1 Learning to Walk the Circle - Circle Walking Basics.pdf

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MODULE 2 Learning to Walk the Circle: Circle Walking Basics

BRUCE FRANTZIS

Copyright© 201 0 Bruce Frantzis All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval syste transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical photocopying, recordi1 otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher. Published by Energy Arts, Inc., P.O. Box 99, Fairfax, CA 94978-0099 The following trademarks are used under license by Energy Arts, Inc., from Bruce Frantzis: Fri Energy Arts® system, Mastery Without Mystery®, Longevity Breathing® program, Opening the E1 Gates ofYour Body™ Qigong, Marriage of Heaven and Earth™ Qigong, Bend the Bow™ Spinal Qi~ Spiraling Energy Body™ Qigong, Gods Playing in the Clouds™ Qigong, Living Taoism™ Collectio1 Rev Workout™ HeartChi,™ Bagua Mastery Program,™ Bagua Dynamic Stepping System,™ Bagua nal Warm-up Method,™ and Bagua Body Unification Method.™

Editing: Heather Hale, Bill Ryan and Richard Tau binger Interior Design: Heather Hale Cover Design: Thomas Herington Photo and Illustration Editing: Mountain Livingston and Thomas Herington Photographs by: Eric Peters, Bill Walters, Caroline Frantzis, Richard Marks and Catherine Helms Illustrations: Michael McKee and Kurt Schulten Image Alteration: Lisa Petty, GiriVibe, Inc., Patrick Hewlett and Jodie Smith Models: Bill Ryan, Keith Harrington, Don Miller and Paul Cavel Printed in the United States of America PLEASE NOTE: The practice of Taoist energy arts and meditative arts may carry risks. The inform in this text is not in any way intended as a substitute for medical, mental or emotional counseling a licensed physician or healthcare provider. The reader should consult a professional before unde ing any martial arts, movement, meditative arts, health or exercise program to reduce the chan injury or any other harm that may result from pursuing or trying any technique discussed in this Any physical or other distress experienced during or after any exercise should not be ignorec should be brought to the attention of a healthcare professional. The creators and publishers o text disclaim any liabilities for loss in connection with following any of the practices described i1 text, and implementation is at the discretion, decision and risk of the reader.

Table of Contents Section 1: Circle Walking Basics .............. 5 Fundamentals of Stepping ....................................... 7 Setting Up Your Circle ............................................... 11

Inside Straight Step .................................................. 13 Inside Stepping .......................................................... 13

Inside, Three-part Straight Step .............................. 14

Outside Curving Step .............................................. 15 Outside Step: Walking in a Clockwise Direction ........................... 19

Combining Inside and Outside Steps ................... 22 Counter-clockwise Circle ......................................... 22 Inside Straight Step ............................................................... 23 Curving Outside Step ........................................................... 23 Repeat Inside and Outside Steps to Walk Your Circle ..................................................................... 27

Clockwise Circle ........................................................ 27 Inside Straight Step ............................................................... 27 Curving Outside Step ........................................................... 27 Repeat Inside and Outside Steps to Walk Your Clockwise Circle ............................................. 28

Further Reversals of Direction ................................ 28

How to End a Circle Walking Practice .................. 29 Important Considerations ...................................... 30

Section 2: Circle Walking Basics (Intermediates} ..................................... 31 Particular Techniques ............................................... 33 Slightly Curve Your Inside Straight Step: Thin- and Medium-sized Legs ............................................. 33 Open One Kwa, Close the Other in Your Outside Curving Step .............................................. 33 Gradually Lower Your Walking Height ............................... 34 Incorporate Neigong Components .................................... 35

Section 1

Circle Walking Basics

Figure 2.1.1 Four-part Circle Walking: Outside and Inside Steps When you practice Circle Walking, you envision the circle you walk as being laid out on the ground below you.lf you walk around a circle in a clockwise direction, then your right foot would be your "inside foot" and closer to the center of the circle. Conversely, your left foot would be your"outside foot" and on the outside of the circle. 5 © 201 0 Bruce Frantzis-AII Rights Reserved.

