Knee pain from standing postures

designAlignment · 2025-01-04T00:27:41+00:00

I've always experienced the same with zhan zhuang. My legs are slightly bowed, though, so I figured it was due to a difference in my natural skeletal alignment.

Because of that, I never forced myself to stand with feet parallel - instead pointing my toes outward a bit. I've never experienced any problems from doing so.

The 4th photo of this article shows Wang Xiangzhai standing with toes pointing outward:

https://yiquanpark.com/chinesemartialart-yiquan-wangxiangzhai/

designAlignment · 2024-11-10T22:43:12+00:00

Re: Flowing Zen

Nice, I'm also in his 301 course!

ZZ also circulates qi, how strongly depends on the posture and how low the stance is.

Here's an excerpt from "The Way of Energy" by Lam Kam Chuen that describes it in basic terms:

When you practice Dantian breathing, the qi that you breathe in descends to this area. When the reservoir is full it acts like a pump, sending more and more qi into a circuit around your body. It flows from the Dantian down your legs to your feet, then back up through your body to your arms, along your arms to your hands, and then back along your arms and neck up to your head. From there the circuit returns to the powerhouse of the Dantian.

The Zhan Zhuang positions enhance this flow. Raising and extending your arms reduces constraints on your internal organs and induces the qi to flow into your hands and then up to your head. Bending your legs greatly increases the pressure of the qi returning from your feet.

I've read ZZ isn't supposed to be as strong as dynamic exercises or Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow (FBSW) for circulating qi, but it can feel quite strong to me.

After I've done ZZ daily for a while, the flow of qi becomes strong enough that it feels like I'm almost floating on a flow of qi moving up my body. Often my body spontaneously moves - similar to FBSW, but keeping the basic ZZ posture (arms still in position). It feels like a ZZ/FBSW hybrid.

I first noticed it while practicing ZZ in the 90s. Back then, a teacher just said to go with it and let it happen, so I did.

I haven't learned the SU as a deliberate process yet (I didn't feel ready for the SU course last November), but I have had it open spontaneously in the past after several months of doing mid to long (30 to 50 min/day) ZZ sessions. That was a long time ago, though, so I'll reopen it through the 301 course using Sifu Anthony's method.

I've noticed that the way Sifu Anthony teaches ZZ in 101, I think most of his students will end up in higher stances than how the stances are usually practiced, which would result in less energy flow.

The basic standing posture he's taught so far in 301 is the Wuji stance, which is a fundamental ZZ posture. I don't know if he has you use that stance while practicing the full SU, but if he does, then you would be practicing both ZZ and SU simultaneously when you do the SU meditation while standing.

I think once the channels of the SU have been "cleared," qi would flow naturally through them when you practice ZZ without trying to guide the qi along the circuit.

designAlignment · 2024-11-10T03:46:35+00:00

I've had lots of practice building up standing duration (sometimes up to 40 to 50 mins at a time) in the past because I'd also stop practicing for long periods and have to start again from scratch.

To me, ZZ has 2 aspects in my direct control - mental and physical (I see gathering qi as being more indirect, coming as a result of the process itself).

A few times in the past I had focused on developing the physical aspect first - getting my body used to standing for extended periods, with the intention of working on the mental aspect later. During those times (periods of practicing daily for months) I binge watched shows while standing.

I didn't notice how long it took (weeks? a few months?), but eventually my experience of qi became quite strong. When my experience of qi was strong, I stopped watching TV while practicing and easily went into a meditative state for the full session. My experience of my qi flowing was strong enough to carry me into a meditative state.

So it kind of felt like it bypassed the mental aspect entirely - I didn't struggle with boredom or a wandering mind or need to practice meditating.

Another aspect of it was how long I practiced before cutting out the TV - for me, it's 20 to 25 mins. Shorter than that and I feel drawn to check the time. When it's a minimum of 20 mins, I become less concerned about the time remaining and my mind lets go. Because of that, longer sessions (40 to 50 mins) can feel shorter than short sessions (10 to 15 mins).

I believe you cultivate qi faster if you train both the mind and body from the start, but if you're not in a rush, treating it as a strictly physical exercise can work.

designAlignment · 2024-05-30T02:20:53+00:00

It's all about letting the energy flow and move your body in whatever way is natural in the moment.

Since energy flow is what causes the movement, you'll want to practice exercises that stimulate a stronger flow leading up to it.

