58. Baguazhang in Hong Kong - 八卦掌在香港

☰ Dong Hai Chuan 董海川 is the founder of Baguazhang 八卦掌. After him there are five official orthodox styles. Followed by countless other lesser known forms and styles. And in China 中國 at least, they keep coming up with new ones. It's very impressive. ☲ The martial art of Baguazhang 八卦掌武術 is known for swapping direct confrontation for vulnerable openings. We walk the circle to help us develop circular strength, allowing us to handle multiple opponents: Eight against one. ☶ And then there is the meditative side of things. Qigong 氣功 anyone? ☱ Many years ago, I was living in Shatin Heights 沙田嶺, Hong Kong 香港, doing my Baguazhang 八卦掌 and enjoying life. I remember sensing one night after having done in the apartment eleven sets, that there was somebody in another apartment with amazingly strong chi 氣. It was strong enough that I could almost see what he was doing: An elderly man doing full form Tai Chi Quan 太極拳 in his living room as taught by traditional kung fu schools. Not the stripped down old people tai chi seen typically in parks nowadays. ☳ His kind of cultivated chi 氣 is harder to come by in Sydney, Australia. Because the city is vastly more spread out with a less dense population doing less martial arts 武術 or qigong 氣功. ☴ The elderly man in Hong Kong 香港 wasn't alone. In that apartment building alone I sensed at least three of them, all in different apartments, energetically communicating with each other. ☷ I dismissed the whole affair, back then, as probably being Mah-Jong 麻將 buddies or something, and went back to doing my Baguazhang 八卦掌 sets. I only got halfway through the twelfth set, when I found myself being instructed to change the way I hold my palms during one of the changing palms, even though I wanted to do it my way. but I was open to improvement. ☵ But because I was open to improvement, that one small change made a world of difference to the way I see things now... Liked what you heard & want to connect with me? Join me at… linkedin.com/in/peterhainzl/