Standing Like a Tree

At the end of our first tai chi session last week we did a standing exercise, and I suggested it would be a good choice for some home practice. This post provides a quick review of the exercise, to help you get the most from it.

I learned this when I first started tai chi, and knew it as "Standing Chi Kung". I have encountered it many times since, under a variety of names: zhan zhuang, standing like a tree, pylon standing, 3-circle standing, tree hugging...

You can get a lot of bang for your buck doing this exercise, particularly when you don't have much hand form to practice. It helps build a strong and stable stance, and is an excellent tool for seeking out tension in the body.

Instructions:

• Stand with feet shoulder width apart, or slightly wider - find a position that's comfortable for you.
• Feet should be parallel, pointing straight ahead, as if on train tracks.
• Sink downwards into the stance by bending the knees, whilst gently tucking the pelvis (i.e. rotating the pelvis so that the curve in the lower back flattens out to some extent)
• The knees should be over the feet, and not projecting any further than the tips of the toes; the curve in the lower back should be reduced, giving the back a flatter appearance. (Doing this sideways on to a full length mirror is a good way of checking the posture.)
• Let the back of the neck extend and lengthen, which will bring the chin in slightly. No forcing - make this a 'letting go' rather than a muscular effort.
• Raise the arms in front until the hands are at chest height, palms facing in towards the chest; the arms are extended so that they form a rough circle, with a gap between the hands; the elbows are lower than the hands, and the shoulders relaxed.
• Touch the tip of your tongue to the gums just behind and above the top front teeth.
• Keep the mouth closed and breathe in and out through the nose. Use natural breathing, breathing gently from the belly and diaphragm, with the sense that you are breathing right down to your belly button. Don't force the pace of the breath - just let it come and go, and be mindful of it.
• Eyes either closed, or open with a relaxed focus.
• Maintain this position for a few minutes.
• On an outbreath, lower the hands (keeping the same curve in the arms, and relaxed shoulders) to about belly button level.
• Maintain this posture for a few minutes.
• When done, slowly stand up into a more normal standing posture, lowering the arms.
  

As for timings, I was taught to hold the second posture for half the time of the first posture. You can count breaths or watch a clock - I'm a clock-watcher. Start with 2 minutes in the first posture and 1 minute in the second (2/1), and feel free to progress to 4/2, 6/3, 8/4, 10/5 and so on as you get more used to the exercise. (I was going to say "comfortable with the exercise" but you will soon realise, if you do the longer times, that comfort is not the most obvious result!)

I hope these instructions are useful. Please help me improve them and, if you try the exercise, be sure to let me know how you get on.