The Eight Neigongs of Baguazhang Nasser Butt

from Lift Hands Volume 18 June 2021 - The Multi Award Winning Martial Arts Magazine

Dr. Gregory T. Lawton

Photography by Sylwia Cichocka

The keys to success in all martial arts are always given to the student at the start — not at the end!

So-called secrets are simply our understanding of the fundamentals of our arts — the more we practice and study, the better our understanding and skill. It really is that simple. Sadly, human nature has a tendency to ignore the near and seek afar. There is an old proverb — ‘If you wish to hide something from a person, place it right under their nose… it is the last place they will look’!

Such is also the case with the Eight Bagua Neigongs1 .

These neigongs are given to a student at the very start of their training, just like the Three Circles in Taijiquan, and are equally neglected by most students in both cases!

These are very powerful neigongs for both the martial and the healing components of Baguazhang and are a far more difficult version than the aforementioned Three Circles of Taijiquan.

First and foremost is the minimum time span. All eight palms are done as a continuous set with each palm lasting five minutes — thereby giving the practitioner a total time of forty minutes compared with fifteen minutes being the minimum for the Taiji qigong. Traditionally speaking, beginners can reduce the amount of time they stand as long as they stand an equal amount of time for each palm. So, for example, a beginning student could stand holding each palm for one minute giving them a total time of eight minutes, and as their ability improves, they can gradually increase the time until the five minutes for each palm is reached.

Further, unlike the Taiji, the palms in Baguazhang are held with a slight tension. The fingers are separated, with the palm held slightly concave — ‘Dragon Palm’ — as well as the forearms holding a small amount of inner tension.

The rules for performing the Bagua qigong are very similar to Taiji with a few subtle differences:

1.The feet are held wider apart — slightly wider than shoulder width with the toes slightly scrunched under. 2.The crown of the head is raised — as if suspended from above. When this is done correctly, the natural result is that of the chin pulling slightly inwards. 3. The tip of the tongue is placed on the upper palate, just behind the front teeth. 4.Breathing is natural. In and out through the nose ensuring that it is executed using the diaphragm and sinking into the tan-tien [lower abdomen]. 5.The back is held vertical with the sacrum naturally tucked under. 6. You sit in the posture, bending your knees until they become aligned with the toes.2 7.Your hands are held in the Dragon Palm by your sides at the start of each posture. 8. As you begin each palm, you will either lead with your fingers or the palm.

The ‘Dragon Palm’

1. Neigong [“internal work”] — some neigong practices can be described as a qigong whilst others can be described as a physical exercise which focus on building proper posture, strength and muscle co-ordination for combat. Some can be described as both — as is the case here. Not all neigongs are necessarily qigongs! 2. There are three ‘basins’ or heights in Baguazhang — these neigongs are performed at the ‘middle basin’ [See Lift

Hands Volume 17 March 2021 — The Art of Dong The Fugitive for a full explanation of the basins.]

Below is a brief description for each palm. The reader is advised to seek out a good instructor and to merely use the descriptions below as a reference or guidelines for one’s own training.

Basic Structure Posture 1 - Starting Position

Palm Number One

This represents heaven. The palm faces up and is said to have the physical ability to heal the head.

Breathe in and as you breathe out you form a Number One palm [Posture 2], raising your arms up whilst leading with your fingers [Posture 3]. Hold the posture for five minutes, you may experience some shaking whilst you stand. As you inhale, imagine the breath coming in through the tips of your fingers, down your arms and sinking into the tan-tien. As you breathe out, imagine the reverse. At the end of the five minutes as you breathe in retract the hands [Posture 4] and return back to Posture 1.

As you begin to breathe out, form a Number Two palm…

Posture 2 Posture 3 Posture 4

This represents earth.

The palm faces down and is said to have the physical ability to heal the mid-abdomen and all the organs in that region.

Again, on the exhalation of the previous breath continue raising your arms up whilst leading with your fingers, [Postures 5/6]. Hold the posture for five minutes. At the end of the five minutes retract your hands back to your side on your in breath and as you begin to exhale, form Number Three Palm.

Posture 5 Posture 6 Posture 7

Palm Number Three

This represents fire and is considered the main fighting palm of Bagua.

It faces outwards and is said to have the physical ability to heal the eyes.

This time as you exhale and raise your arms you lead with your palms themselves [Postures 8/9]. At the end of five minutes, as you inhale retract your arms back to Posture 1.

Posture 8 Posture 9 Posture 10

This represents thunder.

The palm faces slightly inwards, with the fingers tilted upwards at an angle of approximately 45º. It is said to have the physical ability to heal the left side of the abdomen and all the associated organs within that area.

Again, on the out breath as you raise your arms lead with your fingers slightly angled inwards [similar to Taiji’s Three Circles, just with the fingers spread further apart [Postures 11/12]. At the end of five minutes inhale and return back to Posture 1.

Posture 11 Posture 12 Posture 13

Palm Number Five

This represents wind. The palm is held sideways with the fingers pointing forwards and is in-between Palm 4 and 6 in its physical position. It is said to have the physical ability to heal the first seven vertebrae.

Again as you breathe out, raise your arms leading with your fingers straight ahead [Postures 14/15]. After five minutes retract hands as per previous instructions on an inhalation.

Posture 14 Posture 15 Posture 16

This represents water.

It is the reverse of Number Four and the only palm that points downwards. It is said to have the physical ability to heal the kidneys.

Again, on the out breath as you raise your arms lead with your fingers slightly angled downwards [Posture 17/18]. At the end of five minutes inhale and return back to Posture 1.

Posture 17 Posture 18 Posture 19

Palm Number Seven

This represents the mountain.

The palm is held akin to Number Five [Wind], however with the wrist flexed and the fingers pointing vertically upwards. It is said to have the physical ability to heal the neck.

Again as you breathe out, raise your arms lead with your fingers and flex the wrist as if you are chopping with the knife-edge of the palms [Postures 20/21].

Posture 20 Posture 21 Posture 22

After five minutes repeat instructions for previous methods as you retract your hands.

Palm Number Eight

This represents clouds.

The palm is held spiralling outwards with the thumb below and the small finger [pinkie] above. It is said to have the physical ability to heal the right side of the abdomen and all the organs associated within that area.

Again as you breathe out, raise your arms lead with your fingers and spiral the wrists and forearms outwards [Postures 23/24]. This is a difficult posture and requires the rounding of the power band in order to be able to hold it. It is essentially similar to a Number One palm with an outward rotation. At the end of the five minutes,

withdraw your hands on an inhalation, circle them up and as you breathe out, push the palms downwards and stand up back to your normal height.

This concludes the basic standing neigongs of Baguazhang.