Iron Shirt Chi Kung
Iron Shirt Chi Kung
Whether you are a student or an expert ... practice is key. A practice session can be completely ineffective if the body has not been properly prepared to process the energy it is supposed to absorb.
Energy absorption and its processing is the main goal of iron shirt training.
The term ‘warm up’ means to get chi and blood flowing and circulating through the body. Warm up exercises are especially important for parts of the body that are rarely stretched ... such as the spine and sacrum.
It is very important to pay attention to the body's messages during the various exercises. The aim is not to overstretch or overdevelop the large muscles, but to loosen and open the joints so that chi and blood can flow without obstruction. We should always remember to develop slowly, safely and naturally.
In Iron Shirt Chi Kung we learn to restore the natural structure of the body. In other words: We discover how to utilise the strength of the lower Tan Tien, the perineum and the spine to stand in a stable, powerful and unstressed way.
What is Iron Shirt Chi Kung?
Iron Shirt Chi Kung is the ‘martial arts’ aspect of the Universal Healing Tao® System®.
This branch of the system develops inner strength and a well-trained body through simple but very effective techniques that produce chi (qi) which can then be stored in the body. Iron Shirt training develops a relaxed, open but strong body structure that is aligned with the forces of heaven and earth. The iron shirt techniques help us to establish strong roots with the earth and keep the body centred and balanced.
Chi kung, or qigong, is a form of internal alchemy that includes mind, chi power and breathing exercises. Practitioners learn to detoxify the body and promote the circulation of energy in order to condense and store it. The strengthened chi is then re-circulated through the body and re-compressed into the organs, glands and muscles to keep them healthy and strong.
In order to penetrate the deeper emotional layers of the body, all Iron Shirt Chi Kung and breathing exercises should be practised with full attention. The aim is to prepare the body for higher, spiritual energies.
(Thomas Meewes 2002)
Iron Shirt Chi Kung (Ironshirt Chi Kung) is part of the Internal Martial Art training line in the UNIVERSAL HEALING TAO System® of Grand Master Mantak Chia.