Awhile back I stumbled on a video of Shibashi or 18 Movements, Set Three. I have been studying and practicing Sets One and Two with my TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) teacher Dr. Alex Hui. But, I'm curious.
I'm going to learn Set Three. The video by Tara0Tao is beautiful but has some visually unclear moments because of being back-lit by the sun. So, I went looking for other videos of Set Three on YouTube.
These aren't what I'm looking for. Where is Set Three? It resonates with me!
Reading Tara0Tao's description I see that her video is of a set from Sifu (Master) Wing Cheung. The other videos that I've found are from a set originated by Lin Housheng. Okay, who else does the Sifu Cheung's set?
I'm on a mission. I'd like to know more about the Other Way. I go to the source. I emailed Sifu Cheung at the Tai Chi, Qigong & Feng Shui Institute.
When I'm driven, look out.
Patsy, from the Institute sent me a lovely reply basically saying Master Cheung upgraded the set in 2019. It is now known as Tai Chi Neigong. The old version is no longer offered.
Fine. But, not fine. My search continues.
I found a PDF of the Master Cheung's Set Three, the version that I saw on Tara0Tao's video.
Boom. Progress. PDF Tai Chi Qigong Shibashi Set III
I start reading, and continue to watch Tara0Tao. It's really a cool set.
The names of the forms evoke colorful images of treasures, pearls, dragons, tigers, flowers, the moon...
I will list the forms and give a brief (I promise) description of the intention.
1. Connecting Heaven and Earth
We lift our attention upwards as our hands rise. And we settle back to the earth as they fall. We connect with our breath.
This opening form is found in many Qigong sets.
2. Golden Pearl Drops to the Sea
With our breath, we lift a soft fist, the pearl, from the Lower Dan Tian, the water region, to the Upper Dan Tian, the third eye. The knee on the side of the body of the rising fist also rises, we're definitely moving up.
The pearl and the leg begin to lower, but at the heart center the pearl is dropped, the leg is dropped with a slight jolt. The pearl has splashed back into the water center of the body. Qi has been gathered at the Upper Dan Tian and then dropped to the Lower Dan Tian. Thunk.
3. Opening the Secret Gate
We are opening the mid-back area, the Jia Ji. We experience sideways expansion. The ancient doctor Hua Tuo taught that the Jia Ji points between the shoulder blades may treat every condition of the human system. Sweet, bring it on.
4. Clouds Circle Mountain
This is very similar to Cloud Hand forms practiced in many Qigong sets. But, this time we waltz. We move in a triangular fashion. This stepping action activates Kidney 1, the Bubbling Spring Point on the ball of the foot and also a point in the crease of the ankle. This point, Stomach 41 is known as a Jing River Point where the Qi of the meridian begins to flow more heavily.
Although our vision is focused on the clouds at a mountain top, our movement remains low, moving from the Lower Dan Tian. Lift and settle. It takes some coordination of the upper and lower body. But, once you get it, you get it.
This form was initially very difficult for me to grasp. I watched Tara0Tao, I read Master Cheung's description. I studied. Finally it fit. It's now my favorite of all of the Shibashi III forms. Go figure.
5. Dragon's Morning Stretch
This is a diagonal stretch. One arm stretches out to the side while the opposite legs kicks out to the other side. Good morning dragon. Good morning right and left brain.
6. Dragon Sits on Tail
Yup, just like it says. We rise up onto our tip-toes and sit back onto our tails. Our bodies react like a spring rebounding with a little bounce. Rising Qi, falling Qi. Qi naturally rises. We encourage it to fall and settle. Bouncing on the heels also increases bone density.
Rise and plop.
7. Blooming Lotus Bows to Earth
We rise and fall again, but more gracefully. We open our arms and embrace the sky and then lower, bringing our arms behind us, embracing the earth. We are opening the chest, lengthening meridians of the arms, the front of the body, and the back.
8. Crouching Tiger Lifts Head
This form is very similar to Waging the Tail to Calm Heart Fire from the Eight Brocades. We move not only up and down but also side to side. We are opening the chest, the Heart Center.
9. Serpent Ascends to the Third Eye
While we lift the "serpent" to the third eye we move the spine like a wave. We undulate the spine forward and back as the Qi rises from the tailbone up the spine.
10. Connecting the Three Treasures
Okay, Dan Tian refresher course. We move Qi up the spine from the Lower, to the Middle and then the Upper Dan Tian, the Three Treasures.
11. Immortal Points to Moon
This form is similar to Immortal Pointing the Way from Shibashi Set II.
We twist, we press a Bladder Meridian Point on the thigh with the opposite knee, and we point with sword fingers. This hand position is used to transmit healing Qi and also to clean turbid Qi from the heart.
And then there's the moon. Taoists consider the moon to be a source of intuition and inspiration.
This form is similar to Searching for Needles in the Sea from Set II.
Once again sword fingers come into play as we reach down the inside of the opposite leg. I do love how Tara0Tao weaves the thread back, swiping by the Third Eye pulling toxins and turbid Qi from the head.
13. Parting the Horse's Mane
I first learned this form in a Taoist Tai Chi practice.
This form also opens the Jia Ji Secret Gate on the spine opposite the Middle Dan Tian.
During Shibashi Set One and Eight Brocades we punch with an angry gaze. Here, we punch but then turn the fist into a flower, drawing it back in to the Lung Meridian points on the upper chest.
We're nurturing the lungs by not only touching these points but also with a gentle compression of the chest. Punching while keeping visual contact with the fist also nurtures the liver organ and Liver/Gallbladder Meridians.
15. Wild Goose Glides on Beach
Open, rise, spread, twist, close, cross our wrists at the Inner and Outer Gates. We are building immunity. The twisting is massaging the liver, stomach, kidneys, and spleen.
16. Crane Wanders on Beach
This form is similar to Bouncing the Ball from Shibashi Set I. We are once again raising and lowering one hand and the opposite leg. This is a playful form making us use the right and left brain hemispheres simultaneously.
17. Circling the Lower Dan Tian
Time to go home, back to elixir field of Qi.
18. Returning to the Womb
We're really going home. Our hands remain at the Lower Dan Tian. This breathing exercise leads us to Embryonic Breathing, effortless, quiet, relaxed. This subtle breathing creates a deep Qigong state, allowing Qi to flow organically.
Wu Wei: Effortless Action, allowing action to happen by itself. We let go of trying. We go with the flow.
And what is the thread weaving these forms together? Movement of Qi in the spine, like the Dragon and the Tiger I wrote about in a previous post.
And now, Shibashi Set Three, the Other Way. Tara0Tao takes some liberties changing Golden Pearl Drops to Sea. But, I've been known to tweak forms. I won't be a hypocrite. Her video is lovely.
And a sample of the Tai Chi Neigong, Opening the Jia Ji Gate by Master Cheung.
Be well, be happy, and follow your bliss.
Brian