Qigong Immersion Workbook.pagesIntroduction
The study and practice of Qi is an amazing journey. Inside each of us is a magic greater than anything conceived by human imagination. This life force is called by many names. In India it is called prana, in Hebrew ruach, and in Chinese it is called Qi. It is the force that animates your body and brings it to life. As you delve into the power of your life-force energy, you’ll discover an inner adventure into the miracles of your body, mind, and spirit. Qigong uses the body as the vehicle of transformation; the same energy that flows through the cosmos flows through the human body as well.
Many sages, ancient and modern, have devoted their lives to the contemplation of Qi. Whole schools of thought, both Taoist and Buddhist, have focused exclusively on the power of Qi. As you become a student of Qigong, you will begin to unleash the power of this life-force energy within you. Your journey begins with the discovery of Qi for yourself. Your journey is less like a marked path and more like the invisible flight of a bird soaring through the air. It is a journey where healing, vitality, and deep peace are discovered. The Taoist path is an exhilarating rush of lightness and levity, of depth and intensity, and ultimately it is yours to discover in your own unique way.
By the fact that you are holding this Home Practice Manual in your hands is an indication of your discovery and exuberance for the practice. When you find the treasure, you instinctively wish to share it. To become a student of Qigong is to become a conduit of energy. You have the ability to direct, store, circulate, exchange, and balance life’s greatest gift, of which there is an unlimited source. Talking about this practice is like selling water by the well. These techniques are ways to work the pump. Your journey of Qigong will be one of discovery, as if coming upon a magic castle with many rooms to explore. You will learn the concepts of the Tao, the use of Chinese correction of opposites of Yin and Yang, the five elemental energies, energy meridians, and basic modes of directing energy. At the core of the teaching is a series of foundational movements and stances
! 1
called “The Five Element Flow.” These movements work with the basic five yin organs in the body and corresponding meridians. They are designed to circulate Qi, as well as remove stagnant energy from these organs. These Five Element Flowing exercises become a physical formula for greater health and longevity.
In addition to the Five Elements Flowing exercises (water), you will learn exercises that follow the basic Chinese Five Element pattern: Breathing techniques (metal) that bring in Qi to either energize or sedate both the mental and physical bodies; warm up exercises (fire) that move the blood, loosen the joints, and prepare the body for greater Qi transformation; stretching exercises (wood) that will open up the meridian lines, allowing greater Qi flow; standing poses (earth) that align the body to allow for greater fluidity and circulation of and energy. Each of these different kinds of exercises is designed by the Taoist masters to work in concert, each complimenting the other.
These will become the material of your practice. You will develop a virtual “Toolbox” of techniques, as well as the ability to know when to pull out the right method or exercise. In this way you will gain the ability to empower yourself, giving you the ability to energize, calm, and enliven.
What is Qigong?
Qigong is an ancient Chinese health care system that integrates physical postures, breathing techniques and focused intention.
The word Qigong (Chi Kung) is made up of two Chinese words. Qi is pronounced chee and is usually translated to mean the life force or vital- energy that flows through all things in the universe.
The second word, Gong, pronounced gung, means accomplishment, or skill that is cultivated through steady practice. Together, Qigong (Chi Kung) means cultivating energy, it is a system practiced for health maintenance, healing and increasing vitality.
! 2
Qigong is an integration of physical postures, breathing techniques, and focused intentions.
Qigong practices can be classified as martial, medical, or spiritual. All styles have three things in common: they all involve a posture, (whether moving or stationary), breathing techniques, and mental focus. Some practices increase the Qi; others circulate it, use it to cleanse and heal the body, store it, or emit Qi to help heal others. Practices vary from the soft internal styles such as Tai Chi; to the external, vigorous styles such as Kung Fu. However, the slow gentle movements of most Qigong forms can be easily adapted, even for the physically challenged and can be practiced by all age groups. Like any other system of health care, Qigong is not a panacea, but it is certainly a highly effective health care practice. Many health care professionals recommend Qigong as an important form of alternative complementary medicine.
Qigong creates an awareness of and influences dimensions of our being that are not part of traditional exercise programs. Most exercises do not involve the meridian system used in acupuncture nor do they emphasize the importance of adding mind intent and breathing techniques to physical movements. When these dimensions are added, the benefits of exercise increase exponentially.
The gentle, rhythmic movements of Qigong reduce stress, build stamina, increase vitality, and enhance the immune system. It has also been found to improve cardiovascular, respiratory, circulatory, lymphatic and digestive functions.
Those who maintain a consistent practice of Qigong find that it helps one regain a youthful vitality, maintain health even into old age and helps speed recovery from illness. Western scientific research confirms that Qigong reduces hypertension and the incidence of falling in the aged population. One of the more important long-term effects is that Qigong reestablishes the body/mind/soul connection.
People do Qigong to maintain health, heal their bodies, calm their minds, and reconnect with their spirit.
When these three aspects of our being are integrated, it encourages a positive outlook on life and helps eliminate harmful attitudes and behaviors. It also creates a balanced life style, which brings greater harmony, stability, and
! 3
enjoyment.
There are a wide variety of Qigong practices. They vary from the simple, internal forms to the more complex and challenging external styles. They can interest and benefit everyone, from the most physically challenged to the super athlete. There are Qigong classes for children, senior citizens, and every age group in between. Since Qigong can be practiced anywhere or at any time, there is no need to buy special clothing or to join a health club.
Qigong's great appeal is that everyone can benefit, regardless of ability, age, belief system or life circumstances.
Anyone can enrich their lives by adding Qigong to their daily routine. Children learning to channel their energy and develop increased concentration; office workers learning Qigong to reduce stress; seniors participating in gentle movements to enhance balance and their quality of life; caregivers embracing a practice to develop their ability to help others; prisons instituting Qigong programs to restore balance in inmates lives; midwives using Qigong techniques to ease child birth.
When an individual or group assumes responsibility and takes action for their health and healing, we all benefit. It is best to get referrals from people whose judgment you have confidence in. Check the Yellow Pages for Tai Chi schools, acupuncturists, or martial art academies. The National Qigong Association member directory is also an excellent source for finding instructors. Keep in mind the following criteria for choosing a qualified instructor: what is their background and experience; are they of good character; do they treat everyone fairly and with respect; do they live what they teach; do they refrain from making wild, unsubstantiated claims; do they encourage and bring out a student's highest potential? While keeping these points in mind, remember to trust your intuition in finding an instructor who is right for you. How can I learn if there aren't any teachers near me? If there are no instructors in your area, many teachers regularly travel to give workshops in all regions of the country. Many excellent instructional books and videos are also available.
Begin by familiarizing yourself with the many resources available for learning Qigong. The internet is one of the best tools today for learning about Qigong.
Seek referrals in your area and visit local classes. Attending the annual NQA conference also provides an introduction to many styles of Qigong and practitioners from around the world.
After you have looked into some of these resources, find a style you feel comfortable with, and develop a consistent daily practice. It is recommended by experienced teachers to stay with a form for at least 100 days. A consistent practice is the most important asset you can develop. When beginners ask, "What is the most important aspect of practicing Qigong?" The answer is always..."just do it."
Five Categories of Qigong Exercises
It is very important to keep the qi or internal energy circulating smoothly in your body. Many different kinds of qigong exercises have been created to achieve this, but they can generally be categorized into five groups according to the main purpose of the training:
1. Maintaining Health
The main purpose of the qigong styles in this category is to first gain mental and spiritual calmness, peace, and balance. With this mental balance, you can then engage in moving exercises that maintain the smoothness and
balance of the qi circulation. This category uses both still meditation and moving meditative exercises.
It is believed that many illnesses are caused by mental and emotional excesses. These emotions use up qi and cause stagnation in the channels and organ systems, which causes you to get sick. For example, depression can cause stomach ulcers and indigestion. Anger will cause the liver to malfunction. Sadness will cause compression and tightness in the lungs, and fear can disturb the normal functioning of the kidneys and bladder. Chinese qigong practitioners therefore realized that if you want to avoid illness, the first step is to balance and relax your thoughts. This is called “regulating the mind” (tiao xin). When your mind is calm and you are emotionally neutral, your qi will automatically regulate itself and correct imbalances.
In the still meditation used for maintaining health, a major part of the training is getting rid of thoughts so that the mind is clear and calm. When you become peaceful and calm, the flow of thoughts and emotions slows down, and you feel mentally and emotionally neutral.
