Inner
Q uest
The Monthly Tao Journal Special Report
Tao Meditation Tao + Energy Arts Tree-part Article Series: By Ladder or Lattice? How to Build Your Y our Foundation Foundation Te Art of Microcosmic raining Te 5 Keys to Unlocking the Nei Gong System
Paul Cavel, Editor
IQ: Introduction Introduc tion to t o Tao Tao Arts Ar ts Training Training
Dear Student of the Tao,
Since 1995, I've taught Tao meditaon and energy arts to share ancient wisdom with the modern age that can help people relax, increase their state of health, achieve their personal goals, and enjoy a beer quality of life. My courses are based in Islington, London, although you can nd me teaching seminars in Cologne and Stugart, Germany and retreats in Andalucía, Spain. For those who want to train in-depth to create posive change, I have 18 years experience in helping high performing indi viduals realise their potenal with one-to-one coaching. I created the Tao Arts School and online resource centre (see www.CircleWalking.com for www.CircleWalking.com for anyone interested in growing their understanding of or personal development through Tao meditaon and en ergy arts—regardless of your current state of health, previous training experience, or reasons for studying. I found out for myself how powerful these exercises can be aer sustaining serious injuries from a mo torcycle accident in the 1980s that le me limping and unable to carry out daily acvies without pain and discomfort. My own healing jour ney led me to a passion for helping people gain insight into how to culvate their mind, body and qi energy in ways that are eecve and ef cient, yet safe and sustainable. My aim is to provide you with the most in-depth, quality live training available, as well as educaonal tools to support your ongoing pracce on your own to achieve anything in life you deem worth pursuing.
The following three arcles will give you a base knowledge of the potenal results you can achieve from Tao meditaon and internal en ergy arts pracces, as well as the training protocols I recommend to achieve best results—whether you train for maral power, power, health, heal ing or meditaon. If you have any quesons or wish to provide feedback, please email my team at
[email protected]. Keep your pracce alive and well, and it’ll do the same for you.
Paul Cavel, Editor
© 2013 Paul Cavel. All rights reserved.
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IQ: Introduction to Tao Arts Training
By Ladder or Lattice?
How to Build Your Foundation in ao Meditation & Energy Arts (Part I) © i s t o c k p h o t o / k i r s t y p a r g e t e r
The sheer depth and complexity of the nei gong system, with each of its 16 components represenng cosmic potenal for developing the mind, body and qi, aracts many people to train Tao meditaon and energy arts. The mysterious 4,000-year-old tradion that roots these enigmac results in concrete, tangible and systemac training techniques makes it all the more alluring.
However, many students apply a leapfrog tacc to internal Tao arts training as they jump from one pracce to another with out deepening skill in any aspect before moving on to the next. Others employ a linear, step-by-step methodology that precludes them from catalysing their understanding of interconnected levels of nei gong science and, therefore, simply do not move forward. Such strategies are precisely why true embodiment and realisaon of more advanced internal development has alluded all but a few.
© 2013 Paul Cavel. All rights reserved.
What Is Nei Gong?
All Tao meditaon and energy arts are based on nei gong science, which dictates that there are 16 essenal energy exercises responsible for generang internal power for health, healing, maral arts and meditaon. Click here to see the list of 16 nei gong.
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IQ: Introduction to Tao Arts Training On the other hand, approaching Tao arts with the same spherical training progression that is inherent to its composion allows students to exploit real and mullayered benets—all that makes dedicated pracce worthwhile.
Entering a Circle without a Beginning or an End Beginning a Tao arts pracce imbued with nei gong content conjures up a well-known conundrum of a chicken and an egg. Most students inially become interested in the internal energy arts through tai chi since its 300-year-old reputaon of remarkable health and healing properes in the East has slowly begun to saturate the West. However, few understand the nei gong-form relaonship, where nei gong is the tech nology responsible for tai chi’s power generang and associated health benets (which is also true for all other internal energy arts forms). So although tai chi is most certainly capable of producing desired results—maral prowess, vitality, healing and/or meditaon— it can cost students lost me and eort if not rmly embedded in rudimentary, albeit less popular, nei gong training. Upon aending your rst college course, you may indeed have in mind that you wish to aain a PhD. Regardless, you must rst sasfy prerequisite requirements to embark on any eld of study and earn the associated bach elor’s degree. And, even before being accepted into a university, some level of basic educaon is required. Literacy and mathemacs, for example, will gure to some degree in every class, and may also become highly specialised studies unto themselves. Likewise, a training hierarchy exists within Tao arts pracces where tai chi and bagua constute PhD programmes and the bulk of qi gong sases an undergraduate de gree. Fundamental nei gong techniques serve as a basic educaon and introducon into your studies, dictated by principles of
simple, gentle and repeve movement that evolve into mullayered components, eventually mixing together in endless paerns to create all formwork (i.e. qi gong sets, tai chi styles and bagua palm changes). Most component pieces become common to all pracces while others are unique to only one or a few.
n o i x a r E / o t o h p k c o t s i ©
What Is Qi Gong? Qi gong is the Chinese name for “internal energy exercise”, which engage the body and
boost the body’s energy levels through low-impact, targeted movements based on the science of nei gong.
Overview of Medical + Five Element Qi Gong You could think of qi gong as having three broadly dened levels (see Figure 1 on p. 5), which are: • Beginning or foundation practices • Intermediate or power-production practices • Advanced or integration practices In the Energy Arts System, the three levels would generally correspond to the following qigong programmes: • Foundation—medical qi gong,
Water Element Qi Gong and Wood Qi Gong • Power-production —Fire Element
and Metal Element Qi Gong • Integration—Earth Element Qi Gong
In ancient mes, the learning progression dictated aptude at each previous level before embarking on study of the next, more complex, dicult and complete level of training. That is beginning qi gong sets would be developed over several years before
© 2013 Paul Cavel. All rights reserved.
