Swimming Dragons Form

Table of Contents

Section III - The Form

The Form

The Form’s origins are obscured by the fact that Dong Hai Chuan, the founding Grand Master of Bagua did not teach forms!! He taught only ELEMENTARY Circle Drills and “free fighting” along with an adaptation of the Taoist Internal medicine principle of the “Triple Burners”, which he established for martial purposes as ‘The Three Basins’ (Upper, Middle, and Lower sections of the body). Yet this was taught only to his most advanced students who were from many martial backgrounds.  So, it was left to future generations to advance and evolve these advanced fighting techniques into “Forms” from their free fighting.

From scant historical records, the “Swimming Dragons” form is at most 150 to 170 years old.  Though, it did not come to prominence until the Boxer Rebellion of 1911, and was reorganized further by several famous Grand Masters of the 1920’s and 30’s.

The sad truth is that today there are as many versions of this most advanced form as there are instructors!  It’s true, and the Swimming Dragons form in Tai Ba Gua as presented here is no different.  The common denominator of these various renderings are the Swimming Dragon Principles which are common throughout the styles.

I am presenting here to the best of my training and education these Traditions and Principles … which ARE what the Form is all about … Shao Yong’s revealing of the earliest Taoist outlook on survival, and thus, Warrior Nature.  This is counter balanced by its Nurturing Nature. Yin and Yang … and thus, Ba Gua Chi Gong was born.

This Tai Ba Gua Swimming Dragons form is a study in both the very practical unarmed defense techniques of my lineage … with the underlying lessons coming from the more important “Internal” Taoist Knowledge contained in the I-Ching … which is passed on within this Form.

Welcome to the journey.

Brief Overview

This book’s primary instruction is around the “Scholarly” or “Meditative” practice of Ba Gua, which is referred to as Ba Gua “Zhang” rather than merely Ba Gua “Chuan” which refers to the Art and Forms in their more customary “Martial” context.  It is important to reiterate here the equally stark differences between the “Earlier Heaven” and “Post Heaven” [hexagram] arrangements.

Due to the success and popularity of the I-Ching as promoted by Confucius into modern times, most people associate the ‘Changes’ of the I-Ching with the Later or Post-Heaven arrangements established by King Wen (1150 B.C.) and mandated by Confucius (350 B.C.) to be the whole enchilada.  This worked great for Confucius, who bought in hook, line and sinker into the extreme Patriarchy of King Wen’s outlook.

Yet, thanks to Shao Yong (920 A.D.) and his resurgence of the Original Taoist cosmology of Fu Shi (2850 B.C.), a whole new insight is brought forward to Meditate upon and PRACTICE in these currently over populated and tumultuous times!

As far as I have discovered, there are NO ‘Earlier Heaven’ books on the I-Ching.  It is only through the original ORAL study of Ba Gua Zhang and the practice of the Swimming Dragons form that this crucial philosophy can be studied!!!  Thus, it is my aim to open a wider public audience to this irreplaceable wisdom through these pages.

The Later Heaven cosmology is founded on a ‘Social’ construct, with “Heaven” (Chien) being the Father or “Ruler” with a pecking order that puts the eldest son in a more worthy position than the Mother!  A woman is the guardian of the Home … where she should stay!  King Wen thus truly established the first “laws” in China for this being a “Man’s World” One where one’s superiors must always be obeyed!

Fu Shi’s times were far more primitive, and less corporate.  Survival of the group was dependent on a more egalitarian and agricultural approach than that of the later warring City States.  Indeed, if we go back to the earliest populations of our ancestors, say, pre-50,000 years ago, and back to the Dawn of Man 200,000 years ago … Women were needed, given and allowed a far more equal role in their societies according to Paleo Anthropologists.  And, it is on this original template that the Earlier Heaven cosmology is based.

Rather than emphasizing the Social and Familial identification of the Elements of Later Heaven, in Fu Shi’s original context these were only a small portion of the whole … all of humanity was merely one gate of Influence.  Humanity must Harmonize with All of Nature … and Spirit … and Beyond in order to Survive!!

So, that is my dismissing of the Later Heaven concept.  I am a pure Earlier Heaven advocate, in line with the Pure Land School of Taoism (Contemporary with Shao Yong’ period), and will now speak only of Earlier Heaven … Before Man.

We (Man) exist in a Quite Powerful Universe of immensity and opposites … capable of annihilating us at any moment!!! Unless we pay close Attention! And that is the Meditation of the Swimming Dragons.  More than merely learning knowledge, the Swimming Dragons Form and thus We … Embody this Energy … this “Chi”.

We are formed in opposites.  Our True Nature is to Harmonize this “Chaos” … that is how we Survive!  

Earlier Heaven is about the ‘Elements’ of this Energy.  Each Element is equal in its Influence.  All of these Elements work Harmoniously as one to Create (Chi’en) the Reality that we call Home!! Chaos and Harmony are One, and it is our task to Dance with these Elements … setting aside for Harmony’s sake, our Self, Family, Country, or Species centric outlooks … which can lead towards our own peril!

Instead, let us view our existence through the metaphors of Time and Space … Yin and Yang.  In this motif, we are both Mind and Body at the same time … capable beyond measure!!

The Form imbues the 64 “Actions” of the Eight Elements … each with eight actions … their interactions with the other Elements.  Yet, rather than working with these elements as “contrasts”, Swimming Dragons is understood through ‘Time’ as a Flow of Compliments … or ‘Change’ and Transformation.

 

Thus …

Chen is Birth … Early Spring

Li is Youth … Spring

Tui is Young Adult … Early Summer

Chi’en is Fully Grown … Summer

Xun is Maturing … Early Autumn

Kan is Fully Matured … Autumn

Ken is Old Age … Early Winter

Kun is Death (and ReBirth) … Winter

This is the Paradigm we should follow in Balancing our Lives toward Prosperity, Health and Joy … This is our Model toward Peace!!

The most important thing to remember in practicing the Form, and these techniques, are their Elements … and how they Interact with each other. This is the Meditation which guides us through the Swimming Dragons form as a “Scholarly” or Spiritual Practice.

The Form opens with preparatory moves that establish this Meditative approach.

Since the Earlier Heaven Ba Gua is a circle of equals, we could seamlessly begin the form at any point. Yet, again, for the establishment of a deeper understanding of cosmological principles, the form begins from the death and rebirth of “Kun”, the Mother, one of the “Ridgepoles”.  The other being “Chi’en”, The Father. The “Ridgepoles” Representing Heaven and Earth, and Time and Space … wherein We as Beings are placed in between … Emissaries, Children and Guardians of The Whole … both as Effective and Causative Agents to the Process.  Indeed, again we ARE Elements of this Process.

From the Mother’s Womb we are reborn into “Chen” the Immortal Dragon Child … Swimming Through the Tao!

Practice

The form is practiced in the Southern “Jong” style … meaning “Pole”.  Often practiced around a tree or other centralized object such as a large stone as a reference point.  I have used hats and cans with my students … really, anything goes.  Anything to establish the circle.

The Swimming Dragons form, which develops Internal applications, should really be practiced on an actual pole though.  Traditional Bagua poles are 10-20 inches in diameter, 6-8 feet tall, well rooted into the ground for sturdiness, and smooth to the touch (NO SPLINTERS!).

The eight sections of the eight ‘Core Techniques’ follow the Earlier Heaven sequence of Shao Yong’s, as described earlier, move around the Pole as if circling an opponent.  Although circling an opponent is not the primary objective in Bagua, it is the starting point of training.  As you advance in your training, cutting through the circle and adding multiple poles (for multiple opponents) can and should be added.  Always however, you are considering multiple opponents even when using one central “Jong”.

For accurate and effective practice of the ‘Core Technique’ applications, subtle though vital adjustments to your distance from the pole are mandatory!  At all times you should be in direct physical, or at a minimum, “Virtual” (gravitational) contact with the Jong’s center.  Especially in developing “Internal” and “Corkscrew” energies of the form, it is necessary at times to apply strong and direct forces into the pole in order to FEEL … and acquire the proper “Energies”.

The classical distance from the center within the form is created by an eight-step circle.  This is standard “Crossing Arms” distance as practiced in the 2-person drills of the “Dragon Circle”. Yet the subtle variations in the technique applications will bring you to pulsate and merge into shorter (4 and 2) step circles as well as skimming out to slightly larger ranges depending on the technique and its qualities.  The majority of the time you will be in the Classic “Dragon Palm” distance, with your wrist or forearm brushing or gliding upon the pole.

 

The form proceeds with each of the eight sections alternating between  clockwise and counter clockwise circle walking directions as follows:

  • Dragon Palms move Counter Clockwise (Left Palm on Pole)
  • Fire Palms move Clockwise (Right Palm on Pole)
  • Maiden Palms move Counter Clockwise 
  • Sky Palms move Clockwise 
  • Wind Palms move Counter Clockwise 
  • Water Palms move Clockwise 
  • Monk Palms move Counter Clockwise 
  • Earth Palms move Clockwise 

— thus, Yin turning into Yang, Yang turning into Yin … Helping the practitioner to internalize the deeper lessons of the I-Ching.

 

As mentioned previously, the real intent of the form is to tramsmit a deep and complete insight and understanding of ‘The Great Learning’ (Ta Chuan) of which the I-Ching is formed upon.

Thus, the Swimming Dragons form cultivates in real time, and quite tangibly demonstrates a method for practicing the “Scholarly Chi Gong” of this ancient Taoist Wisdom!

The true intent of learning this form is more about learning to live a better life.  Through understanding the rules of the game laid out before us in Nature … rather than attempting to harm, or even worse kill other life forms! Living through compassion and cooperation … and Living in Joy!

Introduction of Chen set

Section III - The Palms

First Set - Dragon Palms

Introduction of Chen set

Trigram – Thunder
Position on Circle – North East … Early Spring / Late Winter
Direction of Travel – Counter clockwise
Animal – Dragon
Inner Gate – Spine and Feet
Outer Gate – “Self”

General Description

Chen is the transitional Element of ‘Beginnings’.
Chen is the Element of our Birth, our “Thunder”. It represents Ourselves as one of the crucial Elements.
It is the first initiation of Chi. From ‘Nothing’ comes “Something” … that first something is Chen, the Dragon … our Deepest Root into Who we are as an Individual!
Thunder is quick, explosive, and unpredictable … Thunder is Awakening!
Chen is the First Gate…
Internally it is our Spine … our Heels Our Root.
Chen represents the first signs of Spring coming out of the Earth (Kun) … Its Mother … Our Mother.

Opening Chi Gong

From the Deepest Freeze of Winter, The Mother keeps her children warm and alive. Nurturing through the Changes, the Swimming Dragons Form begins here, in the Power of the Feminine. 

This starting point for the form insures fertility in the cultivation of its message. Which is primarily one of Opening to the Tao … The Sacred Mare … which we need to lean on, and Learn our way through the lessons of the Tao itself!

Opening Salutation – The Bow

Start in the Northeast corner of the circle facing North.  Bow first to yourself by bringing your hands up and out gently while breathing in.  Close your right hand into a fist, clasp your left hand over the right. Bring your hands together at eye level, slowly settling and resting into your heart. This represents the internal pledge: Softness over hardness … Iron within Silk.

Looking within, honor yourself and prepare to begin.  Acknowledge and bow with honor to your entire environment, twisting all the way to your left without moving your feet and sink while your head stays gently suspended.  This movement creates and initiates “Corkscrew Energy” which is crucial to the application of Ba Gua.  Release “Shen” (our cultivated ‘Spirit Energy’ which is stored in the heart) gently and with attention, awareness and respect.  Press and release Shen out and all around yourself 360° by continuing the turn all the way behind to the right.  Bring your hands back to your heart and shake off any excess energies back into the earth – Empty and Relaxed (Wu Chi).  Then, above all else, become Receptive.

Ba Gua, just like Tai Chi and all ‘Internal Arts’ starts from “Wu Chi”.  The Swimming Dragons form however has the added stipulation of starting 100% immersed into being Receptive.  Empty, Relaxed and 100% Receptive which are qualities of the first ‘Trigram’ “Kun”, the Receptive Mare … Mother Earth and the Tao.  Receptive and Nurturing

 

And thus, the Swimming Dragons form starts from Wu Chi, adds Receptivity … merging into the Tao … Into the Mystery 

 

… “Begin”

Movement 1 – Mother Palm

Technique Name – Leaning on the Horse
Elements/Trigrams – Kun/Kun … Earth – The Receptive
Hexagram # 2 Image – “Follow the Mare”
Qualities – Open and Relaxed … Connected

From WuChi, the primal emptiness, slowly float up your right arm, palm facing your Tan Tien while sinking your left arm and palm.

Tan Tien means ‘Double Heaven’ … Our Microcosm within … The center of our Inner Universe located in the Womb about 1 ½ inches below the navel in the center of our pelvic basin. Our Center of Gravity.

Opening your whole being to the Tao as if opening a cloak, lean and turn to the right as if leaning with full surrender and trust upon the stable flank of a Sacred Mare. Release your own ego and all thoughts or desire to initiate action in your own defense. Put 100% of your trust and energies into merging completely with the spontaneity and wild freedom of the Tao! Lean on the Horse and trust. Reverse your palms and repeat the movement onto your left side, leaning onto the Pole. Transitioning smoothly, settle most of your weight onto your left foot and slide the right foot straight back to about shoulder width. Then pivot with your back to the center … snapping into movement #2 Hidden Flower. From connection with the insubstantial and intangible Tao (Heaven) through Leaning on the Horse right side, Leaning on the Horse left side then merges and connects with the tangible and substantial Tao of the Material World … The Earth … Our Center connecting with the gravity and momentum of The Earth realms (Kun). Allowing your Sacred Inner Mare to guide you through the Tao!

Movement 2 – Dragon Palm

Technique Name – Hidden Flower
Elements/Trigrams – Chen/Kun … Thunder within the Earth
Hexagram # 24 Image – Return (cycles) “Renewal Brings Rest”
Qualities – Rhythmic and Concealed … Returning

Shifting your weight to the left foot, slide your right foot emptily back to about shoulder width. Then, initiated from your Tan Tien (center of balance in the pelvis) cross your right arm over your left like holding a ball and with total organization of six harmonies (wrists, elbows, shoulders, hips, knees and ankles) shift into a rooted ‘Monkey Stance’ (pigeon toed) while shooting your left-hand palm up () close around your right side underneath your right elbow … follow with your eyes. Immediately bounce back the same attack around to your left back side, shooting
a right Spear Hand underneath your left elbow. Bounce back once again to the right rear side, only this time reach higher with your right elbow putting 70% of your remaining Jing (stored external Chi, for release) into this elbow strike.