This kind of meditation can be thought of as practicing emotional self- control. When you are in this “no thought” state, you become very relaxed and can even relax deep down into your internal organs. When your body is this relaxed, your qi will naturally flow smoothly and strongly, clearing obstructions in the channels and maintaining your health. This kind of still meditation was very common in ancient Chinese scholarly society.
Chinese physicians discovered that certain movements or exercises increased the qi circulation around the internal organs. Some of these movements are similar to movements that are characteristic of certain animals. It is clear that in order for an animal to survive in the wild, it must have an instinct for how to protect its body. Part of this instinct is concerned with how to build up its qi and how to keep its qi from being lost.
We humans have lost many of these instincts over the years that we have been separating ourselves from nature. One typical set of these qigong exercises, which is still practiced today, is called Five Animal Sports (Wu Qin Xi). Another one is the Eight Pieces of Brocade.
Over the thousands of years of observing nature and themselves, some qigong practitioners went even deeper. They realized the body’s qi circulation changes with the seasons, and it is a good idea to help the body out in these periodic adjustments. They also noticed that during each season,
! 6
different organs had characteristic problems. For example, in the beginning of autumn your lungs have to adapt to the colder and drier air you are breathing. While this adjustment takes place, the lungs are susceptible to disturbance, so your lungs may feel uncomfortable and you may catch colds easily.
Your digestive system is also affected during seasonal changes. Your appetite may increase, or you may have diarrhea. When the temperature goes down, your kidneys and bladder will start to give you trouble. For example, because the kidneys are stressed, you may feel pain in your back. Focusing on these seasonal qi disorders, the meditators created a set of movements that can be used to speed up the body’s adjustment.
2. Curing Sickness
Chinese doctors discovered through experience that some of the movements could not only maintain health, but could also cure certain illnesses. Using their medical knowledge of qi circulation, they researched until they had found many movements that could help cure various illnesses and health problems. Naturally, many of them were not unlike the ones used to maintain health. This is not surprising, since many illnesses are caused by unbalanced qi. When this stagnation continues for a long period of time, the organs will start to be affected and may be physically damaged. As a matter of fact, as long as your sickness is limited to the level of qi stagnation and there is no physical organ damage, the qigong exercises used for maintaining health can be used to readjust your qi circulation and treat the problem.
However, if the sickness is already so serious that the physical organs start to fail, then the situation has become critical. In this case, a specific treatment is necessary. The treatment can be acupuncture, herbs, or even an operation. Some qigong exercises are designed to speed up the healing, or sometimes even to cure the sickness. For example, ulcers and asthma can be cured with some simple exercises. Recently in both Mainland China and Taiwan, certain
! 7
qigong exercises have been shown to be effective in treating certain kinds of cancer.
Acupressure or qigong massage is also commonly used instead of needles to adjust the qi imbalance. This is done mostly by qigong experts who are able to use their body’s qi to adjust the patient’s qi through touch or acupressure. This is seen in Chinese qigong healing practices and Japanese Shiatsu massage.
3. Prolonging Life
The two preceding categories either maintain the health that a person already has, or else treat illnesses once they appear. The theories and the principles for these categories are simple, and the training is conservative. Many Chinese qigong practitioners were not satisfied with this and searched for a way that would not only maintain health, but also would also increase the qi circulation and strengthen the organs. In this more aggressive approach to qigong, they attempted to find a way to overcome the normal course of nature. They refused to accept that the length of a person’s life is set according to destiny. They believed that if they understood the course of nature (Dao, ) completely, they would be able to find a way to lengthen their lives. This category of qigong training is practiced mostly by Buddhists and Daoists.
Over the more than nineteen hundred years of research, the religious meditators discovered the way to slow down the degeneration of the organs, which is the key to obtaining a long life. There have been many Buddhists and Daoists who have lived more than 150 years. In Daoist society, it is said: “One hundred and twenty means dying young.”
Unfortunately, all of this qigong training has been passed down secretly in the monasteries. Starting in the 1960s, these secret theories and training methods were slowly revealed to the outside world. An important part of this training to prolong life is Marrow/Brain Washing Qigong. The basic idea of Marrow/Brain Washing Qigong is to keep the qi circulating in your marrow and brain so that the marrow and the brain stay fresh and healthy.
Your bone marrow manufactures most of your blood cells. The blood cells bring nourishment to the organs and all the other cells of the body, and also take waste products away. When your blood is healthy and functions
! 8
properly, your whole body is well nourished and healthy, and can resist disease effectively. When the marrow is clean and fresh, it manufactures an enormous number of healthy blood cells, which will do their job properly. Your whole body will stay healthy and the organs will not degenerate.
Although the theory is simple, the training is very difficult. You must first learn how to build up your qi and fill up your eight qi vessels, and then you must know how to lead this qi into the bone marrow to “wash” the marrow. However, except for Taoist and Buddhist monks, there are very few people who have lived more than 150 years. The reason for this is that the training process is long and hard.
You must have a pure mind and a simple lifestyle so that you can concentrate entirely on the training. Without a peaceful life, your training will not be effective. This is why the Taoist and Buddhist monks hide themselves in the mountains. Unfortunately, this is simply not possible for the average person.
4. Martial Arts
In the Liang dynasty (), martial artists started to use qigong to increase the effectiveness of their arts. Such training can also help to improve health. However, some martial artists will even use certain qigong practices, which they know will harm their health, if these practices will improve some aspect of their fighting ability. An example of this kind of training is iron sand palm.
5. Enlightenment or Buddhahood
The Taoists and Buddhists use qigong to reach a level of attainment far beyond the average person’s. They are striving for enlightenment, or what the Buddhists refer to as Buddhahood. They are looking for a way to lift themselves above normal human suffering and to escape from the cycle of continual reincarnation. In order to reach this stage, Marrow/Brain Washing Qigong training is necessary. This enables them to lead qi to the forehead, where the spirit resides, and raise the brain to a higher energy state.
! 9
Five-Element Qigong - Principles of Practice
The following principals and concepts will form the foundation upon which to understand Taoist and Qigong concepts. They will form the “why” and “how” of your Qigong practice. A strong understanding of the following concepts will prove indispensible to your learning.
The Tao
“The Tao that can be told is not the real Tao” is the first line of the Tao Te Ching, the original classic of Taoist thought. This passage describes the paradox of the Tao –you can elude to it, but you can truly know it only through experience. The term Tao transcends precise definition and is better understood by direct contact, by mirroring the movements of nature and sensing the life-force energy within the body and in the universe all around. The original Chinese ideogram for “Tao” consists of the symbols for “head” and “walk.” As a noun, Tao generally means “way” or “path,” while as a verb it means “to say” or “to know.” These meanings imply that the Tao is a path of life that leads to fulfillment. It also indicates that the Tao is the original source of all knowledge and ultimate truth. The word Tao also signifies the way of nature and the way of the universe. Think of it as “the path of natural reality.” It also alludes to the way in which we can open our minds to learn more about the world, our spiritual paths, and ourselves. The Tao is both a philosophy and an energy science for seeking and finding the truth of the universe, nature, and humanity. Its focus goes beyond one single path or viewpoint. The Tao is not a religion, as it requires no initiation ceremonies, steers away from dogma and strict rules of conduct, and focuses on what truly empowers the individual to find freedom. Instead of being a religion about life, Taoism embodies the spirit of life. It is perhaps the only philosophic system in the world that revolves
! 10
more around practice – Qigong and meditation – than preaching. In fact, Taoism includes many practical disciplines that can restore lost youth, energy, and virtues while awakening our deepest spiritual potentials. Taoist regard these practices as technology that can help us learn universal truths. Taoists often led without words, through example and experience. Thus the Taoist way of life precludes the common hypocrisy of preaching one thing while practicing another, for by definition the only way to know the Tao is to experience its power in practice, not just to talk about it in theory. Qigong is an integral and essential component in the ancient Taoist system of health care, life extension, and spiritual self-cultivation. Cultivating spiritual virtues such as wisdom, compassion, patience, and tolerance is every bit as important in Qigong practice as cultivating physical strength, health, and power. The goal is balance – equilibrium for the body, mind, and spirit. The goal is to develop a practical system of Taoist practices that are a balance between the mind, body, and spirit, and not just a philosophy of the mind. It is understood that by cultivating a true sense of the Tao – of real knowledge and wisdom – we will enable ourselves to make wise decisions in our lives. Human beings often enslave their minds and squander their energy to satisfy temporary desires. In the Tao, one must learn to balance physical health and vitality with spiritual awareness and virtue, and in this way, one truly goes with the flow of nature.
