Return Surge (Part 2)
In my post ‘There & Back Again’ the other day, I covered the importance of becoming aware of the back flow - the power return along the inner wrist, forearm and inner side of elbow - after the outgoing energy culminates in the 'Tiger Mouth’ hand configuration of Santishi in Xingyiquan.
Here, I want to add to those basics with a few additional suggestions and options. These are practices I’ve talked about a lot before, so please refer to earlier materials for the basic postures and movements. Here I want to specifically focus on the lesser known aspect of the return flow back through your arms.
Xingyi Standing: In my book Advanced Xingyi Energetics, I presented Santi standing in great detail, but I also emphasized the 50/50 upright standing drill of Xingyi that I sometimes call ‘Standing Meditation’. It’s energy practice just as powerful as Santi, when used in conjunction. Usually after a line of Xingyi technique work, as a kind of chaser or palette cleanser. You can assess your power ‘gain’ from the dynamic technique work you just completed. So, in this also, you should become conscious of your inner wrists and arms channeling that return flow, closing the circuit. What makes this very natural is that the hand shape here is also Tiger Mouth, so all the same teachings of power culmination at the index finger that I’ve recently covered apply here. Just become conscious of the return flow as well, and you’ll be amazed at the torrent of arm charge that streams through.
Tai Chi Standing: In many books and posts, I’ve emphasized certain named poses from the ZMQ37 sequence, including my teacher’s own favorite ‘Raise Hands/Play Guitar’ (). This return flow thing can apply to all ZMQ37 Tai Chi poses, but that one is good to start with, get the feel of the backflow. Note that the hand configuration for ZMQ Tai Chi is different from the Tiger Mouth of Xingyi. I’ve covered this in all my Tai Chi books, the ‘Beautiful Lady’s Hand’ () shape - straight but not stiff. The same idea of ‘culmination’ of the outward flow applies, but in this Tai Chi that happens at the middle finger. It feels about the same though. From there, the power backflows along your inner wrists, forearms and elbows - all same. Become consious of that.
Tai Chi Spiral (Chan Si Gong): In my long-form tutorial video ‘Bare Metal’ I present the Spiral Energy drills () from Chen Style Tai Chi. You should also apply the backflow consciousness/awareness here. In the Single Hand drill, when your arm is circling outward (the upper arc of the circle), mentally project the power along the line of outer extension which is outer edge of forearms (ulna) to pisiform bone at wrist, then into palm edge, etc. When your arm passing along the lower arc, back ‘inward’, then you become conscious of the power returning along inner wrist, insides of forearms, and inner elbow crook. It’s a blast!
