For many years in America we have heard a great deal about the magical and mystical force known as Qi (often spelled Chi- both are correct). There are stories about people doing absolutely incredible things with this stuff; wondrous feats of strength, physical power, self healing, and even tails of magic much like the force in Star Wars. So here is the question: what is Qi and what does it really do?
The first question that needs to be asked in this discussion is whether or not Qi is actually real or a figment of the imagination. The answer here lies in the training that is undergone to become aware of it. As a point of fact, there are numerous exercises and arts that use and cultivate Qi in a manner that can be reproduced by anyone who follows a prescribed method of practice. Arts such as QiGong (Qi Work), WuShu ( “Martial Art” in Chinese), Tai Chi (a specific internal Chinese Martial Art), Yoga (they call it Prana) Zen (they call it Ki), Japanese Martial Arts (also call it Ki)- the list goes on and on. Each of these examples has and uses specific methods for the cultivation of Qi in the body.
So we know that Qi exists in some form, so what exactly is it than? To put it simply it is a sensation in the body. It is something that you feel when you are moving your body correctly according to any of the previously mentioned methods. So let’s look at the phenomenon of Qi first as it effects and is effected by the systems fo the body, especially
1) The Central Nervous System
2) The Respiratory System
3) The Circulatory System
There are many possible causes of this sensation- but we do know that all physical sensation in the body had something to do with the nervous system. So it makes sense to look there first. What you will find is that when the body is held a certain way (see the sections in my book about posture, alignment and back up body mass), the body’s nervous system is able to fire more smoothly enabling it to relay a stronger signal with greater speed. In other words, we get all of the kinks out of the nervous system. When your nervous system is “kink free,” it is able to create a rhythm through which your body is able to function.
The nervous system is what sends the signals to everything making this rhythm happen. In the Tai Chi Classics (old text books on the internal type of Wu Shu called Tai Chi), there is a statement that says “the brain is the general, the chi is the flag, and the body is the army.” At that time armies used different flags to represent different formations and strategies. The flag was the communication system. These days it might read “the brain is the general, the chi is the radio, and the body is the army.” What this means is that the nervous system is responsible for the communication between the brain and the body- so the signals sent by the nervous system in correlation with the rhythms created by the other systems creates the sensation known as Qi.
But this isn’t enough. Next we must look at the respiratory system. The act of breathing sets the tempo for the movement of the entire body- it serves as the conductor that makes the entire orchestra stay in together. Air comes in at a certain rate with a certain volume. That is why most exercises designed to develop Qi tend to use some form of abdominal breathing. This enables the practitioner to increase the volume of air that they take in, and then by slowing down the pace more oxygen is extracted. The average persons lungs tend to take in about 30% of the oxygen that comes in- an advanced practitioner of the “Qi Arts” can greatly increase that- perhaps double or more. This controls how oxygen gets into the blood stream, and therefore your breathing patters control the rhythm of the flow of blood.
Therefore the heart beats based upon how your breathing flows. Since the blood works with everything else in the body, everything else will take on that same rhythm. When you are able to obtain this Qi sensation it means that you are getting a good supply of oxygen to all parts of the body, you’re blood is working properly in getting nutrients to cells as well as taking things away, and your nervous system is making sure everything is working together like it should since it has no kinks.
You can also control how much blood is being sent to any given area of your body with your ability to control the rhythm. Remember, your mind controls your Qi, and your Qi controls your body. You can use this understanding to send more oxygen rich blood to an area that you need it for healing, centering, or exertion.
There are also ways to make the Qi sensation stronger and stronger, and your awareness of your bodily systems better and better. It’s called practice. By practicing arts such as Tai Chi the student learns how to first align the body to get ride of postural imperfections. The better your posture is the better your Qi with flow. Next, the student learns to move the body is such a way that you create opposing forces- or yin and yang. This means that you are able to stretch and strengthen the body at the same time. After that the student learns to develop something called Yi (pronounced “e”), roughly meaning intention. When your Yi is guiding your Qi you are tremendously focused and are able to create a stronger and stronger sensation of Qi. The next thing would be to develop what can be called “shen”- or spirit. This is where it is said to be possible to have your body so focused and centered that your nervous system comes into contact with higher and higher levels of awareness. What this is exactly has yet to be determined.
By now your body is functioning like a highly tuned machine. You are able to feel how it is moving, where it might go off track, and how to fix it. The neat thing is that you can feel this not only on the outside- but on the inside as well. You will find that your brain function will improve greatly- meaning that you will have a better chemical balance leading to better focus, memory, and overall awareness. This means that you will be able to decrease and to a degree fix injuries, deal with stress, have better chemical balances in the body, and generally be in better overall mental and physical health. There are higher levels still- training and awareness does not end.
