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As you know, these lessons are take directly from the advanced training in our Complete ChiFusion Course. And in this lesson, I'm also including some special Bonus material for you that comes directly from this advanced training.
In this bonus material, we discuss how ChiFusion Tai Chi and Qigong affect the Chi energy pathways in your body. It's taken directly from Level 2 of our Complete Course. This bonus material discusses important theory behind Tai Chi and Qigong.
But in our courses, we don't give you just theory - we also give you practical applications! Yes, we include some theory in our program - not a lot, but just enough to help you understand the Chi exercises you'll be exploring.
When you get the Level 2 course as part of your Complete ChiFusion Course, you'll find practical material on how you can directly experience Chi energy with just five simple Qigong exercises that teach a unique coordination of physical movement, breathing, and mental concentration.
For now though, to help you understand the rest of Lesson 4, please click on the following link RIGHT NOW:
Please read this Bonus Material before continuing with the rest of this lesson, so you'll understand the purpose
of the following exercise.
Get Direct, Positive Chi Development with Level 2!
If you've read the Bonus Material from above, you now know a little about the "energetic theory" behind the entire ChiFusion™ program, and specifically behind the Level 2 exercises you are are about to learn. But how do we translate that theory into practice? By focusing on coordination skills in Level 2 of our Complete Course.In Level 2 of your ChiFusion™ Complete Course, we focus on the skills of coordination from two aspects. First, we work on physical coordination, with practices like the Constant Bear Qigong you are about to learn. These practices teach you how to use your body in an integrated fashion. Secondly in Level 2, we work on coordinating movement, breathing, and mental concentration with practice like Tai Chi's Lifting Water you'll learn in Lessons 4 and 5. This unique coordination of mind, body, and breath will increase the "secret qigong technique" benefits you get from Tai Chi and Qigong.
Best of all, when you get your Level 2 course, you'll learn all of these skills in just five simple Qigong exercises that teach a unique coordination of physical movement, breathing, and mental concentration. Our Level 2 coordination exercises involve spiraling and circular movements typical of Tai Chi and many Qigong forms. Many students have reported that these exercises have really given them direct, positive results in chi development.
"Fascinated by Actually Feeling Internal Energy!""My study from the first lesson to now has been a wonderful journey of discovery. I have truly enjoyed and been fascinated by the internal energy of Tai Chi and Qigong. "I think your program is unique and well worth the investment." -- Jeffry Larson, Fort Bragg, North Carolina
"In Over 40 Years I've Never Written a Letter About a Product or Service, but Your Course is so Amazing, I Wrote TWO!""I have been doing Qigong [from another teacher] each morning for the last two years, but until I completed Level 1 did not realize that I had been performing some of the movements incorrectly! I was causing myself injury due to the incorrect placement of my knees. Just learning the correct way to practice and knee placement in Level 1 alone was more than worth the "price of admission" I paid for the whole course! "In over 40 years as a consumer I have never written a letter about a product or service - good or bad - and I have already written two about the ChiFusion™ Program. It's just that it has proven so far to be such an invaluable program; I hope other students of Tai Chi that haven't yet discovered this amazing program will be encouraged to give it a go." -- Heather Brock, B.A., M.Ed., Professor and Counsellor
"Even with over 15 Years of Martial Arts, I've Never Achieved Anything Like This!""I am feeling chi, it is absolutely amazing - and pleasurable. What is more amazing to me is that I have 15 years of martial arts experience and I've never achieved anything like the results your course is generating in only a few short weeks of practice. Thank you. "I've done various types of Tai Chi and Chi Kung (Qigong) and have studied with many well known and high level internal martial artists. But I was unable to replicate their results using their methods and was too honest to pretend otherwise. The really nice thing about your course is the speed with which the results come and the gentle way in which they are brought about. -- Charles, in an email sent Saturday 3:58 PM
Click here to read more success stories!
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In This Lesson
As we've mentioned, this lesson is take from Level 2 of our full ChiFusion™ Complete Course, and the main focus of Level 2 is on "Coordinating Mind, Body, and Breath"In this lesson of material taken from Level 2, we'll cover two important topics:
- The Goat Stance
The way we stand while practicing Tai Chi and Qigong is important, because our stance can either help or hinder us as we learn. Our new stance in Level 2, the Goat stance, incorporates principles from both the Wuji and Horse stances we cover in Level 1 of our full course.