Application: 

Being grabbed and turned from behind you go with their momentum and their floating ribs. First right, then left, then after establishing an expectation, finishing with a right elbow to their temple using full ‘Empty Chi’. Bouncing back from this strike, return back around to your left side into a Dragon Palm defensive posture while pivoting your left foot simultaneously with your left hand, and immediately begin walking the Circle in a counter clockwise direction for 4 steps … then transition to Core Palm (Tech #3).

Movement 3 – Core Palm

Technique Name – Swimming Dragon
Elements/Trigrams – Chen/Zen … Thunder within the Mountain
Hexagram # 27 Image – “Cultivation” Provides Nourishment
Qualities – Soft and Vibrant … Listening

From the “Dragon Palm” walk counter clockwise around the circle while dissolving your left wrist down and around the Jong to the far side of the circle cupping your left palm towards your face or chest in a rounded arm position. With the right palm at heart height the palms facing each other … soft and vibrant, like carrying an infant.

Application: 

You are engaged in “Crossing Arms” with your opponent (shoving and tussling). The twist and dissolve of your wrist turns the opponent by pressing his elbow and positions you favorably behind him. You control the movements of his ‘core’, reading his intentions before they occur.

When your opponent starts to initiate an action of any kind, you are following, and feeding them back with their own ‘chi’, by adding your own. This will create an eventual out of balance moment that you may seize upon like Thunder! This can result in large throws or shoves. Thunder can also manifest itself as a sudden reversal of your flow of following. This is even more effective and disruptive when timed successfully … like reverberating Thunder. Completely shaking their Core and focus.

Movement 4 – Snow Palm

Technique Name – Snowflake
Elements/Trigrams – Chen/Kan … Thunder moves the Clouds
Hexagram # 3 Image – Difficult Beginnings
Qualities – Crisp and Blinding … Sharp

From the Core Palm, without breaking stride, while stepping forward with the outside (right) foot, the left palm “scrapes” back around the front of the Jong. Using the fingernails of that hand to rake across at eye level, while the left palm crosses underneath in the opposite direction. Recoiling instantly from this position, both palms stay up and across with a double outward wrist rotation, raking the eyes again, with the elbows remaining down and tight for protection, with fingers pointing perpendicularly outward.

Pivoting left into a left forward soft Bow Stance, at the same time the right palm
slaps the temple and flows downward into a groin strike, with the left moving back
to cover your face, and threaten another eye gouge.

Application: 

Finding yourself in very close range with an opponent who is spinning counter clockwise into you, you react quickly to blind and disrupt your opponent with a triple eye rake. This is followed immediately with a groin strike, which affords you a moment of confusion and disorientation to escape off to the left, with a lunge of the right leg … this being the transition into the next technique.

Movement 5 – Hurricane Palm

Technique Name – Tiger Leaps out of Cage
Elements/Trigrams – Chen/Xun … Thunderous Wind
Hexagram # 42 Image – Increase
Qualities – Swirl and Uproot … Unwinding

From the end of Snow Palm, the transitional lunging escape is Hurricane Palm … and that is the only move. The rolling, arcing action of your right arm and torso is the entirety of the technique which comes from the corkscrew energy executed in the lunge from your root, up and outward to the forward right with your right arm. Your left arm doing a countering corkscrew to your right.

Application: 

Slipping under and around your opponent’s guard, deflecting as you move by with the left hand if necessary, make contact with the outer edge of your wrist and forearm. Wedge and Press in towards the center … With a full and building corkscrew Energy, slowly Roll and unleash an uprooting Swell that rolls around their back by rotating your palm and forearm with the inner edge of your forearm contacting with their ribs from behind uprooting and shoving them at a 45-degree angle, as you sink into your Root.
All of this power is generated in the legs connecting to the Earth, transmitted up and around like a Hurricane.

Movement 6 – Thunder Palm

Technique Name – Cannon Fist
Elements/Trigrams – Chen/Chen … Thunder
Hexagram # 51 Image – Thunder
Qualities – Overbearing and Explosive … Decisive

Using Dead Weight “Empty” power (“Heavy Hand”), take a ball and chain step with the right foot, while circling your right fist in, up and around, executing a Hammer Fist, which is captured with your left palm upon landing with the step.

Pivoting around to your left, while simultaneously double blocking with your right (inward) and left (outward), kicking upward with the ball of the left foot (Rooster Kick). The left wrist is rotated outward, palm facing the opponent. Dropping everything together, punch straight down with your left fist … with the knuckles downward like using a hammer, at the same time that your left foot slaps to the ground in a left forward soft bow.

Application: 

(The first Hammer Fist is a transitional closing move to finish off the Hurricane Palm)
Turning for a rear attack, hard double block your opponent’s right hand (putting you on the inside), while kicking them in the groin … this will open a path for your arcing down ‘Heavy Hand’ punch. Wherever you strike, the force generated by your dead weight force is a sure dis-abler.

Movement 7 – Lightening Palm

Technique Name – Flash Hand
Elements/Trigrams – Chen/Li … Thunder & Lightening
Hexagram # 21 Image – Biting Through
Qualities – Piercing and Direct … Determined

From Cannon fist, step forward with your left foot, while your hands transition down and through into the Lightening Palm. With the arms relaxed down at your sides as if you were holding a tennis ball in each armpit. The fingers are shaking briskly in cautious terror with a lightening alertness in your gaze. Take 2 steps (right then left) exploding outward with a right “Spear Hand” as your left foot lands, while leaning slightly to your left … the left hand which is in a high centerline guard, then Spear Hand forward while pivoting into a Horse Stance, with the right hand in a forward pointing centerline guard. Pivot into a third Spear Hand attack with the right-hand propelling beyond the center point, requiring a large step forward with the right foot, weight 85% on the front leg.

Application: 

From your neutral and quivering stance, jet an eye gouge underneath a right attack from the opponent while parrying with your left hand. Next slap down their right arm with your right palm while pivoting into a Horse Stance and Spear Hand the eyes with the left from a slightly different angle. Continue your assault on their eyes with a third and more forceful Spear Hand with your right palm. Following through and moving the target by lunging with the right foot, 85% committed forward, while the left arm and leg extend backwards for counter balancing.
** Note: 80% is the normal rule for “Full Extension” in the Internal Arts. Lightening Palm exceeds this rule.

Movement 8 – Serpent Palm

Technique Name – Sleeper
Elements/Trigrams – Chen/Tui … Thunder in the Lake
Hexagram # 17 Image – Following
Qualities – Smooth and Constricting … Intuitive

From Flash Hand, dissolve down and around with the palms facing outward creating a gentle arc with the arms at heart level. Take four steps with this Serpent Palm, then as you land the 4th (left) step, circle your right palm inside of your left, rotating your wrist counterclockwise using a right “Ridge Hand” with the left palm guarding at the right armpit. Circle the right palm inside your left again, this time constricting into a tight “Monk Stance” while pivoting around clockwise into a right weighted “Dragon Stance”.

Application: 

This is the classic “Sleeper Hold”, which can be executed either as an attack, or as a defense against a right-handed attack. With your left palm riding their upper arm, slip your right palm up and along the groove of your left wrist … striking across their throat with a grazing Ridge Hand … following through until your right inner elbow has pocketed their “Adams Apple” in the crook of your arm. Meanwhile the left-hand circles down and behind their head, where your right palm comes to rest in the crook of you left arm. Constrict and Serve!
Note: Can also be applied as a Scissors choke, if you are unable to fully lock in your arms … by pressing your right inner forearm bone into their left carotid region, and your left outer forearm bone “scissoring” from their right carotid region.

Movement 9 – Open Palm

Technique Name – Clap Clap
Elements/Trigrams – Chen/Chi … Thunder in the Heavens
Hexagram # 25 Image – Innocence
Qualities – Fast and Rhythmic … Startling

From the Dragon Stance, step through and forward with your left foot into a left forward Bow Stance.  At the same time your hands clap together in front of you upwards in an hourglass shape.  Clap back down and around, following the same shape.  Continue your arms out and around to an extended clap reaching out at the face level, bringing your palms back into your chest before slapping them forward while stepping forward with the right foot into a right bow.

Application: 

Your opponent is lunging at you with both arms. Coming up inside, block both arms outward. Immediately slapping downward with both hands onto their face. Circle down and out around their arms, clapping their ears. Recoil your hands and lash them out into a powerful double slap to their chest or face.

Second Set - Fire Palms

Introduction of Li set

Trigram – Fire
Position on Circle – East … Spring
Direction of Travel – Clockwise
Animal – Eagle
Inner Gate – Eye and Lower Brain (nervous system)
Outer Gate – Visible Universe

General Description

“Li” is a very primal symbol Representing Fire and Lightening, the Original Mind, and most importantly The Sun. As “Kan” represents The Moon, these are the two tangible offspring of their parents: Heaven and Earth (Chi & Kun).
In the case of Li, this manifests as Intent and Attention or Consciousness. That we ARE this living Universe as far as our eyes can see! (Li is also the eye and The Universe).
Li initiates Action. It is instantaneous … It Creates “Time”.
This Awareness is centered in the “Third Eye” gate and Pituitary Gland … The Medulla. This is our Nervous System, Our Fire Within, Our Electricity. This form of Chi is called “Jing”. It is how we create “Action”.

Movement 10– Dark Palm

Technique Name – Lid Night (Removing the Helmet)
Elements/Trigrams – Li/Kun … Earth Swallowing the Light
Hexagram # 36 Image – Darkening the Light
Qualities – Quiet and Unassuming … Smothering

Raising the palms upward out of the Open Palm, drop your hands along the side of your thighs, sinking your fingers towards the earth and gaze downward quietly while pivoting to the left to begin walking clockwise.

Take 3 steps (right, left, right) then initiate a “Silk Reeling” “Fan Block” (outward-inward-outward) coordinating the blocks with two more steps, finishing with the right foot forward while following through with another higher inward block. Reverse direction while pivoting into a left cat Stance, executing a throwing motion with the right palm, which then sinks downward as the left foot slides back and pivots 180° into a left forward “Soft Bow” … the left clawing down to your side.

Application: 

From the very passive Dark Palm stance, quickly and softly climb up your opponents’ right side with circle blocks (Fan Blocks), deflecting and capturing their right arm with your right palm on top. Circle your left hand behind, up and over their head, capturing their eye sockets with your thumb and fingertips.
Crank, twist and drop their forehead straight back, while “Heel Palming” their jaw with your right hand … dropping them all the way to the ground with a “Fu Jow” Tiger Palm strike, Heel Palming down onto their sternum as they are arched backwards.

Movement 11 – Hawk Palm

Technique Name – Snatching Prey
Elements/Trigrams – Li/Zen … Lamp on the Roof
Hexagram # 11 Image – Grace
Qualities – Graceful and Accurate … Focused

Coming out of Lid Night, extend both arms out to your side with a slight curve (like wings) with your two forefingers extended, moving out to a slightly wider circle while standing tall. Take 4 steps and settle into a left forward Bow Stance, extending your right palm forward into a “pincer” shape, with the left arm arcing to your right shoulder. Pulling back with the right pincer, pivot to a Horse Stance while executing a left Pincer strike toward the center of the circle. Shuffle and step forward along the circle with your right foot as you execute a third Pincer strike with your right hand. Pivot with your back now to the circle and sink into a low Horse Stance.

Application: 

Circling wide around your opponent, looking for an opening to attack, you are acutely judging distance.

 At the proper moment (offensively or defensively) you will attack your opponent’s right pectoral muscle on the inner armpit while your left palm controls their right elbow. Pulling downward with their Pectorals, shoot another left Pincer strike to their Carotid Artery area on the side of their neck. Once thusly bothered, you can more easily extend a final Pincer strike to their Adams Apple with your right … extending this one more forcefully, either shoving them back into a wall or until they trip or depending on their reaction, a take down.

Movement 12 – Moon Palm

Technique Name – Snake Extending Tongue
Elements/Trigrams – Li/Kan … Water Drowns the Fire
Hexagram # 63 Image – After Completion
Qualities – Curved and Calculated … Sneaky

Stepping forward along the circle with your left foot out of Hawk Palm, settle into a circle facing Horse Stance. Shuffle sideways around the Circle (with half steps) facing the bag, with your palms at waist height parallel to the ground, vibrating the fingertips quickly. On your right half step, shoot a Spear Hand toward the center of the circle with your right hand followed immediately with a Spear Hand to center with your left hand while finishing your “shuffle” into a Horse Stance with your left foot.

Slide your right palm (facing yourself) up your center line, flowing immediately into a downward slap with the back of your hand onto your right knee, at the same time pivoting towards the right. Your left hand is hooked (Palm up) behind you. Repeat this exact same sequence on the left side while pivoting to your left.

Application: 

While facing an opponent who is moving in on you menacingly, you initiate an attack to their liver with your right Spear Hand, and their kidney with your left hand … both designed to bend them forward slightly.
This offers the possibility for you to snake your right palm directly up and behind their neck, while controlling their right arm with your left … dropping their head onto your rising right knee. Slipping your left hand behind their head, and controlling their left arm with your right palm … repeat the head strike with your left knee.

Movement 13 – Wolf Palm

Technique Name – Dog Bites
Elements/Trigrams – Li/Xun … Wind from Fire
Hexagram # 37 Image – Family (Pack)
Qualities – Menacing and Bold … Aggressive

Transition out of the Snake technique with 3 (left-right-left) Gliding Eel steps, then settle back to a 60/40 stance with 60% on your back (right) foot, with your hands back near your chest both in relaxed Leopard Palms.

Pounce forward with your left, landing in a Horse Stance while tightening your hands into fists curved upwards (Palms facing the Center of the Circle). Open and close both hands quickly, with your left arm forward, and the right fist beside your left elbow, while you take a half step forward with your left foot, staying in a Horse Stance.

Slide your right foot over beside your left foot, slightly crouching, and bounce your forehead twice toward your incoming left fist! Then, stepping out away from the Circle, slide your left foot back next to your right, crouching deeply while flinging both fists towards the ground at your feet.

Application: 

Retreat warningly into a guarded ready position. This in itself might thwart the situation. If not, waiting with a building Energy (Jing) until the very last possible moment … then you attack his attack.

Taking on the nearest and easiest targets first, you narrowly side step his assault and attack his right bicep with a grasping and ripping action with your left palm … simultaneously attacking his Spleen or belly with the same “Dog Bite” with your right palm.