Yin and Yang
The Tao Te Ching says, “One gave birth to two,” which came to be known as yin and yang. Yin and yang are the polarities of the universe – night and day, life and death, male and female. This basic polarity is the premise of all manifest existence, the foundation of all creation, and the basis of all movement and change. Yin and yang form the field in which energy and matter engage in their ceaseless play of formation and dissolution, interaction and transmutation. Yin, whose ideogram originally meant “the shady side of a hill,” refers to the negative and the dark, the passive and the female, the moon and water, the soft and the yielding, the internal and the lower aspects in any field, formation, or system of energy. Yang, which meant “the sunny side of a hill,” denotes the positive and the light, the active and the male, the sun
! 11
and fire, the hard and aggressive, the external and the upper aspects and parts of any whole. It’s important to realize that yin and yang are not two different types of energy, but rather they are the two opposite but complementary poles in any given form, function, or field of energy. Yin and yang are also mutually transmutable: as the day progresses, the sunny side of the hill becomes shady and yin, while the yin side lights up and becomes yang. The Chinese characterized the chi of the heavens as yang: outward flowing, expansive, positively charged; they characterized the chi of the earth as yin: inward flowing, receptive, negatively charged. In general, energy flows up the front of the body from the earth, flowing up the inside of the legs and arms toward the heavens. Correspondingly, energy flows down from the heavens, flowing down the back and down the outside of the arms and legs to earth. This external pattern of yin and yang chi should not be confused with the body’s internal meridian patterns. The body has its own directional map, defined by its meridian system. The yin meridians of the upper body flow from the chest down the insides of the arms. The yang meridians bring the circulation of energy down the outside and back of the body to the feet. From the feet, the yin meridians of the legs bring the circulation of chi back up the insides of the legs into the chest. From the chest, this cycle of energy repeats. While it’s good to have a general sense of energy flow in the body, it’s not necessary to know all the meridian pathways in order to benefit from Qigong, just as you can benefit from cardiovascular exercise without knowing the anatomy of the heart. According to the tenets of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), imbalance in the yin/yang polarity of various energy systems in the body is the root cause of all disease. The best way to cure disease and prevent degeneration is therefore to restore natural, healthy balance in all facets of the human energy system. Qigong is the most direct and effective way of achieving this goal, as its practices naturally balance the yin and yang energies of the body. Some Qigong practices are inherently more yin – specifically the ones that involve meditation or postures with little or no movement – while others are more yang, focusing on activities such as stretching muscles, articulating joint, and flowing movements that move internal energy. By combining these two styles, yin and yang, practitioners are able to facilitate the movement in internal energy and find internal balance.
! 12
The Five Elements
As modern physics has conclusively proven, all matter – from atoms and molecules to planets and stars – is composed of energy. In the traditional Taoist paradigm of creation and manifest form, all matter on earth is composed of and regulated by what are known as the five elemental energies (wu shing). The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine states, “The five elemental energies combine and recombine in innumerable ways to produce manifest existence. All things contain the five elemental energies in various proportions.” The five elements are also known as the five processes of energy. This description is a little more true to the actual meaning of the words for the processes are, in fact, observations about the movements of energies. The five elemental processes can be observed in nature and throughout the universe. In space, they regulate the motions of all the planets, stars, and suns. In nature, they promote interactions between the elements of fire, water, wood, metal, and earth. Within the human body they affect the five major organs: the heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, and spleen. Just as Western science understands atoms and subatomic particles to be the fundamental units of all matter, the five processes of energy are understood in Taoism to be the essence of all processes. “As above, so below” expresses this principle of the five elements: the understanding that the forces that regulate nature and the cosmos are the same forces that regulate our bodies and minds. Each of the five elements has myriad associations and interactions. For example, wood represents energy expanding and is associated with spring, the liver, kindness, and vision – among many other things. Fire represents energy activating and is associated with summer, the heart, love, and speech. Earth represents energy stabilizing and centering and is associated with Indian summer, the spleen, open-mindedness, and taste. Metal represents energy solidifying and is associated with autumn, the lungs, courage, and breath. Water represents energy sinking or resting and is connected to winter, the kidneys, inner peace, and listening. In the body, all of the vital organs are paired in matched sets of yin and yang, and each pair is associated with one of the five elemental energies.
! 13
For example, the yin heart and yang small intestine are paired organs governed by fire energy, along with their related functions of circulation and assimilation, the emotion of joy, and the color red. Similarly, the yin kidney and yang bladder are governed by water, which also controls the associated tissues of bone, brain, and marrow, regulates the urine and semen, houses the emotion of fear, and is reflected in the color dark blue. There are two basic transformational cycles whereby these elemental energies interact and counterbalance one another to sustain homeostasis. One is called the creative or generative (sheng) cycle, in which one energy stimulates and amplifies fire, which generates earth, which produces metal, which completes the cycle by creating water. The other is called the control or destructive cycle (ke), wherein one energy impedes and reduces the activity of the next. In this cycle, water impedes fire, fire reduces metal, metal controls wood, wood reduces earth, and earth impedes water. Qigong provides a mechanism through which one can guide and balance these five elemental energies that compose the human system. By working with the elements, practitioners restore normal balance and maintain natural equilibrium among the vital energies that govern the internal organs and regulate their related functions and tissues. Since there are specific Qigong exercises to influence the energies of each of the vital organ systems, a weak heart may be tonified by exercises that stimulate the fire energy of the heart, and conversely, an overactive heart many be controlled by doing exercises that boost the water energy of the kidneys, which then quells the excessive fire of the heart through the control cycle of water over fire. In Five Element QiGong, practitioners learn a set of five flowing exercises, each corresponding to a particular five-element energy. These flowing movements can be use to stimulate or sedate these energies, thus influencing one or more of the five major organs in the body. Similar results may be achieved by applying other associated elements to stimulate or pacify various energies. Thus, the fire energy of the heart may be amplified by wearing the color red and eating bitter foods and herbs, while the wood energy of the liver many be boosted by wearing green clothing and consuming sour foods. The earth energy of the spleen and stomach is tonified by the color yellow and sweet foods and herbs, and the metal energy of the lungs and large intestine may be strengthened by wearing the color white and eating pungent foods. The permutations and combinations of this system are countless, and they reflect the vast potential of Qigong for curative healing as well as preventative health care.
! 14
The Five Energies of Qigong Practice
Relaxation (water element): This is a fundamental principle of all Qigong exercises. Think of the way water moves, like river flowing down the mountain – effortless, fluid, unified, and powerful. This is the essence of the principle of relaxation. When you practice Qigong, you want to mirror the movements of water and feel your body moving fluidly. Relaxation is more than sitting on the couch; it’s a dynamic balance of effortless power. This relaxation element forms the basic principle of the Five Flowing exercises.
Resilience (wood element): Resilience is the power that is reflected in trees: the combination of strength and flexibility. Think of bamboo in the wind, how it bends but doesn’t break, it stays rooted and pliable at the same time. In Qigong we should embody this principle, feeling a sense of being grounded and flexible, strong and centered all at once. This kind of energy is reflected in Qigong stretching exercises.
Enjoyment (fire element): enjoyment is so important to all forms of exercise and meditation. In Qigong, feeling good and enjoying the movements, stretches and flows help circulate energy. When you force yourself to do exercise that you don’t enjoy, it’s like eating a bowl of ice cream while running on the treadmill. It goes against the flow. Enjoying your workout and exercise helps to create a connection between the mind, emotions, and body so that harmony is created throughout the entire system. The feeling of energy circulation in your body, a sense of strength at your core, and tapping into your own inner power should feel really good. Enjoyment is what uplifts the heart, both physically and emotionally. Qigong is a fantastic way to make the heart smile!
! 15
Centering (earth element): Centering implies both a principle of movement for the body and an emotional feeling of being connected inwardly. This principle is connected to the earth element because it is a stabilizing force and cultivates a sense of feeling grounded. When you are centered mentally and emotionally, you don’t feel pulled off by other people, situations, or events. There is a sense of inner balance. During Qigong practice, moving from your center – your lower tan tien or abdominal area – moves the power and energy through your whole body. Standing poses and meditation also have this centering effect and are used throughout your practice.
