Eight Attacks of the Bear Baguazhang by Kevin Wikse.

 

"Eight Attacks of the Bear" is an intermediate set of Vimana Varja Baguazhang, which develops full-body shocking and jarring effects through explosive short-power attacks, jamming, and sudden redirection of forces. Building off the unrelenting and primarily linear-based attacks of Lion's pure yang energy, the Eight Attacks of the Bear introduces attacks of heavy, sinking, and collapsing yin-style power paired with a yang mindset and attitude. 

Bear expresses Gen, or the Mountain gua, of the I-Ching. The Eight Attacks of the Bear set teaches heavy-handed offense and defense methods. Bear seeks to concuss and rattle the attacker with careening shots from jagged upward and downward angles. Other tactics include jamming the opponent's attacks by aggressively occupying their space, projecting them backward with braced force as a bird crashes into a window, and a defense that redirects attacks but also sucks energy in, pulverizes it like a woodchipper. 

The Eight Attacks of the Bear is a natural progression from any beginner-level set. Adding a measure complexity with skills like redirection and utilizing the whole body for explosive short power. Bear also teaches rooting and sinking to crush or collapse into an opponent, smothering or disrupting them.

The Eight Attacks of the Bear can be applied to circle walking or performed as line drills. Each "turnaround" is rooted and powerful, exceptionally suited for counter-attacking and offensively-minded defense. Each attack is meant to be drilled and repeated ad nausea. The footwork of the Bear is heavy and sinking, with rolling and crushing actions for stepping. 

Eight Attacks of the Bear

1. Halting.
2. Rolling downward.
3. Turning the Back.
4. Meteor Shatters the Earth.
5. Projecting.
6. Warding away.
7. Swatting.
8. Avalancing. 

Eight Attacks of the Bear emphasizes the qualities of endurance and holding one's space. Becoming firmly rooted in core beliefs and not easily bullied or swayed physically or ideologically. A Mountain doesn't attack but instead responds to attempts at conquering it. Performing the Eight Attacks of the Bear requires the individual to relax into their own being and sink into the essence of who they authentically are, collapsing false and outdated modalities. From this, true inner strength and proper alignment will naturally occur.

Regular practice of this set strengthens the entire body, exercising the fascia, tendons, and connective tissues while loosening the neck, shoulders, spine, and hips. Bear energy cultivates a sense of inner calm, allowing you to maintain your composure and make calculated decisions even when chaos surrounds you.  

-Kevin Wikse

Vimana Vajra Baguazhang

Eight Attacks of the LIon Baguazhang by Kevin Wikse.

 

"Eight Attacks of the Lion" is a highly productive and result-producing beginner's set of Vimana Vajra Baguazhang, which amasses and hones an impressive arsenal of martial weapons while establishing a solid foundation for more advanced Baguazhang sets. Eight Attacks of the Lion is extremely "Yang" in nature, assuming the shape of the I-Ching's "Heaven" trigram or "Lion" mind and body. 

Highly versatile and comprised of eight minimalist and spartan "turnarounds," Eight Attacks of the Lion can be applied to circle walking or performed as line drills. Each "turnaround" is direct and simplistic, focused nearly exclusively on attacking and offensive strategies common to the "Lion." Each attack is meant to be drilled and repeated ad nausea. The footwork of the lion is heavy and springy, with stabbing and sything actions for stepping. 

The Eight Attack of the Lion

1. Pounce/Leap
2. Penetrating.
3. Pounding.
4. Cutting.
5. Slicing.
6. Smashing.
7. Crushing.
8. Piercing. 

Eight Attacks of the Lion integrates bold action and fearlessness in the practitioner as well as total body strength, internal and external, greater endurance, and practical body durability, which fortifies the mind, spirit, and body while weaponizing and unifying the individual's many bodies (physical and non-physical) for the potential of combat. 

-Kevin Wikse

Vimana Vajra Baguazhang

Directed Energy, first of the eight Mothership Palms of Vimana Vajra Baguazhang by Kevin Wikse.

  

The "Directed Energy" turn-around is the "Single Palm" change of my Vimana Vajra Baguazhang's "Eight Mothership" palms foundational set. Exceptionally "yang" in nature, meaning aggressive and straight to the point, the Directed Energy turn-around features a triple palm strike employing the same hand, utilizing the three shapes most responsible for all the death, damage, and destruction by palm strikes in human history.

