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Routine 1 Holding the Hands High with Palms Up to Regulate the Internal Organs
Routine 2 Posing as an Archer A rcher Shooting Both Left-and-Right-Handed Left-and-Right-Handed
Routine 2 Posing as an Archer A rcher Shooting Both Left-and-Right-Handed Left-and-Right-Handed
Routine 3 Holding One Arm Aloft to Regulate the Functions of the Spleen and Stomach
Routine 4 Looking Backwards to Prevent Sickness and Strain
Routine 5 Swinging the Head and Lowering the Body to Relieve Stress
Routine 6 Moving the Hands down the Back and Legs and Touching the Feet to Strengthen the Kidneys
Routine 7 Thrusting the Fists and Making the Eyes Glare to Enhance Strength
Routine 8 Raising and Lowering the Heels to Cure Diseases
One Tip in Teaching Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin 2011-10-10 08:56:00Chinese Health QiGong Association
One Tip in Teaching Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin Meng Li
Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin is one of the most popular Health Qigong methods. In my teaching practice, I found that “Swinging the Head and Lowering the Body to Relieve Stress” was one routine which is quite difficult to master. So combined with my own teaching practice, I concluded some tips to share with the beginners and wish all the experts and the same professions could give some advice. First, Analysis of this Routine The routine, “Swinging the Head and Lowering the Body to Relieve Stress”, can be easily known of the two core parts of this routine from its name that: One is “Swinging the head” and the other is “Lowering the body”.
“Swinging the head” refers to the head rotation, which is easy to master. The essence of “Lowering the body” is the rotation of coccyx. In anatomy, coccyx is located on the pelvis, which is a relatively fixed entirety, so the movement of coccyx equals to the movement of pelvis. The pelvis connects the trunk with lumbosacral joint and the legs with the hip joint. Therefore “Lowering the body” is also regarded as the movement all over led b y the movement of pelvis, and this is maybe the reason why “Swinging the Head and Lowering the Body to Relieve Stress” is hard to learn. By analysis, it is obvious that the key to the routine “Swinging the Head and Lowering the Body to Relieve Stress” is “Lowering the body”, and it is the corn problem of mastering the whole routine 6 of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin whether to learn the “Lowering the body” well. Second, the Design of the Teaching Procedures Really to have a good command of “Swinging the Head and Lowering the Body to Relieve Stress”, the teaching procedures should be well designed. I am trying to find out such procedures in my teaching practice: aid to practice and master the key position firstly, and then practice the essentials; make sure the orbit of the movements of “head and body” by suggestive teaching, and then practice and master the entire routine. (1) Auxiliary Exercise There are two auxiliary exercises: first the head rotation and then the pelvis rotation. The Head Rotation. With two feet standing parallel in same width of shoulders, the head rotates, paying attention to the eyesight and the coordination of the movements. Centering the mid-point between the two feet, the eyesight circles around like the torch light. The head moves from t he left to the back and then to the right and to the forward, rotates a circle, with the guidance of the eyesight. When head turns to the left, see at the bottom of the left; when moving backward, see upwards and backward as much as can; when right, see at the bottom of the right; when forward, see the bottom of the forward. The head rotation is simple, and it only need to pay attention to the coordination between the eyesight and the movements, which makes the students easy requiring. The Pelvis Movement. The pelvis movement is the flexion and extension of the lumbosacral joint. First let the students know where the lumbosacral joint, and then teach them the flexion and extension of the lumbosacral joint. The circle movement of pelvis is the whole procedure to make the lumbosacral joint flex forward, flex leftward, extend backward and flex rightward. In this procedure, pelvis drives the coccyx to circle. And when doing the pelvis rotation, caution the usage of navel, the left and right side of the innominate bone and life gate. When the lumbosacral joint flexes forward, the navel contract inside; when flexes leftward, the left side of innominate bone rises upward; when extends backward, life gate contracts inside and the navel bulbs out; when flexes rightward, the right side of innominate bone rises upward. Before finishing learning the whole routine of “Swinging the Head and Lowering the Body to Relieve Stress”, firstly teach students the two auxiliary exercises, especially the auxiliary exercise for pelvis movement.