Energy (metal element): The metal element is the element of the lungs. Qigong uses the breath as a way to improve, cultivate, and transform energy in the body. Qigong movements are synchronized with the breath are a way to relax the body and cultivate this life force.
The ultimate goal of practicing Qigong exercises is to become soft, supple, strong, responsive, full of vital life force, and pure like a child. Although these exercises are surprisingly simple to perform, they are sophisticated and effective. They reestablish the harmony we have lost between nature, the universe, and ourselves.
Within the immense pantheon of Qigong practice are movements, which can be categorized by their energetic effect. For example breathing exercises, initiated by the lungs, would be assigned to the metal element. Warm up exercises are heating and characteristic of the fire element. Stretching exercises are opening, twisting, and lengthening, as you would imagine the movement of trees, or wood element. Flowing exercises are fluid, effortless, and mimicking the movement of water. Standing poses are grounding and centering, connecting us to the earth, as do meditation practices and closing exercises.
! 16
Five-Element Qigong Exercises
Please Note: The following descriptions of Qigong exercises are intended to supplement instruction only. The brief instructions here are simply reminders of various parts of your classroom experience. What follows are very brief explanations of movements you have or will learn in class. Also included are brief commentaries to strengthen your understanding of each exercise. Note that each category of Qigong practice is associated with one of the five elemental energies. A good home practice will include several exercises from each element: Breathing (Metal), Warm-ups (Fire), Stretching (Wood), Flowing movements (Water), and Standing Poses (Earth).
Ten Breathing Exercises (Metal Element Practices)
Breathing Exercises are an excellent way to start any Qigong practice. The lungs are said to be the “Commanders of Qi” because they pull in the energy from the atmosphere and circulate it throughout the system. The body will feel vitalized and charged in preparation for a deeper, more beneficial practice. Breathing exercises also have a direct bearing on our feelings and emotions. Breathing deeply, down into the abdomen, for example, sends a message to the body to transform negative emotions into positive ones. The following breathing exercises are certainly not the only breathing exercises in Qigong. However, the ones presented here should be considered foundational. Any combination or arrangements of these breathing exercises are excellent ways to start a Qigong practice. Or they can be used at any time in your practice.
! 17
(1) “Abdominal Breathing”
Movement. Begin by breathing deeply into the abdomen. Place both hands on the abdomen and as you inhale, the belly expands outward and moves back toward the spine on the exhale. Make sure your breathing is long, slow, deep, and soft.
Comment. Abdominal Breathing energizes the entire system by providing a sufficient abundance of oxygen for optimal functioning. It clears stress and tension as it massages the internal organs and activates the parasympathetic nervous system.
(2) “The Wave Breath”
Movement. Bring your right hand over your navel and place your left hand on your sternum at the center of your chest. Take a deep breath in through your nose. Feel you lower abdomen expand first. As you continue to inhale, let the breath rise up through your ribs. Keep inhaling until the breath reaches your chest, beneath your hand. Exhale through your nose; feel your breath relaxing and your chest descending. Allow the exhale to relax through the ribs. At the end of the exhalation, allow your abdomen to move back toward the spine as you squeeze the breath all the way out. A pause in the breath is like the lull of the tide and creates balance.
Comment. The Wave Breath technique allows for a deeper connection between the abdominal cavity and the lung and heart area. It fills both areas with life giving energy, as well as a soft flowing movement that helps the whole body relax and rejuvenate. It both calms the system down and, at the same time, energizes the body for greater alertness and focusing ability.
(3) “Heart to the Sky”
! 18
Movement. Place your hands in prayer position at the heart. Inhale deeply as you move the hands out and separate out wide to shoulder level. Push the chest forward and up as if to point the heart to the sky. Exhale and return to the starting position.
Comment. This arm and breath movement activates the upper lobes of the lungs and heart, as it exercises the intercostal muscles, releasing emotional stress. It has the ability to center and settle the heart emotions.
(4) “Spinal Cord Breathing”
Movement. Stand with your feet a little more than shoulder-width apart, arms at your sides. Inhale and expand your chest, bending your arms at the elbows. Exhale, tucking your tailbone in and rounding you back. At the same time bring your elbows toward one another in front of you chest. Inhale, expanding your chest. Tuck your chin in toward the throat, raise the crown of your head, and bring your arms back to your sides, elbows still bent.
Comment. Spinal Cord Breathing is a special Qigong exercise, which enlivens and exercises the vertebrae and spinal cord, sending Qi up the spine and sending energy throughout the body. It allows the spine to become subtle and soft. It enlivens the entire system with life giving energy, virtually waking up every cell in the body.
(5) “Full Body or ‘Skin’ Breathing”
! 19
Comment. Stand in a normal position, hands at your sides or a little away from the body. Inhale deeply and feel energy coming in through the pores of you skin over the entire body. Feel this energy enter deep into the body and bone marrow. Exhale and feel the energy coming out through the pores, strengthening the skin and Wei Chi or protective energy coating around the body.
Comment. Skin Breathing allows energy to come into the body through the pores of the skin, strengthening the field around the body (Wei Chi) as well as sending energy deeper into the muscles and skeletal system. The effect is one of strengthening the immune system, thus increasing the ability to fight and prevent disease.
(6) “Sipping Breath”
Movement. In a standing position sip in breath through the nose, hold, sip in another breath, hold, sip again (all done without exhalation). On the fourth sip, raise the hands above your head and hold the fists tight. Exhale as you relax down to starting position.
Comment. Taken from the Iron Shirt Qigong practice, Sipping Breath is a special technique to move energy up the back channel of the body, thus invigorating the brain and spinal cord. It wakes up the nervous system, clearing unwanted thoughts and energies.
(7) “Kidney Breathing”
! 20
Movement. Kidney Breathing is similar to abdominal breathing, only this time you inhale to the kidney area and feel this area expand outward. Exhale and relax the body back to normal. Placing your hands on the kidneys will help to facilitate this exercise.
Comment. Kidney Breathing works directly with the kidneys and adrenal glands where our original Qi is stored. This exercise has the ability to enliven this area and allows us to tap into this storehouse of energy.
(8) “Chi Belt Breathing”
Movement. Place your hands on both sides of the body at the floating rib area. Allow the forefinger and thumb to clasp the side of the body. Breathe deeply into the sides of the body as the hands expand outward with the expansion of the chest with the in-breath. Exhale and allow the chest and hands to return to starting position.
Comment. This is a unique breathing exercise that focuses on the Chi belt, the extraordinary meridian, which runs horizontally around the abdominal area. Chi Belt breathing focuses on the abdominal area, providing energy for the internal organs. However, it is also very effective in establishing balance in the system – both physical and energetic.
(9) “The Cleansing Breath”
! 21
Movement. The first part of this breathing exercise is identical to “Wave Breathing.” Exhale very deeply to remove all the air in your lungs. At this point form your mouth into an O shape and forcibly blow out the last bit of air with a “whooo” sound.
Comment. The Cleansing Breath, as its namesake implies, cleanses the system of excess or stagnant energy. It is a way of expelling harmful toxicity through the breath, therefore, creating a cleaner inner environment for health and longevity.
(10) “Empty Breath Breathing”
Movement. Place both hands over the abdomen and forcibly push out a short exhalation. The inhalation is entirely passive and happens automatically. These are short quick breaths that move the abdomen forward on each exhalation.
Comment. Empty Breath breathing (sometimes called “Breath of Fire”) can best be described as an “internal massage.” The movement of the abdomen along with the forced exhale allows the abdominal muscles to gently massage the internal organs such as the liver, spleen, and intestines. The effect is one of releasing stagnant Qi in these areas, producing happier insides.
Extra Technique - a Powerful Whole Body Breathing Rotation. One practice that incorporates several of the different breathing exercises starts off with Abdominal Breathing and rotates through the following sequence. Each breathing exercise is done for 30 seconds. Always start and end with Abdominal Breathing
! 22
1. Abdominal Breathing 2. Breath of Fire 3. Chi Belt Breathing 4. Breath of Fire 5. Kidney Breathing 6. Breath of Fire 7. Abdominal Breathing
! 23
Ten Warm-up Exercises (Fire Element Practices)
The term “warm-up” means to stimulate the chi and blood flow and invigorate their circulation throughout the body. Warm-up exercises are particularly important for areas of the body that are rarely stretched, such and the spine and sacrum. These exercises provide more energy and clear stress – even done on their own, warm-ups create healthy chi flow in the body, which benefits all aspects of life.
