How Split Benefits Your Tai Chi Practice

How Split Benefits Your Tai Chi Practice

The Requirements of Traditional Gong Fu

Back in the days, old Chinese Gong Fu masters used to say that for achieving old age, one must do three things daily:

  • Handstand
  • Bridge
  • Split

These three exercises have two things in common:

  • Improve microcirculation
  • Maintain elasticity to promote the microcirculation

What does microcirculation mean?

The major circulation goes through the five major organs; if this circulation ceases, you practically die. Microcirculation is all the delicate parts like your toes, fingers, and joints, parts that are harder to reach and are only well-nourished when your body has the energy to do so.

Preserving energy

The split is helping us to reduce the resistance of our circulation and the body has an easier time nourishing all parts of the body. The elasticity of our body is very important to maintain a good and healthy condition.

Can I still do a split with 50+?

The short answer is: Yes, definitely! Practicing the split itself always has health benefits, even though you might not reach a full horizontal split soon. You will feel different once the hip becomes more elastic no matter what age. The hip is our largest energy main joint, and once the body has lesser resistance to circulate through your hip, you have the energy for other parts.

Important!

It is very important not to be too ambitious in the beginning. In my experience, most students hurt themselves if they ignore their current physical condition. Make sure that you follow our stretching guide to prevent injury!

Working with Energy (Tai Chi)

Once the body has more energy, the Tai Chi practice also becomes fundamentally different. Once the circulation goes easier through the body, the fine tissue has less resistance, and hence strong positions become like bamboo, flexible and yet still without getting tired. With stretching, we can focus on what is important in Tai Chi.

How to practice correctly

We have an extensive Tai Chi program in our online school. For beginners it is recommended to start with Tai Chi 28 steps, this will train you in flexible positions and how to work with high stances without using too much effort. With the right degree of concentration and flexibility the Wudang Tai Chi becomes authentic in its practice!

Start learning Wudang Tai Chi now!

The Beginning of Tai Chi Sword and the Major Impacts!

The Beginning of Tai Chi Sword and the Major Impacts!

Tai Chi is something most people have already heard of, yet it is still, for most, a mystery. But, on the other hand, Tai Chi Sword is an additional extension of ourselves that involves principles of internal martial arts. So, what are the benefits, and how can we develop the Tai Chi sword? Most of these questions I will try to answer in this post!

The foundation of Wudang Tai Chi

It is essential to understand how internal coordination affects and connects external movement. With a sword, this becomes much more complicated than what we are used to. The sword is a very versatile tool for internal and external movements. The principles are the same but we have additional elements which are totally new for beginners, let us point them out:

The sword hand!

The sword hand looks like an ancient Indian mudra; for the Chinese, the sword hand is the guiding hand for the sword. So basically, the sword hand is the element that balances out all sword movements. We could say that the sword hand shows the direction of power and the direction of energy.

The grip on the sword

Often overlooked is the correct grip on the sword! The thumb and the pointing finger should be relaxed, and the remaining three fingers hold the hilt very tightly. The grip should be close to the guard and is therefore close to the gravity center of the sword.

Rythm and coordination

The sword is an extension of ourselves, and therefore it can feel strange initially. If suddenly a “body part” is longer than the other, we need to compensate and understand our power direction and balance. Moreover, the sword can cut, block, counter and pierce. Therefore, we must understand its functionals mechanically and practically adapt to its functions.The inspiring part of the Tai Chi sword is the mastery and knowledge you get from the training. Our focus mentally and physically is not limited to just our body. The energy can travel further. Once we start learning weapons, we step into a whole new world of understanding.

Start learning the basics with our new video:

The Beginning of Learning Dragon Style Sword

The Beginning of Learning Dragon Style Sword

Dragon Kung Fu is one of the oldest Kung Fu styles among the Daoists. The dragon itself is viewed as a creature free and unaffected by energy and time. Furthermore, since the dragon lives in the domain of heaven, he is immortal. The way of heaven leads the way of nature, and the way of nature guides the way of man. The Dragon is an inspiration for the Daoists in many ways.The dragon sword is the entry form for every student in Sanfengpai, not because it is the simplest form, but because the form contains all the essential principles for the Daoist sword style. However, the form is probably the hardest form for beginners as the movements need to be understood and cannot be retouched by complex movements. The clear execution of the movements is important for further developing sword techniques.

