Internal Arts Lab Curriculum 

 

4-Step Nei Gong Sequence

• Get the qi into Heart Chakra, Song, (say, “Hmm, Huh, Hahaha”)

  • Cross stretch posture: Samson pushes wall of temple apart filling heart chakra and middle dantien (energy reservoir)

  • Physical heart becomes more vertical

  • Lift and straighten entire circulatory tree

  • Decompress upper and middle spine

• “Tendon Changing” from Microcosmic Orbit (MCO means circuit formed front and back midline channels)

  • Sink the qi-energy filling lower dantien (say, “Ommm”)

  • Koala bear hugs the tree (hold the chest ball posture)

  • Conception Channel from MCO = All tension releases down the front

  • Form the pill

• Ming Men- Ming means destiny; also relates to your center and low back

  • Koala bear hugs the lower ball (hold the belly ball posture)

  • Reverse abdominal breathing, expanding the back

  • Dan tien: Dan (pill) into tien (lower field)

  • Decompress lower, then entire spine & head

  • Vibrate the qi (activate the pill)

  • Main branch of Central Channel, the true midline influencing all chakra and dantien centers activates

• “Bone Marrow Washing”

  • Governor Channel from MCO = Structure vertically aligns up the back

  • Curious organ activation*

  • Expand bio-field: Clean, thicken and whiten the aura

 

Nei = internal, Gong = work or skill acquisition  It is a study in how to get the qi-energy quickly and abundantly. Internal alchemy may be summarized as expanding then condensing our energy body and in the process, releasing tension and cleansing our deepest body-mind recesses. Shao yin (lesser yin, heart-kidney meridian) contains these functions; heart energy is expansive while kidney yin is contractile. These are the two basic motions of the universe of which we are microcosm. It is the fire (heart) and water (kidney) meditation.

 

*The curious organs in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) include the gallbladder, uterus, brain, marrow, bones, and blood vessels. These organs are unique as they function like yin organs by storing essence but have the shape of yang organs, being hollow.

 

Clearing the Midline Channel & 3 Branches

• • Main branch trajectory is from pelvic floor to crown of head. Extends as “antenna” above the head and below to earth. Begin in Wuji (hands down) posture

    • Head- tip chin down to a position where we feel slight pressure on top of head

    • Hips- shift back to position where weight leaves ball and heel simultaneously. Feel as though you can jump up

    • Elbows- stop leaning back until feel elbows lift away from body and slightly forward of shoulders. Feels as if leaning forward

    • Fingers spontaneously straighten and toes curl

  • Clearing hips clears legs, as well (lower extremity branches of central channel. Legs also access the spinal branch of central channel)

    • Hold the box = internal rotation of hips

    • Open elevator doors = external rotation of hips

    • Wuji posture clears pelvic floor, use Lean forward as necessary to open Tiger’s Jaw

  • Koala Bear Posture = this time means diaphragm, Thoracic 7

  • Shoulders (hips, shoulders to crown of head comprise side-branches of central channel)

    • Collapse elbows to body curling little fingers towards shoulders

    • Feel index fingers straighten and point forward extending first wrists, then elbows 

    • Thumbs take over as Tiger’s Jaws open and hands move to sides palms face up at shoulder level*

  • Atlas: top neck bone. *Clears spinal cord movement into/out from head

  • Ba Hui (Gv-20, crown wisdom chakra). Access universal energy 

    • Palms lift weight of the heavens and turn downwards facing top of head. Limit movement to mostly elbows flexing

    • Sink down to palms overlapping on body just below navel

 

Your midline is the central avenue for distributing your energy. It is likened to fast moving highway and called the Grand Thoroughfare. It coordinates your verticality and connects you to heaven and earth. It is the main mechanism of mind-body connection. All of the midline channels- the MCO and Central Channel’s main branch is activated in the neigong sequence.

 

Wuji means emptiness. It is the potential energy contained at the center of your lower dantien which also your physical center of gravity. We connect to our center for efficient movement, creativity and intuition. Both your aura or bio-field, and sense of being originate here. 