(1) “Knocking on the Door of Life”
Movement. Stand with feet parallel, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Let the arms swing naturally and easily with the momentum of the hips turning side to side. Let your arms and loose fists gently knock across the abdomen and, at the same time, knock across the lower back with the other hand. You can move the hands upward in front to gently knock on the liver and spleen as well as the chest area.
Comment. The Knocking sends a subtle vibration into the organs, bones, and skin, loosening and releasing stagnation. The exercise is designed to strike key pressure points that enliven and activate meridians lines.
(2) “The Tiger”
Movement. Start by standing with feet wider than shoulder width with both hands held high overhead. Squat down and as the hand form into tiger claws, rake the hands down in front. Stand up, and then repeat.
Comment. The Tiger exercise stretches and warms up the body with its flowing action and dynamic movement. It activates the three tan tiens and
! 24
strengthens the upper and lower bodies. In addition the downward squatting movement stretches and strengthens the all-important psoas muscle in the lower trunk of the body.
(3) “The Pump”
Movement. Stand with hands held high overhead. Squat down as the hands sweep down without bending the elbows. As the hands sweep down, continue to move the hands behind in squatting position. Straighten the knees as the hand sweep behind the body. Move the hands in a sweeping position upward as you come up straightening the knees. Repeat 6-12 times.
Comment. The Pump is an excellent energizer, which awakens the whole body, including the internal organs. Think of this exercise as one that actually “pumps” chi, blood, lymph, and other fluids throughout the body. The increased flow of energy removes stagnation and jump-starts your practice.
(4) “Hip Circles”
Movement. Stand with your feet parallel and slightly wider than shoulder- width apart. Place your hands on the sides of your waist. Bring the hips forward and swing them in large clockwise circles and then backward in a smooth circular fashion. Try to make your hip circles as even and round as possible. Repeat 9 – 12 times
Comment. Rotating the mid-section is an excellent way to activate the Chi Belt channel, as well as provide a gentle internal massage for the small intestines, bladder, ovaries or prostate glands, and sexual organs. The gentle turning motion of this exercise sends energy into the area and also helps to remove stagnant and “sediment” chi as this part of the body tends to collect toxic residue over time.
(5) “Swinging Arms” ! 25
Movement. Stand with your feet parallel and slightly wider than shoulder- width apart. Swing the hands up to the side, palms down. Now swing one arm in front of the body, the other behind. Bring both arms back to the extended side position, palms down. Keep repeating 9 – 12 times
Comment. There are numerous swinging exercises, which move the arms and shoulders. Many of them come from a category of exercises called “Silk Reeling” from the Chen Style Tai Chi system. These swinging actions move the energy from the core of the body, out the extremities, allowing the whole body to come alive with energy. They are even used in China and Thailand to prevent and cure cancer.
(6) “The Turtle and Water Buffalo”
Movement. Start by standing with your feet about three feet apart. Bend from the waist until your back lines up in “table top” position. Make your hands into loose fists with your elbows resting on your thighs. In this position perform kidney breathing. Next, stay in a squatting position, but raise the upper body almost upright while keeping the buttocks low. Arms are hanging loose in front. In this position perform breath of fire for 30 seconds.
Comment. These powerful exercises first activate the kidney energy, our storehouse of primordial chi. The second part of the technique sends this energy throughout the nervous system with breath and movement.
(7) “Shaking”
Movement. Start by standing shoulder-width apart. Begin by shaking the whole body in gentle bouncing fashion. Keep the muscles and tendons loose and focus on the joints of the body as you shake. For an additional purge, use the heart sound or “Haaa” on your exhale as you shake.
Comment. Shaking the body is an excellent way of dispersing Qi throughout the system, especially in areas that do not get much exercise. However,
! 26
shaking can be considered a purging practice in that is helps to loosen areas stagnation and tightness. It is also a is good way to remove toxicity from the joints. Note that there is actually a different shaking style for each element. Normal shaking is fire shaking.
(8) “Moving like a River”
Movement. Stand with feet a little wider than shoulder-width. Bend at the waist so that your back forms in a “table top” position with your hands on the thighs. Gently begin swaying the spinal cord from side to side like that waving of a flag. Shift the weight to one side, moving the hips first and then allowing the head to sway over last. Sway to the other side and repeat 9 -12 times
Comment. Moving like a river allows a side action in the spine due to the bent over position. This moves the spine in lateral directions, thus removing chi stagnation that can accumulate in areas of the body that get little movement.
(9) “The Pendulum”
Movement. Stand with feet a little wider than shoulder-width. Bend at the waist and allow your hands to hang loosely in front of the body. Slowly allow both arms to swing from side to side, as the pendulum of clock would move. Allow the arms to swing in unison higher and higher, then let the arms come back to their original position.
Comment. The Pendulum allows the arms and upper body to move using their own centrifugal force. The swinging action loosens the spine, hips, and kwa area and will provide a stretch and opening in the thoracic cavity.
(10) “Dog Wags its Tail”
! 27
Movement. Stand with feet together. Shift one arm straight down as you move the hip on the same side to shift down. Repeat the same move on the other side and then alternate back and forth in fairly quick fashion. Repeat 9 -12 times
Comment. This standing exercise moves the spine in quick lateral fashion, helping to eliminate pockets of chi stagnation. The movement also loosens the spine and allows for a greater flow of energy up the “The Thrusting Channel.” This exercise is also excellent after you have been sitting for a period of time as it helps to realign the tendons and ligaments of the hip area.
Additional Warm up exercises ! 28
Twist and Flow Water Waves
Standing Twists
Head Circles
Bone Breathing
! 29
Stretching holds an important place in Qigong exercise as we start to move toward the more subtle energetic flowing movements. Stretching not only works on the muscular structure and tendons of the body, these exercises also open or dilate the meridian lines through which energy flows throughout the system. With stretching we are actually opening the pathways through which energy moves and serves every major system. It is thus important that these stretches be done with relaxation and softness, as any added tension will impede the chi flow.
(1) “Full Body Flow”
Movement. Stand with feet wider than shoulder width and bend forward from the waist. Grab the side of one hand with other and slowly rise up with hands coming close to the body. Continue to move the hands overhead and stretch the whole body in upward fashion. Repeat this motion several times. Then, from the low position, move both arms to one side and then come up and stretch back. Come down the same way and go to the other side. Repeat 3 – 6 times.
Comment. This all-important series of movements, as its name implies, stretches all the major muscle and tendons lines in the body. The movements should flow effortlessly and be coordinated with the breath.
(2) “Separating Heaven and Earth”
Movement. Start by standing with feet shoulder-width apart. Move one arm up close the body until it reaches overhead fully extended with the palm facing the heavens. At the same time move the opposite hand down until fully extended with palm facing earth. Both arms and hand should be coordinated so that the palms turn to face the heavens and the earth at the same time. Now move the arms and hands to reverse this motion so the opposite palms reach toward heaven and earth.
! 30
Comment. With one palm extended to heaven and the other to earth, this exercise stretches the arms and the whole thoracic cavity, thus sending a beneficial massage to the internal organs.
(3).”Picking Cherries”
Movement. Start by standing in a wide stance in a relatively shallow squatting position. From here reach up with one hand and extend the fingers as high as they can go. Alternate with the other hand. Repeat 6- 12 times.
Comment. This stretch works on the sides of the body and intercostal muscles as well as the meridian lines of the arms. The reaching action opens the meridian lines and lifts the upper thoracic cavity off the hips, relieving undue compression.
(4) “The Crane Neck”
Movement. Stand with feet a little wider than shoulder width apart. Place the hands on the thighs. Roll the body forward, leading with the chin to make a large forward circle. The chin goes out and then rolls up close to the body. This allows the spine to wave. Repeat the motion 6 – 12 times.
Comment. The Crane Neck has multiple benefits, as it works on each vertebra along the spine as well as the hip area and shoulder girdle. It also has the ability to allow energy to flow easily along the Microcosmic Orbit, two of the major channels through which chi flows through the body.