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Bagua Mastery Program

If you walk your circle in the opposite direction-a counter-clockwise directionyour left foot would be the inside foot and your right foot would be the outside foot. In Figure 2.1.1 on p. 5, the practitioner practices four-part mud walking, circling in a counter-clockwise direction. Correct form dictates that when he steps with his outside (right) foot, he should curve it to follow the curve of the circle. When he steps with his inside (left) foot, he should take a straight step. Circle Walking consists of a curving outside step followed by a straight inside step followed by a curving outside step. This alternation creates very strong softtissue twisting and spiraling energy patterns in your body. These are much more powerful than if both your inside and outside steps curve to follow the circle you walk. Circle Walking can give your body all the aerobic exercise it needs. It brings up a vortex of energy from the earth through your body, which energizes, nourishes and strengthens you from the inside out. It also sets the stage for a powerful form of moving meditation. The physical stepping method shown in this module's illustrations and images is that of mud walking (as explained in Module 1 on straight-line walking). However, you may also use heel-toe stepping, if appropriate for your body (as was also explained in Module 1).

Intermediate Practitioners: It can take many months or years to coordinate Circle Walking steps with the basic neigong. These include opening and closing all of the joints, kwa and other cavities, lower tantien, abdomen and spine as well as moving chi appropriately through various energy channels, and programming all of this smoothly into your central nervous system, body and mind.

© 2010 Bruce Frantzis-AII Rights Reserved.

Module 2: Learning to Walk the Circle

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Fundamentals of Stepping

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A) Straight Inside Step

B) Curving Outside Step

Figure 2.1.2 Bruce walks a counterclockwise circle with the center of his circle to his left. When he takes a straight inside step (A), his inside foot moves straight ahead. When he takes a curving outside step (B), his outside foot curves with his circle and slightly moves toward his circle's center.

All basic Circle Walking consists of only two steps, which continuously repeat in a consecutive fashion: inside and outside steps. Although the inside and outside feet do different things, both use three-, four- or two-part straight-line stepping methods learned in Module 1.


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Figue 2.1.3 Circle Walking: Inside Three-part Straight Step A-B is the step out and footbrake; B-C is the shift forward in three-part stepping; and C-D is the step forward to feet-parallel position. The inside straight step follows the outside curving step (see Figure 2.1.4) in continuous cycles.

As you walk, your inside foot (nearest to the center of the circle) and your outside foot (farther from the center of the circle) move differently (Figure 2.1.3). Envision that within your circle is a square or octagon. The outside foot steps out and moves along the circle's arc. The inside foot steps out and moves along a straight line that is like the side of the square or octagon. Initially, your inside foot lines up to point in the same direction as your outside foot and steps out on a straight line, parallel with the direction of the outside foot (Figure 2.1.3A-D).

© 201 0 Bruce Frantzis-AII Rights Reserved.


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Figue 2.1.4 Circle Walking: Outside Three-part Curving Step A-B is the step forward and footbrake step; B-C is the shift weight forward in three-part stepping; and C-D is the bring-feet-parallel step that ends with A-the starting point for the next inside straight step. The outside curving step follows the inside straight step (Figure 2.1.3) in continuous cycles.

Initially, your outside foot lines up to point in the same direction as the inside foot. As you step, the toes of your outer foot curve inward on an arc to follow the circle's circumference (Figure 2.1.4A-D). Your toes slightly curve inward when you walk a large circle. Your toes severely curve inward when you walk a small circle. This curving inward step is called a "toe-in step:' Each time you take an outside curving step, your hips and waist also turn to follow that foot, as well as the curve of the circle. Each time you take an inside straight step, your hips and waist also move forward in a straight line.


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A Lone Practitioner Walks the Circle in a Beijing Park

Think of a running track that has a big empty space in the middle. Runners go around the track in parallel lanes and the bleachers are for spectators. The inside foot is on the same side as the empty space in the middle of the field while the outside foot is on the same side as the bleachers.

Two methods of stepping are presented in this module: the straight inside step and the curving outside step. These are the steps used to Walk the Circle in classic bagua mud walking. Some bagua schools use other types of stepping when Walking the Circle, which don't adhere to the principles of mud walking. These usually have been grafted in from other arts and are not considered to be from the original bagua school. For example, there are a number of bagua schools where instructors ask students to have the toe of either the inside, outside or both feet (while following the circle's circumference) not pointing straight or curving in the circle's direction. Instead, they ask that the foot points at an angle toward the center of the circle for the inside foot or away from the center for an outside foot in the manner of a toe-out step. In the original bagua school, toe-out steps were used only to change direction as will be explained in Modules 3 and 7 on the complete toe-out step.



