Tag Archives: Neijia

Neijia

 Shēnfǎ (身法) 

Sun Lu Tang demonstrating San Pan Liu Di from Xing Yi. His ShenFa was exquisite; expertly demonstrating the 8 characteristics and the particular methods for each move. In this move he demonstrates Cheng (撑劲) Jin (pillar energy)

Shēnfǎ (身法)  or body method is truly important in wushu, especially internal martial arts.  To capture the essence, the ideals and principles of the art is the goal.  What has been laid out to us by previous masters of old is shown through the movements and explanations of the exercises and forms.  To capture their Shēnfǎ  gives a student a chance (yes a chance, not guaranteed!)  towards true Gong Fu in that martial art.  To move without coordinated effort, inside and out, will most likely meet sub-standard ends.  To reflect what previous generations built upon is the start towards mastery in your particular art.  Are your stances too high? Then work on getting lower, building your base.  Are you moving slow, scattered?  Work on connecting your body, moving slowing at first but working towards swift coordinated movements.  There is a reason for all this!  Strong, agile, and flexible legs allow for greater Gong Fu!  So do coordinated, swift, and agile movements! The masters of old understood this and are reasons there are amazing stories about them (whether embellished or not, there is still a reason they have stories).  They worked hard to achieve great results.  To attain their results one must follow in their footsteps and capture their Shēnfǎ !  Without truly understanding the moves, their methods, their applications one does not get the totality of the art.  Will their art be hollow?  Possibly not, as they may still attain some value whether it be health, relaxation, balance, strength, self-defense etc… but they will not gain the maximum benefit, the deeper treasures within the art.  This treasure includes capturing the  Shēnfǎ  of the art, to work towards mastering it and all the benefits it contains.

Now can a person learn more than one art at the same time?  Yes why not!  Traditionally students learned one at a time.  Why?  Because that’s how you master something and that mastery often provided security for their families (financially and physically) and abundant health too boot!  Also then they were  able to more quickly learn other wushu styles and exercises.  Their body was attuned to learning and had method already.  It was connected and agile.  It was strong and healthy.  All of these reasons allowed someone to quickly ascertain another style.  What are commonalities among internal arts?  Qi/Lo, Kai/He, Shou, Song, etc..  These can translate to the others and make it easier to learn the Shēnfǎ .  All of that being said if you have a great instructor and you work diligently in each art;  you can grasp each aspect.  Its more difficult as it requires constant effort to not leak into the other art but it is possible!

Now what if your instructor says all the forms and stuff is BS and they have a few moves that grasp at certain aspects of a martial art?  Its their prerogative.  Several great masters would learn some style completely and grasp moves from other styles to create their own Shēnfǎ .  If their Gong Fu was truly special (masters like Yang Lu Chan, Sun Lu Tang, Fu Zhen Song come to mind) it would continue for generations.  To say they have mastered the  Shēnfǎ  of that style is a misnomer though.  They may have taken pieces and garnered some skill but  may not reflect the style they got the movement from.  At this point their martial art becomes their own, their own Pai (fist) with its own unique  Shēnfǎ .  At this point it would be up to them to spread their art/style, hopefully garnering enough skill and ability to continue for generations to come.

In the end your journey is your own.  Do you want a more traditional path or something that is close by which might not be traditional but keeps you active and healthy (and possibly has great sel-defense qualities ;).  Its your journey and you enjoy it.  I will continue down my traditional path, looking to master the styles I choose and ensure I properly display each  Shēnfǎ  successfully and tactfully.  To gain a deeper understanding of each art, to understand where they converge and where they diverge.  To take these aspects and apply them as I see fit, either for health or self-defense.

8 Methods, Liu He Ba Fa

Liu He Ba Fa 8 Methods — 6th Method: Return

GM Wu Hui Yi with Sun Shan Rong conducting Liu He Ba Fa push hands

The 6th Method is Return – huan (还). One must Go, come, return, repeat –wang lai fan fu (往来返复.  The natural progress of the 4th method, Follow (sui 随) and flowing.  You cannot just let the energy compress or go on forever.  There is a rhythm and process.  You begin through accepting the energy, following it, listening and understanding it.  Once you master that you can begin to neutralize it, lead it, and ultimately project it somewhere else — the other half of the circle!  Some say GM Wu truly began to understand this concept when he learned Lu Hong Ba Shi and that’s why that form is incorporated into most versions of LHBF you see today.  The ability to defend and attack simultaneously is seen through many martial arts but reaches to great heights through internal martial arts and especially Liu He Ba Fa.  Through understanding circles and centeredness you can learn following, neutralizing, leading, and expression of the energy.  This is also one of the reasons its referred to as water boxing.  Like a wave it ebs and flows; moving the energy from one part to the next until it comes crashing back at the opponent.