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IQ: Introduction to Tao Arts Training
Integraon
Earth Element Qi Gong
Power-producon
Foundaon
Fire Element Qi Gong
Water Element Qi Gong
Metal Element Qi Gong
Medical Qi Gong
Wood Element Qi Gong
Figure 1 Tree Levels of Nei Gong raining The three levels of nei gong—foundaon, power producon and integraon— correspond to Five Elementy Qi Gong sets with the introductory sets overlapping beginning and intermediate levels, and power-producon sets overlapping intermediate and advanced levels. Earth Element Qi Gong encompasses training on all three levels, from beginning to advanced.
progressing to intermediate sets, where once again you would spend many years before moving on to advanced sets. Tradionally, students devoted decades to learning tenets of Tao meditaon and energy arts. The only excepons to the training hierarchy occurred in the case of special consideraons, such as serious injury, illness, emoonal disposion or deranged mental funcon.1
Tree Introductory Qi Gong Systems: Building a Solid Foundation Each qi gong system consists of nite layers, which must be learned in stages to eventually master in their enrety. Together, three foundaonal sets form the physical and energec material up to the intermediate level in the Energy Arts System2 that I teach, where: • Opening the Energy Gates of Your Body Qi Gong (Water Element)—teaches all move-
ment on the horizontal plane, including turning and weight shifting techniques, as well as initiating the downward flow of energy and dissolving. • Marriage of Heaven + Earth Qi Gong (Wood Element)—teaches all movement on the
vertical plane, including bending-and-stretching and opening-and-closing techniques, as well as activating the microcosmic and macrocosmic orbits of energy. • Dragon + Tiger Medical Qi Gong—helps students to begin to feel their life-force, qi
energy by teaching methods for stirring and releasing stagnant qi utilising the basic physical mechanics of Energy Gates and Heaven + Earth. 1.
These excepons would only be taken onboard by a true master or group of iniates within a monastery overseen by a master.
2.
The Energy Arts System was designed by my teacher, Taoist Master Bruce Frantzis, whose lineage was passed down to him by Taoist Grandmaster Liu Hung Chieh of Beijing, China. See hp://www.circlewalking.com/chinese-taoism/ for complete details. © 2013 Paul Cavel. All rights reserved.
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IQ: Introduction to Tao Arts Training
Opening the Energy Gates of Your Body Qi Gong Classically, the neigong learning progression commences with Energy Gates to:3
• Contact and feel the body with the mind; • Correctly align the body; • Open up and develop the internal senses; • Release bound qi energy;
Paul Adjusts a Student's Heaven + Earth Qi Gong Form to Optimise Qi Energy Flow
• Properly shift weight and turn the waist;
Marriage of Heaven & Earth Qi Gong
• Open the spine; and • Make all the basic physical and energetic connections in the body.
Heaven + Earth is arguably the most complex and advanced foundaonal set, having the capacity to contain all that is within Dragon + Tiger and Energy Gates, and specically hon ing techniques to: • Bend and stretch the body from the outside in and the inside out; • Activate the fluid pumps and thereby initiate the pulse; • By way of the pulse, gain deeper access to your nerves; and
In the beginning, your mind may have a few problems achieving all of these direcves. For example, unambiguously pung your mind inside specic tense places in your body and releasing them without physical movement could be quite tricky. If you were to stunt all other aspects of pracce, it could take several decades to release bound qi in the body, if at all. So aer a period of regular pracce and once you feel you have gone as far as possible for you in a given meframe (from several weeks to many months), you would move onto the next qi gong set in the progression.
3.
• Create and engage whole-body movement through the tenet of “one part moves, all parts move”. Training at this level for some me pays dividends in the future as enlivening associated nei gong strands soens and smoothes out the esh, releases layers of tension and clears the qi channels to some degree. Then, aer some months, upon returning to Energy Gates you may nd that you can stand more comfortably, possibly for longer periods, and your mind can beer penetrate your esh. In turn, you gain access to deeper, long-term and bound tension, and conceivably start to release some of it.
You might noce that all of these principles are equally germane to ear ly tai chi and bagua pracce.
© 2013 Paul Cavel. All rights reserved.
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IQ: Introduction to Tao Arts Training
Dragon & Tiger Medical Qi Gong Inially, many students nd it dicult to clearly feel qi energy. In this case, Dragon + Tiger teaches methods for tuning into and manipulang the etheric energy with the hands during movement. In me and with pracce, the heightened awareness of qi energy can easily be transferred to Heaven + Earth and Energy Gates, generang a dierent quality of moon in both sets. You might nd a smoother, lighter yet thicker characterisc to your forms, which is the result of engaging more of your body, mind and qi energy. Further training of Heaven + Earth opens up your spine and internal organs, so when you pracce Dragon + Tiger, your etheric eld is stronger, fuller and more tangible due to increased spine and organ acvity. All of it serves to help you pull and push more qi energy through your system, and achieve deeper relaxaon and releases of bound or stagnant qi.
Te Single Fabric Principle The learning progression of the three foundaonal qi gong sets could just as easily commence with Dragon + Tiger or Heaven + Earth. Each set has its advantages, methods that might make nei gong content more accessible to you. Whatever the case, each set exists within a larger context and therefore serves to develop all others while folding into the internal aspects that are embodied from all previous studies. The foundaonal sets, rather than forming three individual pracces, actually coalesce into a single woven fabric. The threads themselves are created from various techniques within nei gong components, which, through consistent pracce, slowly knit together over me. Some nei gong are uniquely developed within a specic pracce, whereas most are pragmacally developed through several, and somemes all, qi gong sets. Once individual nei gong techniques have been embodied through pracce of their associated qi gong set(s), they can be upgraded in more advanced sets and embedded within all more basic sets—thereby raising the overall quality of any form you train. To make lasagne, you precook the main lling, the sauce for the top and prepare the pasta. Then, you put all ingredients into one dish and bake them together in the oven, creang a taste sensa on that if the three parts were eaten individually wouldn’t be possible. Just as it wouldn’t much maer which of the three parts of the dish you prepared rst, second or last (although cooks around the world likely have their preferences!), likewise you can pracse the three foundaonal qi gong programmes as it feels right or as they are available to you.4
4.
This approach may be altered if you have a special requirement (e.g. personal goal) or predisposion (e.g. injury or health issue) that dictates otherwise. © 2013 Paul Cavel. All rights reserved.
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IQ: Introduction to Tao Arts Training
Each nei gong strand requires stages of development, which can usually be best achieved through a training hierarchy. The process doesn’t always start with the most basic external form and work its way up as if to climb a ladder. Instead, nei gong science makes use of networks of forms, each with their own specic learning protocols. Pracce of the three foundaonal qi gong programmes gives you a taste for the rst eight nei gong components (see box on p. 9), as well as the disnct avour each set has to oer since certain internal aspects will dominate within each one. This dominaon is precisely what generates the overall energy and feel—the quality a praconer can achieve and eventually apply at will with the mind’s intent—through training of individual sets.
Gods Qi Gong: A Beginner’s Puzzle Piece? Given all the good the three foundaonal sets can oer, curiously another logical pracce with which to begin your nei gong journey could be Gods Playing in the Clouds. Convenonally, Gods is regarded as the most advanced set in the Water tradion of Taoism and does in fact boast the capacity to contain all 16 nei gong, thereby serving as a bridge to Tao meditaon—technology no other qi gong system has to oer. You may recall that Gods is categorised as the highest “integraon” level of the system, and obviously a beginner would have lile to integrate (see Figure 1 on p. 5). I’m certainly not suggest ing that a beginner try to take onboard the enrety of the 16 nei gong from the outset. However, some of the form movements that comprise Gods are rather straighorward and easy to learn when compared to say the Swings in Energy Gates or Exercises 2 and 7 in Dragon + Tiger.
