Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Zhan Zhuang


I went through a stage three years ago where I was deeply interested in Qigong training. I found much of what I read interesting and motivating and though my interest didn't last for more than a year, or go very deep into these ancient Chinese art forms, there was one thing I took away from what I had learned, and still practice today.

Zhan Zhuang is often translated as “standing like a tree.”

Trees offer an excellent analogy for meditation, for they grow very still for many years, and yet their lives are extended by this stillness, while humans are very active and die much sooner. The “logic” behind the analogy is that if we are more like trees, a little stiller, a little more centered, we may live longer than we would have if we went about as wild men and women.

A key principle of Qigong is that qi is lost by excessive movement. So to sit still, to slow and deepen the breath, and to conserve sexual energy (for men) is to keep more of our natural qi and to reinvigorate both body and mind.

So to practice Zhan Zhuang is to stand like a tree, a bit rigid in that the body does not move, but in a state of relaxation so that the muscles do not tense up and the arms, legs, and core can maintain the pose for more than a few minutes.

I have not personally encountered a more powerful meditation. Ten minutes of standing in Zhan Zhuang is as good, if not better, for clearing my mind, relaxing my body, and instilling in me confidence, than sitting for an hour in Zazen (seated meditation).

Zhan Zhuang is a very challenging exercise. It is not passive like sitting meditation. It is active like Yoga, but Zhan Zhuang requires a greater mental fortitude. To stand seemingly against the body which wants to quit, ignoring shaking limbs and the bored mind.

Because of this, I have always found a greater focus and concentration while practicing Zhan Zhuang than I have had practicing Zazen or Yoga. The pain is a catalyst for the spiritual and mystical mind. I have flirted with great clarity and deep insights after only twenty or thirty minutes of standing, and yet the practice takes an incredible will-power to maintain day after day.

It seems that with it I can approach the door of the mysterious, only to be turned away by my own distractions. I never give up, even if I don't practice for weeks at a time. I always return, spurred on by my initial interest in Qigong to discover something more than myself.

So I continue toward mastery of one of the most difficult meditations.

There are some very interesting and informative resources across the internet concerning Zhan Zhuang. Just Googling it reveals a growing interest in this meditation. Martial artists seem especially fond of it because of the promise of strength.

Master Lam Kam Chuen has a series on Youtube called “Stand Still, Be Fit.” He details Zhan Zhuang over the course of a ten videos, each around 11 minutes long. His book “The Way of Energy” is an excellent compliment to the video series.

Stand Still, Be Fit



Below are three informative articles detailing different points of view of Zhan Zhuang.


Try it. Incorporate Zhan Zhuang into your current practice. Use it to discover God, strength, or inner peace. See what happens; even if it's just to see if you can!

13 comments:

  1. So fascinating, J.R.! I will definitely look into this form of meditation.
    Still reading and liking your novel - just haven't had much time the last few days to make more progress. :)
    Blessings!

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    1. Hey, J.R.
      I visited here again tonight and went through the exercise, giving myself more time to feel it, to embrace it. I only delved into it briefly on my first exposure, but have to share this: today, at the gym, I was able to handle the eliptical machine with greater ease. I noticed, all day, that my posture was naturally straight and relaxed at the same time. I returned again tonight to repeat the motions. Oh, just wow! My husband has recurring back problems, so will teach him this exercise. Also, I have osteoporosis and have had to recently go off of some medication that, while it helps back and hip bones, could be detrimental to my jaw bones. I'm praying this new technique will aid in curing me, and Danny, from within just like a tree.
      I can't thank you enough for sharing this. I do believe it is a God send!
      Blessings always, my friend!

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    2. That inspires me, Martha. I hope it continues to help!

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  2. Very interesting. I have always liked stillness but had no idea it was a type of meditation. Then again, I don't try to be quiet in my mind so much as being still in order to listen to the world around me.

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    1. Stillness is a cornerstone of many meditation practices, even Yoga. I love focusing on the world, actually seeing it. Most of the time I think I and others don't really see what is there because we're so caught up in what we "think" is there, so stillness is very important and it's awesome that you've arrived their intuitively!

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  3. I turn to music and a glass of wine to mediate - I know, what a heathen, however I have to say this form of practice does look intriguing (much harder than listening to music and sipping a glass of merlot).

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    1. I still meditate with music. I love turning the lights out late and night, putting on headphones and listening to Pink Floyd or Guns N' Roses. It's an incredible experience that helps me stay in the moment. Zhan Zhuang is great, too, because it allows me to shift gears a bit from what I usually do, and so I at least don't get bored ;)

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  4. This sound very interesting, I am going to try, between changing diapers, coping with a pubescent young man, and the lost 6 year old to read up on it and watch the videos. I feel this could be very helpful to me especially now. I love the stillness of nature and the sounds I do hear. I often stand in my backyard and "travel", I am always in a better frame of mind when I come back to my world.

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    1. I know the feeling, Jan! Whenever I finish any type of meditation I feel so much better about myself and the world. It's like I regain my perspective on things.

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  5. JR Nova, this is very intriguing to me. I will have to do a little more reading on meditations. Thanks for sharing! Great post ☺

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    1. You're welcome, Mary. Read up on it, at least that's "interesting" :D

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  6. I would like to look more into this. Thanks for your recommendations. I will try it some time, hopefully when I find time. Life is too fast-paced! And that is why we all need meditation! Take care, JR, and thank you always for your advice and great blogs!

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