Now here is the true power of it– its continuous!  Easy to say (especially with an exclamation point 😉 much harder to actually do.  Like a circle there are no breaks, this is where your listening and understanding jing truly comes to play.  Usually an opponent of good caliber will not be dissuaded through one strike the fight will continue.  One must learn to constantly flow with them, countering and attacking each successive attack.  Following their game but in reality playing to your game — esteem the defense not the offense.  Let them strike at you, become one with them and watch how each strike they throw transforms into your counter and strength.  It only stops when they stop and the fight is finished.  Even a simple step backwards can spell their demise if you have built upon your skills.  You become like GM Wu who was notorious for his fighting ability.  It felt like he was everywehre but  one could not actually hit him.  He would follow and counter and strike and be like the wind, enveloping his opponent –being empty but constantly battering.

Sifu how do I develop this skill?  You may be able to develop a high skill through practice of the form alone, rounding out the edges, finding relaxation, developing your intent, qi and shen.  However I believe, like countless martial artist before me –especially GM Wu, one must engage.  Start through two man practice–either applications or push hands.  Find a controlled environment.  Learn through touching and feeling.  Eventually you must learn to feel without touching so you must evolve into sparring.  But you must spar with intent.  Keep it controlled and continue to develop all your skills.  Eventually a person must enter the realm of an unwilling partner.  This is where you can test to see if you can feel intent without teaching; find if your skills have developed.  Its difficult but necessary work.  Will you find health and happiness without this?  Yes.  Can I develop high level without this?  Yes.  Will I develop the highest level?  Sorry I do not believe so.  The greatest were challenged – that is why they became so great.

8 Methods, Liu He Ba Fa

Liu He Ba Fa 8 Methods — 5th Method: Lift

Mount HuangShan. Resting place of Chen Tuan and birthplace of Liu He Ba Fa

The 5th Method is Lifting —ti (提). “The peak hangs on emptiness (ding xuan xu kong 顶悬虚空).”   Like a thread ontop of your head, holding it up and suspending the rest of your body.  Lifting the top of your head creates several mechanisms in your body.  First it creates proper alignment within your energy pathways and structure.  Your head is suspended, lengthening your neck and slightly tucking your chin.  It straightens your spinal column and Ren meridian. It allows your shoulders to hang and hollow out your chest.  Your Saliva and energy will have a better and straighter path towards your stomach and lower dan tian.   You have the ability to tuck your tailbone underneath you, engaging your kuas, and having the ability to move  in a flowing fashion.  The energy will naturally want to sink into your dan tian and your root.  This internal alignment is good for both health and fighting.

Secondly, by suspending your head you focus your energy and shen high as well.  Your upper body becomes light and mobile as air. It feels energized and engaged.    It may feel like buzzing, or raindrops but activity occurs and it is good thing! This engagement can calm your mind and raise your awareness.  Your mind can more easily find peace through emptiness.  Eventually it allows you to connect and become apart of the grander picture.

8 Methods, Liu He Ba Fa

Liu He Ba Fa 8 Methods–4th Method: Follow

GM Liu Xiao Ling with GM Ning Da Chun (Yi Quan Master) conducting push hands training in Wu Xi City.

The 4th Method is Follow (sui随).  It is said one must circle, pass through and scheme (yuan tong ce ying 圆通策应).  Following is an important concept in any internal art.  To understand where one is going is the first step to understanding how you should engage them.  This involves developing one’s Ting jing (Listening) and Dong jing (Understanding).  To follow one must be Song (relaxed) and engaged with the opponent, with your mind focused yet also at ease so you are able to instantly respond.  In the beginning some people , read the classics or listen to some high level master who says relax and just let go over everything.  They then become too relaxed and let their mind go–dead fish in the water.  They may follow but forget their other concepts and do not look for the opponents true intent so they are not truly listening and understanding.  There are steps!  You cannot be at step one and expect to be step 10 without going through 2-9 in some sort of fashion.  But Yes! A truly high level master does clear their mind and enter a wuji state– their level of conscious is on a different level and they are very engaged, following their partner in a way that looks effortless yet powerful.