What do I need to know beforehand?

Required: Ji Ben Quan

Recommended: Xuan Gong Quan Series (1,2,3), Fu Hu Quan

Knowing all this forms the understanding of Long Hua Jian – the Dragon sword form becomes much easier.

Which sword do I need?

You need a sword with a flexible blade and a good balance point. Our school has several swords to choose from and they all work well for training this form.

Starting to Learn the Routine

The Long Hua Jian Routine is the traditional training routine for Daoists to cultivate the sword. The personality should be sincere and straightforward. During the routine, the mind and body must keep pace with the ideological ideas of the dragon. The longer you practice, the more you may become the dragon. The form is very physically demanding, and instead of fighting the movements, one should accept the difficulty of the positions and find the proper coordination and natural flow.

Introducing Zhan Zhuang Internal Healing Principles

Introducing Zhan Zhuang Internal Healing Principles

The inner principles from the Daoists in the Wudang Mountains contain essential elements for cultivating a healthy balance. What is known today as TCM Chinese traditional medicine was researched and trained there based on trials. An older expression would be inner alchemy, but today it is unfortunately associated with a lot of esoteric and practically irrefutable content. Zhan Zhuang is an essential practice for cultivating Jing, the essence stored in the kidneys. Kidney energy is important for self-liveliness, clear perception, and strong, shining eyes. One who cultivates his kidney energy is active and clear in being. Jing is one of the three treasures (Sānbǎo 三寶), the Daoist teaching from the elements of which the life energies are explained.Qi, Jing, and Shen are the three fundamental energies from which we explain strength, vitality, and being. Everyone wants to protect and cultivate these treasures to prevent diseases and weakness. To not misunderstand Zhan Zhuang, you must follow our guidelines precisely to have the right effect in training. Zhan Zhuang is a flexible and individual practice that cannot be generalized to anyone. The practitioner must correctly follow the Basic Principles to interpret the Zhan Zhuang exercise successfully. With the two videos below, we explain the principles, the theory, and we stand together with you and give you practical tips and advice on how to stand Zhan Zhuang properly.The first video systematically explains the body’s posture, extremities, neck, and eyes. Master Ziji also deals with posture difficulties and presents specific stretching exercises to improve one’s posture. Take the time to test these techniques and methods carefully on your own body. Then, you can quickly check the pose with a friend or with a mirror or smartphone; this has to be done because postural errors are not, or very difficult, noticeable yourself.Zhan Zhuang is an intensive exercise, and therefore we are with you in the video. Nobody should believe that Zhuan Zhuang is something the body can do without proper determination. The inner conflict is always present, and you can only overcome the inner resistance with a positive attitude towards the practice. Only through continuous training does the self come to terms with it and come to rest; not compromising oneself can also help carry out this exercise. After the first timer (15 minutes), the first phase of Zhan Zhuang is reached when the spine was absolutely still. It should then become warm, evenly distributing this heat from bottom to top. After that, the brain waves go into a REM-like regeneration sleep and open the energy channels. From now on, the body can free itself from negative things in the body and mind; these usually express themselves painfully or in the form of a mental conflict. Therefore, you should keep this phase going for as long as possible for the best results.The second video is about the actual practice; Centina Alexa and Master Ziji stand together with you and set two timers; one starts in 15 minutes and the second in 30 minutes. The 15-minute timer gives us the signal when Zhan Zhuang is working; every minute counts if you can stand longer. From the second timer onwards, the exercise is over, and particular suggestions and views follow.You cannot do everything at once, and daily or continuous Zhan Zhuang training is the key to improving your mind and body. On your way to self-cultivation, tensions and blockages are released, bad postures become noticeable and dissolve, concentration difficulties that affect the body are overcome. The difficulties are removed over time, and the practice becomes more enjoyable; from then on jing is effectively cultivating, and our life energy is visibly healthier and more robust.

