Monday, January 23, 2012

Sitting Back and Down: Journal Notes #75

Notes from my February 2010 Zhan Zhuang Training Journal. I train with The School of Cultivation and Practice which practices Wujifa zhan zhuang. (My current reflections are added in italics.)

* Question: How do I find balance between Balance and Relax (on the first Wujifa triangle)?
Answer: Look to structure.

*  The actions of each of the three points on the first Wujifa triangle:
  • Relax - the allowing of 1,2,3,4 - 1,2,3,4
  • Balance - the noticing of 1,2,3,4 - 1,2,3,4
  • Structure - the rules of 1,2,3,4 - 1,2,3,4

* Question: How can I develop my intention?
Answer: Questions help to refine intention and purpose.

* Question: How can I self-validate internal strength development?
Answer: Use feeling.
Me: How?
Instructor: Look at Balance, Structure, Relax. There's a certain feeling to each. Three points define a plane. What is this feeling pointing to? The finger pointing at the moon.

structure balance relax


* Regarding sit-back-and-down,

sit back and down

If you go backward only, then you'll lose balance and fall down or tense up to keep "balance"/from falling over (so not truly balanced). Knees forward only will pop out the kua and the tendency is to lean back because the hips are not relaxed and open.

Back and down and knees forward keeps balance and gets a stretch in the thigh when relaxed.

Back is not really back but it's the intention of back. Actually, mostly down. Intention is 45 degree back and down.
sit down while standing

Back and knees forward creates a stretch in the leg/thigh and loads the weight into the thigh.  Practice lower in the beginning and get the feel and to develop inner thigh muscles.

stretch in legs


* Note: The following drawing has no accompanying notes. I assume a long discussion got summarized into this drawing. Here's my understanding of what this drawing seems to be summarizing...

Referencing the P.I.D. loop model, feeling presence, being in the moment, connected, ease under load, are the various words for the target I'm shooting for. After having experienced this in class a few times with my instructor fine tuning my zhan zhuang structure, I was trying to find that "sweet spot" on my own through intention or through shutting off my mind chatter. A "stilled mind" was another effect I noticed when I experienced those "presence" feelings during zhan zhuang. And so I cycled between the use of and effects of two methods in my attempt to experience that which neither method could actually elicit for me. And yet, the more I refine the method, the closer I get to "the goal".

trance dance


* Who are you beneath the rules you live by?

Further reading:
Introductory article explaining this "Journal Notes" series: Zhan Zhuang Training Journal
Previous article in this series: Where Is Your Focus?: Journal Notes #74
Next article in this series: - From Method to Feeling: Journal Notes #76

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