3 levels

 Standing postures can be broken down into high, medium and low postures denoting the level of strength and ( flexibilty ) that the practitioner has developed. Also within these height levels the arms can be held at head level, chest level or level with the pelvic area or lower.

Purpose of Standing

To develop internal connections at the core of the body, namely where tendons insert and attach muscles to bone and where ligaments attach to bones, to stretch and balance muscle and fascia (muscle sheaths), to anchor the organs and increase organ motility and function, to release internally bound areas of tension that inhibit circulation, to strengthen respiratory function and free restrictions to diaphragmatic breathing. These are some of the physical goals of standing practice.

Making what is Hidden Apparent

Much of what we do and how we live is below the level of conscious control, automatically we live out well rehearsed patterns of movement and behaviour. These patterns are learned.  We pattern into our bodies weaknesses which can have quite negative consequences. Structural standing practice ( Standing Qi Gong ) can facilitate quite startling changes to the body the mind and the emotions through an integrative process that bypasses the intellectual processes normally associated with learning. These processes are : 

Physical awareness through the repetition of structural modification. Attention to felt sense experience and the focusing of the of the minds intent to diminish egotistical striving.

Structural work must be practiced in a natural and comfortable way. Forcing the body is not an option. Standing practice must have movement at its core, even if you are motionless from an external viewpoint internally you are moving! This aspect of standing can only be transmitted by an experienced teacher who has direct experience of this aspect of standing.

Standing and Moving practice

A moving regime of Qi Gong is essential to be able to stand comfortably and visa versa. Both practices are in essence the same. The result is movement is imbued with stillness and your stillness is imbued with movement.

Master Kuo Lien Ying - In the universal post standing