This Lonely Journey

Dr Gregory T. Lawton

I am in search of a kindred soul, Of whom I am the consequence of, And who understands that to be misunderstood Is the only path to eternity.

In every moment of every day that passes by I dream of a journey that takes me to the end, But if it is only in dreams that we travel We are lonely birds that never leave our nest.

If this separation is the eclipse of our love Let me be the first light to shine again, Let me be the moon that mirrors your love, Let me be the gravity that pulls upon your heart.

If my changing to dust would diffuse light in the world I would set myself on fire and burn away to ash, I would scatter myself on the southern winds

In the hope of becoming a vernal star.

Why have you cast me away on waves of time and space, Why have you sentenced me to drift within this emptiness, Why have you left me alone and forsaken, Why am I lost in my constant longing to understand you?

If we are to be one soul, one substance, Then release me to dissolve into nothingness, And to sleep until I awaken to your love...

For nothingness is preferable to living life without knowing true love.

About the author-

Dr. Gregory T. Lawton is an author of many books, most of them in the area of health science, but also in the genre of Asian martial arts, philosophy, poetry, and prose. Dr. Lawton is a passionate award winning artist and photographer who finds his artistic and creative inspiration in nature, and who frequently attributes the source of his images and writing to the 19th century Persian Prophet, Bahá’u’lláh, the founder of the Baha’i Faith, and the 13th century Persian poet and Sufi Mystic Jalāl ad-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī. Dr. Lawton has been a member of the Baha’i Faith since 1970 and embraces the Faith’s principles related to the promotion of world unity and peace.

Lift Hands would like to thank Katherine Loukopoulos Sensei for providing this exclusive book free of charge to our readers. To get your download link please visit and join our group page on FaceBook: Lift Hands: The Internal Arts Magazine

The Lateral Method is the second training method of Long Har Ch’uan.

It is based upon the ‘posture’ known as ‘Cross Hands, Apparent Close Up’ or ‘Ten Character Hands’ — Shízì Shǒu — [see photos on next page], from the end of each segment or third of Taiji Long Boxing. Of course, the principles still belong to the segment of ‘Seize The Sparrow By The Tail.’

‘Cross Hands’ appear in many guises throughout the Taiji Form — more so in the Old Yang Style, which contains several ‘postures’ which have either been totally removed from the modern simplified forms or have been modified for ease, thus making their martial principle redundant!

In addition to ‘Apparent Close-up,’ it appears in ‘Spear Hands With Sit,’ ‘Fair Lady works Shuttles’ and a host of other postures. It is not an 'X' block or anything silly like that... it is a devastating attack to the neck as a break, severe compression or lock. It can also be used to strike and fold the neck leading to excruciating pain and compliance! Of course, the concepts involved are not limited to the neck and can be equally applied to the limbs and joints as well! Think about sleeper holds, face locks and the ideas behind the seizing art of Qin Na and you’ll begin to get the idea.

The name originates from the crossing of the wrists so they appear to form the shape of the Chinese character ten — ⼗

‘Ten Character Hands’ teach the practitioner how to link two or more components so that they move together. It is the understanding of this posture which allows us to smoothly transit from one posture to another.

It is important to observe the weight in the legs during this posture and all postures which are derived from this. The weight is usually uneven, i.e., there is more weight on one leg than the other and never double-weighted, even though it may appear to be so. The body must not sway, nor lean in any direction whilst doing the movements of these postures in the Form or else, it shall move as if being controlled by a ‘wooden collar’!

The martial concept or idea is based on a Cangue — a device that was used for public humiliation, punishment and torture until the early years of the twentieth century in China and other parts of Asia.

The Method

The Lateral Method is based upon defence against two punches to the head, striking straight down the centre. Again, it is imperative that the student understand that this is a training method, teaching how to move and strike freely — it is not a technique!

Further, like the Vertical Method, there is an open and closed side. However, here, only the solo open-side method will be shown. The closed-side method is simply the same movements illustrated below with the left leg forward!

The open-side method

The method can be started from either a p’eng/hinge position or from your hands down by your side [Photo 1A] — it doesn’t really matter. The waist leads all the movements. The weight sits slightly backward at the start with the right foot leading. For the sake of simplicity, [else it would require many more photos] only the main state changes of the hands will be shown.

As the waist turns to the left, the weight shifts slightly forward to the right foot and the right hand leads, cutting in a circular motion with the knife-edge of the palm, as the state changes to yang [1B]. The left hand instantly follows the right hand from below, making the same motion, leading with the thumb side of the palm, with both wrists finishing crossed on the centre briefly, [Photo 1C]. The waist continues its movement to the left, with the weight shifting towards the left leg, until the fingertips of the left palm just pass the centreline [Photo 1D], as it just overtakes the right hand from below having changed to a yin state.

The waist now starts to turn to the right, the weight shifts further to the rear, as the right palm rolls facedown in a hooking arn type motion, changing its state from yang to yin [Photo 1E]. As the right palm takes over the centre, the left palm emerges from below and strikes with the knife-edge, [Photo 1F/G].

The two-person method

The two-person method is no different to the solo method, however, we are now working with another energy, so the skills obtained and developed in the solo method must not be altered! Again, it is important that the students don’t turn this into a competition or see this as some kind of technique — it is not! Go back and read the points raised in Part 1 of this article in Volume 25!

The two-person open-side method

You stand with your right foot leading [Photo 2A]. Your partner throws a straight punch with their left hand. Your weight shifts slightly forward as your right hand arcs up and strikes his forearm thus deflecting and changing the line of his attack [Photo 2B], changing state from yin to yang.

As the waist begins to turn to your left and the weight begins to shift towards the left leg, your left hand immediately follows from below and overtakes the right hand as it just passes the centre line, further striking and deflecting his arm, [Photo 2C/D].