This opens the door for you to move closer to the primary target. Jump your left hand from their upper arm to their face (or neck) with another Dog Bite, controlling their arm with your right arm. Slide your left hand around and behind their head, and throw yourself forward, ramming your head (crown) into their temple. Then pull them forward and shove them hard into the ground at your feet. Then you can discuss his options

Movement 14 – Lion Palm

Technique Name – Pouncing on the Ball
Elements/Trigrams – Li/Chen … Lightening Leads Thunder
Hexagram # 55 Image – Abundance
Qualities – Attach and Redirect … Pouncing

Out of Wolf Palm, spin up and around to the right while circling your arms up and over into a right side forward weak Lion Palm…which continues into a weak left sided Lion Palm while your left foot is stepping forward. As it lands, finish with a third mid-sized Lion Stance back to the right while pivoting into a left weighted 60/40 stance. Stepping with a “Ball and Chain” step forward with the right leg and “Pounce on the Ball” with two heavy “Tiger Palms”. Repeat forward with another right step, and Pounce on the Ball again.

Application: 

Spin around to the right, guarding your face with a lion palm for an attack from behind. Feigning to the right (their left side and center), dip back under and around as you side step and capture their right arm. Pulling their wrist with your right palm, while pressing and extending their right elbow. Drag and Lever them forward with a “Pounce” … off-balancing them and setting them up for a final pounce … Driving their face into the ground, with whatever force you deem.

Movement 15 – Fire Palm

Technique Name – Hawk Ascending
Elements/Trigrams – Li/Li … Fire
Hexagram # 30 Image – Clinging Flames
Qualities – Quick and Sticky … Piercing

Take a step forward with the left foot out of Lion Palm and pivot clockwise around to a “Mantis Stance”. Simultaneously, shoot your left index finger straight up your “centerline”, while shooting the right finger, right next to and inside of the left, straight down with the step. With the pivot, reverse the same motion in a seamless fashion, pointing the right finger up, and the left down. Continue this flow with a third reversal … left up and right down while taking a step forward into a left forward Bow Stance. Pivot brusquely into another right forward Mantis Stance (60/40) … Then lunge forward and low into a deep left Bow, pointing forward with your left shoulder … arms next to your body.

Application: 

Upon dispensing with the attacker in the Lion Palm, you are assailed again from behind, from the same direction, only this time you have been preoccupied, recognizing the danger late. To buy time you step forward and away from the attack, giving you time to spin and root, “corkscrewing” into the ground. This is accomplished with the aid of the double “Diving Hawk” technique, which profoundly accelerate your rooting and readiness. Just in time, your right upward “Ascending Hawk” misdirects their attack past you. Flowing effortlessly from Diving Hawk, comes Ascending Hawk. The same technique with a different application … your right arm traps their right arm, while your left “Ascending” attacks upward and into their Humoral artery under the armpit. Pressing their upper arm with your left upper arm, and stepping through with your left leg, you toss them.
Note: In practicing the Form, the index finger is used to express the high degree of focus and precision developed in the Fire Palm. In the application however, always keep your fingers together for support. The Chi is still directed by the finger tips … as any flagrant or over confident single finger attack can certainly end in serious pain, dislocation, or breakage … all which put you at a serious disadvantage surviving your ordeal!

Movement 16 – Erupting Palm (Volcano)

Technique Name – 5 – count
Elements/Trigrams – Li/Tui … Fire in the Heart
Hexagram # 49 Image – Revolution
Qualities – Bold and Fearless … Intercepting

From the left Bow of “Fire Palm”, leap forward and out with your right foot counterclockwise, bouncing immediately to the left and behind with your left leg. Starting back clockwise they cut you off so you shift back onto your right foot, though still facing clockwise in a dormant “Ready Posture”, with your palms close to your chest … Palms facing the assailant. Step toward the center of the circle with your right leg while creating an outward arc with your right palm, moving across your body out and toward the center. Your left palm crosses underneath the right in counter motion to the Arc, coming to settle in a guard on your right center line. Pivoting into a Bow as you land, finish the pivot with your left palm shooting forward, and the right-hand cocking back.

Pivot back into a Horse Stance and punch powerfully out with your right hand in line with your stance. Pivot counter-clockwise into a left forward Monkey Stance (95% weight on back right leg) … glancing not too far over your left shoulder as you pivot … execute a spinning back kick with your left leg.

Application: 

Quickly shifting back and forth looking for an escape from an assailant, and finding NONE by the time they launch a right punch at your face, you are forced to Act (as opposed to react)!

Borrowing his trajectory, you launch your own attack inside of theirs! Ricocheting off the inside of their right punch (also deflecting the threat while moving inside and past its Power). The full focus of your attack comes together (six harmonies) with a knife hand (“Chop”) to his throat and carotid arteries. This is followed immediately by a “Heel Palm” slap to the forehead … which opens up the deep blast of your “Erupting Palm” into his spleen or Solar Plexus. If they are still a threat after this, send a spinning back kick to his Tan Tien, then get out of there!

Movement 17 – Sun Palm

Technique Name – Golden Rooster
Elements/Trigrams – Li/Chi … Fire in Heaven
Hexagram # 13 Image – Fellowship
Qualities – Alert and “Scrappy” … Reckless

Prancing to your right (counter clockwise), your palms are out and up (80% extended) as you transition out of the spin back kick of the erupting Palm, prancing back and forth, left and right, the whole while facing the center. With your front leg (either left or right will work depending on your opponent’s position) initiate a “Chicken Kick”, which is a flying double front kick left, then right… escaping back around clockwise.

Application: 

Channeling surprise and fear into a positive response, retreat into a dancing and light step, while showing the adversary that your hands are up and that you are not a threat. Retreating from side to side, you are judging and timing your distance. At the opportune moment you launch an attack to their front shin and knee, in mid-air launching your second attack onto their back knee or thigh.
In this “Flying Chicken Kick”, the first kick is more of a distraction to the primary kick on to their back (balancing) leg. In the traditional Flying Chicken Kick, the first kick is primarily about gaining distance and momentum for the second, far more devasting, attack on their root!

Third Set – Maiden Palms

Introduction of Tui set
General Description

Trigram – Maiden
Position on Circle – Southeast … Early Summer / Late Spring
Direction of Travel – Counter-Clockwise
Animal – Tiger & Bear
Inner Gate – Heart
Outer Gate – Humanity (Species)

The Maiden represents the young adult still within all of us. Idealistic and Compassionate … a Joy to be around! Her softness is like an early Summer day! Beware though you get on the wrong side of her for Tui is Heart … our Heart Beat … our Humanness. Deception and Intimacy are the Norm.
A Smile and a gentle touch … Liu He Ba Fa!
The daughter of Li and Chi.
Our “Inner Child”. It is very powerful Energy within all of us.
Its Essence is Trust and Love.

Movement 18 – Bear Palm

Technique Name – Hidden Bear
Elements/Trigrams – Tui/Kun … Lake (Heart) within the Earth
Hexagram # 19 Image – Approach
Qualities – Soft and Rooted … Gentle

Settling with your back to the Circle… wide stance and arms puffed like cantaloupe under the armpits, with both Palms connecting with the Earth. Survey the Ground from left to right, then begin a Bear Palm rolling walk in a counter-clockwise direction. Walk a couple of steps in this Meditative Earth Posture … in rhythm with the outside foot, stepping forward with the right leg, your left palm rests on the center (pole) … Palm toward the center at belly height. Your right palm then arcs up and over your left, while you pivot to a left bow, and outward and over with the right palm. Follow through, and repeat the process on the other side … Left over right, pivoting to a right forward 70/30 Bow Stance.

Slide with your left foot, up next to your right and sink your left palm down in a slightly chopping fashion towards the center with your weight settling 85% onto your left leg.

Application: 

Minding your own business, attending to the ‘Land’, you are accosted by a large fellow meaning you harm.

Flowing with his momentum, you slip your left palm around and behind to rest on his Tan Tien, while your right palm presses up along his centerline from the back creating a buckling action. If you are lucky, this in itself may topple him … if not, pivot from your left bow into a right bow while slipping your palms into a reversed position, with the left palm sliding up to their sternum while the right palm slides down his back centerline creating a “spinal lock”.
Step forward with your left foot rooting in next to your right foot, and drop a sinking chop with your left hand onto his right hip… and shove him out of the picture.

Movement 19 – Soft Palm

Technique Name – Empty Nest
Elements/Trigrams – Tui/Zen … The Heart of Consciousness
Hexagram # 41 Image – Decrease
Qualities – Loose and Hidden … Casual

From the end of Bear Palm, step forward starting with your left foot. Take three swaying steps, as if drunk, allowing your arms to swing harmlessly by your side, while your eyes search the ground aimlessly. Initiate your attack when the right (outside) leg steps forward by pivoting across to a left Bow Stance while swinging your right palm low and around, leading with the back of your hand, with your left arm swinging to your left. Pivot to a Horse Stance, bringing your left palm across to the Center. Bouncing the left palm up and around in an arc back to the Center, resting at head height. Stepping up with your right foot moving next to your left foot, bring your right hand up in an arc … clapping your hands together up high, while spinning around and through to your left … all the way (360°) back until you are again facing clockwise along the circle.

Application: 

Feigning disorientation, sway wanderingly in a counter-clockwise direction, while watching your opponent peripherally. Intentionally stumble and fall into them slapping their groin with the back of your palm. Quickly following up with a hard slap with your left palm to their right kidney. Bounce off this strike to slap the back of your opponent’s head with your left hand, swing your right palm up and around front to “clap” your hands …” sandwiching” his face between your hands using full force to “ring his bell”!
Spin through this strike, following around with a spinning elbow or “Backfist”, depending on their distance.

Movement 20 – Maiden Palm

Technique Name – Falling Leaf
Elements/Trigrams – Tui/Kan … Rain on the Lake
Hexagram # 60 Image – Limitation
Qualities – Shy and Intimate … Measured

Coming out of the Soft Palm, step counter-clockwise with your right foot while raising your palms out and up … come to rest covering the face, palms towards you. Relaxing that down to covering your breasts, walking lightly (LRLR) … then attacking outward with the back of your left palm, while your right-hand guards in close under your chin … your right finger pointing towards your left hand.

Ricochet immediately with your left palm to the right (front) with a Heel Palm … bouncing back across to the left with a palms up “Ridge Hand” … step to your left (clockwise) with your right foot while extending your left palm facing up and pointing the left forefinger straight ahead at 12:00 … with the right palm at 4:00, palm facing down … the right forefinger pointing down and away.

Application: 

Being shy, circle your opponent, waiting for an opening. Sighting the gap, you slap forward onto their heart … bouncing off to “pop” their left shoulder bone. This disrupts their Rhythm and Balance … allowing you to strike their carotid artery with a ridge hand and capture their jaw bone! Pressing forcefully under and upward on their jaw bone, step through with your right leg, and wedging their left arm outward with your right palm, throw them forward off their axis.

Movement 21 – Tree Palm

Technique Name – Prayer Palm
Elements/Trigrams – Tui/Xun … Herding Fish
Hexagram # 61 Image – Inner Truth
Qualities – Tipping and Tapping … Penetrating

Out of Maiden Palm, extend your arms out and up, with the palms up like holding platters. As you pivot back to your left to continue walking the circle, your palms come together at heart level in a classical prayer position. Lead your circle walk from the finger tips, swaying gently back and forth in a small figure eight pattern by overturning your palms. This is the essence of the core technique. Sway your palms in this fashion: L-R-L-R-L … finishing with your right foot forward, without moving your arms forward (still clasped together). Then step forward with your front right foot into a Cat Stance and double chop as you land … first tapping downward from the wrist with your fingers … then blasting forward with a thrusting double chop as you land forward into a right Bow Stance.

Application: 

Swimming like a fish towards your opponent enticing them to make a lunge at you. Anticipating this attack, you have positioned your fingers to be outside of their arm/arms. It doesn’t matter which side you engage as long as you are on their outside with your fingers. Using “An Ounce Deflects a Thousand Pounds”, you redirect their assault, positioning your fingers on the far side of their face (either right or left) … then quickly shift the palms back slapping their face in order to distract and open them up for a quick and sharp double tap straight down onto the top of their exposed collarbone. Finish with a driving step while thrusting a strong double chop forward to the front of the same collarbone.

Movement 22 – Dancing Palm

Technique Name – Bear Hug
Elements/Trigrams – Tui/Chen … Thunder Stirs the Water
Hexagram # 54 Image – Courtship/Marriage
Qualities – Low and Lumbering … Committed

Fade out of Tree Palm into an open and swaying stance with elbows in, and the palms straight out from your waist facing your opponent. Sidestep counter-clockwise in a soft shuffling manner with your palms out to your side like this until you sense the proper moment … then, lunge forward with a left hook step while clasping your hands together. Immediately take a second right lunging hook step and crunch your clasped palms to your belly. Dissolve and open your palms as you bring them back beside your ribs, palms facing your opponent. Take a third step with the front right foot … Into a strong lunging Bow Stance, while extending both palms forward with the wrists touching … extending forward like a Lotus. A Lotus arching downward.

Application: 

Seizing the moment of attack, lunge between your adversary’s feet with your left hook step hoping to capture or snag anything left out there with their right foot. Yet the real goal is the second lunging Hook Step with the right … which will crowd their center. Squeezing them into your center, by clasping their lower back, while searching with a deep step of your right foot for a hook behind their left heel. Release abruptly, slipping your hands around to the front of their Hip bones. Driving them, with or without a hook, off their Root … shoving them backwards and down with full force (Fa Jing).

Movement 23 – Rhino Palm

Technique Name – Rhino Palm
Elements/Trigrams – Tui/Li … Fire on the Water
Hexagram # 38 Image – Opposition
Qualities – Strong and Uprooting … Direct

From the deep Tiger Stance of the Dancing Palm finish, Step your left foot forward while swinging your arms up and around to your right in a large circular motion which ends in Rhino Palm (also called Lion Palm) with your left palm extended forward at face level, looking through the Tiger’s Mouth, while the right palm is arced up and over your head … palm facing up towards the sky.

Start a large Rolling motion with your arms … like you are a Big Ball. Starting with the initial roll into the Rhino Palm. Dropping your right arm down, reverse to a right forward Rhino, while stepping around and tightly through with your right foot. Continue this through with another tight step through with your left … while arcing your arms around to a Side Rhino, left arm forward, right arm up … but in a Horse Stance (50/50).

Application: 

Standing firm to your oncoming attacker, slightly dip underneath their attack, block and deflect up from the inside with your lead (left) arm. Coming from the ground, roll up and close to their body with your right Rhino Horn … piercing with strong finesse into the ‘cavity’ below their tongue.

Yet this, as most pressure points are, is merely a ‘Set Up’ for the finish … which is collapsing their core with a full charging Rhino Shot to their Sternum. It takes Timing and a Strong Root … with an ounce or so of pure Rhino Guts!

