Walking Stick Form of Chen Pan-Ling

Walking Stick Form of Master Chen Pan-Ling

A walking stick form was taught by Chen Pan-Ling (1892-1967.) "This form was brought to the U.S. at various times by different martial artists; as such you'll find a few unique flavors of it. The form is practiced in four lines and most count it at around 25-33 postures. Interestingly, since broadsword (saber) moves influenced the form greatly, you can also perform the sequence with a broadsword rather than a stick. This version was brought to the United States at different times by Meng Shan-Fu, Kai Sung, Chen Yun-Ching (1939-), and students of Wang Fu-Lai such as Hiromi Hangai Johnson (www.hiromitaichi.org). Each had their own technique and emphasis. As such, the flavor differs slightly with each practitioner although the moves are basically the same. Chen Yun-Ching, who is a son of Chen Pan-Ling, calls this form "Thunder Stick" and has a DVD available of it through his student James Sumarac and from Plum Publications." This webpage includes six embedded UTube videos. Demonstrations: Video 1 by Dmitry Deitch, Video 2 by Binyamin. According to Marnix Wells, Chen Pan-ling taught Wang Shu Chin the 24 movement walking stick form; but others disagree. "Just my two cents on the walking stick form - it is listed in Mr. Chen's bagua book and several of his other books as a Shaolin form. It is not in the "self invented" section of the forms listing. I assume Chen Pan-Ling learned this form from his father. I have seen Mr. Chen Yun Ching do it a couple of times. It is pretty short." Discussion. The walking stick form taught by Master Chen Pan-Ling has been called a Shaolin, Xing Yi, and Tai Chi stick form by different knowledgeable persons. Vendor: Plum Publications. "In regards to the short stick, when Chen Yun-Ching was here in the States in 2006, he said that his father developed this form (Thunder Stick) in response to villagers that were having problems with stray dogs and bandits. The villagers asked CPL if he could teach them a simple weapon defense form. CPL extracted simple movements from his Shaolin knowledge base and then taught this form so that the villagers could use canes to defend themselves. Besides using a short staff, Chen Yun-Ching actually demonstrated the form with a cane with the hook handle and was very impressive." - Tom Karls. 二十四棍(鐵) 24 stick (walking stick).

Way of the Short Staff (Walking Stick and Cane) By Mike Garofalo. 354Kb.

Does anyone have a list of the names of the 24 movements to this form???

Cloud Hands Blog Posting Schedule

Blog Posting Schedule for 2009
By Michael P. Garofalo, M.S.


Cloud Hands Blog
Mind-Body Movement Arts
Mike Garofalo writes about Taijiquan, Qigong, Hatha Yoga, Walking, and Gardening
http://mpgtaijiquan.blogspot.com/
Posting On: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday


Green Paths in the Valley Blog
Mike Garofalo writes about Gardening, Seasons, Nature, Rural Living, Lore, Wisdom and the Eight Ways
http://greenway.typepad.com/
Posting On: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday


Cloud Hands Website

Spirit of Gardening Website

Walking Stick and Cane Research

Cane Research Project at Valley Spirit Taijiquan

Self-Defense Arts and Fitness Exercises Using a Cane, Walking Stick, or Short Wooden Staff
All documents were created by Michael P. Garofalo, M.S.
Published by Green Way Research, Valley Spirit Taijiquan, Red Bluff, California, 2009

These documents normally include a list of the movement names in the specific cane or short staff form, and the final direction to face for each named movement sequence. Some documents provide detailed descriptions for each of the movement sequences. All documents include some commentary, notes, and a bibliography of books, media, and links. Many of these documents are in Adobe PDF read/print only format. The documentation of this research is an ongoing project of mine in 2009-2011; consequently, many documents are still incomplete. Over time, I intend to provide for each movement: 1) the martial technique used, 2) direction of technique application, and 3) the final leg stance. All of these forms can be practiced with a cane or walking staff under 40" long.

Bodhidharma's Shaolin Cane (Damo Cane, Shaolin Damo Kung Fu Cane). As taught by Master Shi Deyang. 21 movements in 3 sections. List of names and directions.