The Finesse Between the Elements

The Finesse Between the Elements

What matters between softness and hardness

If we start from moments that begin from an intention, then we are talking about an action that is soft and hard. Then, within a nanosecond, the body instinctively decides what this movement should be, soft or hard.

Is there nothing we can use to make our own decisions? The Daoists have the Taiji practice as an answer. With Taiji, we practice movements that are of pure origin without affecting our physical understanding. On the other hand, we have to take our understanding apart again to optimize and be receptive. Dealing with the two extremes is an art with which one can harmonize with oneself and the universe. It is change that defines every movement and the art of understanding the difference itself.

Nature as a model

Nature consists of the five elements: wood, water, fire, earth, and metal create and destroy each other, as most people already know by reading about the five elements. But how do the five elements in the body interact in Taijiquan?

Orientation on earth, for example, makes you stand like a mountain, unshakable. But to keep the position strong, you also need to define the counterparts in a posture to maintain healthy harmony in your stance. The movement should be based on the clouds, the positions on mountains and forests.

Philosophical aspects of understanding the elements

There is male and female, yin and yang, soft and hard, it has many names, but it is always next to and at the same time at the other end of every answer. At every point where the two face each other, an element emerges from nowhere. The deeper and more purposeful, the more complicated it is to develop something that previously seemed very simple, black and white becoming gray. However, it is essential to understand where this answer came from as the source is the same. This source defines the element to which it belongs. Observing the two opposites leads to a common solution for each question.In the valleys of the deepest emotions of resistance, there is always an intention to move onto a more productive level. There are the intentions of hope and freedom because feelings of happiness and emotions of deeper sadness bind body and mind on one level. The ability to transform the elements at the practitioner’s will is well known in traditional Daoist families. It is also why Daoists seldom commit to any particular emotion. Rigorous Daoists, according to traditional teachings, also avoid smiling or showing emotions at all. In my experience, such strict principles are no longer necessary in today’s world, but it is still important to know the origin.

The path of the least resistance and the most tremendous effort

If the Daoist gets into a situation where his surroundings force situations, this can be offset with the right emotional attitude. Therefore, emotional ties are always limited to the personal environment. Therefore, there are no perfectly versatile Daoists because everyone has the freedom to choose his situation, in which he would like to be, and is thus also ready to draw the consequences and benefits.

The easiest way is the way that everyone is trying to convince you. The path that leads to the greatest wealth is the one who is for the ambitious and for those who want to attract envious people. The path to self-cultivation is the one where others see their unrealized dreams and make fun of you. Realists reject the realistic way of the self. This open contempt for self-realization in our society is timeless. A common mistake is meeting expectations and getting carried away by what others want you to do while ignoring your own views.

Therefore it is very important to find the balance in society and at the same time to be able to realize oneself. The intelligent man expresses his views on the common people, but the wise man leads society and fulfills the simple expectations of others. So what’s the best answer to a question? A counter-question to shake the questioner’s gaze while standing there apparently not knowing.

Master of situations

The wise man is not particularly wise towards others; he is the master of situations and, therefore, becomes unpredictable. Many logicians consider the natural flow of things to avoid surprises in strategy, similar to the chess game between Zhuge Liang and Sima Yi – a historical tale from the time of the Three Kingdoms – the wise Sima Yi forfeits the game. Afterward, the clever Zhuge Liang realizes that Sima Yi would have won.

Even with the famous strategy of the empty fortress, one speaks of mastering situations. The empty fortress strategy uses reverse psychology and obviously shows an empty defense and relaxation. A single guqin musician at the gate comfortably played the tune, and the unprotected fortress made the enemy think that the entire fort was well prepared and that ambushes and traps were set up everywhere. The expression of openness and relaxation gave the opponent the certainty that he would suffer many losses and retreat.

The relations of the elements

The inclusion of the elements with oneself and the emotional attitude is only possible when things have been defined with oneself. This fact also applies to fellow human beings and relationships with others.