(2) Suggestive Teaching Human beings have great physical and mental potential. Only using the right method can every student master accurately the sports skills of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin. After coaches give the whole examples accurately and gracefully, they must tell the students that every student can master the essentials so long as they practice seriously. When teaching “Swinging the Head and Lowering the Body to Relieve Stress”, th e appliance of suggestive teaching can make the half efforts to achieve doubly, and make things easy. Let students put one hand on head and the other on the coccyx, the hands apart alluding to the head and the coccyx separately. The movement of swinging the head and lowering the coccyx should clear that the orbit and direction of the movements of head and coccyx. When head and coccyx do the circle, the points of head and coccyx are always opposite. By putting the hands on the head and coccyx, the perception of nervous system could be strengthened, building a firm base for the movements of head and coccyx. The movement of horse-riding step with two hands on the knee is the start as well as the end. This time, the finger hinting the head points right to upward and the finger hinting the coccyx right to downward; when the body weight shifts slightly upward and the upper body shifts rightward, the finger hinting head points to the top of right forward and the finger hinting coccyx to the bottom of the left backward; with the body weight turning left, swinging the head and coccyx, swing the head when the finger hinting the head points to the top of the left forward, and lowering the coccyx when the finger hinting the coccyx points to the bottom of the right backward; and then hold the coccyx and turn the head, holding the abdomen and the hip, with the navel contracted, when the finger hinting coccyx points to the bottom of the left backward, the head turning left to the backward when the finger hinting the head points to the top of the left backward; and then shaking the head and coccyx, the head turning right to the right position until the finger hinting the head points to the above backward, and the coccyx turning from the right to the left until the finger hinting the coccyx points to the below forward; and then going on swinging head and coccyx, head turning right to backward until the finger hinting the head points to the top of the right backward, coccyx turning left until the finger hinting the coccyx points to the bottom of left forward, and then going on doing this till the head turning from the right to the left with the finger to the top of the forward and the coccyx turning till the finger to the bottom of backward. Finally, the head and coccyx are in the right position, returning to the initial position. This auxiliary exercise procedure makes the students clear the orbit and the direction of the movements of the head and coccyx by the suggestive strengthen function of hands. Combining the auxiliary exercise with the exercise without the hands suggestion, the movements of head and coccyx can be generally mastered, moreover, master the essentials of exercising “Swinging the Head and Lowering the Body to Relieve Stress”. (3) The Entire Exercise From the action of “Horse-riding Step with Hands on the Knee”, emphasize on the straight body, the head and crotch raised and the eyes seeing straightly. The body weight shifts slightly upward, rising up and forward, paying
attention to the direction of the head and coccyx, with the eyes seeing on the feet; swinging the head and coccyx, see the feet from the surface to the heels; holding the coccyx and turning the head, pay attention to the direction of the head and coccyx, with the eyes seeing the bottom of the left backward; swinging the head and coccyx, the eyesight moves from the up backward to the bottom of the right backward; swinging the head and coccyx, the eyesight moves from the right to the bottom of forward; finally, make the head and coccyx in the right pos ition, raising the head and crotch, with the eyes seeing straight, returning to the initial position. Then change the direction, to start the routine on the other side. Third, Summary “Swinging the Head and Lowering the Body to Relieve Stress” is a difficult routine in Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin. As a community sports instructor spreading Health Qigong, using various teaching methods in teaching practice, I firstly teach in parts and then carry out entire teaching, to truly let students clear the orbits of movements and master the correct essentials of exercise. “Arts are indefinite.” We should learn more, practice more and think more, in order to make all students master the essentials and realize the routine, so as to enjoy Health Qigong and improve the effect of exercises.
On the TCM Connotation of Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin 2011-12-09 10:59:00Chinese Health QiGong Association
Ren Jiankun
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), it is believed that Ba D uan Jin is beneficial to muscle relax and bone strength, cultivation of vital energy and vigorousness, circulation of Qi and blood, and coordination of the five viscera and six bowels. The article is to interpret the theory and method of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin, and its effect on health by using the basic theory of TC M. Ready Position
The ready position is prepared for a relaxed, calm and nature stance, to adjust body to relative equilibrium. Crane the neck to the virtual top, pull in the chin, lead the head right, with an intention of straighting up. It facilitates smoothness of the Governor Vessel, to promote the circulation of Qi for brain and spiritual cultivation. In the Plain Questions - On Secret Book of Orchid Chamber, "The heart, lord of organs, is the origin of wit and intelligence." Calm and be centered, in conservation without distracting thoughts, to be progressive into the calm which forms the interplay of dynamism and inertia. And further develop the void and quiet, a state of discarding both body and surroundings, which allows the brain to an adequate rest, to eliminate fatigue, and to enrich wits and the brain. The ancients believe that the heart governs the five sense organs and bones of human body, and make a metaphorical expression that the heart and will is the lord of bones and flesh.
