Jan Diepersloot

Jan Diepersloot has been studying the mediatative martial arts, since 1975. His teachers have been among the best known and most respected in the field, including Fong Ha, Han Xingyuan, Yu Penxi, Cai Songfang, and Sam Tam. He has been teaching the internal martial arts since 1981, and is the founder and Director of the Taiji Players Association of Mt. Diablo Valley in Walnut Creek, CA

...honestly, your books are one of a kind in a sense that in the other books of my collection, most of them contains superficial forms and techniques without containing the quintessence of the art being described. Just emailed to say that our books have good content, simple, direct to the point explanation, and keep up the good work-Peter Go, Manilla, Philippines

I just wanted to write and thank you for taking the time and effoert to produce your Warriors of Stillness books,...as far as I am aware there are no zhan zhuang/yi chuan teachers over here in Australia so your book has become an extremely valuable source of instruction. I've started using the methods in vol. 2 to expand my existing Tai Chi standing training and have been getting fantastic results.-Morgan Buchanan, Melbourne, Australia

I just finished reading The Tao of Yi quan and was very moved. Your words were deeply resonant with many of the ideas and energy cultivated in the style I practice, Fu Hok Yao gong Fut Pai.-Tony Carusi, Peachtree, GA

I have enjoyed your books immensely.-Bob Troyer, Bodden Town, Cayman Islands

I have devoured it twice now and have enjoyed it immmensely. Cllear and easy to read...what a great collection of 'lost' information!-Dr. John Painter, Arlington, TX

My name is Peter Payne, I am the author of Martial Arts: The Spiritual Dimension (Thames & Hudson 1980). I am a great admirer of your books; I have just finished your second volume. deep congratulations!-Peter Payne, Vt. USA

...a formidable presentatin! I went right to the sections on Master Tam, and found them to be packed with excellent insights. You've done a great job of capturing Sam's approach...Your afterword, by the way, is an iresistible pun! A perfect invitation to forswear 'resisting.'-Louis Swaim, Berkeley, CA

Contents

Author's introduction
Part I Buddhism and martial arts in ancient asia
Chapter 1 Buddhism and martial arts in ancient India
1 Pre-buddhist India
2 Buddha's childhood training
3 Buddhism and Indian history
4 Buddhism and martial arts
Chapter 2 Buddhism and martial arts in China
1 Buddhism in ancient China
2 Bodhidharma: The founder (520 C.E.)
3 Tang Dynasty (600-900 C.E.)
Chapter 3 The secularization of Budhist martial arts
1 Song Dynasty (960-1270 C.E.)
2 Shaolin ethical legacy
3 Yueh Fei and Xingyiquan
4 Buddhism, Taoism and the creation of xingyiquan
5 Yuan and Ming Dynsties (1271-1644 C.E.)
6 Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 C.E.)
7 Guo Yunshen's summary of xingyiquan
Part III The life and art of Wang Xiangzhai
Note and caveat
Chapter 4 The life of Wang Xiangzhai
1 The apprenticeship
2 Early 1900: the quest
3 Shoalin monastery
4 Wang Xiangzhai and Dunhuang
5 Naming the art
6 The 1930's: Domestic & foreign challenges
7 the 1940's: Beijing and Dachengquan
Chapter 5 Wang Xiangzhai's writings
1 Introduction-Historical origins; Criticism of normal exercise; Standing s preferred exercise
2 Zhanzhuang: Pile standing-Unificatin is simplification; Conducting internal investigations; Pormoting energy flow through non-exertion; Movement and stillness ; Polarity as a tool of enlightenment
3 Shili: Building strength-Sources of strength; Stretching; Integration
4 Fali: Using strength
5 Redical criticisms-Xingyiquan; Taijiquan; Baguazhang
Part III The tao (yang) of yiquan
Chapter 6 Zhangzhuang and the structure of stillness
1 Master Han comes to america
2 Practice with Mawster Han
3 Therapeutic discoveries
4 Pile standing
5 Centerline
6 Centerpoint
7 Activating the torso spring
8 Foundation
9 Sphere
10 Nervous system integration
Chapter 7 Polarity and the grammar of movement
1 Introduction
2 Vertical CL movement
3 Horizontal CL movement
4 Rotational CL movement
5 Functional stances
6 Walking
7 Turning
8 Movements of the sphere-Extension/retraction; Inversion/eversion; Up/down; Opening/closing
Chapter 8 Building strength with awareness
1 Discovering the pulse of life
2 Breathing for relaxation and strength
3 Pulse energy exercises
4 Wave energy exercises
5 Further wave execises
6 Spiral energy exercises
7 Functional stances & movement exercises
8 Wallking movement exercises
9 The use of sound
Chapter 9 Using stength with awareness
Part IV The tao (Yin) of yiquan
Chapter 10 Yiquan and taijiquan
1 Polarity of Pengjin
2 Wang Xiangzhai and taijiquan
3 Yu pengxi and empty force
4 The genesis of empty force
5 Empty force as a game of awareness
6 The limitations of empty force
Chapter 11 Stillness and movement with Master Tam
1 Meeting Sam Tam
2 Sam Tam and taijiquan
3 The spine and central equilibrium
4 Structure of teh sphere
5 The foundation of the legs
6 Circular movement
Chapter 12 Master Tam and the practice of no force
1 Using force
2 Using no force
3 Using attention
4 Using intention
5 Sticking
6 Mind games
7 Pattern practice
Afterword: Martial art as transformative process
Notes
Index
Database/Order form… (altro)