(5) “Dragon Emerging from the Cave”
Movement. This exercise is the same action as “The Crane Neck” only reversed. The chin leads the motion by going down close to the body and then out and up in a circular fashion.
Comment. This exercise allows the flow of the Wave to move in the other direction. It provides the same benefits and also stretches the neck and clavicle area as well.
! 31
(6) “Neck Rotations”
Movement. Rotate the head in a gentle circle, but do not allow it to go too far back in the backward motion. This exercise can be synchronized with breath. As the head is going down and across the chest area, exhale. Inhale as it goes up and around. Repeat 6 – 12 times.
Comment. Circular movement of the head and neck open this region and opens the energy lines that run into the head. The neck region often holds tension due to stress and prolonged improper posture. The soft flowing movements relieve this tension.
(7) “Dragon Stretches its Tail”
Movement. Hold both hands to one side of the body so the palms face you as you turn the head and look at your palms. Slowly push the hands away as you turn the palms to face out. Simultaneously turn the head in the opposite direction as your hands extend out to the side. Pull the hand back in as you look at the palms. Repeat 6- 12 times and then do this to the other side.
Comment. This exercise is taken from the Swimming Dragon Qigong series and is designed to help the neck and whole shoulder girdle as well as open the meridian lines down the arms.
(8) “Spreading the Feathers”
Movement. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. At waist level rotate the hands so they end up with palms facing out. Hold this position while you
! 32
move the head over to one shoulder. In this position, slowly move the head back and forth across that shoulder 3 – 6 times. Bring the head down and over and repeat this movement on the other side. Next, rotate the palms so that the palms face behind you. Repeat same neck stretches.
Comment. Spreading the Feathers stretches the neck and shoulder girdle, relieving tension from a “high traffic” area – through which run all meridian lines, major arteries, and important tendons. Lines of tension and stress are relieved and softened.
(9) “Big Bear Moves from Side to Side”
Movement. Stand in a wide-leg stance and place your hands on your thighs as you bend forward. Now turn to one side without moving the legs, stretching the trunk of the body. Look over your shoulder and twist. Return to center and repeat same on the other side. Exhale as you twist, inhale while coming to center. Repeat both sides 3 – 6 times.
Comment. The lateral movement of Stork Stretches its Feathers allows for the sides of the trunk to open and stretch through the sides of the body. This is a place where we often hold indecision and worry.
(10) “Iron Bridge”
Movement. Allow your index finger and thumb to touch on each hand. Move the arms behind you and stretch the chest forward and you lean back from the waist. Hold this position for 10 to 15 seconds.
! 33
Comment. This exercise come from the Iron Shirt Qigong and is designed to stretch the back muscles and vertebrae as well as open the front meridian lines of the body.
Additional Stretching Exercises
One Arm Kidney Stretch
! 35
Once the body is energized with Qi, warmed-up, and the meridian lines, muscles and tendons are fully stretched, it is time to let the Qi move in the body. In the previous exercises we brought in energy and moved it through the body. Now with the flowing movements, we will allow the Qi to flow on its own. The Flowing exercises are designed to open specific meridian lines giving a free passage for the energy to follow. Consequently, they are soft, flowing, and effortless. We want to move the body with aminimum of tension and tightness. To aid this process the Flowing movements are always accompanied by long, slow, deep breathing. The body should move as if under water, creating a floating sensation. We virtually let the Qi move us. Each Flowing exercise is designed to work on one of the five major yin organs: lungs, kidneys, liver, heart, and spleen.
In addition each exercise can be accompanied by a standing posture, creating a further state of stillness. Each standing posture, again, works on a specific meridian line and yin organ. The combination of movement and standing poses creates a beautiful sense of balance in the body. Bringing yin and yang into balance is the foundation of good health according to Traditional Chinese Medicine.
(1) “Buddha Holds up the Earth” Metal Element
Movement. Start by standing with your feet hip-width apart. At waist level bring your hands up and then slowly raise the hands, palms up, up the middle of the body. When the hands reach the lung area, slowly turn the hands bringing the palms to face upward as you continue to raise the hands above the head. The hands should extend above the head, but elbows should remain soft without locking. Look up as if looking towards the heavens. Reverse this process by bringing the hands down and slowly turning the palms down at the level of the lungs and continue to lower the hands to waist level.
Breathing. As the hands are coming up, inhale. Try to coordinate this breath intake with the hands so that your breath has reached its full intake as the hands reach to extension overhead. At the top of the in-breath and
! 36
movement, pause the breath for three to five seconds. Exhale as the hands come down to waist level, pausing the breath at the bottom.
Imagery. Imagine you are pulling up healing energy from earth and gathering energy from heaven. These energies will balance the system and center the body. Attention on the lung area allows an increase of energy to gather and circulate there. Advanced practice: Imagine a bright white light or courage radiating in and around the lungs as you practice. Thank your lungs for breathing and keeping you healthy and strong.
Comment. Buddha Holds up the Earth allows us to take a deep breath, as we gently raise the hands. This activates the lung meridians. With the hands up overhead, we are also activating the Triple Warmer. Pausing the breath at the top and bottom of the breathing energizes all the cells – this is where the breath turns to chi, the Masters tell us.
(2) “The Fountain” Water
Movement. Gently bend the body slightly forward as the hand drop down towards the feet. As you come up, softly bring the hands up, so as to trace the Kidney meridian coming up the inside of the legs. When the fingertips reach K 37 at the collarbone, the hand float out to the sides. Repeat. The movements of the hands form a circular rotation.
Breathing. As the body bends forward slightly and the fingertips begin to trace the meridian line, inhale. Coordinate this breath intake with reaching the collarbone area. Exhale as the hands float out and down. Each breath should be long, slow, and continuous.
Imagery. Imagine you are pulling up earth energy through the bubbling spring point at the bottom of the feet, through the meridian points up through the body. Feel this energy moving through the whole system and out from the collarbone area. Advanced practice: imagine the kidneys filling up with a dark blue color of tranquility, removing any stagnant energy.
Anecdotal. Here the graceful flow of the arms and gentle sway of the body allows the chi to come up the meridian lines of the kidneys to nourish the
! 37
whole system. The body moves gently, like “seaweed in the ocean.” The Fountain is virtually a fountain of Qi.
(3) “Tree Swaying” Wood Element
Movement. Turn to one side and hold the arms as if holding a large beach ball at waist level. Bring this ball up the side, eventually bringing the hands overhead, palms now facing towards the head, then turn back to the front. Both arms now make a large circular arch as if running the hands around a large ball in front of the body, with the hands ending as they began. Repeat to the other side. Alternate.
Breathing. Inhale as the hands and arms are coming up, exhale as they are going down in front. Hold the breath in the short transitions when the body is moving to the side or back to the front.
Imagery. Imagine the roots of a tree in the starting position. Imagine the trunk of the tree coming up stretching to the sky as the hands move upward and go overhead. Advanced practice: Feel the green energy in the liver and liver meridian lines as you move. Feel the emotion of kindness growing inside you, the way a beautiful tree gives shade to those beneath its boughs.
Anecdotal. In nature, trees reach for the sun as they slowly twist upward. The round flowing movements of Tree Swaying work on the sides of the body, activating the liver meridian and organ. It is an excellent exercise to do in the springtime as it gently detoxifies the liver and gall bladder. The twisting of the body mimics the twisting of a tree. And its canopy is a green shelter for all those in need.
(4) “Wave Hands like Clouds” Fire Element
Movement. Stand with the feet about three or four feet apart. Bring one hand up to the side and gently move the hand across the body at heart level, with the palm facing you. As you do this the opposite hand gently sweeps underneath at waist level. When you reach the other side of the body, move
! 38
the lower hand to the higher position and lower the high hand and repeat the same motion to the other side. Repeat back and forth 6 – 9 times.
Breathing. Exhale as move the hands across the heart. Inhale as you are switching hand position for the next wave.
Imagery. Feel that you are moving like clouds across the sky. Think of the clouds as dark feelings or thoughts and how they gently move away. Also, feel the energy enter the heart from the gentle hands moving across the chest.
Comment. Wave Hands like Clouds is a classic Tai Chi move and is said to help set the standard for Tai Chi movement, stance, and breath. This very gently movement should feel silky, smooth, and continuous. Oddly enough these soft movement have martial implication, again, demonstrating the Yin and Yang poles within our practice.
