Chinese Neigong (Internal Skill)
Training Class 2017-2019

Class began in August 2017 with 62 students. In this Neigong class, after learning the 18 Rules of Posture, each student will be introduced to various techniques designed to help them cultivate, develop, and embody specific internal powers. The three primary stages of Martial – Medical – and Spiritual Neigong training will include different teachings associated with Ming Jin (Obvious Power), An Jin (Hidden Power), and Hua Jin (Transforming Power), described as follows:

• Ming Jin (Clear or Obvious Power): These techniques emphasize the training and conditioning of the muscles, strengthening the bone structure, and increasing the student’s overall stamina and roots. This first stage also includes special techniques used for body conditioning; used to strengthen and empower the tissues of the hands, arms, head, torso, groin, and legs.
• A Jin (Hidden or Secret Power): These more advanced techniques emphasize stretching and twisting the body’s tendons, ligaments, and inner fascia. Traditionally known as Reeling and Pulling the Silk, this training is used to cultivate internal vibration within the body’s tissues and is used often for striking and issuing internal power.
• Hua Jin (Changing or Transforming Power): These techniques emphasize the training and conditioning of the student’s Spirit (heart and mind). The focus in Hua Jin Training is placed on developing the “Yi” (imagination and intention) and “Zhi” (willpower) needed to utilize the directing power of the “Shen” (heart and mind) in combination with the Qi (breath and life force energy).
  
  

In this Neigong System, there are 64 Stages (which correspond to the 64 Trigrams of the Yijing) that are taught, which are divided into three important levels of kungfu training. Each of these three important levels is described as follows:

• 16 Internal Principles: These specific techniques emphasize the energetic training of the student’s body, breath, and mind; and are continually practiced so that they may effectively relax, sink, root, and center their body. After they are able to effectively work with their Energy Body, they must then be taught how to work with their Spirit Body in order to increase their power and expand their intuitive energetic perceptions.

Once mastered, these important internal skills must then be integrated into their movements and primary form (Taijiquan, Baguazhang, Qigong, etc.). This is why no matter which internal system a student studies, there are traditionally seven secret levels that must be trained in order for them to effectively master the internal system. These seven levels of training include:

1. Learning the Structure of the Form
2. Rooting the body in the Form
3. Reeling and pulling silk in the Form
4. Separating empty and full in the Form
5. Vibrating and issuing Qi in the Form
6. Projecting Shen (Spirit) in the Form
7. Blending the Form with the Dao

• 40 Energetic Functions: This advanced training requires the student to no longer simply maintain the acquired energetic skills of the 16 Internal Principles within their primary form movements – now they must also maintain these same internal principles under the stress of martial combat.

Within this advanced training, the functional applications of the various form movements provide a foundational basis for mastering the energetic applications of rooting, sticking, listening, outreaching, enveloping, borrowing, neutralizing, splitting, etc.

• 8 Metaphysical Fists: These final teachings include secret techniques that represent the final manifestations of the student’s cultivated energetic skills, which have been internally developed from training the 16 Internal Principles, and cultivated through practicing the 40 Energetic Functions.

The 8 Metaphysical Fists represent such supernatural abilities as the Misty Fist Applications, Overshadowing The Opponent’s Mind, Draining the Opponent’s Qi, Removing The Opponent’s Spirit Body, Splitting The Spirit From the Body, Stopping Time, Taiji Flying, etc.