The beginning lies in one simple thing. Lift the back of your head straight up and tuck your tailbone. This will immediately increase your Qi sensation as it will increase blood flow to the brain, allow you to take in more air, and straighten out your spine.
According to the classical Tai Chi literature there are really three different areas of growth in the development of Qi. This really says the same thing as above, just in a different way.
1) You rely upon muscular strength.
2) Your body is full of Qi, but it is still inside your skin.
3) You are only mind and Qi, with no body.
There are higher levels still- but they are to be addressed later.
Level one is where you are still learning how to allow your body to structurally hold itself up. As you perfect the use of back up body mass, you will learn how to use less and less muscle to do things with your body and more and more structure. But at this level you are really still learning how to do that.
Level two is where you are worked out how to allow the structure of your body hold itself up, and now you have learned how to “put the water over the fire to make steam.” This is a reference to the concept that you have three Dan Tien, or elixir fields in your body. The lower Dan Tien (about two inches under your belly button) is thought of as the source of Water Qi from Jieng (original essence from birth which is finite in quantity) that is stored in the kidneys (remember that in the orient the kidney is thought of as the sexual organs as well as the kidneys). The middle Dan Tien (the solar plexus) is the source of Fire Qi from food, water, and air. The upper Dan Tien (also called the third eye on your forehead) is where you must focus your spirit.
As you may notice the problem with this originally is that the water is under the fire. It’s really hard to boil the water into steam this way. However, when you get your posture and alignment figured out, you will be able to put the fire under the water to boil it into steam. So what this means is that when you get your posture right, you will be able to fill your body with Qi (steam) because everything will be lined up correctly. You will be able to relax your muscles on a deep level and fill up with a different kind of power.
Level three takes place when you are able to extend your Qi beyond the confines of your physical body. In level 2 your Qi is only inside of your skin, but here it is not. This takes place when your Yi (mental focus) is not confined to just your body. Remember that your mind leads your chi, and then comes the body. So if your mind can leave the body, so can the chi, leaving the body to catch up on it’s own. At level 3 you have complete control over your body, your Qi, and your mind.
So to answer the question that we started off with, what is Qi? It is a sensation created when the mind and body are working completely in unison. When all of the systems of the body are working together with no hindrance, and the mind is able to lead without interruption. There are higher levels still than has been discussed here today, but that is another discussion.
For more information on this discussion go to http://www.taichimadesimple.com/. If you are interested in taking classes on teh subject go to http://www.croleysmartialarts.com/. And if you are interested in attending a seminar on the Subject go to http://www.thewhiteoakinstitute.com/.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Geroge Xu Comes to Asheville!
Croley’s Martial Arts Center, the White Oak Institute and TaiChiMadeSimple.com are proud to present
Grand Master George Xu
Coming to Asheville, NC on July 19th, 2008 for a three day engagement.
This is the first time a Master of this caliber has ever been to the Southeastern US! Join us as he presents
-How to use just your structure to quadruple your physical power for Martial Arts, sports, rehabilitation, or whatever else you are doing with your body.
-How to use your mind to focus power and energy in ways that will absolutely astound you.
-How to cut out all of the garbage from your understanding and practice so you can get down to the science of the Chinese Grand Masters.
It doesn’t matter if you practice any Martial Art, any sporting event, or any physical or mental practice. This 3 day seminar is an absolute must. Here are some clips of Grand Master Xu from youtube.com. Watch how simply and powerfully he moves as well as how well he specifically and rationally he explains what he is doing - and he is willing to honestly tell you exactly what you need to do to get better results out of your training and exactly how to do it!
Space is limited- we are only accepting 40 participants. So you need to enroll now! Go to http://www.GeorgeXuAsheville.com/ for more information, seminar specifics and where to stay in Asheville.
As readers of this blog know, I have been practicing various Martial Arts for over 25 years. Suffice it to say that it takes a lot to impress me these days. In a world that is full of all kinds of weird stuff people are peddling as “the secrets of the Masters” George Xu is the best Chinese Master teaching in America that I have ever met. This seminar is your opportunity to train with somebody who will literally change your entire life with just one weekend. Not in a “go team” kind of way like a motivational speaker, but Grand Master Xu has the unique ability to cut to the chase and tell you exactly what you need to do to get to the next level of your physical, mental, or spiritual practice in a no nonsense, practical and scientific manner. I absolutely guarantee that you will leave this seminar with the tools you need to get to a real high level. I know that the first time I met him and added his training methods into my system my abilities began to skyrocket from where they were before. But you don’t have to be a martial arts Master to learn from him- he will be able to see exactly where you are in your training and help you from there! Do not miss this seminar.