In order to make the whole thing more understandable, let’s start with the desired starting situation, which is afflicted with the conditions of other people, so it is necessary to resolve these conditions to achieve the desired situation. And the best way to achieve that goal is to give others the freedom to see for themselves. There are never unaffected situations once people live together.

The universe and the self

What arises from self-love dissolves conflicts in the community. Just as we can trust that nature will follow its laws unchanged, we can trust that people will follow their path if we understand their ambitions.

The people’s ambitions are elastic like the breath; the vessel expands and contracts like a bellows. The thoughts can seem to grow limitlessly, but in the eye of the beholder, these are limited to the inventor’s ideas. So it is hard to look at the universe and not let your ideas limit you.

Conclusion: Dissolving

There is always the way of heaven, the way of nature, and the way of man. But, unfortunately, the latter is the least relevant to understanding the universe. Therefore, to understand things, one has to start with oneself and understand one’s path. You have to break your habits to look inside yourself and go about things with ease. The simplest representation of oneself is the representation that is expected of everyone. The ultimate path is the one that fulfills man; the term is also known as the heavenly mandate. To do what you are meant to do.

The constant change of the five elements creates a feeling of balance and harmony. However, if you go to the extreme, you will recognize its origin and creation as well as its dissolution.

Daoist Meditation – What is Real?

Daoist Meditation – What is Real?

Daoist meditation is something that the Chinese don’t understand as meditation as the term is a western construct. In China, we say Wuji practice, and in this blog post, we will explain the meaning and use of internal martial arts. The typical western idea of ​​sitting and meditating is also a Wuji exercise.

Understanding Wuji

What is Wuji? There are already many interpretations and translations of this word; related to Daoist practice, Wuji means the emptiness and the emptiness of the self.

To reach the absolute emptiness, one has to become free of everything. The Daoist understanding of complete emptiness is that no absolute emptiness can consciously take place. However, this is entirely possible unconsciously, so there are specific points that must be observed for beginners to reach the state of Wuji.

Usually, people who do a lot of sports should learn to rest and do Wuji exercises, and those who want to meditate should do more with their bodies. The Daoist way of life is about balancing the mind and body, which is usually not easy. Therefore, the things we struggle with should be deepened and considered. If you can’t sit still for 15 minutes, then Wuji training is for you.

Who should do Wuji practice?

Wuji exercises are essential for the inner performance of one’s energy and an increased sense of self. As long as the activity takes place in a healthy balance with physical training, over-sensitization can be ruled out. As long as the self remains harmonized, everyone should do some Wuji exercises to improve life quality.

The dangers of Wuji practice

If the exercise is not used in a compensatory way, it usually leads to over-sensitization in the long term. This leads to frequent mood swings and difficulty concentrating. One should keep in mind that the body blocks out specific signals to maintain inner balance. Overly sensitive people are quickly overwhelmed by all things and can only find peace in the Wuji exercise. If so, finding quiet moments in Wuji practice is the wrong way to go. Instead, you have to break out of this behavior and slowly adapt to natural situations with training.

How to do Wuji practice correctly:

For starters, the sitting position should be with your spine upright. The eyes should be relaxed and half-open to avoid falling asleep and poor concentration. During the process, one must constantly focus on breathing. Remember that you always breathe in the same rhythm and very slowly at 6-8 second intervals. Since one has to think about breathing all the time, the beginner is not confused with random thoughts. The Wuji exercise is not a memory processing exercise but an exercise to achieve absolute emptiness. Those who get familiar with the exercise find it easier not to think about anything, and later on, breathing will work by itself. The Wuji practice is increasingly becoming a state, the state of Wuji.

Guide: How You Learn Tai Ji Correctly

Guide: How You Learn Tai Ji Correctly

The Misconception

The general idea of ​​Taiji is that it is a wellness exercise and something that a retired old, unsportsmanlike man can teach and practice. Unfortunately, this out-of-shape image prevents people from working hard because they think you must know Taiji and life will improve. In addition, many unskilled people are working hard to give the Taiji art a relaxation and wellness image. So, instead of learning any weird promising styles, take the time and read this post to get a perspective on Taiji.

