Thomas Seidl

No, it does not. It feels like Yoga. Asana tends to be open, expressive and the movement includes the limbs extending in order to stretch the muscles and tendons to open the joints and create space in that way- reaching outward. Internal Martial Art teaches us to open the joint directly at the ligament level. The ligaments connect the bones to each other, and are a strong material that is hard to reach with the mind, hard to stretch with the muscle. QiGong and IMA cleverly use the leverage of the bones along with relaxation and gravity to make space in the joints. The intended effects are the same, but the method is different. The key to both systems is the mind. The projection of the mind from the head outward to the body is a large and mysterious capability. These tools, the skin, muscle, nerve, fascia and bone - are a doorway to discovery of our true self.

New comment 1h ago

Thomas Seidl

1 like • 2d

@Marc Croteau yes I do practice both, but there being only so much time in a day, I have to focus on one or the other, which I do in turns. Lately I have been concentrating on Internal Martial Art, but I have spent lots of my life with Yoga, both Poses and Philosophy. I have also trained lots of hard style MA, and I find value in all of them. Ultimately I suppose the value rests in the practitioner, but I feel the systems handed down to us by the past Masters are deeply valuable. How about you?

Thomas Seidl

0 likes • 1h

One of the things I want to emphasize in these series is that there is real benefit in standing up from your desk, pushing back and doing movement for 5 minutes - not to say we shouldn't do more, but that it can open up to that. The body rewards you for motion. To my understanding, Taiji Quan and others were not taught generally as an extended form, the form being more for demonstration, but was single movements drilled over and over, then they were linked into forms- but I think the stage of single movement performed until it is deeply understood by the mind and ingrained in the body has been largely glossed over in favor of the memorization of the choreography.

Thomas Seidl

19h •

General discussion

New QiGong content in Classrooms

I am starting a new QiGong series to complement the Baguazhang and Taijiquan series I have in there. Beginning with the technique of slapping or tapping the large meridians in the body to activate and circulate blood, lymph, Qi and Mind- let me know what you think!

Thomas Seidl

22d •

General discussion

So, what is this Chi anyway?

Thanks everyone who has come to this channel, I look forward to sharing ideas with you. I want to start a discussion around what is Qi or Chi? It is an important question, and like many important questions, it may be unanswerable. 😀 But here are a few options. If something else, what?

Poll

2 members have voted

New comment 21h ago

Thomas Seidl

0 likes • 16d

Hi May V! saw you online, wondered if you had a chance to look at any of the content I have posted. Just interested in any of your thoughts on the offerings. Hope you are well!

Thomas Seidl

1 like • 21h

@Marc Croteau I guess the substance notion comes from the idea of "leading" it "storing" it or "expressing/sending" it (like fajing). maybe it is like electricity, but that as well is based in physicality, with the moving of electrons. Maybe it is useful to think of it as a mental property, but then maybe there is some element of substantiality to mind as well? One thing I know is the old masters who formulated and developed the theories did not have the same ideas about mind/body/spirit and their functions that we do. One thing I think they may agree with you on though is that EVERYTHING is Spirit. I posed the question without a clear answer, but with many more questions underneath it.

Thomas Seidl

2d •

General discussion

the science of internal MA and QiGong

a really interesting paper on a study of the benefits of Tai Chi and QiGong, very interesting to see this comprehensive a study of the general population. I would love to see a study with this type of rigor about high level practitioners- of Taiji and Martial Arts generally. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3085832/#S18

Thomas Seidl

Jan 29 •

General discussion

A Journey of a Thousand Miles...

If you have landed on this page, Welcome! You may be interested in Martial Arts, QiGong, Yoga, TaiJi, BaGua or some combination thereof, if so we are on that same path. I have been studying these arts since the early 90s, and they have brought me so much that has enhanced my life- I look forward to sharing my knowledge and helping people of all levels of experience use the internal arts to unlock some of the energy they have inside themselves to heal and find the wellspring of power and energy within us all.

New comment 3d ago

Thomas Seidl

0 likes • 3d

@Marc Croteau I really appreciate that. Martial Arts has brought many of my favorite people into my life, I am glad of the opportunity to share and exchange about it. I study mainly Chen style Taiji, but have dabbled some with Yang. How about you? And where did you pick up your nunchaku practice?

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Thomas Seidl

@thomas-seidl-7631

Artist, Designer, Painter, Muralist, Martial Artist, Sculptor, Traveler, Dancer, Bouncer, Busboy, Chief Bottle Washer and General Bon Vivant.