I just recently begun practising zhan zhuang and have been following the instructions given by Master Yang in various publications and DVDs. Obviously, zhan zhuang is a challenging exercise and there are so many fine details to be aware of at all times to get the most out of practise, but there has been one "detail" that I have found to make all the difference and that would be controlling the huiyin (perineum). I have to say that I find this the most difficult thing to keep control of, but when I manage it the effects are quite astounding to me.
Here is a quotation from Master Yang's article (
http://ymaa.com/articles/qigong-meditation/regulating-breathing) on this website:
One of the secret keys is learning how to control the Huiyin (perineum). This place is the controlling gate of the body’s Yin and Yang. Huiyin means “meet Yin” in Chinese and is the meeting place of the four Yin vessels: Conception (Ren Mai), Thrusting (Chong Mai), Yin Heel (Yinqiao Mai), and Yin Linking Vessels (Yinwei Mai). When this gate is pushed out, the Qi in these four Yin vessels is released, and when this gate is held up, the Qi in the four Yin vessels is kept in and preserved. Because of this, this gate can control the body’s Yin-Yang status. In my personal experience, this place acts as a pump or a piston to a Qi chamber that controls the storage and release of Qi.
I have read here on this particular thread that this "pulling up" of the perineum is more of a mental thing, but when I combine the description in Master Yang's article with Zhou, Xuan-Yun's advice in his Wudang Taiji DVD that the controlling of the huiyin point is like the feeling of using muscles to stop urinating but in a very gentle way, zhan zhuang becomes a very different experience for me.
When I manage to get everything working together I feel heat and something akin to energy flow along my outstretched arms "embracing the tree" and it feels as if energy is strongly flowing from one arm to the other across the space in between my fingers. My arms feel heavy and I feel very connected to the ground. I start to get very warm and sweat. When the huiyin is controlled (to whatever extent I am managing that) it really does feel as if the energy has been stored in the upper body.
It does not take long at all for this to happen in my practise, but when it happens depends on how coordinated I can get everything. Without specifically keeping this one detail in check zhan zhuang does not have this feeling as strongly.
My question for everyone is: is this the experience other people have? Is it different for different people? Just looking for perspectives from other people engaged in their own practises.
Thanks!