Qigong, Meditation, and Soul Talk Vids

Bagua, eight trigram Chinese boxing is interwoven with the Book of Changes (I-Ching). The I-Ching describes the microcosm of the universe and principles of nature and changes. Modern science research and test the 64 hexagrams (64 possibilities) within the I-Ching to decode the binary symbols, unraveling hidden perspectives on human DNA formation, natural processes of changes, transitions, and transmutations. They compare their findings with the classics, often finding similarities. The dragon within oneself contains the keys to unravel the hidden, mysterious codes found in Bagua symbolism and within the martial arts context. By dancing and freeing oneself; keeping the principles of Bagua in balance between intent and conscious flow; an inner-alchemist or a mystic can unravel action-potential while practicing such forms. My understanding of the I-Ching is based on the following question to self, "how does one achieve stillness or oneness amidst movement or chaos in life?" So, stillness within movement or moving while still, is one of the mystery codes unraveled within the school of Bagua and the I-Ching, from my personal journey.

Disclaimer: This is not traditional Hsing-Yi Chuan. Sometimes, you must freestyle and let loose outside the box. This is me at 49, rusty, and having had not practiced outside on imbalanced soil in a long while. As per the I-Ching, how do you find stillness, in the midst of change or chaos? It's not perfection, I seek, but of balance and flow. Perfection is when one no longer seeks and allows to unravel who they really are to themselves, versus who they perceive themselves to be reflected back onto others. So, this is Hsing-Yi snake, one of a 12 animal system. Hsing-Yi is defined as "shape of the heart-mind." Not just the heart mind connection, but shape, intent (yi), or also embodiment as in form. How does one align mind, body, soul? Well, Hsing-Yi is the attributed kung fu ascribing to this journey of self. I never have a problem showing myself when rusty. I also want to also demonstrate that 49 is simply a number. I am rusty the same as if I was in my 20s. I will continue to post freestyle or traditional hsing-yi forms or qigong, as I progress. For me, practicing on a camera with no help, makes me feel boxed in. Lol! So, this is my new form, to continue to record every once in a while. Stay tuned friends. Oh, I felt the need to add this. It is common for many to say that I am dancing and that this may not be real fighting. I get that, plus please know that any videos cannot prove one way or the other, imo. My journey in the fighting art of hsing-yi began in 1989. My Sifu "Talim" or "T" in Paterson, NJ had me fighting boxers and streetfighters to anyone willing to, in the park. Supervised by him, of course. No gloves, no gear. Except common non spoken courtesy of going light in the face, most of the time. I really had no choice, btw, lol! It was part of my training. I have tested my fighting for personal and spiritual gain and knowledge, with both the will to win and to lose. I have cross trained with other styles of "hard" kung fu practitioners with the knowing that this is how I will learn what works and what doesn't. When something didn't work, I didn't discard that technique. I simply humbled myself and kept training and kept applying myself with that particular technique in future sparring or fighting sessions, per se. No, I wasn't aware of MMA in the 90's lol! Believe you me, I would have tested myself and evolved both ground fighting and anti-ground fighting against a real cage fighter. I had tested myself with sifu's from other lineages with the highest regard, humbly speaking. Part of me always felt I could beat them, the other part always asked them, "don't hurt me." Lmao!!! The art of losing is kung fu, imo. In my early twenties, I was a NJ licensed Bail bondsman and an actual bounty hunter for several years. Oh, I definitely fought in the hood and around the projects and trained to arrest and apprehend fugitives without trying to harm them or myself, the same. I went by the name of "Panther," in my old stomping grounds of Paterson. Most know of the movie "Lean On Me." Morgan Freeman playing the high school principal, Joe "Batman" Clark. That was my high school. Word!!! Lol.. But, for me, the art of "hurting" someone in self-defense in such a way, so that perhaps they can be my student in the fighting arts student someday, was and still is my walk. Hopefully this made sense. Train gracefully, friends. :)

Hsing-Yi Chuan Tiger is one of a 12 animal fighting system. A system proven in guerrilla system warfare within Chinese history that's arguably over 2,000 years old. I glance at the camera here and there, Lol! I don't mean to, I'm getting used to staying within the parameters of a still camera. And no, the camera is not being sped up. I wouldn't know how to do this, even if I could. I am working out my rust as of late and am naturally faster than this. With time, and with practice, future videos will show this.