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Figure 2.1.5 Toe-out Steps In the original bagua schools, such steps were not used in Circle Walking except when changing direction.

Setting Up Your Circle Initially, make your bagua circle as large as necessary, so you feel no pressure within your leg joints while walking. You don't want to strain your hips, knees, ankles, feet or spine as you walk. As your spine, hip and leg joints strengthen and you increase your flexibility (without strain), the size of your circle can be smaller (i.e., you can take fewer steps to complete one rotation around your circle). The average beginning circle is usually between twelve and sixteen steps; an intermediate, medium circle is between eight and ten steps; and an advanced circle is relatively much smaller at four to six steps. As you walk, you must visualize or in some way fix the center of the circle in your mind without needing to look at the ground. You may physically mark the center of the circle with an object if it helps. If practicing outdoors, you can use a rock or tree as a marker. If practicing indoors you could use a chair or cushion. © 2010 Bruce Frantzis-AII Rights Reserved.

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According to classical bagua tradition, you begin Walking the Circle in a counterclockwise direction. You can stand anywhere on the edge of the circle with the tip of your left shoulder pointing toward the center of the circle. In this position, your left foot is your inside foot and your right foot is your outside foot. To uniformly develop the lower body, you go around the circle the same number of times both clockwise and counter-clockwise. This is regardless of whether you go around only part of the circle or completely around it one, two, three, five, ten or one-hundred times.

CIRCLE WALKING: LABELING ISSUES Common convention is labeling illustrations and instructions in terms of left and right orientation. Since the dawn of time, military leaders have spent a tremendous amount of time teaching new recruits to march as "left, left, left-right-left." So, if told in battle to go left or right, soldiers could move quickly and stay alive. Likewise, anyone who teaches physical movements commonly hears from students, "Oh you mean my other left leg," or "Oh you mean my other right hand." In Circle Walking though, right and left labeling seems somewhat unnecessary. Except when your feet are parallel, one foot is always in front or behind the other. Although it may seem helpful for some to label the lead or rear foot as the left or right foot, it clearly isn't the case for the majority. Most people have less trouble orientating to forward and backward-probably because we look forward a whole Jot more than left pr right. This is a constant in Circle Walking, regardless of which direr;tion yo~JNalk the Circle. It does not change and the dyslectic problems inR~~ent in what is left and right are entirely avoided. As such, you might want to forget the lefts and rights and focus on instructions in terms o(,what your inside/outside, forward/lead or rear/back legs are doinf/

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Part 1

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Part 2

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Figure 2.1.6 Three-part, Inside Straight Step: Counter-clockwise Circle The inside step of Circle Walking mirrors the stepping procedures of three-part, straight-line walking: Begin in the feet-parallel position; Part 1 is the step forward and footbrake; Part 2 is the shift-weight-forward step; and Part 3 is the bring-the-feet-parallel position. You are now ready to take an outside step.

Inside Straight Step Inside Stepping Beginning Position: Circle Walking begins in a counter-clockwise direction, stepping forward with the inside (left) foot by tradition (not as a rule). To begin your inside straight step, your inside foot is positioned side by side and parallel with your outside foot, and slightly off the ground. Your inside shoulder tip should point directly at the center of your circle.



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You now use exactly the same step as previously shown for straight-line walking in Module 1. It is done by putting one foot in front of the other like parallel train tracks. As in straight-line walking, beginners are advised to start with a three-part step and then progress to a four-part step (Figure 2.1.7). Once you reach the intermediate stage, you can move on to the two-part step. This gives your legs and feet the best chance of achieving maximum stability and protects your knees and lower back.

Inside, Three-part Straight Step For a three-part step, from your beginning feet side-by-side-and-parallel position (Figure 2.1.6): 1. Part 1-Step forward and footbrake. 2. Part 2-Shift your weight forward. 3. Part 3-Bring your rear foot forward, so at the end it is empty and parallel with your previous forward foot (and not touching the ground).