How does one follow?  Circles!  But why circles Sifu?  Circles are the path of least resistance, they have no edges and create no stopping points.  If you are truly smooth and rounded you can overcome any attack.  One will find they can overcome 1000 lbs with 4 ounces (important concept in Taiji circles).  It will become fluid and “waterlike.”  There will be no hesitation as it all just “flows”.  It creates the opportunity to use your whole body, to align correctly and create massive amounts of power that you can store or release.  All the internal martial arts creates circles and Liu He Ba Fa is no different, just it Shen Fa.  One of its most important Jings is Luóxuán 螺旋 Jing (coil/spiral).  Like a spring it constricts and expands.  This is a different energy then the Cánsī 蚕丝 jing  (silk reeling) made famous through various Tai Chi Lineages.   That energy spirals continuously outwards from a centerpoint, creating tremendous power in its own way  (several jings are used simultaneously so spiraling and silk reeling can occur within the same movement).  Luóxuán Jing coils — accepts,  builds, and redirects.  Like wringing out a towel it can compress in the joints, tendons, and bones.  If you learn to listen and understand the energy of an opponent you can then follow properly and build your energy in your own joints through coiling.  This will help greatly as you learn to expand it in method 6 — return.

8 Methods, Liu He Ba Fa

Liu He Ba Fa 8 Methods — 3rd Method: Shape

The 3rd Method is Shape (xing形); “Change image, copy and imitate–hua xiang mo fang (化象模仿). ” Shape is important.  To copy your sifu’s form and movement leads you down your own correct path.  You have to trust their skill and intent, but once you get the form down, with correct movement, you can start applying the harmonies and ideals, framing it to you and your will.  This involves shape – structure, motion, and intent.  With solid structure and fluid motion you will begin to move effortlessly and quickly.  Your body will get used to the intent you would like to apply and can change to it quickly.  It will mold into your own will and it will become powerful.

Shape includes the ideals of the 12 animals and 3 levels of Liu He Ba Fa.  You must learn to coil like the dragon, be fierce like the tiger, be nimble like the swallow, graceful like the goose.  You must understand what each animal  represents energy-wise and understand what it inspires (we will discuss each animal in later posts).  The levels involve high to low stances, being swift like air, flowing like water, and yet deeply rooted into the earth.

You are not on some animal spirit journey but understanding how they should move and what they bring to the form is important.  You must study the individual movements and what the intent is with the particular animal.  Coil, pouncing, seizing, being swift and nimble– All different characteristics that must be analyzed and understood.  The animals and levels bring necessary ideals which create health, mobility, and mindset.

8 Methods, Liu He Ba Fa

Liu He Ba 8 Methods– 2nd Method: Bone

Da Mo aka Bodhidharma, transmitter of Buddhism to China and creator of Yi Jin Jing and Xi Sui Jing

The second method is Bone: gu骨.  Its states Bone power collects internally– gu jing nei lian (骨劲内敛).   On the basic level this method is associated with proper movement and alignment of structure.  Head up, chin in, back straight, your joints aligned and working in harmony.  If one part moves everything moves; if one part is still it is all still.  Many internal martial arts talk about 3 tips, 3 external harmonies, 9 joints, 3 hearts and within some Liu He Ba Fa lineages masters talk of the 9 joints and 5 hearts.  The intent of all these ideas are the same.  To move in a coordinated manner to create maximum force in the most effective manner.  Whether moving fast, slow, soft, or hard all effort must be made with all parts of the body in the correction direction.  If you hand falls but your  foot does not its incomplete.  If your foot falls but your hand does not the same inefficiency happens.  Everything must be coordinated.  Some internal arts fall with a flat foot during certain movements and others use a heel to toe effect.  In the end if your dan tians (upper, middle, lower) are in line and your hands and feet, knees and elbows, shoulders and kua move in unison you will find the harmony in your body. These harmonies can also be broken down farther into sections like shoulder, elbow, wrist and farther still into wrist, palm, and finger.  The more micro you can make it and feel it connected the more connection you will potentially make.  Some Liu He Ba Fa move their body in total unison while others follow more of a water principle and have a wave like effect among their joints.  I will not say one way is more correct than the other as long as in the end they work towards such jins as Hua Jin, Lou Shan Jin, and other energy expressions.