This particular lineage of Hsing-Yi Tiger is more about training and practicing the physical body. In a classroom setting, one begins to train the dragon body, or the "kung-fu" body, which are different senses of inner and physical cultivations depending on your chosen system. Although you may not be able to see, because I am wearing loos fitting clothing, the power of Tiger is emitted from the communication between the hips and the lower lumbar. The mingmen (or the Kidney fire portal, Du4), is trained to contract and expand in relationship to the hips. Once one can place attention there, over time, it becomes conscious not different than you being conscious in your ability to move and utilize your arms or legs. The power from the Lower Dantien is potentiated here, when training Tiger. The next level in training is when you raise this consciousness up the back and spine and projected this generated action-potential Qi (vital life force energy) out the arms and palms into the opponent in the form of a tiger pouncing on them. As in this particular practice. In practice, with a participating partner (such as in class), one trains to attack and control the receiving person's mingmen (lower back) area as well. Like chess, this is not easy, but with patience, practice, you begin to cultivate the ability to strike the opponents chest or upper body, and the energy of intent will be emitted from your mingmen to their mingmeng (lower back). Done correctly, although the double palm strike appears to be horizontal into the opponent, instead of them being pushed backwards with your force, they collapse in an almost 45-degree angle into the ground. Yes, easier said than done, but this is why one would train and cultivate.

In the advanced levels of Hsing-Yi you begin to naturally invoke the spirit of the animal you are training in. So, in tiger, you are also establishing tearing or separating energy. The person receiving the double palm strike will also feel the tearing of the double palms, again also coming from the lower and upper back of the person emitting this technique, per se. Keep training, friends :)

Ok, so I began to record maybe the first 4 (of 8) palm changes. Due to environmental conditions of uneven soil, this activated my primary instincts of following no rules, Lol!! So, I did what I enjoy doing, when on camera, non-traditional freestyle. On purpose, and Idk why on camera, I tend to find uneven soil, especially when demonstrating Hsing-Yi or Bagua. This one is for me. This challenges my mind and body to "perform" under any conditions. I know Bagua players and practitioners understand exactly where I'm coming from. Also, I am recording myself, so I am still practicing remaining within the camera limits. Like a butterfly, I will flutter away into different lands when practicing, if I am not mindful. Lol! So, this alone is a challenge for me. But I will continue my mindful practice, right? :)

Bagua Zhang, translated as 8 Trigram Boxing, is a complete internal Chinese fighting system. I wanted to post a short vid of my rusty arse self along with not putting the energy into cleaning out the twigs around the little tree, Lol! That is the beauty of Bagua, btw. Is to train and practice especially when the elements aren’t perfect. The first clip is me getting used to the footwork and not tripping or falling. This is the essence of the I-Ching, the esoteric essence of Bagua. I-Ching is the art of change, meaning just as I practiced on a windy day, one cannot control the elements and sometimes the body when it has other plans of its own, lol. The essence of Bagua within its core training is to accept adversity and change, and to become one with this. Training with partners who also add non-compliance, such as in sparring is just as important, imo, as training solo, if you are fortunate to have this opportunity. I was freestyling 1 of the 9 palaces. One day, when I have the land or space, I will create a video with 9 posts, trees, or people demonstrating drills of 9 opponents by walking around 9 palaces. The essence of Bagua is fighting multiple opponents at the same time requires the same acceptance as receiving one opponent. Seems impossible? Well, that’s why we train Lol! :) Yes, Bagua was the style of Kung Fu known for training Imperial Palace Bodyguards who trained to take on multiple attackers who had weapons. Only the best of the best trained within this inclusive system at this level. Not my level, but this level of earning and acquiring such high and secret training from masters. Lastly, In both Shing-Yi Chuan and Bagua Zhang the entire body is trained as a weapon just like a fist. So, the shoulders, hips, back, arms, legs, and feet can be trained in to offer as attack or receive. Whole body is functioning as one. My shoulder strikes in this vid above are also receiving as in blocking. I would say I was "shadow boxing" with a tree. Btw, that weird hand gesture at the end?? I noticed a Circadia appearing on the tree to greet me. 🙂

