By Paul Cavel, Posted June 2009

Many people who practice the internal arts completely focus on forward, up/down and left/right because that is what is in their field of vision. Rarely do practitioners place their consciousness behind them. This is a speciality of Gods Playing in the Clouds and bagua because each requires that you really work the sphere. However, becoming conscious of what is behind you is also implemented in tai chi. And, when you have it, you can use it anywhere.

Methodology

There are many methods for developing spherical awareness and spherical operation of your body. Over the next year or so, from time to time, I will offer training aspects so that you can implement spherical work into your practice.

Breathing: When you take a full Taoist breath on the inhale you naturally expand the whole torso (except the chest) like a balloon blowing up. The diaphragm goes down and swells the bowels and lower organs (front, sides and back), and the lungs expand (down, sideways, back and up), causing a ballooning effect.

When your breathing becomes smooth and strong in the body, the whole spine is engaged, lengthening up and down (as the vertebrae separate a little) while the whole spine retracts out of the back of the body ever-so slightly. This spinal activity really gets the chi circulating and is the first stage of increasing your awareness behind you (as we’ll discuss in more detail in the months to come).

You first practice sitting, then standing, in qigong and, finally, in bagua and tai chi. I don’t recommend doing this in bagua and tai chi until it is like putty in your hands because inherent in these arts is uneven pressure on your spine and internal organs. If you are struggling to achieve the breath (i.e. you haven’t released the bulk of the tension in your belly/diaphragm/rib cage) and you practice inside bagua or tai chi you might strain something in your physical body. Conversely, when your system is open and soft, those pressures dissipate and cause a positive massaging effect.

To achieve a full spherical breath, practice each of the following stages for a few days or more before moving on to the next in this order:

1. Breathe into front of diaphragm to expand the belly—chest remains still.
2. Breathe into sides of diaphragm to expand the lower ribs and midriff.
3. Breathe into back of diaphragm to expand kidneys.
4. Breathe into lower lungs and combine the first three stages.
5. Breathe into sides and back of lungs to expand sides and back of rib cage.
6. Breathe into top of lungs to expand the upper back.
7. Breathe into whole sphere combining stages 1 to 6.
8. When the sphere starts to open as one piece, focus on engaging and opening up the spine with your breath.

Of course when you arrive at No. 8, repeat the cycle again, deepening your ability.

I will aspects of spherical work in all of my retreats in Provence this August.

Good luck and don’t forget to enjoy your practice!
Paul

Any physical and/or energetic exercise can carry risks. Do not attempt these exercises if you have any physical, emotional or mental conditions that may make you susceptible to injury.

© 2009 Paul Cavel—All rights reserved.
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