C Summary of Embracing the Tree
Fig. 3.67 Circulating the energy during Embracing the Tree. - 158 - Fig. 3.67 Circulating the energy during Embracing the Tree. - 158 - 1. Stand with the feet a knee-to-toe length apart press the sacrum down round the scapulae relax the chest hold the head erect position the arms as if they were encircling a tree hold the thumbs up relax the fingers, barely permitting them to touch. 2. Practice lower abdominal breathing nine to eighteen times. When you do abdominal breathing, emphasize...
Iron Shirt Chi Kung-abdominal Breathing Practice.com
About of How to use this Words of A. Universal Tao System and Iron Shirt Chi Kung 1 1. Iron Shirt Chi Kung, an Ancient Kung Fu Practice 5 a. Bolin Period the Time of Kung Fu b. Iron Shirt Helps to Perfect Mental c. Age of 2. Creating Chi Life-Force a. Breath of Life, Chi b. Origin of Iron Shirt B. Why Put on Your Iron 1. Internal a. Chi, the Fasciae Organs and 2 Iron Shirt Strengthens and Protects the Organs 12 3 Burn Out Fat and Store Chi in the 4 Structure of the b. Chi Pressure and...
Relaxation
At the level of the navel center and the Door of Life located behind the navel , rooting and elongating forces originate and mingle. For this to happen fully, the lower abdomen must always remain relaxed. The lower abdomen should remain soft, except when you are making a full exhalation, such as when you are very active, or practicing abdominal breathing. The rest of the time which is most of the time , practice releasing any tension in the lower abdomen until this becomes automatic. Your...
A Rooting Practice
The Rooting Practice is very important in the Universal Tao System. Rooting can be compared to the foundation of a building. The stronger the foundation, the higher the building may be built, and the more difficult it is to topple. After mastering the Rooting Practice you will feel, as you walk around, stand, or sit in your daily life, that you are more in touch with the earth. Fig. 3.68 You will feel more stable and practical minded, not spacey. Many Universal Tao students, after practicing...
Pelvic Tilt
As your practice of Iron Shirt continues and your attention is focused to the sacral area, the pelvic tilt is used. This is accomplished by strongly pushing against the wall at the sacral area while maintaining the other structural details. As you strongly push back to the wall, your spine will arch slightly more, and you will feel the muscles around the sacrum become very firm. As this happens, it is very important to feel that you are also stretching the sacrum further down the wall. Fig. 3.3...
B Cleansing the MarrowChanging the Tendons
1. Cleansing the Bone Marrow The process of transforming sexual energy for storage in the brain and bone marrow, cleansing the internal organs, and restoring the organs to proper function is known as Cleansing the Bone Marrow By circulating Chi in the Microcosmic Orbit and cleansing the inner marrow which, as described in Chapter 1, increases the quantity of blood cells, a vital source of life-force , your system is cleansed of pollution. With the routes cleared, Chi flows freely to where it is...
C Personal Experiences of Students
No matter what sort of physical activity I indulge in since I've begun studying here, I feel heat in my arms, legs and back. I'm sure that something has opened up for me. I cook for a living and I get cut and nicked a lot at work. I've noticed since coming here that I heal a lot quicker. There's something else. I feel I can store a lot of energy in my back now. Iron Shirt makes me feel as though I've discovered myself. I've meditated and used energy in other systems, but they've been nothing...
Chapter Initial Preparations
A. Iron Shirt Breathing and Relaxation You must not use force in any of these procedures. These exercises depend very much upon mind control and relaxation. In doing the chin press, which is accomplished by pressing the chin down to the chest and pushing out C-7, the chest must remain relaxed if you are not to develop chest pain and congestion and if you are to avoid difficulty in breathing. Practice the relaxation of the Inner Smile and run your Microcosmic Orbit described briefly in this...
C Cranial Respiratory and Sacral Pump Functions
Contained and protected within your spinal column and skull is the very heart of your nervous system. Cushioning it is the cerebrospinal fluid, cerebro for the head and spinal for the vertebrae. This fluid, as described by the Taoists in ancient times, is circulated by two pumps. One is in the sacrum and is known as the sacral pump. The other is in the region of your upper neck and head and is known as the cranial pump. Many people who have been able to feel these pumps working have reported...