Your partner now throws a straight right towards your head, [Photo 2E]. Instantly, your right hand rolls and hooks in an arn type motion to the right, deflecting his attack, and grabbing his wrist, whilst the left hand sneaks from under and strikes his neck at Stomach 9 [ST9], [Photo 2F]. Please note: Do Not Strike [ST9] or any parts of the neck as this is highly dangerous!

This completes the sequence. Your partner now starts to throw their left punch again. Your left palm slides down their right bicep, thus controlling the arm, as well as taking power away from the opposite side and at the same time arriving under their left arm, [Photo 2G/H]. Your right knife-edge again strikes the left arm as the left palm sneaks from under and overtakes as the sequences continues, [Photo 2I].

Changing Sides From Open to Closed [Hands]

In order to change hands, as your partner throws their left punch to begin the sequence again [Photo 3A], you simply roll the left palm as it strikes from under the right hand, and repeat the final movement of the sequence [Photo 3B] on this side. You have switched sides. Now your right palm will slide down his left bicep, thus controlling his arm as well as positioning itself under the oncoming right strike, [Photo 3C/D], as the left hand strikes his right forearm with the knife-edge and the right sneaks from under and overtakes striking the forearm, [Photo 2E]. As your partner throws their left punch, the left palm hooks and grabs the left wrist as the right knife-edge strikes [ST9]. You have now completed the sequence on the closed-side with the same foot forward. As in the previous Vertical Method, the sequence is repeated 5 times before you change hands and repeat the sequence on the opposite [closed-side] without changing feet — see Lift Hands Volume 25 for details.

Changing Feet

In order to change your feet, you simply carry out a change step mid-flow without breaking the rhythm of what the hands are doing. A change step is when you simply swap your feet without moving forward or backwards. The sequence in Photo 4A-F, on the next page, illustrates this simple concept, where we change from a left foot to a right foot lead and in the process switch from the closed to the open-side*.

*Right foot, right hand lead.

The entire routine [4 ways] is repeated, until your partner throws a single combination from either side with you defending on the open and closedside alternately and reversing feet without breaking rhythm or fluidity!

The two-person peripheral method

When practicing the standard Lateral Method, as described in the previous pages, the two practitioners are standing on a north/south axis.

There are 2 peripheral methods which emerge from this training, teaching us how to switch to an east/west axis, a south/ north axis, a west/east axis and back to a north/south axis.

The method used will depend on which leg the practitioner has forward, and which hand their opponent is throwing their lead punch with.

It is important that the partner throwing the punches does so continuously and not change anything. The person training the method will initially use the opening movement of the Vertical Method, whilst stepping before continuing with the Lateral Method.

From the end of the sequence [Photo 5A], as your partner begins to throw the left straight again, you parry the forearm on the inside, using the opening movement of the Vertical Method [Photo 5B] with your left palm, as you step across with your right foot in the opposite direction to the inside of the forearm! Your partner continues with their second punch with the right hand, your right hand strikes the outside of their forearm using the normal lateral method strike, as your left leg swings around, and your left palm knife-edge strike [ST9]. You have now moved 90º onto the east/west axis — your partner adjusts themselves to face you and continues with their next set of strikes [Photo 5C/D]. This is repeated until you have moved 90º on all the cardinal axis.

The second peripheral method is from the closed-side of the practitioner’s perspective [left foot lead] whilst your partner is still leading with their left hand.

As your partner throws their left lead, your parry the inside of the forearm using the opening strike from the vertical Method as in the previous example. This time, however, you step to the left with your left foot [again in the opposite direction to the inside of your partner’s forearm], [Photo 6 A/B]. Your partner continues with their second strike with their right hand as you continue with the normal lateral method — striking the outside of their right forearm with your right palm as the left palm strikes [ST9], whilst your right leg swings behind your left, and the left foot adjusts to bring you back into a reverse bow stance, having moved through 90º in the process [Photo 6 C, D &E].

Once again, a reminder — It is imperative that we don’t regard these methods are techniques!

Self-defence

In Photo 7 [A-G], see next page, we see a ‘technique’ taken directly from within Long Har Ch’uan, where a straight left is dealt with an attack on the arm by the right hand [7A], followed by a strike to the jaw [ST5] with the left palm [7C]. The left palm rolls with the fingers hooking into both eyes [sockets], [7D], as the right palm slides up the arm and grabs the oesophagus using a reverse dim-mak claw [7E]. As the eyes and neck are wrenched back violently, the right knee strikes the base of the skull! [Warning — please do not attempt any of the strikes in the illustration for real on a partner as they are all lethal!].

Again, the concepts of p’eng, lu, ji and arn are being exhibited along with a few others. What we end up with is a variant of Cross-Hands — Step up To Seven Stars [Big Dipper] Hammers. Photo 7G offers an alternative view of the finish.

We can see how the hands and feet have gained the necessary skills through the training method to move fluidly attacking in multiple directions above and below, whilst hold structure and balance.

We will continue with the third training method in Long Har Ch’uan — the Willow Tree Method — in Volume 27, available in September 2023.

My thanks, once again, to Ramakrishna Pillay for being my ‘wooden man’ in the compilation of these images.

August 2023 will see us return with another explosive Camp, this time covering the fundamentals of Long Har Ch'uan and Da Lu, alongside the Taiji Form and qigong!

As with previous camps Camp 2023 will continue with themes and ideas explored in the previous camps, along side regular classes in a progressional manner.

Both, Long Har Ch'uan and Da Lu are a critical component of training in The Old Yang Style and The Erle Montaigue System.

Long Har Ch'uan is oft misunderstood method and trained incorrectly. Long Har Ch’uan is a training method! Long Har Ch’uan is not a technique or a series of techniques, nor should it be taught as a technique!

Long Har Ch’uan is not a self-defence or fighting method [although concepts will emerge from within it]!

