One of the most beneficial practices I've brought into my life is a standing meditation. I've found that the deeper you explore the seemingly "simple" things in life is where you benefit the most and create large scale change. It's the stuff that is commonly overlooked so we don't bother to explore it much, but it really is addressing your foundation of life both physically and mentally (which are one). Thanks for what you do!

This is a deep conversation! Along the lines of structure and alignment, which are indeed at the very heart of the Internal, I like to think of my skeletal structure as a tuning fork. If a tuning fork is bent (misaligned) then it will not ring the way it should. Similarly, when I get locked into correct structure, I get a low amplitude, high frequency vibration that is quite pleasant. Too much post training will lead to muscle cramps and destroy the relaxed nature that we need to keep for the energy to flow. The next real trick is to keep structure and alignment while moving, I call that "linkage." Your generosity in these vids is very commendable. Most (yes, most) Tai-Chi students spend a LOT of time and money in training, but do not get the gold nuggets that you are handing out here for free.

Thanks so much I learnt the secret of Ming Men after training for near 15 years I never new how to expand this in holding tree position WOW thanks it made such a difference I also started three of your routines daily 27 May 2024

Being into taiji for a few months I have to say it's very difficult. Thanks for these videos 😂

You sure got banged up as a youngster. It doesn't surprise me that you were an Athlete. The story of your journey is fascinating. Tai Chi certainly helped you overcome your injuries. Amazing what it can do.

I had the same experience of the rotating chi in my lower belly as a child of 4 years old. My older brother disregarded it. I felt the energy and tried to use my will power and concentration to break an enoty Mayonnaise jar by squeezing it. After a while of squeezing, I felt the jar collapse into itself, I was not cut, but when my brother returned, he was mad. I had to clean up the glass. It has taken me many years to find my way. I study Tai Chi Chuan and Qigong with Michael Gilman in Port Townsend and know that he is the real deal. I had studied with Min Pai, in NYC and also learned Tai Chi Chuan after the Kung Fu forms which he taught. Thanks for your videos, they are very informative. You have had great teachers and it shows. It's good to see you honor them with these videos.

Thanks for this! Standing Post (as it’s often known) is indeed a powerful practice and often not explained why by masters or teachers. They just say “do it and you’ll see”. But this is a good explanation of the why of it and I (and my reasoning mind) appreciate that!

My sifu forced me to learn tai chi along with kung fu when I was 18. Can’t thank that old man enough.

I have just begun learning qigong and tai chi. I trained in aikido for 14 years but stopped because of a hip replacement. Now at 81 I am taking classes in tai chi and qigong. This video is very helpful. The teacher has us do tree posture but it hasn't been clear to me why we do it as I wanted to keep learning the form. :-)

sending love and peace to everyone...

Feng Shui as a spiritual practice. Kung Fu as power growth. Tai Chi as observable vision. Yoga as breath perception. So Tai Chi brings us all to what we can all see. It is the depth of what we are all allowed to accomplish. As Tai Chi changes; the external facet of the mind follows the light to the surface of the self you can perceive. Bushido and Tai Chi have important lessons for society if properly combined. Namaste

I don't know why ppl have forgotten but the traditional route was 10 years of standing and then taiji or hsingyi... 20 years or empty taichi. That simple.

Thank you Shifu Shirley ❣️ 🙏☺️ I really enjoy listening to these thought provoking reminders. Even if the most of what you're saying is already familiar, it's good to hear it from another perspective (=conscious human), in a bit different way to get an even deeper understanding of the whole. The path always leads back to the basics ☯️ 🙏

Very interesting reflexion about influence of the tree position in your internal martial art improvement. I love it.

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience!

great video i got to one hour tree posture every day and my tai chi form felt so good

in our school we have a lot of contact work to test positions in chi kung and in the forms, to see if they actually work in tai chi way. This starts on day one. One thing I have noticed (since being sensitive) that I can get most people to stand in the aligment and get a bit peng jin going on and getting my own energy back from them. Mostly people seem to feel something and it's nice to see the light bulb turning on behind their eyes :) It would be so much harder to find these alignments without somebody helping by hand and pushing gently in.