- Constant Bear
Constant Bear Qigong may be the single most popular Qigong pattern in the entire world. Nearly every Tai Chi and Qigong teacher we know does some version of this pattern. With Constant Bear Qigong, we'll learn to coordinate precision torso movements with weight shifting. The type of torso and waist movement featured in Constant Bear Qigong is used extensively throughout Tai Chi.
The Goat Stance
The way we stand while practicing Tai Chi and Qigong is important, because our stance can either help or hinder us as we learn. By practicing with proper stance, we can increase the levels of relaxation we'll feel while doing Qigong and make our learning more efficient.In Level 1 of our full course, we learn two stances. The Wuji stance was a basic hip-socket width stance that allowed us to remain relaxed and comfortable while standing. The Horse stance was a wider stance that helped us work on stability while strengthening our legs and opening our pelvis and groin.
In this lesson, taken from Level 2 of our full course, we'll learn a new stance, called the Goat stance. The Goat stance is a mid-way stance between the Wuji and Horse stances. Like the Wuji stance, it allows us to stand in a relaxed and comfortable manner. But like the Horse stance, Goat stance provides some stabilizing distance between our feet. We will need this distance in order to perform some of our Level 2 Qigong.
It Starts with the Feet!
Many of the same principles you learned in the Wuji stance apply to the Goat
stance. The major difference between Wuji stance and Goat stance is the distance
between your feet. In Goat stance, we want to place our feet directly under the
outside of our hips. In other words, the center of our feet should be in line
with the outside of our hips.Notice the distance of the feet in Level 1's Wuji stance in the first photo at right. The yellow arrow shows you the difference between the outside of the hip and the hip socket. In the Wuji stance, the feet are directly under the hip socket, making a slightly narrow stance.
The second photo shows you Level 2's Goat stance. Notice that the slightly wider distance between the feet, and how the feet are positioned underneath the outside of the hips. This extra distance provides a slight measure of stability to the stance, while still allowing us to relax and stand comfortably.
This distance between our feet is how the Goat stance gets its name. In Level 1, we said that the Horse stance got its name from the fact we look as if we are sitting on a horse. Well, the Goat stance humorously gets its name from the fact that we look as if we are sitting on a much smaller animal - such as a goat!
Many of the fundamental principles of the Wuji stance apply to the Goat stance.
For example, just as in Wuji stance, place your feet in Goat stance so that they
are parallel, with the second toe (next to big toe) pointing forward. The
correct foot position may feel uncomfortable at first, but over time, you'll
find you'll be able to release this surface tension while allowing the deeper
structures of the legs, feet, and ankles to work in the way they were
designed. The first photo at right shows you the incorrect foot position, with
the feet splayed out. The second photo shows you the correct position with the
feet parallel and pointing forward.In Level 2, this "feet parallel" position becomes extremely important. Without the feet parallel and pointing forward, you will find leg alignment more difficult in some of our Level 2 Qigong patterns. Again, keep in mind the 70% rule - don't force your feet into correct position, but gradually over the coming weeks, work towards this position.
Just as in the Wuji stance, your weight should be equally distributed over your
foot, with the foot flat on the ground except of course for the arch. Don’t
rock back on your heels or rock forward on balls of feet. Your ankles should be
directly over your heels. Do not let your ankles roll in, collapsing your
arches, and do not let them roll out, putting stress on the ankles.In the Goat stance, we bend our knees slightly more than we did in Wuji stance. The photos at right show the difference between Wuji stance and Goat stance. Notice that the bend in the knees is slight. Do not bend them excessively, but use a relaxed, comfortable bend that gives some feeling of stability and "sinking" into the ground, as well as a slight "sitting down" feeling.
Legs, Hips, and Torso in Goat Stance
As you bend your knees and "sink" slightly into your Goat stance, make sure that you relax your lower back and hips downward, with your sacrum sinking downward as you did in the Level 1 Horse stance.Relaxing the sacrum downward in Goat stance is critical for success in nearly all the Qigong in Level 2. Relaxing the sacrum downward helps "open up" the body cavity and increases the "space" around your internal organs. This added space gives you greater access to the energy vessels buried within the torso. (See the introduction section on Energy Pathways for an explanation of energy vessels.)