Sincerely,
Master Derek Croley
PS- I strongly recommend that you attend at least one or two of our preliminary seminars to make sure you are at a level to get the most out of Grand Master Xu. I might also point out that we offer CEU credits for attending our seminars with the White Oak Institute.
PPS- I also strongly recommend that you go to http://www.taichimadesimple.com/ to get a good idea of this information as well.
PPSS- As you also know, for ongoing classes go to http://www.croleysmartialarts.com/.
Grand Master George Xu
Coming to Asheville, NC on July 19th, 2008 for a three day engagement.
This is the first time a Master of this caliber has ever been to the Southeastern US! Join us as he presents
-How to use just your structure to quadruple your physical power for Martial Arts, sports, rehabilitation, or whatever else you are doing with your body.
-How to use your mind to focus power and energy in ways that will absolutely astound you.
-How to cut out all of the garbage from your understanding and practice so you can get down to the science of the Chinese Grand Masters.
It doesn’t matter if you practice any Martial Art, any sporting event, or any physical or mental practice. This 3 day seminar is an absolute must. Here are some clips of Grand Master Xu from youtube.com. Watch how simply and powerfully he moves as well as how well he specifically and rationally he explains what he is doing - and he is willing to honestly tell you exactly what you need to do to get better results out of your training and exactly how to do it!
Space is limited- we are only accepting 40 participants. So you need to enroll now! Go to http://www.GeorgeXuAsheville.com/ for more information, seminar specifics and where to stay in Asheville.
As readers of this blog know, I have been practicing various Martial Arts for over 25 years. Suffice it to say that it takes a lot to impress me these days. In a world that is full of all kinds of weird stuff people are peddling as “the secrets of the Masters” George Xu is the best Chinese Master teaching in America that I have ever met. This seminar is your opportunity to train with somebody who will literally change your entire life with just one weekend. Not in a “go team” kind of way like a motivational speaker, but Grand Master Xu has the unique ability to cut to the chase and tell you exactly what you need to do to get to the next level of your physical, mental, or spiritual practice in a no nonsense, practical and scientific manner. I absolutely guarantee that you will leave this seminar with the tools you need to get to a real high level. I know that the first time I met him and added his training methods into my system my abilities began to skyrocket from where they were before. But you don’t have to be a martial arts Master to learn from him- he will be able to see exactly where you are in your training and help you from there! Do not miss this seminar.
Sincerely,
Master Derek Croley
PS- I strongly recommend that you attend at least one or two of our preliminary seminars to make sure you are at a level to get the most out of Grand Master Xu. I might also point out that we offer CEU credits for attending our seminars with the White Oak Institute.
PPS- I also strongly recommend that you go to http://www.taichimadesimple.com/ to get a good idea of this information as well.
PPSS- As you also know, for ongoing classes go to http://www.croleysmartialarts.com/.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
ADHD and the Martial Arts
Believe it or not, but learning an authentic Martial Art is one of the best things that a parent can do for their ADHD child. As we all know ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Up to 1994 it was called ADD- Attention Deficit Disorder). There is differing research on what exactly ADHD is , but let’s just say that it is a medical condition that somehow affects the focus and attention span.
Though we aren’t exactly sure of the specifics we do know that ADHD is due to some form of difference in brain function. But whatever that is, what is more important is the fact that people with ADHD have trouble focusing, act impulsively, and because of that seem to get into trouble. For more discussion on this topic I recommend that you look at what Wikipedia has to say about it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention-deficit_hyperactivity_disorder
I don’t want to spend a bunch of time writing about what ADHD is, rather what we can do about it. Two of the best ways to deal with ADHD is through mental conditioning and behavioral modification. Authentic Martial Arts are perfect for this. Notice that I say authentic- it really doesn’t matter which art it is that you are doing but it does have to be a real martial art, not a fly by night feel good factory, nor a glorified day care with belts. The reason I say this is that the very things that make a martial art authentic are the things that make it beneficial for those with ADHD. By this I am primarily addressing the mental, physical, and spiritual balance that authentic Martial Arts have to offer.
Let’s begin with Mental Conditioning. I would like to define this as “preparing and conditioning the mind to think and perceive the world in a certain way.” The Martial Arts do this by creating a strong moral fiber- what we call Bushido, the code of the warrior. If you are not familiar with the concept of Bushido, perhaps the idea of a knight’s code of honor is another way to phrase it. But whatever you want to call it, Martial Arts instill in the student an extremely high moral code of honesty, integrity, and a stronger sense of right and wrong than somebody who does not study the Martial Arts. If you want more information about this go to my website at www.CroleysMartialArts.com and look at the articles page. I think you will see what I mean.