Cane Research Project and Blog Notes from Michael Garofalo, Valley Spirit Taijiquan.

Cloud Hands Taijiquan Bibliographies, Instructions, Guides, and Research in Taijiquan and Qigong.

Chen Taijiquan Broadsword Form. As taught by Grandmaster Chen Zenglei. 23 Postures/Movements. Practice with cane. List of Names.

Chen Shen-Pu's Taijiquan Short Staff. Created by Grandmaster Chen Shen-Pu, and taught by Shifu Jiang Jian-ye.. 74 movements. List of Names.

Eight Immortals Taijiquan Cane, Routine One, Yang Style of Taijiquan. As taught by Master Jesse Tsao. 36 movements in 10 lessons. List of Names.

Eight Immortals Taijiquan Cane, Routine Two, Chen Style of Taijiquan. As taught by Master Jess Tsao. 36 movements in 10 lessons. List of Names.

How I Use Instructional DVD's to Learn Cane Forms

Martial Arts Techniques for the Cane and Short Staff. Lists, Notes, and Commentary.

Northern Energy Taiji Cane (Beifang Qi Taiji Zhang). As taught by Sensei James Bouchard. 24 movements. List of names and descriptions.

Shaolin Cane. As taught by Shifu Ted Mancuso. List of the names of the movements, and detailed descriptions in 16 Lessons.

Standard Simplified Yang Style Sword Form. 32 movements. Detailed descriptions. Practice with a cane.

Tchoung Ta-Tchen Cane. Created by Grandmaster Tchoung Ta-Tchen. 33 Movements. List of Names.

Thunder Stick Cane Form developed by Chen Pan-Ling and as taught by Chen Yun-Ching. 24 Movements. List of Names.

Way of the Short Staff. Comprehensive bibliography of books, media, links, and resources. Includes research on cane, short staff, walking stick, jo, etc..

Way of the Staff. Comprehensive bibliography of books, media, links, and resources. Includes research on the staff, bo, gun, quarterstaff, pole, etc..

Wudang Tiger Tail Short Staff . As taught by Shifu Jiang Jian-ye. 48 movements in this Wudang Mountain Taoist sort staff form. List of names.

Yang Family Tai Chi Short Staff by Xu Minshan. As taught by Shifu Jiang Jian-ye. 104 postures. List of names.

Tai Chi for Arthritis Workshop, Sun Taijiquan

Tai Chi for Arthritis: An Arthritis Foundation Tai Chi Program
Instructor: Robin Malby
February 28 and March 1, 2009
Folsom, California

For more information please contact Robin Malby.

Cane, Zhang, Short Staff, Taijiquan

Way of the Short Staff.
By Michael P. Garofalo, M.S.

A comprehensive guide to the practice of the short staff, cane, jo, walking stick, gun, zhang, whip staff, 13 Hands Staff, and related wood short staff weapons. A detailed and annotated guide, bibliographies, lists of links, resources, instructional media, online videos, and lessons. Includes use of the short staff and cane in martial arts, self-defense, walking and hiking. Separate sections on Aikido Jo, Cane, Taijiquan cane and staff, Jodo, exercises with a short staff, selected quotations, techniques, selecting and purchasing a short staff, tips and suggestions, and a long section on the lore, legends, and magick of the short staff. Includes "Shifu Miao Zhang Points the Way." Published by Green Way Research, Valley Spirit Taijiquan, Red Bluff, California. Updated on a regular basis since October, 2008. Filesize: 300Kb. Related to Mike's popular webpage on the Staff.

