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FYI Page - Edition #6 .........................................................................................................................
August 1998
*** Welcome ***
to the Pa Kua Chang (Ba Gua Zhang) Website
of Sifu Park Bok-Nam!
We hope that you will find this site to be
interesting and informative,
and will use it as a starting point for learning
more about the Pa Kua Chang of Lu Shui-Tian.
We have been fortunate
to receive a number of awards for this website and wish to
extend our thanks and appreciation to the grantors
of these awards.
You can view them
by clicking on
= AWARDS
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FYI Page - Edition #6 ........................................................................................................................
August 1998
= ANNOUNCEMENTS =
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-
By popular request, links to all Back Issues of the FYI Page are
now available on the Reference
Information page.
|
-
If you haven't already done so, check out the new website put
up by Ray Ahles on his school, the Bergen Kung Fu Academy.
Ray is a Certified Instructor in the Pa Kua Chang method of Sifu
Park and offers classes in the New Jersey area. A link has beenprovided
on the Regular Classes
page.
|
-
NEWS UPDATE! 8/12/98.
As indicated above, we have just recently received a number of awards for
this website. This is a nice occurrence and we thank the various
Awards Committees for their kind consideration.
Also, we wish to extend our thanks to each and every one of our contributors
without whose support, whether large or small, this website would not have
been possible. You may view the awards through links
that are provided above , on the Homepage
, and on the Reference Informationpage.
Also, please check out the article "Our View on Awards" that is presented
there -- which defines our philosophy, policy, and perspective
on awards.
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FYI Page - Edition
#6 .....................................................................................................................
August 1998
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[ Below is a re- edited
reprint of an article that originally appeared in the "INTERNAL ARTS JOURNAL/MAGAZINE,"
Volume 7, No.3, Summer 1992, which was published by Paper Lantern Publishing
Company. Though no longer being published, back issues are still
available by contacting IAM Company; P.O. Box 1777; Arlington, TX 76004.]
|
. MYTHICAL
POWER OF THE PALM
"Many may learn, but few will
master."
Bok-Nam
Park
[Adapted and Re-edited by
F. Hriadil]
| Many people today have learned
about Internal Energy and wish to cultivate it for various reasons.
Their reasons may range from promoting better health and longer life to
creating a higher level of spiritual consciousness. The true martial
artist, though, seeks to cultivate Internal Energy and direct it to the
limbs for fighting application, as
well as healing application. In this article, we will discuss
a set of exercises designed to bring this mythical internal
power to the palm. These exercises are called, "The Forty-Eight
Month Palms." |
| The following chart lists each exercise, or palm,
by name in no particular order as they do not have to be practiced in any
particular sequence: |
CHINESE NAME
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
Dan Huan Zhang
Single Palm Strike
Shuang Huan Zhang
Double Palm Strike
Shui Zhang
Throwing Palm
Pu Zhang
Slapping Palm
Tuo Zhang
Lifting Palm
Kan Zhang
Chopping Palm
Bai Yun Zhui Xing Zhang
White Clouds Chasing the Stars Palm
Tui Chuang Wang Yue Zhang
Sliding the Shutters to Look at the
Moon Palm
| These techniques should not be confused with
the Eight Mother Palms of Ba Gua Zhang. The Forty-Eight Month
Palms acquired their name from the amount of time traditionally needed
to master these eight particular palm striking techniques. Traditonally,
the student is taught one palm technique every six months and during
that time he/she is expected to practice that technique for at least one
hour every day. Practicing in this manner makes the technique
reflexive and gives the student an awareness of the proper body alignment,
body mechanics, and Qi Gong skill needed to elicit power from that
particular technique. Each succeeding six months brings a new palm
technique and more practice until all eight are learned and mastered, hence
the name "Forty-Eight Month Palms." |
| In general, this type of training is not often
well received by most present-day students because of the monotonous repetition
required and prolonged practice involved in mastering each technique.
