Standing Meditation, Zhan Zhuang (站桩) in Chinese, is a foundation training for Tai Chi and other internal martial arts, such as Xingyi (形意) and Bagua Zhang (八卦掌). It is sometimes translated as Standing Practice, Post Standing, Standing Qigong, and Station Pile. Standing Meditation originated in ancient China and has thousands of years of history. It was designed for body healing used by Daoists and has a strong connection with Traditional Chinese Medicine. Standing Meditation is an effective way to remove blockages in the body thereby opening all the body’s energetic pathways. In recent centuries, it has become a training method for internal martial arts.
I feel there isn't enough material available for people to understand Standing Meditation in the Western world. As a Tai Chi instructor, I always use Standing Meditation to start my class. It helps you form the right posture, which provides proper body alignment. The following points help explain the importance of Standing Meditation.
First and foremost, it is supposed to calm your mind before you practice Tai Chi.
I usually have my students stand for at least 10 minutes at the beginning of class. During meditation, you keep your eyes slightly open with a soft forward gaze; you focus inward looking inside your body, replacing all busy thoughts and shutting out the outside world.
Second, it helps you relax the whole body.
If you stand for a long time, you will find a way to relax your body or you will become very tired and stiff. If you are not relaxed, you might feel your shoulders become sore or your back tighten after a long practice. There are two major types of Standing Meditation: Wuji Zhuang (无极桩 “without limit”) and Hunyuan Zhuang (混元桩, "Completely Round" "Round Smoothness"). They both require you to bring your arms up a little bit. The purpose is to help you pay attention to and find a way to relax your shoulders. If you drop your arms completely, you wouldn't pay attention to the shoulders.
Third, it stabilizes your lower half and makes you step steadily.
Once you bend your knees and sink your weight, feeling connected to the ground, your stance will become more stable. After having practiced for a period of time, your body will remain stable when you practice the Tai Chi form. When you step, you will have better balance.
Fourth, it helps you to accumulate Qi (energy).
First of all, I want to explain Qi. I could say Qi is energy, but it is more than that. It is life force, breath, and vital essence. It is the fundamental energy that sustains all life. I think every Chinese person understands what Qi is. But in Western countries, we need to explain further. Qi is very important for human beings. When a person is dying, his or her Qi is diminishing. So, in order to live long healthy life, we need to keep our Qi in a steady stream. Tai Chi is one of the most effective ways to help you accomplish this. While practicing, use abdominal breathing and breathe deeply, sink Qi to Dantian (丹田), which is located two inches below the navel. It is said that it's preferable to eat foods than to take medicinal tonics, and it's preferable to get Qi than to eat foods.
We have talked a lot about the importance of Standing Meditation. But how should you practice it? Let me tell you step by step.
First, is standing straight. The body is stable and centered, not leaning. Adjust your posture from your toes to your head.
Feet
Keep your toes straight forward to the front, parallel to each other. (Almost all the Chinese Internal Martial Arts require this.) The distance between your two feet should be as broad as your shoulders or a little bit wider.
Knees
Slightly bend your knees, sink the weight and put the weight in the middle of your soles. The reason behind this is that Standing Meditation requires people to have a loose body position.
Body's Back
Adjust your back. Your waist moves slightly backward, and your hips move forward. This will straighten your spine. Try to make your spine a straight line when viewed from the side, vertical to the ground. Although we can not make it 100% straight, at least it is naturally straight. You can practice by leaning against a wall, keeping your back straight, so that your Qi and blood flow smoothly in your body. I always tell my students in my class, “Empty your back of tension. If you use too much power, that’s gymnastics.”
Shoulders, Arms, and Fingers
Relax your shoulders and open your armpits. Keep your arms and hands relaxed and loose. Fingers should be slightly apart.
Head and Neck
Keep your head and neck upright. Your head lifts as if pulled by a string, tucking your chin inward. This is very important because it opens the area where your spine meets your skull. In Chinese, we say Xu Ling Ding Jin (虚领顶劲), which is one of the most fundamental principles of Tai Chi, and applicable to Standing Meditation.
After you form the posture correctly, the first step has been taken. The next step is to feel the energy within and practice.
For beginners, you could start with 10-15 minutes of practice each day. You may feel numbness, warmth, or even tingling in your hands, feet, back or other parts of your body. Increase the time gradually. If you’re successful in releasing tension and sinking your gravity downward, you can stand for one hour and feel relaxed after practice. You will see great results.
If you think Standing Meditation is useless, you are probably wrong. Let me tell you my own story. I was invited to perform at a Chinese culture event last year. Someone filmed my performance and then I sent it to one of my teachers in China. After he watched my video, he said he could tell I didn't practice Standing Meditation a lot during that time. So, for a high-skilled Master, it is easy to tell the difference.
Standing Meditation and Tai Chi exist side by side and play a part together. When you achieve a quality change in Standing Meditation, you also will improve your Tai Chi a lot. It does not mean you have to perfect Standing Meditation before you practice Tai Chi. You can practice them both at each day. You could see Standing Meditation as a warmup.