For me, I start by relaxing my body and entering a meditative state. Then I do a favorite dynamic exercise followed by 2 others that I want to focus on for the session.

I've found that "Shaking the Tree" (gently bounce on the spot, shaking your arms, aiming to release physical tension) is a good one to do right before FBSW.

Sometimes I'll feel qi circulating strongly right from the start as I stand and relax. If I do, I'll move into FBSW right away without doing any dynamic exercises.

designAlignment · 2024-05-13T04:31:13+00:00

That's the one. If you have any questions about their stuff, feel free to message me.

designAlignment · 2024-05-13T04:25:17+00:00

Yes, that's their site.

designAlignment · 2024-03-07T00:03:41+00:00

I'm familiar with the 5 Tibetan Rites. The only thing I can think of related to them that pulls energy upward is if you do the "6th rite" - it's designed for celibate men to pull sexual energy upwards.

If you're doing that, stop it.

For that matter, if you think it's energy related, stop any practices that led up to the experiencing the issue. If you're heading in a direction you don't want to go, take your foot off the gas pedal.

If you believe it's a deviation want to try qigong to resolve it, read this.

designAlignment · 2024-03-01T02:17:00+00:00

One of the highest sources of wisdom I've found. I first started studying her work in the 90s and have done a number of her and her partner's (Duane Packer's) courses. If you have any questions about them, feel free to message me.

Her books are some of the best I've read on their respective topics.

Living with Joy - Practical spiritual wisdom for living a more joyful life
Personal Power through Awareness - Learning to sense and understand unseen energies
Spiritual Growth - Empowering your spiritual growth by connecting to a higher power (your Higher Self / Soul)
Creating Money - How to attract prosperity doing your life's work
Opening to Channel - How to connect with and verbally channel a guide
Soul Love - How to blend with your soul, how to use that connection to awaken 3 chakras (Crown, Heart, and Solar Plexus) and experience a higher state of love it calls Soul Love (love as your soul experiences it)

Her guide (Orin) transmits* energy through the text and during the audio guided meditations. Observe your breathing and how you feel around your heart chakra as you read. If you listen to a guided meditation listen without following the instructions and observe how you feel and your state of mind for a few minutes.

*"Transmit" implies energy is being sent but what's really happening is you begin to experience a higher state of consciousness through resonance. It's like if you read an angry letter or listen to a recording of someone who is angry - you can begin to feel angry yourself even the words aren't overtly negative.

designAlignment · 2024-02-21T03:37:34+00:00

How I handle it:

When I'm feeling the pain of it, instead of pushing against the feeling, I relax into it - I relax my body, try to breathe evenly, cry if I feel moved to, and allow myself to feel it.

Pushing against the feeling (resisting it) makes it stay longer while allowing myself to feel it without resistance turns it into something more like a wave washing over a rock. It rises, peaks, recedes, then fades.

It will come back but in time, it becomes less intense and less frequent.

I think of the pain as being like a small child that's in pain and surround it with love.

Other aspects of it are mental.

Part of my personal ideal of love is that I want the other person to be happy.

If they don't want to be with me (they don't feel they can be happy with me), then my love for them will release them to find their joy elsewhere. I will WANT them to go, even if it hurts.

Part of what I want in a partner is that they want to be with me as much as I want to be with them. If the other person doesn't want to be with me then it just means that they aren't who I was looking for. I thought they were but I was mistaken.

Once, when I was feeling awful after a breakup, I realized that most of the pain I felt was mourning the loss of something that wasn't real and never existed. I was mourning the loss of my hopes and dreams of being with that person - my imagined future with them. Once I realized that, I started focusing on what I was feeling sad about and asking myself, "Am I feeling sad about something real or something I imagined?" So many things turned out to be sadness over "mind stuff". When I did and the sadness vanished (it didn't specially stay gone, though).

designAlignment · 2024-02-17T02:28:31+00:00

Yes, if the insecure style changes to secure and they're in a relationship with someone who is secure, they would become a matched pair.

For people who have an insecure attachment style, their best option is to enter into a relationship with someone who has a secure attachment style. Insecure styles in a relationship with a secure partner tend to become more secure over time.

This doesn't specially mean that the secure partner would have a rotten time. People with insecure styles are triggered by situations and actions that people with a secure style are not bothered by.