Спасибо Мастер! Вы очень точно рассказали об энергии Чи, это трудно объяснить, но можно почувствовать на своем опыте🙂🙏

My Ziran Men Shifu also says Zhan Zhuang is the best way to develop internal power. I've found Dan Tian rolling exercises from Chen Shi Tai Ji Quan and Song Taizu Quan to be very helpful too though, exercises I think have been lost from Yang Shi Tai Ji Quan, or at least the rolling is so small as to be imperceptible from outside.

25+yrs in MA B4 Taiji, & 1st 4 classes had 3 Epiphanies; asked Master Fang Wang- student of Wu Bin -? 3x & Shift said she had never been asked, & responded later- she was always so exited 2C me ☯️

Sometimes Tai Chi is how Chakra Scale Placement becomes self explanatory. When your breath contacts Feng Shui which is available to us/you.

Thanks for the content Shifu, Ive been asking myself "is this simple posture supossed to be so hard?", now I have the answer. It is always very helpfull to hear about your experiences.

Thank you ❤

I have something known anatomically as "pelvic tilt", which I think has limited my ability to feel chi nor am I able to root. It also makes all the muscles in my lower torso are very tight; I can't even sit on the floor. I don't think I will ever be able to expand my Dan Tien.

Thanks for posting

Tai chi is how I find myself thinking before and after Kung Fu happens. Having the experience of Kung Fu; similar to Kundalini Awakening or perhaps Zen Moment. External or Internal the Kung Fu Memory Filter is difficult.

Yes, body mechanics is external. Sorry for nitpicking, but I suggest you to use "structure" instead of "architecture" Ha ha ha sifu.... So you hated meditation when you were young, I mean, younger than you are now, Ok there is the straight spine position. Yes, that part of our rears 😅.. Now. Here is another application of the same principles. My wife has a degree in music. She specializes in musical education. Bel canto, singing.. We use the concept of Dan Tien. The breathing she teaches is "abdominal", the rooting, relaxing, straight structure, and yes... The butt tightening is included here too. There's just more steps to this. Also the jaw is relaxed. Absolutely relaxed same as everything else... OUUUCCH you got to the part where you broke your ankle 😬😔 Let's not digress 😅 There are also position of the lips and support for the control of Flux of Air, do you find this one familiar? Or using your resonators, chest, nose, head. Chi... Air of course. You aim for it like going straight up to the top of your head... It's same as QIGONG Tai Ji... 😅 I also started with it at that age but I was already wushu'ing 😅 my way at full speed and honestly a mixture of internal and external. Fortunately, I was taught qigong too... Ha ha you mentioned the dan tien, what do you feel inside your belly is a difficult thing to say, except with practice... Oh, then the video ends, I think you kept explaining. Because now how does the chi flow going up, and what does it feel like to get in Russian technique training for singers. It is very external. Getting a strong cardiorespiratory system, and being able to send a powerful air stream and the feeling is also that of chi flowing up. If you sing like that, and relaxing the vocal cords adequately, the throat too, it has to let air pass without other force like your belly, your diaphragm. This is a fascinating topic and my wife is going to hsing-i my dantien because here is almost 12 noon and I have to fix our meal. It's cay lan sautéed with the usual ingredients and chasiu (😅I bought it) Cheers master! Love to listen to you 🙏😔 siu zhe 🤔☳ 😅🤓🕉️😉

🙏🏼😇🙏🏾 👊🏾😎👍🏼

Would you please direct me a place where I can view your lecture on "walking around in a circle". It was a wonderful lecture !

Min 5:00 - two points always align no matter what. Two points define a line. What do you mean by getting two points to align?

Such a great discussion. After so many years of studying wing chun, qi gong, and tai chi I still only occasionally get a sense of internal. In my younger days I started with taekwondo, then karate. You are right, internal is way harder. Way harder.

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Good vedlo

My teacher would say, "Tuck hip in."

Nice conversation, too bad you were cut short?

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Great video. Hello Shifu Shirley. As a complete beginner over 50, which style should I start with? Bafa Buwu? Yang? Sun? Very confusing where to start? Many thanks.

I know star wars was an influence on my study.. Then my i Ching studies when a little older

No. You are not being truthful. I want peace but....please You.are.a.liar Real powerndoes not sound like this...