Xing Yi Pole Standing and Qi

[shawntaur]

As much as I've read and studied over the past 4 years, well over 20 books, more than half by GrandMaster Yang, it does not translate into actual useful skill.

In his excellent Xing Yi Quan book what are you supposed to be doing internally while pole standing and practicing the five elements (besides the internal connections and directions --shoulders to hips, forward motion, backward motion, etc.) It seems like there are some very important internal features missing from the text, or I am ignorant of what is staring me in the face.

The closest YMAA branch school is over 3 1/2 hours away. If I am asking for something not openly taught, I apologize beforehand. I am searching through Xing Yi for a way of rising above my body, emotions, and mind.

Thank you for anything you can tell me,
Shawn

[lilman]

From my experience doing "pole standing" or "standing on stake", whatever you want to call it, Your not supposed to be doing ANYTHING.

If you ever practiced wuji breathing, its the same. Your mind is clear and blank. You "concentrate" on your lower dantian (ie by concentrate it doesnt really mean concentrate. It means feel the expanding and contracting of your lower abdomen, keeping your mind there as you practice). And just stand. The theory behind it is the Qi sinks to the lower dnatian and your root improving your root, and keeping your mind at your lower dantian stores and builds Qi there until it starts to circulate naturally through the small and grand circulation. The process is supposed to make your body full of "Peng" Qi and make your Qi stronger and more resiliant. Thats why its suggested if your a beginner, start at 5 minutes till you can stand 5 minutes easily, move to 10, 15, 20, 30, then an hour. If you practice an hour a day per posture with standing on stake, within 3 years you will have supposedly been able to reach the level of being able to hit an opponent without touching them, or empty force. If you skip a day, you double your time the next day.

[Dave C.]

As much as I've read and studied over the past 4 years, well over 20 books, more than half by GrandMaster Yang, it does not translate into actual useful skill.

Well reading books doesn't usually translate into actual skill, does it? It seems to me that physical practice is needed, correct?

In his excellent Xing Yi Quan book what are you supposed to be doing internally while pole standing and practicing the five elements (besides the internal connections and directions --shoulders to hips, forward motion, backward motion, etc.) It seems like there are some very important internal features missing from the text, or I am ignorant of what is staring me in the face.

As good as Dr. Yang's books are, they aren't substitutes for an actual teacher. There's just no way you're going to read his books and follow along with the videos and completely understand what the art involves. It just isn't possible.

For people without a teacher, it's better to look at the books as ways to prepare for when you do have a teacher. For those of us with teachers, they allow our practice to expand by reading his translations of the classics and hear his commentary on the practices.

So basically you're expecting way too much.

For xingyi, your physical practice needs to be there and needs to be corrected before the internal connections can be addressed. If your external connections haven't been corrected by a teacher and drilled into your body, then talk of internal connections is wasted.

What goes on with the five elements internally is fairly complex. You won't get it from a book.

[lilman]

What I think Dave C. is trying to say, is you can learn from books and DVDs, like theory, different applications, different movements, etc, but some things has to be trainied with a partner, and some things have to be taught by a teacher. A book can enrich your practice, but a teacher will help a lot more than a book. So dont be discouraged from reading your books and watching your DVDs, but seek out a teacher to help you better understand whats in the books. I havent read ANYTHING in any of Dr. Yang's books that havent been practical and beneficial to my practice.

[styrofoamdog]

You can practice Santishi without any big problems, even without a teacher. Just be careful about your alignments. At the beginning, the practice is mostly physical, but after awhile, you'll feel your stance becoming more and more solid. After some time further, you'll feel as though your Xingyiquan movements are heavier and stronger than they would be normally. There aren't any big internal secrets to it, just hard work and a lot of time.

Sun Lutang had a student who only practiced Santishi for years, and he was the best of Sun's students. Sun Jianyun mentions this in the interview that prefaces Sun Lutang's book Xingyiquan Xue.