What is Taiji

Taiji is the harmonization of Yin and Yang. The control of internal coordination with relaxation and strength. The opposing poles of physical and mental posture are united in Taiji. Taiji consists of very intense and efficient movements that can quickly damage the body if done incorrectly. A misconception of Taiji can also increase the practitioner’s restlessness. Taiji is original of Daoist origin. As a Sanfengpai Academy, we embody the teachings of Zhang Sanfeng, the legendary founder of Taiji.

Making the Impossible Possible

It should be apparent to the practitioner why one should practice Taiji. First, to gain complete control over oneself, one has to overcome many obstacles and cultivate this practice for a long time. There are no shortcuts. Why is my body shaking in this position? Why don’t I come down so deep? Why don’t I have the strength to hold this? Why am I out of breath? Rome wasn’t built in a day to do things that one could not previously imagine. Then, there is the traditional Taiji training method that brings everyone there with confidence.

The Three Phases of Learning Taiji

Learning taiji should be a natural process, not something unnatural that the body is forced to do. Traditionally, students in Wudang learn without aids, so there is no placebo effect that many in the West suffer from (breathe now and feel the energy …). Instead of suggesting what to feel, the traditional student focuses on himself. Body and mind have to be trained and recognized to understand the force you are working with.

Gong Fu Practice

First, the body needs to be trained. This includes traditional posture training. Gong Fu gives the body the strength it needs to stay calm and still. Unfortunately, Gong Fu training is often overlooked because people think it is just for young people.

Stretching

Becoming flexible is essential to have less resistance in the body. Stretching will also stimulate a relaxed mindset. Every traditional Taiji school in China goes through intense stretching routines.

Qi Gong Practice

At last, Qi Gong is also one of the main routines that are very important for learning Taiji. Qi Gong will teach the practitioner breathing and straight posture; without it, the gravity center would always be off, and you could never harmonize the body in Taiji movements.

The Training Methods

In the Wudang Sanfengpai, we have a safe routine for everyone to learn that will teach the student the necessary strength and positions required for beginners.Our school has a stretching course for beginners. Course will give you a good and steady perspective of a working stretching routine for Taiji practice.Zhan Zhuang is important to understand the internal side of Taiji. Therefore, it is recommended that students prioritize training methods in the same way as ordered here in this blog post. For beginners, Zhan Zhuang is good after Gong Fu and flexibility training.

Wu Xing Doctrine – Strengthening with Five Animals Qi Gong

Wu Xing Doctrine – Strengthening with Five Animals Qi Gong

Five Organs – Internal Alchemy

The Daoist teachings of our Sanfeng lineage have extensive knowledge of the body’s main functions and their effects. In Classical Chinese Medicine, this knowledge has been passed on for centuries. Through Qi Gong, the organ functions are strengthened and promoted, leading to a healthy mental and physical self.

Standing in Stillness to Become Soft

Everything hard becomes soft at some point. After that, the body will become soft again because strength always consumes energy, combined with the right posture and the right breathing. This leads to better self-confidence and understanding of relaxation and reduces stress.

Relating with the Meridian System

The exercises specialize in stimulating the energy meridians. Ancient Chinese teaching that mainly the Daoists were concerned with. The focus is on the correct and optimized flow of energy, so the joints are intensively stretched in the resting position to improve the flow of energy.The Wudang Academy imparts traditional unchanged knowledge about the Wu Xing Qi Gong practice. In the following five episodes, you will see complete instructions for the Wu Xing Qi Gong movement set and detailed instructions for the practical application of each movement. Studying these movements from a technical point of view is very important to understand the principles. In general, Qi Gong exercises are only effective if you understand what you are doing with them; otherwise, Qi Gong can also be counterproductive. The Wu Xing Qi Gong teaching applications are very effective and targeted, which of course, leads to rapid progress. The method is also recommended as a rehabilitation method.When practicing Qi Gong make sure that you adjust the difficulty accordingly. Stances can be lower or more accurate as well as flexibility can be improved to achieve better positions. You can check out our flexibility training course for effective stretching methods for your Qi Gong practice.

