and to improve one's energy quotient strengthening both body and resolve. In our next issue we will take a look at the more martial postures the training and the function. Richard Watson

From the website of the Longfei Taijiquan Association of Great Britain:

Zhan Zhuang - Pole Stance

Zhanzhuang is first and foremost a form of Qigong, unlike other forms of moving Qigong Zhanzhuang or "Standing Pole Exercise" as the translation suggests, is an entirely stationary exercise. There are variations on both the position of the arms, feet and trunk but once the Zhanzhuang posture is adopted its static nature is the feature to be nurtured.

Figure A

The majority of Longfei students are familiar with Daoyin Yangsheng Gong exercises. This system of moving Qigong is very popular but it also adopts some more stationary techniques. I have found that the popularity of standing postures depends entirely on the character of the student. My own introduction was to a one and a half hour session. This period was interspersed with not too frequent instructions to straighten the legs and then to resume the sitting posture. This is not the kind of treatment the majority of students welcome, my own reaction was a version of Nils Carborundum.

In 1991 Master Lam Kam Chuen published a very good book on the subject, "The Way Of Energy", this was followed by his equally good TV series "Stand Still to Get Fit" in 1995, subtitled Standing Like a Tree. It presented five basic postures of this system and the programme introduced warming up and cooling down exercises. Although Lam's presentation did not include the martial aspect. He is a Taijiquan master of note. However his Zhan Zhuang deals specifically with fitness and health promotion. The TV series is probably available on video and can be recommended for its content, philosophy and presentation.

The prerequisite of all Daoyin, Qigong or Yangsheng Gong in all of the varieties is the cultivation and the art of nourishing life, in traditional Chinese medicine the "Three Gems" (San Bao). These represent the three forces of nature inherent in human beings, essence (Jing), vital breath (Qi), spirit (Shen). These terms are difficult to define in as much as the different Chinese traditions have arrived at separate conclusions. One common thread running through most systems is the use of respiratory disciplines referred to as "Tuna" (taking in and pushing out) or "Xing-Qi" (moving the breath). One quote by Tao Hongjing exemplifies the importance played to Tuna and Xing-Qi:

"If one is tired and listless then practice Daoyin exercises and close up the breathing to attack the illness."

At some time in Qigong training it must be necessary to take a view on a practical and pragmatic approach to the work. If you ask the average Chinese on the street about Qi, he or she will quite likely wave an arm indicating the air and the ozone. This observation is of course correct but serves little purpose as it represents just a tiny overview of the semantics that can be employed. Perhaps the best approach is through the more reliable source books on Traditional Chinese Medicine and avoid the avenues of mysticism.

Chinese medicine emphasises the relationships between human beings and their environment. Chinese doctors considered the Qi of humanity to be an end result of the interaction of the Qi of heaven and earth. It's interesting to note that the characters that indicate Qi are at the same time material and non-material; the two characters indicate vapour and rice. Commentators suggest this implies that which cannot be grasped (vapour, immaterial) and that which can be grasped (rice, material).

This does help to understand the Chinese approach to calisthenics having the dual purpose of working on the material of the body and at the same time guiding Qi and nourishing Shen (hence, Daoyin and Qigong). The uniqueness of this self cultivation approach is self evident when students without a clue of the foregoing comment on how good they feel after training, in a relaxed mood and spirit lifted.

My introduction to Zhanzhuang came from master Chu King Hung of the International Tai Chi Chuan Association many years before Master Lam's TV programme and book. In this issue I present some elements of my own training with the help of a few line drawings.

Wuji Posture

The Lower Limbs

Taiji and Wuji are terms that have roots in Chinese Cosmogony. Taiji is itself rooted in Taoist concepts that signify the origin of the duality of existence as manifested from the void (Wuji). Taiji is the mother of Yin and Yang.

This whole concept is a clue to the posture to be adopted; to be formless with absolutely nothing happening, physically, mentally, emotionally with a quiet spirit.

The foundation is in the lower limbs, the feet should be parallel, shoulder width and support the ankle. In turn the ankles will rest directly under the tibia and fibula which in turn support the knee and femur. The knees should be gently pushed out as if a large balloon was being supported and at the same time being inflated. The feet however should be equally weighed from heels to toes and from inside to outside edges. At the same time do not lose sight of the concept of nothing happening.