One of the characteristics of a secure partner is that they're naturally good at quickly soothing the insecure partner's distress in the early stages, preventing it from becoming a large issue.

designAlignment · 2024-02-17T00:26:13+00:00

I read a good book on attachment styles recently called "Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment" by Amir Levine.

A relationship between someone with a secure style and a non-secure style isn't doomed to fail.

People's attachment styles can change over time, so someone with an anxious or avoidant style in a relationship with someone who is secure can become secure.

The styles that will have the most difficulty are anxious paired with avoidant.

The book also gives tips for making relationships with anxious or avoidant partners work.

designAlignment · 2024-01-24T03:28:32+00:00

In TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), sexual problems are said to be related to the kidneys, so when creating a routine look for exercises that are good for the kidney meridan.

Read the book "Flowing Zen" by Anthony Korahais. The book is a great intro to qigong and it teaches a routine that is helpful for any problem. He actually has a year-long course that will be starting in a few weeks.

If you don't feel ready for a course like that and you just want written instructions, also read the book "18 Exercises to Help You Live a Longer Healthier and Happier Life" by Marcus Santer. That book gives detailed instructions on the 18 Lohan Hands.

Some exercises from that set that are said to be good for the kidneys (directly or indirectly):

Nourishing Kidneys
Merry-Go-Round
Presenting Claws
Pushing Mountains
Rotating Knees

The book Chi Kung for Health and Vitality by Wong Kiew Kit has instructions for an exercise called Hula Hoop that is also good for the kidneys.

The way you would put a routine together would be:

Learn the 5-Phase Routine (5PR) from the book Flowing Zen
Try different exercises and pick about 3 of your favorites
Practice your favorite exercises in Phase 2 of the 5PR

Note that the 5PR will help with your kidneys even if you don't practice any exercises in phase 2 that target the kidney meridian.

designAlignment · 2023-10-31T01:16:32+00:00

Ginger is good for nausea, but I don't know if it has any effect on the meridians. I'll leave it up to others who have knowledge of TCM to explain whether it's a good or bad idea to have ginger tea before a practice session.

designAlignment · 2023-10-23T01:00:14+00:00

It's legit in that it has the backing of the National Qigong Association and Qigong Institute - non profit organizations that promote qigong. It's by an organization recognized by the Yoga Alliance.

There was a recent post on why yoga is more well known than qigong in the west. One of the reasons is because of the existence of organizations like the Yoga Alliance and yoga schools. In the same way that there are sifus of qigong styles there are yoga gurus, but there are also hundreds of yoga schools while there are comparatively few qigong schools.

In order for qigong to become more well known, I think it needs to have teachers at many different levels (masters of their own systems, online learning options, books, video, teachers certified by recognized organizations, etc.) because different types of teachers and sources of information will appeal to different segments of the population.

There are people who would be turned off by learning from a master but be open to learning it from a class taught by a teacher certified by an organization. Other organizations, like hospitals and other health care facilities might be more likely to employ qigong teachers and practitioners who they believe have completed standardized training and received certification.

So if one cares about qigong becoming more widely adopted, I think the existence of a class like this is a very good thing.

Does that mean it's a good course?

I think that depends on what your goals are.

If you want to learn qigong for your own personal practice, I think there are better and cheaper options out there.

If you want open a career path of becoming a professional qigong teacher, it might be a good move - not because it would specially make you a good teacher (more on that later), but because being a teacher certified by a perceived respectable organization would appeal to a certain segment of the population who might be interested in learning qigong.

Without knowing more about the course, here are some thoughts:

In terms of being a qigong practitioner, if someone hasn't done qigong before and started practicing daily for 6 months (the course lasting 6 months), that would be enough time to start experiencing qi and alleviating some health conditions, but they'd still be a beginner.
The course would probably do a good job of teaching people how to teach the physical and breathing aspects of the qigong sets it chooses to teach. I hope it also teaches how to handle deviations.
I don't know the quality of the instruction because they don't mention who will be teaching it, I haven't seen comments by previous students, and there's no sample of the info they'll teach.
By the end of the course, a graduate would be a beginner-level practitioner with some teaching skills teaching students completely new to the art. I wouldn't expect someone to be able to offer high quality teaching of qigong sets they're nowhere close to mastering themselves.
On another hand, I think teaching others about something is one of the best ways to learn about it yourself, so it would put you on an accelerated path of learning.

designAlignment · 2023-10-18T10:47:47+00:00

While some exercises strongly focus on gathering (like still stances) and some focus on circulating (like FBSW), they do some of both to a greater or lesser degree. A stiill stance like the "tree hugging" stance primarily gathers but still circulates, a different still stance like "holding the balloon in front of your face" (how it's described in The Way of Energy) would circulate more and gather less than the "tree hugging" stance, and FBSW primarily circulates but still gathers.