© 2013 Paul Cavel. All rights reserved.
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IQ: Introduction to Tao Arts Training
Specic Gods movements can therefore serve as a praccal container for learning align ments, as well as bending-and-stretching and opening-and-closing techniques, important rst steps to open and release restricted or ght places in the so ssues of the body. Arguably, some movements in Gods are extremely physically demanding with the purpose of opening up the core structure of the body quickly and eciently. So if you are a beginner and decide to learn Gods, you must be sure you are in good physical condion without knee, hip or spinal injuries. If you have any physical limitaons, you will be much beer o scking with the three foundaonal sets unl you’re ready to take on more rigorous choreography. You may be lucky enough not to experience further harm, but nonetheless cost-benet consideraons gure prominently. If you are generally healthy, learning Gods early in your training can support your overall development, most specically if you also wish to train bagua. Gods is like the hand in bagua’s glove: the movements and content found in Gods t rather exactly and precisely into bagua palm changes. So if you have your sights set on bagua, pracce of Gods will be come necessary at some phase of your development. The crical point is that if you decide to learn Gods before you have stabilised the internal content found in the three foundaonal qi gongs, you will essenally skip the prerequi site stages of nei gong training. Teasing out the many layers of complexity and geng a taste for separate and disnct weaves of nei gong would therefore require diligent and persistent eort beyond the scope of most praconers. So although beginners could benet tremendously from early Gods training, it is best incorporated alongside pracce of the foundaonal sets and denitely not as a replacement for them.
© 2013 Paul Cavel. All rights reserved.
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IQ: Introduction to Tao Arts Training
Te Spiralling Nature of Nei Gong raining Through alternang and ongoing pracce of Dragon + Tiger, Energy Gates and Heaven + Earth—possibly in conjuncon with Gods, tai chi and/or bagua training—you begin an authenc journey into the realm of internal energy exercise. You will be introduced and start to work deeply (but not completely) with aspects of the rst eight nei gong components. As you release layers of tension and rene your pracce, the depth and breadth of your experienal knowledge, embodiment of nei gong, naturally develops. That is form movements acvate corresponding internals and begin to grow as each nei gong thread is inextricably linked to all others, creang a web that allows your pracce to evolve with connued training. This is why, for instance, you could aend Dragon + Ti ger, Energy Gates and Heaven + Earth courses half a dozen to a dozen or more mes each and not only consistently learn new material, but also deepen your ability and understanding of the enre system with only succinct instrucon. Each course shis the spotlight to more fully focus on unique nei gong threads or weaves and, over me, aempts to cover the depth and breadth of each pracce set. As an example, I’ve completed more than 2,000 hours of formal instrucon with my teacher, including hundreds of hours studying the foundaonal qi gong sets followed up by thousands of hours of personal pracce on these three sets alone. Also, as I've taught internal energy arts full me since 1995, I’m absolutely immersed in pracce at the fun damental level. Yet I wouldn’t hesitate to aend any Dragon + Tiger, Energy Gates or Heaven + Earth course taught by my teacher because just one or two key nei gong exercises, explanaons or perspecves oered could and oen does radically transform and up grade my overall pracce. As your knowledge base and embodiment of nei gong grows, so
too does your ability to integrate new input on all levels of training—from the most mundane to the more advanced. Anyone who has a “been there, done that” atude in re sponse to course tles, especially where the base material is concerned, is missing the point and will have to be a genius in mind, body and qi to excel in the system. The circular and spiralling nature of learning nei gong science dictates that to whatever degree you reach a so-called advanced level, you once again link what you have learned back into the basics, propel through the intermediate material and once again return to the advanced. With each revoluon, you clear and ll in any gaps at each layer. Those who unwingly maintain their pracce of only the more advanced material create a glass ceiling and can progress no further. Any holes in your foundaon will prevent your overall evoluon, and quite oen do not reveal themselves unl many stages down the line. So when any weaknesses present themselves, delve back into the fundamentals, conscienously seek out and ll in any gaps, and you will thereby strengthen your overall core.
To say more, every me you complete a rotaon from beginning to intermediate to advanced and back to the foundaonal material again, you plunge ever-deeper into the essence of each form, the internal content it accommodates and your body—unveiling aspects that could not have revealed
© 2013 Paul Cavel. All rights reserved.
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IQ: Introduction to Tao Arts Training themselves to you in your previous mode of understanding. As you gain greater control over your body, its energy and your mind, leaving no stone unturned, you systemacally make every part of your body alive and conscious. You not only achieve incredible health and vitality—a body and mind capable of superior funconing and ability—but also peace, tranquillity and a deep contentment with life.
Form, No Form All of the above in mind, whether or not a pracce is deemed advanced depends less upon the name given to idenfy its formwork (e.g. Heaven + Earth) and more on the internal content acve within that form. Energy Gates could therefore be prac sed to a higher level than Gods in the same vein that a Yugo body with a Porsche engine and rolling chasse could conceivably perform beer than a Porsche ed with a Yugo engine. The more content present in any parcular nei gong weave (which com prises any qi gong set), the more likely it will operate as a smooth, integrated and wellbalanced system. Therefore, the labelling of intermediate or advanced only points to a form’s potenal. Many students pay special credence to branding, the perceived value of one form over another, and ideas that some forms are more advanced than others. In fact, it is the ability of each individual student (at a given moment in me) that imbues a form with in ternal power (to some degree or another), and therefore makes any form worthy of such preconceived noons. How well you execute crical nei gong components and the cohe sion of those threads with all others is what supercharges your form, and makes it beginning, intermediate or advanced. This point seems to be sorely lost in the West, parcularly in the last decade as Tao meditaon and energy arts teachings have become more widely available.
Geng caught up in what is best or beer than something else is one of the illusions of the ego that neigong training seeks to resolve. So my earnest advice is to forget about what is beginning, intermediate or even advanced—if any of us are lucky enough to achieve it. The me you devote to building a strong foundaon will enable you to take giant leaps in the future while many others are heading back to the starng line to ll in gaps. Pracce of the basics will naturally evolve into intermediate
© 2013 Paul Cavel. All rights reserved.
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IQ: Introduction to Tao Arts Training training, where qi energy—directed by the mind’s intent—literally drives form movements rather than the form driving qi energy development, making forms ever-more malleable and, ulmately, less signicant.