Long Har Ch’uan must not be changed — The method changes you, you don’t change it! It is an important training method and must remain a training method!

Long Har Ch’uan teaches us the Principles of Taiji.

Long Har Ch’uan teaches us the correct body mechanics for both combat and healing upon a reflexive [innate] level.

Long Har Ch’uan trains the mind in developing a ‘no mind state’ — the mind of a child — returning us back to our innate nature!

Long Har Ch’uan personifies the principle — the centre moves the peripherals.

This is a rare opportunity to learn this training method and its concepts correctly! Erle, himself, lamented:

"I have people who have been studying with me for a long time and they still haven’t grasped the correct way to do Long Har Ch’uan!"

Da-Lu - Sometimes known as the 'Great Repulse' or 'The Large Rollback,' is a secondary component of Da Shou, commonly referred to as Push Hands, dealing with the four corners. It is another critical training method which helps develop the basis of natural movement in self-defence.

Cost: £260

Training Times:

Friday 3pm - 7.00pm

Saturday 9.30am - 6.00pm

Sunday 9.30am - 5.30pm

Lunch 12pm - 1.30pm

Venue:

Fa-jing Ch’uan Internal Chinese Boxing Schools

Top Floor Unit 36 Faircharm Trading Estate

Evelyn Drive

Leicester LE3 2BU

Early bird discount £230 extended for those who book their place by July 27, 2023.

All deposits are non-refundable.

Payments can be made via PayPal: paypal.me/NasserButt

Leicester is served by many airports nearby: explosivefist@gmail.com

Luton 74 miles; 120 km; 1 1/2 hours by car and less than 1 hour by train.

Birmingham 43 miles; 69 km; 1 hour by car and less than 1 hour by train.

For those needing accommodation - there are many hotels and B&Bs both near the venue and on the outskirts of the city for those wanting a quieter and more serene surrounding.

For information on these or any other matters, please contact Nasser Butt.

The Web of Chi and the Human Body

The last edition of Lift Hands magazine contained the first article in a planned series on the practice of Asian medicine entitled, “The Poetry of Chi, The Mystery and Majesty of Energy in the Human Body”. In this article entitled, “The Web of Chi and the Human Body,” we will delve deeper into the fascinating theories, concepts, treatment techniques and protocols of traditional and contemporary Asian medicine.

In the last article we visited the history of Asian medicine and its central tenets, especially those related to the identification of energy disruptions and pathologies. In that article we laid some of the initial groundwork for understanding the occurrence of various diseases in the human body.

In this article, “The Web of Chi and the Human Body," we are going to compare traditional Asian medical theories with our contemporary medical understanding of illness and disease. Furthermore, we will look at methods of treatment, what we will refer to as “therapeutic modalities” and their energetic and physiological effects on the human body.

This article constitutes a collaboration between The Blue Heron Academy of Healing Arts and Sciences and Lift Hands magazine and as such it is Lesson Number Two or Part Two of an ongoing training program in Asian medicine for martial artists leading, for those students who complete this course, to certification in acupressure and tuina therapy through our state approved AcuMyoTherapy training program. The Blue Heron Academy is a state licensed post-secondary school licensed in the state of Michigan to teach acupuncture, AcuMyoTherapy, and several other health career programs. The Blue Heron Academy has been offering educational training programs for over forty years.

The Blue Heron Academy has pioneered a unique approach to training and educating our students and clinicians called “Patient Centered Education”. Patient Centered Education is training that focuses on clinical practice, patient case studies, and the acquisition of knowledge and skills through the hands-on treatment of patients. Rather than focusing on the esoteric metaphysical aspects of Asian medicine we teach from the case histories of patients we have treated through decades of clinical practice.

What follows is the Academy mission statement:

A Singular Approach to Education, Building a Healing Community

The roots of our Academy run deep within our community and are reflective of our commitment to service. Our educational approach is innovative and began with several community service projects for women in transition, victims of trauma, individuals without access to healthcare or the treatment of serious medical conditions such as HIV/AIDS as well as treating patients from the local mission district and the homeless community. It was from this platform of service that the Academy began, grew, and thrived.

Service as a means of building a healing community is at the heart of our vision, mission, and activities. We firmly adhere to the Baháʼí concept of “Let deeds, not words, be your adorning…” and as such we are keenly focused on service through action, and not words alone. We have adopted a broad and all-encompassing vision that champions the principles of the oneness of humanity, unity in diversity, and spiritual equality.

We recognize and celebrate the nobility of humankind as spiritual beings, and the importance of consultation and collaboration for the betterment of both the individual and the community. These are key tenets for our diverse family of teachers, staff, and students, people who have united in a common mission of service with each other and with their communities in the hope of building a healing community.

At the end of this article, you will find a link to a self-study and quiz page that will allow you to complete the curriculum requirements for completion of Lesson Two. If you did not complete Lesson One, please refer to Lift Hands magazine Volume 25, March 2023, The Poetry of Chi, The Mystery and Majesty of Energy in the Human Body, read the article, and follow the provided link to Lesson One.

Homeostasis and Yin and Yang

Traditional medicine practices such as those incorporated in the practice of acupressure and tuina can be defined as ancient and historic healing systems. These early traditional health practices primarily employed natural methods of health care since the pharmacology and technology of conventional medicine were not known during the time of their discovery and development. These healing systems were formulated over centuries and were the repositories of accumulative empirical experience and evidence. To understand these traditional systems of health care, it is necessary to consider the cultures in which they were created. In general, these cultures recognized the holistic nature of humanity and the wisdom of living in harmony with the environment.

Both western and eastern health care systems share a common understanding of the importance of balance and harmony in the interactive functions and systems within the human body. In the West this concept was called homeostasis, and, in the East, it was enveloped in the Tao and defined in terms of yin and yang. Homeostasis is known as the self-regulating processes by which our body manages to maintain internal equilibrium while adjusting to external conditions such as temperature. If this self-regulating mechanism is successful, life continues in a normal state, our internal temperature is regulated and our various metabolic processes function as they should. If our body is unsuccessful in self-regulating, we become sick or

we die.