The Torso

The trunk should be upright. When dealing with the body one should also address the head. The head should be lifted from the crown (acupoint Baihui), the feeling should be as if a balloon filled with air was lightly drawing the crown up. At the same time one can visualise a weight is lightly drawing down the base of the spine. So the feeling visualised is an opening of the vertebrae of the backbone.

In the Wuji posture because the arms are by the sides it can help to relax the shoulders which is important for eradicating discomfort in the shoulder and upper back. The defining line of the trunk would be plumb from Baihui (DU20) and Huiyin (REN1).

It is important to give attention to the relaxation of the abdomen, the inguinal joints, hip joints and the sacro illiac area. This will help to sink the Qi to Dantian. Visualisation can be applied to the relaxation of the internal organs. The overall aim should be calm and loose without collapsing.

Upper Limbs

The arm and hand directives in this posture can be simple. They should hang loosely by the sides with a feeling that a pair of rolled socks were being held in the armpits. The hands and fingers should be relaxed and loose, the hand is slightly dish shaped with the fingers pointed to the ground and at the root of each finger a gap the size of a garden pea.

Head

The head position is important and we have already commented on the raising of Baihui. The tongue rests on the roof of the mouth connecting the two governing vessels, Du and Ren.

The eyes must remain relaxed and look directly ahead; alternatively they can be averted down. When the eyes are averted take care that the head remains lifted. This care with the head should also apply when we lift the crown point. It's a common fault with beginners, that when instructed to lift the crown they also lift the chin. This will be counter productive to the relaxation of the neck, when lifting the crown one must also tuck the chin.

As in all meditation techniques all students are confronted with their endless discursive mind. Whatever problems this may present are best discussed with an experienced instructor. With more practice the chattering mind can lose some impetus and the student will adapt his or her approach over a suitable period of time. Remember the instruction to do nothing can be applied on all levels of being.

Breathing

Breathing should be performed quietly through the nose keeping it simple, warm and friendly. The accent is on being natural and treating yourself gently. The respiration should be deep and slow but this should arrive naturally and never forcefully. Remember that any mental effort to govern the breath will be counter productive to some overall relaxation. It is permissable and practical to be attentive to the flow of breath even to count them as an aid to meditation.

General guides to good practice

It is better not to push yourself too hard; we are looking for nourishment not punishment. Perseverance and patience and a little training daily will bring its own rewards eventually. When practice is established non-practice can result in withdrawal symptoms. The exercise we are discussing is not directed to martial arts training. Standing still has been found to be very beneficial for a variety of health problems but one can only gain experience for oneself. So the aim is to build strength and improve general health.

When I was training with Master Chu, when the legs become tired I was urged to use a technique of rocking backward and forward and from side to side. This served two purposes: the first is quite obvious, when rocking to either direction there is alternating relief for the legs; the second, and not so obvious purpose, is finding a position where the legs experience the least strain. When the legs experience the least amount of strain it allows the upper body to relax more. When rocking forward or backward one feels the greater pressure on the legs that arises to stop us from falling over.

With experience this will enable us to find a resting posture with just sufficient leg strength to keep us upright. In the work of Yiquan this is known as stablising one's posture and allowing the mobilising muscles to be passive.

I have discussed Zhan Zhuang with Professor Li. He feels that there is insufficient knowledge about the beginning of this form of exercise to place dates on its arrival in Chinese history. In the programme "Stand Still to Get Fit" Lam Kam Chuen's teacher, professor Yu, remarks that this form of exercise dates back 2,700 years to the times of Lao Tzu and was one of the most ancient forms of oriental exercise.

There is a tendency in Chinese health arts to assume that locating the beginnings in antiquity will somehow bring greater credibility. However a great deal of the current popularity of stationary postures can be attributed to the work of professor Yu's teacher, Wang Xiangzhai (1885-1963). Master Wang was among the most famous Chinese martial artists of the twentieth century. Wang developed the art of Yiquan from his previous martial arts experience which was heavily influenced by his Xingyiquan training. Yiquan fundamental training is based in stillness unlike many other martial arts with the basics concentrated in forms.