C Harmony of Fasciae Tendons and Chi
A Taoist would describe the body as internally consisting of the vital internal organs and the Chi energy which services them. Externally the body is comprised of bones, tendons, muscles and the fasciae which contain them. If you recall, bones are moved by the action of muscle contractions which pull on the tendons that are attached to the bones. Blood is said to move muscles and Chi to move blood. Thus, the Taoist Master strives to create and protect the Chi and the blood. This Chi, as an...
Anus is connected to Organ Energy
The perineum Hui-yin region includes the anus and sexual organs. The various sections of the anus region are closely linked with the organs' Chi. The Chinese term Hui-yin perineum means the collection point of all the Yin energy, or the lowest abdominal energy collection point. It is also known as the Gate of Death and Life. This point lies between the two main gates. One, called the front gate, is the sexual organ which is the big life-force opening. Here the lifeforce energy can easily leak...
How to use this Book
In the last pages of this book the reader will find descriptions of the courses and workshops offered by our Universal Tao Centers. This material is also in effect, a comprehensive description of the whole Taoist System. All of my books together will be a composite of this Taoist world view. Each of my books is thus an exposition of one important part of this system. Each sets forth a method of healing and life-enhancement which can be studied and practiced by itself, if the reader so chooses....
Instructor
John Can you tell me when you first started Iron Shirt Michael I first studied Iron Shirt a little over two years ago. Before that, I was doing Kundalini Yoga which involves a lot of breathing and intense energy. I found Iron Shirt to be even more intense because the air was packed inside, held and circulated internally whereas with the other practices, I breathed in and out and slowly moved the energy around using various sounds. In the beginning I found that I had too much energy in my head...
A Fasciae Protectors of your Vital Organs
After an ovum is fertilized it differentiates into three main systems, the ectoderm, endoderm and mesoderm. Fasciae are derived from the mesenchyme, which is a subdivision of the mesoderm. Nuclei in the mesenchymal substance give rise to bones, ligaments, muscles and tendons. Then a more structureless system of casings, sheaths and tissue takes shape around the various centers which have been developed. The fascia is a sheath and its function is that of support, protection, mechanical...
Chapter Developing a Daily Routine
If you practice the Six Healing Sounds as described in Taoist Ways to Transform Stress into Vitality just before going to bed, you will sleep more soundly and awaken earlier and more refreshed. Upon awakening, do not suddenly jump out of bed. Allow your engine your body to warm up a little first. Switching into high gear as soon as you get up can be disruptive and damaging to your entire system. If you are in the habit of bouncing out of bed in the morning as soon as you awaken, even though you...
Standing Pelvic Alignment
Balanced alignment of the psoas muscles is also essential for correct leg movement and pelvic alignment. However the feet are placed, be sure that the pelvis is not tilted back or pushed to one side. The knees should remain at least slightly bent, and the arches of the feet lifted by distributing the weight equally on the three corners of each foot. If the pelvis is askew or the knees locked back, there is stress in the lower back and knees and integration between the lower and upper halves of...
Chapter Practice of Postures
There is an integral relationship between strong, unblocked Chi flow and good structural alignment. Proper practice of Iron Shirt, as well as all other Taoist exercises, will lead to a dramatic improvement in structural health, as well as increased Chi flow. A refined understanding of the structural interrelationships of the body is inherent in Iron Shirt. Because of poor postural habits, many people have developed serious structural distortions and have no natural sense of the body in...
Psoas Muscles
a. Feeling and Using the Psoas Muscles Once you feel comfortable with the details of Door Hanging, consciously relax the abdominal wall while you practice. As you soften the abdominal muscles, relax and straighten the spine against the door edge. You will be able to feel a sensation of 'pulling in and up' deep inside behind the front lower ribs. This is the left and right psoas muscles working. Fig. 4.9 Feel this same sensation of pulling in and up deep inside behind the front lower ribs when...
I Iron Shirt Horse Stance using a Wall
The following exercise demonstrates how to use a wall to align yourself perfectly in the Iron Shirt Horse Stance used in Embracing the Tree, Holding the Golden Urn and the Phoenix postures. These postures will be described fully in this chapter. This wall position is a variation of the Structural Training Position against a Wall which is described in Chapter 4. As your practice continues, you will develop the feeling of proper alignment and will be able to follow the same principles without a...
