Mindful Martial Arts » Qi Gong

Qi Gong – Ancient Chinese Healing Art

admin — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 17:04:26 +0000

8 Silk Brocades

admin — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 11:12:34 +0000

5 Animal Qi Gong

admin — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 15:41:26 +0000

Now that my walking is improving…

Seated Qi Gong

admin — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 02:10:23 +0000

Energy in a Mason Jar

admin — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 02:36:22 +0000

I went to Qi Gong last week. It was actually fairly exhausting. Next class, I will bring my energy smoothie:

- 1 Tbsp Chia Seeds
- 1 Tbsp Hemp
- 1 Tbsp Maca
- 1 Tbsp Cacao Nibs
- 1 Tbsp Cinnamon

Pounce like a Tig(g)er

admin — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 20:12:13 +0000

Last Thursday, I returned to James Saper’s Qi Gong class. Of the 5 Animals (Wu Qin Xi), the Tiger is my favourite, although in the past several months, I have lost the stealth of the namesake animal. Instead of sneaking up on my prey and capturing it, I was clumsy – at first. It’s incredible how the body remembers to move gracefully given the chance to practice it again. After leaving, I felt “sproingy” – like a Tigger! Often, I exercise my brain too much and forget about my body, but the body knows and reminds.

The Eight Silk Brocades

admin — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:53:21 +0000

The specific details of the Eight Silk Brocades (Ba Duan Jin) have been lost in history. Some scholars say that these were developed in the 12th century by Marshal Yueh Fei; others attribute them to Chong Li-quan, one of the Eight Immortals in Chinese Folklore. The “8 strands of silk brocade” were developed in ancient China to increase the flow of Chi – life energy – throughout the meridians for the benefit of the whole system of the body, with a focus on specific organs. These eight movements said to make the body supple, yet strong – like silk. The Eight Brocades has its roots in the theories of Yin & Yang and the Eight Trigrams of the Ba Gua.

This set of Qi Gong exercises has the following objectives:

Strengthens the muscles esp back, shoulders, neck and legs
Tones the internal organs
Boosts the immune system
Purges the body of toxins and ‘bad’ (stagnant) Qi
Stretches muscles, tendons and Qi Meridians

The exercises can be done as a stand alone set, or used as either a warming-up or cooling down routine. Each movement is related to both an internal organ and a Qi meridian, so when practicing the full set, optimum benefit is achieved when they are practiced in the correct order.

The sequence is:¹

00. Open with the Inner & Outer Orbit Breath
01. Two Hands Push the Sky
02. Separate Heaven & Earth
03. Holding the Energy Ball & Looking Behind You
04. Archer Draws Bow
05. Search the Horizon & the Clouds (Parts 1&2)
06. Scooping Clear Water from the Stream
07. Offering the Birds Egg
08. Revitalizing Qi
00. Close

Other names are: 8 Golden Treasures Brocade, 8 golden exercises, 8 pieces of Silk, 8 treasures, 8 pieces of silk brocade or 8 section silk brocade.

₁http://www.taichi-qigong.net/shop/shop-infopage.php?longref=3~

Qi Gong: Eight Silk Brocades

admin — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 13:58:10 +0000

James Saper (Guelph, Ontario) will be running a month-long Qigong session on Thursday evenings 7:30 – 8:30pm over the month of June. The workshop will focus on a traditional form known at the Eight Silk Brocades. With only eight movements, it is easy to learn and practice and is said to make the body supple and strong, like silk. Over the month, the eight movements will be taught along with variations and supplementary qigong practices and relevant Chinese Medicine theories. Cost for the four sessions is $44 ($38 for students) and will be held at St. Andrew’s Church (at Norfolk and Suffolk).

The Frolic of the Five Animals (Qi Gong) was fascinating throughout the first series of weeks, but I wasn’t overly interested in repetition and therefore did not attend the next session. I am, however, interested in furthering my Qi Gong practice and look forward to this coming Thursday.

Five Animal Qi Gong

admin — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 21:50:44 +0000

The Animal Qigong – - a human practice of cultivating good health and fitness by imitating animals as a symbol of nature, vitality and longevity, is the oldest type of Qigong in history. Archaeological findings show that Chinese people were imitating the turtle’s gesture and breathing as a practice over five thousand years ago.

The Five Animal Qigong or Wu Qin Xi was created some 1,700 years ago by a master Chinese doctor and Qigong practitioner named Hua Tuo. It imitated the movements of the tiger, deer, bear, monkey and bird. Since then it has been widely practised all throughout history, and it is still one of the most treasured Qigong methods in modem time. Over the years, various styles of Wu Qin Xi has been developed, just like in Taiji Quan there are different styles all from the same root. However, in today’s world there are only a few Qigong teachers who are able to pass on the transmission and teach this method.

Being the most physically strengthening and energetically empowering method in Hua Gong, the Hua style Five Animal Gong is practised by imitating symbolically and physically the movements, breathing and sounds of the five animals. It consists of some standard forms of movements, spontaneous movements and sounds, and simple but effective techniques that can be practiced sitting, lying or even traveling on the airplane. It can be used as a method of healing, a style of arts and a way of spiritual channeling.

The benefits of this method have been experienced by many who have participated on this retreat before. Without exception, there were remarkable stories demonstrating the extraordinary effects of this practice. Carrying rich information, its effects are not only physical and energetic. It is also an effective way of emotional catharsis and mental cultivation. For example, the tiger form is a great way of expressing and transforming anger and the monkey a strong approach of sharpening the mind and our senses. The symbolic connotation of the animals can have great effects on our state of mind and behaviour. The dignity and masculine power of the tiger, the elegance of the deer, the earthiness and soft strength of the bear, the graceful and free spirit of the bird and the liveliness and vigilance of the monkey, all. imprint their marks on our consciousness and helps us to be more upright, confident and overall refined.

In Qigong jargon, this method internally cultivates our essential energy Jing (essential body liquid such\ as the sexual fluid), Qi (airy and flowing subtle body energy), Shen (the mind and spirit), and externally strengthens the bones and muscles, and improves the quality of our skin. Relatively, the tiger and deer are more focused on the Jing aspect, the bird and bear the Qi, and the monkey the Shen. Externally the bear and monkey are particularly good for the bones, the bird the skin, and the tiger and deer the muscles and ligaments.

http://www.dao-hua-qigong.com/en/animal.html