Water Dragon Arts – Zhan Zhuang Gong (Complete Course)

Whether you practice internal martial arts or Qigong for health purposes, Zhan Zhuang is an essential part for developing health, strength and a great sense of body-awareness. The martial artist will slowly narrow the center line of the body and tap into full body connected power. Practitioner for health purposes will be able to identify the most subtle physical and energetic blockages or tensions and promote increased circulation and healing through deep relaxation.

This course includes 18 video lessons together with many articles which will help you to deepen your study. This is how the course is structured:

1. Intro
2. The Concept of Qi.
3. The Relaxation Theory of Qigong
4. Qi Awareness Practices (3 video lessons)
5. Understanding the lower Dan Tian (2 video lessons)
6. Rooting Exercise
7. Standing Posture
8. Zhan Zhuang Gong – Main Posture
9. Zhan Zhuang – Commencement and Ending
10. Visualization in Qigong
11. Adjustments and Experiences (3 video lessons)
12. Understanding Wuji for Zhan Zhuang
13. Outro

Motion in stillness and deep relaxation

Once we have cultivated a good sense of awareness we will be able to identify the most subtle physical and energetic blockages or tensions. We often think that we are relaxed, but often this relaxation is only superficial. Deep relaxation reaches all the way into the bones, as we learned in the Qigong relaxation theory. Once we stand in Zhan Zhuang, our sore muscles shaking, we will have to admit that we are not really as relaxed as we thought we were. Practicing will show us places of tension that are deep within our bodies and using our mind and the breath we will be able to release them.

Zhan Zhuang Qigong for increasing and maintaining health

When practicing Zhan Zhuang, naturally we first need to cultivate a peaceful and concentrated mind, calming down the fire of our Xin (Emotional Mind). This will promote the Xin (which encompasses the entire cerebral cortex and central nervous system) to reach a state of rest and recuperation. With Xin in “resting mode” our bodies can relax while maintaining an appropriate degree of stimulus (engagement) and reach a nourishing state in which the blood flows freely.

This unobstructed blood flow is one of the most important elements of the Standing Pole Exercise for development and maintenance of health. With the body assuming the correct posture and a relaxed Xin, your blood circulation is improved greatly and Qi can reach every part of your body and nourish it. From the outside the body appears to be still, but on the inside, all the vital organs can settle and metabolic function increases. This is why it’s called movement within non-movement. – Zhan Zhuang promotes unhindered internal activity which leads to a natural adjustment of your Qi in the organs while maintaining external stillness.

Zhan Zhuang as a fundamental exercise for internal martial arts

First of all, Zhan Zhuang is very helpful to condition the body into the correct postural alignment. The process of “flattening the lumbar curve” is considered important in order to increase your power through a entirely connected body. Important instructions to stand in this posture correctly are the tilting of the pelvis and bringing down of the tailbone.

Standing pole meditation is an essential cornerstone to build a foundation for internal martial arts, which can teach us a wide range of things about ourselves. Static postures are necessary to create the awareness of the body and its connection with the lower Dan Tian. With the knowledge about the constitution of our bodies, we will be able to train more effectively.

More courses from the same author: Water Dragon Arts