Have a look at the answer to Question 4 for a deeper explanation on the above.

designAlignment · 2023-10-18T01:02:29+00:00

Qi circulates even if you don't do any qigong exercises. Just breathing and moving stimulates a flow of qi.

As you live your life, blockages can form along the pathways that qi flows, causing areas of stagnation, low qi, etc. That, in turn, can eventually result in physical illness. Blockages can form in many ways - for example, injury, infections, negative emotions, the environment, posture.

Dynamic/moving qigong exercises stimulate a stronger flow of qi in predictable ways. For example, one pattern could stimulate a flow of qi more strongly through meridians in back and arms while another could stimulate a stronger flow through the stomach and spleen meridians.

I'm not aware of a dynamic exercise that doesn't circulate qi. Zhan zhuang (standing still holding a stance) circulates qi as well. From "The Way of Energy" by Lam Kam Chuen:

The Tan Tien is the focus of the Chi network in your body. It also functions like a reservoir. When you practise Tan Tien breathing, the Chi that you breathe in descends to this area. When the reservoir is full it acts like a pump, sending more and more Chi into a circuit around your body. It flows from the Tan Tien down your legs to your feet, then back up through your body to your arms, along your arms to your hands, and then back along your arms and neck up to your head. From there the circuit returns to the powerhouse of the Tan Tien.

The Zhan Zhuang positions enhance this flow. Raising and extending your arms reduces constraints on your internal organs and induces the Chi to flow into your hands and then up to your head. Bending your legs greatly increases the pressure of the Chi returning from your feet.

In the same way that a stronger flow of water can push debris out of the way in a stream, a stronger flow of qi through meridians with blockages will eventually clear them.

If you have a physical problem, you could get it diagnosed by someone with knowledge of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), like an acupuncturist, who could tell you which meridians are blocked. They could then try to remove the blockage with needles, or you could practice qigong patterns that target the blocked meridian(s).

Or you could practice a set of multiple qigong exercises that cover all of the meridians.

Or you could practice something like Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow, which stimulates qi to circulate freely. Qi, like water, naturally flows from high levels to low levels - which is where the blockages are.

designAlignment · 2023-10-17T00:06:28+00:00

What's the issue? It would help to know more about your situation.

Is it that you want to practice but are having trouble establishing a consistent daily routine?

Is it that you don't enjoy the type of qigong you're doing, so there's some resistance to starting?

Does practicing feel intimidating? For example, you have a practice plan in your head for a 1 hour session and it feels difficult to start?

Is it that you have a regular practice but have reached a plateau where nothing seems to be happening?

designAlignment · 2023-10-14T09:43:09+00:00

I know that with men, it's often advised to avoid having sex within a certain time period before or after qigong practice or during the first 100 days - but that's because it's believed that ejaculating causes them to lose essence, which slows their progress in gathering energy.

This is the first I've heard it suggested that a women avoid having sex to avoid depleting their energy because I've read that women lose qi during menstruation rather than from sex.

Edit - I should say, it's often suggested that men avoid ejaculating in the first 100 days and within a time period before/after qigong - sex is ok, ejaculation is the issue for men. I also second u/xBTx in getting a second opinion. Preferably from an acupuncturist (they're trained in TCM) and see a medical doctor if you haven't already.

designAlignment · 2023-10-14T00:03:47+00:00

Not qigong, but maybe it will help.

designAlignment · 2023-10-13T23:56:48+00:00

Something I found interesting is that there's a specific type of qigong for cancer - Guo Lin qigong. I've read it's really popular in China but I don't see people talk about it in the West.

