The ancient name for Ba Gua Yi Qiu Gong is Lu Zu Ba Gua Yi Qiu Gong. Ba Gua indicates Taoism's eight directions trigram information concerning the relationship between nature and humans and the universe. Yi indicates intention, Qiu means in the shape of a ball. Gong indicates capacity.
Practicing Ba Gua Yi Qiu Gong is training to deliver Xin of information and Ling of soul, for healing, and connecting to nature.
There are standing, sitting and walking techniques. The Ba Gua Yi Qiu ball may be invisible, red, yellow, white, black or green, representing the five elements. The color of the ball will depend on each person.
Perform this practice whenever you need to move the body or the Shen and Ling of soul will be activated your movements. 1. Standing and sitting practice
Stand in the open in a field, lawn, or near trees, squat down naturally, straighten the spine and place your hands on thighs, the lips lightly closed and teeth touching each other and the tip of the tongue behind the front teeth, or sit with legs cross, keep the eyes open, remain quiet and relaxed.
The palms face each other; move the palms apart as though you hold a beach ball opening up a space for your ball between your palms from shoulder to waist. Keep the eyes and Yi and Nian focused into the center of the ball, with the distance between the palms constant, turning the ball, spinning the ball down and up, clockwise or
counterclockwise, or left and right in front of your body, between the palms with a fluid motion.
Illustration of Ba Gua Yi Qiu Gang standing and sitting practice:
2. Movement step practice
There are two movements which are geometric shapes that happen at the same time in this practice. The first one is a circle representing the sky and earth square; the second is Tai Ji Yin Yang movement, adding the Ba Gua Yi Qiu invisible ball to the Yin and Yang circle that the legs are performing. (1) Sky circle and Earth square
In this practice you will exchange Xin of information and Ling of soul with sky and earth. Sky is represented by a Yang circle; Earth is represented by Yin square; practice the Qi Yang circle and Yin square of harmony.
Stand on an open field, a lawn, or near trees and squat keeping the spine straight. And place your hands on your thighs, lips lightly closed and teeth touching each other and your tongue against the soft palate and behind the front teeth, eyes open. Remain quiet and relaxed.
Place the palms face to each other, open up the distant as far as shoulder, the concentrated Yi and Nian there is a ball between the hands and eyes are focus into center of the ball, keeping palms face to each other and distant, turning and circling the ball forward down and backward up, clockwise or counterclockwise, or left and right in front of body. Keeping palms face to each other and same distant and hands fellow the ball move.
The left foot steps to number 1, representing the earth, the right foot steps to number 2 representing the sky, the left foot steps on number 3 and the right foot steps on 4, the left stops on number 5 and right one stops on number 6, the left foot stops on number 7 and right one steps on 8.
Repeat beginning with the right foot.
The sky circle and earth square movement can begin with either a turn to the right or a turn to the left.
Illustration of sky circle and earth square stepping pattern:
In this practice you exchange Xin of information and Ling of soul with Yin and Yang.
Stand on an open field, a lawn, or near trees and squat keeping the spine straight. Place your hands on your thighs, lips lightly closed and teeth touching each other and your tongue against the soft palate and behind the front teeth, eyes open. Remain quiet and relaxed.
The palms face each other; hands are at shoulder width apart. Use the concentrated Yi and Nian to feel the ball between your hands. Focus the eyes towards the center of the ball, keeping the palms facing each other. Maintain this distance between the palms, turning and circling the ball forward down and backward up, clockwise or counterclockwise, or left and right in front of body. The palms continue to face each other and hold the same distance, as the hands follow the ball's movements.
Begin with both feet on the center of (5). The left foot steps straight to (1), right foot curls to step into (2), the straight left foot steps into (3), curled right foot steps into the (4), the straight left foot steps back into the center (5), the straight right foot steps into the (6), the curled left foot steps into (7), the straight right foot steps into the (8), the curled left foot steps into the (9), the straight right foot steps into the center (5) and the left foot follows the right into the center square (5), stand with both feet on (5).
Repeat the entire series with the right foot or counterclockwise beginning the pattern.