Wednesday 25 November 2015

Bones and the Force


氣沉骨堅
Heavy vapours and strong bones

骨堅筋柔
Firm bones and supple fascias



As far as the body force is concerned, the external part, the most important was neither muscles nor even fascias for the internal arts, but it was the bones. Bones and force are the typical example of how internal arts work, body force was first about a stronger structure and, to achieve it, stronger organs.

Sunday 8 November 2015

Breathing, Complex and Evolving


睡則氣以耳出,名龜息,必大龜壽*
Vapours comes out of the ears when resting eyes closed, what is called the tortoise breathing, for certain the big tortoise lifespan 

人能依嬰儿在母腹中,自服内氣,握固守一,是名胎息**
If one can do like a baby in a mother's womb, taking by himself internal vapours, holding and protecting tenaciously the unicity, what is called the foetal breathing

鼻息無聲神氣守***
Soundless breathing through the nose, guarding vapours and spirit



Breathing is one of the most important things in life, thus the core of internal practices. Whatever he/she would do, an internalist was always about checking the impact on his breathing and heartbeat. Being a key issue made it also a complex one, it was not only about lungs, but also about heartbeat, skin, fascias, organs...

Thursday 5 November 2015

Condensation and The Belt


氣聚丹田
Vapours gather on the Cinnabar Field

息息歸臍
All breathing returns to the navel

龜尾升氣,丹田煉神*
The turtle tail makes vapours rise, Cinnabar Fields refine the spirit



Internal Alchemy is not only about fire, it is also a question of condensation. The places where vapours are supposed to mainly condense are called Cinnabar Fields, 丹田 (down, middle and upper), which will be dealt in another post. Condensation was a question of accumulation in the first place, and compression in the second, the two first skills targeted by internal breathing, 息.