For centuries, Chinese martial arts masters have kept their highly prized remedies for common but debilitating injuries as carefully guarded secrets, calling such precious and powerful knowledge "a tooth from the tiger's mouth." Now, for the first time, these deeply effective methods are revealed to Westerners anxious to find alternative ways to treat the acute and chronic injuries experienced by any active person. While many books outline the popular teachings of traditional Chinese medicine, only this one offers step-by-step instructions for treating injuries. Expert practitioner and martial artist Tom Bisio explains the complete range of healing strategies and provides a Chinese first-aid kit to help the reader fully recover from every mishap - cuts, sprains, breaks, dislocations, bruises, muscle tears, tendonitis, and much more. Comprehensive and easy to follow, with 158 drawings to illustrate both the treatment strategies and the strengthening exercises, this one-of-a-kind guidebook will finally give readers complete access to the powerful healing secrets of the great Chinese warriors.

Recent studies have shown that regular walking may be the ultimate cardiovascular exercise. However, the circle walking exercise of Ba Gua Zhang is not simply walking. It combines the benefits of walking with Qi Gong and meditation. It also develops a refined strength that can be employed in martial arts and other physical activities. Walking in a circle with intention, correct alignment and deep breathing is the characteristic internal exercise (Nei Gong) associated with the martial art Ba Gua Zhang. Circle Walking Nei Gong is not only the foundation of Ba Gua's sophisticated fighting method, but also an incredible system of health preservation that nourishes life and staves off illness. Ba Gua Circle Walking Nei Gong is rooted in ancient Daoist longevity exercises and internal alchemy practices, which aim at re-connecting us to our intrinsic nature and inner wisdom. While smoothly walking and circling, the practitioner holds different postures or "body patterns" known as Ding Shi. Each of these postures opens, unblocks and energizes a specific acupuncture meridian or group of meridians, thereby modulating and activating the body's energetic matrix. Regular practice of Ba Gua Circle Walking Nei Gong re-programs the body to walk and move correctly with balance, power and agility, while powerfully energizing the body and calming the nervous system. In Ba Gua Circle Walking Nei Gong: The Meridian Opening Palms of Ba Gua Zhang, author Tom Bisio, a renowned martial artist and acupuncturist, details the practice method and theory of this powerful system of internal exercise. The postures, alignments and practice methods are clearly explained and correlated with practical discussions of meridian pathways and pathologies from the perspective of internal Nei Gong practice. These discussions are accompanied by extensive illustrations, including drawings rendered from photographs of famous Ba Gua masters holding the Nei Gong postures. Also included are medical app

Nei Gong: The Authentic Classic, (Nei Gong Zhen Chuan) is an obscure text of unknown origin, yet it stands alone as the definitive text on internal energy and the generation of internal power. Hand copied, and passed from teacher to student, it is one of the "secret transmissions" of Chinese martial arts. Nei Gong: The Authentic Classic, is a practical manual on internal energy development and its fundamental importance in the martial arts and fa jin (emitting force). It draws heavily on Daoist meditation and alchemical practices which are said to promote health and longevity. The text is divided into four sections: 1. Nei Gong Jing (Internal Energy Classic); 2. Na Gua Jing (Received Trigram Classic); 3. Shen Yun Jing (Transported Spirit Classic); 4. Di Long Jing (Earth Dragon Classic), which are meant to be read in order. In this way the reader is guided step by step through the details of Nei Gong practice, and in the Di Long Jing, its application to self-defense. Translated by a team of experts, the text is accompanied by extensive footnotes and diagrams that clarify the more obscure passages which otherwise pre-suppose a knowledge of Daoist texts and imagery from the I-Ching (Book of Changes). The appendices further explicate the relationship of Nei Gong: The Authentic Classic to the internal martial art Xing Yi Quan.

