An Integration of Best Practice #1 and #9

/ Best Practice #1: Stand and Produce. Best Practice #9: Always Strive for Quality /

In my training of internal martial arts (IMA), mastering Zheng Xin (ZX) principles (Center, Relax, Ground, Calm and Whole) become important in terms of beoming internal.

Center: Focus one's intent to the Dan Tien and beyond.
Relax: Focus on dropping the shoulders, elbows and wrists (seated position).
Ground: Focus on the entire heel covering the ground.
Calm: Focus the entire being to be completely "still" from internal state to external state.
Whole: Focus the Qi filling every inch of the body.

The Zheng Xin principles must be practiced at the same time.

During the practice of the Zheng Xin principles, my level of conscious awareness increased.

It does not matter whether the standing posture is the Universal Post, Single Change Palm, San-Ti (Three Essentials) posture, the fundamentals are the same.


The following are things that this Cardinal noticed:
* While sinking the Qi to the Dan-Tien, felt the relationship between my breath and qi (in general);
* When standing correctly (the entire heel covers the ground), the knee does not collapse inward;
* The knee does not pass the toe;
* The sinking of Qi into the Yung Chuan (Wales-Giles romantization) increase the strength of my root while developing the feel of being light and nimble;
* The feel of extreme "Yin" energy (bak gong) on the top of the head;
* A greater degree of internal stillness (some ppl prefer to call it tranqulity in motion.) has increased that also increased my line of vision;
* The back was raised and the chest hollowed out;
* The Wei-Lu (Wales-Giles romantization) was drawed in; and
* The feel of "whole root", "yielding" and "detachment" slowly but incrementally increased.


These five principles are necessary whether you're doing Aikido, Bagua, Liu Hop Ba Fa Quan, Taiji Xingyi, YiQuan, etc.

If Zheng Xin is contantly practiced and achieved properly, the following anatomical sections are strengthen: lower limbs, Back muscles Rear thigh muscle, Buttock muscles and abdominal muscles.

@ the same time, the posture is improved while stress on knee and hip joints are reduced.

Someone told me that the mastering of the Zheng Xin principles while standing has improved his gait.

Achieving the Zheng Xin principles in a static frame is the first stage of training . The next stage is performing it in an active frame.

More to come.