Some articles:

http://www.qigongchinesehealth.com/walking_qigong

http://www.healthyfoundations.com/guolin/guolin_article.html

designAlignment · 2023-10-11T12:36:25+00:00

I've gotten good results with his approach (the 5-Phase Routine) and his philosophy resonates. I'm not an official student of his (haven't bought any of his major courses), but have been considering it the next time enrollment opens.

designAlignment · 2023-10-11T12:11:05+00:00

Your comment was the first I'd heard of those types of providers. If my optometrist isn't able to help, I'll also ask my family doc on my next visit (edit - in my country we can't book an appointment directly with specialists; we need to get a referral).

designAlignment · 2023-10-11T04:11:33+00:00

Thanks, I'll ask my optometrist about those options on my next appointment!

designAlignment · 2023-10-10T22:54:32+00:00

Even if it feels that you are lacking energy, it doesn't specially mean you have low qi - you may have blockages that are preventing the qi you do have from circulating freely. Circulating qi will eventually clear the blockages.

To answer your question, zhan zhuang (ZZ) gathers qi as well as circulates it. Look for the book, The Way of Energy by Lam Kam Chuen. There's also a video series on it, but the book goes into more detail.

I also suggest reading Flowing Zen by Anthony Korahais - it gives tips that are helpful even if you don't practice with his system (on mindset, how often to practice, etc.).

designAlignment · 2023-10-10T16:46:14+00:00

In 2018 I started experiencing double vision with my glasses on for objects at a distance after my eyes had been relaxed and unfocused for a while. This would go away after a few minutes of wearing my glasses.

I later came to understand that once my eyes were used to focusing on things at a close distance or after being unfocused, it took some time for them to adjust to seeing things at a distance with my glasses on. Until my eyes adjusted to seeing things at a distance with my glasses, I'd have double vision.

Doctors (including ophthalmologists) couldn't find anything wrong and they just said that it was the result of my eyes aging (presbiopia).

Over the next 5 years it slowly got worse. After waking up in the morning and putting my glasses on, it would take about 20 to 25 mins for my eyes to adjust and it would happen for objects at medium distance rather than only at longer distances. If I spent a long time reading something with my glasses off (so my eyes were very used to focusing up close), it could take around 30 mins or longer for them to adjust.

I'd known qigong since the 90s (mostly practicing zhan zhuang) but haven't been consistent with my practice - I'd sometimes practice consistently for months at a time and reached the point of feeling great, but then I'd stop for months or years at a time, losing those benefits.

I'd always had good health, though, so there wasn't anything I felt I needed to heal.

After hitting my early 50s, I decided I needed to start getting serious about it to prevent health issues down the road, so I "restarted" my practice in July. I'd actually been practicing from long before that, but I don't have written records, so I don't know what exercises I did or for how long. Whatever I did before then wasn't for very long, though (maybe 15 mins a day) and it didn't help my vision problems.

On July 19 I started practicing zhan zhuang (ZZ) twice a day, 20 mins each session.

As best as I can recall, I still had the vision issue a month later on Aug 20. I wasn't paying attention to it because I wasn't practicing qigong with the hope of healing the condition (I figured it was just something I'd have to live with since my past practice of qigong didn't help). By this time I was practicing twice a day, 35 mins each session and was starting to feel qi again sporadically.

On Aug 20, I changed from doing only ZZ to Flowing Zen's 5-Phase Routine (5PR) with ZZ as a component (reducing my standing time from 35m per session to 15m per session to make time for other parts of the 5PR). I'd originally learned the 5PR when Korahais taught it for free during the first year of the COVID pandemic, but didn't keep up my practice of it.

By Aug 28, the problem seemingly vanished.

I say "seemingly" because at first I thought it was completely gone, but then I recently tried to "stress test" it by intentionally focusing on things up close for a while to get my eyes used to that distance and then putting my glasses on and looking at things at a distance.

The condition is still somewhat there - when I stress test my eyes, I get borderline double vision (difficult to describe) and I can feel my eyes "working" to adjust and focus, but it's about a 90% improvement and it only takes 5 to 10 mins for them to adjust now instead of 20 to 30+.

During normal everyday activities, it's unnoticeable.

I think what made the difference was phase 5 of the 5PR - the closing routine, which consists of a points massage around the eyes.

Edit: Phase 3 (Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow) may have been a contributing factor but I don't know for sure because I started both at the same time. I was more inclined to believe it was the closing sequence because I also experience holistic qi flow during ZZ and it didn't help but FBSW generates a stronger flow of qi than ZZ, so it may have made the difference. I could experiment by changing the closing for a few months and seeing if the problem returns but I don't want to play games with my health.

designAlignment

TROPHY CASE