Awakening Chi

11/25/2024

08/14/2024

SILKEN POWER
Part of The Dao Heritage Series

Chen Style Taijiquan was the basis for the other styles of Taiji (Yang, Wu, Sun, Wu/Hao). Learning Chen Style as the forerunner to the subsequent styles is a fascinating historical study, but there’s much more to the style than that. Unlike Yang Style, Chen Style varies in speed. Some motions are slow and relaxed, while others are explosive and powerful. The slow techniques lead energy through the subtle meridians of the body, while the forceful movements train a person to release energy explosively (before recirculating it). Taijiquan is all about internal energy for health and movement and its combination of techniques is unique among the Chinese martial arts. You could learn this style too—in a weekend!

Please join me for a live seminar in Santa Cruz, CA, September 6, 7, 8, featuring Daoist philosophy, Chen Style Taijiquan, and Pushing Hands. The seminar will be preceded by a day of review sessions. These Master Classes for continuing students will focus on Qigong and the Five Animals of Hua Tuo, Xingyiquan, and Taijiquan 24 and 48.

The Daoist philosophy will be conveyed in several brief talks throughout the seminar, demonstrating the vital link between movement and spiritual understanding.

Chen Style Taijiquan is famous for its silk reeling (the subtle guidance of energy) and explosive power (the explosive generation of energy). Overall, it cultivates internal energy with great effect.

Pushing Hands teaches sensitivity, purpose, and shows how to guide internal energy.

Click here for the flyer:
https://dengmingdao.com/silken_flyer

To register for the main seminar:
https://www.dengmingdao.com/silkenpower

Register before August 23, 2024 for a DISCOUNTED RATE!

To register for the Master Classes:
https://www.dengmingdao.com/allmasterclasses

For more on The Dao Heritage Series:
https://www.dengmingdao.com/workshops/

02/29/2024

THE POWER OF BODY AND MIND: XINGYI

When the COVID pandemic began in 2020, I couldn't continue in-person learning. With the trouble easing, I can meet people again. I will be offering a weekend seminar in the practice of Xingyiquan, April 26–28, 2024 in Santa Cruz, California.

Xingyiquan (形意拳), along with Taijiquan and Baguazhang, is one of the three major internal martial arts (Neijia) of China. Xingyi, means form (body) and mind. Quan, means fist and designates a martial art system.

Xingyi unifies the body and mind. Its theory is based on the Five Phases (Wu­xing). Its practice cultivates the energy of the lungs, kidneys, liver, heart, and spleen; balances emotions; builds a powerful body; and unifies the mind. Xing­yiquan incorporates Standing Meditation (Zhanzhuang) to build internal energy and mental concentration.

What are some reasons to learn Xingyiquan?

• If you practice Taijiquan, Xingyiquan will give you valuable skills you can’t get any other way.
• If you practice qigong, Xingyiquan will take you into the new realm of internal energy.
• If you want to become a stronger person, both physically and mentally, Xing­yiquan will help you improve rapidly.
• If you’re interested in Traditional Chinese Medicine or philosophy, ingyiquan shows you how those theories are borne out in movement.
• Xingyiquan helps balance body, mind, emotions, and moderates the flow of energy through the organs—all naturally.
• Whether you are interested in healing, strengthening, or understanding more about traditional Chinese martial arts, you’ll benefit by learning Xingyiquan!

SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA

Santa Cruz is a lovely seaside town about eighty miles south of San Francisco. You can access it easily by car or by plane (San Francisco and San Jose are the nearest airports). Santa Cruz has both an agrarian background and it is also home to the University of California Santa Cruz. People are friendly, the food is great, and both redwoods and the seashore are nearby!

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Download the flyer at: https://www.dengmingdao.com/xyqflyer

Classes will be held at:
The Veterans Memorial Building, 846 Front Street. Santa Cruz, CA, 95060.

Detailed schedule:
Friday, April 26, 7pm–9pm
Saturday, April 27, 9am–5pm (with a lunch break)
Sunday, April 28, 9am–3pm (with a lunch break)

Register at: https://www.dengmingdao.com/xingyiquanlive/

01/27/2024

ENGAGE WITH AGE

My older friends seem to be walking with greater difficulty, coping with balance issues, and grappling with various medical issues. Many have tried to learn Taijiquan and other Taoist arts, but they have found the process daunting. This has motivated me to share simpler methods for maintaining lifelong wellness. The classes are designed to be easy and without the demand for acquiring complicated routines.