The eyes are the key tip for the exercise that they are clam to gather spirits. Slightly close the eyes in between substantial and insubstantial, transform audio sense from outside into body itself, and concentrate on the exercise. Hold the tongue slightly against the palate, to the intercourse between the Conception Vessel and the Governor Vessel. "Hang arms loosely, lower shoulders and drop elbows", one shoulder as the axis of arm which is important to rotation of arm. Drop the shoulders loosely, and shoulders, elbows and three knuckles of hand shape in an arch that Qi can travel through to the tips of fingers. To sink Qi to the Dantian means that "In a method of rising clear Qi and sinking turbid Qi, return Qi to the navel." During inhalation, have an intention to slightly draw the perineum upwards that Qi ascends against the vertex; during exhalation, keep it relaxed that Qi sinks back to the inner Dantian below the navel. It is because that "inborn Qi is suitable to be stable, while acquired Qi is suitable to be smooth", which means breath should be made in the course of nature. Given the abdomen is stable, breath will be smooth naturally, and stances will become firm. Routine 1 Holding the Hands High with Palms up to Regulate the Internal Organs
The routine is mainly to regulate Qi and blood as well as Yin and Yang of the triple heater via "holding the hands high with palms up". "Holding the hands high with palms up" is to lift hands up with the fingers crossed and the palms facing up, stretch the muscles slowly and hold, and lead the coordination of movements via consciousness. It guides to combine internal Qi of body with external Qi of nature, to reinforce the intercourse of functional activities of Qi between human and nature and reach the unity of heaven and humanity. Why can "holding the hands high with palms up" regulate the triple heater? The heaven is supreme, and "palms up against the heaven" means to hold the palms up to the utmost. The complete routine of "holding the hands high with palms up" is a respiratory cycle. At the instant of "palms up", the breath should be held to fortify the "inner strength" for traveling through the upper, middle and lower heater. Almost every joint of body is involved in the exercise. Paradoxical abdominal respiration should be conducted, when holding the hands high with palms up. It "massages" the viscera of the chest and abdomen indirectly, and also progressively regulates the fourteen channels as well as relevant collaterals, muscle meridians, and cutaneous area via the exercise. By stretching the spinal column, both the Governor Vessel on the back and the Bladder Meridian of Foot-Taiyang on both sides of the spinal column are stimulated, to regulate the five viscera and six bowels. Therefore, self-practice of the spinal column brings great significance to health preservation and fitness. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the spinal column is the house of the Governor Vessel, which governs Yang Qi of body. In "holding the hands high with palms up", lifting and lowering the hands, and crossing and spreading the fingers distribute primordial Qi over the body, and nurture the viscera by body fluid, to regulate Yin and Yang as well as Qi and blood of body. Therefore, the "holding the hands high with palms up " taken as the first routine of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin has its self evident significance. Routine 2 Posing as an Archer Shooting both Left-Handed and Right-Handed
The routine is to coordinate the liver with the lung, and smooth the functional activities of Qi via the action of "posing as an archer shooting both left-handed and right-handed". In Traditional Chinese Medicine, "posing as an archer shooting both left-handed and right-handed" means the "left liver and right lung". According to the Plain Questions - On Five Movements, "The above moves to the right, while the below moves to the left", which explains how Yin and Yang Qi moves between the heaven and earth. "The above moves to the right" means that heaven Qi rotates right-handed, moving from the east to the west and down to the earth. "The below moves to the left" means that earth Qi rotates left-handed, moving from the west to the east and up to the heaven. Therefore, in the Plain Questions - On Principles of Yin and Yang, there is "The left and right, a way to Yin and Yang." In the Plain Questions - On the Restrain in Acupuncture, "The liver originates from the left, the lung is hidden in the right, the heart is close to the surface, the kidney cures the internal, the spleen is the home of circulation, and the stomach is the center of dredging." Yang Shangshan, a Sui Dynasty medical master, wrote that "The liver, as the wood in the spring, originates from the left; while the lung, as the metal in the autumn, is hidden in the right. The liver is shaoyang, the beginning of growing Yang, therefore it is called the origin. The lung is shaoyin, the initial of hiding Yin, therefore it is called the hidden." As for the properties of the five elements, the liver belongs to the wood, governing dispersion that the initiation of liver Qi is considered as smoothness, while the lung belongs to the metal, governing whole Qi of body that the descending of lung Qi is considered as fluency. In relationship of the liver and lung, the lung metal and liver wood are in properly mutual restrain, which is a normal physiological state and called the inter inhibition. If the liver wood prevails and puts its reverse restriction in the lung metal, it is considered as the pathological state. It appears that liver Qi ascents extremely and lung Qi does not descend correspondingly, which is called the inter insult. It is necessary to