For thousands of years ascended Qigong Masters have trained in an ageless wisdom practice, known to cultivate human-potential. Within these teachings were activations and inner alchemical integrations, once kept secret to the outside world. These Masters would pass down this wisdom to a selected chosen few, called ‘closed-door’ students. Such wisdom is found hidden within systems of Kung Fu and Qigong; while the ‘open-door’ students would remain oblivious to the hidden magic of these practices. This lineage of Shing-Yi comes from the late Sifu Kenny Gong’s lineage. I have been fortunate to begin my Shing-Yi journey in 1989. To awaken the dragon using inner-alchemy Qigong and meditation arts is to re-activate the action-potential of your DNA, which contains key codes of ascension, the memory of one's unique soul journey, and true origins. Your spine provides the physical structure for your Qi (Divine Masculine/Heaven’s energy) and Kundalini (Divine Feminine/Mother Earth’s energy), which circulates within your micro-orbit circuit, bringing new awarenesses into every cell of the body via the nervous system. To awaken the action-potential of the spine, is to activate and awaken the sleeping Dragon not yet known by the conscious mind, lying dormant until you are ready to fully walk your path. This sacred practice can open up one’s potential to awaken their DNA, and begin healing at the deepest level. With dedication to your highest self in practice, one's metaphysical healing gifts and psychic abilities are enhanced through a more intimate connection with the universe, a connection experienced in the temple of the body, in the here and now. Shing-Yi (Hsing, Xing), Bagua, Tai Qi, are complete systems capable of helping you ascend to your higher self, and from within. Unfortunately, many “so called,” Masters and Sifus post such powerful systems and even though they are lineage holders, they fail to properly download the inner-alchemy of such powerful and rare systems. I didn’t say all, or most, just many, Lol. ***Disclaimer*** The intention of the video is not to display traditional Kenny Gong’s system or lineage, and as would be taught in a school setting. My intention is to display my movements, my experiences and interpretations interwoven as an intent to display my dance, per se. Which is the awakening of my dormant or hidden dragon, per se. And I offer to demonstrate and for others to do so in return (and in their way); that it’s okay for Marcus to express this beautiful and rare system and in the way that it continues to integrate within my soul’s imprint. Also, bear in mind I was recording myself with no help, and in the natural elements. Recording within limited video recording parameters is new and foreign to me. This is how I improve, by doing such videos. I did my best in not tripping or falling over a twig, Lol! I tend to keep my bloopers or imperfections. I try not to edit this out. This brings me a sense of release and joy, and reminds me that I am indeed human 🙂

🐉Year of the Wood Dragon, 2024!!! I know the New Year is next week, but the Dragon waits for no one, and she is not confined to time. The Dragon is a reminder for us to transcend time within us. To venture into, to fall, and eventually fly into new dimensions of reality with both your creative mind, your heart, and your will. I can’t show you my inner journey, but I can remind you of your magic, your gifts, your vibrance, your passions. Be a ‘Hidden Dragon,’ no more!! Whether you succeed or fail, we all need to see you shine as bright as your fire burns, always within you. Soul, we really need you. You are who helps us all ascend beyond the realms of aspirations and hope. Be the one, you asked for it, you earned it, and now you have it. Doubt has no more space within your reality. You are a clean vessel. Only your shadows hold you back. This is nothing more than your mind holding you to your past. So, let’s go, register in and return to the present!! Remind the stars in the Universe what you are made of!!! 🐉