Theoretical Secrets of Practice

The Walking Method

The feet stay connected to the ground at all times. The front leg slides forward, as a result of the momentum created by pushing from the back leg. If the left leg is in front, it will be pushed forward by the right leg, followed by sliding the right leg forward in front of the left leg.

General Body Alignments while Circle-Walking

• Straighten the neck and lift up the head
• Hold and lift the perineum while dropping the tailbone
• Slacken the shoulders
• Touch the tip of the tongue to the roof of the mouth (this is common in other meditation techniques)
• Keep the chest and abdomen firm but not tensed
• Contract the Kwa and slightly bend the knees
• Step without lifting your feet from the floor (i.e., slide)

It is essential to learn the above from a qualified instructor, at least in the beginning. Once you have learned it well, you can practice this unique walking style by yourself, enjoying abundant health, high levels of energy and body vigor.

Direction

If you pour water in the sink, the water will start swirling towards the drainage faster and faster, in a clockwise direction. This is how Earth’s magnetic field works in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, the swirl moves in the opposite direction (anti-clockwise).

All the directions presented in this book work for the Northern Hemisphere (North of the Equator).

Daoist Internal Martial Arts always follow nature. They understand the concept of constructive interference. They understand the alchemy of Earth and that following nature is synonymous with effortless self-healing. Circle-walking in a clockwise direction will facilitate the flow of life force energy from your body to the Earth. Walking in the opposite direction (anti-clockwise) will increase the flow of Life force energy to you, from ‘Heaven’.

Breathing

The breathing involved, whether inhaling or exhaling, is vigorous and done simultaneously with each movement. After each step, take enough time to balance the breathing, before moving ahead with the next one.

Breathing must be correlated with the direction. When moving anti-clockwise, exhale out through the nose. When moving clockwise, inhale in through the nose. With every step, we accelerate the creation of life force energy through breathing, directing the flow of energy through certain meridians, which get activated by the specific Ba Gua postures described below.

Holding Body Postures

Holding body postures for long periods of time is considered one of the building blocks of internal martial arts. Holding postures while being relaxed unifies the three body systems: bones, muscles and nerves.

When holding a certain posture long enough, the vital energy will start to flow better through the body.

Our bodies are energetically vibrant. We absorb the energy of the universe while also emitting our own energy. Our body is like an antenna that can tap into the energy vibrations around us.

The postures presented below may be practiced daily, according to the energy needs of the day. The practice can be done at any time, but the best time is either early morning or during the time of day that corresponds with a specific organ.

Ancient Daoist masters formed their theories through observing the nature of the five primordial elements: Earth, Fire, Metal, Water and Wood. Each element represents a certain organ system. Perfect health means a perfect balance between the five elements in our life.

The Self-Healing process is a consequence of the element cycle seeking a dynamic balance (shown above). When the equilibrium is disturbed, we get unbalanced energetically. If this energetical imbalance is prolonged, illness will also manifest in the physical body.

Listening to your body constitutes the ultimate path towards self-healing. No doctor in the world can describe exactly how we feel. A doctor can share knowledge or advise on a certain treatment, but when it comes to balancing your body, nothing can compete with your own intuition. This is why it is so important to be in tune with your body.

Ba Gua Qi Gong palms are designed to improve one’s inner balance. The information provided in this course is enough to start experimenting with it. Results will follow if one practices consistently.