NaeGa ShinJang.

In GiCheon Ki flow is revitalized through static and dynamic positions. Static positions (靜法, Korean jŏngbŏp, Chinese jìngfǎ) are considered the core of the practice. Among static postures NaeGa ShinJang is the central one. NaeGa ShinJang is performed as following: legs are spread shoulder-length, heels are turned outward, knees are bent down and inward, back is arched, buttocks are pushed out and shoulders are relaxed, arms are stretched out in the front above shoulder-height and palms are pressed outward. The students hold NaeGa ShinJang for a few minutes at their first lesson, and from 10 to 40 minutes during subsequent training.

GiCheon draws on the ancient Asian culture of self-cultivation. There are many Chinese, Korean and Indian methods of self-cultivation, that concentrate on the lower abdomen. Similarly to Daoist inner alchemy, GiCheon adepts believe that a center of human body lies in Tanjŏn, the lumbar and pelvis area of the body. In NaeGa ShinJang position, the backbone is stretched from the neck to the tailbone, while the weight is directed downwards, toward the ground. NaeGa ShinJang strengthens the lumbar and pelvis, thus building the equilibrium in the body. Balancing left and right in the hip joints, knees, ankles, shoulders, elbows and wrists creates a correct posture. In order to keep the lumbar and pelvis steady, the thighs should be strong. After practicing NaeGa ShinJang for a few years, the thighs of the practitioners become strong, thick and round.

NaeGa ShinJang is believed to awaken Ki flow in the body and mind. Most of the joints are bent to the maximum, which is called Yeok Geun (易筋, Chinese yì​jīn)​[1]. Yeok Geun is believed to generate strong Ki flow, which is perceived by the adepts as feelings of pain and heat[2], often accompanied by shaking and sweat. GiCheon instructors explain that joints are like doors through which Ki passes. In order to transmit much Ki, the joints should become strong and flexible. The process of thus “forming and remaking” them is painful.

In NaeGa ShinJang position the author of this paper often feels shaking in the legs and sometimes in the whole body. Likewise, the face, the torso and the arms get covered with sweat. GiCheon teachers compare this process to a dried hose tube into which water is pumped. First the hose tube is partially filled, then the tension increases and it starts shaking. The dried part is soaked and finally the water starts passing. In this metaphor the water is Ki and the dried hose tube is the body of the adept. NaeGa ShinJang constitutes the pumping of water (Ki) into the hose tube (the body). The whole process is marked by painful pressure and strain.

The location, character and degree of pain in NaeGa ShinJang are dissimilar for each individual. Besides, the feeling of hardship for the same person varies each time she or he practices. Different people report ache in diverse parts of the body. Most adepts describe pain as “traveling” within the body. They talk about pain in a right knee for a few months, then pain in a left knee for a few months and then the pain “moves” somewhere else. Others account for pain in the back first, in the shoulders next, then in the arms, legs, head, then again in the back. Many depict “waves of pain rising and falling” and a sensation of heat. Some practitioners cannot localize or characterize the pain felt during NaeGa ShinJang, but comment on the “general tension and ache in the body”.

GiCheon practitioners believe that the hardship of GiCheon experience varies according to the age, health condition, emotional state, personality, karma etc. For the same individual, the degree and amount of pain vary according to the mood of the present moment, the physical condition of that day, weather and other factors. Tired or sick are assumed to suffer stronger pain in NaeGa ShinJang. But generally, the degree of hardship cannot be predicted.

After releasing NaeGa ShinJang position, practitioners report being refreshed, delighted, satisfied, comforted, relaxed, feeling more alive and sensitive. Some people talk about disappearance of troublesome thoughts and worries, becoming more calm and light-hearted, acquiring peace of mind. The face expressions become calm and the eyes start shining.