The Daily Routine

The targeted practice of the individual, difficult movements is preferable. However, some difficult-to-manage sections also indicate the lack of vital muscles, which exercise is slowly building. Therefore it is not necessary to always train the full routine, but simply the exercises that you need at the moment.

15 Minutes of Your Time

Fifteen minutes is usually enough to repeat important movements for yourself and improve your well-being physically and mentally. Once a week, you should still take your full time and go through all movements once to rule out uneven training.

Preserving the Traditional Qi Gong Practice!

Our Wudang Academy tries to allow everyone to practice effective Qi Gong. Instead of wanting to sell something, our academy wants the sustainable cultivation of the inner arts. Would you mind sharing your experiences in our forum and giving others tips on what has helped you improve your Qi Gong practice? An active community and working together on Qi Gong is important, as most schools copy the movements without knowing the principles; these are empty movements of inferior quality. We hope that you will use our courses and notice the difference to other schools. Let the world know of Wudang Academy and help us to revive practical Daoist knowledge.

The Mystery of Eight Brocades Qi Gong – All Movements

The Mystery of Eight Brocades Qi Gong – All Movements

Qi Gong in the West

It is rare to see people in the west practicing authentic Qi Gong like in the old days in China. Originally the Eight Brocades Qi Gong form was developed by the military. Qi Gong translates to “Breathing,” “Power,” “Exercise.” Something most people don’t want to admit is that the “magical Qi,” which translates to “Energy” or “Power,” is the same “Qi” that is also used for cars and airplanes. It describes the source of power, which for us is oxygen.

Mystification of Qi

In the West, most things that are difficult to learn are viewed as unprofitable. The wellness genre in the west is big and people are always looking for the easiest healing method. In China, the understanding of wellness is much clearer, as there is no such widespread social system as in the West, which is why people feel responsible for their own health. How can one be able to change without effort?

Learning Authentic Eight Brocades Qi Gong

Our academy is educating people internationally about true Qi Gong with traditional values. The technical aspect of Qi Gong is properly explained so that one can work effectively with Qi Gong. Master Ziji and Centina put together this extensive series about all the movements available in the Eight Brocades Qi Gong. During this series, the movements are shown, afterward explained, and individual corrections are shown. Each day one episode will be published.

When practicing Qi Gong make sure that you adjust the difficulty accordingly. Stances can be lower or more accurate as well as flexibility can be improved to achieve better positions. You can check out our flexibility training course for effective stretching methods for your Qi Gong practice.

When practicing Qi Gong make sure that you adjust the difficulty accordingly. Stances can be lower or more accurate as well as flexibility can be improved to achieve better positions. You can check out our flexibility training course for effective stretching methods for your Qi Gong practice.

Support Wudang Academy

These series are completely free for everyone to watch. We need to make people aware of traditional Qi Gong and the importance and effectiveness of traditional Wudang Qi Gong practices.

If you like this series or our Qi Gong helped you, please leave a donation or comment below. With every donation, you support our school and the archiving of traditional information for everyone. Master Ziji will continue to work on projects like this and is always educating people about the truth and reality of Internal Wudang Martial Arts.

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The Center of Wudang San Feng Pai Martial Arts