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Part 4

Part 3

Part 2

Part 1

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Figure 2.1.7 Four-part, Inside Straight Step: Counter-clockwise Direction



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Outside Curving Step Outside Step: Overview Regardless if walking in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction, your outside foot is always on the side of your body furthest from the center of the circle. The outside step differs from straight-line walking in three ways: 1. The outside foot curves to follow your circle. 2. The curving in is not slight, but rather significant and grows more significant as the circle you walk becomes smaller. In a 16-step circle, the angle of your curving outside foot (relative to your straight, inside foot) will be about 45 degrees. In an advanced six-step circle, the angle of the outside curve gets progressively sharper to 120 degrees. 3. In straight-line walking, your hips and waist do not turn. In a curving outside step, your waist and hips turn to follow your curving foot. Due to these differences, the outside curving step feels very different inside your body than does the inside straight step. These feelings can be quite different for each individual, especially as it relates to body type. This difference in feeling is strongest in the transition between the shift-weight-forward and feet-parallel positions as this is when you finish turning your hips to align with your outside curving foot. The outside curving step must stretch and open up the soft tissues inside your pelvis and thighs, and work your lower back muscles. All of this happens to a much greater degree than in straight stepping.


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Part 3

Part 2

Part 1b

Part 1a

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Figure 2.1.9 Three-part Outside Curving Step: Counter-clockwise Circle Outside Step Walking in a Counter-clockwise Direction Now let's look at a complete three-part, outside step done as a continuous single flow (Figure 2.1.9). • Begin: Feet side-by-side position with the right foot empty (off the ground) and the left foot rooted into the ground. • Part 1a: Move your lead (right) foot forward and out, and curve it slightly toward the centerline of your body. It should not touch the ground. • Part 1 b: Do a footbrake with your lead (right) foot on its curving trajectory. • Part 2: Shift your weight forward to your lead (right) outside foot. Turn your hips and torso to face in the direction of your forward foot's toes.



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• Part 3: Bring your rear (left) foot forward and side by side with your lead foot. As your rear foot lifts off the ground and moves forward, it should gradually curve to become parallel with the weighted foot. You are now in position to begin the next inside straight step.

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Part 2

Part 3

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Figure 2.1.8 Four-part, Outside Curving Step: Counter-clockwise Circle This outside curving step of Circle Walking mirrors the stepping procedures of four-part, straight-line walking: Begin in the initial feet-parallel position; Part 1 is the step forward and footbrake; Part 2 is the first half of the shiftweight-forward step; Part 3 is the second half of shift-weight-forward step; and Part 4 is the bring-the-feet-parallel position. You are now ready to take an inside step.


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WHEN DO MY HIPS TURN TO FOLLOW MY OUTSIDE CURVING FOOT? In an outside curving step, your outside foot steps out as if to go straight forward and then curves to follow the circumference of your circle. When you apply your footbrake, your foot will have curved as far as it's going to for this step. Your outside foot toes now point along the curve of your circle. Your hips, however, turn to follow the curve of the circle more gradually. The most simple and stable method for turning the hips was described in the previous section. In this method, as your outside foot curves and footbrakes, your hips do not move. They remain facing in the same direction that your inside toes point. After you shift your weight forward onto your curved outside foot, then turn your hips to follow the curve of your circle and face in the direction of your outside foot's toes. Next, your inside foot moves forward and curves to also point in the same direction. This method is excellent for beginners to practice. It allows you to be very clear and stable in your movements. It can help you avoid knee strain that can easily occur in Circle Walking. As you progress and have a better sense of Circle Walking, you can p}ay with the hip-turnir:tf"J:rnethod presented i(] the next section. In

tffJ~ method, the hipsi'g~~~~ally turn through ?.11 parts of the out~i

step to line up in the direction that your outside toes point (along ,, . . ,~'::;'.~ the etrcle). 1:~11: '~~~-?



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Outside Step: Walking in a Clockwise Direction

Figure 2.1.1 0 Outside Step: Walking in a Clockwise Direction

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Part 1a

Part 1b

Part 2

Figure 2.1.11 Outside (left) Clockwise Circle Walking Step


Part 3

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See Figure 2.1.11 on the previous page.