Movement 24 – Blood Palm

Technique Name – Circle Hands
Elements/Trigrams – Tui/Tui … Resting in Joy (“Jen”)
Hexagram # 58 Image – Smiling Lakes
Qualities – Deep and Flowing … Engaged/Joyous

Step back and through counter-clockwise with your right foot into a Dragon Stance (70/30) out of the previous Rhino Palm. Now facing the center, rock back and forth while doing a double Circular Block (right outward, left inward, right outward). Circle Blocks, when done in multiples of 3,4,5 or more are then called Propeller Blocks … The Chinese just call them all Circle Blocks. Continue in a circular motion while your palms come together in a Lotus Palm, rocking in a rhythm.
Cut across and through with your right foot (counter-clockwise), while your right palm slices forward … fingers pointing outward while your left palm points forward.

Application: 

Dancing with your opponent’s arms, you slip around their outside into an advantageous position … Dropping over to their inside elbow – forearm to forearm. Ride their momentum (Chi) while you lock onto their right wrist with your left grasp. This creates a ‘Double Joint Lock’ between the wrist and elbow … and therefore the shoulder is the fulcrum we attack.

Step into them while escalating the pressure on the joints so that you can throw them where you wish with your Dancing Palm!

Movement 25 – Palace Palm

Technique Name – German’s Twist
Elements/Trigrams – Tui/Chi … Gentle Resolve
Hexagram # 10 Image – Treading the Tiger’s Tail (Conduct)
Qualities – Merge and Dissolve … Joining

From Blood Palm, extend your arms out palms up as far as they can go. Stepping through clockwise with your right foot behind your left into a pole facing forward moving Dragon Stance (70/30). While doing this you are crunching your elbows in, with the palms facing up and out.

Dip under your left arm as you bring it around the right side of your face … and snap-pivot into a tall Horse Stance … Bringing your arms across your chest and snapping out to a full extended wide Eagle Stance.

Application: 

Being grabbed by two opponents, one on each arm, siding with the stronger adversary, we join with them … carrying the lighter or weaker assailant crashing into the other … while we deftly sidestep the whole issue.

Fourth Set – Sky Palms

Introduction of Chi’en set

Trigram – Heaven (Sky)
Position on Circle – South … Summer
Direction of Travel – Clockwise
Animal – Eagle
Inner Gate – The Whole (The other 7 gates acting as One)
Outer Gate – Source, “God”, Totality

General Description

Chi’en or “Chi” is the Energy of Heaven. The Most Powerful. Our Home … Our Source! The Power of “Original Nature” that inhabits ALL of whatever we call Existence. It is the Totality of Space and Time … including our “Destiny”, which it Empowers. The sum of our existence and Potential! In Nature (our “World”), as in ritual, This “Source” is the Infinite Sky!

“…Who then, would not follow such a Path … and Trust in its Ways…” would say Confucius on this Trigram. The “Mandate of Heaven”. It is our power of “Faith” in the Ultimate Power! The Nadir Point of the Ba Gua Circle.

Movement 26 – Horse Palm

Technique Name – Fu Shi’s Mare (“Heavenly Horse”)
Elements/Trigrams – Chi/Kun … Heaven and Earth Coming Together
Hexagram # 11 Image – Peace (Balance)
Qualities – Tall and Planted … “Prancing”

Out of Palace Palm, sink your palms down your centerline closing them into medium strength, palm down Horse fists. Prance backward on your heels, palms at waist level, connecting to the Earth.

Bring both fists up beside your ears, as you step forward with your right foot towards the center of the circle, into a 60/40 (L/R) stance. Prance forward in a ‘Shuffle Step’ (Ball & Chain) with the same right foot while dropping both fists forward and down into an Arc … down your centerline, out and around … Knuckles coming together at eye level. Winding both fists back to your center, step forward again with your right foot along the Circle as you shove both fists forward and up … into a Bow Stance.

Application: 

Prancing in front of your adversary. Block up between their arms and drop your fists heavily onto their chest. Following through, come up and around with both arms, cascading your fists into both their temples!
Pull back and release full force forward in a double “Lifting Fist” (curling up) into their chest, diaphragm or heart, shoving them powerfully back.

Movement 27 – Star Palm

Technique Name – Seven Stars
Elements/Trigrams – Chi/Zen
Hexagram # 26 Image – Great Taming Power
Qualities – Sharp and Fierce … Stinging (Like a Hornet)

Shifting back and forth from the Horse Palm, settle back with your left foot forward into a Mantis Stance (60/40) while crossing your arms in front of your face using “Phoenix Eye” fists with your right fist in front of your left.

Snap your fists to the right, executing a double “Phoenix Point Attack” (forefinger knuckles) at eye level towards your right. Immediately reverse course, staying at eye level, back to the left ending with a slightly downward arc with your right fist. Continuing with an outward ‘figure 8’, arc upward (right then left) double slashing Phoenix point strikes … ending with a final right Phoenix point attack to the right at eye level pivoting into a right foot forward Mantis Stance.

Application: 

Your hands are down, you are looking your opponent in the eye … he lunges … Root and side step back to meet your adversary in a left forward Mantis Stance. Deflecting strongly by striking the back of his right hand with a Phoenix Eye, at the same time striking his right ulnar nerve (funny bone) with your right Phoenix Eye from the inside. While shifting your weight back lift your left foot up into a “Stop Kick” … checking his momentum.

As you land back onto your left foot from this quick kick, lean forward and to the side of your opponent while curving your right Phoenix Eye back into the tender ribs under his armpit. At the same time whipping your left Phoenix Fist across and behind his right jaw on his Vagus Nerve. Continuing this fiery explosion, reverse direction, snapping your left Phoenix Eye into the left side of his nose turning his head towards you allowing you to follow through with your right Phoenix Eye onto his left Vagus Nerve. Finish with one final reversal, focusing all your remaining “Jing” deep into his left temple with your right Phoenix Eye Fist … all like a machine gun!

Movement 28 – Rain Palm

Technique Name – Water Wheel (“Uncles Palm”)
Elements/Trigrams – Chi/Kan
Hexagram # 5 Image – Waiting for Rain (Nourishment)
Qualities – Fluid and Sinking … Rushing

From Star Palm … Transition seamlessly into Rain Palm through a big arcing right circle overhead with both palms open … right leading, while pivoting 180° clockwise. Execute an inward ‘Fan Block’ as you step forward with your left foot into a “Monkey Stance” (95/5) … following through with a forward sweeping downward arc of your left palm … collecting energy … Your right palm is open and guarding the right side of your face.

Pivot into a left forward Monkey Stance and continue into another Fan Block, stepping inside your opponent’s legs with a Right forward ‘Hook Step’ followed by a right Heel Palm lifting up, as you pivot into another left forward Monkey Stance.

Application: 

As your opponent is approaching you from behind, turn towards them (clockwise) while offering a large overhead sweeping motion with your arms to distract their gaze upwards.

Stepping in close with your left foot inside of their right foot, deflect their right arm with an upward Fan Block. Quickly dropping your left palm along the outside of their right leg, capturing the back of their knee while you sink low and step in between their legs with a right hook step, which may or may not capture their left heel.

Either way, you are now set up to uproot them by lifting their right knee forcibly while pressing on their Solar Plexus with your right palm and forearm … pivoting to your left as you execute this takedown.

You may also find it advantageous to drop your right elbow as a follow through for this motion, depending on your opponents’ balance.

Movement 29 – Dust Palm

Technique Name – Dust Devil
Elements/Trigrams – Chi/Xun … Wind Rising to Heaven
Hexagram # 9 Image – Small Taming Power
Qualities – Quick and Rising … Obscuring

From the Monkey Stance of Rain Palm, pivot into a tall Cat Stance sweeping your left foot across facing the Center. Hands are up and twisted inward with the pinky up and curled while rising and swaying like a Dust Devil. Follow through as below …

Application: 

Attack instantly with a left first Chicken Kick (double front kicks) with a double eye rake … first inward then outward with the finger tips, in between the first and second kicks! Enough to distract and allow you to follow up with a finish … or flee to the left side. The target for your kicks are both to the groin … the first bending them into the eye rakes, with the second more powerful finishing groin kick as they pull back to protect their eyes.

Movement 30 – Chi Palm

Technique Name – Lotus Kick
Elements/Trigrams – Chi/Chen … Thunder in Heaven
Hexagram # 34 Image – Power of the Great
Qualities – Empty and Immediate … Surprising

From the Chicken Kick of Dust Palm, landing right leg forward, continue your momentum with a left step into a Bow Stance sweeping your guard to the left and behind, scanning the outside of the Circle with a Dragon Stance arm posture. Slide your right foot up next to your left while crouching down with your head up and swinging your gaze and Dragon Palm back around to the right, focusing on the Center of the Circle.

From this coiled position, leap straight up, executing a Jump Spinning Crescent Kick with your left leg to the Central Pole … landing on your right leg immediately bounce forward with your left leg into an Eagle Stance, coiling into your ‘Middle Basin’ with your right knee up at a 45 degree angle, and your right foot covering your left knee … arms extended to your side in a curved posture, with both palms in an Eagle Claw formation, with your middle and index fingers extended … the transition into Eagle Palm.

 

Application: 

This technique can only rarely be used, yet when executed with proper mechanics and timing, it is considered the most powerful technique in the arsenal! The jump is secondary to the SPIN, which should be executed with a tall, head straight up posture … by jumping straight up, THEN quickly spinning your head … eyes leading the ‘Chi’. Both knees chamber up with the jump. Lead the kick with your left knee, arms in tight to your body as you rise and initiate the spin. Then your left hand will reach out to meet and slap your left foot, striking with the blade edge and heel of your foot.

The targets can be their head, ribs, or leg, though here you are targeting their arm or wrist (which could be holding a weapon). Full force destruction of the target is required! It is all or nothing!! Timing is everything!

Movement 31 – Eagle Palm

Technique Name – Twisting Dragon
Elements/Trigrams – Chi/Li … Fire in the Heavens
Hexagram # 14 Image – Great Possession
Qualities – Tight and Twisting … Intending

From the Eagle Stance described at the end of the Chi Palm, drop your right leg back into a soft Bow Stance and immediately pivot into a Horse Stance. As you are landing, circle your arms clockwise in order to execute a short Propeller Block – left inward, right outward, left inward … timing your last block with the pivot into the Horse Stance, both Palms still in the Eagle Claw shape. In fact, your palms will maintain the Eagle Claw hand shape throughout this entire technique.

Next, pivot to a hard-left Bow Stance while thrusting your right palm forward in line with your Bow … Tigers Mouth open and forward. The left palm stays where it is. Step forward and through with your right foot into a Hook Step, while switching your palms.  The left palm sweeps up and forward, with thumb and forefingers curling upwards, while the right elbow pins in tight to your right side.

Continue this upward and backward motion in a counter clockwise direction … snapping your left elbow straight downward, while pivoting into a left forward hard Bow Stance.  As you finish this pivot, continue the counter clockwise arc with your right arm, making a tight circle that drops your right elbow with your pivot, with your left palm chambered to your left hip.

Application: 

Your opponent rushes you from the front. Retreating back with your right leg, block and capture their right arm with your right palm, propelling your left forearm to hyper extend their right elbow. Maintaining control of their arm with your left palm, shoot a Tiger’s Mouth to their throat with your right palm. Grasping their Adams apple, pull them into you (pinning their arm with your right elbow) as you Hook Step behind them, attack their eyes with your left thumb and forefinger (Eagle Talon).

Maintaining pressure, crank their head back by dropping your left elbow along their spine … pivoting to trip them over your right leg. Finish them off with a powerful “Heavy” elbow to their heart as they fall.

Movement 32 – Crystal Palm

Technique Name – Blasting Fist
Elements/Trigrams – Chi/Tui … The Heart of Heaven
Hexagram # 43 Image – Breakthrough (Resolve)
Qualities – Slicing and Deep … Blasting

From the right Bow of the Eagle Palm, which is now facing counter-clockwise, take a large leaping step inside, back and through with your left foot, 180° into a soft left Bow while arcing a low right Hook Punch across the Pole, the left palm counter balancing with a soft inward block (open palm), which covers and guards along the right side of your face.

Shuffle your right foot in toward the pole into a Horse Stance, while piercing your right elbow into the Center, in line with your stance, which is in heel-toe alignment.

Pivot into a right Bow while downward arcing a right Back Fist followed by a strong Reverse Punch with your left as you finish the pivot. You are now facing the center.

Application: 

Seeing a wide Haymaker coming from your left rear quadrant, leap to the side while slapping their punch up and across as you hook their ribs with a right spinning Hook Punch. Pressing in on their attack, immediately follow up with your right elbow popping into their “riblets” beneath their armpit. This opens the way for you to clear their arm while attacking their face with your right back fist.
All of this is designed to set up your finish with a full powered and “Blasting” Left Reverse Punch, putting your full weight and “Chi” behind your punch by pivoting fully into your hard right Bow Stance, with your right palm guarding the left side of your face.

Movement 33 – Sky Palm

Sky Palm
"The Look"

Technique Name – “The Look”
Elements/Trigrams – Chi/Chi … Pure Heaven
Hexagram # 1 Image – Heaven the Creative
Qualities – Calm and Collected … Intense

From the right Bow of Crystal Palm, sweep your left foot in and around 270° (3/4 of a circle) while dropping your right palm straight down along the side of your body. As you finish the step, settling into a tall Cat Stance, your left palm gently circles and rests behind your back, while your right palm rests on your right thigh … the index finger pointing subtly toward the base of the Pole, which you are facing from a longer distance out from the circle. Your expression is neutral and intent staring straight forward at the Pole.

Step forward (toward the Center) with your right foot executing a Ball and Chain step by dragging your left in towards your right with the momentum moving forward while staying grounded in your Root. At the same time, you are lifting a right heel palm straight up and forward from its low “Ready Posture”.
Complete the technique by lifting your left knee, which propels your momentum forward by several more inches as you drive your right elbow forward.

Close off by extending your arms out wide to your side and mildly lifted with your palms up and open to the sky. Walk in this Sky Palm posture clockwise around the circle for seven steps. *This marks the halfway point in the form.

Application: 

Twirling around to face your adversary, you transform your countenance into one of quiet strength and calm, looking your opponent directly in their eyes … acutely reading the situation, with a resolve … hopefully de-escalating the entire situation.

If they do not stop, and continue coming at you, you attack their assault by moving straight into their momentum while thrusting your palm up under their jaw. Staying grounded yourself. This will uproot them and distract their vision while opening up their chest to a pointed elbow thrust impelled by your rising back leg, which amplifies your forward momentum in order to bounce them out of the field.

Fifth Set – Wind Palms

Introduction of Xun set

Trigram – Wind
Position on Circle – Southwest … Early Autumn / Late Summer
Direction of Travel – Counter Clockwise
Animal – Crane and Mantis
Inner Gate – Lungs
Outer Gate – Nature … The Living Breathing Planet!