maintain the inter inhibition between the liver and lung to support human health. Consequently, when practicing the routine, the horse stance would be posed with the hands "stretching toward right or left" as "using an arch to shoot vultures" - toward left to govern the ascending of liver Qi, and toward right to govern the descending of lung Qi in a scientific way of adjustment - to secure the ascending and descending in a normal state. Therefore, the routine, in most of its part, is theoretically to adjust the ascending and descending of functional activities of Qi via regulating the liver and lungs. In practice, the action "posing as an archer shooting both lefthanded and right-handed" expands the chest unconsciously, therefore it cares both the liver and lungs, and the viscera inside the chest cavity as well. Routine 3 Holding One Arm Aloft to Regulate the Functions of the Spleen and Stomach
The routine expands the chest and shoulders and stretches the waist and spine by one palm against the heaven and another one pressing down, for the purpose of regulating Qi and blood as well as Yin and Yang of the spleen and stomach. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the spleen and stomach are the acquired foundations of body, because they have the important functions of digestion and absorption, which are the energy recourses of body. If the spleen and stomach operate normally, plus each tissue and organ is in good condition, diseases will be eliminated. Therefore,
how important caring the acquired spleen and stomach is. During performing postures and movements, practitioners should pay more attention to the principle that combining dynamism with inertia, hardness with softness, and will with Qi. Furthermore, practitioners should understand the tips and convert them to practices, so that significant effect on fitness will be achieved. The body movements are continuous, and their inertia is relevant. Internal dynamism and external inertia are mutually convertible, so represents coupling hardness with softness, and combination of tightness and looseness. And will shall be slightly applied to Qi in movement, so that will and Qi are mutually followed. Therefore, the unity of heaven and humanity can be achieved by holding against the heaven and pressing down to the earth. Practitioners are suggested to have a deep-in understanding of the care functions by "holding one arm aloft to regulate the functions of the spleen and stomach". In the P lain Questions - On Secret Book of Orchid Chamber, "the spleen and stomach, as the governors of the store, distribute the five flavours." The spleen and stomach are therefore very important to human body. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the ascending of spleen Qi is considered as smoothness, and the descending of stomach Qi as harmony, their channels are intersected. The Yin Yang combination of the spleen and stomach, dryness and dampness, and ascending and descending are mutually coordinated, so the diet, digestion and absorption functions of body can be maintained. Through the holding against the heaven and pressing down to the earth of the movement "holding one arm aloft", the abdominal cavity can be fully stretched, and the channels of the spleen and stomach can be stimulated to invigorate them. The spleen and stomach channels in Foot-Taiyang circulate around chest and abdomen, through Daoyin of “holding one arm aloft”, channels will be dredge d and thus improved theirs transportation and transformation functions; by holding against upwards and pressing downwards, flexibility and stability of spine will be reinforced. Under Daoyin of the action, shoulder strength drives two palms stretching upwards and pressing downwards, expanding chest and abdomen, lengthening lumbar vertebrae to stimulate channels of Governor Vessel, which governs marrow, regulates brain, and circulates around spine into interior. Repeatedly pulling and adjusting to dredge internal channels of shoulders and cervical vertebrae, replenish Qi and blood of joints and muscles, realize the effect of smoothing joints and improve flexibility and stability of shoulders and cervical vertebrae. In brief, whether innate nutrient is sufficient depends on coordinating function of the spleen and stomach. Therefore, exuberance and debilitation of the spleen and stomach shall be attached great importance to. No matter what kind of diseases, body will recover easily provided Qi of stomach is not weak; otherwise the body will be always down in health. So “preserve Qi of stomach” shall be treated as a key health principle. Except for normal dietetic treatment and medication, exercises to protect innate spleen and stomach shall be intensified as well. “Holding one arm aloft” exercise indeed is an effective prescription to protect and strengthen spleen and stomach. Effects will be achieved by sticking to practice “Holding One Arm Aloft to Regulate the Functions of the Spleen and Stomach”. Routine 4 Looking Backwards to Prevent Sickness and Strain