1. Begin with feet parallel, inside (right) foot rooted to the ground and outside (left) foot empty (off the ground). 2. Part 1a: Step forward. The outside (left) foot steps out and your hips and torso begin to turn to follow the circle's outside curve. 3. Part 1b: Outside (left) footbrake. 4. Part 2: Shift your weight forward. Push off the rear inside (right) foot to straighten the leg (not to the point of full extension and locking your knee) to shift your weight forward fully onto your outside (left) foot. Simultaneously, your hips and torso, in coordination with the straightening of your rear leg, begin to turn more to follow the circle's curve. 5. Part 3: The lead outside (left) foot remains rooted as the rear inside (right) foot gradually becomes weightless, lifts off the ground and moves forward to become parallel with the rooted weighted foot. • The inside foot follows the turning of your hips and torso to also stay with the circle's curve. • Hips, waist and body's centerline finish directly in the same direction as the toes of your lead weighted foot. • Finish with your feet side by side and parallel, left foot weighted and rooted and right foot off the ground and weightless. You are now ready to take your next inside step.

Once you become familiar and comfortable with Circle Walking using a three-part step, feel free to change to the four-part method you learned in straight-line walking (Module 1).



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A

Figure 2.1.12 How High to Raise the Foot? Keeping your foot closer to ground makes for a longer step, but puts more pressure on your knees.

B

A Figure 2.1.13

How High to Raise the Foot? Raising your foot higher makes for shorter steps, but puts less pressure on your knees. © 2010 Bruce Frantzis-AII Rights Reserved.

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RAISE YOUR FOOT TO PROTECT YOUR KNEES In the Module 1 description of straight-line walking, one stepping option is to raise your un-weighted foot as high as your mid-calf or knee in the feet-side-by-side-and-parallel walking position. If you have lower back; knee or general balance problems-or if you experience any k[!ee pain while Circle Walking-you may want to consider raising your foot higher. The higher you raise your foot, the shorter your step will become, but the less pressure you will have on your knees (Figures 2.1.72-13). You may find thatyou want or must do this in Circle Walking, even it's not the case foryoufn straight-line walking. This is not unusual. The outside cu . . d~g hiJ? turning Involved in Circle Walking work' ';l our leg/ does straight-/

Combining Inside and Outside Steps Regardless if practicing a three-, four- or two-part step, remember that in Circle Walking it is the outside step that is usually the most challenging.

Counter-clockwise Circle Begin walking a counter-clockwise circle starting with your left foot. A complete step includes: step forward and footbrake, shift weight forward and bring feet parallel.

© 201 0 Bruce Frantzis-AII Rights Reserved .


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Beginning Position: Begin with feet side by side and parallel to each other. Your left foot is on the inside of your circle toward the center. Your inside (left) foot should be off the ground (empty of weight). The tip of your left shoulder should be pointing directly toward the center of your circle. Be sure to maintain some distance between your inner thighs, which allows your perineum to remain open. Do not let your thighs collapse toward each other.

Inside Straight Step Take a full (left) inside, three-part step until your feet are parallel again with the empty (weightless right) foot's toes pointing outside of the circle.

Curving Outside Step Follow the instruction below, and take a complete curving (right) outside step to a feet-parallel position. Do your best to allow your hips to turn smoothly rather than getting stuck at any point while following the outside curve of the circle.

Part 3

Part 2

Part 1b

Part 1a

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Figure 2.1.14 Curving Outside, Three-part Step on a Counter-clockwise Circle © 201 0 Bruce Frantzis-AII Rights Reserved.

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Part 1a: Step Forward

Figure 2.1.14: Step forward from the beginning position. Your empty (weightless right) foot is off the ground and facing away from the center of the circle. During the curved outside right step, ideally: • Your inside (left) foot should remain flat on the ground and not move in any direction. • Your feet will not be parallel at the end of the step forward. The outside (right) foot should be at an inward angle to the inside foot and cross your body's centerline. If you have very thick legs and are walking a large circle, then your foot may not quite c'ross your centerline. • Your outside (right) hip and leg will curve slightly toward the inside to follow the outside curvature of the circle. • The smaller the circle you walk, the larger the curve of the outside step (up to 60 degrees or even 90+ degrees) and the more difficult. Conversely, if you have the space to walk a much larger circle, gentler 15-30-degree curves can be used. • Your weight remains 100 percent on your rear (left) foot. Part 1b: Footbrake

Figure 2.1.14: Footbrake. Your weight remains one-hundred percent on your rear foot and simultaneously: • Your weightless foot continues its gradually curving inward step. • The sole of your entire right foot touches the ground as you move it forward 1- 2 inches, so the friction of the ball of your right foot rubbing the ground brakes your step and stabilizes your balance. • Your feet are at angles to each other and not parallel.