You Cannot Call It Lofty

"The Way has its reality and its signs
but is without action or form.
You can hand it down but you cannot receive it,
you can ignore it but you cannot see it.
It is its own source, its own root.
Before heaven and earth existed it was there,
from the ancient times.
It gave spirituality to the spirits and to God,
it gave birth to heaven and to earth.
It exists beyond the highest point,
and yet you cannot call it lofty;
it exists beneath the limit of the six directions,
and yet you cannot call it deep.
It was born before heaven and earth,
and yet you cannot say it has been there for long,
it is earlier than the earliest time,
and yet you cannot call it old."
- The Crookbacked Woman and the Sage
Chuang Tzu, Translated by Burton Watson, 1964
Crone Taoism

Standing Meditation Postures

"Dear Mike,
I was visiting your web page and I liked it a lot. I saw you know a lot about qigong, I am really interested in Static qigong, I saw you have very good information, probably the best I could find on internet, I wanted ask you about Static qigong, specifically about the mechanisms involved in the generation of energy when you practice standing qigong, I have experienced that I have a lot of energy after do it, and I would like to know the theoretic bases of such effect. I was thinking may be is because the continuous isometric contraction of legs muscles. I heard also from Chinese medicine that sexual energy is kept at the legs, then may be such energy is released during the static qigong meditation from legs and you feel more energized.

I would like hear your opinion.
Many thanks,
Emilio"


Emilio,

If your standing stance is low, then the effect of the isometric exercise for the legs is significant. Also, the deltoids get a lot of work holding the arms up. There is also internal work that is supposed to be going on: microcosmic orbit circulation.

The effect of self-discipline in making yourself stand for long periods is also significant. When you can demonstrate to yourself, on a daily basis, that you can endure and concentrate then this produces energy from the application of willpower. The key to energy, for many, is the Will.

Sexual energy, in my opinion, assuming no physiological problems or the diminishment of libidinal drive due to age, is largely a matter of fantasies and skilled masturbation and/or a creative sexual partner. I see sexual vitality as more of a head issue than a leg issue. Qigong theories about sex seem off the mark to me.

I'm not the best person to speak to about Qigong theories and traditional Chinese medicine theories because 1) I am not an expert on these topics, and 2) I am a skeptic. I do find that the exercises are fun, creative, and valuable; and include lots of Qigong exercise sets in my yoga classes. (Many Yoga theories are likewise quaint, esoteric, and suspect to me.)

I guess, in the end, I think you can keep the baby (exercises) and throw out the dirty bathwater (fanciful theories).

Best wishes,

Mike Garofalo



"Thank for your answer Mike, but my question really was: why I feel so much energy when I practice static qigong, if I compare for example reading or watching TV stand.....something different take place in your body, mind (empty mind, concentration?),,which facilitates the release or movement of energy.... For me this is very interesting but difficult to explain I think...
Regards, Emilio


Emilio,


Few of us stand for 30 to 60 minutes and read or watch TV on a daily basis.

Qigong is normally done in a quiet, peaceful, beautiful area (e.g., in a garden or park or meditation room). You must hold specific postures for long periods of time, breathe in specific ways, clear the mind, use specific imagery (e.g., microcosmic orbit circulation). You must really do it every day, not just talk or wonder or theorize about doing it.

All this concentrating, visualizing, exercising the Will to do so, and holding classic "ecstatic body postures" are energetic enablers, uplifters, endorphic/odiopiod releasers, builders of mind-body power. These practices often cause us to realize that we have great stores of energy within, that we underestimate our natural potentials, that we can exceed our expectations with gusto. Again, the exercise of willpower is Power, and it creates and expands energy. Taiji people speak of Yi leading Qi - Yi is mind and will. Once you decide, focus the will, and act you will find more energy, more energy than you imagined you have.

Mike

Eight Section Brocade Qigong

Recently, I have been studying and practicing the Beifang Qi Taiji Zhang (the Northern Energy Taiji Cane). This form was created by James Bouchard.

The excellent instructional DVD for the Northern Energy Taiji Cane also includes a warm up Qigong routine that is useful for everyone. It will be of special interest to those who practice the Eight Section Brocade Qigong form.

There are eight movements in the Northern Energy Taji Cane Qigong form:

1. Lifting the Sky
2. Press Earth and Sky
3. Drawing the Bow
4. Look Over Shoulder
5. Touch the Earth
6. Bear Swims with Cane
7. Willow Tree Stretch
8. Wave Away Demons.