General Description

Xun is Wind and Wood. More precisely, The Life, The Breath, and the Movement of Wood and Wind. The Gently Penetrating growth of Living Organisms … All Life … The Wind is what Moves and Motivates us! It is our Breath and the way we express our Intent. Xun is Communication!! We are all at its mercy. This can be used powerfully in the Martial Arts. Especially in Qi Gong, H’sing-I and Ba Gua.

Movement 34 – Tornado Palm

Technique Name – Wheel Throw (Dancing with the Fairy)
Elements/Trigrams – Xun/Chi … Tree Sings to Heaven
Hexagram # 44 Image – Coming to Meet
Qualities – Slippery and Deep … Uplifting

From the Sky Palm walk, representing the peak of the Yang energy of Chi/Chi, we now begin our descent into Yin energy with Xun/Chi … The Tornado energy of Ba Gua.

Spiraling to your right shoot with your left palm, across to your right, palm up, with the right palm fanning backwards, palm up. Repeat across with the right palm, then reverse again.

Stepping through and forward with a left forward Empty Monkey Stance (with your right knee coming behind your 95% weighted left knee), while you extend your arms forward and counter rotate them up and out in a wheel like fashion.

Continuing through this clockwise Wheel Throw action, by pivoting into a low single legged left Money Stance … in a slow pulsing manner…

Follow through with your root foot shooting back (emptily) into a deep stance from which to pivot into a right forward Bow Stance, while rotating a full arcing wheel motion clockwise overhead … ending in a backward-looking Pheasant Stance.

Application: 

Engaging your opponent inside … Slip stepping forward, enter into their center with your left foot, while slipping the back of your left palm inside and behind their right knee … while shoving (and rolling up) their right arm with your right upward arcing forearm.

This will assuredly imbalance and uproot them … allowing you to throw them by capturing their imbalanced momentum in their root. Lifting their right knee … using their momentum … cast them vigorously through and to your right side (their forward) while amplifying their momentum with a pivot, follow through with a sweeping Bow Stance … watching them go … Alert to any Change!

Movement 35 – Feather Palm

Technique Name – Pheasant in the Grass
Elements/Trigrams – Xun/Tui … Sagging Ridge Pole
Hexagram # 28 Image – Preponderance of the Great
Qualities – Gentle and Buoyant … Graceful

From the right Bow of the Tornado Palm, sweep your right leg back, up and through into a Crane Stance.  At the same time your right palm swoops down with the back of your palm into a Crane’s Beak shape … swooping across your lower basin to the left.

Swoop your right leg down and shuffle forward into a lower reverse Crane Stance … right leg forward. At the same time, swoop your right arm upwards in a Crane’s Beak, with your left following into an open palm forward, fingers pointing downward. This transitions smoothly into a downward to your right arcing circle, which swoops across the ground while your right leg steps all the way back and pivots into a right forward Bow Stance. Finish with a small counter clockwise circular sweep with your left foot, maintaining your Bow Stance.

Application: 

Someone is trying to kick you with their left leg. Retreat by swooping up your front (right) leg into the Crane Stance while blocking the kick with the back of your right forearm.

Immediately shuffle forward as they are turning from your block and capture their collar bone (from behind) with your right palm while your left palm settles with a counter pressure on their lower back. Throwing your weight backwards, drag them to the ground with this Horse Collar type of throw.

If they are stumbling to catch their balance, tho not going down, help them along with a quick and accurate heel trip with your left foot.

Movement 36 – Lava Palm

Technique Name – Splashing Hands
Elements/Trigrams – Xun/Li … Wind feeding Fire
Hexagram # 50 Image – The Cauldron
Qualities – Relentless and Pounding … “Splashing”

From the Pheasant Stance of the Feather Palm, activate the Chi in your Tan Tien to rise up and into the Fire of the 6th Gate, influencing the “fanning” through the Home (5th) Gate of “Wind” … This rising Lava from the Tan Tien is activated by bubbly “Taps” on the right and left side of your Tan Tien with your ‘soft fists’ … this while you walk the circle counter-clockwise.

Execute a left Monkey Kick simultaneously with a left outward block, followed immediately with a right Monkey Fist along the same curved path as your block. Create a figure eight pattern with both palms as you flow through this motion, take a step forward after landing with the Monkey Kick around to a Horse Stance facing the Center with your right foot. The figure eight motion flows down and to the left, then up and to the right, as you duplicate the initial move on the other side … a right downward Back Knuckle followed by a left downward Monkey Fist.

Continuing this same figure eight pattern, follow with another left outward Back Knuckle and right Monkey Fist, while executing a second right Monkey Kick in time with your left outward Blocking Back Knuckle. Finish with a right Phoenix Eye Fist shooting out and across your body, while pivoting into a left forward Mantis Stance.

Application: 

This technique, while requiring a high level of accuracy and coordination is less about technical perfection and more about energetic and elemental explosion! Someone is charging in on you with a left Jab. Checking their momentum with a left stop kick to their shin or knee, you attack their Jab with a sharp left outward that snaps your left knuckles onto any of several Pressure Points on their forearm (my preference is the Heart Meridian Point, which is between the thumb and forefinger line, about 2 inches below their elbow). Deftly side stepping their charge by pivoting into a Horse Stance, you create a barrage of short, quick attacks to their arm, collarbone, elbow and whatever else presents itself, while simultaneously popping an upward Monkey Kick to their groin.

Blindingly fierce and aggressive with your short figure eight patterns, your intent is to stun and disrupt their Chi with sharp, pointed knuckles onto soft and vulnerable targets with a speed that they cannot follow.
This technique also emphasizes the development of striking with your hands and feet at the same time … which can take some time to be effective.

Overall, you are Splashing down on your attacker with hot, fluid and painful small strikes, that gather momentum towards setting them up for a stronger finishing Phoenix Eye strike, empowered by your pivot, to their left eye or temple … giving you ample time to escape, or take on the next attacker.

Movement 37 – Iron Palm

Technique Name – Iron Crane
Elements/Trigrams – Xun/Chen … Constant Change
Hexagram # 32 Image – Duration
Qualities – Focused and Flying … Slicing

Twirl counter-clockwise out of the momentum of Lava Palm, extending both fists wide out to your sides like wings and walk the circle.

Execute a Wide Fan Block (Inward Right, outward left) … Accelerating into a right forward chop, with the left hand in an Eagle Claw near your left ear … Propelling this all with a left-up Crane Stance, lifting your left knee. Eyes right, towards the chop.

Take a large step back with your left foot, and reverse into a right leg up Crane Stance. At the same time, you are drawing both of your arms down and back to the left. Fists in Iron Palm.

This prepares you for a solid body shot from the coiled Crane Stance with a right outside Crescent Kick. Follow this with a left Spinning Axe Kick.

Application: 

Soar like a Dervish wide around your opponent ready to counter-attack his left foot forward lunge. Blocking and seizing his left arm, propel yourself into his throat with your chop. Drag him back and slap his ribs with a Crescent Kick.  This opens him to your finish with the Spinning Axe Kick … possibly breaking his neck, or knocking him out.

Movement 38 – Wind Palm

Technique Name – Whirling Fist
Elements/Trigrams – Xun/Xun … A Brisk Wind
Hexagram # 57 Image – The Penetrating
Qualities – Swift and Twisting … Slapping

From the Axe Kick of the Iron Palm, landing in a left Bow Stance, circle the Pole with your arms fluttering back from your sides in a quick and shivering Wind Palm, with fingers pointing down and back.  As you land with your right step, pivot into a Horse Stance as you lift a flat palm slap “Pak Sao” across at face level, while initiating the same palm slap with the right across at mid-level to your left. Flowing seamlessly through, continue the right palm across, in and back out, around and up into a horizontal Crane Top angled high in front of your right shoulder.

While maintaining your left guard throughout, reverse direction with your Crane Top and cross up and above your left guard … Swooping up, over and downward into a low forward slap of the right palm fingertips while slapping your left guard on top of your right arm.

Grasp as you lean forward into a deep left Bow Stance, and draw your left palm, which has just slapped your right bicep, down along your inner right arm, swiping it clean at the wrist … pulling your right arm back to your side as you slide your right foot into your left … looking downward.

Application: 

Soaring around your opponent in a soft and fluid fashion at a slight distance … prepared, counter his right attack with a direct left slap that blocks and counter balances your right “Poison Hand” attack with your right palm to his spleen that follows through (with ‘Empty Force’) curving back with a lifting right snapping Crane Top to his right temple. This is followed seamlessly with a reversal back to your left with your Crane Top, striking his left temple … flowing through with an overhead swooping groin strike that grabs and yanks upward, as the left palm pulls through and strikes his bladder with a downward horizontal chop … empowered with a slam of your right foot up next to your left foot … All is well.

Movement 39 – Flood Palm

Technique Name – Twin Roll
Elements/Trigrams – Xun/Kan … Rising Waters
Hexagram # 48 Image – The Well
Qualities – Circular and Continuous … Gliding

From Wind Palm, first shift 85% of your weight to your right foot, expanding your arms into a Wide Hawk Stance, facing and ready for an opponent in front of you along the Circle.

Skip forward along the circle, leading with your left foot, pivoting (out of the way) into a Horse Stance back to the Pole. At the same time executing a multifaceted Propeller Block … starting with a soft left inward, right outward into another left inward. This is followed by a second identical leap with you left, as you finish the Propeller Block with another left inward and right outward. Flow immediately into a right Reverse Punch while pivoting into a left forward Bow Stance.

Take a quick Hook Step with your right foot, continuing with your final outward-inward combo flow! Pivoting into a hard left Bow Stance, extend your right palm outward and down … palm facing the earth, left hand guarding the face.

Application: 

Accosted by a strong right punch, shuffle out and just barely to the side of the attack. Roll and “Pop” his ribs with your right fist … Continuing through, lunge in and past his right foot … “Popping” his ribs again, this time with an open hand, palm down Heel Palm strike … Sweeping his right leg out in the process. A relentless close range counter to an aggressive opponent. Finish with a forceful pop from the inside of your right elbow’s extension … Called a “Pop Shot” or “Dent Shot” in Tai.

Movement 40 – Mantis Palm

Technique Name – Twisting Palm
Elements/Trigrams – Xun/Zen … The Rushing Wind
Hexagram # 18 Image – Decay
Qualities – Pulling and Popping … Hooking

From the left Bow of the Flood Palm, sweep your right foot forward (counter-clockwise) into a deep Mantis Stance, while hooking your guard out into a separating Mantis Posture with your right palm out at shoulder height, and your left palm extended out and around the circle. Your eyes follow your left palm.

Repeat this move and step with your left, positioning your gaze to the right, and away from the Circle. Repeat once more with a right step, only this time go into a full Mantis Stance with both palms hooking outward and pulling back.

Pivot from your deep Mantis into a left leaning (60/40) Horse Stance while extending your right Mantis Hook forward … your left palm slapping your chest as you guard your arm pit. Leap forward into a right leaning Horse Stance while dropping your right elbow into a coiled Mantis Stance. Finish by slapping a Palm Strike forward as you pivot into a left reverse Cat Stance … eyes looking right. 

*[This technique uses the 3 forms of Internal Power taught in Tai … The Internal Thrust “Power Punch”, the Empty Snap of “Soft Touch”  (or “Poison Hand”) and “Heavy Hand” as taught by David German.

Application: 

Moving in on an opponent’s left Jab, parry from the left and hook from the inside with your right “Twisting Palm” to their left temple. Closing the gap … dropping a Heavy Elbow onto their Heart as you land. Finish with a further ‘closing’ pivot forward into a left reverse Cat Stance … Slamming an aggressive Poison Palm to their face!

Movement 41 – Unicorn Palm

Technique Name – Dent Shot
Elements/Trigrams – Xun/Kun … Wood Rising from the Earth
Hexagram # 46 Image – Sprouting
Qualities – High and Dropping … Rebounding

From the Cat Stance of Mantis Palm, slide your left foot across 90° to your left staying in the same Cat Stance while starting an inward right, outward left Propeller Block. Extend the block wider as you step forward with your right forward Cat Stance, as you execute the first outward block.

Lifting upward with your left knee into a high Unicorn Stance as you widen the propeller … rolling up with the left outward and then dropping into a low Maiden Stance … palm extended forward as if blowing a kiss …this as you squat into a low Monkey Stance.

Lift upward into a tall Unicorn Stance … left palm extended up and outward with your left knee tall. Double leap quickly counter-clockwise stepping with your right leg retreating into a Horse Stance. Seamlessly move your left leg back into a Dragon Stance … hands remaining exactly where they are … dancing around your palms … winding up your center.

Pivot to a “Rocking” Horse Stance, back to the circle … shifting your weight to your left foot as you initiate, then slamming forward to your right foot as you chop forward along the Circle. Creating a snap between your left finger pads and your right palm’s outer edge during the “Transition”.

Application: 

Your footwork is key here … harmonizing with your Propeller Block. Skipping quickly with the feet in a 3/2 rhythm … 3 steps for 2 blocks. 

Side stepping and diverting your opponent’s wide left swing … redirect across while slipping up and over the attack … tight circling immediately to “Dent” their elbow in a sudden downward burst of gravity! This, yanking their arm down, exposes them to your left elbow “pit” ripping upward toward their falling jaw! This could break their neck. 

Maintaining light pressure on their head and face, twirl counter-clockwise around their head, clasping their jaw with your left palm as you press against their left shoulder with your right palm. Snap and serve!!

Sixth Set – Water Palms

Introduction to Kan Set

Trigram – Wind
Position on Circle – Southwest … Early Autumn / Late Summer
Direction of Travel – Counter Clockwise
Animal – Crane and Mantis
Inner Gate – Lungs
Outer Gate – Nature … The Living Breathing Planet!

General Description

Kan “The Abyss” … The Deep Sea. The place of Danger … It is the Power of Emotion!

It demands Flow in order to Survive. Its scholarly reference is Community, Society, and Cultural Traditions.  It is the power of the Group … Mob frenzy at its worst … the Great Works of civilization at its best. It is how we interact with Humanity. Tribalistic and Racist by Nature, we must Harmonize these energies when we interact with our adversaries as well!

Movement 42 – Ocean Palm

Technique Name – Rear Slip
Elements/Trigrams – Kan/Chi … The Great Water
Hexagram # 6 Image – Conflict (Emersion)
Qualities – Loose and Heavy … Slippery

From the Strong and tall stance of the Unicorn Palm, sway forward with your arms puffed out and back as you shift your Middle Basin from side to side as you survey your surroundings.