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• Your hips turn just a little more to follow your lead outside foot, but will still be significantly less turned than that foot. • The toes of your outside (right) lead foot should be well past your stationary inside foot upon finishing the foot brake.

Mud Stepping

Heel-Toe Stepping Figure 2.1.15

Mud Stepping or Heel-toe Stepping? Although mud stepping is recommended, feel free to use heel-toe stepping if more appropriate for you.

Part 2: Shift Weight Forward

See Figure 2.1.14. Shift your weight forward and simultaneously: • Push your rear (inside) foot backward into the ground. This should mostly straighten your rear leg, but not to the point of your knee locking. Your rear leg pushes your hips forward until all your torso's weight transfers to your front (outside) leg and foot. • Make sure both feet remain on the ground at the same angles you had when you finished the footbrake.ldeally, neither foot fidgets nor pivots. • Turn your hips slightly if following the curvature of a large circle and quite significantly if following the curvature of a very small circle. At this point, your hips will not quite face in the direction of your forward (outside) foot's toes, but almost.


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Part 3: Bring Rear Foot Side-by-Side and Parallel See Figure 2.1.14 • Bring your inside foot side by side and parallel with your front (outside) foot. • Turn your hips and bring your rear (inside) foot forward so your hips and the centerline of your body face in the same direction as your weighted (outside) foot's toes. • Ideally, the toes of both feet should point in the same direction (or as close as possible). • Your weight finishes 100 percent on your outside leg. • Your inside (left) foot is parallel to and not touching the ground.

THE DIFFICULTIES OF STAYING ON YOUR CIRCLE In the beginning, almost everyone has trouble staying on their circle. Most people find themselves moving closer and closer toward the center. Don't be surprised or frustrated if this happens to you.

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It's very difficult to control the precise amount that your outside foot should curve to follow and stay on your circle. You must

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develop very good spatial awareness and body coordination to do so. Remain very relaxed and aware as you walk. You will develop these capacities mostly through continued practice until your mind and body develop the capacity to walk a true circle. As recommended, you can use outside references, such as marking the center of your circle with a chair··*or putting tape on the ground, to delineate your circle. Eventually, however, you will want to stop using such ou.tside supports. A gooq ,b agua prqctitioner can feel when they are walking li,l true circle ~nd can va' y the size their 'it'~

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Repeat Inside and Outside Steps to Walk Your Circle • Take another full inside straight step. • Then, take another full outside curving step. • Continue alternating straight inside and curving outside steps as you walk around your circle being careful to stay on your circle.

Clockwise Circle Traditional training dictates that a beginner should walk around the circle a minimum ofthreetimes before reversing direction-whether from counter-clockwise to clockwise or vice versa. The next Module includes instructions for changing direction. For now, simply turn around in whatever way you like and position yourself on your circle facing in the opposite direction. Beginning Position: When walking a clockwise circle, begin with feet side by side and parallel to each other. Your right foot is on the inside of your circle toward the center. Your inside (right) foot should be off the ground (empty of weight). The tip of your right shoulder should be pointing directly toward the center of your circle. Be sure to maintain some distance between your inner thighs, which allows your perineum to remain open. Do not let your thighs collapse toward each other.

Inside Straight Step Take a full (right) inside, three-part step until your feet are parallel again with the empty (weightless left) foot's toes pointing outside of the circle.

Curving Outside Step Do a complete curving (left) outside step to the feet-parallel position. Do your best to smoothly turn your hips rather than getting stuck at any point while following the outside curve of the circle. © 2010 Bruce Frantzis-AII Rights Reserved.