Building the Nei Gong Lattice Creates Health + Vitality There are many ways to navigate your way through the nei gong system as an interwoven lace of integrated components, where each piece is supported by, connected to and reinforces all others. Therefore, you cannot gain access to the enrety of any single thread without training its interconnected strands. Learning Dragon + Tiger, Energy Gates and Heaven + Earth will give you a taste for the rst eight nei gong components and their disncve avours, while oering a specialised assortment of health and healing benets.
Essenally, you will knit together a single woven fabric that serves as an integrated network of nei gong, propelling you towards the intermediate material, where even just a few minutes of pracce can yield profound results; the depth gained in a very short meframe trumps hours of training at earlier stages because the synergy of the whole produces far greater eects than its in dividual parts. The quality of your pracce can awaken a whole new life within you, enabling and iniang posive transformaons in body, mind and qi.
© 2013 Paul Cavel. All rights reserved.
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IQ: Introduction to Tao Arts Training
Te Art of Microcosmic raining (Part II)
In Part I, I presented a case for focusing on Dragon + Tiger, Energy Gates and Heaven + Earth Qi Gong sets since together they provide the essenal framework for all nei gong training. That is the bulk of the choreography and internal content learned in these programmes provides the basis for and can be readily transferred to more sophiscated qi gong systems, tai chi and bagua. Also, this so-called foundaonal material is normally more than enough training for the average student and will provide most of the physical structure, internals and qi energy development needed for tai chi and bagua —whether pracsed for health and vitality, maral arts and/or as preparaon for meditaon. Intermediate nei gong training is all about supercharging physical and, equally, energec power, which is based upon the assumpon that you have achieved the goals of the three foundaonal sets—in body, mind and qi. If so, you will naturally transion into the intermediate realm, where the game shis to peeling back ever-more minute if not tedious layers and integrang the experienal knowledge gained from this work on all levels of your conscious awareness.
© 2013 Paul Cavel. All rights reserved.
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IQ: Introduction to Tao Arts Training
Te wo Paths of Intermediate Practice
Option 1: Te Caveats of Power Production
If aer reaching an intermediate level of pracce you wish to further your studies, there are two possibilies from which to choose: Opon 1—Move onto either Fire Element
Qi Gong, Metal Element Qi Gong or both, where the following safety precauons must be considered— • Spiralling techniques germane to Fire Element training require very clear energy lines since everything in your system will be amplified —the good, bad and ugly. If you have sufficiently and unambiguously cleared your energy, spiralling can yield incredible qi development; but any tension, blockages or stagnant qi will also be amplified, likely to your detriment. • The heavy compression and release work of the Metal Element puts enormous pressure on the body, especially the spine and internal organs. Again, there are no issues if your insides are liquid and your joints are flexible. If not, you can damage joints, spinal discs, ligaments or, worse still, organs. Opon
2—Connue directly onto Gods
Earth Element Qi Gong, integrang and solidifying all you have learned from the three foundaonal sets while studying new material specic to Gods. This is the safer and typically more producve route on the rst cycle through the nei gong system. You can upgrade your qi gong skills as well as tai chi and/or bagua pracce with lile potenal of harm.
If you choose the rst opon, you must do your homework exceponally well and, at least inially, train with a master who not only understands the implicaons of what to do and when, but also how to avert or x problems if any should arise. Learning Fire Element or Metal Element arts from anyone other than a master (or a teacher who a master fully endorses and has given their express public permission to teach these exercises) out of curiosity or any other more imprudent reason is ill-advised. If you are among the few who have truly dedicated themselves to exploring and diligently pracsing the fundamentals of the neigong system to the farthest reaches of your ability, then learning Fire and Metal Element power producon pracces taught by a master can help you develop incredible power well beyond the normal realms of the foundaonal material —both physically and energecally. However, in my personal experience, I have found that it is a ghtrope along which to walk as the intensity of the releases and demands on the body, mind and qi increase dramacally. I would highly recommend to anyone interested in pursuing pracce of Fire and Metal Ele ment arts to be painstakingly conscienous in developing skill in the foundaon pracces as training of the power producon package will then be a much easier ride. Many students inadequately solidify basics or do not open their body suciently in preparaon for these more rigorous exercises and therefore waste their me, if not experience much personal anguish. Some simply give up, while those who have the resolve to connue must revisit introductory components that allow the pracces to take eect.
With great power comes great responsibility —Stan Lee, Spider-Man
© 2013 Paul Cavel. All rights reserved.
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IQ: Introduction to Tao Arts Training
Integraon
Power-producon
Gods Playing in the Clouds ↕
↑
Fire
↕ ↕ ↕ ↕
Opening the Energy Gates
Foundaon
Metal
Marriage of Heaven + Earth
Dragon + Tiger
↓
Figure 1 Te Microcosm
The three levels of nei gong—foundaon, power producon and integraon— can be trained by pracsing Dragon + Tiger, Energy Gates and Heaven + Earth in conjuncon with Gods Playing in the Clouds for the safest energec development.
Devong the me necessary and eort required to train foundaonal forms with precision from the outset will naturally catapult you into higher aspects of nei gong pracce; whereas, applying force of will eventually exhausts your energy and, along with it, sustainable growth and development. Regardless of whether you reach an intermediate level through pracce of the foundaon sets alone or in associaon with the power-producon package, progressing to Gods eventually becomes critical because it is the only qi gong vessel capable of containing the enrety of the 16 neigong (or, more likely, all nei gong you have embodied at any parcular moment in me). Accordingly, Gods serves as a means for upgrading and unifying your body and energy into one coherent whole —a prime direcve of energy arts training.
Option 2: Te Microcosm Relegang the power band (Fire and Metal Element Qi Gongs) either to a later stage of training or altogether allows you to advance to Gods Playing in the Clouds as an intermediate praconer, while ensuring safe qi energy development. With the power band removed, the integraon level descends to meet with the foundaon layer, forming a smaller yet incredibly well-organised and integrated system (see Figure 1). Gods works with circularity at the advanced level, where it morphs and evolves into spheri cal moon. All previous sets, including Fire and Metal Element Qi Gongs, work with cir cularity at the beginning and intermediate levels. Once you make the jump from circularity to spherical moon through pracce of Gods, certain elements can transfer and upgrade any of the lower sets, thereby strengthening the development and deepening the connecvity of mind, body and qi. Again, this is only possible if you spend the me and energy necessary to accurately implement what was taught through Gods in subordinate pracces. Spherical moon transforms and supercharges the foundaonal material, bringing about radical change to any internal energy arts pracce.
© 2013 Paul Cavel. All rights reserved.