(5) “Pebble in the Pond” Earth Element
Movement. Stand with feet about three feet apart facing front. Your hands move from the center of the body, palms down. Slowly bend the knees forward as you gently bring the hands out in two outward circles at waist level that return the hands back to center of the body. The body bends forward slightly as you gently round the hands on this horizontal plane at the waist level.
Breathing. Inhale. Exhale as you move the hands out in front. Inhale as the hands start to pull in towards the body.
Imagery. Imagine you are moving your hands across a perfectly still pond. As the hands move, they gather sparkling gold sunlight off the water and pull this healing color into the sides and front of the body.
Comment. Pebble in the Pond is an excellent way to exercise the spleen and stomach area as you gently pull in healing energy into these areas. The imagery allows you to add in the color of golden sunlight – both agents of healing. The movement works on the chi belt channel as well. There is an
! 39
increase of energy into this area, as the hands gracefully circle and pull in the chi. The bending of the knees strengthens the legs and pumps energy in from earth.
Five-Element Flowing Exercises (Set II)
The second set of flowing exercises incorporate the same soft, gentle movements as the first set, yet are a little more dynamic. They come with another set of standing poses and are often accompanied with sound and color.
! 40
Single Hand Pebble in the Pond (Earth)
The Value of Stances (Earth) in Qigong
1. Strength. Qigong stances develop strength. Holding the position allows you tense a part of the body while you relax and initiate deep breathing at the same time. This allows you to put a slight amount of stress on the body and at the same time open the meridian channels,
! 41
which allows energy to move through the system. A phrase that describes this state would be, “Grace under Pressure.”
2. Rooting. A stance with the body properly aligned allows you to connect to the earth energy. A prolonged holding of the stance gives you the opportunity to feel rooted into the earth and, at the same time, feel a cooling, transforming energy come into the body.
3. Listening. The stationary experience of holding the stance gives you the opportunity to “listen” to your inner body. You have the opportunity to strengthen and develop a greater sensitivity to the internal energies that travel through the system. This experience quickly develops into the ability to sense energy blockages and deficiencies. With this inner knowing you can direct the energy to flow appropriately.
4. Stillness. The practice of holding stances in Qigong practice gives you the opportunity to “stop,” if only for a moment, the incessant momentum of movement and activity that we enact throughout the day. We begin to instill the mind with a sense of emptiness. We step into the present moment, withholding both thought and movement. With this habit, we begin to move towards an awareness that deeply support our efforts to develop a strong spiritual foundation.
Five-Element Qigong Stances (Earth)
! 42
Movement. Stand with feet shoulder-with apart, knee slightly bent. Hold the hands low by the waist with both palms facing up toward the lungs, as if you were holding a large beach ball from underneath at the abdomen level.
Comment. This stance provides a sense of being grounded and rooted. Although the energy goes to the lungs, you will also feel a sinking, settled feeling in the whole body.
Kidney Stance (Water)
Movement. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Place your hands behind you and feel as if you are holding a large beach ball behind you. Allow the palms of the hands to face the kidneys.
Comment. Feel the energy go up the spine, out the arms to the palms. Send this energy into the kidneys and feel a warm sensation there.
Liver Stance (Wood)
Movement. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold both arms at shoulder level in front of you. Imagine your arms are surrounding a large tree. Slightly tilt both palms to face down to the liver on the right side of your body.
Comment. This pose is often called the “Tree” pose and is considered one of the most important poses in Qigong. If your arms get tired, slowly release them down to your sides and shake them a bit, then put them back up.
Heart Stance (Fire)
Movement. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold both palms up at shoulder level with the palms facing the heavens - elbows are bent inward slightly.
Comment. This pose is often used to draw energy down from the heaven into the Loagong points on the palms.
! 43
Spleen Stance (Earth)
Movement. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold both hands in front of the body with the palms facing earth. The wrists should be slightly bent so that the hands face the earth on the same plane.
Comment. The Earth stance allows you to draw energy from earth. Feel the cool earth energy coming into the palms. Allow this energy to travel to the spleen and stomach.
Acupressure Points for Self-Healing
Acupressure is an ancient healing system that was developed by Chinese medicine doctors who observed that muscular tension has a tendency to concentrate around certain areas. Pressure points are like whirlpools of energy that can influence the flow of Qi through a meridian line. Meridian lines, when blocked or stagnant, turn into contraction in the muscles, or what is called, “lines of tension” in Qigong. By stimulating a point you can increase blood flow and Qi circulation, and get lines of tension to relax and open up. This will relieve the muscular tension, which will allow the blood
! 44
and Qi to circulate, enabling the body to relax. This becomes a foundation for healing. Acupressure points influence the electricity in your body in magical ways. Like turning on a light switch on the wall and having a light go on all the way across the room, acupressure awakens inner paths of electricity that turn on the healing potential in the body. For example, stimulating the point in the webbing between the thumb and the first finger (Large intestine 4) helps relieve headaches and pain. Over thousands of years, Chinese medicine has mapped out thousands of points that influence the body and mind in way that bring about equilibrium and harmony. In a sense, acupressure awakens the inner healer. You can massage, knock, rub, caress, stretch, and even mentally focus on points as a way to open them up. Using the correct point or series of points can enliven your life-force energy, helping to eliminate pain, stress, and sickness.
Listed here are ten potent acupressure points of primary importance. This can form the start of a vast field of study. Other points are listed below. For a more complete list and pictures showing locations, refer to Lee Holden’s Qigong for Health and Healing workbook.
(1) Pericardium 8 “Palace of Toil” Location: Palm of the hand
Indications Anxiety, emotional stress Depression, mental stress Heart pain, pain in the chest Cough Arthritis, hand pain, carpal tunnel syndrome
(2) Large Intestine 4 “Joining Valley” Location: Back of the hand Contraindication: Don’t use this point during pregnancy.
Indications Headaches Hypertension Nasal congestion and discharge, rhinitis, sneezing
! 45
(3) Pericardium 6 “Inner Pass” Location: Inside of wrist
Indications Nausea, stomachache, vomiting, hiccups Chest pain Anxiety Insomnia Pain of contraction of the elbow and upper arm Carpal tunnel syndrome
(4) Triple Warmer 5 “Outer Pass” Location: Outside of wrist
Indications Chills and fever Headache Pain of the shoulder and back Stiff neck Pain of the ribs and lateral costal region Numbness and pain of the elbow and arm
(5) Heart 7 “Spirit Gate” Location: Inside of wrist
Indications Insomnia, frequent talking during sleep Poor memory Heart pain, palpitations, fright palpitations, pounding of the heart Anxiety, emotional stress
! 46
(6) Large Intestine 11 “Pool at the Crook” Location: Outside / top of elbow
Indications Fever Sore throat, loss of voice Toothache Agitation and oppression of the chest Dizziness, hypertension Pain of the upper arm Elbow pain, tendonitis Poor memory Manic disorders
(7) Stomach 36 “Leg Three Miles” Location: Outside of leg / below knee
Indications Nausea Stomach pain, poor digestion Knee pain Lack of energy
(8) Spleen 6 “Three Yin Intersection” Location: Inside of leg
Indications Irregular menstruation, hormone imbalance Infertility Seminal emission, sexual hyperactivity in men, impotence Difficult urination Palpitations, insomnia Dizziness, blurred vision, tinnitus, hypertension Leg pain
(9) Liver 3 “Great Rushing”
! 47
Location: Top of foot
Indications Headache, dizziness, numbness of the head Contraction of the sinews of the hands and feet Epilepsy Stress, emotional tension Pain in ribs, chest, abdomen Insomnia Blurred vision; cloudy vision; redness, swelling, and pain of the eyes Painful menstruation, irregular menstruation Back pain radiating
(10) Kidney 1 “Bubbling Spring” Location: Sole of foot
Indications Mental stress Insomnia Agitation, propensity to fear Cough Back pain Lower limb and chronic leg pain Poor memory
Additional Acupressure Points of Importance:
Hand Points
• Small intestine 3 “Back Stream” • Triple Burner 3 “Central Islet”
Wrist Point
Knee Points
• Heart 3 “Lesser Sea” • Gallbladder 34 “Yang Mound Spring” • Spleen 9 “Yin Mound Spring”
Ankle Point
• Conception Vessel 17 “Sea of Tranquility” • Lung 1 “Middle Palace”
Abdomen Point
Back Point
! 49
! 50
Emotions as Energy
The practice of Qigong and the Five Element Flowing exercises don’t focus exclusively on the body and physical energy; in fact, one of the primary
! 51
benefits is the ability to transform negative emotional energy and facilitate states of emotional calm and well being. Some of us are naturally more in touch with emotional energy than others. Women, for example, often express emotional energy more easily than men. Some men are more emotionally sensitive than others. And certain emotions are more male-oriented (anger, rage), while others are more female-oriented (fear, insecurity). Everyone has emotions and feelings. Yet we are often in a quandary about what to do with them, how they affect us, and how to use them to make our life more magical. Emotions exist in time, but not in space. Your body, on the other hand, exists in both space and time. Because emotions exist only in time, they have a beginning, middle, and end. The Taoists believe emotions always change and fluctuate. By working with emotions at the level of energy, which is where they exist, we can learn how to flow with them in a healthy way. In Taoist practice emotions are mapped and held energetically in the organs. Emotions are thus experienced on both mental and physical levels. Qigong practices such as the Five Element flowing exercises can help to clear obstructions to the flow of emotions, so that they are expressed gracefully rather than repressed or released impulsively. Qigong can help to heal and balance the emotions by making one aware of the physical components of emotional distress – tight shoulders, anxious digestion, suspicious eyes, depressed breathing – and by teaching practical methods to resolve these problems on the energetic level. In the holistic view implicit in Qigong, body and mind exert reciprocal influences on each other. The emotions influence the body in many ways. For example, we lock anger into the body by raising the shoulders, tensing the neck, and inhibiting the flow of Qi to and from the liver. The body also influences the emotions. Certain habits of breathing and posture, or visceral problems, can create psychological attitudes. The Qi is the unifying principle, the interface between mind and body that allows us to treat both problems at once. When the Qi is healthy, the whole system – mind, body, and emotions – is healthy. In Qigong, emotional toxicity has an effect similar to physical toxicity. Constant emotional stress creates tight muscles. Toxic relationships have a similar effect as toxic environments for food. As you develop your Qigong practice, you will find that the emotional transformation offered by the Qigong movements and meditations is just as powerful as the physical healing and spiritual insight resulting from the practice. The Qigong movements in this manual, especially the Five Element Flowing exercises, are particularly powerful in enabling the practitioner to experience harmony and balance on all levels: body, mind, and spirit.