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Begin

Part 1a

Part 1b

Part 2

Part 3

Figure 2.1.16 Curving Outside, Three-part Step on a Clockwise Circle

Repeat Inside and Outside Steps to Walk Your Clockwise Circle • Take another inside straight step with your inside (right) foot. • Then, take another full outside curving step with your outside (left) foot. • Continuously repeat a complete inside step followed by a complete outside step and go around the circle. If you are a beginner, practice these steps until you have gone around your clockwise circle at least three times.

Further Reversals of Direction If you are not feeling any strain and can remain within your seventy percent, then turn around one-hundred-eighty degrees to face in the opposite direction (in any way you like). Walk at least three more circles in the counter-clockwise direction. Keep reversing direction and walking circles in this way until you reach seventy percent of your capacity to do more circles. That is until you feel strain of any kind. © 201 0 Bruce Frantzis-AII Rights Reserved.


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How to End a Circle Walking Practice Ending your Circle Walking practice well will yield the most value for time spent. Circle Walking naturally increases and balances the energy running in and through your system. The following instructions will help you gather that increased energy deep inside, where your body will either naturally store it for later use or direct it to wherever you most need it. At the end of Circle Walking: 1. Slowly come to a stop, stand on your circle and face toward the center of your circle. 2. Stand in a comfortable posture and put your hands in front of your belly. Cross your hands with the palm of either hand on the back of the other. 2. Consciously let go of everything in your mind and relax your entire body while maintaining proper body alignments. 3. Allow your mind to become as still and calm as possible. 4. Mentally encourage the energy from your extremities to flow into and concentrate in your belly until your belly feels like it is filling with energy. Use of force would be counterproductive. 5. Use your intent to allow the chi in your lower belly-more specifically your lower tantien-to become relaxed and calm. 6. When the energy collecting in your belly becomes calm, you have completed this fundamental Circle Walking chi-development and meditation practice. 7. Do your best to remain centered for as long as you can, including as you transition into the next event in your practice session or activity in your day.


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Important Considerations Your initial focus in Circle Walking is to open and strengthen your body, physically and energetically. Accordingly, you should walk slowly at first and only gradually speed up to medium speed. Only after your medium speed walking feels very stable should you move on to fast and then very fast walking (generally using two-part walking methods). Circle Walking particularly develops your lower body. If you can get chi moving cleanly in your lower body, then you'll naturally circulate ten times the amount of chi through your whole body than you would by similarly developing your upper body. Strongly opening the chi of the lower physical body and tantien is the ultimate foundation and initial holy grail of chi development in all Taoist arts of chi cultivation. The single most effective way to develop the lower body is to Walk the Circle without arm movements. To uniformly develop the lower body, go around the circle an even number of times in clockwise and counter-clockwise directions-whether you go around part of the circle or completely around it one, two, three, five, ten or one-hundred times. Ideally, all Circle Walking movements should originate in your feet. Ultimately, all arm and waist motions performed in every Circle Walking technique should be initiated by internal movement within the feet. The foundation for such internal movement is to focus on the quality of your steps and the ways in which your steps coordinate with the waist turning. During the outside step, you should maintain your four-points alignments while your waist continuously turns in coordination with your step. This continuous turning of the torso keeps you from getting frozen in any one position. Circle Walking techniques require that your footwork and the turning of your waist mesh together as finely as possible.



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Section 2

Circle Walking Basics Intermediates As you develop your Circle Walking technique, regardless of whether you use a three-, four- or two-part step, you walk slowly at first and only gradually speed up to medium and fast speeds. Before most practitioners can comfortably walk at fast speeds, they must first have a stable foundation of comfortably moving from slow to medium speed. This usually requires a minimum of six months training. Initially, it is recommended to go around the circle three complete times with slow walking before changing direction; then, two times with medium speed walking; and once or less for fast walking. As you pick up your speed, you should also incorporate the following additional principles into Circle Walking: • All parts of your body should move together. In particular, your lower body, from the tips of your toes to the top of your buttocks and lower back, should be connected as one unit. The physical and energetic importance of maintaining such © 201 0 Bruce Frantzis-AII Rights Reserved.