The classes will feature Little Exercises that people can mix and match according to their needs. Taoist breathing methods, seated and standing meditation, and seated restorative exercises will show calming and healthy approaches anyone can do. Two sets of qigong—seated and standing Eight Pieces of Brocade will provide complete classical sets.

For a flyer with the complete curriculum and schedule, click here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/bd59sqlg9m0vcjkg1og05/Engage-...

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Classes will be held at 11:00 AM–12:00 PM Pacific time. A Zoom invitation with password will be sent on the Friday before each weekend. Any reference materials will be attached to the invitations. A link to a video recording will be sent after each class. The videos remain available for at least a year after the conclusion of the series.

Register before February 2 for a 20% discount!

To register:
https://www.dengmingdao.com/engage

11/14/2023

Special Free Shipping (for Domestic USA) offer for students and followers of Deng Ming-Dao This issue features "The Dao of Winter" by Deng Ming-Dao Th...

09/28/2023

WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE EASY

I saw this in a post and I immediately thought of Taijiquan. We thought it would be easy.

Then it turned out that it wasn’t. It was a lifelong commitment. True, it pays many dividends in health, serenity, acuity, and as a necessary counter to aging.

Taiji is the seemingly easy that isn’t easy but that must be done so that it looks easy. If you want that kind of grace, you have to practice every day for years. That’s when the majority of people give up. It isn’t easy to improve and it isn’t easy to train every day. But look at all else that you do every day: bathe, eat, move, sleep. Well, you might say, that’s because it must be done. You don’t necessarily say that about Taiji, but that’s why it’s easy—easy to ignore.

Look at what else is easy: health decline. Drinking soda every day is easy. Eating a lot of pastries every day is easy. Drinking wine every day is easy. Those are just a few habits that can tear you down—gradually and easily. So maybe we have to scrutinize “easy” carefully.

Practice. It might not be easy in the short term, but it will ultimately make your life easy in the long run.

08/31/2023

A NEW ONLINE SERIES: HEALING BODY, MIND, & SPIRIT

My next online class will feature Xingyiquan, Standing Meditation, and the Marrow Washing Classic Qigong.

Distinguishing between external and internal systems is a way of categorizing Chinese martial arts. External Styles include Shaolin, Chaquan, Huaquan, Piguaquan, and a host of forms patterned after animals. Taijiquan, Baguazhang, and Xingyiquan are the major internal styles.

Among those three styles, Xingyiquan concentrates on power, strength, forward movement, drawing energy from internal organs, building energy, and securing the mind-body link through standing meditation. Xingyiquan is also excellent at resolving health problems using an indirect but thorough approach. You might say that instead of treating symptoms, it focuses on root causes.

When I was studying with my master years ago, someone came to him with psychological problems. My master listened but didn’t discuss the difficulties directly. He taught the person Xingyiquan and they recovered. Another came to him who was physically weak. Again, my master taught them Xingyiquan and the student’s legs swiftly became stronger. Another said that they felt a schism between mind and body. Again, the solution was Xingyiquan.
Why did that work?

Xingyi, means form (body) and mind. Quan, means fist and designates a martial art system. Xingyi unifies the body and mind. It is based on the Five Phases (Wuxing), the theoretical basis of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Practicing Xingyiquan cultivates the energy of the lungs, kidneys, liver, heart, and spleen; balances emotions; builds a powerful body; and unifies the mind.

Xingyiquan is mainly allied to Standing Meditation (Zhanzhuang). We’ll study how that builds internal energy and strong concentration. The most famous proponent of this practice was Wang Xiangzhai (1885–1963). He learned from the famous Xingyiquan master, Guo Yunshen (1829–898), dubbed Divine Crushing Fist. Wang was also a good healer, so he inspired the combination of martial arts and recovery.

Bodhidharma’s Marrow Washing Classic is a traditional qigong set. It‘s designed to make a person stronger, circulate energy, improve balance, and increase coordination. This set was detailed in my book Scholar Warrior. The Marrow Washing Classic is a companion to the Muscle Change Classic. Both are believed to have been created by Bodhidharma (fifth or sixth century) and they represent the Buddhist style of qigong.

Whether you are interested in healing, strengthening, or understanding more about traditional Chinese martial arts, you’ll benefit from the internal arts!

Here’s what you’ll learn in this ten-week series:

• Warm-ups and stretches
• The Five Movements of Xingyiquan
• Simplified Linking Form (combining all five movements)
• The Marrow Washing Classic Qigong
• Standing Meditation

Please download the flyer here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ylyxsvjlo3vsxzfb6l578/Xingyi-flyer_1-3.pdf?rlkey=lh3evi2zd25dtc1im77pm085z&dl=0

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Cost is $180 until September 15, 2023; $200 until September 21, 2023.