! 52
The Inner Smile
The Inner Smile is a powerful relaxation and self-healing technique that uses the energy of love, happiness, kindness, and gentleness as a language to communicate with the internal organs of the body.
The practice also aids the transformation of negative emotions into positive, virtuous energy.
! 53
The inner smile transform negative energy into loving energy that has the power to relax, balance, and heal.
By learning to smile inwardly to the organs and glands, you will cause your whole body to feel loved and appreciated and to enjoy more Chi.
It is the key practice for keeping Chi pressure in the lower Tan Tien and the whole body, and is the most effective practice for keeping all energy routes in the body open.
It is the key to shifting and transforming our inner disposition and attitude so that we open ourselves to the ability to “flow with the streams of life.”
It helps us learn to not “push the river.”
The Inner Smile practice trains us to look deeply into ourselves and to transform the pain into a source of self-transformation and empowerment.
The Inner Smile practice trains us to sense, feel, see, and hear deeply; it trains us to accept and embrace what is there so that our experience of life is opened up again.
The Inner Smile creates the ground for self-esteem, which is necessary to develop inner dignity and self-empowerment.
The Inner Smile may be seen as a first process of alchemical transformation on which all the others depend.
The Meridian System: Channels of Awareness
What Are Meridians?
Like a network of rivers nourishing a landscape, the meridians are the channels through which qi flows, to nourish and energize the human body. These channels exist within the subtle body – you won’t find them on the
operating table! Collectively, they form the matrix within which the physical body functions. They also act as a network of communication between the physical and the more subtle energetic bodies.
Where and How Many?
There are twelve main meridians in the body, each associated with a particular element and organ system. The meridians are typically listed in Yin/Yang pairs.
Lung (arm-yin) and Large Intestine (arm-yang) = Metal Element
Stomach (leg-yang) and Spleen (leg-yin) = Earth Element
Heart (arm-yin) and Small Intestine (arm-yang) = Fire Element
Bladder (leg-yang) and Kidney (leg-yin) = Water Element
Pericardium (arm-yin) and Triple-Warmer (arm-yang) = Fire Element (again!)
Gallbladder (leg-yang) and Liver (leg-yin) = Wood Element
The arm-yin meridians flow from the torso along the inner edge of the arms to the fingers. The arm-yang meridians flow from the fingers along the outer edge of the arms to the head. The leg-yang meridians flow from the head down the torso and along the outer edge or back of the legs to the toes. The leg-yin meridians flow from the toes along the inner edge of the legs to the torso. The qi in a given meridian is strongest during a specific two-hour interval of the twenty-four hour day. The way qi travels in this cycle through the meridians is referred to as the “Meridian Clock.” When this flow is balanced and harmonious, we experience physical and emotional well-being. When the flow is blocked, erratic or deplete, we experience physical or emotional dis-ease. Qigong and acupuncture are practices, which help us to
maintain a healthy flow of qi through the meridian system.
Along with the twelve main meridians, there are what are called the Eight Extraordinary Meridians: the Du, the Ren, the Dai, the Chong, the Yin Chiao, the Yang Chiao, the Yin Wei, and the Yang Wei Meridians. The Eight Extraordinary Meridians are the first to form in utero. They represent a deeper level of energetic structuring, and play an important role within the practice of Inner Alchemy.
Acupuncture Points
Along the path of the meridians, there are certain places where the energy pools, making the qi of the meridian more accessible there than at other places. These pools of energy are called acupuncture points. Each acupuncture point has a specific function, in relation to the Element and Organ System being accessed. The most powerful points tend to be at the ends of the meridians: at the toes, ankles, and knees; or fingers, wrists and elbows. Very often, a symptom expressing in one part of the body will be alleviated by stimulating an acupuncture point that’s located in a completely different place on the body! This works because the point being stimulated lies on a meridian whose energy also passes through the injured or diseased part of the body – so the intelligence of a specific acupuncture point can be transmitted along the course of the meridian to the place within the body that is in need of healing.
How Do We Know All This?
Who discovered the meridian system? It’s generally agreed that the source of our knowledge of the meridian system is three-fold: (1) information received in the deep meditations of the ancient sages; (2) the direct experience of the yogis, i.e. what they felt/saw within their own bodies; and (3) the empirical explorations of many generations of qigong and Chinese medical practitioners.
“Empty Your Cup”
There is a Chinese story about six blind men who touch an elephant to know what it looks like. The first one touches the elephant's ear and says, "An elephant is like a large fan." The second one touches the side of its body and says, "No, it is like a wall." The third one describes the leg, "No, the elephant is a pillar." The fourth one touches the nose and shouts, "The elephant is like a big, hanging branch of a tree!" The fifth one touches the ivory, and says, "it is a large horn sticking out of a huge mouth". The sixth one who touches the tail says loudly, "No, an elephant is a large swinging broom sticking out of the wall". If they were to put all of the information together, they would have a reasonable description of the elephant. This story shows we should not stubbornly insist there is only one viewpoint, as we often see only part of the story. There is always more to learn.
Don't waste time in only theoretical research. Practice and theory should go together. From practice, you gain experience, and from theory, you have a clear guideline for practice. Some people hesitate due to the danger involved in martial arts, qigong, or meditation, accomplishing nothing and simply wasting time. Be cautious but determined, and learn from the experience of others, and you will find the right path. Study the Classics passed down in the lineage of your art. Find a teacher, and practice, practice, practice.
Buddha traveled the countryside one day and came to a river. An old Qigong master lived there, who asked him, "You are the Buddha? If so, can you do the same thing I can? I cross the river by walking on top of the water!" Buddha said, "That is very impressive. But how long have you practiced it?" The old man replied proudly, "It took me nearly forty years to achieve it." The Buddha looked at him and said, "It took you forty years! It takes me only a few coins to cross the river on the ferryboat." Often we spend too much time on unimportant things. Treat your time preciously and use it efficiently. Get rid of your dignity. If you take your dignity too seriously, you will not find a sincere teacher willing to teach from the heart.
! 58
- NOTES -
! 59