All movements are done with a cane or short staff held in the hands.
Movements 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7 are done with the legs in a horse stance; and movements 3 and 8 are done in a bow stance.

Cane Martial Arts

My daily practice includes the study and practice of two taijiquan cane forms:

1. Eight Immortals Taijiquan Cane, Routine 1, Yang Style

2. Northern Energy Taiji Cane, Beifang Qi Taiji Zhang


Beifang Qi Taiji Zhang. Instructional DVD, 54 Minutes, 2006. Tai Chi Cane Kata. Developed by James Bouchard. "Beifang Qi Taiji Zhang means 'Northern Energy Taiji Cane.' This exciting original form was created to introduce the cane to Taiji practitioners, and to introduce Taiji principles to martial artists interested in the cane. Beifang Qi includes sets of "Qigong" or "energy exercises", multiple views of the form and a complete section on basic applications. Each movement is named for easy reference and the DVD version includes interactive menus. Beifang Qi Taiji Zhang is appropriate for novices, yet experienced martial artists will find new levels of understanding. Endorsed by Cane Masters International." Video Clip VSCL. Notes. This DVD also includes a warm up Qigong routine that is useful for everyone. It will be of special interest to those who practice the Eight Section Brocade Qigong form. There are eight movements in the Beifang Qi Qigong form: 1. Lifting the Sky, 2. Press Earth and Sky, 3. Drawing the Bow, 4. Look Over Shoulder, 5. Touch the Earth, 6. Bear Swims with Cane, 7. Willow Tree Stretch, and 8. Wave Away Demons.

Traditional Tai Chi Eight Immortals Cane, Routine One. Demonstrated by Master Jesse Tsao. Instructional DVD, 64 minutes. Produced by Tai Chi Healthways, San Diego, 2008. Routine One is based on the Yang Style of Taijiquan. Master Tsao developed this cane form himself, with grandmaster Zhu Tiancai's support.

Way of the Short Staff. By Michael P. Garofalo, M.S. Green Way Research, Valley Spirit Taijiquan, Red Bluff, California. A detailed and annotated guide, bibliographies, lists of links, resources, instructional media, online videos, and lessons. A comprehensive guide to the practice of the short staff, cane, jo, walking stick, gun, zhang, whip staff, 13 Hands Staff, and related wood short staff weapons. Includes use of the short staff and cane in martial arts, self-defense, walking and hiking. Separate sections on Aikido Jo, Cane, Taijiquan cane and staff, Jodo, exercises with a short staff, selected quotations, techniques, selecting and purchasing a short staff, tips and suggestions, and a long section on the lore, legends, and magick of the short staff. Includes "Shifu Miao Zhang Points the Way." Updated on a regular basis since October 2008. File size: 265Kb. Related to Mike's popular webpage on the Staff.

Baguazhang Practice

I really enjoyed returning to Baguazhang practice in Chico today. Sifu Kent Howard led our practice at the Chico Kodenkan dojo. I need to work on my aerobic conditioning more.

Baguazhang (Pa Kua Chang): Bibliography, Links, Resources

Cloud Hands Website

Cloud Hands Website: Taijiquan and Qigong
Bibliographies, Guides, Links, Research, Instructions, Lessons

http://www.egreenway.com/taichichuan/index.htm

My web host, Blue Host, shut down www.egreenway.com from late December to early January because of "script" problems with my old Green Way blog on Word Press. I have no idea as to what suddenly caused this "script" problem with Word Press. What??? Why???

One consequence was that when the Google spider checked the website recently it could not find any files. Google deleted all the links to my "non-existent" documents. It will take a few weeks to get back into Google. Of course, I lost my first page Google ranking for scores of my webpages on taijiquan and qigong. The links were not deleted by the Yahoo search engine.

The Cloud Hands website IS now back ONLINE!!!

Happy New Year

My very best wishes to all for a prosperous and happy New Year.


Karen and I enjoyed a trip to Portland over Christmas week to visit with our children, their spouses, and our grandchildren. The snow and ice in Portland were a dramatic sight.