Our normal metabolic equilibrium falls within very narrow parameters. While there is variability in range and degree, that variability is very narrow and when it is out balance, we begin to observe the symptoms of disease. Every culture and system of health care in the world has observed and quantified these symptoms based on their severity. Take for example, body temperature. If the body deviates too high or too low from the standard of 98.6ºF or 37ºC then we are either exhibiting a fever (hyperthermia) or hypothermia. Homeostasis or the dynamic equilibrium falls in a very narrow range. Balance is health and imbalance is disease. Too low of a body temperature is a yin condition and too high of a body temperature is a yang condition.

Building upon the concept of homeostasis, I developed a treatment concept in 1980 that I called homeosomatic. The homeosomatic theory of treatment is based on the hypothesis that the cells, tissues, and systems of the human body respond best to therapies that work in concert with the natural processes and functions of the human body. That is, the body best responds to treatments that are most like the body’s own natural healing and defensive processes. The therapist using this concept recognizes that all forms of therapy cause some form of stress to the cells, tissues, and human body systems and works to reduce that stress to its lowest level of interference. In the words of Hippocrates, “first do no harm”. Therefore, the homeosomatic approach to treatment and therapy includes only those modalities that are the least invasive and that work within the healing parameters of the human body, and do not overtax or stress our innate healing mechanisms beyond what is needed to stimulate the repair, growth, and innate healing processes.

The Yin and Yang Energy of Healing

Often, when I start teaching a new group of student’s acupuncture, I begin by asking a question, “From a physiological perspective how does the human body “know” the difference between an acupuncture needle inserted for therapeutic purposes and the penetration of a sliver of some kind of material, perhaps, wood, glass, or metal, from a sterile and disposable acupuncture needle? The answer is that the body does not “know” or perceive that there is any difference between an acupuncture needle and an accidental sliver penetration through the skin. The physiological reaction to each is known in medicine as an inflammatory/anti-inflammatory response. The classical definition from the Latin language of an inflammatory response is dolor, rubor, calor, and tumor or pain, redness, heat, and swelling and to this we now commonly add muscle weakness or loss of function.

From this basic concept, that the body, from a physiological and biochemical perspective responds to an “injury," whether from the intentional insertion of an acupuncture needle or the accidental penetration of a sliver, in the same manner we quickly begin to get an understanding of at least one method or pathway by which acupuncture has a physiological and biochemical effect on the human body. Although there are many physiological and biochemical pathways by which acupuncture as an agent of injury to the body cells and tissues works, one of the simplest pathways is through what has been labeled the “counter-irritation theory of medicine”.

To understand this theory of medicine, counter-irritation, we first need to understand the biochemical changes that occur to the cells and tissues of the human body because of injury. Understanding personal injury and the healing process is an important concept for all martial artists because at some point in our training as martial artists we will all face some degree of athletic injury.

Understanding the inflammatory process

When we experience an injury, especially to the protective barrier provided by the skin, the inflammatory process goes into action as an immediate, first line of defense, and nonspecific mechanism that helps protect the body against infection and injury. The purpose of inflammation is to respond to cellular and tissue damage and to restore balance or homeostasis. Infectious agents that invade the body by breaching the skin barrier are often present as viruses and bacteria. These organisms are some of the most common triggers of the inflammatory process. Other triggers to the inflammatory process may include physical trauma, chemical toxins, and heat. Viruses cause inflammation by entering and destroying certain cells of the body and bacteria release chemicals called endotoxins that can initiate inflammation. The objective of the inflammatory process is to eliminate the cause of cellular and tissue injury, to clean out necrotic or dead cells, and to start cell and tissue repair processes. An injury or infection initiates a series of physiological and biochemical reactions that include:

1. Increased blood flow to the area of injury called hyperaemia.

2. Increased white blood cell and immune activity.

3. Increased nerve sensitivity and pain.

4. Increased fluid to the area of injury and swelling.

5. Increased metabolic and catabolic activity in the injured cells and tissues.

Above: The Human Body has an extraordinary capacity for self-healing.

As therapists we learn to harness that power.

Below: Po Sum On is a warming, blood moving, liniment. It increases blood circulation and fluid exchange in damaged tissues, and this is an important factor in healing. Po Sum On is used to treat joint and muscle aches, certain forms of arthritis, neuralgia, and traumatic injuries including muscle and tendon strains, and joint complex and ligament trauma or sprains. It may also be used as a skin lubricating substance with gua sha scraping chafing techniques.

Harnessing the Inflammatory Process for Healing

If we examine the various manual therapy healing arts, we find that the counter-irritation theory is harnessed by many types of manual therapists including tuina practitioners. Contrary to popular opinion, healers do not “heal” tissues with chi emanating from their fingertips. Instead, the healing process most often involves micro-trauma to tissue through some kind of treatment technique or modality. Tuina, gua sha, pressure point therapy and acupuncture are all manual procedures that cause microtrauma to connective tissue. This micro trauma causes an inflammatory reaction in the tissue, and the subsequent “healing cascade” of events outlined in the box entitled, “The Body’s Self-Healing Capacity”. This micro trauma leads to vascular responses, adaptation of the nervous system, and an anti-inflammatory response on the part of the hormonal and immune systems.

Of the several treatment modalities in Asian medicine that utilize the counter-irritation theory of healing none are so dramatic in effect as gua sha or scraping and chafing along the major acupressure meridians or the tendino musculo pathways of the body. The tendino musculo pathways are of special interest to the acupressure or tuina practitioner and are often employed in the treatment of athletic, martial art, and common musculoskeletal injuries.