This strong mental conditioning is beneficial to the student with ADHD because it gives them the impetus to attempt, and eventually succeed in displaying tremendous self control. This strongly structured moral code is an absolute must have if the student with ADHD is to ever have the mental discipline to even begin to control their symptoms.
Next, lets discuss behavioral modification. I would like to define this as simply altering a particular behavioral pattern, or you could think of it as changing habits. A Martial Arts class provides a rigidly structured, disciplined environment where the student knows exactly what they are going to do and how it is supposed to be done. All children need structure, ADHD or not- but an ADHD student needs even more than the average person. With structure and discipline, the student with ADHD is able to change the negative habits that he or she has developed into positive ones.
The Martial Arts Classroom is a highly valuable tool in helping this particular student population change negative habits as the student know what to expect and what is expected. Not only that, but with the belt system in place the student is rewarded for this positive behavior. It might also be noted that the focused physical action is a tremendous behavioral modification tool for the ADHD student. Often times these students tend to get in trouble because they have so much physical energy bubbling up everywhere it shouldn’t. But with a structured physical class, the student is able to take that energy and harness it in a positive direction.
Over the years that I have been teaching, I have seen hundreds of students with ADHD achieve very positive results from learning the Martial Arts with us. Though I have never done an actual formal study, I cannot tell you how many parents have approached me and told me how much better their children are behaving at home and at school because of the Martial Arts Education they have received with us.
Though we aren’t exactly sure of the specifics we do know that ADHD is due to some form of difference in brain function. But whatever that is, what is more important is the fact that people with ADHD have trouble focusing, act impulsively, and because of that seem to get into trouble. For more discussion on this topic I recommend that you look at what Wikipedia has to say about it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention-deficit_hyperactivity_disorder
I don’t want to spend a bunch of time writing about what ADHD is, rather what we can do about it. Two of the best ways to deal with ADHD is through mental conditioning and behavioral modification. Authentic Martial Arts are perfect for this. Notice that I say authentic- it really doesn’t matter which art it is that you are doing but it does have to be a real martial art, not a fly by night feel good factory, nor a glorified day care with belts. The reason I say this is that the very things that make a martial art authentic are the things that make it beneficial for those with ADHD. By this I am primarily addressing the mental, physical, and spiritual balance that authentic Martial Arts have to offer.
Let’s begin with Mental Conditioning. I would like to define this as “preparing and conditioning the mind to think and perceive the world in a certain way.” The Martial Arts do this by creating a strong moral fiber- what we call Bushido, the code of the warrior. If you are not familiar with the concept of Bushido, perhaps the idea of a knight’s code of honor is another way to phrase it. But whatever you want to call it, Martial Arts instill in the student an extremely high moral code of honesty, integrity, and a stronger sense of right and wrong than somebody who does not study the Martial Arts. If you want more information about this go to my website at www.CroleysMartialArts.com and look at the articles page. I think you will see what I mean.
This strong mental conditioning is beneficial to the student with ADHD because it gives them the impetus to attempt, and eventually succeed in displaying tremendous self control. This strongly structured moral code is an absolute must have if the student with ADHD is to ever have the mental discipline to even begin to control their symptoms.
Next, lets discuss behavioral modification. I would like to define this as simply altering a particular behavioral pattern, or you could think of it as changing habits. A Martial Arts class provides a rigidly structured, disciplined environment where the student knows exactly what they are going to do and how it is supposed to be done. All children need structure, ADHD or not- but an ADHD student needs even more than the average person. With structure and discipline, the student with ADHD is able to change the negative habits that he or she has developed into positive ones.
The Martial Arts Classroom is a highly valuable tool in helping this particular student population change negative habits as the student know what to expect and what is expected. Not only that, but with the belt system in place the student is rewarded for this positive behavior. It might also be noted that the focused physical action is a tremendous behavioral modification tool for the ADHD student. Often times these students tend to get in trouble because they have so much physical energy bubbling up everywhere it shouldn’t. But with a structured physical class, the student is able to take that energy and harness it in a positive direction.
Over the years that I have been teaching, I have seen hundreds of students with ADHD achieve very positive results from learning the Martial Arts with us. Though I have never done an actual formal study, I cannot tell you how many parents have approached me and told me how much better their children are behaving at home and at school because of the Martial Arts Education they have received with us.
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