This routine aims to adjust viscera and bowels functions as well as clean and regulate Conception and Governor Vessels by exercising looking backwards. In TCM’s theory, most diseases incurred by seven modes of emotion relate to mechanism disequilibrium of Qi in viscera and bowels or disturbance of functional activities. “Five overstrains” means hepatic asthenia, cardiac asthenia, splenic asthenia, pulmonary asthenia and renal asthenia while “Seven injuries” indi cates traumas caused by joy, anger, anxiety, thought, sorrow, fear and fright those seven emotions Real factor which caused seven emotional diseases lies on the body itself. Generally, seven emotions are reactions of people for objective outside environment and belong to normal mental activities. However, imbalance of Yin and Yang, discordance between the vital energy and blood, functional disturbance of viscera and bowels as well as channels and collaterals will be induced by chronically mental irritation or sudden severe psychic trauma which exceeds adjustment range of human body’s physiological activities. Thus, factor of seven emotional diseases is the main cause for internal injuries. Seven emotional activities of human body are closely related to internal viscera. Only when affecting internal viscera emotional changes will be shown since vital essence of five viscera is the material foundation for emotions. In the Plain Questions - On Principles of Yin and Yang, “The man's five viscera generate the five Qi which generate joy, anger, sorrow, anxiety and fear.”, pointing out close relations between emotional activities and corresponding viscera. Abnormal emotional changes will injure viscera mainly by affecting their Qi movement and induce diseases by disordering their functions just like the Plain Questions - On Pains:” Hundreds of diseases resulting from Qi, excess anger induces the Qi to ascend; excess joy is associated with slow and scattered Qi; excess sorrow weakens the Qi; fear results in descending Qi; fright induces chaotic Qi and excess thought generates knot or stuck.” Persisting with practicing “looking backwards” action, practitioner can dredge the channel system, reinforce functions of viscera and bowels along with eliminate interference by seven emotions to promote circulation of the Qi and the blood as well as maintain healthy physical and mental conditions, psychic pleasant and vigorous energy. During looking backwards, transport points of five viscera and six bowels in the Bladder Meridian of FootTaiyang will be stimulated by static traction of extending, external rotating and twisting upper limbs. Activities of adducting chin, stretching forward chest and abdomen with spine curving slightly inward will stimulate Governor Vessel, clean and regulate Conception Vessel so as to continuously stimulate those vessels in a loose and tight alternate way during action Daoyin process. Therefore, channels in the viscera and bowels together with circulation of Qi and blood will be promoted. “The abdomen is Yin while the back is Y ang.” Conception Vessel is called “the sea of Yin channels” for circulating around abdomen midline of the body and charging all Yin channels. Qi and blood of Yin channels can be regulated by stimulating Conception Vessel. Governor Vessel is called “the sea of Yang channels” since it circulates around midlines of spine and head as well as governing all
Yang channels of the body. Qi and blood of Yang channels can be regulated by stimulating Governor Vessel. Due to the correspondence between Conception Vessel and Governor Vessel, through Daoyin of “looking backwards” action, those vessels will be dredged, functional activities of Qi will be initiated and further dredging channels of viscera to activate Qi and blood in order to achieve goals of stabilizing emotions, tranquillizing mind and preserving youth. Channels of viscera are dredged, Qi and blood are circulated normally, functions of viscera are reinforced along with tissues in body parts are nurtured by essence and vital energy ensuring normal activities of seven emotions and granting a healthy body. Routine 5 Swinging the Head and Lowering the Body to Relieve Stress
This routine aims to balance Yin and Yang of the body and regulate functions of viscera by swinging the head and lowering the body. Mainly by greatly lateral bending, circuiting and circling spine, the action of “winging the head and lowering the body” involves various muscles such as head and neck, waist and abdomen, gluteus region and legs into constriction, not only improving flexibility of neck, waist, hip and lower limbs, also promoting muscle strength. Meanwhile, Dazhu point (located at the back of neck between the seventh cervical vertebrae projection and the first thoracic vertebrae projection, it is the gathering point of six Yang Channels) will be stimulated when swinging head so as to raise Yang Qi; spine and vital gate points will be stimulated when lowering the body. “Waist is the house to kidney”, while kidney and heart belongs to water and fire respectively regarding the five elements. Only possessing strong waist and kidney can heart fire be regulated since water restrains fire, hence, eliminating heart fire will be achieved by stimulating spine and vital gate points and by strengthening kidney’s nurturing and facilitating effects for viscera in the body. During exercising, both amplitude and force of waist twisting in this routine are reinforced. Lightness and relaxation of actions are emphasized on one hand, while neck is driven by waist movement on the other. Nourishing Yin and replenishing water will be realized for greatly swinging enhances massaging effect on vital gate and kidney. TCM science holds the view that heart belonging to fire corresponds to south of the nature and is located at upper heater; kidney belonging to water corresponds to north of the nature. Under normal circumstances, kidney fluid regulate upwards to restrain heart fire, avoiding fire prevailing. Descending heart fire can warm kidney in return, so the physiological relationship of abovementioned viscera is called heart-kidney interaction and coordination between water and fire. Replenishing kidney fluid to “extinguish” heart fire is on e of the common therapies for fire prevailing. In the Plain Questions - On Principles of Yin and Yang, ”Heaven and earth are beyond and below myriads of things; water and fire are omens of Yin and Yang. ” which clearly explains interrelations between heaven and earth, superior and inferior, Yin and Yang as well as water and fire. The Plain Questions - On the Six Subtleties indicates that the risen descending is the heaven; the descendant ascending is the earth. Qi of heaven descends and flows on the earth while Qi of earth ascends and flares in the heaven. It points out natural laws of water and fire ascending and descending between heaven and earth in the scope of universe also lays theoretical foundation for later heart fire descending and kidney fluid ascending. The Treasured Classics