The Center of Wudang San Feng Pai Martial Arts

The martial arts of the Sanfeng lineage are a collection of traditional Daoist martial arts of authentic origin. Unlike many other schools, the Sanfeng Lineage is not based on a long history from its name. Nevertheless, Sanfengpai identifies with the practical authenticity of the training methods and the effective implementation of the legend Zhang Sanfeng himself.The Daoists’ original fighting and healing methods are based on the skills that have been developed through intensive training. Therefore, after a decade of training, skills can be considered sufficient for a San Feng Pai student. The origin of the Daoist martial art is based on skills development, so the training path and permanent identification with personal development are of great importance.The self is part of the environment, and to be in harmony with it, one should study the nature around one. It is the extremes, the opposites, that create everything. Hence, Yin and Yang are building the concept of balance. Everyone is part of the whole. From which everything arises, the Dao is the gateway to the total understanding that Daoists strive for.Those who do not know speak, and those who do say nothing. Anyone can understand the fruits of training after taking the first step. Without getting in your own way, you can only work with yourself if you are ready. Whoever sells the golden donkey can be successful for a short time. In the long run, the Wudang San Feng Pai does not try to sell you anything but welcomes you with open arms when you are ready. This is because the Wudang Sanfengpai traditional arts are threatened with extinction due to the commercialization of Chinese martial arts. In 20 years, who will remember how the master could run up a wall up to 4 meters high? How did he interpret the Taiji exercises? Some approaches and insights are on the verge of being lost forever. If today’s world is ignorant and only wants cosmic energy and mixed martial arts, then it is the task of the remaining Daoists to show how it can be done differently. Wudang Sanfengpai is a very practical martial arts lineage that can work on all levels of self-cultivation.Our online program conveys the concepts and principles of our methods or can serve as an archive. It is our academy’s mission to preserve the traditional wisdom of San Feng Pai. It is important to preserve the legacy that has always helped people. Since San Feng Pai is a living lineage, it grows with each generation.

The Effective Qi Gong Routines of Wudang Sanfengpai

The Effective Qi Gong Routines of Wudang Sanfengpai

Qi Gong in this modern age has many shapes and forms, and if you go down the street and ask people about Qi Gong, they will reply that they already know Qi Gong and that it is not for them; they like Tai Chi better, say most…

The most common Qi Gong forms in the Sanfeng lineage are Ba Duan Jin and Wu Xing Qi Gong (Eight Brocades and Five Animals). They both have different focus points but together, they improve the body as a whole.

What is the general difference in our Qi Gong?

In the western world, Qi Gong is often perceived as relaxing and seen as a wellness method. However, traditionally Qi Gong is here to make one stronger, and as the name suggests (Breathing Power Exercise), it trains and improves the body’s physical and mental capabilities.

The Qi Gong of the Sanfeng lineage certainly teaches someone to relax, but the method itself is more likely to be described as a “change”, because without effort; the improvement will not come by itself.

In the end, the answer is quick and easy, you may practice wellness Qi Gong for 50 years without much improvement in your life quality, but you can come two times to our Qi Gong and immediately feel the difference in your body. In the end, if you cultivate yourself over the years with our Qi Gong, the effects make things possible that were impossible before.

How do I start?

Locally in Vienna you can join our Qi Gong classes available here!

If you are too far away you can watch our Qi Gong videos:

Further more you can learn the basics of Qi Gong in our online class here!

Like what Wudang Academy is doing? Support us by buying a T-shirt (free shipping):

The Secret to Practicing Daoist Self-Cultivation

The Secret to Practicing Daoist Self-Cultivation

In the west, people often say that they identify with Daoism and self-cultivation. Often, however, these are just personal views that are justified with the argument of Daoist philosophy. Since Daoism is a practical philosophy, most of them are shocked for the first time regarding personal training.

The best is objective self-reflection, unaffected by personal opinions. When it comes to training, it shows who is really training. It was not without reason that Laozi left us the following lines in chapter 56 in the Daodejing:

Those who know do not talk.
Those who talk do not know.

Keep your mouth closed.
Guard your senses.
Temper your sharpness.
Simplify your problems.
Mask your brightness.
Be at one with the dust of the earth.
This is a primal union.

He who has achieved this state
Is unconcerned with friends and enemies,
With good and harm, with honor and disgrace.
This, therefore, is the highest state of man.

Our Grand Master Yuan Xiu Gang also has a lot to say (english subtitles included) on this subject:

If you are interested in the authentic Daoist practice, our playlist from Grand Master Yuan Xiu Gang can give you an excellent and realistic impression:

Success is only possible when you are ready for success. You hold back with your own ego and are ready for change. There is no easy path to self-awareness, but one can only benefit from the path.