This posture is Tai Chi. It is considered to be the most powerful of all the tai chi (taiji) and qigong (chi kung) postures, and is often used as a separate exercise to increase leg strength, concentration, deep breathing and chi (qi) flow.
Zhan Zhuang means “standing like a tree” and is roughly pronounced “Jan Juang”, Read More
An excellent posture for chi circulation. It is popular to get into the final expression of this movement and hold for some time to circulate the chi and strengthen the body.
1. Pour most of the weight onto the left leg while backing away from you own hands, thereby extending the arms straight. Turning the the waist turn to the left, the right foot turns inward to face front wall. Arms turn with the waist toward the front wall.
2. Pour weight into the right leg while turning the waist to the right at same time. The arms follow the movement, the right hand forming a hook near the right armpit. The left hand also follows the motion circling out and down then coming to rest near the right hip with palm up facing the hook. (“Bird Drinks”) All weight is in right leg here.
3. Turning waist to the left, pivot on the ball of the left foot by turning the heel inward sending the hook out to the right diagonal. Step to the left to shoulder width. You will feel like you are stepping back toward back wall with heel. Do not place weight into left foot yet.
4. Shift weight to the left, the left hand maintaining distance from the chest, rises up the centerline (ren mai) with the palm facing the heart center (shanzhong).
5. Right toes turn to the diagonal while the left forearm gradually turns over, the hand directly in front of the left shoulder. Wrist is not bent and fingers are pointed slightly upward and forward. Right wrist extends toward front wall with elbow relaxed and hook pointed downward.
Grasp Sparrow’s Tail is completed with Push.
1. Pushing off the right foot, shift the weight almost completely onto the leftleg. Keep the right knee slightly bent. At same time “wash left hand over right” palms face down.
2. Draw the elbows down and back with the backward pull of the waist and the press back of the right foot. Almost all weigh pours back into left leg with elbows relaxed and finger tips tipping slightly upward.
3. Forward push begins with push from the left foot, pressing the hips forward. Arm and hands remain in the same position. Do not extend the arms forward. Knee does not extend beyond the toe, keep spine vertical and shoulders relaxed.
Movement should feel like an ocean wave.
The fourth part of Grasp Sparrow’s Tail is Press.
1. From the end of Roll Back, begin to turn waist to face side wall while also beginning to pour weight into right leg. At same time, begin to send fingers of left hand toward side wall with hand coming closer and closer to right hand still in ward off position.
2. As waist turn and weight shift complete (right knee does not extend beyond toe) press left palm into right wrist.
This movement is led by the waist with a rooting and pressing of the back foot. Hips and shoulders should be square with side wall.
The third part of Grasp Sparrow’s Tail is Rollback. Here the importance of the waist in Taiji practice is emphasized.
1. Shifting very little extra weight onto the right foot, turn the waist slightly to the right. The right forearm and both hands extend slightly right as though indicating “over there” with palms turned in to face each other.
2. Pouring weight to left leg and turning waist to the left toward the diagonal, right arm curves to hold a ball against your chest, fingers tipping slightly upward while left arm arcs first downward in the direction of the waist turn, then floats up to shoulder height palm face down. Belly button should almost fully face the diagonal here.
3. Flip left hand to face upward, fold elbow, “pierce the ear” all the while finishing your weight shift and waist turn to the diagonal. As left hand reaches ear, lower right finger tips back down so palm is at heart center and arm is rounded (similar to ward off).
Careful not to turn beyond the diagonal. Finish facing the diagonal.
In this 8-week course students will learn Kuan Yin Standing Qigong (consisting of ten movements) and the principal foundations of Tai Chi practice. The Kuan Yin Standing form physically strengthens the whole body while the back, neck and spine are made supple and flexible. This Qigong also encourages flexibility in the hips and encourages increased balance and stamina. Read More
De-stress, wind down, relax, become more flexible and increase your strength and balance! Explore the health benefits and relaxation offered by the ancient art of Tai Chi! Read More
De-stress, wind down, relax, become more flexible and increase your strength and balance! Explore the health benefits and relaxation offered by the ancient art of Tai Chi! Read More
Peaceable Dragon’s Tai Chi Swords from Paras Kaul on Vimeo.
Fairfax County, Northern Virginia Tai Chi Sword 2011
To celebrate World Tai Chi and Qigong Day, the instructors and students of Peaceable Dragon partners with Meadowlark Botanical Gardens to present demonstrations of various forms of Tai Chi, Qigong and Yoga for enthusiastic attendants and participants. We have a healing garden – experience modalities such as Reiki, Singing Bowls, Feldenkrais, Massage, Brainwave technology and much more – free mini-classes taught by some of Northern Virginia’s leading instructors from a variety of schools and a pot-luck gathering afterward. World Tai Chi and Qigong Day is celebrated on the last Saturday in April, annually, in over 60 nations and is recognized by the United Nations World Health Organization.
In this video, Brian Wallich – instructor of Peaceable Dragon’s Tai Chi Swords – and his students demonstrate a competition sword form consisting of 42 movements.
A brainwave music track, “The Brain on Om,” was created by Paras Kaul, who created this brainwave music composition to accompany the sword form on this video which she also produced. Kaul speculates that during Tai Chi practices, where participants are moving in harmony with each other, their brainwaves entrain and eventually signal in predominantly alpha and beta frequencies. brainwavespaces.com
Tai Chi 1
Burke Fairfax Springfield VA Area
Mon, Sep 26 – Dec 12, 2011
De-stress, wind down, relax, become more flexible and increase your strength and balance! Explore the health benefits and relaxation offered by the ancient art of Tai Chi! Read More »