proposes the view that harmony between water and fire together with correspondence between Yin and Yang represent the tranquility and believes that only when Yin and Yang are harmonious and correspondent can it reach normal condition. In the respect of applicable disease patterns, this routine is mainly u sed for internal injuries in deficiency syndrome and caused by overstrain as well as excess and deficiency combined syndrome with comparatively obvious heart fire. Routine 6 Moving the Hands down the Back and Legs, and Touching the Feet to Strengthen the Kidneys
The routine is aimed to strength the waist and kidneys, dredge channels, regulate Qi and blood and promote growth and development of the exercisers through “moving the hands down the back and legs” by bending down and up with a large range. The routine is mainly characterized by highly motivated exercises, during which process the movements are required to be natural, stretches on their full positions and degrees of tightness properly measured in a flexible yet coherent manner so that muscles and channels can be stretched thoroughly, the channel and collateral Qi activated, joints lubricated, blood better circulated and veins and bones strengthened. With the smooth movements started, the exercisers should be able to maintain a state of will being in line with the gestures by concentrating mainly on parts and processes of the movement. While in exercise, expiration and inspiration should be coordinated with the guidance of the movement, be accorded with the principle of “Inhaling while up and exhaling while down” by adopting the inhaling methods of inverse abdominal of inhaling while the arms up and vice versa and inhaling while the palms inserted into the armpits and exhaling while massaging and crossing legs. In this period all postures must be in line with Qi, and which in turn results in the arrival of strengths. If exercisers want to achieve a better coordination among their movements, will and breaths, then a longitudinal practice is must be maintained and methods of exercises must be mastered, and only by so doing can they fulfill those purposes. TCM emphasizes that “the waist is the house of the kidneys.” As is in the Yellow Emperor's Canon of Internal Medicine Plain Questions - On Subtle Theory of Pulses, “the house of the kidneys can’t be moved, otherwise, the kidneys will be tired.” Kidneys are located in the two sides of the spinal column, and their psychological functions are to preserve essence, enhance bones and generate marrows and server as the sources of the human productivity. Meanwhile, they are also crucial to inspiration, fluids, ears and two Yins. According to TCM, the kidneys are inborn with the function of essence preservation. Again as is written in the Magic Pivot - Benshen, “Essence is born with human, and that’s why it is so named.” The kidney Qi refers to the essence of the kidneys transferred into Qi. Therefore, if the essence of the kidneys is sufficient, the kidney Qi is also vigorous or vice versa. And the essence of the kidneys should be categorized into Yin, hence the name of kidney Yin, whereas the kidney Qi be grounded into Yang, hence the name of kidney Yang. Both of them have the functions of nourishing viscera and they are interdependent and interchangeable. Besides, they can keep human productivity and reproductive ability in a norm state by maintaining a dynamic equilibrium. Therefore, exercisers should do more exercises and get
started by regulating kidney Yin and kidney Yang, so that their essence can be well preserved, its nature well strengthened, and functions of the kidneys better enhanced. The inborn nature of human - the Kidney Channel of Foot-Shaoyin can be stimulated through the exercise of “touching the feet to strengthen the kidneys.” by moving the spinal column backward and forward with a larger range. First, the Kidney Channel of Foot-Shaoyin is located at the Yongquan Point in the middle of the foot, underneath the medial malleolus, all the way up from the inner side of the back edge to the spine, kidneys and bladder. When using the palms press the meridian points of waist, hips, and legs and feet around both sides of the waist, a good sense of pulling and pushing on the kidneys, adrenal gland and ureteral ducts can be achieved. It can not only dredge a great number of unbalanced Qi in channels but also regulate the relatively connected internal organs and viscera, thus the effect of “nourishing kidney Yin, strengthening the kidney Qi, enhancing kidney Yang and regulating uterus.” Second, it can stimulate the Governor Vessel of the spinal column and the Conception Vessel of the ventral midline; dredge Yin and Yang Channels so as to obtain the mildly nutritious and nourishing functions. Also, some of chronic diseases of reproductive and urinary systems can be prevented or cured by pushing and massaging such points as Shu point, Ming Men and Yang Pass, etc., which in turn can help regulate kidney Yin, enhance kidney Yang, generate essence and marrows. Third, the Bladder Meridian of FootTaiyang circulated around both sides of the spinal column, connected to and interacted with the kidneys, can dredge the channel and collateral Qi, regulate Qi and blood, and prevent disorders on the part of bladder such as dizziness, waist and back pains and inflexibility of joints b y pressing and massaging the points of C hannel Baliao, Weizhong and Chenshan. In short, when people getting old, their essence weakens, resulting in a weak physical and reproductive function and so do their bodies and shapes. In pathology, all disorders in growth and development and in the reproductive ability are connected with the weakness of the kidney Qi. Therefore, we must attach great importance to the rise and fall of the kidney Qi so as to regulate the inborn nature of the human and enhance the kidneys and waist with a delayed aging period. Routine 7 Thrusting the Fists and Making the Eyes Glare to Enhance Strength