Gua sha treatments may employ either western or eastern topical substances as lubricating substances on the skin or medicated oils or liniments. My favorite is Po Sum On. With the skin mildly lubricated with Po Sum On, manual friction is applied to an area or along a meridian or tendino musculo pathway.

The manual friction may be applied with either some form of gua sha tool or a sterile tongue depressor. If the practitioner uses a reusable gua sha tool it must be a tool that can be sterilized after each use.

Many traditional Asian medicine (TAM) practitioners do not practice proper hygiene and cross infection procedures and reuse gua sha tools without proper sterilization between each treatment application on a patient. I have had some TAM practitioners and acupuncturists suggest that the patient’s “chi” will protect them from viral, bacterial, or fungal infection from contaminated instruments. As the recent COVID pandemic has graphically illustrated, this is not the case.

A tuina practitioner may also employ direct topical treatments and stimulation along the classic pain pattern pathways as charted by Dr. Janet Travell. Dr. Travel is credited for the development of contemporary trigger point therapy. The trigger point locations and charts are probably more accurate representations of pain referral patterns than the classical tendino musculo “meridian charts”. To the well-trained and historically knowledgeable acupuncture, tuina, or acupressure practitioner the theories underlying Travell’s trigger point therapy are “borrowed” from the well-established and much older methods employed in Asian medicine, acupuncture, and tuina centuries before Dr. Travell’s “discovery” of trigger points.

In Chinese medicine these soreness or pain point locations are called ahsi points. A closer translation of ahsi to English may be “that’s the point” meaning that upon palpation the practitioner has located the exact point of the patient’s pain or discomfort.

Ashi points were first cited in the 7th Century by Sun Simiao (a Chinese physician who was known as China's King of Medicine) who specifically described methods of palpation, diagnosis, and treatment of tender or ashi points. Ashi points were recorded by Sun Simiao in the Tang Dynasty text Thousand Ducat Prescriptions. Dr. Travell did not discover this concept, it existed in eastern medicine hundreds of years before Travell appropriated the concept and renamed the points and pain dispersal patterns. In the 7th Century Sun Simiao specifically described methods of palpation, diagnosis, and treatment of tender or ashi points. The locations of these regions of pain radiation correspond to the tendino muscular “meridians” of acupuncture and acupressure.

The counter-irritation methods that are used to treat acupressure and ashi points and along the main meridian and tendino musculo pathways are a powerful tool that uses the body’s innate healing processes as previously described in this article, to generate a healing response in the cells and tissues via the inflammatory/antiinflammatory response system.

Defensive Chi

Martial artists, and perhaps more specifically internal martial artists who train in dao yin, chi kung, abdominal breath work, iron shirt chi kung, bone marrow cleansing, and other related internal disciplines may know far more about the nature of chi and its manipulation than many traditional Asian medicine practitioners who do not participate in any of these internal practices. This at least has been my personal observation. I have often become acquainted with various healers who lack physical conditioning and who have not mastered basic aspects of the breathing practices common to the internal martial arts. How can someone who is in poor physical condition, who does not train in internal energy disciplines, and who has very little control over basic human functions such as breathing claim to possess the ability to control, direct, and project chi?

A general definition of chi is that chi is energy, but since energy can come in many forms, what kind of energy is chi? A common definition of chi is that chi is a form of vital energy, breath, and blood. In some circles chi is thought to comprise the electrical potentials that we see in human cells or the forms of electrical energy that moves along and among the nerve pathways of the human body. I think that these are all good definitions of chi but that they fall short of fully defining it.

For those that work in the healing arts, and specifically, the hands-on healing arts such as tuina and acupressure, a common observation is that close proximity or direct physical contact with certain individuals results in a feeling of wellbeing. Another common observation is that some individuals seem to exude a stronger sense of this feeling of wellbeing than others. It is as if some individuals possess more chi or some electromagnetic force that radiates from them.

Having observed and experienced this many times I have come to accept that certain people radiate a strong magnetic force that most likely emanates from what has been referred to in the West as a “strong constitution”. In 2017 Forbes magazine published an article that sought to answer the question, “Is it possible for the human body to create an electromagnetic field?” The short answer is yes, but not only can the human body emit an electromagnetic field, but according to the known laws of physics it must do that because it is composed of atoms and atoms are held together, move, and interact with each other based on their electromagnetic energy fields. The question is not whether the body has an electromagnetic energy field, but rather it is why we don’t generally accept the fact that we are electromagnetic beings. Is this electromagnetic energy field chi? The answer to this question depends upon how you define chi.

Defensive chi or Wei chi may be defined as chi which is protective by nature and that provides resistance to injury, infection, and disease. There are several ways or methods of cultivating defense chi including proper nutrition or the development of nutritive chi, as well as through physical training practices and breathwork. Internal martial artists cultivate defensive chi through practices such as, dao yin, chi kung, abdominal breath work, iron shirt chi kung, bone marrow cleansing, and other related internal disciplines.

As a result of these specialized methods and internal training practices students, practitioners, and masters of these techniques and methods can demonstrate resistance to physical trauma, bruising and hematoma, and the ability to absorb physical blows with a reduction in tissue damage and trauma. These abilities are the result of the cultivation of defensive chi. We can build defensive chi in our bodies and in our patients by utilizing the practices cited above, avoiding certain stressors such as cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs, following a balanced training regimen, getting proper rest and relaxation, and following good dietary and nutritional practices. There are also tuina and acupressure techniques, like qua sha, that build our reserves of defensive chi or that redirect defensive chi to the surface connective tissues of the body.

Investigating Gua Sha as a Therapeutic Modality

Gua sha, also known as scraping or chafing, is a traditional Asian healing technique that uses a gua sha tool to create friction, pressure, and compression to irritate the surface layers of the skin. A traditional gua sha tool is a smoothed edged instrument that may be made from bone, jade, plastic, metal, or other materials. The friction pressure that is caused by a gua sha tool causes reddening or hyperaemia at the skin’s surface and in certain cases, that employ deeper pressure and friction, small, red, rash-like skin lesions called petechiae.

