NINE DRAGONS Kung-Fu

The five circles
Are a proprietary concept introduced to the Li family from Sichuan province by their root Gong Fu Wushu teacher Dao, Ji-Ren who created the concept from his studies of the Yijing diagram and Daoist long sword methods.

In short the fve circles are the distilled essence of all human movements especially in martial arts. If one understand these principles any art or weapons methods may be reduced to its core concepts providing a deeper understanding of the methods.

At the Gathering of the Circle this year we will explore how the eighth palms of Baguazhang can be understood and enhanced by this knowledge.

We will also explore the Qigong and sword tactics of Li family Baguazhang.
Every one welcome!!
www.taichigala.com

Make a little progress everyday.

In my early training in Shindo Muso Ryu Jojutsu in Japan, I was taught to make every repetition of every drill count. The appropriate mindset was to approach training as if the current repetition was your only chance to survive in that moment. As such, striving for a flawless repetition was how we trained. Not to do more repetitions, nor more vigorous repetitions, but to make each repetition flawless because your life depended upon it.

Very different from the video game culture mindset where you know you always get another chance to do it right.

This method of practise can turn into a kind of brain-lock where you try harder and harder to get it right, layering in tensions physically, mentally, and emotionally. Avoid this. It is unnecessary, unproductive, and unhealthy.

Rather, cultivate the ability to perceive your actions as they occur without interfering weigh their ex*****on. After each repetition, decide what element you wish to correct and make the change.

A good book on this topic is "The Talent Code" by Daniel Coyle.

Practise as if you only get one chance.

Fist in Palm,

Shifu Yancy Orchard
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"Have I ever told you how I lost my eye?"

"I was little. My father was a samurai who was really into the old ways. Her would have sympathized with the ronin of Ako. Incredibly strict.

"He was also famous in his youth for his ability to shoot archery from horseback. I tried to imitate him by entering various competitions. On one occasion I was so nervous I forgot to check the saddle straps. The saddle came loose and I was thrown to the ground. A sharp rock cut my eye and they couldn't save it. I was devastated, but my father was unfazed.

"'You're lucky,' he told me. 'Because now you have only one opportunity left to do things right.'"

From "Rashomon" by Victor Santos

https://youtu.be/-DFRukdCRN4

Water Posture Jiulong Baguazhang calls this palm Water palm. The traditional name is Liao Zhang撩掌 upholding palm it is associated with the Water Gua of the Yijing and so i...

Dr. Painter just shared this great letter on the effects of properly training Jiulong Baguazhang on one's knees.

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Not all Baguazhang is the same!
By Dr. John Painter

A friend and student who is also a highly skilled combat martial arts teacher in several systems of oriental arts as well as being a sports medicine physician wrote the following to me recently after he had discovered how our Strolling Immortal stepping pattern (a natural rolling step) had served him in his Baguazhang practice, sword work, knife work and aided in general safety when walking on uneven ground.

The conversation started because I had written him saying it was a shame that contemporary Baguazhang Wushu biaoyan武術 表演(sport performance martial art) as seen in tournaments today recognizes only the sliding step AKA, mud treading or serpent step, and how it was not a practical method for uneven ground plus it can be bad for the knees if not properly instructed. He responded with the following which I deemed relevant for our entire group to read. (Edited for space)

“Dear Shifu, Not to mention the damage they're doing to their knees! I don't believe I've had the chance to relate this to you: I have a new patient in his twenties who came to see me because he'd heard thru the grapevine that I study martial arts and into sports medicine. He has been studying another system of baguazhang for about 5 years and his knees were killing him.

I had him show me how they walk and they do the strangest ba turn- they scrape the entire sole of the foot flat along the floor as they turn. Plus the way the legs work in concert with the torso in walking is all bio-mechanically wrong too, so that when they train on any kind of abrasive surface their knees are taking all the tortional stress of the turns. His knees were a total mess for his age.

Plus in their baguazhang they only turn to the inside, they never walk or weave in a straight line,(all standard practice in Jiulong Baguazhang) they don't white ape step (spin) or circle the circle (spin while circling) or any of that...I could go on and on. It bears almost no resemblance to baguazhang, as I know it having learned from you.

I swear, if I had had the misfortune to have found that patients teacher first when I was looking to study bagua, I would have known in a couple of classes that the art was less than worthless combatively and quit- and judged the whole art by that experience.

Thank Heavens I mentioned bagua to my close friend in passing one day and he introduced me to one of your students and through him I met you...God puts us in the right place at the right time. Nothing you don't already know intimately, but just thought I'd share my experience of sports bagua styles.
Be Well,
(Name withheld by request)

https://youtu.be/gfSCZbb9MOY

Fix "Hunchback" Posture in 10 Minutes/Day (Daily Exercise Routine) Hunchback posture is becoming more prominent nowadays due to increase technology use and time spent sedentary. But this hunched posture (also known as upper ...

Lake Palm

Baguazhang Jiulong: Lake Palm Dr. Yancy Orchard, of Saskatoon's Xin Fu Gompa, demonstrating Jiulong Baguazhang's Lake Palm in 2008. Jiulong Baguazhang has no forms and no prescribed techn...

With awareness you see.
With love you accept.
With wisdom you respond.
This is the practice of Dhamma