Jan Diepersloot has been studying the mediatative martial arts, since 1975. His teachers have been among the best known and most respected in the field, including Fong Ha, Han Xingyuan, Yu Penxi, Cai Songfang, and Sam Tam. He has been teaching the internal martial arts since 1981, and is the founder and Director of the Contra Costa Center For Healing & The Arts in Walnut Creek, CA.

I just finished reading Warriors of Stillness. I believe it's the most detailed book to date on internal martial arts. It's an excellent read and a great reference. I very much appreaciate you sharing your knowledge as you have. It's so difficult to find martial arts books with any substance. Your book has already influenced the way I'm doing my martial arts. Thank you and keep writing!-Carl Peck, Emory University

Your book, Warriors of Stillness V.1, has proven to be extremely helpful to me in my meditation and energy training. Thank you so much for our marvelous work!-LInda Barbely, Picataway, New Jersey.

I read Warriors of Stillness and would like to thank you for the quality and insight it gave me in my own practice!-Sai'ah Mohammed, Paris, France

Thank you for your book warriors of Stillness. In enjoyed reasding it anddd would like to order three more copies.-Ian Fok, Hong Kong.

I am really impressed that you attain such high level in Chinese Martial art in a foreign country and have written a book that can so intensively cover Tai chi and Qigong-Lo Soi Hon, Macau.

I was impressed witht eh attention to detaiil and with thea amouthnt of informatin offered to students of many levels. The focus on intent was especially exciting because, except for a brief mention here or there, it is rarely addressed in writings on Tai chi chuan-John Adams, Fairbanks, Alaska

Thank you for your excellent book Warriors of Stillness V.1-Bernard Lee, Sydney, Australia

Congratulations on this profound piece of work! I look forward to volume II and III and other material.-Gerhard Ackerman, Vienna, Austria

Your book Warriors of Stillness, V.1 is wonderful! Its wealth of information will keep me absorbed in the coming months and years. The depth of konwledge as generously offered in the book, synthesizing eastern mysticism with psychophysiological explanations, gives an admirable and useful guide to me.-Jow Yuzo, Los Angeles, CA

Contents

Author's introduction: Warriors of Stillness
Part 1 Being mindful of the center How to cultivate relaxation and integration for health
Chapter 1 Cultivating the center point
Historical and philosophical notes
The geography of the lower torso
Wuji center as center of gravity
Wuji center as biological center
Wuji center as center of awareness
Chapter 2 Cultivating the ceentereline
Sinking the qi and raising the spirit
The foundation
The upper torso
Advanced standing & closing practice
Chapter 3 Wuji qigong as healing art
The Chinese view
Questions and answers
Thoughts on the breath & breathing
A Western rationale
Part II Being mindful of the foundatin & sphere How to cultivate relaxation and integration for martial arts
Chapter 4 Cultivating the foundation
Archer step
Shifting
Rotating (Opening and closing)
Stepping and walking forward
Stepping and walking backward
Chapter 5 Cultivating the sphere
Structure & types of spheres
Vertical circle
Horizontal circle
Diagonal circling
Circling with folding extending
Stages of practice
Chapter 6 Combining centerline, foundation and sphere
Threading the nine pearls, continued
Grasping the bird's tail sequence
Master Cai's grasping the bird's tail
Spiral energy force
Pure yin and yang exercises
Part III Being mindful of the connectin How to use relaxation and integration for martial arts
Chapter 7 Using energy and stength in partnered practice
The sphere of Peng
Pile stance wooden man exercise
Two person vertical circle exercise
Two person horizontal circle exercise
Working with strength
Neutralizing by shifting
Neutralizing by rotation
Chapter 8 Using movement & stilness to neutralize
The uses of stilness and movemnt
Nine pearls double exercise
Description of circle pushing
Neutralizing in free play
The principle of relative motion
Advanced methods of neutralization
Strategies in pushhands
Chapter 9 Using stillness & integration to discharge
Master Cai's use of stillness
Cultivating Jin
Neutalize by hopping with the frame
First level: Integration & cylindricality
Second livel: Sphericity & unitary expansion
Third level: Spherical awareness & peripheral intentinality
Fourth level: Empty force & interacting fields of awareness… (altro)