Gua sha is thought to date back to the Ming Dynasty where jade stone was used to scrape the skin at various locations to treat many different diseases. Today, its most common use is for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders. The primary physiological effects of gua sha are to initiate the inflammatory and anti-inflammatory response, to increase blood flow to an area or region of the body, and to stimulate nerve receptors called mechanoreceptors. Gua sha is often used to treat and reduce pain.

Traditional Asian medicine practitioners believe that gua sha releases unhealthy toxins from the body and decreases blood stasis within painful muscle tissues. Gua sha may be used to stimulate new oxygenated blood flow to an area being treated and to promote cell repair, regeneration, healing, and recovery.

As was previously mentioned in this article, a lubricant is normally used when performing the gua sha technique. This lubricant can be a massage oil. When gua sha is performed with a lubricant a small amount is used so that the area being treated is not too slippery and still allows for the application of pressure and friction that will result in minor damage and irritation to the area being treated. Another way to think of gua sha is the application of deep friction using a tool.

In our Asian medicine programs, we teach the use of sterile tongue depressors as gua sha tools and we use a mild and moderate technique that avoids the dramatic skin damage and petechiae commonly promoted by many Asian practitioners of this technique. The use of hospital standards of sterilization and personal protective equipment is important to prevent contamination of infectious pathogens.

When a gua sha tool is used it will compromise the infectious protective barrier of the skin and increase the risk of the leakage of occult blood and fluids from the skin. The risk of infection and cross infection necessitates the need for infection control procedures and the sterilization of gua sha tools. Some traditional gua sha tools, such as those made from bone, wood, or horn cannot be sterilized and these tools should not be used for gua sha therapy.

Conclusion

This has been Lesson Two in an ongoing series of articles on contemporary approaches to traditional Asian medicine as utilized in acupressure, tuina, and gua sha therapy. In this article I attempted to present information regarding some of the mechanisms by which acupressure, tuina, and gua sha therapy exercise a therapeutic effect on the physiology of the human body and its healing from inflammatory musculoskeletal conditions and pain. These ancient treatment modalities have been used by millions of people and they will continue to provide a valuable contribution to humanity and health care in general. It is without doubt and full confidence born by over 50 years of clinical practice using these treatment modalities that I suggest that these natural methods of health care provide more relief for human suffering and pain than many conventional therapies that involve the use of synthetic medication or surgical procedures for many musculoskeletal conditions, disorders, and diseases.

To complete the training requirements for Lesson Two and to receive your Certificate of Completion please follow the link below, register for Lesson Two, and follow the instructions provided in the lesson.

Link to Lesson Two: https://www.flexiquiz.com/SC/N/dbdff8db-ddcf-4a12-8f83-fdc0fd9a9e90

About the Author and Course Instructor:

Gregory T. Lawton D.N., D.C., D.Ac., has spent sixty years studying the healing arts and martial arts, including the internal Chinese martial arts of dao yin, chi kung, Tai chi chuan, Hsing Yi Chuan, and Pakua Chang. Dr. Lawton is a licensed naprapath in Illinois, a licensed chiropractor in Michigan, a certified naturopath in Kentucky, and a certified acupuncturist in Idaho. Dr. Lawton is nationally board certified in acupuncture, chiropractic, physical therapy, and radiology. He is the founding board member of the American Manual Medicine Association, the author of dozens of published articles, and has written over one hundred books and training manuals related to health care and martial arts.

Dr. Lawton is also a certified fellow and diplomat of the International Medical Acupuncture Academy. Dr. Lawton is a graduate of the National University of Health Sciences and completed a postgraduate course in TCM based acupuncture at the National University of Health Sciences and the New York Chiropractic College. Dr. Lawton has been teaching Asian martial and healing arts for fifty years. He founded the Blue Heron Academy of Healing Arts and Sciences in 1980. The Academy offers the only state approved training programs in acupuncture and Asian medicine in Michigan.

How to order your copy: https:// www.peecho.com/ print/en/677092

Click on the link provided, or copy and paste into your browser.

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4. Where can we ship your order? Next… locals — Bari should definitely be on your list of destinations. It has its own local airport, a 20 minute train ride which brings you right into the heart of the city. So, what did we do here?

April 2023 saw the return of the Erle Montaigue System and Old Yang Taijiquan to the Italian shores after an almost 5 year absence!

The venue was the beautiful city of Bari, sitting on the Adriatic coastline in Southern Italy, and hosted by the even more beautiful Monica Mitoli. Let me say this from the start… If you are ever in Bari, or live there and are wishing to learn Taijiquan — look up Monica who holds her classes at Edian Danza A.S.D located on Via Marcello Celentano in the centre of Bari. You'll be in good hands! Monica is not only one of my oldest students, who lived and trained in Leicester with myself for several years — she is also one of my dearest and closest friends.

I had been meaning to return to Italy on a regular basis, unfortunately however, Covid-19 got in the way along with Brexit and everything got thrown up into the air. Having said that, it was worth the wait!

So, let’s get the touristy stuff out of the way first.

Bari is the capital city of the Metropolitan City of Bari and of the Apulia [Puglia] region, on the Adriatic Sea, southern Italy. It is considered the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples. It is a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas.

Bari is made up of four different urban sections. To the North is the closely built old town on the peninsula between two modern harbours, with the Basilica of Saint Nicholas, the Cathedral of San Sabino (1035–1171) and the Hohenstaufen Castle built for Frederick II, which is now also a major nightlife district. To the South is the Murat quarter (erected by Joachim Murat), the modern heart of the city, which is laid out on a rectangular grid-plan with a promenade on the sea and the major shopping district (the via Sparano and via Argiro).