 

Microcosmic Orbit (MCO) and Counterforce 

• • Internal forces

    • Treat yourself or others through counterforce and MCO:

    • Use hand mudra to find tight, immobile area. Mentally scan body observing your hands response

    • Find access chakra: causes change in balance

    • Correct in Wuji posture: mentally move through access chakra to problem area. Watch hand open and mobility return

    • Shake out remaining tension

  • External forces  

    • You vs gravity: Find MCO balance point at Gv-20 atop the head 

    • You vs patient, partner/opponent: extend your MCO as a loop to balance against their force

      • You can balance against them leaving them stationary or

      • You can extend counterforce beyond them sending them away

  • “Open the joints” = whole-body coordination

    • Coordinate movement from the hips and lower spine to foot and hand

    • Taiji Ruler: coordinate as above allowing ruler to join your arms so they act as one

  • “Thaw the fascia” = increase conductivity by decreasing obstructive tension

    • Song = Special quality of relaxation while maintaining structure or form. Tension blocks energy flow

    • Go back to heart chakra cross stretch. Observe energetic fullness in heart chakra and song in arms  

  • Inflation, deflation and connecting to our partners fascia 

    •  Using heart-mind (Xin) from awareness center in chest rather than cognitive center in head

    • After they grab your wrist, place your mental focus and energy on their fascial tension line in their forearm 

    • “Intend from the heart” and vital energy will inflate and flow through arms

    • Twist to bypass contact point and open your joints all the way to your fingertips 

      • Inflate to somewhere within their body

      • Deflate to point in space outside their body

      • It works as long as mind (origin of intention) is anywhere but in the head or the point of contact

      • Two have become one and their energy body responds to your direction

 

MCO provides for our balance as counterforce in the field of gravity and when external forces impinge upon our midline. It needs to be flexible so that we can balance in multiple positions and with an infinite variety of possible forces accrue. Physical injuries and changes in our thoughts or emotions can alter this balance. It is also a conduit between the deeper energy centers and the organ-meridian pairings.

 

To intend from the heart means to control your vital qi energy from your awareness. Your mental energy is electric in nature. When we think rationally, logically, discriminatively i.e., using cognition our mental energy is centered in our head. When we use primarily awareness this electric energy is centered in our chest. We can control the distribution of this mental energy which can act like cysts when the residua of injuries and other insults fail to discharge.

 

To make use of our vital qi energy which is magnetic in nature, we must first sink it to our lower dantien (the lower energy reservoir in our abdomen). Then, if we can stop thinking we can use our awareness to control this magnetic energy. In this way we can connect to another person and become one on the energetic level. One mind, two bodies. Any separation resulting from individual “I” awareness blocks this ability to connect. This applies to any therapy as well as martial arts, dance, etc. 

 

Taiji Ruler

• • Lower Dantien rotation

    • Forward rotation of lower energy center 

    • Belt meridian 

      • Provides direction and impetus

      • Turning the waist and PTSD 

    • Reducing lumbar lordosis (swayback)

    • Smooths and coordinate hip motion facilitation proper weight shifting 

    • Sinks the qi 

  • Middle Dantien rotation

    • Backward rotation reduces thoracic kyphosis (hunch back)

    • Facilitates coordinating our arms as one

  • Figure 8 or infinity symbol: Coordinates our energy centers

  • Tai Chi Tsu or Yin-Yang symbol: Rotation of lower dantien speeds our personal evolution 

 

Applications: Energy Discharge and Joint Manipulation

• • Fascia most reliable 

    • Inflation- deflation

    • Grab the fascia

  • Heart: Fire

    • Middle Dantien 

    • Electromagnetic force 

  • Lower Dantien: Water, most common 

    • Taiji Quan, Xing Yi and Yiquan IMA’s

    • Chinese martial arts concept of momentum

  • Shen = spiritual body

    • Upper Dantien

    • Aura, halo, antenna 

 

Walking Meditation 

• Test centerline static

• Correct centerline as needed

• Test centerline walking

  • From shoulders

  • From hand, chest  

• Walking meditation 

• Practice core movement from wrist x3 solo then partner. Repeat 

• From centerline to walking meditation and back