Page 15
IQ: Introduction to Tao Arts Training Likewise, the circular-spiralling nature of nei gong training entails learning a skill, developing it to some degree, advancing to a new component or set, then folding the individual thread(s) back into what you learned before (e.g., nei gong components or a qi gong set). In this mod el, you oscillate between Dragon + Tiger, Energy Gates and Heaven + Earth sev eral mes, learning, deepening and ad vancing your understanding and embodiment of the internals unl you hit a plateau, at which me you would learn Gods. As you will recall, some of the Gods move ments are extremely physically demanding in order to access and open the core structure of the body, especially the kwa, spine and organ base. It is this precise material that can release the deeper knots and blockages in these areas, further soen the ssues and liquidise the organs. Then, you can return to the three base qi gong sets with more internal content and a freer body with which to integrate and thereby upgrade your forms.
During this me, you would also devote copious pracce to dissolving as the fundamental mechanism for releasing bound energy within the Water tradion. Dissolving also becomes the safety net to keep you from harm when entering higher-level energec pracces and is therefore imperave to learn well for serious internal arts students (see box on p. 17). You would spend some years circumnavigating the Dragon + Tiger, Energy Gates, Heaven + Earth and Gods loop, broadening and forfying your base, and deepening embodiment of internal nei gong content —to develop your body, mind and qi. If you do this work properly and diligently, you will truly discover and release many, many layers of tension, open up your body, nerves, energy and mind, which will not only bring about health benets, but suciently pre pare your body for the heavy compressions found in Bend the Bow Metal Element Qi Gong and the energec jump required for Spiralling Fire Element Qi Gong.
raining Power Producing Energy Arts Spiralling Energy Body and Bend the Bow essenally build upon Energy Gates and Heaven + Earth, respecvely. In the old days, Spiralling was literally referred to as “Energy Gates Part II” and Bend the Bow as “Heaven + Earth Part II”. Spiralling uses the exact same components as Energy Gates: Standing with alignments and Outer Dissolving, Cloud Hands, the Three Swings and Spinal Stretch. The only dierence is what you do with your mind and qi. Bend the Bow is a condensed form of the Heaven + Earth movement with exactly the same stance, kwa work and spinal curve as its foundaon. The arm movements and spinal techniques (in depth and breadth) are dierent, but again there is very lile change from an external formwork point of view. Both sets open up several new neigong threads that are certainly not covered by the three base sets and further develop the rst eight nei gong, but these studies can also be pursued through Gods.
The specic nei gong threads developed within Spiralling and Bend the Bow are de nitely intermediate to advanced, and therefore only become available to the dedicated student with the proper foundaon in place. That is all previous energy work has rened their awareness of and ability to manipulate energy suciently to have expelled a signicant poron of the residue, energec tension and stagnancy that plagues the body.
Practising Bend the Bow Metal Element Qi Gong at Arques
© 2013 Paul Cavel. All rights reserved.
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IQ: Introduction to Tao Arts Training
Te Dissolving Continuum In recent years, I have begun teaching Outer Dissolving techniques much more oen because it is absolutely fundamental to all Tao meditaon and energy arts prac ces—whether done sing, standing, lying down, moving or as partner exercises. Most students hopscotch to training—or at least aempng to train—Inner Dissolving before solidifying their understanding of and ability to Outer Dissolve. However, dissolving techniques form a connuum and all Inner Dissolving techniques rely upon the Outer Dissolving prerequisite. The hierarchy is: • Scanning the physical body from the crown of the head to the soles of the feet while simply observing what is there without trying to affect it; •
Sinking Qi to drop your energy from the crown of the head to below your feet;
•
Outer Dissolving, which requires your intent to penetrate the physical
body and qi energy body to release associated blockages; and •
Inner Dissolving, which requires the Heart-Mind to become activated and engaged (to various degrees) to release blockages in a ny of the Eight Energy Bodies that comprise the totality of your being.
If you cannot scan your body from head to toe without losing your concentraon or focus, dissolving of any form will be quite dicult, if not impossible, to achieve. In the early stages of pracce, in whichever of the ve modes of pracce you choose and eventually in all modes, you want to become capable of scanning through your body (always down and never up) and sinking qi energy. In me and with sustained eort, you can introduce Outer Dissolving techniques, rst while stand ing and later while sing, standing or ly ing down. Once you develop some skill, you can try it while pracsing a qi gong set. Classically, you would begin moving Outer Dissolving pracce in Clouds Hands (a nei gong exercise that is a part of En ergy Gates Qi Gong). Once you are capable of integrang Outer Dissolving into any given pracce, at some point the Heart-Mind, supported by your mind’s intent, will become acve and thereby make it possible to implement the methodology unique to Inner Dis solving. All the force of will in the world will not make it happen. So start by developing your ability to scan and sink qi energy without gaps, and allow your path to unfold in your own me.
© 2013 Paul Cavel. All rights reserved.
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IQ: Introduction to Tao Arts Training
The glitches many praconers have experienced from insucient pracce before embarking on study of Fire and Metal Element Qi Gongs are: • Wasted time and effort because simply being capable of performing a physical movement doesn’t cut it for internal nei gong development. • They manage to supercharge their qi, but in the process amplify all that is blocked, stagnant or tense. The laer is where real problems can be created because if you charge your negave energies, emoons and thoughts, life can quickly become very intense, even pain ful. If you are one of the unlucky few, you could cause permanent damage to your energy channels. Since the channels govern the funconing of your body and mind, derangement here causes the same in the totality of your being. Understanding how the system works is crically important, so you can operate sensibly within it. If you adhere to the prerequisites, you will build in a series of safety nets as a maer of course and thereby reduce your chances of experiencing lile more than the dis comfort normally associated with riding out waves of releases of ever-deeper layers of tension, blocked and stagnant qi, and their associated emoons. In short, you will divert grave harm and save yourself years of squandered eort.
© 2013 Paul Cavel. All rights reserved.
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IQ: Introduction to Tao Arts Training For these reasons, I encourage you to follow the well-beaten path of working deeply with the foundaonal material, exploring various nei gong and observing what they can do for you before automacally wanting, expecng or demanding more. Over the years, many, many of my students have expressed how amazed they are at the effecveness of and results they get from even the introductory qi gong sets when they nally stabilise a regular pracce roune. The depth and range of material found in beginning Tao meditaon and energy arts pracces is equal to and beyond most modern exercise-healing systems in their enrety. This is due to its rich millennia-old history, and the perpetual dedicaon of lineage masters through me.