So make sure that, as you sink into your Goat stance, you drop the sacrum and buttocks downward and "flatten out" the lower back. By dropping the sacrum, you will also increase the sensitivity and awareness you'll have to what is happening inside your torso. This energetic awareness and sensitivity is a primary goal in Level 2.
| It is important for you to know precisely where your sacrum is and how to relax it downward. This information is covered in Level 1 of our program during the discussion of the Horse Stance. But if you are uncertain about your sacrum and how to relax it, review Lesson 4B: Movement Within The Horse Stance in ChiFusion™ Level 1 when you order your full course. |
You'll
notice that in Goat stance, your legs are closer together than in the Horse
Stance. Therefore, it may be more difficult to relax the sacrum downward without
the extra "room" in the pelvis that the wide leg position of the Horse
stance allows. Here is a tip though that may help you with
relaxing the sacrum in the Goat stance. As you bend your knees slightly
to sink into the Goat stance, allow your knees to open out slightly towards your
feet. This slight opening will give you the space in your pelvis to allow the
sacrum to drop and relax. This will also help the buttocks to relax downward as
well and not stick out.
For the torso in Goat stance, just follow the same principles we learned in both
Wuji and Horse stance in Level 1. Let the chest relax downward, relax the
stomach outward, allow the shoulders to drop, and keep the lower back open and
flat. This allows the weight of our upper body to sink to our legs and feet.As we pointed out in Level 1, this is the opposite of what we think of as military posture, with the chest out, stomach in, and back arched, as shown in the first photo at right. The second photo shows the correct torso position with the chest and stomach relaxed, and the lower back open and flat.
Shoulders, Arms, and Head
Like in the Wuji stance, allow your arms to relax and hang comfortably at your side in Goat stance. Keep your shoulders in a neutral position, not pulled back or wrapped forward. The head should rest on top of the neck, with the ear centered over the middle of your shoulder. Do not thrust your head forward or tilt it back.
A Blend of Relaxation and Stability
In Level 1, the Wuji stance allowed us to stand comfortably, and the Horse stance helped us learn stability. The Goat stance is a "middle ground" stance between relaxation and stability. In the Goat stance just as in all of our Qigong and Tai Chi stances, you are allowing the structure of your body (bones, ligaments, and tendons) to hold you upright, instead of using your muscles to fight gravity.Note, however, that most of us are used to standing improperly and using tension to hold us upright. We're so used to this tension that at first a correct, tension-free stance may feel unnatural! Because of the work you've done in Level 1, you are starting to let go of some of this tension in your stances. The Goat stance gives you another way to practice releasing that tension, allowing you to learn to relax naturally as you stand.
Practice the Goat Stance
Now take a few moments and practice the Goat stance. Keep these important points in mind:- Center of the feet under the outside of the hips
- Feet parallel - second toe points forward
- Weight equally distributed over both feet
- Knees slightly bent - a bit more than Wuji stance, but not as far as Horse stance
- Lower back open - hips and buttocks relaxed down - drop the sacrum
- Arms relaxed, shoulders neutral, and head centered over shoulders
Constant Bear Qigong
The Benefits of Constant Bear
The first Qigong pattern we'll learn from Level 2 is called Constant Bear Qigong. On a physical level, Constant Bear works the waist, hips, and legs using a combination of turning and weight shifting. The turning motion emphasizes the waist and especially the "inguinal groove" - the place where your leg connects into your torso. As mentioned in Level 1, this area is known in Chinese as the kua (pronounced "kwa"). Working the kua can increase range of motion in the hips, making everyday activities like walking and bending more fluid and free.Also, the turning in the inguinal groove emphasizes the lymph nodes in that area. As we mentioned in Level 1, lymph is a critical component of the immune system. The circulation of lymph through movement may be one reason why active people are healthier and more resistant to disease than inactive people.
| You may find that Constant Bear produces a greater immune system response than any of the Level 1 exercises. This happens because, unlike the "start-and-stop" movements in the Eight Brocades, the movement in Constant Bear works our waist-area lymph nodes in a continuous and fluid manner. |
This continuous, fluid motion in the torso and hips, by the way, is also how
this exercise gets its name. The fluid movement is "constant", and in
Chinese folklore, bears are known for having flexible waists. Ever see a bear
walk on all fours? The bear's waist rolls with each step. This rolling action is
being imitated in Constant Bear.Because of our fluid, continuous motion in Constant Bear, you'll find that this pattern will teach you some basic coordination. This coordination practice will improve our quality of movement, improve our nervous system functioning, and remove physical and mental impairments to natural movement. In addition, the weight shifting between the legs will help strengthen our legs, especially our thighs and calves.