Yet there are deeper levels as well. Some sources talk of bone marrow as a source of Qi production due to the fact your first treasure (Jing) is used in TCM to make bone marrow. It is said when you are born your marrow is full, as one ages Yuan (pre-natal) Qi and Yuan Jing are gradually consumed and depleted.  So one must return to their origin and nourish the marrow.   Even Qigong sets are conducted with this process of renewing and rejuvenating bone marrow — i.e.  Marrow washing (usually associated with muscle/tendon changing qigong).  If your Qi is abundant it will naturally fill your bones and will be identified with a person having strong teeth.  Back in the turn of the century, masters with their Si Shou filled could tear metal with their teeth; something not readily seen now-a-days.  It helps to conduct Qi Gong or Liu He Ba Fa  with an inward intent at some point in your training, towards your bones and dan tian.  Working on condensing and expanding your qi with your breath.  The movement of Qi into the bones will strengthen them, rejuvenate them, and help rid your body of potential disease and illness.

6 Harmonies, Liu He Ba Fa

Liu He Ba Fa 6 Harmonies: 6th Harmony– Combine Your Movement (Action) and the Void (Emptiness)

The 6th Harmony is:  Combine Movement (Action) and Emptiness (Void)

dong he yu kong 动合于空

The final harmony in Liu He Ba Fa.  Also the most abstract and esoteric.  Now that your shen reaches every fiber and hair of your body, expand beyond it.  Work to feel your surroundings, to become aware on a different level.  You will look as calm, poised, you will radiate energy but every movement you make, feeling you have, will be subconsciously occurring based on the environment around you.  You will not have to think it, you will just do.  The expansion you experience will be great, possibly even frightening.  You will be like a baby again, in a whole new world of details and feelings but once you learn to control it, you can become part of a greater whole.

This harmony starts when a person grows around them as they do the form.  The energy radiates around the person and expands their movements into the surrounding environment.  They may be small in stature but they exponentially grow as they conduct the form.  A person watching them will “feel” them in a way they cannot explain and wonder how the person got so “big.”

You must remember this form is a means to the end.  Once you have reached this level in the form it must be spread and developed in all facets of life.   There are also levels within levels of this harmony; expansion, consistency, then concealment — i.e. you must contain everything yet appear empty working towards a true wuji state.

Few ever reach this level.  You must find the right instructor to lead you through the harmonies ontop of the daily dedication and resolve.  It becomes a way of life as all facets drive towards this goal: sleep, nutrition, activity, recovery…everything.  The form was the beginning– the gateway drug to a greater path.  You will find peace, harmony, health, and happiness that spreads to everything but allowing that to happen is up to you and your mindset.  The form will give you health and strength but the harmonies will give you true fulfillment and happiness in life, a goal worthy of chasing.

6 Harmonies, Liu He Ba Fa

Liu He Ba Fa 6 Harmonies: 5th Harmony — Combine Your Shen and Your Movement (Action)

The 5th Harmony is Combine  Shen and Movement (Action)

shen he yu dong神合于动

Have you ever had the hairs on the back of your neck stand-up?  Did you feel uncomfortable or anxious.  It’s a reflex within the body that few can explain.  One explanation Daoist like to use is its an experience with Shen or spirit.  You perceive something or feel something is bad or good yet there are no verbal or visual stimuli to truly backup this feeling.  Now if one can develop this action and harmonize with it, it can truly expand your mindfulness of the world.

You have re-ignited that fire and have raised your spirit to your upper dan tian.  The Shen follows the qi and spreads throughout your body, raising awareness and vitality.  You become…different.

What does one do with this? They must begin to focus back outward.  This whole time your have closed your senses inward and felt what was going on inside your body.  Your spirit radiates through you and shows through your eyes.  This is where internal martial arts becomes something even greater.  You send your spirit to every fiber of your body.  You combine it with every movement, every thought; coordinating action with detail with awareness.  The movements will become your own and become instantaneous.    You will begin to perceive things differently.  Your form will be look powerful as your movements begin to radiate feelings and energy yet be soft and have the ability to adapt at will.  It becomes instant and instinctive.

Li Nengran, the famous Xing Yi master, was called “Magic Fist Li” was able to develop his Shen to this level.  He defeated all challengers and his opponents often said they could not see when his hands struck outward.  Li had developed his Gong Fu to a level where he perceived on a different level.  He could instantaneously feel his opponents intention and move his hands to counter or strike, overcoming the will of his opponents every time.  It was said he could close his eyes and understand exactly where people and things were at.  He was truly gifted and his gong fu was special amongst even the greatest.  Why?  Because he systematically built to this level, not skipping or rushing anything.  He had constant dedication and focused effort and a true understanding of the Dao and his body.   He dedicated every effort, every thought, and every move to get to this level–something few can truly fathom and achieve in this day and age.

16 Principles of Tai Chi

[16] The Issuing of Your Whole Body Reaches to Every Hair.