Stepping forward with your right foot so that your back is to the Center, arch your elbows back and continue to sway as you stay in place in a Horse Stance … leaning first to your left, then right, then left. As you are swaying, lift your opposing heel … right heel as you sway left, left heel as you sway right, and left heel again as you lean left … while also lifting slightly each shoulder with these moves.

On the fourth shift, stomp your right heel down hard while shooting your right palm downward along your right leg. Shift quickly and do a counter-clockwise spin using a small double step while lifting your right shoulder and elbow up and around with your spin so that you end up with your right palm facing outward in front of your right shoulder, and your left palm in a curved guard (fingers pointing toward your right palm) at solar plexus height. Finish this move with a swift pivot into a left forward Bow Stance while extending your right palm forward, and dropping your left guard to hip height.

Application: 

Your elbows are being hooked from behind. Before they can lock together, shift and sway immediately within their grasp, keeping their grip from tightening up. Keep this tussling up, executing a double groin slap, first right, then left … adding a heel stomp onto their toes or arch with your first attack.

As you execute the second slap with your left palm, lift forcibly out of their grip with your right shoulder pulling your elbow up and free. Grasping their left wrist as you tightly spin out and around to their side, crank their left (bent) elbow up and forward, while pulling their left wrist towards your center … which sends them sailing forward, or crashing down to the ground.

Movement 43 – Fog Palm

Technique Name – Grasping the Moons
Elements/Trigrams – Kan/Tui … Draining the Swamp
Hexagram # 47 Image – Oppression
Qualities – Wide and “Jamming” … Assertive

From the left Bow Stance of the Rear Slip, sweep your right foot firmly forward as you gently lift your palms forward like antennae … palms open and facing your body, with forefingers pointing forward … right palm at eye level, left palm at groin level. Take three careful steps clockwise around the circle, reversing your palm position with each step as if feeling your way through Fog.

On the third (left) step, pivot into a Horse Stance while executing a double upward block with the left palm on the outside, which opens out into a momentary Lion Stance facing towards your left. Continue this large arcing move so that your right palm travels out, back down and around … while your left palm moves inward to slap your inner right elbow as you complete the arc, and pivot into a deep left Bow Stance. Pivot back into a Horse Stance while drawing your right fist back to a chambered position along your right ribs, while your left palm shoots outward into a horizontal chop, which then grasps into a fist.

Finish with a forward lunging pivot into another Bow Stance, while punching hard with a right Reverse Vertical Punch, with your left palm guarding your center inside your punch.

Application: 

Stepping inside of a strong right punch, divert their punch outward while distracting them by brushing their eyes as you open them up. Checking their left (potential attack) and blocking if need be, circle back and around, reaching in with your right palm for a groin strike that attempts to actually grasp their groin or clothing if possible. Either way, aggressively moving forward, draw your right back while striking their solar plexus with a left Eagle Claw palm which immediately grasps and pulls their skin or clothing … Drawing them into your powerful and finishing right thrusting punch directly underneath your left palm, again attacking up and into their solar plexus … Driving them back and off balance with your heavy incoming weight and momentum.

Movement 44 – Slush Palm

Technique Name – Slip Step
Elements/Trigrams – Kan/Li … Fire on the Water
Hexagram # 64 Image – Before Completion (Caution)
Qualities – Close and Accurate … Undermining

From the left Bow Stance of Fog Palm, shift your weight back to your right foot while drawing both your arms behind your back, resting your wrists on your hips. Sidestep clockwise in a prancing fashion for three steps … landing on your left foot while facing the Pole. Initiate a Cross Sweep with your left foot back across in front of your right leg. 

Follow this directly with a hard slide of the same left foot back across to your left in a sweeping deep cut with the outer edge and heel of your left foot. Pop your left knee hard and out to the left, then shoot your right knee across in the same direction (in front of your left knee) while bringing your palms forward and close to your chest. Sweep your right heel back and through the center, while extending your right palm out and through the center with this right sweeping action ending in a low left Bow Stance.

Application: 

Shifting sideways to your left in a dancing prancing fashion with your hands behind your back showing no threat to your adversary, watching closely their own footwork and balance distribution. At the proper moment, attack their left foot with the inner blade of your left foot, sweeping back immediately to their right foot with the outer blade of your left foot, immediately popping their right inner knee with your left outer knee. As you do this, your hands come forward from hiding and clasp onto their arms above their elbows, exerting a slight downward pulling action, stabilizing both of you. Attack with your right knee into their left inner thigh destabilizing their root.

At that moment, attack their center with your right heel palm while cutting through their Center (in between their legs) with your right leg into a deep left Bow Stance, while controlling their balance and direction with your left grasp on their right elbow. Following their imbalance closely, direct their momentum accordingly.

Movement 45 – Wave Palm (Tsunami)

Technique Name – Dragon Flip
Elements/Trigrams – Kan/Chen … Rain & Thunder
Hexagram # 40 Image – Deliverance
Qualities – Deep & Intimate … Engulfing

As if being drawn out by a strong surf, sway out of Slush Palm from your 3rd Gate … your Middle Basin.  Palms down, swaying like seaweed floating in the current. Step left-right-left in this swaying fashion. On the fourth step (R), lunge and sink as your arms loop outward, up and around to land as two inward pronating heavy sinking downward punches at 45°.

Bounce immediately into a left, rear stepping Dragon Stance, while shooting both arms upward and outwards … wrists in Ridge Hands (thumb tucked, fingers together slightly arching them downwards). Arms are crossed with the right arm beneath, extended out forward, with the left hand in a tight close guard above the forearm.

Recoil your Palms immediately into an elbows drawn inward, arching backward clasp of your palms … forearms pinching together … Quickly pivot into a strongly rooted left Bow Stance while whipping your clasped palms forward and out … pointing toward the ground. 

Immediately reverse from your downward motion … yank back up and inwards … shifting into a left forward Mantis Stance (60/40), keeping your elbows locked together.

Application: 

While drifting heavily in a swaying relaxed manner, anticipate and intercept your opponent’s shove with an inward arcing double strike  over and around to their belly … using the right “English” to drop them into your waiting arms!

Clasping their neck after having raked across their Adams Apple with your right Rasping Ridge Hand.  Immediately lock your hands together, forming a Scissors Throw Lock, with your forearms locked across their neck.

Slice downward with your clasped palms, extending your arms, throwing them down with their head! This is powered by your strong pivot into a left Bow Stance. Immediately yanking their head back up as you shift back into a Mantis Stance … like setting the hook on a Marlin!

Movement 46 – Misty Palm

Technique Name – Wooden Mantis
Elements/Trigrams – Kan/Xun … Wood over Water
Hexagram # 59 Image – Dispersion
Qualities – Swift & Direct … Wedging

Dissolve quietly out of the explosion of the Dragon Flip, bringing both palms up in Phoenix Eye fists, with the thumb knuckle pointing upwards … guarding your face on each side like in a boxer’s stance. Sidestep clockwise around the circle for a couple of steps, bobbing and weaving with your body. As you settle into a Horse Stance facing the center, lift your left elbow up sharply as your left foot lands. Your right palm still guarding your face. Both palms are in downward hooking Phoenix Eye Fists.

Extend this same left elbow out widely and pointedly towards your left at shoulder height as you take a side lunging step with your left into a wider Horse Stance. Finish by sinking lower into that Horse Stance as you extend both palms out to your sides.

Application: 

Moving elusively around your opponent, you are gauging the distance and timing of his potential attack. As they attack, you are ready and hook their right punch with your right wrist … Hooking them downward.

At the same time, you are snapping your elbow tip up into their right upper underarm. Lunge immediately into them, spearing your left elbow into their tender and vulnerable riblets under their armpit … most annoying. Finish by sinking and extending your Chi into their core … sending them back as far as you would like! (It is ALL Intention!)

Movement 47 – Water Palm

Technique Name – Sidewinder
Elements/Trigrams – Kan/Kan … Water
Hexagram # 29 Image – The Abyss (Danger/Deep Water)
Qualities – Mesmerizing and Conspiring … Complete

From the Horse Stance of Mist Palm, slither forward with your right foot into an open Snake Stance (85/15) extending your right foot forward and your left palm behind you like a tail … rotating both wrists clockwise so that both open Snake Palms are facing the sky. Repeat with left and right steps, reversing your palms with each step.

On your third step forward (with your right), as soon as you land, slide back into an Empty Snake Stance (85/15). As you shift, quickly loop your right palm up, around and down, hooking your palm … fingers pointing to the Earth. Your left palm is open and counter balances the right in a Dragon Palm forward guard.

Pivot into a Horse Stance, swinging the right palm around in a small circle … left palm counter balancing in a counter circular motion … All initiated from your Tan Tien.

Continue these counter circular motions with your arms as you leap forward and slap your right elbow as it moves by … immediately dropping your right palm downward in an explosive slap, while pivoting into a soft left Bow Stance.

Pivot back to a Leaning Horse Stance, while simultaneously executing a Scissors Chop. With your left palm chopping downward while your right does a Ridge Hand upward and slicing next to each other, slapping as you go by. Rotate your palms so that they are clasping your forearms. Hop back with your right leg into a Dragon Stance. 

As you pivot out of the Dragon Stance into a wide Horse Stance … snap your right palm against your left chop.

Pivot smoothly into a right forward (clockwise) Cat Stance (90/10) … letting your arms circle with your turn. Transitioning into Rainbow Palm.

Application: 

Gliding in cautiously toward your adversary, he suddenly attacks you with a left punch. This forces you to retreat back with your left foot as you wrap your right palm around their left wrist (from the outside) … drawing them in and down as you counter any possible right side attack with your left palm.

Luring them thus, dissolve and roll your right palm immediately counter clockwise off their fist and slap their jaw, preferably around the Vagus Nerve (“The Button”). Distracting them with the slap, leap in close and strike the same area with your right elbow … sandwiching with your left palm.

Shoot immediately and smoothly to a groin strike with your right palm. This is just a set up for the finale. Reverse back up from the groin to Ridge Hand their throat as they lean forward … scissoring their neck with a downward chop of your left.

Capturing them in this manner, leap around their head with your right foot stepping behind into a Dragon Stance. Clasping their jaw and rear skull … Pivot and Crank Slap, throwing them at a minimum … possibly breaking their neck.

Movement 48 – Rainbow Palm

Technique Name – Ricochet (Echo)
Elements/Trigrams – Kan/Zen … Spring Within the Mountain
Hexagram # 4 Image – Youthful Folly
Qualities – Clever & Tricky … Innocent

Assuming a Double Lotus Palm (“Ape Offers Fruit”), Smile and walk haphazardly … awaiting the right moment … Attack with Abandon!!!

Sweep a left Shovel Kick with your foot’s ‘Blade’ edge low and across your right side while crossing and “cocking” your right palm high above the left with the right pinky coiled inward and the left thumb coiled outward into a strong guard.

Land perpendicular to your kick angle (90°) and Chop forcefully downward with your right palm. Grasping inward with the same palm, lift your right knee, slapping it with your descending right palm. Without landing, go immediately (Ricocheting) off your right knee into a right back kick.

Land with the momentum of your kick into a deep back left forward Bow Stance pivoting quickly into a strong and wide right forward Bow Stance … with your palms pressing hard to the right across your body.

Application: 

Being accosted by two thugs, both in front of you, choose an attack path that puts you directly behind the guy on your right.

As you shoot through, snap a distracting and preferably bending shin kick with your left foot, while you “chamber” your right palm high above your target, so that as you land powerfully rooted, you strike him sharply on the back of his neck. 

Grasp instantly the base of his skull with the same chopping hand (right). Pull his head down forcibly and knee him hard wherever you can get!

Instantly ricochet off this knee strike with a right back kick into the other opponent’s “Floating Ribs” (2 lowest ribs … not attached on the outside … and thus float). End by throwing the first guy, who’s head you still hold, fast and hard right into the center of the guy you just kicked.  

Knocking them over like bowling pins! 

Movement 49 – Rock Palm (Avalanche)

Technique Name – Snapping Vines
Elements/Trigrams – Kan/Kan … Water Beneath the Earth
Hexagram # 7 Image – The Army
Qualities – Firm & Forward … Chopping

Continue the throwing motion of Rainbow Palm as you move clockwise around the circle with your palms now in fists … low and outstretched forward in a menacing guard.

This attack is all with the right palm, the left is counter balancing importantly in the background as your rear guard. Yin and Yang.

Execute a right Stop Kick with the ball of your foot. At the same time you are doing a left Downward and right Upward Block. As you land from the kick into a right soft Bow Stance, execute a downward Chop with your right palm.

Hop forward into a Horse Stance as you snap your right elbow upward … Finish with a downward Heel Palm as you shift into a reverse Cat Stance  (90% right foot) eyes and palms right.

Application: 

Moving in on your opponent forcefully, initiating a lunge from him with both arms extended … shame.

Blocking his right arm downward with your left, you are blocking his left arm up from the inside … creating a separation.

As you block his arms, shoot an imperceptible shin kick with your right foot, landing with a full force ‘Heavy hand’ chop to his collar bone. Hop forward into a side Horse Stance as you propel your right elbow tip up under his chin. Finish with a Heavy Hand downward Heel Palm to his upturned nose!

All’s well that ends well!

Seventh Set – Monk Palms

Introduction to Ken Set

Trigram – Mountain Top
Position on Circle – North West … Early Winter / Late Autumn
Direction of Travel – Counter Clockwise
Animal – Monkey
Inner Gate – Upper Brain “Crown”, Ears & “Wei Chi”*
Outer Gate – The Spirit Realm, The “Invisible” – Yet Tangible

*(A surface level of protection equivalent to our Magnetic Field)

General Description

Ken, or ‘Zen’ as I prefer, represents the “Top of the Mountain” … a very ancient precept in Chinese Culture and Cosmology. It is the pinnacle destination of Our Training and Practice of Life! It represents the Monk on the Mountain … and also the Monkey.

It is the top of our heads … our “Crown Chakra”, the place of Ascendant Consciousness and Meditation. It thus, is Still. Still and removed from the mundane and superficial … as on a Mountain Top. This is the home of our Scholarly Qi Gong.

Movement 50 – Bubble Palm

Technique Name – Bubble Toss
Elements/Trigrams – Zen/Chi … Retreat to Heaven
Hexagram # 33 Image – Retreat
Qualities – Firm and Yielding … Empty

From the reverse Cat Stance of Rock Palm, lift your arms in a floating fashion. Palms rotating inward at the height of the lift … creating a “Bubble” of 7th Gate (Zen) Chi **, with palms facing your forehead.

Rotate counter clockwise from this “Bubble” … pivoting on your toes and turning 360°.

Pivot even further (until you are in a Horse Stance facing the Circle) as you rotate your palm’s outward thumbs forward. Finish with a deep pivot into a left Bow Stance … while extending your Chi through your palms.