Consequently, my training methods have been modified to make the practice
a little more compatible with today's busy schedules and hectic lifestylewithout
sacrificing the desired result. The palm techniques are now introduced
at a faster pace, with each technique being repeated a minimum of one hundred
times each day. This is not the same as practicing thisset of
exercises in the old manner but, as mentioned earlier, the results are
still quite satisfactory. |
| Because the training involved in the Forty-Eight
Month Palms is quite rigorous, it is usually reserved for people who have
studied Ba Gua Zhang for a while and whose bodies have been properly prepared.
The body must be soft and the joints and spine
must be very pliable in order to properly execute the whipping motion prevalent
in the techniques. The energy from the whipping motion is similar
to the energy manifested at the end of a dog's or horse's tail. The
power is generated at the base of the tail using the muscles and the bones,
and, through a shaking or whipping action,
the energy is made to travel along the tail manifesting itself even in
the very tips of hairs at the end of the tail.
This type of whipping energy is very important in the development of power
in the palms and is prevalent in all eight of the palm techniques listed
above. Attempting this type of training, without first spending
sufficient time to properly condition the body, will result not only in
the failure to achieve mastery of these palm techniques, but may also harm
the body in the process. |
| By practicing just the Forty-Eight Month Palms,
you will eventually "free" the Internal Energy and learn to manifestthe
Qi
(Chi) in the palms. However, if you also prepare yourself by
practicing the Ba Gua Zhang basic Du Zhang (Shaking Palm) exercise,
and concurrently practice Ba Gua Zhang Qi Gong training, the Internal
Energy or Qi will manifest itself more quickly and to a greater degree. |
| It is beyond the scope of this introductory article
to discuss the specific nature and method of each of the Forty-Eight Month
Palms or to address in any detail the specific Ba Gua Qi Gong training
that is required. [Editor's Note: Those interested in pursuing
a more in depth discussion of the Forty-Eight Month Palms should refer
to Sifu Park's book and companion video entitled: "The Fundamentals
of Pa Kua Chang - Volume II: The Method of Lu Shui-T'ien as Taught
by Park Bok-Nam," by Park Bok-Nam and Dan Miller which is available
from all prominent martial arts bookstores and mail order catalogs.
Also, it is advised that no student should attempt to practice any of these
methods without proper training from a certified instructor in Sifu Park's
system.] |
| In the remainder of this article, I shall confine
myself to presenting an explanation of the basic Ba Gua Du Zhang (Shaking
Palm) exercise, which you should practice for at least three months
on a daily basis before even considering the Forty-Eight Month Palms training. |
| The basic Shaking Palm exercise is designed to
relax and strengthen the waist and shoulders, giving the student a better
foundation from which to proceed. It is important to remember that
during
all palm exercises, you must remain relaxed. If you hold tension
in your muscles, you will hinder the flow of blood, lymph fluid, and Qi
and this will significantly hinder your progress and development. |
| The stance that is utilized in the basic Shaking
Palm exercise is the Horse Stance (Ma Bu). Here, your feet
should be parallel, facing forward, and a
little more than shoulder-width apart. Your knees should be kept
in line over your feet and, in the beginning,
should be bent only to a degree that is comfortable. Remember, you
must stay relaxed. Forcing the stance to be too deep too soon
will cause you to be distracted by the discomfort
and not focused on the main intent of the exercise. To make progress,
your mind must be focused on the striking
method and not on any pain or discomfort resulting from the stance.
In the beginning, you should use a comfortable stance that is at a depth
that can be maintained for at least one minute without straining.
As you progress, you will be able to practice comfortably in
a deeper and deeper stance, which will produce even greater benefit from
the exercise. |
| The hands should be pulled back along the side
of your body and held approximately at the height of your lower (floating)
ribs. Your elbows should be behind your hands with your palms facing
in the Heaven, or Yang, orientation (i.e.
palms upward). It is very important that your elbows be kept behind
your palms for proper body alignment and mechanics. To prove this
for yourself, try this little experiment. With your elbows in the
position shown in Figure 1 below (i.e. the elbows turned out), have
someone resist your movement as you try to extend your hands forward.