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connections cannot be over emphasized. This is also an essential point in all moving Taoist chi techniques. For example, in terms of alignments the Tai Chi Classics states: When there is a fault, look for the error in the waist and legs [not the upper body]. • Propel your forward stepping actions and stance changes by sinking your pelvis (while maintaining the overall height of your stance), folding the kwa, and tucking the tailbone under and forward. • Regardless of how far the tailbone and pelvis thrust forward, the spine, from the fifth lumbar vertebrate upward to the top of the head, remains straight and perpendicular to the floor. • The final act of propelling your torso forward in each step should feel as though your whole body is thrusting forward from your tailbone to your toes. • Ideally, the opening and closing of your feet should lead and originate, or at least mesh and coordinate with, all waist and hip turning. • Walking should have a uniform speed with a smooth, continuous flow without freezes or jerky motions. This is particularly difficult in the hip-turning transition of the outside leg when you move from being front-weighted to bringing your rear foot parallel with your weighted front foot. With practice and over time, this becomes progressively easier and more possible as the anatomical connections between your legs, pelvis and spine loosen and stretch at their insertion points, and your balance improves. Before you add your arms (techniques of which will be taught from Module 4 onward), it is best to be able to comfortably and easily walk three-hundred circles cumulatively in an uninterrupted practice session. If you wish to strive for excellence, daily practice is recommended.



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The ideal workout is one-hundred circles at a slow walking speed; next, onehundred circles at a medium walking speed; and finally, one-hundred circles at rapid speeds.

Particular Techniques For an intermediate practitioner, there are a few important techniques that will improve your basic Circle Walking.

Slightly Curve Your Inside Straight Step: Thin- and Medium-sized Legs In this technique, as you prepare to take an inside step, you keep the parallel position of both feet, but twist your inside leg inward more than in the introductory technique. You maintain this slightly greater inward twist as you step, resulting in your inside foot being just slightly curved inward as you make your footbrake. Then, maintain this position with your inside foot as you shift all of your weight forward onto it. This variation potentially makes for a more powerful twisting of the legs. It is normally done by those with thin legs and less so by those with medium-sized legs. It is virtually never done by those with extremely thick or muscular legs because it can cumulatively build up too much pressure in the joints.

Figure 2.1.17

Open One Kwa, Close the Other in Your Outside Curving Step A beginner rotates their body around the circle by taking an outside curving step and then turning their hips as they shift their weight forward onto their outside foot. © 201 0 Bruce Frantzis-AII Rights Reserved.

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Intermediates should use a more advanced technique to rotate the body with the circle. When taking an outside curving step, simultaneously open the kwa of the outside leg and close the kwa of the inside leg. This use of the kwa rotates the entire body around the circle using the inside foot, leg and kwa. The more advanced and ideal way to revolve around the circle is to employ your central channel as the rotational axis, which will be discussed in later modules.

Gradually Lower Your Walking Height As your lower body's physical structure and chi gradually strengthen and open over time, progressively sink your chi ever more by lowering your posture from your kwa and allow your buttocks move closer to the ground It is common for most practitioners to lean forward with a straight back as they go progressively lower. Do your best to keep your back as vertical as possible.

Figure 2.1.18 Over Time, Gradually Lower Your Stance © 2010 Bruce Frantzis-AII Rights Reserved.


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Incorporate Neigong Components It can take many months or years to coordinate Circle Walking steps with the basic internal neigong work. For example, initially, neigong within four-part Circle Walking is the same as for four-part, straight-line walking, which involves open. ing and closing the joints and kwa and twisting your legs in and out. More advanced internal work includes opening and closing your cavities, lower tantien, abdomen and spine, as well as moving chi appropriately through various energy channels. All of it must be smoothly programmed into your central nervous system, body and mind. As you gradually increase your stepping speed to medium and fast walking, start to incorporate these additional principles into Circle Walking. Each time you begin to work with a new neigong component, go back through the stages of slow, medium, fast and very fast walking. Although neigong components can feel very awkward and mechanical at first, they will gradually become integrated in your system as the energetic technical points are incorporated into your body-mind. For example, openingclosing and twisting in and out will become a smooth and natural pulsation. Only increase your Circle Walking speed after each incremental junction of incorporating these components into your nervous system are completely smooth and stable.


1 Learning to Walk the Circle - Circle Walking Basics.pdf

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