Classes will be held at 10:50 AM–12:00 PM Pacific time. A Zoom invitation with a password will be sent on the Friday prior to each weekend. Any reference materials will be attached to the invitations. A link to a video recording will be sent after each class. The videos remain available for at least a year after the conclusion of the series. (No class on November 26.)

Registration is easy: https://www.dengmingdao.com/xingyiquan/

08/07/2023

Deng Ming-Dao
November 5, 2018
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WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE A PRACTICE?
What does it mean to have a practice? It means we have the ability to remake ourselves. We don’t have to be defined by others, or by accident, or even by wealth and opportunity. We have a method, and we use it. We do what few other people are willing to do—to make many small acts each day that build into massive change. That’s how we safeguard our health and our sanity.
What does it mean to have a practice? It means that we understand that there are no quick changes. That the only way to have a chance of moving with the seasons, with circumstance, and with aging, is to make many gradual alterations. That takes patience and it takes perseverance. That steady effort is all we really need.
What does it mean to have a practice? It means that we clear our minds, that we participate in each day, that we adjust cheerfully and quickly to any changes in our lives, that we manage to continue our practice even as we answer all our other obligations.
What does it mean to have a practice? It means we are fully centered in ourselves. We are seldom overwhelmed or shocked—because we have constantly oriented ourselves each day.
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Figures in Landscape Setting
Ren Xiong (1827–1857)
Album of twelve leaves: ink and color on paper
BAMPFA

01/09/2023

ANNOUNCING A NEW COURSE: TAIJI 48
February 5–June 18, 2023

Dear Friends,

I'll be offering two Taijiquan courses in the first half of 2023.

Taiji48 is a wonderful intermediate-level set. A twenty-week series begins on February 5, 2023. Sign up by January 20 for an early-registration discount.

Taiji24 is a good beginner's set. This twelve-week course will be offered through the Shift Network, beginning February 9. More about that series will come in another post.

THE BEAUTY OF TAIJI48
In addition to a complete Taijiquan set, this series will also feature Taiji Qigong, Taiji Standing Meditation, and Bodhidharma's Muscle Change Classic.

Taijiquan 48 is impressive to watch and to perform. Its circular movements join in a continuous stream. The set is lively, intricate, and graceful. At the same time, it minimizes the repetitions of longer traditional sets. Taijiquan (Tai Chi Ch’uan) links physical training to spirituality. Practicing it offers relaxation, strength, balance, mobility, healing, and serenity.

Practicing Taijiquan will help you:
1. Improve strength in your legs and back.
2. Build better balance and reduce your risk of falling.
3. Gain coordination, flexibility, and range of motion.
4. Help you relax and counter tension, anxiety, and stress.
5. Lower blood pressure and improve breathing.
6. Prolong longevity by increasing wellness and encouraging a positive outlook.
7. Show you how to become the embodiment of Taoist philosophy.

The other aspects of the series are essential supporting methods:

Taiji Qigong gently circulates energy. Taiji Standing Meditation builds the Lower Dantian and channels energy into the arms.

Bodhidharma's Muscle Change Classic is one of the basic qigong sets everyone should learn. This version has a history of over 100 years.

For centuries, Taijiquan has helped people lengthen their lives, attain tranquility, and live beautifully. Learn this special art and you can be one of those people too! Sign up by January 20 and save.

Download a flyer here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/xlo254drda1s1qq/Taiji48-flyer_1-2.pdf?dl=0

To register: https://www.dengmingdao.com/product/the-beauty-of-taiji48/
Yours,
Deng Ming-Dao

12/08/2022

PRACTICE IS A PROMISE TO YOURSELF

When you were a kid, did someone make you a promise they didn’t keep?

Do you remember how disappointed you were?

Practice is a promise you make to yourself.
No matter when you start, promise yourself that you’ll continue.

Practice is a promise you make to yourself.
If you have difficulty, promise yourself that you’ll find a way to overcome it.

Practice is a promise you make to yourself. Keep at it every day.
If you are discouraged, promise yourself that you’ll remain your friend.

I wonder if we give up on ourselves because other people gave up on us. Each time that happened, it said, “you aren’t worth it.” Especially when those people were parents, siblings, kin, lovers, or teachers, the message was devastating. Subconsciously we assumed that if these people who were supposed to support us and love us didn’t really care, we must have deserved that. It’s damn hard to buck that feeling. That’s a big reason to practice: to redeem yourself and show that you believe in yourself.

You are worth it. Your promise means everything. And when you make that promise to yourself, you unlock your promise within.