ai Chi + Bagua: Te Bigger Picture View The arts of tai chi and bagua are far more complex and demanding than qi gong, but for the eort deliver results that nei gong alone never could. Tai chi is a string of evolving movements that connect together in a graceful ow, lulling the nervous system into a sense of deep relaxaon. Each move collects and develops the energy from the last, which requires me and paence to hone and achieve a high level of skill. Bagua, on the other hand, is taught in short sequences of intense formwork, each con-
taining great depth that can be repeated dozens or even hundreds of mes in a single pracce session. All choreography is pracsed while connuously walking in a circle, requiring stamina and resolve to maintain. Both arts open the body, release bound tension, develop qi energy and provide a systemac method for leng go of all that holds you back from realising your human potenal—albeit by approaching the end goal from opposite ends of the spectrum. Regardless, both tai chi and bagua necessitate training in the nei gong system to develop real skill. Although it is possible to learn nei gong science through the sole pracce of tai chi or bagua, they constute the most dicult and longest routes since movements are complex and mullayered. It is far easier and a faster method to imbue forms with internal content through training of slow, gentle and repeve movement, such as qi gong forms, than only via pracce of the arts of tai chi and bagua. Over the millennia, most students have followed a progression of learning crical nei gong content slowly and methodically, while simultaneously learning tai chi and/or bagua forms. For this reason, I oer my teachings in this format, which allows for the depth of content to be absorbed though classic neigong training. The work then naturally transfers to tai chi/bagua formwork at each student’s individual pace. Whether you train tai chi, bagua or both, the degree to which you embody nei gong content ulmately determines where
© 2013 Paul Cavel. All rights reserved.
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IQ: Introduction to Tao Arts Training these arts can take you. Qigong teaches you how to pracse nei gong while tai chi and bagua provide the containment eld to apply neigong. Throughout the ages, bagua has been regarded as the classic vehicle for taking the human body to the absolute pinnacle of health, strength and vitality, but pracce requires a reasonably healthy body to start. Tai chi can be learned by just about anybody who can stand up and has become the most performed health exercises on the planet over the last 300 years, illustrang its eecveness and popularity as a health and healing system.
When you truly embody any level of nei gong, it transfers to forms with lile eort, providing the most ecient methodology for advancing your qi gong, tai chi and/or bagua pracce. Each form (i.e. the six qigong sets, tai chi and bagua) has its own disnct avour and specic aributes that provides the basis for the associated benets of pracce, which is derived from movement patterns coupled with weaves of predominant neigong strands.
Nei Gong Science for Life Today and throughout the ages, few people have had the me, willingness and resolve necessary to learn the complete Water tradion of Taoism, including all qi gong sets, tai chi, bagua and medi taon pracces. Although it is not necessary to do so. Most people are only searching for a few pracces to maintain health and well-being, and prevent suering. Even sll, it takes discipline and eort to achieve as a half-hearted aempt at prac sing anything once in a blue moon will yield little returns. For those who are searching for more from their pracce, it will take considerably more dedicaon and determinaon.
Whatever your level of commitment, creang your own pracce microcosm is a good strategy for achieving your training goals. As you travel along your path, opening on ever-deeper layers of your being, you can adapt and accommodate what might not have been conceivable before. So there’s no need to force or rush your progress in any specic way, no need for mental projecons about what life will be like in the future. Instead, be content at the place where you nd yourself, focus on creang more stability in that place and allow your next phase of development to unfold naturally through pracce. By honing in on the most benecial pracces for you personally, you can more easily tune into your inner wisdom and create a sustainable pracce roune malleable enough to ow with the changes inherent to living yet steadfast enough to remain as a guiding light.
© 2013 Paul Cavel. All rights reserved.
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IQ: Introduction to Tao Arts Training
Te Five Keys to Unlocking the Nei Gong System (Part III) P h o t o b y R i c a r d a S a l l m a n
In Part I and II, I presented an overview of Tao meditaon and energy arts pracces, and made a case for microcosmic training as a strategy for overcoming the prospecve trials and tribulaons that make advanced training extremely rare. When mulfaceted parts that comprise a larger framework are linked together and superimposed—as is the case with the nei gong system, the essenal building blocks can become illusive, even invisible. However, like all sophiscated, reliable and longstanding systems, crical components of nei gong lay the foundaon stones that work like keys to unlock doors to body-mind-qi development. At whatever point you enter the labyrinth, eventually you must dedicate me and eort to learning and training these key components to make sense of all other inputs. Then, as the principles that underlie each key come into play on ever-more rened and complex levels, each aids posive transformaons in your pracce (and life in general) rather than down grading or totally derailing your success.
© 2013 Paul Cavel. All rights reserved.
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IQ: Introduction to Tao Arts Training
Stabilising Fundamental Nei Gong echniques
Te 5 Keys of Qi Energy Development
Over the last 25 years, I’ve observed thousands of students join Tao meditaon and energy arts courses and struggled to nd a foothold. The allure of advanced nei gong techniques coupled with the innite ways in which they can be weaved oen complicates a student’s ability to understand which pieces are crical to develop for them personally and when. Many students are enced to skip fundamental curriculum and aempt to progress too quickly. But, as I've discussed, the system operates as a highly integrated lace rather than a step ladder, so you cannot simply jump rungs yet gain the experienal knowledge and embodiment of nei gong culvated by subtle, intri cate techniques associated with earlier stages of pracce.
Derived from the three foundaonal qigong sets (Dragon + Tiger, Energy Gates and Heaven + Earth), together the ve pracces form foongs upon which all more advanced material rests. They are:
Although most students manage to learn some fancy moves with exoc names, many don’t actually aain denive benets since nei gong must stabilise suciently in body-mindqi to elicit lasng posive change. As a teach er and student totally commied to study ing every possible facet of nei gong science available to me and helping others to do the same, I nd this scenario unfortunate.
What I want every student to know is that ve essenal exercises segue crical areas of all nei gong pracce, both in form and content. They are inially so easy to learn that almost anyone who has the ability to stand up can do them. In me, with paence and dedicated and accurate pracce, you can totally transform your body-mind-qi with these ve exercises alone.
• Whole-body, Diaphragm Breathing • Standing Qi Gong (from Energy Gates) • Dragon + Tiger Exercise 1 • Cloud Hands (from Energy Gates) • Circling Hands Qi Gong (adjunct practice of Heaven + Earth) Each of these exercises in themselves contains many, many threads of nei gong content that can be weaved together to culvate body, mind and qi. Therefore, the pace at which a praconer learns and the approach each takes is truly unique to the individual. In this way, the methodology applied to training nei gong is not set in stone, but rather liquid and organic in every construcon. All praconers use the same standard threads yet create unique fab rics that suit their personal journey.
Unlocking Human Potential: Where Do You Want to Go? Since the energy arts training doesn’t employ a one-size-ts-all approach, every student must discover for themselves how to ulise the ve keys and when. Although, eventually, you will want to train all ve exercises exceponally well, both in tandem with the qi gong sets to which they belong and as individual pracces unto themselves. For example, someone with a ght nervous system would want to incorporate simple breathing techniques into their train ing right from the start, and connue developing the ability to breathe well as a core objecve for some me. Breathing can
© 2013 Paul Cavel. All rights reserved.