Continue to keep your elbows turned out as you push forward. You
will find that it is rather difficult to push forward. On the other
hand, now place your elbows directly behind your palms as shown in Figure
2 below. This time keep them along the sides of your body as you
extend forward. Again, have someone resist your forward movement.
What do you feel this time? The task is allot easier when you have
proper body alignment and mechanics. So remember, always keep
your elbows behind your palms when striking. |
Figure 1
Figure 2
[Elbows Out]
[Elbows Back]
| Once you have settled into the basic starting
posture there are a couple of additional things that must be kept in mind.
First, the distance between the bottom of your ears and the top of your
shoulders must always be maximized. In other words, you must always
sink the shoulders. By drawing or allowing the shoulders to rise
upward, tension will be created in the neck and shoulder area which block
or reduce the flow of Qi. Internal Energy should never be
restricted or wasted in this manner. Second, you need to "place
your lungs into your back." You can do this by slightly rounding
the shoulders and thoracic region of your spine. Your lungs should
remain "in your back" so that your chest can
become "empty" and your diapraghm can operate freely and without
restriction. |
| To begin the basic Shaking Palm exercise,
settle into a Horse Stance with the hands, palms up, at your sides as described
above. Refer to the step-by-step sequence illustrated in Figure 3
below. Begin the movement by extending the right hand (fingers pointing
forward) from its position at the lower ribs to
a position at the front, level with the height of the shoulder with the
arm fully extended. During this movement, several important things
must occur. First, your arm is connected
to your body and, as such, does not ever move independently of it.
The shoulders and waist must move at
the same time your hand is extended forward by the elbow. Second,
the palm remains in a Yang, or Heaven, orientation (i.e. palm up) until
just before the arm reaches full extension. Then, your palm is turned
rapidly to the Yin, or Earth, orientation(i.e.
palm forward) to strike. Also, note that your right shoulder should
move forward approximately 45 degrees as you strike with your right palm.
If you deviate significantly from this orientation, you may experience
a loss of balance or power -- or both. |
Figure 3
[Illustration of the basic Shaking Palm (Du Zhang)
Sequence]
| For the exercise to remain balanced and to complete
the sequence, continue by performing a palm strike on the left side,
pulling the right hand back to the ribs and returning its palm to the Yang
(or Heaven) orientation as you strike forward with the left palm.
All of the principles utilized on the right side apply equally to the left.
In addition, as you strike with the left palm, it is better for beginners
to think more of the pulling motion on the right side than on the actof
striking with the left palm. Focusing on the hitting or striking
action too soon in your training, can cause the mind to
switch into "fight-or-flight" mode. This can lead you to tense up
which will retard or block the flow of Qi. Continue the exercise,
alternately striking forward with the right palm then the left palm for
a set number of times. |
| When you practice this basic exercise, you must
coordinate
the breathing with the movement. All breathing must be done through
the nose, both the inhale and the exhale. Before you begin each
strike, you must inhale deeply to the Dan Tian. At full extension
of your arm, contract the muscles over your Dan Tian and
forcefully
exhale with a short burst of air through the nose. Also, as you
exhale, issue the sound "hummph" in your throat. Keep the sound short
and make sure your timing coincides with the strike at its full extension.
Making this sound assists you in focusing your energy. |
| To gain maximum benefit and to develop your body
in preparation for performing the "Forty-Eight Month Palms" training, you
should practice the basic Shaking Palm exercise a minimum of one hundred
times each day. You can accomplish this by performing the exercise
in sets: two sets of thirty single-palm strikes (counting each separate
palm strike as one) and a final set of forty palm strikes. The first
twenty strikes of this final set should be performed as a right-left combination
with each strike of the left palm counting as one. The second twenty
strikes of this final set are again performed as single-palm strikes (counting
each separate palm strike as one). |
| It should be clear from this brief discussion
that mastery of the "Forty-Eight Month Palms" requires hours of arduous
training and repetition. It is indeed unfortunate that few people
in today's society have the time and self-discipline to devote themselves
to the mastery of such a task. So, it is because of this situation
that I say, "Many may learn, but few will master." |
.