**Following the ‘Essence’ of the 7th Gate’s “Energy” as found in the Zen introduction … Emptiness … Empty and Full at the same time.

Application: 

Expanding your stance with “Emptiness” allows you to sense out beyond your “Normal” sensory boundaries by merging completely with the Environment’s Chi, including your opponent’s. In this manner …

Sensing the opponent rushing you from behind, empty as a Summer cloud, side step and merge at the last moment … Merging completely with their timing, their momentum and their attack. These are the Goals of Ba Gua … Timing and Momentum!

Grasping their rear shoulder and hip with your “Empty Hands” through your merged palms … taking their momentum and triple it (at least), throwing them in the direction of their quest!!

Waiting until the ‘last moment’ in Tai Chi or Ba Gua means also waiting until you feel them touch you … giving you their full commitment.

Movement 51 – Lotus Palm

Technique Name – Lotus Palm
Elements/Trigrams – Zen/Tui … Lake on the Mountain
Hexagram # 31 Image – Wooing (Influence)
Qualities – Immediate & True … Engaging

Flowing seamlessly from the Bubble Palm finish, withdraw your palms into an “X” guard covering your heart, with the left palm on the inside, palms facing inward. Walk demurely counter clockwise, glancing peripherally with an innocent smile on your face.

At the proper moment, step toward the center of the Circle with your left foot into a single weighted (on the left) Horse Stance. At the same time as you initiate the step, flip your left palm out and across to your right in an open palm slap at full extension in front of your right shoulder. As your left toe touches down, your left palm rebounds out across to your left, still at full extension, into a “Crane Top” (wrist bent fully with the fingers flat and touching each other into a point that is pointing back toward your face).

As you settle into your left weighted Horse Stance, drop your left Crane Top straight down about a foot into an “Ox Jaw” chop (Hitting with the pinky side large bone at the base of your hand, while extending your fingers wide and back.

Shuffle hop into the center, staying in a Horse Stance. As you land, lift your left elbow upward in a point, with the left palm assuming another Crane Top, this time with the fingers pointed forward.

Application: 

Feigning unease by passively clasping your chest showing no threat to your attacker, you try slowly walking away. Ignoring your attempt at diffusing the situation, he strikes out at you with a left punch.

Alertly anticipating such a possibility, you immediately intercept his attack, slapping his punch from the inside with your left palm. Bouncing instantly off his arm to strike his temple with the back of your wrist, which opens him up for you to drop a ‘Heavy Hand’ Ox Jaw to his exposed collar bone. Finish with a lunging upper cutting elbow to his Solar Plexus or heart. If need be he can them be shoved away with your coiled left palm.

Movement 52 – Jungle Palm

Technique Name – Butterfly
Elements/Trigrams – Zen/Li … Fire on the Mountain
Hexagram # 56 Image – The Wanderer
Qualities – Direct & Circular … Snapping

From Lotus Palm, pivot left and step through walking at a fast clip in the Leopard Stance … your arms dancing up by your ears, in soft fists … like a butterfly shifting through leaves.

As you step through with your right foot, execute an Inward (R), Outward(L), Inward(R), Downward(R), Inward(R), Outward(R) combination. Finish by shifting to a left reverse Cat Stance (90/10) as you extend the final Outward Block.

Application: 

“Float like Butterfly, Sting like a Bee!” … Famous words from Mohammed Ali, and quite apt for the Butterfly Palm!

Covered in a Soft Guard, move through your adversaries as if swimming through leaves, when suddenly you are powerfully attacked with a left strike. Counter with right, left Propeller Block that captures his punch and overextends his momentum forward. The third right block of course hyperextending his exposed elbow … tho you HAVE to be quick!!

Grasping their left wrist with your left palm from the inward block that snaps their elbow … drop immediately down to snap their groin with the same right palm … continue that flow through by lifting and circling with your right elbow to knock their Vagus Nerve “Button” on the side of their jaw.

Finish by flipping your right elbow and palm over, extending a strong and thrusting right Back Fist to their nose as you pivot all your weight onto your ‘Striking Leg’ , in this case your right foot roots and propels your thrusting Back Fist … Bye Bye!

Movement 53 – Monkey Palm

Technique Name – Snatching Fruit (Front Gun)
Elements/Trigrams – Zen/Chen … Thunder on the Mountain
Hexagram # 62 Image – Preponderance of the Small
Qualities – Dark & Sure … Fearless

From your Back Fist of the Butterfly Palm, reign your Chi back in like a helmet over your head. Duck and stay wary!! Crouch and Shuffle warily in this Cowering Stance.

At the only appropriate moment, shoot your left palm as if out of a cannon toward the center, in an Eagle Claw strike.

Pivot and clap your palms together as your right palm does a Heel Palm to your stationary left Eagle Palm … ending in a left Bow, extending your right palm up and forward. The remnants of the Eagle Claw now under and protecting your right armpit. 

Step forward with your right foot into a Monkey Stance as you circle back with your right palm and again clapping your left palm with your right.

Finish by pivoting into a low left forward Monkey Stance, while extending your clasped hands down to the ground in front of your left (empty) foot.

Application: 

Evade – Control – Disarm!

Someone pulls a gun on you. Instantly recoil and cover up!! Making a small target, shrink and tip toe away … Always keeping a sharp and ready eye on that gun!!! Once you attack, it is all or nothing.

Shoot out like a flash and “Slap Capture” the gun and wrist with your left palm as you leap left with your left foot out of the way of any stray bullets!! Pivot and capture and release the gun from your opponent’s hand! This entitles you to shove the butt of the gun into his face. Pivoting into a left Bow Stance Immediately capturing his palm under your armpit (in case he still has the gun!) 

Slide your right foot up to your left as you circle your right hand through, up and around to re-engage their right (gun) hand in case anything happened in the transfer the first time.

Once recapturing their right wrist with your second transfer, maintain your control over their fingers and wrist as you twist and fold their right wrist into an untenable situation … Pointing your finger (and their Chi) towards the ground in a tight curve will surely fell your foe! At which point you can distract him with his own gun.

Note: At every point along the with this technique, it is imperative that you always know and control the direction the gun is pointing! Doing your best to avoid the weapon firing toward any innocent bystanders. Pointing the barrel only towards the ground, the sky, or the opponent!

Evade – Control – Disarm!

Movement 54 – Spider Palm

Technique Name – Claw Hook
Elements/Trigrams – Zen/Xun … Tree on the Mountain
Hexagram # 53 Image – Gradual Development
Qualities – Sharp & Deceiving … Ensnaring

From the Monkey Stance of Monkey Palm, slide your left foot down into a low Mantis Stance. Draw your arms back into Eagle Talons at your chest, walk the circle in this guard … your feet moving in the Ba Gua “Empty Step”, also known as the classical “Dragon Step”.  Take two steps landing on your empty left foot, snap your Eagle Talons  straight out in front of your Middle Basin, rifling them both counter clockwise as your extend them.

As you shift your weight to the left foot as part of your next Dragon Step forward (with the right), shoot your right palm forward and upwards as your left palm counter balances by pulling back underneath your right arm.

As you follow through with your step, rotate your right arm in a large counter clockwise circle so that your right palm is now resting on top of your left palm. Following through with this circular motion, pull your right arm (leading with your elbow) across your body still in Eagle Claws with both hands. Your left palm shoots down and forward as you slide your right foot back into a left Bow and pivot immediately into a right Bow Stance, so that your back is now to the center. Your palms following through and extending forward with your Bow Stance.

Application: 

You are being threatened by someone slowly moving in on you brandishing a low held knife in their right hand. You retreat your arm back toward your shoulders in defense as you try to evade by circling clockwise to your opponent’s advance.

Seizing a moment of distraction in your opponent’s attention, suddenly spring your palms forward, clasping onto his wrist with your right palm, and his elbow with your left palm … pinching down with your thumbs, finding the pressure points on these two targets. Step into his center with your right foot as you fold and collapse his elbow … shoving his right hand (and knife) into his face with your advancing body weight. This likely will cause him to lean his head back out of the way of his own knife!

Still controlling his arm with the fulcrum of his collapsed wrist and elbow, swing his arm around the left side of his head, wrapping him up in his own arm, which will cause him to spin counter clockwise into you.

Slip your left palm quickly yet carefully down and around to capture and transfer your control of his knife hand to your left grip, allowing your right palm to slide over and control his right shoulder.

Still firmly controlling his weapon through your wrist control, step back with your right foot dragging his arm with you, like pulling on a rope.

In a dire situation, you could slice his carotid artery as you pull through. Otherwise, this spinning throw will topple him at your feet where you maintain your control over the weapon and can disarm him by twisting his wrist … or breaking it.

Movement 55 – Swirling Palm

Technique Name – Club Roundhouse
Elements/Trigrams – Zen/Kan … Dragon Circles the Mountain
Hexagram # 39 Image – Obstruction
Qualities – Smooth and Calculated … Swirling

From the right Bow (facing counter clockwise) of Spider Palm, reverse back to clockwise by taking a small hop out with your left foot, spinning it 180°. As you initiate this radical pivot, your right foot will sweep out and around your left in a wide arc. At the same time, your arms are swinging out wide and around in a free and loose fashion.

Continue swirling in this counter clockwise spin by taking a step behind with your left foot into a Dragon Stance. Pivot and slide your right foot towards the Central Pole keeping 90% of your weight on your left leg. As you are doing all of this, your palms continue their wide circular motion which morphs into a large Inward(R) – Outward(L) Block. To finish, flow seamlessly into a right Heel Palm extended back at the head level in line with your right leg. Your left palm is chambered up in front of your left shoulder in an Eagle Claw shape … settling into a deep left Bow Stance, now facing clockwise along the circle.

Application: 

Finishing up with your knife wielding opponent, you are attacked from behind by a side swinging club, also from their right-handed side.

Leaping out to your opponent’s left (buying you a few milliseconds), tune in and harmonize with the momentum of their swing, moving into the central vortex of their power! Capturing their force by using an Inward Block on the inside of their club arm … immediately grasping their right wrist with your left Outward Block. Your Inward Block circles back directly to shoot up their right arm, attacking their chin with your right Heel Palm, twisting their head around to their left, while your left palm stretches their right arm in direct opposition. It is at this moment that you execute a tripping sweep with your right foot. Do NOT let go of their weapon hand!! You may need to take it away from him … if he is not mesmerized by your execution of this most beautiful move!

Movement 56 – Zero Palm

Technique Name – Swallow Enters the Forest
Elements/Trigrams – Zen/Zen … Top of the Mountain
Hexagram # 52 Image – Stillness
Qualities – Empty & Swift … Entering

From the left Bow Stance of Swirling Palm, reverse back to clockwise by pivoting sharply into a right Bow Stance, with your palms soft and floating in front of your chest, palms down, fingers forward.

Take a lunging step forward into a left Bow Stance, while executing a right Pal Sao (Slap Block) extending forward and overturning your left palm upward as if offering fruit. 

Reach out even further with your left palm putting 95% of your weight onto your left foot, overturning your left palm again so that now your thumb is pointing to the ground.

Execute another sharp pivot reversing into a Right Bow Stance. Finish this move off by circling your left foot up toward your right foot in a small counter clockwise circular motion that puts you 90° to your left back into a deep right Bow Stance. As you execute this circular move with your left foot, your left palm is counterbalancing by shooting a Spear Hand in tight along your body extending forward while settling into your Bow Stance. Your right palm is helping root this technique, palm down beside your right leg.

Application: 

This is an effortless technique, completely utilizing the principle of Borrowing Force.

Your opponent lunges at you with his left arm and leg forward. Meet this attack by lunging directly into the attack, intercepting and diverting his aim with your right ‘Parry’ by barely an inch! Your left foot lands just to the outside of his left leg, while your intercepting left palm glides above your right palm and continues this “Meet and Greet” by ‘Rasping’ a Ridge Hand along his jaw … twisting his head around to his right. Your right palm might be used to aid in maneuvering his shoulder to establish this throw.

Draw him back gently by pivoting and dropping him back in upon himself from behind … adding a sweep with your left foot to Seal the Deal.

Movement 57 – Mountain Palm

Technique Name – Aiki Drop (Soft Touch)
Elements/Trigrams – Zen/Kun … Moving Root
Hexagram # 15 Image – Modesty
Qualities – Light and Shocking … Reverent

From the right Bow of Zero Palm, pivot slowly back to your left into a soft Mantis Stance. Lift your palms out upward and around then down your centerline into a “Mountain Guard” with your palms parallel to your forearms, elbows down, thumbs facing each other … guarding your center. Rotate your palms a couple of times in this motion, like water flowing off a mountain slope, in an unspoken gesture of calming … bringing down the “Energies”.

Slow and deliberate, walking the circle as you rotate your palms … listening to your environment. As your left foot slides forward, execute a quick popping action with the “Ox Jaw” bone of your Palms. First the right palm, down and out forward across to your right, followed immediately in syncopation by your left, slapping up and out to your left … shifting to a left Bow Stance as your left palm lands. Loop your left palm across and around from left to right, so that both palms are at face level, palms outward as you settle back into a left forward Mantis Stance. Drop swiftly down with both your palms facing forward in front of your chest, sinking your elbows back and down so that both palms drop simultaneously.

This drop is powered by a shift back to your right foot. As you settle back and pull down your palms, lift your left knee up and slap it with both palms. Land your left leg back into a deep right Bow Stance, rotating your Mountain Palms around to slap your right knee as you land.

Application: 

Walking clockwise calmly at an angle towards your opponent, attack quickly with dual Ox Jaw taps onto two meridian connected Pressure Points. The right palm attacking the Heart Point on the top of their left forearm near the elbow. The left palm attacking the Vagus Nerve behind their left jaw. This will stun their Chi flow momentarily, as well as spin them part way around to their right, giving you the opportunity by pushing their left elbow with your right palm, accelerating their spin, to slip in behind their shoulders … while also guiding their chin around, even further accelerating their spin. Loop your left palm around their head, landing both palms onto their shoulders from behind, with your left palm on their left shoulder and your right palm on their right shoulder.

Pulling them straight back and down as you raise your left knee sharply up into their arched spine. Follow through and finish by continuing the flow of their fall … stepping back so that when they land you are awaiting their head to be guided and fall onto your right knee … Ole!

Eighth Set – Earth Palms

Introduction to Kun Set

Trigram – Earth
Position on Circle – North … Winter
Direction of Travel – Clockwise
Animal – Horse
Inner Gate – “Tan Tien”, the ‘Womb’, Sexual organs
Outer Gate – Family

General Description

Kun is our Mother … The Earth. The place that we came into existence from. It is our Root … our Family … our DNA!!! 