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IQ: Introduction to Tao Arts Training
directly release the nervous system and thereby creates a posive feedback loop of relaxaon in body, mind and qi. Although there are many nei gong methods that yield the same result, relaxaon may be a secondary eect or require more skill to achieve. A stu dent with a back, spine or joint injury would want to start by focusing on Circling Hands with its slow, gentle and repeve movement capable of unwinding and releasing tension in relevant body parts. Yet another student with weak or stagnant wei qi,1 or who works with a lot of people and picks up negave energy from others, would nd Dragon + Tiger Exercise 1 an eecve means for srring up and loosening stagnant qi, beginning to clear their energy channels, and increasing the strength of the wei qi and etheric eld.
Each key individually has its benets and every combinaon of keys amplies the ben ets of all others. For example, Cloud Hands connects the limbs to the spine, stretches open the body and begins the process of releasing deep layers of tension from the body. If, however, you stand for a period
1.
of me beforehand, you can release the outer layer of stress and tension, relax the muscles and nerves, and increase the eecveness of Cloud Hands by several hundred percent. This is because standing techniques allow deeper access to the body—mentally and physically. You can move better because of both the releasing of the outer tension and the way the mind penetrates the body in Standing; this improved contact with the body enables you to make micro-adjustments to form movements, so they are far more ecient and eecve. This principle is applicable for any combinaon of the ve keys. Obviously, there are certain combinaons that create specic results, but these are not absolutes. Instead, one combinaon might deliver a parcular result for one person, whereas someone else might gain that same result from a dierent combina on. The only way to know what works for you is to experiment. Like baking, you add a lile of this and a lot of that and see what avours you get. The same four basic ingre dients—our, buer, sugar and eggs—in dif ferent combinaons produce very dierent cakes.
Wei qi is the second, protecve layer of qi in the human body, which is located just below the skin.
© 2013 Paul Cavel. All rights reserved.
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IQ: Introduction to Tao Arts Training
Multiplying Practice Benefits Pracce of the ve keys alone could comprise a student’s enre curriculum for several years since between them they include iniaon of the rst half a dozen or so neigong comp-onents (see the box on p. 6). 2 Even the material found in early nei gong training is far beyond the scope of most modern exercise programmes (if not all) and many internal arts systems. So although from an external movement point of view they are rather rudimentary, you can pack them with power producing techniques that develop the body-mind-qi in ways that simply aren’t possible without nei gong forcaon. As you gain experience training the ve key exercises, you become aware of that which works well for you and that which does not, and in which ways. This understanding can then lead to a beer and more accurate analysis of which of the three foundaonal sets are best suited to the as pects of nei gong development you need at any parcular point in me. When you consider that movaon is such a crical factor to maintaining any form of exercise, this inmate appreciaon of what your bodymind-qi needs and why is as good as gold to propel you towards learning more in-depth qi gong systems. The keys are absolutely necessary to unlocking the doors to genuine internal exercise but, once inside, the complete qi gong sets, tai chi and bagua make use of more sophiscated nei gong technology, thereby building incredible momentum and mulplying potenal benets.
Energy Gates Qi Gong In Energy Gates, for example, Standing and Cloud Hands start the process of releasing tension and mobilising your qi, but it is the Three Swings that energise the three tan-
ens and shed the bulk of the tension, espe cially from the upper body. However, if the body is not connected properly and the hips are not loose enough from pracsing Cloud Hands, then it’s impossible to perform the swings correctly, and the desired results will remain lile more than a myth or mental pro jecon.
Dragon + Tiger Qi Gong Dragon + Tiger Exercise 13 is constructed to create balance in the body’s energy grid. This is done by contacng your qi energy and manipulang the etheric eld with your hands. Here, you begin the process of pulling and pushing qi through the energy channels, which inially srs up stagnant qi. However, it’s through Exercises 2 and 5 that you really release the stagnant qi that is srred up by Exercises 1, 3 and 4. Again, we nd the same phenomenon as with Energy Gates: the whole set oers a lot more than any one of its exercises ever could, but without sucient me, eort and energy devoted to the prerequisite work, the end result of pracsing the whole set is demoted to a shadow of its potenal. This is due to all the fundamental threads of internal content that create depth and quality of moon, and their associated outcomes.
Frantzis, Bruce, The Power of Internal Maral Arts and Chi (Blue Snake Books, 2007) pp. 63-64, available at www.energyarts.com.
2.
Exercise 1 of Dragon + Tiger is the only movement of the seven in the set that should be pracsed alone. Ei ther pracse Exercise 1 only, 1-4-5 together, or the whole set. Pracsing any other combinaons can and probably will unbalance the qi of your body.
3.
© 2013 Paul Cavel. All rights reserved.
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IQ: Introduction to Tao Arts Training By learning and pracsing Dragon + Tiger Ex ercise 1 for a period of me, you can more easily transfer funconal nei gong technol ogy to the rest of the set. You also have the added benet of much less to focus on, leaving the mind free to develop content: in this case, it’s culvaon of qi in the etheric eld, which directly impacts upon the wei qi. With enough pracce, Dragon + Tiger can create an incredibly strong defense against a whole host of illnesses and negave energies, and develops the ability to draw upon environmental energies at will. Heaven + Earth follows the same path with added sophiscaon.
Circling Hands Circling Hands Qi Gong is basically a smaller and easier version of Heaven + Earth, once again requiring a lot less choreography on which to focus and thereby freeing the mind to concentrate on content. Classically, natural breathing (one of the ve keys), bend ing and stretching, pulsing and lengthening are learned and developed through Heaven + Earth to produce deep, internal exercise. All of these techniques can be iniated through the short, gentle, repe ve and slow-moon circling of the hands with kwa and spine work. They can then be transferred directly into Heaven + Earth, a longer, stronger and denively more com-
eaching Dragon + iger Energetics, 2012 Crete Retreat
plete method of opening and connecng the body. Finally, if properly assimilated in Circling Hands, the energy work of both the microcosmic and macrocosmic orbits can also be upgraded in Heaven + Earth.
Creating a Continuum from Your Core to the Environment I have yet to encounter a student who has spent less than several years training any one of three foundaonal sets capable of incorporang all the fundamental material to cre ate a smooth and integrated pracce. And, even then, it does not mean that training is complete or advanced. On the contrary, it means the relevant nei gong have been iniated and culvated to the point that they can stabilise within the body, mind and qi, so they are available to the praconer for experimentaon (at will). Only then can they be applied in other qi gong sets, tai chi or bagua, and without too much eort. As you embody progressively more fundamental nei gong and begin to take them deeper into your body, you will realise that there really is not anything basic about Dragon + Tiger, Energy Gates and Heaven + Earth at all. They can develop the human body, mind and qi to a high level, especially when pracsed in conjuncon with one another. In fact, at more advanced stages of training, you can experience the barrier between what is inside and outside of you begin to dissolve and disappear, creang one connuum from your core to the environment. Taoists consider simultaneously being conscious of what is happening both inside and outside of yourself a very worthy pracce. This allows you to take what you have learned from your pracce and integrate it into the world around you, and your daily acvies. All the me you are focused on the physical body, there is a separaon between that which is inside versus outside of yourself.