The routine is targeted at enhancing Qi and strengths of the exercisers through “trusting the fists and making the eyes glare.” Its movements are a coordination of not only being soft and slow, flexible and coherent, but also being loose and tight, dynamic and static. What’s more, with the Qi endowed, exercisers can also achieve a better coordination of form and contents. The blood of the liver is of great importance for the human veins and eyes. As is indicated in the Plain Questions On Formation of Five Viscera, “if people’s livers can obtain sufficient blood, then their eyesight must be good; likewise, if there is enough blood in their feet, they can walk well. Similarly, they can fist better with enough blood in their palms and their fingers can be flexibly used with enough blood. Again, in the Plain Questions - On the Formation of Five Viscera, it reads that “When lying down, the blood is preserved in human liver.” Likewise, Doctor Zhu Zhenxiang of the Yuan Dynasty puts the idea in the Further Discourses on the Properties of Things, “The essence mainly lies in the kidneys while Qi is preserved mostly in the liver.” The routine of “making the
eyes glare to enhance strength” can regulate the liver and veins, while the liver is embodied in the veins.” refers to all the vein activates of the body depend on the nourishment of Yin blood of the liver and the functions of the liver Qi. The Plain Questions - On Veins reads that, “Weaknesses on veins are internally contributable to the liver.” The blood of the liver and amount of blood flow can be improved by practicing “fisting” movements with both left and right punches or forward and backward pulls on the veins of the palms. Yun point of three Yins, three Yang and the twelve muscle meridians and the “Sea of the Yang Channel” of Conception Vessel of the hands and feet can be stimulated by fisting and squatting down with ten toes clawing hard towards floor, then both hands fisted, wrists turned, fingers closed and opened gently. By so doing, channels, blood and Qi can be regulated and muscles and veins of the whole body can be pulled and pushed naturally, thus the effects of a strong and powerful body with sound muscles. Routine 8 Raising and Lowering the Heels to Cure Diseases
The purpose of the routine is to regulate Qi and blood of the viscera and prevent exercisers from getting all kinds of diseases by “raising and lowering the heels to cure diseases.” The converging point of the three Yin Channels and three Yang C hannels of the feet is at the end of the toes, which is also connected to the organs including spleen, stomach, bladder, liver and gallbladder, thus by clawing hard towards floor, channels can be regulated, Qi and blood be dredged and functions of viscera be coordinated as well. In a relaxed manner, Qi and blood of human body can be thoroughly dredged by regularly practicing up and down foot movements, while fluid channels and flow can be smoothed by improving triple heater Just as recorded in the Plain Questions - On Channels, “Body fluid guided into the stomach can improve the essence; when induced into speech, can disperse the essence; directed into liver, can smooth the fluid channels; down into bladder, can be scattered around the body and five channels coordinated.” This can slightly stimulate lower limbs and both inner and outer structures of spinal column so that muscles of the whole body can be relaxed and return to the original state. Spinal column is the core where the Governor Vessel locates, and to some extent it can also stimulate the Governor Vessel. The Governor Vessel can help dredge Yin and Yang Channels of the whole body to be better controlled and regulate the balance of the human body, hence the names “The Governor Vessel Belongs to Yang” and “Yang Channel is the Sea” From those we can see that this routine can improve Qi and blood circulation of the viscera and organs and promote their psychological functions, regulate the human balance of Yin and Yang to achieve the functions of fitness and healthcare. Closing Form
The eight routines mentioned above guide the open and close movements of the whole body by using form to embody the will and by the will to master the Qi so that Qi and sprits of the human body and shape can be coordinated in uniform. In addition, the meanings of the word “Closing” are twofold: one is “the closing of the
last movement” or “the closing of the exercising” which means the end of the Health Qigong exercises and the last movement closure enables exercisers to convert their state of movements into that of the normal; the other is “collecting” as is suggested by the ancients, “The truth can be used all over if it is dis played while invisibly preserved if withdrawn.” Which means that when doing Health Qigong exercises, Qi should not only be able to be let out but also closed up, then preserved in the Dantian, and gradually returned to the original state of quietness before exercising.