On an energetic level, Constant Bear is a "chi warming" exercise. It stimulates the internal energy in the body rather quickly, and makes a great "fast warm-up" for Qigong. Many people find themselves becoming warm with this exercise, and they may even feel their skin become flush or begin to sweat. Remember as always, apply the 70% rule. If you become uncomfortably warm, stop the exercise for that practice session. When you stop, your chi will cool down and settle soon. Then wait until your next practice session before you try Constant Bear again.
Performing Constant Bear
Because of its emphasis on continuous movement, Constant Bear Qigong is difficult to learn just from the still photos below. Therefore, it's important that you watch the video (click on the video above) to get the real feeling of the exercise. We'll still use the step-by-step photos to help you understand the basics, but realize that the still photos are not stopping points in the motion, since the motion should be continuous. The still photos are more like "single frames" taken from a movie or video, where you don't see all the in-between frames.There is no particular breathing pattern for this exercise. Just focus entirely on the movement, and breathe comfortably without focusing on your breath. And as always, remember that the still images and videos are done in mirror-image. You should follow along with the movements as if you were looking in a mirror.
Step 1: Stand in Goat Stance.
Step 2: First shift about 70% of your weight to your right leg. At the same time, turn your torso and waist to the right - the same direction in which you have shifted. Allow your arms to hang loosely from your shoulders. If you relax your arms, they will follow the turning of your torso and waist. Don't try to move your arms, just let them hang relaxed and move by themselves.
Note: The photos for this pattern are mirror-imaged. Please turn to your right!
Step 3: When you finish the shift in Step 2, immediately begin shifting now towards the left. (This photo shows you mid-way between shifts.)
Step 4: Continue shifting to the left until about 70% of your weight is on your left leg. At the same time, turn your torso and waist to the left. Again, don't try to move your arms. Allow them to hang loosely from your shoulders and follow the waist movement.
Note: The photos for this pattern are mirror-imaged. Please turn to your left!
Step 5: When you finish the shift in Step 4, immediately begin shifting now back towards the right
Repeat this shifting right and left a number of times slowly before continuing with this lesson.
An Important Reminder!
As we mentioned in Level 1, we're not concerned with making your movements look like your instructor's. We're more concerned with making your movements feel the right way. As you look at the above video and photos, keep in mind that instructor Carole Taylor is showing you the "textbook" ideal movement. You do not need to turn as far as Carole does. Your movements should be within 70% of your range of motion, even if that means you turn only slightly from left to right. That is your ideal movement.| We can't emphasize this enough. Do not copy Carole's movements, but adapt them to fit your own physical strengths and limitations. It's better to do a smaller movement that is structurally correct than to do a larger movement that ignores the principles of good body structure. Concentrate on how the movement feels, not how it looks compared to Carole's. The ChiFusion™ Details section below will help you concentrate on getting the right feeling. |
Remember to apply this "feeling" approach to all the movements in this course! From our experience in teaching hundreds of students, we've learned that a movement that "feels" the right way will give you more benefits than one that merely looks a certain way. This concept is the basic principle of the entire ChiFusion™ approach.
ChiFusion™ Details for Constant Bear Qigong
Here are some important details for this pattern. As always, practice each of these details one at a time, rather than trying to combine them. For example, read detail 1, then practice the pattern for a few minutes just concentrating on this detail. Then move on to detail 2, and practice for a few minutes just concentrating on detail 2.Continue this way through all the details. By practicing them individually, you'll find that you learn the details better, and will eventually be able to do all of them simultaneously much sooner than if you try to mix them together from the start.
- Coordinate the Weight Shift and Turn
For Constant Bear, you'll need to make sure that the weight shift and waist turn are coordinated, so that the weight shift and turn to a given side finish at nearly the same moment. In other words, the turning from the waist happens during the shift. When you order the Level 2 course as part of your Complete ChiFusion Course, you'll learn how to use "silk reeling" to coordinate your shift and turn. The Tai Chi skill of silk-reeling will allow you to fine-tune your coordination in Constant Bear to a more precise level. But for now, just work towards having the weight shift and the turn happen so that they finish at the same time.
- Weighted Knee Stays Over Foot and Points Forward
As you complete each weight shift and turn to the side, it is important that your weighted knee (on the side you shifted to) stops directly over your foot. Do not allow this support knee to torque out away from your foot. Turning out the knee over time can cause damage to the knee, especially in a movement like Constant Bear which involves rapid shifting and turning. Because of this rapid movement, it is especially important to follow this detail.