Lately, we have been very busy with work and home improvements. I have had little or no time for blogging or webpage development.

I accidentally fell a week ago and severely bruised my left knee, and injured my head, neck, and shoulder. Everything but the knee has shown improvement.

My most popular website, www.egreenway.com, was down from late December until today. In 2008, there were 15 million hits on this URL/website, with the most popular websites being the Months website and the Cloud Hands website.

My old Green Way blog on Word Press became completely corrupted and has been lost. How sad!!

Tai Chi Chuan Cane, Zhang, Short Staff Weapon

Way of the Short Staff. By Michael P. Garofalo, M.S. A comprehensive guide to the practice of the short staff, cane, jo, walking stick, gun, zhang, whip staff, 13 Hands Staff, and related wood short staff weapons. A detailed and annotated guide, bibliographies, lists of links, resources, instructional media, online videos, and lessons. Includes use of the short staff and cane in martial arts, self-defense, walking and hiking. Separate sections on Aikido Jo, Cane, Taijiquan cane and staff, Jodo, exercises with a short staff, selected quotations, techniques, selecting and purchasing a short staff, tips and suggestions, and a long section on the lore, legends, and magick of the short staff. Includes "Shifu Miao Zhang Points the Way." Published by Green Way Research, Valley Spirit Taijiquan, Red Bluff, California. Updated on a regular basis since October, 2008. Filesize: 265Kb. Related to Mike's popular webpage on the Staff.

December Greetings

Karen and I went to Portland, Oregon, the Thanksgiving week to enjoy the holiday with our children and grandchildren.

We both have been fighting off the effects of colds and coughs.

I've let some of the newly trained yoga instructors take my classes in December. They need some practical experience.

We have both been busy with working at our regular jobs, and keeping up the house and yard.

A cold late autumn, but, unfortunately, no rain. We are in a drought.

Thanks very much to the kind "friend" that sent me a book and 6 DVDs of the Sun Style Tai Chi Chuan. I appreciate your generosity and positive support.

My Tai Chi Chuan focus has been on learning the Eight Immortals Cane Form, Routine One, and cane exercises and martial arts drills.

We both look forward to our unpaid Winter vacation from school.

I hope to begin a very active walking and Taijiquan exercise program starting tomorrow.

Happy Holidays!!

Learning from DVDs or Videos

"Whereas a form-instruction video is no substitute for a qualified teacher, those who live far from any teacher are still better off learning from a video than if they had no instruction at all. For those who have a teacher, a video can augment and accelerate the learning process. Finally, those who have had prior instruction in internal arts should be able to attain a substantial benefit from a video.

One method of learning a form from a video is to repeatedly do the entire form or blocks of the form along with the video. However, this method is not efficient because there is insufficient opportunity to reinforce each movement. A better way is to refrain from doing movement while watching the video. Rather, it is good to choose a small block of material, watch it a few times. Then, without any major physical action, visualize the sequence of movements as clearly as possible. Next, go back to the beginning of that block of material, and view and visualize it again a few times. Only after clear and complete visualization is achieved should the movements be attempted physically.

At first it will seem extremely difficult to work this way. With persistence, however, it is possible to achieve a level of visualization so intense that the imagined movements are almost as vivid as those seen on a TV screen. The dividends of the process of visualization are twofold: (1) By subduing the physical aspects of movement (e.g., balance, coordination, kinetic sense, timing), you can completely focus the mind on the details of the movement. (2) By cultivating the ability to visualize and mentally encompass complex details, you become increasingly able to observe and learn new movements quickly, especially in situations where it is not feasible to move while observing (e.g., dreams, teacher showing movements while the class watches). Referring to the dimension of self-defense, the more you can observe and mentally encompass the movements of the opponent, the greater the advantage achieved."
- Robert Chuckrow, The Tai Chi Book, YMAA Publication Center, Boston, MA, 1998, pp. 119–120

Refer to my suggestions and remarks about learning the Standard 24 Taijiquan Form using DVDs, videos, and books.