the rum soaked fist: internal martial arts forum

Thanks for the long description and reflection.

I like to 'spa' my feet as well. It started from over-use, over-use injuries, and other injuries. Even just separating the toes or doing "toe yoga" and "build" the "song" as well as structures/alignments from the ground up is interesting and helpful. Which makes me think that "fangsong" when there are pre-existing injuries or structural conditions is a bit harder, especially in the mechnical/structural/muscle aspects. How do you "sink" into your "kua" if there are some various injuries? For a while, I just tried to "follow the qi" and sink the qi as I need to build up my qi imho, and because it's somewhat "easier" to have the outside follow the inside. If I have the qi follow my yi, my limb (for example) already feels "song". But that doesn't necessarily address issues from some kind of injury or weakness, at least not at my level.

everything wrote:Thanks for the long description and reflection.

Which makes me think that "fangsong" when there are pre-existing injuries or structural conditions is a bit harder, especially in the mechnical/structural/muscle aspects. How do you "sink" into your "kua" if there are some various injuries? For a while, I just tried to "follow the qi" and sink the qi as I need to build up my qi imho, and because it's somewhat "easier" to have the outside follow the inside. If I have the qi follow my yi, my limb (for example) already feels "song". But that doesn't necessarily address issues from some kind of injury or weakness, at least not at my level.

I'm healing from Plantar fasciitis atm (caused by a split-second loss of attention and a pot-hole....almost as though a harsh master is invisibly taking the piss) but I still have to work and walk. What I found that helped was that although the sense of fangsong was obvious out of balance and interupted, a return to basic basics helped re-establish equilibrium in time. That is (IMH experience) to stop overthinking it and to return to senses of 'head-up/spirit raised', tailbone sensing inwards and concentrate on breaths of dantien. Nothing else and eventually evrything seems to be re-establishing its proper perspective and architecture including center of balance lowering to the hips.

Does it work on its own? Do we make it work? Is it just doing what it does naturally?

I don't know.

We have to work with our own bodies and our own energies I suppose, and just find whats right, natural and comfortable for ourselves ?