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FYI Page - Edition
#6 ......................................................................................................................
August 1998
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Master Bok-Nam Park's Pa
Kua Chang
1998 SUMMER TRAINING CAMP
. -
[ June 12 to June 16 ] -
This year's camp was bigger
and better than ever --
with 70 students attending from 19 states
and 3 foreign countries.
If you were not fortunate enough to have attended,
here is some of what you missed!
.
.
Pa Kua Qi Gong Training
Pa Kua Breathing and Meditation Practice
.
Pa Kua Circle Walking Practice
Pa Kua Theory and Principles
.
.
Pa Kua Research Sparring
Pa Kua Weapons Demos and Training
.
A
few comments from some camp attendees:
| "The training at the camp was great.
You would do Chi Kung (Qi Gong) in the morning
to get the day started off in the right
way. The afternoon was spent learning
and practicing new material.
The morning and afternoon instructors varied
which gave you a different perspective.
There was no time to become bored or
to worry about personal issues. You
were so engulfed in Pa Kua that
you didn't even want to spend a second thinking about
anything else . . . . I recommend this camp to anyone in the martial arts
. . ." - Nicolle A. |
| "There were no outside distractions or interruptions
to disturb the focus and concentration of
the training and, to me, that's what made the biggest difference.
The training itself was incredible.
From morning Chi Kung exercises to the mid-day Circle Walking forms, I
never once got bored or tired of practicing
. . . . The training was intense, fun, and a great learningexperience
but it wasn't the only part of the camp that I found appealing . . . .
No matter who I sat down with, I knew
there was always a common interest between us . . . . To hearthat someone
would study one style for many years and then stop because they found thePa
Kua (of Lu Shui-Tian) to be superior was very encouraging to me . . . .
There is no doubt in my mind that I
will be a regular at camp for many years to come . . ." - Darren
Z. |
| "I never tire of watching how people with
different experience and body types approach the presented
skills and, as students of Sifu Park, research without pretense or ego.
Sifu Park's lectures are priceless
. . . . He is remarkably open with his teaching . . . . The bearing andpresence
of his Senior Instructors, Mr. Wright and Mr. Moore, attest to the respect
and regard due Sifu Park and the Ba
Gua Zhang of Lu Shui-Tian. This is particularly evident tothose of
us accustomed to "martial artists" who are noisy about their purported
knowledgeand skill . . . ." - Melanie G. |
| "The air, the beautiful scenery, and our focus
on Pa Kua led to an atmosphere akin to being in
another world. How fortunate we were to be able to devote o
our total energies to Pa Kua. How
lucky to attend a camp of dedicated instruction on a style of Pa Kua which
is organized and complex . . . . Master
Park impressed me as a man on a mission -- to build a cohesiveorganization
to pass on the Pa Kua of Lu Shui-Tian to future generations of martial
arts devotees. It is a serious
business . . . . His standards are extremely high, as would be expected
from his lifelong dedication to Pa Kua. Master Park is demanding
in his progressive,inclusive, and detailed
instruction of Pa Kua Chang, which when conscientiously practicedwill lead
to a high level of skill . . . . His
stories and explanations were at times riveting and always
interesting. His calm manner permeated the entire camp . . . . I
loved it." - Richard C. |
| "Having been training for only 5 months in
the Pa Kua Chang of Lu Shui-Tian, I wasn't sure if
going to the summer camp would be the right thing for me to do . . . .
Meeting many fellow students of Pa
Kua (as well as students of other styles) made me feel comfortable beingthere.
Everyone coming together for one common reason -- the practice of Pa Kua
-- really intensified in me the
focus I had on training. Just watching some of the more advancedstudents
practicing,and seeing how their dedication payed off, was and still is
a source of PURE motivation.
While I may not be practicing all that
I have learned at the camp, it left me
with an inspiring glimpse of what my
current training will lead to . . . . All in all, it was an
unforgettable experience. I LOVED IT!!
See you all next year." - Mark B. |
Keep your calendars open for June 11 - 15,
1999 so that you'll be sure to make it next year!.
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#6 .....................................................................................................................
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