© 2013 Paul Cavel. All rights reserved.
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IQ: Introduction to Tao Arts Training However, from the perspecve of qi, there is no separaon. You can only truly experience the qi connuum (i.e. that which is inside and outside of you as one integrated stream) through qi gong pracce by making the jump from a physical pracce that moves qi to a chi prac ce that moves your physique. Use of the ve keys and the foundaon qi gong sets is crical in this case since forms must be completely on autopilot for you to immerse yourself in the percepon of qi. The easier and more familiar the forms, the deeper the immersion. Once you have breached the physical realm and entered that of qi, you can begin to adapt to higher level nei gong and more complex tai chi and bagua forms without diminishing returns.
When the mind moves qi, qi nourishes the body, so the specic movements you pracce become somewhat irrelevant (because, for example, you could conceivably pracse a foundaonal qi gong set with far more content than a more advanced one). Nei gong training is about methodically and meculously compleng the prerequisites of each level of training, forging links between the body, its qi and the mind at eve ry micro-step. When these links become connuous and fully assimilated, the game switches to the mind developing qi. Remember, it is qi that ulmately governs the funconing, quality and health of the physi cal body, so qi gong quite literally trains the mind’s intent to bring about health and wellbeing.
Applying Nei Gong echnology to Achieve Your Goals
of working with qi. Many are programmed to seek results or shoot for the moon, keeping their proverbial “eye on the prize”, yet do not develop the skills necessary to make the journey meaningful or the end goal possible. The study of nei gong science over (at least) the last 4,000 years has yielded incredible technology for creang real and lasng posive changes in body, mind and qi. Together, the ve keys derived from Dragon + Tiger, Energy Gates and Heaven + Earth allow the breadth and depth of foundaonal material to be vast and strong enough to sustain the pressure and power generated by intermediate pracces, so that the advanced material can reach to the heavens. The highest mountains peaks are seen as spiritual places where union with God/the Tao/Essence of the Universe can be experienced. The advanced material within the Tao meditaon and energy arts is about trans forming your mind, body and qi into purity of spirit, allowing the emergence with that essence to occur. The ve keys iniate the process—whether your interest lies in such loy aainments as enlightenment or union with Essence, or you just want to rid your body of aches and pains, and feel more at peace inside yourself. Consistent pracce of the ve keys provides a clear and systemac approach to embodying layers of nei gong content that will not only help you sidestep common pialls, but also make it possible to realise the posive changes that movated you to take up training in the rst place!
Nei gong science dictates that doing a lile well provides beer results than doing a lot poorly. In the modern, push-buon world, many people do not have the paence to culvate their pracce to the point of understanding the nuance, subtlety and complexity © 2013 Paul Cavel. All rights reserved.
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IQ: Introduction to Tao Arts Training
Tao Meditation Arts Quality Courses + Coaching since 1995 Islington, London - Germany - Andaluc í a, Spain
I Invite You to rain with Me I Oer Three Integrated Programmes to Develop Your Mind, Body + Qi Energy: •
Energy Arts: 5 Element Qi Gong + Tao Breathing Techniques
•
I Ching Arts: Circle Walking + Bagua Palm Changes
•
Tao Meditation: Movement + Stillness Practices
"Teaching included levels of depth-physical, energec, spiritual. Expansive!" — Julie Weston, Radiographer + Acupuncturist
A qi gong seminar is the most cost and me ecient way to assess whether my programme and teaching/coaching style is right for you. You will never be under any obligaon to book mulple sessions or meet any minimum required training hours. In every course I oer: •
A thorough explanation of the theory that underlies training techniques.
•
Instruction on practical exercises that you can train and develop at home.
•
Personal feedback and hands-on corrections.
•
Opportunities to ask me questions.
See my programme of courses at hp://www.circlewalking.com/meditaon-classes/ .
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IQ: Introduction to Tao Arts Training
The 5 Keys to Taoist Energy Arts
Online Course What’s in the programme:
•
80+ instructional videos – all available for download
•
Introduction to Tai Chi Circling Hands 60-page PDF
•
Weekly practice logs
•
Guided sinking qi + dissolving practices (MP3s)
•
Access to a closed forum All course materials are available for keeps! Just three monthly low payments of $39.95.
Join the 5 Keys programme now>> hp://www.circlewalking.com/5203/qigong-online-course/
I’ve had the great opportunity to partner with my primary teacher, Taoist Master Bruce Frantzis, to create a 10-week programme that will systemacally build your foundaon for all qi gong, tai chi and bagua forms—incredibly detailed and mulfaceted arts considered to be lifelong pracces. Each of the keys can be pracced alone or in tandem with any other keys to boost the benets of Tao arts training. The Five Keys are:
•
Tao Whole-body Breathing
•
Standing Qi Gong, including Sinking Qi + Outer Dissolving
•
Dragon + Tiger Medical Qi Gong Exercise 1
•
Cloud Hands Nei Gong
•
Tai Chi Circling Hands
"Paul is a gied teacher who is fully dedicated to these arts. I have seen him help others build extraordinary energec foundaons in their bodies. Paul is able to embody the arts and break them down into easy steps, so that you have the best chance of success and to progress to great depths with these powerful Taoist energy arts. You could call his Five Keys the secrets to longevity or the secrets to great qi gong, tai chi and bagua." —Taoist Master Bruce Frantzis
© 2013 Paul Cavel. All rights reserved.
IQ
Tank You to: My teacher, Taoist Lineage Holder Bruce Frantzis, who has openly taught me about the depths of nei gong; Heather Hale for eding, design + photography; Gee Loose for photography; and Elena Ray for cover artwork © istockphoto/elenaray; and the Tao Arts School Members who made this special report possible.
"The level of material Paul teaches is really well-gauged to the people being taught" —Pete McLeod, Founder, Speech Link Mulmedia
"I parcularly like Paul's clarity of explanaon and depth of knowledge/understanding" —Mir Ali, Acupuncturist, Bedfordshire
Health + Safety Noce:
Any mind-body-energy exercise may carry risks. Do not aempt any exercises presented in this publicaon if you have any physical, emoonal or mental condions that may make you suscepble to injury without rst seeking the advice of your healthcare professional.
© 2013 Paul Cavel All rights reserved. Reprinng or sharing any poron of this publicaon without expressed wrien consent is strictly prohibited.
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