In addition, to prevent injury, the front of the knee should always point in the same direction as the toes on that foot. In other words, since your toes should be forward in the Goat stance, your weighted knee should point forward as well.
- Unweighted Foot Stays Flat on Ground and Knee Stays On a Line
The unweighted foot in Constant Bear should stay flat on the ground. Do not allow it to roll inward. The unweighted knee should stay on a straight diagonal line between the hip and foot. Do not collapse this knee inward as you turn.
Keeping a "straight line" from the foot to the hip, and keeping the foot flat on the ground, increases the opening of the joints and connective tissues in the legs, as well as stimulates the energy meridians that run from the torso to the foot.
- Maintain Your Centerline
In Level 1, we talked about your centerline. We asked you to imagine a line that runs right down the center of your body, dividing your body into a left and right half. This imaginary centerline runs from the top of the head, down the forehead, nose, chin, center of the chest, the navel, and into the groin. We sometimes shorten this to say that the centerline connects the "nose, navel, and groin" on a single line.
In Constant Bear, make sure you maintain your centerline at all times. In other words, your nose, navel, and groin stay in alignment during the entire movement. If you look at the side view photos at right, in the first photo, Carole has turned her head farther than her shoulders, and her shoulders farther than her waist. This is incorrect. In the second side view photo, Carole maintains her centerline as she turns from side to side.
Maintaining your centerline may mean you won't be able to turn very far from side to side. That is just fine. The point of this exercise is not how far you can turn, but where you are turning. The turns in Constant Bear should originate from the waist/hip area, not the shoulders or neck. Turning farther in the shoulders or neck will produce no extra benefits, and may distract you from the main focus of this exercise - turning from the waist and hips.
- Completely Relax Your Arms
During Constant Bear, keep your arms completely relaxed. Do not try to move your arms or do anything with them. If you keep your arms completely relaxed, your turning and shifting will cause your arms to swing around your body. But remember: don't try to make your arms move. When you first begin practicing, your arms may not move at all. That is just fine. As you get better at coordinating the shifting and turning, and as your arms relax more, they will slowly begin to wrap around your body naturally and effortlessly.
- Don't Rotate the Hips Excessively - Instead Fold Into the Hip
In Constant Bear, it's important that you do not rotate or twist the hips excessively, as in the first picture at right. The outside of your hips should mostly point forward, even as you turn from side to side. The correct hip position is shown in the second photo at right. Looking at the side seam of Carole's slacks (highlighted in yellow in the photos) will give you a good idea of her hip position.
So how do you turn without rotating your hips excessively? "Fold" your torso and waist into your hips. In other words, you turn from your waist into your inguinal groove (where your leg and hip connect) so that your lower abdomen actually touches your leg. If you are wearing comfortable pants when this happens, you'll find that there is a fold of cloth that forms a diagonal crease from your groin to your hip, as shown in the photo at right.
By properly "folding into" your hips instead of rotating your hips, you'll greatly increase the immune system benefits of this exercise, while exercising the hip joint, and relaxing and opening the lower back and waist.
Engaging Your Mind in Constant Bear Qigong
The above steps and details describe the basic movement plus details for Constant Bear. Practice the steps and details until you are familiar with them, then add this visualization to help engage your mind for mental concentration:Many people find Constant Bear to be a relaxing, warming, almost nurturing movement. Imagine or visualize standing in a forest on a slightly cool Spring day. As you turn from side to side, you feel yourself pulling in warm energy from the trees and the ground, and wrapping it around you like a cloak with your arms. Each turn from side to side gathers in more energy to wrap around you to make you feel warm and comfortable, even though the weather is cool.
Practicing Constant Bear
Please keep in mind the 70% rule when you practice. Use this rule for the amount of time that you practice, how far you turn from side to side, and how fast you move. Also remember to keep to 40% or less if you are injured, especially with leg or back injuries.Now take a few moments and practice the Constant Bear pattern. Keep these important points in mind:
- Coordinate the weight shift and turn.
- Weighted knee stays over support foot and points forward.
- Unweighted foot stays flat on ground, and unweighted knee is on a line between hip and foot.
- Maintain your centerline.
- Completely relax your arms.
- Don't rotate the hips excessively - instead fold into the hip.
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