Over the years

When I think about the people I have met over the years I feel very lucky. To have had the chance to travel and meet, talk and spend time with different martial artists has been wonderful. I guess I have been a bit of a rouge wandering all over the world and having a lot of fun while doing it. I thought I would share just a few thoughts and some of the pictures I taken over the last few decades. Pictures of some wonderful people I have been lucky enough to have met and share a little time with...

I remember flying to Boston back in the 80's for a while to meet and spend some time with Yang Jwingming. He had started a series of qigong seminars and I remember reading a few of his books. I had a blast out in Boston and enjoyed spending time with Dr Yang Jwingming. I can't believe how different I looked back then.

Then I remember going to Chicago a couple years ago as Chen Xiaoxing was going to be there at a seminar Andy was hosting. I put a little video up on this blog you can click here to see the video of Chen Xiaoxing from this blog.

I have a couple friends in Cleveland Ohio and Chen Qingzhou was going to be doing a seminar there so road trip was in order. That was about 7 or so years ago and I really enjoyed meeting him.

One of the things I rememer most was when Chen Qingzhou did something called "Big Bird Feeds Baby Bird." This was some form of Qi teaching, those of you who know me know I don't like to talk about Qi very much as it can cause many people to imagine various thing and call them Qi feelings. When Chen Qingzhou finished I remember him telling me to go stand for a while... all I can say is it was very interesting stance that day indeed.

Back in 1999 I went to see Chen Xiaowang for the first time in New York city. I really like Master Chen and he has always been so very helpful and generous with me. Master Chen Xiaowang has always answered any of my questions so I would really understand the meaning in the sense of my body awareness which is so very important.

I remember one day a couple years ago that still really stands out for me even today. You see, I was asking Master Chen about some of the difficulties I was working with in the form of breaks in the connections while doing silk reeling and he look at me and smiled and he said "Me too... isn't it wonderful we can practice our whole life and never get it right... what a wonderful practice this is." Then he smiled again and said lets stand together and we practiced Zhan Zhuang together standing for a little over 90 minutes and then he said simply spoke and said while still standing "Are you hungry?" I said "Yes." Master Chen said "Let's eat" and he made some dumplings and tea and we talked for a good while. Sometimes it's the simplest things that can touch us in so many ways.

Over the years I have traveled to China a number of times. I have many friends in China and I really enjoy spending time there. I have never been to the great wall, or forbidden city or things like that. I have enjoyed meeting some wonderful people and made many friends.

One year around the year 2000 I met Yao Chegguang. Yao Chengguang was very friendly and helpful for sure! Me and my friend Victor Chao spent a number of hours with Yao Chengguang at his place going over the practices of Yiquan which was just great. Yao Chengguang is a fighter and you can see him instill this in his students. One day we went to the park where he meets with his students and you can see that they really enjoy the training! 

While in Beijing we got a great oppertunity to meet with  Bo Jiacong. When we first met him he asked "Are you hungry?" of course and so we went to lunch and talked for a few hours. Then Bo Jiacong said he need to meet some other people and if we would like he would meet with us tomorrow. The next day was so wonderful, Bo Jiacong spent a lot of time going over different important details and sharing stories about Wang Xiangzhai that he had shared with him. What he shared with me I hold dearly and is still a big part of my training today. I really like Bo Jiacong and his ability to share so much!

In 2004 I spent some time with Di Guoyong. We when over a number of basics about Xingyi and Bagua. A few months ago I posted a couple videos I filmed back then.

The first video I put up here on the blog was Bagua Stepping and Tang Ne Bu (Sliding in the mud) which was a lot of fun and he went into a lot of detail which I hope comes through in some of the clips I put up. The second video was with the post was called Bagua Tai Dao or Large Saber which was filmed when it came time to take a break. Di Guoyong really enjoyed sharing this which I think comes across in the video as well. I will say he really liked to work work people hard. He would go over a number of pointers although as you know martial arts is about doing and Di Guoyong would do correction after seeing you do it a number of times.

A few year later in one of many trips to China I got to visit Jinan and visit with Li Enjiu for a few days. Li Enjiu has a wonderful school there although we went to local park to train. We went through some of the pointers of Taiji practice and then how this applied to push hands. It was a wonderful outside and Li Enjiu was very helpful and willing to share so much wonderful information.

These are just a few of the wonderful memories I have had over the years. I have been blessed with the friend I have met and the lessons I have learned. So much of what I have learned has contributed to my Wujifa practice as well and so I am thankful. I started this blog almost one year ago and I have had a lot of fun posting various things here.

Today it is nice to look back at a few different moments in time... there is more video to edit and stories to share. I also look forward to sharing more about various Wujifa practices and skill sets and a few new videos and posts coming about Wujifa. Thanks again for allowing me to share a few memories today. 

A video of a lecture on internal martial arts

Here is an interesting lecture on internal martial arts in the form a video given by Victor Chao. Victor Chao is originally from Taipia,Taiwan and now lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan where Victor teaches Gao style Bagua and also practices Zhan Zhuang or standing meditation.

This lecture was recorded in December of 2009 on the spur of the moment with a cell phone. A number of short audio clips were recorded, and have been strung together to make this video. Also, a number of pictures that were taken on that day, as well as a few that have been taken over the years that have been added for good measure.



This is the YouTube link for those who enjoy watching there.

I hope you enjoy this video as much as the people present enjoy hearing it.

I wanted to get this up quickly so I will come back and add some more after the super bowl.

Is your stance practice like a dead post?

What is your zhan zhuang practice becoming? The number one problem people have practicing zhan zhuang is dead-post standing. This means being rigid and non-living, doing the practice as if one has a stick stuck you know where.

The second big mistake in dead post standing is when the mind over thinks and over controls instead of simply guiding growth, development, and understanding as one practices.

The post turtle could be a symbol for both of these problems. Just look at the picture above. A stiff rigid pole with all the life stuck on top, over thinking and trying to figure it out. As we say in Wujifa, "the method is not the truth."

Like the punch line to the joke about the post turtle:

The old man says, "When you're driving down a country road and you see a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that's a post turtle. You know he didn't get up there by himself. He doesn't belong there; he can't get anything done while he's up there; and you just want to help the poor, dumb thing down."

The post-turtle is further explained: He did not get there by himself. He cannot get down. And he can only see in the direction he has been turned.

Visit and Read: Zhan Zhuang Alignment
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Visit and Read: More on Zhan Zhuang and Movement

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