A Complete and Comprehensive Guide to Daoist Meditation. At its heart, Daoist meditation is a simple and practical method of establishing unity between our internal environment and the external world so that we can engage with life in a clear and present way. In Decoding the Dao: Nine Lessons in Daoist Meditation, author Tom Bisio introduces the reader to the poetry and pragmatism of Daoist meditation and the practice of Internal Alchemy. The first half this unique book consists of nine progressive lessons that guide the reader step by step through the practice of Daoist meditation, ending with an introduction to Daoist Internal Alchemy. The nine lessons teach the reader how to observe and transform their own internal landscape, in order to rejuvenate and replenish the body's innate energies, thereby promoting health and nourishing life and spirit. The lessons can be practiced in sequence or individually, providing the reader with a veritable toolbox of meditative practices that can be used flexibly to address different situations and circumstances. Each lesson contains both practice exercises and discussions of relevant topics to flesh out the reasoning behind the various methods of meditation and help the reader more deeply understand the principles and theories that underlie the practice. Beyond the nine lessons, additional chapters introduce advanced practices like the Greater Heavenly Orbit Meditation and other traditional Daoist methods of promoting health and longevity. This is followed by a unique discussion of Daoist symbolism and imagery and its relationship to meditation and internal alchemy. Daoist symbols and images act as a kind of code that, when decoded and understood, aid the meditator, giving him or her an alternative and imagery-rich language which bypasses habitual mental constructs and perceptual habits, facilitating the perception of subtle movements and changes within the body. This book "cracks the code," enabling the reader to fully en

Embedded within the martial art Ba Gua Zhang is a complete system of internal exercises that promote self-healing and longevity and transform consciousness. Ba Gua Nei Gong consists of nine powerful and profound methods of internal exercise and self-cultivation. This book is the fourth in a series of manuals on Ba Gua Nei Gong. It can be used in conjunction with actual instruction in Ba Gua Zhang, or employed as a stand-alone instruction manual. Foundational Body Training (Ba Gua Ji Ben Gong) This book covers The 28 Foundational Exercises (Ji Ben Gong) and Ba Gua%u2019s Foundational Walking Nei Gong. For those interested primarily in Nei Gong, both sets of exercises are an important step in continuing the opening of the main meridians and the Extraordinary Vessels, and in freeing the body of physical, mental and psychic blockages and restrictions. The 28 Foundational Exercises improve joint mobility, strengthen tendons and bones, and balance the musculature of the body, all while actively engaging the body%u2019s natural, spiral-like movements. For those interested in Ba Gua as a martial art, Ji Ben Gong are the key developmental exercises that form the foundation of one%u2019s skill in Ba Gua Zhang. Every movement in The 28 Foundational Exercises trains basic body actions and internal principles used in all facets of Ba Gua training. Each exercise has a specific purpose that operates simultaneously on a physical, energetic and martial level. Daily practice of Ji Ben Gong helps one to internalize many of the core movements that are the basic building blocks of Ba Gua%u2019s circular changes. Internalizing these movements is critical to developing higher level skills. For this reason, The 28 Foundational Exercises are often used as a daily exercise routine or as a warm-up before practicing other Ba Gua skills. The Foundational Walking Exercises - the Linear Mud Step and the Crane Step - are the beginning stage in developing Ba Gua%u2019s unique circular

Embedded within the martial art Ba Gua Zhang is a complete system of internal exercises that promote self-healing and longevity and transform consciousness. Ba Gua Nei Gong consists of nine powerful and profound methods of internal exercise and self-cultivation. This book is the third in a series of manuals on Ba Gua Nei Gong. It can be used in conjunction with actual instruction in Ba Gua Zhang, or employed as a stand-alone instruction manual. This book presents Ba Gua's unique 12 posture standing practice. Ba Gua Twelve Posture Standing Nei Gong imparts "Sinew Strength." It is therefore an excellent exercise for strengthening the body and stabilizing the joints. Unlike basic standing in which the body is evenly balanced on two legs, Twelve Posture Standing presents a challenging mix of back-weighted, front-weighted and even single leg postures that develop balance and refined strength and power. Each stance engages with the energy and breath in a unique and different way. Therefore regular practice of the 12 postures, not only strengthens, but also opens up, the whole body. These twelve postures, or "stances," are in some sense frozen moments of movement from one position to another. Holding such moments of transition - in which the center of gravity has just moved and is about to move again - allows one to sense the internal energetic configuration of a part of a movement. In this way, one can fully engage with the spiral power configurations - wrapping, twisting, drilling, and coiling - that those stances impart. An additional section of the book details Ba Gua Three Posture Standing, a precursor to the Single Palm Change - Ba Gua Zhang's signature maneuver. Ba Gua Zhang is known for its circular walking, fast footwork and rapidly changing postures and palms. Twelve Posture Standing and Three Posture Standing provide balanced counterpoints to Ba Gua's moving postures and the eight basic palm changes. The books in the Ba Gua Nei Gong Series are: Ba