Cranial Pump
The cranium of the skull has long been regarded by Taoists as a major pump for the circulation of energy from the lower centers to the higher centers. Medical research has recently confirmed that minute movements of the joints of the eight cranial bones occur during breathing. Fig. 2.17 Cranial movement is responsible for the production and function of the cerebrospinal fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord, which fluid is necessary for normal brain, nerve and energy patterns in the...
Roberta Prada Opera Singer
As a classically trained singer, I find the Iron Shirt practices, in combination with the Microcosmic Orbit meditation and the Six Healing Sounds, to be of great benefit to my technique. Specifically, my goals for my singing include a free and easy vocal mechanism and an ability to feel grounded and centered while performing. Since beginning the Taoist practices, I have achieved the relaxation of my jaw, the lowering of my breathing, and the ability to search out areas of tension in my body, so...
Sacral Pump
The sacrum consists of five pieces of bone when we are young when we grow up these five bones fuse into one piece. Taoists regard the sacrum as a pump which will help to hold the sexual energy coming from the sperm ovaries and perineum and transform the energy, at the same time giving it an upward thrust. It is similar to a way station, refining the sperm ovaries' energy as it circulates in the body. In the Iron Shirt practice we tilt the sacrum to the back, or against a wall, exerting force to...
D MuscleTendon Meridians
There are 12 muscle-tendon meridians in the body. These exist along the surfaces of the muscles and tendons, running from joint to joint. Unlike the other meridians, these do not connect with any internal organs. They seem to be primarily involved in the gross utilization of energy with which the musculature is associated. Here, however, there is far greater efficiency that is, minimized effort with increased energy output than is ordinarily presumed to be normal. Muscle-tendon meridians...
Door Hanging
Developing a straighter more elongated spine is the purpose of both the Door Hanging Position and the Structural Training Position Against Wall. In Door Hanging, however the arms are held over the head, which puts a traction on the spine and greatly increases spinal lengthening. Fig. 4.8 Daily practice of Door Hanging for even a few weeks will lead to better posture, a more flexible spine, reduction of chronic back stress and a heightened awareness of natural structural alignment. Door Hanging...
Circulate your Chi in the Microcosmic Orbit
In the preceding breathing exercises, you have been asked at certain points to circulate the Microcosmic Orbit. Your life-force energy thus must be circulated through specific pathways in the body efficiently and safely to be used for healing and growth. The Microcosmic Orbit circulation uses the power of the mind to help activate the sacral and cranial pumps into pumping the life-force energy throughout the body. It is much easier to cultivate your energy if you first understand the major...
Warrior Poses and
Practice of both Warrior Poses leads to great flexibility and strength in the buttocks and legs. As the strength and flexibility develop, there is structural opening and realigning in the hip thigh lower back area that is essential in Iron Shirt. The awareness created in the Warrior Poses develops the ability strongly to use the lower body in movement or in standing, without compressing the lower spine or neck. a. Warrior Pose 1 Fig. 4.13 a and b Stand with the left foot straight ahead and the...
Anus Region is divided into Five Parts
The anus is divided into five regions a middle. b front, c back, d left, and e right. Fig. 2.19 The middle of the anus Chi is connected with the organs as follows the vagina-uterus, the aorta and vena cava, stomach, heart, thyroid and parathyroids, pituitary gland, pineal and top of the head. Fig. 2.20 The front of the anus Chi is connected with the following organs the prostate gland, bladder, small intestine, stomach, thymus gland, and front part of the brain. Fig. 2.21 a and b Anal Sphincter...
Gunther Weil Doctor of Psychology
I have been a student of spiritual practice for many years. I was involved for a very long time with the Gurdjieff work as a practitioner. In 1978 my teacher died and I decided to step out of that teaching which, by then, I'd been involved in for some fourteen years. I began studying Taoist work, particularly Tai Chi and then Chi Kung, studying the latter with Don Ahn. In September of 1980, I met Master Chia and learned to practice the Microcosmic Orbit, Seminal Kung Fu, Tai Chi Chi Kung and...