Bari, known in antiquity as Barium, was a harbour of the Iapygian Peuceti. According to preserved etymology by authors of antiquity — the Etymologicum Magnum — Barium, is explained as the word "house" Messapic — an extinct Indo-European Paleo-Balkanic language of the southeastern Italian Peninsula, once spoken in Apulia by the Iapygian peoples of the region: the Calabri and Salentini (known collectively as the Messapii), the Peucetians and the Daunians. Messapic was the pre-Roman, non-Italic language of Apulia. The city had strong Greek influences before the Roman era. In ancient Greek, it was known as Βάριον. In the Third century BC, it became part of the Roman Republic and was subsequently Romanized. The city developed strategic significance as the point of junction between the coast road and the Via Traiana and as a port for eastward trade; a branch road to Tarentum led from Barium. Its harbour, mentioned as early as 181 BC, was probably the principal one of the districts in ancient times, as it is at present, and was the centre of a fishery.

The subject for the workshop was entitled as, ‘Old Yang Style: The Fundamentals of Combat and

Healing’.

The ‘fundamentals’ of any art are the key components! When folk admire someone doing a so-called ‘advanced’ form, what they don’t realise is that they are simply doing the basics well! There are no advanced forms per se.

Further, the basics cannot be understood without progression. There is an order to learning things and you cannot miss out steps if you want true understanding of your subject. I have been arguing this for well over a decade now. Sadly, during this period, I myself, and others, have witnessed snake oil salesmen peddling their snake oil to the unsuspecting public — especially in the Old Yang Style and The Erle Montaigue System. After having sold novices ‘advanced forms’ and ‘small frame’ mixed up with a whole heap of poorly understood [if understood at all] principles for years, these salesmen are now selling the ‘basics’ to the very same people!

But, let us not dwell on negativity. To them, their path!

It is always a breath of fresh air when you are blessed with students and friends who wish to progress and focus on the fundamentals. In Bari we had such a group of people.

We began the workshop with qigong in beautiful sunshine, with the green and blue hues of the Adriatic Sea as a backdrop, working on a simple notion — learn how to ‘stand like a balance’. Before we even raise our hands, we first must learn how to stand and hold a soong state. If you cannot or don’t know how to stand correctly, then going any further is simply a waste of time!

Structure is the key for both combat and healing, without it you have nothing and it begins with learning how to stand.

After practicing standing, we went on to the full Three Circles qigong. Again, the aim was simple, to apply and hold the same feeling which we had developed in standing.

The rest of the afternoon was spent playing games — learning like children in play. Learning how to listen with our own body, both internally and externally. We ended the first day with form and applications. It is imperative that, regardless of whether you practice your Taiji as a health art or a martial art, you are shown the applications. It is the applications which give meaning to the abstract movements of the form.

With the day done, it was time to explore the city and grab some food. As the evening drew in, both the old and the new quarters started to team with life, music and the aroma of good food!

Ground in Fighting (Commonly Called Standing Like A Post)’

When standing centered, your feet should be rooted. Start by understanding the four primary techniques, then advancing and retreating.

The four techniques are ward-off, rollback, press, and push. You have to do a lot of work to get them to be real. For the body posture, your waist and headtop should both be correct. When sticking, adhering, connecting, and following, your intention and energy are to be uniform throughout. Movement and awareness respond to each other. Mind is sovereign and body is subject. When you get the degree just right, you will naturally have both the civil quality and the martial.

After practicing The Post, we moved onto another set of training methods from Taijiquan and The Erle Montaigue System — P’eng Training. Once you have developed the fundamentals of The Post, its natural progression is P’eng Training. This not only helps us develop our P’eng, but also tests our post.

According to Erle, himself, as a part of his training regime:

Being one of the more important aspects, we train in P’eng… You partner holds his arms stiff against your P'eng arm. You should only move about 3 or 4 inches using only the forward movement of your rear leg. Your feet are greatly concave. Your partner should be pushed upward with the front foot moving up and then you have to also control his weight back down as you sit back again.

P'eng is a posture from the Taiji form and it is said that if a person only learns one technique in his or her life, then it should be P'eng. Meaning "To Ward of Slantingly Upwards,” the arm is held in a sort of rounded position as if holding a tree or hugging someone. This gives the greatest power for damaging blocks when attacked.1

After breaking for lunch at our regular diner not far from the dance studio, we returned to continue our work on the fundamentals of the system. The focus now was on the internal, developing soong, understanding centring through associated training methods from Taijiquan and the 8 Walking Qigongs of Baguazhang.

Stand there. Feel the soles of your feet (barefoot).

Squeeze the whole body downward slightly bending at the knees, the arms hang super loosely at your sides. Feel the neck and base of skull; there should be 'a feeling'. The buttock should tuck under automatically. You should be able to feel the weight distribution at the base of your feet. Stay there for a moment. Then change the weight to the right foot, [split the mind as the weight shifts, feeling the weight differential in both feet simultaneously], keeping those feelings intact by complete relaxation. Keeping that state, slowly lift your left foot and step backwards so that the toe touches the ground lightly behind you. Your arms should begin to rise up in front of you, right in front into an on-guard position and come into play as your weight goes on to the left foot. Still holding that state. Bring the right foot back to the left, weight on to it, turn your left toes in so that you are now back to your beginning posture. Reverse so that you now step forward with your left foot. Then reverse the whole thing.2

The 'eight walks' come from Baguazhang and involve walking very slowly brushing your ankles (a-La Bagua) together while performing totally unrelated hand and arm movements. This is to get your arms and feet moving independently.3 hand.

In the late afternoon, we continued with our Old Yang form practice and developing skill sets by isolating postures and learning basic applications. We ended the day with a qigong for the kidneys.

After a brief interlude for lunch, we returned for the final session of the camp, practicing the Old Yang Style with applications, including some of the healing applications of the postures and how these skills can be used in basic acupressure and tui na.