In addition to serving as a platform for launching the mind, body, and spirit into a weaponization process, Directed Energy turn-around teaches the practitioner how to direct their energy to a singular focus point, maintain it even while altering its trajectory, and toggle between right and left sides of the body. This training keeps the practitioner's mind and body active even when they appear static.

The applications are great, and many not just for a martial artist but for anyone developing any practice where directing energy and intent into and out the hand is essential—Paramount for all energy workers (Reiki), body workers, massage therapists, healing touch, etc. 

Overtly offensive, Directed Energy turn-around does impart less obvious defensive capabilities. Like the jab and the straight of Western Boxing, its linear approach will often beat the opponent to the punch, especially if there is any hint of circularity in the opponent's attack (and there nearly always is). Also, Direct Energy is well suited for limb destruction, attacking the attack, and emphasizing that the best defense is often a great offense. 

Psychologically the Directed Energy turn-around integrates bold action and calculated fearlessness into the practitioner. Act like prey and get treated like prey (yes, there are purposeful modalities of "cat and mouse" and times when you can entrap others by assuming a strategic "victim stance," but these are specialized maneuvers and not typically part of one's day-to-day). Directed Energy turn-around implants a hunter's instincts. Instincts that steadily cross over from Bagauzhang practice into one's everyday outlook and attitude. 

Lastly, from a Daoist perspective, regular practice of the Directed Energy turn-around energizes the whole of a person's being with purified yang energy, removes stagnation, increases circulation, stimulates mental and psychic energy, strengthens concentration, and sharpens focus while reducing cowardliness, procrastination, and indecisiveness. 

-Kevin Wikse

Vimana Vajra Baguazhang

Chan Pan Ling's Yang Energy Dragon Shape Baguazhang by Kevin Wikse.

 

Chan Pan Ling's Yang Energy Dragon Shape Baguazhang is an intermediate-level school of martial Baguazhang that emphasizes the explosive, consuming, and constantly-moving qualities of fire while developing to coiling, raising, and aggressive nature inherent within the Dragon Shape as expressed by the Thunder Gua or Trigram of the I-Ching. 

Violent and abrupt, the Dragon of this Baguazhang set enjoys sudden force expressions while evading, deflecting, and redirecting. The Dragon is strong and spring-like, like a steel whip. The Yang energy is sharp, disruptive, and punishing. 

Fire over Thunder

In my teachings of Daoist metaphysics, this set constitutes Fire over Thunder in the I-Ching, or Hexagram #21. It denotes a sense of being wronged and seeking justice. The Hexagram (six lines, the top, bottom, and third down lines are unbroken yang lines) illustrates a structured environment with a free energy flow from bottom to top. However, there is a disruption in that flow. This is seen as a divider between upper and lower, or stronger and weaker, signifying a defect in the system and preventing fair treatment of all. This division must be destroyed if harmony is to exist. 

This Hexagram is called "Biting Through," and the martial prowess developed by the dedicated practice of this school of Baguazhang will split apart and puncture through enemies of your peace and harmony. 

A certain level of intolerance and anger accompanies this set of Baguazhang. The Dragon hates evil, actively hunting it down and eradicating it at the source. The mindset is that of righteous wrathfulness. It produces a psychic practice of internal alchemy, slowly and methodically changing the practitioner's personality just ever so slightly, just enough to enable them to understand the power of discrimination and how to apply that in severing influences, internal as well as external, that do not serve the good of the self nor society. Cutting cancer out. 

At one point in my life, I was employed to do physical violence against certain people. I used the training techniques and fighting strategies contained school of Chan Pan Ling's Yang Dragon Shape Baguazhang to obliterate the arm and legs, ripping open their defenses. Known for its "heart penetrating palm," as Hexagram #21's title "Biting Through" suggests, this school of Baguazhang is exceptionally well suited for limb destruction, breaking bones, and deep piercing strikes. 

From a training perspective, circle walking in the Dragon body shape is invigorating. The Dragon Shape promotes full body strength, endurance, and durability. Increases in leg, upper back, and hand strength are particularly noteworthy. Training the Dragon shape prepares the entire body for combat. In addition, the waist and torso undergo a soft and internal form of Iron Body or Iron Vest condition. 

I plan to teach this school of Baguazhang publicly soon and share with others the same benefits and boons dedicated practice of this set brought and continues to bring to me. 

-Kevin Wikse.

Vimana Vajra Baguazhang