Importance of the Microcosmic Orbit
By opening up this Microcosmic Orbit and keeping it clear of physical or mental blockages, it is possible to pump the life-force energy up the spine. If this channel is blocked by tension, then learning to circulate the Microcosmic Orbit is an important step to opening up the blocks in the body to circulate and revitalize all parts of the mind and body. Otherwise, when intense pressure builds in the head, taking such forms as headaches, hallucinations, and insomnia, much of the life-force...
Chapter General Introduction
A. Universal Tao System and Iron Shirt Chi Kung In addition to the more popularly known martial arts disciplines of Kung Fu and Tai Chi the Universal Tao System includes health practices, healing arts, the development of a state of mindfulness, and the management of vital energy Chi . The martial arts aspect of this training, the practice of Iron Shirt, develops a highly refined moral and spiritual awareness. The goal of the Universal Tao System is to keep our physical bodies in good condition...
I Iron Shirt and Chiropractic by Dr Michael Posner
In all health professions nowadays, one thing that is commonly considered detrimental to our health is the phenomenon of stress. Various methodologies and theories have emerged that aim to help minimize the amount of stress one has to cope with. I wish to discuss the unavoidable stress of gravity on a body's structure when in an upright position, some health implications, and how, through proper alignment of bone structure, we can efficiently minimize stress and increase good health. As...
How to Practice Spinal Elongation Breathing
To enhance the effects of the Structural Training Position Against Wall and the use of the breath, first fully exhale. Then, inhale slowly and deeply through the nose, directing the breath up into the chest. The abdomen should remain in and not protrude. As you do this, visualize and feel the spine lengthen. This will happen automatically if you stay relaxed. Do not try too hard. Once you feel spinal elongation, you can refine this sense further by feeling a wave of elongation starting at the...
HeadNeck Alignment as the Basis for Spinal Elongation and Upright Structure
Spinal Elongation breathing cannot lengthen the spine unless the head is held as if it is pushed back from the upper lip and lifted from its crown without strain. Fig. 4.7 If the chin moves slightly forward and up, the neck collapses and the entire upper body will be collapsed and distorted. Then the spine will curve excessively and no type of deep, free breathing is possible. Even the wind pipe itself becomes constricted. This is the condition of most people's necks. For this reason, it is...
Structural Training Position Against Wall
Using a wall for feedback, you will be able to feel when you have a structurally aligned, elongating spine. This exercise is dependent only upon a wall or door to lean against, so it can be done anywhere as a postural recharging exercise. For those with back problems, particularly lower back pain and sciatica, it is a powerful method for decompressing the vertebrae and lessening the discomfort. Lean against a wall with the heels approximately one to one and a half feet from the wall. Bend the...
Backbend
The Backbend stretches the upper back and spine opposite to the normal direction of its curve. This helps lessen the often excessive forward curve of the upper back, limbers the shoulder joints, and opens the chest. The Backbend is the most important stretch for a healthy upper spine and freer breathing pattern. The Backbend is also very good preparation for the Iron Bridge. Roll up a blanket tightly and place it on the floor. Lie over the blanket so that it is just below the top at the...
B Collecting Chi Energy after Practice
After each practice, stand silently erect for a few moments. Concentrate your attention on the navel, collecting the Chi there. As the Chi sinks down, stroke the chest from top to bottom with the palms of the hands. This prevents congestion of the chest and heart, as well as other side effects, such as heartburn, headache and eye pain. Move your hands to release the congestion and walk around until you feel the energy settle down. After practicing Iron Shirt, take time to do the Microcosmic...
Shoulder Widening Exercise
The Shoulder Widening Exercise develops natural alignment of the shoulders by widening the shoulder blades out to the sides, rather than rolling them forward or pulling them back. In all body segments, healthy alignment leads to an increase of space. If the shoulders are pulled back, then the width of the upper back is decreased and the upper spine is compressed. If the shoulders are rolled forward, the chest collapses and its width is decreased. However, if the shoulders are dropped down and...
C Illustrations of Postures
Designed to strengthen the pinky and thumb fingers, Holding the Golden Urn joins the pinky fingers to a line which runs up and around the ears at which location is housed one of the two major cranial bones , down the sides and to the small toes Fig. 3.83 a , and strengthens the thumb line by joining it to the cranial bone, to the chest, to the navel and down to the big toes. Fig. 3.83 b . These two lines are very important in holding the muscle tendons and bone structures together. When...