Wang was considered a formidable fighter and built a considerable reputation but when the communists came to power in 1949 he abandoned his Yiquan Club in Beijing, apparently discouraged from teaching the Yiquan as a martial art by the authorities. He was subsequently invited to teach the standing meditation at the Hebei Institute for Traditional Chinese Medicine.

This prohibition would have continued through the cultural revolution and until the passing of Mao Zedong some twelve years after Wang's own death.

This sequence of events goes some way to explain why Zhan Zhuang became more popular during the second half of the twentieth century. Its spread to the West has been a slow process since China opened up after President Nixon's visit to Beijing in 1972. I have no personal reference to any teacher presenting standing exercise before Master Chu King Hung brought it to London in 1976. Chu stressed both the benefits to health and its application to martial arts practice. More about this aspect later.

Figure B

Most of the general observations for Figure A, apply equally to Figures B and C. It's obvious from the illustrations that the knees are bent, the bending of the knees is not excessive and a good guideline is not to allow the knee to move forward beyond the toe. Care must be taken not to lean back or to incline the body forward.

A third point to note is that the bottom must not stick out. The sitting must be just that, as if we were sitting on a bar stool. This is by no means an easy posture to adopt for a novice and supervision is advised with regular checks on attaining the correct posture. Each one of us can bring a variety of problems to the training, these can be from a lifetime of bad postures or inherited traits and also from accumulated psychological tension.

The position of the arms is very comfortable, it allows the shoulders to relax, sink and sit comfortably. The elbows must also sink and relax. The fingers are open as in Figure A, the tips are apart with a gap approximately the width of the head. The feeling is not as if holding and clutching something heavy to the body; on the contrary it's as if the arms were floating or being supported by a balloon, with the muscles and tendons relaxed and the ligaments open.

Cultivating the correct feeling is of prime importance. Remember in Figure A, the knees are relaxed but not bent in Figure B they are bent using the guidelines above.

Figure C

The obvious change here is the lowering of the arms, the arm formation is with the palms facing up as if supporting the abdomen and the feeling as if sinking the energy to Dan Tien. All the general observations for postures in Figures A and B apply equally to Figure C.

Before starting practice one should do some gentle warming up exercises, stretching and loosening the body in preparation for sitting. It's also advisable to cool down with some breathing exercise.

The continual process of practising Zhan Zhuang is self-learning and self cultivation, correction to postural defects, arranging the skeletal structure as if we were erecting a building so that we have a good foundation, a sound structure allowing our internal organs to breathe and our metabolism to function at its optimum.

In the West the work of the Alexander technique and the Feldenkrais system have brought awareness to the problems of habitual postural abuse and its effect on function. In Chinese medicine the simple view that senility begins from the ground up (not confined to the brain) explains the position of Zhan Zhuang's approach to strengthen the legs. In recent years we are constantly being reminded of the need to use exercise to strengthen our leg bones and muscles to counter the onset of osteoporosis. Perhaps the gentle work of Zhan Zhuang ideally fits the bill. It's certain that osteoporosis sufferers need to be very selective about their exercise to avoid the onset of stress fractures.

Longfei has been working with the North London Osteoporosis Society for some years. When the body's framework is arranged correctly with the muscles relaxed and using only enough strength to maintain equilibrium we can experience the unobstructed circulation of the blood (and Qi).

While this form of exercise will bring a slight rise in the heart rate it certainly avoids the excessive rise in metabolic rates induced in more vigorous forms of activity. This will facilitate the possibility of taking the exercise into our most advanced years. In general practitioners should proceed at their preferred rate. However one should persevere in a disciplined fashion, it's very easy to shorten or retreat from regular and correct training.

A good plan would be to make a start with five minutes twice a day with posture A progressing to fifteen minutes and then experiment with postures B and C. Practice can be taken indoors or in the open, the air outside is considered beneficial in most of the Chinese methods of exercise. The aim of Zhan Zhuang is to bring a greater awareness of the body and its functions, to improve overall health and to improve one's energy quotient strengthening both body and resolve. In our next issue we will take a look at the more martial postures the training and the function.

Richard Watson