Ahh, the last principle and probably one of the most important of all.  To truly  reach a level within internal martial arts and kung fu it requires mastery beyond kicking, punching, applications, or even building a Dan Tian.  To have been a real master of internal martial arts back at the turn of the century a person had to demonstrate the capability to fill their 4 antennas or extremities (Si Shou). When your Qi is abundant, has filled your organs and Dan Tian, it will naturally express through your 4 extremities.  One such extremity is connected to your hair through your blood.  Energy attaches to your blood and follows it.  Once your blood and Qi are thoroughly connected you will feel enlivened.  You will tingle with sensations and even the lightest of touch may send your senses off the radar.  The first step of to all of this though is opening your microcosmic orbit (discussed in principle 2).  Once your gates are open and you can quickly send your energy to your headtop you will feel a tingle in your hairs.  That is natural and good – you are filling things up!  Eventually you want to make that energy shoot up and pop your hair up on your head.  Masters of old were able to wear a hat and pop it off with a thought!   Hey and  added benefit it slows down the greying process of your hair and helps male pattern baldness!

Once you have the microcosmic orbit you work on the macrocosmic orbit.  This is where your energy flows through your arms and legs.  This is when you can get the energy to every part of your body.  When all your meridians are full and energy courses through your body you will feel it in every hair.  My friend once talked to Master Yun Yin Sen (Liu He Ba Fa master in Shanghai).  Master Yun demo’d his ability to raise and lower his arm hair at will.  Now this wont fend off a dozen armed men (or even a single one really),  but it demonstrates his abundance of energy and filling of his Si Shou and thus demonstrates his mastery and dedication to neijia arts.

As with some of these principles there lies a deeper meaning.  Sure its great to be alive with energy but it’s a trap!  There is another level that one should aspire to.  You must allow that qi and shen to mix and convert.  This is the level (as discussed in several posts already) that will allow you to sense others without touch and feel.  By expressing Shen at every hair you will have reached a level that can predict and act before your opponent, sense intentions, find meaning.  Can you read someone’s mind?  No, but by sensing the energy in their movement you are in sense doing so as you can react at a subconscious level, immediate and faster than anything they can fathom.

You must be able to connect your inner and outer together.  The energy and spirit must flow with the strength of a surging river throughout your body with the ability to move like the wind at will, swirling and alive.  All of the previous steps get you to this finality, to this doorway of mastery.  Its not an easy process but through hard work and dedication; you will have obtained what few have and will have a peace only few know.

16 Principles of Tai Chi

[12] Breathing Occurs Through Your Nose.

The obviousness of these next two principles give misconceptions about their true understanding.  First off — DON’T BE A MOUTH BREATHER!  Honestly though if one breathes through their nose they can refine it to be long, smooth, and relaxed.  Why long, smooth and relaxed?  Qi follows the breath and this is the way to get the maximum amount of energy through your body coordinated with the breath.

Now there are two primary ways to breath through your nose in internal martial arts; natural breathing or reverse breathing (now there are other breathing methods but most of those are very esoteric and require a great deal of training and belief ;).  In natural breathing the stomach goes out on the inhale and in on the exhale.  In reverse breathing the stomach goes in on the inhale and out on the exhale (reverse the natural breathing- genius name).  Your lineage and master is usually what dictates the method used; no way is better or worse for longterm benefit.  Through most Wudang lineages reverse breathing is preferred as it helps “roll the ball” back up the spinal column and to your headtop on the inhale; then helps draw the energy down into the Dan Tian on the exhale.  The Key point though is the breathing is centered around the lower Dan Tian.   You must draw the breath in deep and build the area.   The diaphragm must pull down, not up and out like most people breath as they get older.  By pulling the diaphragm muscle down you get air and energy into the lower lobes where the most efficient gas exchanges occurs and activates somatic relaxing affects in your body.  This action, along with pushing your belly in, helps squeeze blood into the lower stomach, massaging and nourishing your internal organs and creating a much healthier inside.  Once your nourish the organs and make the energy abundant you can then focus your intent into pooling energy within the lower Dan Tian, creating a powerhouse for health and martial action!

This all starts with the breath though, if your breath is incorrect then your blood will not flow right and your energy will stagnant.  Without all this internal coordination you will not progress very far.  PRACTICE!  Practice constantly – your sitting down at the computer, practice, your walking around, practice, your playing with your kids practice!  This type of breathing MUST become second nature if you truly want to get into the deeper levels of internal martial arts.