Embedded within the martial art Ba Gua Zhang is a complete system of internal exercises that promote self-healing and longevity and transform consciousness. Ba Gua Nei Gong consists of nine powerful and profound methods of internal exercise and self-cultivation. This book is the first in a series of manuals on Ba Gua Nei Gong. It can be used in conjunction with actual instruction in Ba Gua Zhang, or employed as a stand-alone instruction manual. Yin Yang Patting Nei Gong is often the starting point for learning Ba Gua Zhang and for the practice of Nei Gong and other Yang Sheng (Nourishing Life) Exercises. The primary function of the Patting Nei Gong is to begin to open the meridians by patting and slapping along their trajectories. Unblocking, opening and coursing the meridians in this manner is an important precursor to advanced energetic practices. Dao Yin Nei Gong is often performed in conjunction with the Patting Nei Gong because the two practices have different, yet complimentary actions. While the Patting Nei Gong focuses on dispersing energy blockages and their accompanying muscular tension, Dao Yin Nei Gong emphasizes regulating the internal energetics of the body. The mechanism that promotes and harmonizes the functioning of the internal organs and their organic interconnections is known as the Qi Dynamic. The Dao Yin exercises work directly to regulate the Qi Dynamic, thereby stimulating one's natural healing powers and preventing disease from taking root. This in turn promotes health and proper functioning of the body. These two Nei Gong methods are relatively simple to perform, yet profound in their effect. Patting and Dao Yin work together in a harmonious yin yang balance. In order to properly train the Qi Dynamic, the pathways of the qi (the meridians) must be relatively open and unrestricted. As these energetic pathways are opened, the qi must be regulated so that its movements and actions are smooth and harmonious. These fundamental methods of simul

At its heart, Daoist meditation is a simple and practical method of establishing unity between our internal environment and the external world so that we can engage with life in a clear and present way. Decoding the Dao: Nine Lessons in Daoist Meditation, by Tom Bisio, is a complete and comprehensive guide to Daoist meditation. In Decoding the Dao: Nine Lessons in Daoist Meditation, author Tom Bisio introduces the reader to the poetry and pragmatism of Daoist meditation and the practice of Internal Alchemy. The first half this unique book consists of nine progressive lessons that guide the reader step by step through the practice of Daoist meditation, ending with an introduction to Daoist Internal Alchemy. The nine lessons teach the reader how to observe and transform their own internal landscape, in order to rejuvenate and replenish the body's innate energies, thereby promoting health and nourishing life and spirit. The lessons can be practiced in sequence or individually, providing the reader with a veritable toolbox of meditative practices that can be used flexibly to address different situations and circumstances. Each lesson contains both practice exercises and discussions of relevant topics to flesh out the reasoning behind the various methods of meditation and help the reader more deeply understand the principles and theories that underlie the practice. Beyond the nine lessons, additional chapters introduce advanced practices like the Greater Heavenly Orbit Meditation and other traditional Daoist methods of promoting health and longevity. This is followed by a unique discussion of Daoist symbolism and imagery and its relationship to meditation and internal alchemy. Daoist symbols and images act as a kind of code that, when decoded and understood, aid the meditator, giving him or her an alternative and imagery-rich language which bypasses habitual mental constructs and perceptual habits, facilitating the perception of subtle movements and changes within the