To end the training session, we went through the basic Small San-sau — the entry point test for the Erle Montaigue System.

Bari is in the good hands of Monica and I really do want to thank her for not only putting the camp together, and hosting myself — but, also for making sure that everyone had a good time both training and when we were out and about exploring the city.

To all the students who attended, from Italy and beyond, thank you very much for the support and it really was fun and pleasure to train with you all.

To all Monica’s students — thank you for your warm-hearted welcome, your kindness and love, and thank you for the gifts you gave me. You are all unique and talented. Stick with your Taiji and Monica… you won’t go wrong. You are all beautiful souls and in you all I have found another beautiful family…

Luisa Maria and Palmira… you are both so full of grace!

Mariapaola… you are the most craziest ball of beautiful energy I’ve met — don’t ever change! If I ever need a lawyer, I’ll know who to hire to run rings around the judge!

Anna… you are seriously talented — I don’t even think you realise how much.

And Monica… I love you!

Of course, we ended the session with tomfoolery and all the single ladies, apparently if you go around the statue of Saint Nick, three times anti-clockwise — you’ll meet the man of your dreams!

Over the next few pages are a few fun images from training and out and about in Bari.

Ciao Bari… until we meet again!

Notes

Bari profile — Source; Wikipedia

1, 2, 3 — 35 Weeks in the Erle Montaigue System

Who is in Your Kwoon (Dojo)?

Understanding the kinds of students who are attracted to martial arts and martial arts training can assist the martial arts instructor in knowing how to best train and retain students. Not all martial art students are the same and not all martial art students have the same abilities, needs, or motivation for pursuing martial art training. Forcing a student into training that they have no interest in, simply because it is how you were taught or what you were taught as a student, will result in your losing students faster than you can enrol them.

Regardless of the kind of martial art school you run or the style of martial art you teach your students will have different personalities, physical and athletic abilities, as well as motivations and goals for enrolling in your training programs. If your curriculum is static and only designed for students who want to learn a specific style of martial art your student attrition rate will be high. Obviously, you lose the opportunity to train a student who loses interest in your school and training and drops out.

If you do not know “who” is in your dojo and what their motivations are for coming to you and your school, you will not be able to effectively communicate with the different kinds of students who seek training from you. Not knowing who your students are and their motivation for training is often a major flaw in the training method of many martial art instructors and a major reason as to why they fail to retain new students.

Through observation over many years of teaching martial arts I have identified several personality profiles and traits common among the various students I have taught, and I have identified common motivations for pursuing martial art training. As a result of these observations, I have categorized my students and their motivations for seeking training in the martial arts into several categories which I will describe below:

Category One – The Spiritualist

The spiritualist may be religious and belong to a religious community or they may consider themselves “spiritual” and not be aligned with any major religion or group. An example of a spiritual approach to the martial arts might be a Christian or Muslim who aligns themselves with the tenets and practices of their faith and uses the martial arts as a way of practicing moral principles and a path towards self-improvement. The spiritualist may also be a person who believes in new age, esoteric, shamanistic, and/or metaphysical practices and is attracted to the metaphysical elements and beliefs of the internal martial arts.

Category Two – The Philosopher

The philosopher may be a spiritual person, or they may be an agnostic or atheist who is attracted to the martial arts for their moral, ethical, and higher intellectual principles. The philosopher is often a “historian” who studies the history and literature of martial arts. They are frequently interested in reading books on the lives and teachings of important figures in the martial arts.

Category Three – The Health Enthusiast

The health enthusiast, like anyone who engages in athletic activity, is interested in the many physical and psychological benefits of exercise. In addition to physical conditioning, the alleviation of stress and many other body/mind benefits the martial arts, unlike dance, Pilates, or aerobics classes, offer the added practical benefit of learning self-defense.

Category Four – The Sports Fan

The sports fan embraces the martial arts in the same way that an athletically minded individual is attracted to baseball, football, soccer, or basketball. The sports fan trains in the martial arts and enters martial art tournaments as a fighter or in kata or weapons competition. The sports fan is attracted to martial art schools that regularly have sparring classes and that enter martial art tournaments.

Category Five – The Fighter

The fighter’s focus is strictly centered on the pragmatic aspects of combat. Like the sports fan the fighter will engage in sparring classes and activities as well as martial arts tournaments and competition but their interest in fighting goes beyond staged competitions with rules. The fighter is uninterested in traditional martial art systems and is more interested in studying and testing modern fighting concepts, tactics, and techniques against other fighters.

Category Six – The Mixer

The mixer is often a representation of several of the categories listed here and as a result the mixer has many martial art related interests. The mixer could be a combination of a spiritualist, philosopher, health enthusiast, and sports fan. The mixer has a board interest in martial arts.

Category Seven – The Lifer

The lifer, like the mixer, probably has a board interest in the martial arts and has found a way to maintain their study and training in the martial arts over many years. This longevity in the martial arts is generally the result of creatively changing and adapting their martial arts study and discipline over the years. This is how they avoid losing interest in the martial arts. Through creative adaptations in their training the lifer makes the martial arts a lifelong endeavor.

To these seven categories, I would add one more category, The Teacher. As I train students in the martial arts, I always seek to understand their motivations for studying the martial arts and as much as I can I attempt to direct training towards their abilities and interests. If I fail to do this, I know that I will have a high level of attrition in my classes. As I get to know my students and learn their interests I am constantly looking to see if they appear to have the moral character, discipline, ability, motivation, and commitment to become a teacher. When I find such a student, I begin to teach them how to teach martial art classes. Without teachers’ the martial arts have no future.

The uplifting winds carry an uncountable number of seeds; perchance a few may take root. 10,000 students give birth to one teacher and one teacher to one true student.

Scent of a Forgotten Flower

Dr Gregory T. Lawton