Dragon Temple Internal Martial Arts tutorial 7

Zhan Zhuang for active relaxation: Really sorry about the echo, still learning about this filming thing. For anyone who can't understand the narration, here's the most important key points:

Assume the posture and sway a little to feel balance, then slowly find centre of balance feeling the weight of the whole body in the feet (slightly toward the balls of feet).

Visualise a cord connected to the centre of scalp which extends up to the ceiling. reflect on its meaning until you feel you can let your body weight hang from it like a full length coat on a coat hanger, passive and heavy, yet held upright.

Your outbreath is your 'letting go' breath, use it to focus your intent to sense and release tension throughout the whole body. Breathe out tension in layers starting from the head down to the feet, and dwell particularly at the major joints. Take your time doing this, and don't move to the next layer below until you have actually felt a release of tension and sense of sinking against the suspension of the scalp.

Then visualise a cord tied to your tailbone, on the end of which is tied a heavy pendulum or stone. Feel the weight pulling on your tailbone, drawing the pelvis down and causing a straightening and stretching of the spine as the weight pulls in juxtaposition to the cord pulling on the scalp. Relax the back muscles and allow a natural, spontaneous response to all your visualisations.

To finish, dissolve all images and slowly lower your hands, straighten legs and gently loosen out.

More about how long to stand for and some other issues in the next tutorial!

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