With it we can ground anything that comes into our Path. It is much stronger than any opponent. It is our Greatest Ally … Our Mother… Gravity. Kun is the Receptive Mare that we lean upon in the opening moves of the form. Its essence is Receptivity … which requires Understanding. And thus, it is one of the most important Realms that a Warrior must travel!

Grounded in the Values that Bind. Bonding Completely with the Earth upon which we stand!! It represents ‘Death’ in its purist form … which is Rebirth.

Movement 58 – Desert Palm

Technique Name – Full Nelson … Thundering Hammers
Elements/Trigrams – Kun/Chi … Sky Holds the Earth
Hexagram # 12 Image – Stagnation
Qualities – Firm & Uprooting … Grounded

From the deep right Bow of Mountain Palm, do a low pivot to your left, extending your arms around into the long range kick defense of the Tiger … right arm arced out toward the center and the left arm resting beside your left ear … both palms open and facing the center, the Earth Palms now begin walking clockwise to finish the form.

As you land forward with your right foot, pivot so that your back is to the circle, and arch your back while shooting both your palms straight down in counter balance to your head lifting and arching backwards, while lifting your heels up, balancing on the balls of your feet.

Dropping your heel back down to balance on your left foot, snap your right heel up and behind your left knee. Landing immediately back with your right foot into a Horse Stance, snap your left heel up and across behind your right knee. Land from this kick out wide to your left in a deeper Horse Stance … the whole time maintaining your palms extending into the earth for grounding and balance.

In a quick and hidden move, slide your right foot over to your left foot and bounce immediately back and behind to your right into a deep left Bow Stance. At the same time, your palms stay down and extended, but reach to your left to balance the Bow.

Execute a wide arcing pivot into a strong right Bow Stance while lifting your right elbow upwards and across to your right. In the same motion, your left arm swings out and wide and overhead, landing an extended Hammer Fist onto your right thigh.

Application: 

You are assaulted by a “Full Nelson” grab from behind (your opponent slipping his arms underneath yours and locking your neck from behind … pressing your head forward).

The moment you sense this starting to happen, before he gets a chance to lock his hands together, you instantly arch your head (and toes) up, while locking your armpits down by shooting your palms straight down and a little back. This stops their execution in its tracks.

Quickly pop your right heel to the inside of their left knee (ACL). Following this quickly with a strike to their right knee with your left heel. This is all designed to create the opening for your to sneak your right foot deep behind both legs while pinning his arms against your body with your elbows as you are chambering up for the finish. Throwing your weight behind a lifting elbow to their head as you pivot dramatically, following through with a right dropping Hammer Fist onto their face to ensure they fall backwards.  Holding their weight as they trip backwards over your right knee … Close by swinging your left Hammer Fist wide and arcing with Dead Weight force onto their exposed Solar Plexus.

Movement 59 – Cloud Palm

Technique Name – Claw Pit
Elements/Trigrams – Kun/Tui … Temple On the Earth
Hexagram # 45 Image – Gathering Together
Qualities – Close & Tight … Folding

From the right Bow of Thundering Hammers, dissolve back to a clockwise circle walk while lifting and “waving” your palms in succession like rising clouds.

As you land with your third left step, your palms come together into a soft double Upward Block, with your right palm behind your left as they lift. Open both palms out and slightly around as you pivot into a Horse Stance. Quickly shift into a left forward Bow Stance as you shoot an Eagle Talon forward with your shift, with your left palm guarding in tight to your chest.

Step forward into a Hook Step with your right foot, pulling your body in toward your right Eagle Talon, which requires you to cock your right elbow back tight to your side. At the same time, flip your left palm over and forward into an upward lifting Eagle Talon, which then fluidly arcs downward from the wrist and elbow sinking back to guard your chest. As you are doing this you are pivoting into a strong left Bow Stance, while creating a counter clockwise circle with your right elbow, then settle with your pivot so that both palms and elbows are in tight guard at your chest.

Lift your right knee up and slap it with your right palm. Finish by executing a right front Snap Kick from your chambered right knee.

Application: 

Being soft and shifty as you circle your opponent, he suddenly attacks you with a right punch to your face. Dipping your head back away from the punch as you advance forward into him, block up from the inside of his arm with your left palm … wrapping and locking his elbow in the process. Strike immediately forward with your right Eagle Talon … grasping and pinching his Pectoral Muscle (in front of his armpit) in order to distract him while you advance behind him with your right Hook Step.

Clawing up into his eyes with your left thumb and forefinger, pivot powerfully to trip him over your right leg as you yank his head back and down with your eye gouge by hooking your wrist back and dropping your left elbow as you pivot. From this advantageous position, circle your right elbow swiftly to attack his solar plexus as he is falling.

Bring your knee up into the small of his back if he is still standing. And finish with a front kick to his head, if need be.

Movement 60 – Bat Palm

Technique Name – Bat Flip
Elements/Trigrams – Kun/Li … Sun Rising Over the Earth
Hexagram # 35 Image – Progress
Qualities – Patient & Explosive … Transforming

As you land from the right Front Kick of Claw Pit, fold your arms across your chest as you slowly resume walking the circle … eyeing your opponent stoically.

As you step with your left foot, unfurl your fists quickly, executing a downward Back Knuckle with your right fist, followed immediately with a side Back Knuckle with your left fist.

Open and close your left fist as you loop your arm around in a small clockwise circle … finishing with a sharp pivot 360° (also clockwise) into a strong Dragon Stance, while your arms flow around, left palm guarding your face and the right palm hooking into a tear-drop shaped Bat Palm.

Application: 

With your arms crossed and resting on your chest, showing No immediate threat, talk to your adversary in an effort to de-escalate the situation, presenting neutrality and quiet strength.

This instead somehow triggers them, and sensing an eminent attack … you attack first!

Snapping a direct Back Knuckle onto the top of his left elbow, followed instantly with a left Back Knuckle to his left Vagus Nerve behind his jaw.

Reaching out and around with the follow through of your left strike, roll his head around to the right, grabbing his hair, face, or ear with your left hand.

Twirling him with your pivoting twist into a Dragon Stance, grab and pull his left arm with your right hand along with his head in your left hand … Throwing him forcefully away from you … or, dragging him to the ground if that is how the cookie crumbles!

Movement 61 – Tiger Palm

Technique Name – Neck Claw
Elements/Trigrams – Kun/Chen … Thunder Upon the Earth
Hexagram # 16 Image – Enthusiasm
Qualities – Strong & Clenching … Replacing

From the Dragon Stance of the Bat Palm, step through and forward with your left foot along the Circle while extending your arms and palms out in front of you in the universal gesture to “Stop!”

Taking three large Tiger Steps, initiate a quick right Outward Block with a simple twist of your wrist as you step forward again with your left foot. As you land the step, immediately pivot into a Horse Stance while executing a short Heel Palm in front of your chest.

Pivot directly into a left Bow Stance, extending your right palms’ Tiger’s Mouth forward with the pivot, as your left palm guards underneath your right arm pit.

Quickly pivot 90° clockwise and slide your right foot over to your left foot. At the same time you are pulling your right palm over the top of your left so that they slap together, your left hand chopping straight out to your left side at shoulder height, parallel to the ground. Finish by doing a step-in Side Kick with your left foot along this same path.

Application: 

Moving around towards your opponent with your arms aggressively forward in an effort to cancel his intentions, he punches violently anyway at your head with his right fist.

As your arms are already extended and strong, it takes little effort for you to quickly drop underneath his punch with your right palm and deflect it from your head. As you block and roll his punch past you, slide and grab his wrist, extending his arm even further, allowing you to snap his extended right elbow with your left palm.  Immediately grabbing his elbow with your left hand, shoot your right palm up along his arm and Ridge Hand his throat as you pivot for power. Instantly grabbing his Adams Apple and pulling yourself into him as you chop his throat while throwing your whole weight behind the chop with the pivot and slide of your right foot.

As he sails backwards, you can further finish him off with a powerful step in (“Skipping”) left Side Kick … Bye Bye!!

Movement 62 – Crane Palm

Technique Name – Knife Overhead
Elements/Trigrams – Kun/Xun … Winds Blowing Over the Earth
Hexagram # 20 Image – Contemplation
Qualities – Roll & Secure … Redirecting

From the Side Kick of Tiger Palm, throw your palms up and back as you lean backwards and continue walking clockwise around the circle using Rooster Steps (large empty steps forward keeping your weight on the back leg until lunging forward with the next large empty step).

As you lunge forward with a left Rooster Step, pivot into a 45degree angled Horse Stance and do a double Upward Block with your right palm behind your left. As you snap into the Upward Block finish, circle your palms clockwise in a tight circle as you roll your left palm inward to end up on top of, and grabbing your right palm, which is in a Phoenix Eye Fist with the thumb pointing down and forward … pivoting into a left Bow Stance as you finish the circle. 

Pivoting back into a Horse Stance, lean back and to the right, allowing your right fist to pull back partway so that it rests about a foot in front of your chest. Your left palm will counter balance this ‘lean’ by floating swiftly up and forward with the palm aiming back at your face.

Pivot back into a left Bow as you pull yourself forward with your left open palm which slaps your right elbow as you finish the pivot.

Stepping up to your left foot with your right, slide your left palm down from the elbow and guard your face. In continuity, shift your weight to the right foot and shoot your right Phoenix Eye Fist straight out to your right at shoulder height. Step directly left into a Horse Stance with your left foot while extending both your arms to full length as you land in the Horse.

Maintaining your Phoenix Eye Fist with the right, execute a Cross-Over Back Kick with your right heel … retreating back into a Horse Stance, guard facing right!

Application: 

A knife is coming down towards your face. Sidestep forward and pivot as you block behind their wrist with your double Upward Blocks. Going with their momentum, you circle with your arms and redirect the knife by locking the back of their right wrist with your Phoenix Eye … jamming the knife back into their groin or solar plexus (depending on their resistance).

Maintaining control of their weapon hand with your right hand, reach up with your left and pull their head into a right elbow strike, keeping the blade away from your vitals. Step up next to them and slice their neck by maneuvering their right wrist … then step away while still monitoring their weapon, which may have already been dropped!

Finish with a strong Cross-Over Back Kick if necessary.

Movement 63 – Mud Palm

Technique Name Rear Choke
Elements/Trigrams – Kun/Kan … Rain Upon the Earth
Hexagram # 8 Image – Union (Holding Together)
Qualities – Pin & Loop … Locking

From the Side Kick of Tiger Palm, throw your palms up and back as you lean backwards and continue walking clockwise around the circle using Rooster Steps (large empty steps forward keeping your weight on the back leg until lunging forward with the next large empty step).

As you lunge forward with a left Rooster Step, pivot into a 45degree angled Horse Stance and do a double Upward Block with your right palm behind your left. As you snap into the Upward Block finish, circle your palms clockwise in a tight circle as you roll your left palm inward to end up on top of, and grabbing your right palm, which is in a Phoenix Eye Fist with the thumb pointing down and forward … pivoting into a left Bow Stance as you finish the circle. 

Pivoting back into a Horse Stance, lean back and to the right, allowing your right fist to pull back partway so that it rests about a foot in front of your chest. Your left palm will counter balance this ‘lean’ by floating swiftly up and forward with the palm aiming back at your face.

Pivot back into a left Bow as you pull yourself forward with your left open palm which slaps your right elbow as you finish the pivot.

Stepping up to your left foot with your right, slide your left palm down from the elbow and guard your face. In continuity, shift your weight to the right foot and shoot your right Phoenix Eye Fist straight out to your right at shoulder height. Step directly left into a Horse Stance with your left foot while extending both your arms to full length as you land in the Horse.

Maintaining your Phoenix Eye Fist with the right, execute a Cross-Over Back Kick with your right heel … retreating back into a Horse Stance, guard facing right!

Application: 

Your opponent grabs your neck from behind with his hands and fingers and starts crushing your throat with his grip. Immediately reach up and over with both your hands and grab (or pin) his thumbs against your neck.

Sinking into a deeper stance for more power and stability, wrench his thumbs against your neck, yanking down heavily with your elbows. This will break his grip on your neck. Maintaining your grip on his thumbs, pull his arms forward as you Head Butt backwards into his face.

Still holding his palms, quickly encircle his arms by lifting his left arm over your head as you pull his right arm back towards you and underneath his left arm … pulling tight in order to lock his left (extended) elbow with his right arm, which is all powered by your hips with your pivot into a right Cat Stance.

Finish by slamming a hyper extension to his left elbow when you lunge into your Tiger Step. You can also twist him to the ground with this move … and he is probably in range for you to clock his face with a left Front Kick. So Be It!

Movement 64 – Ice Palm

Technique Name Kun Pao (Silat/Uncle)
Elements/Trigrams – Kun/Zen … Mountains Rise Above the Earth

Hexagram # 23 Image – Splitting Apart (Death)
Qualities – Deep & Brisk … Sudden

From the Mud Palm, extend your palms towards the Center of the Circle in a low Dragon Guard … while briskly gliding clockwise around the Circle (R-L-R-L).

As you land your second left step … slap your hands as you execute an Outward Block with your right palm, and an open palm Downward Block with your left.

Execute another “Slap Block”, reversing to an Outward Block with your left and a Downward with your right … as you pivot into a right Bow Stance.

‘Kick Step’ forward with your left leg executing a “Scoop Kick”, landing 90° to your left, slapping forward in the follow through towards the center, with an adaptive variation of the first move … aiming a Ridge Hand forward with your right and a low Dragon Guard with your left, as you step to your left into a left Bow Stance.

Sweep your right foot through into a right Bow Stance, as you execute your fourth “Slap” with a left Outward Block and a right Downward Block.

Application: 

Toying with your opponent, you circle him aggressively … inciting an attack.

He punches first with his right, which you parry with your right … he attacks immediately with his left and you parry with your left as you pivot 90° to the right … into a right Bow Stance.

Quickly attack with a left Scoop Kick to his groin … in mid-flight shift directions back to the left 90° as you land into a left Bow Stance, counter slapping back as you land with a right Ridge Hand into their face … Palm to the Sky!

Slide forcefully through with your right leg in a ‘Reap” of his forward foot … either one. As you counter throw him backwards with a right Downward Block motion with your right. The left hand is open and guarding at the side of your face.

… Prepare to Re-Enter The Tao!!!

In closing the form, you are acknowledging that you ‘Honored and Attended’ to each of the 64 gates of Ba Gua and the I-Ching…and of course, to Shao Yong in resurrecting and preserving the “Original Nature” of Fu Shi’s Earlier Heaven Revelation!!!

The form begins and ends in their proper ‘Earlier Heaven’ spots on the wheel of Shao Yong … observe the Directions with a Spiritual/Scholarly Devotion … Honoring the Elements … Honoring their Merging Birth with the Grand Design of Nature … God … The Whole … Our Source.