The Role of Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin in the Control and Prevention of Diseases Related to Glucose Metabolism and Lipid Metabolism 2010-12-10 13:00:00Chinese Health QiGong Association
Wang Xu and Zhang Di Being a shining pearl in traditional Chinese culture, Health Qigong is a scientific method for the studying and preventing diseases, maintaining physical and mental health, retarding the aging process, and improving body constitution. Ba Duan Jin is an independent and integral health- preserving exercise. “Ba” of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin not only refers the segments, sections, and the eight movements, but also means that the exercise contains many factors where restrain each other, link with each other, and circulate together. Movements of this exercise are mainly featured by: Movements of Ba Duan Jin are gentle, slow, smooth, continuous, moderate in tension, well-balanced between stillness and motion, well-coordinated between spirit and form, and wellcombined with Qi. Through the bending, stretching, stooping, and pitching movements of the limbs and trunk and the ascending, descending, opening, and closing movements of internal Qi activity, all tendons and muscles of the body can be stretched and extended and the channels can be unblocked to achieve “straight bones, lithe tendons, and smooth blood and Qi circulation”. A lot of studies have proved that: Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin can control and prevent glucose and lipid metabolism diseases by providing active intervention in glucose metabolic disturbances and lipid metabolic disorders of the body. And it has a two-way regulating function which improves the adaptability and disease resistance of the organism. Assistance in the Regulation of Glucose Metabolic Disturbances Glucose metabolic disturbances include: impaired fasting glucose (IFG), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and diabetes mellitus (DM). IGT is also referred to as the pre-diabetes state which is an abnormal glucose metabolic state representing a transition from normal blood glucose to diabetes. It is mainly manifested by increased level of post-prandial blood glucose. Today it is generally believed that almost all diabetic patients will go through the IGT stage. If the patient fails to follow proper dietary and exercise therapies to control blood glucose during this stage, he will quickly enter the diabetes stage. As a matter of fact, exercise therapy plays a paramount role in all
stages of the treatment of glucose metabolism diseases. Oral administration of drugs or insulin will not be efficacious unless assisted by dietary and exercise therapies. Modern medical studies have shown that Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin can assist the regulation of glucose metabolic disturbances through body regulation, breath regulation, and mind regulation. (I)Body regulation can mitigate insulin resistance The limber limb movements of Health Qigong • B a Duan Jin can elevate the metabolic rate of peripheral tissues, increase the utilization of glucose, enhance the metabolism and consumption of glucose, and promote the decomposition of glycolated hemoglobin in order to control blood glucose. And the exercise can increase the number of insulin receptors on the sarcolemma to enhance the sensitivity of muscles and bones to insulin and thus reduce insulin resistance. (II) Breath regulation can promote the functions of islet cells The respiratory exercise of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin can enhance the strength of the respiratory muscles, promote the cardiac and pulmonary functions of the practicer, and improve the efficiency of the respiratory muscles. And since deep, long, gentle, and even respiration is required during the Qigong exercise, the amplitude of the diaphragm movements can be boosted and internal organs like the stomach and pancreas will be massaged by the up-down movements of the diaphragms, which directly promote the functions of islet cells and stimulate Bcells to secrete insulin. (III) Mind regulation can influence the secretion of glucagons The mind exercise of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin can regulate the practicer’s emotions, improve the mental state and functionality of the cerebral cortex, regulate the functions of the vegetative nerves, assuage the nervous or anxious emotions of the practicer, reduce the secretion of glucagons like adrenalin and glucagons, and facilitate the reduction of blood glucose. And it can improve insulin resistance, stimulate the secretion of insulin, and facilitate the reduction blood glucose. In addition, the exercise of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin can impart the practicer with the right health-preserving knowledge, improve the practicer’s life style, prompt the practicer to spontaneously pursue a well -controlled diet, and better control the blood glucose. Assistance in the Improvement of Lipid Metabolic Disorders Lipid metabolic disorders are commonly referred to as hyperlipidaemia which includes hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia, hyperlipaemia, and hypercholesterolemia. With the accelerating pace of life and changes in the dietary structure and environmental factors, the morbidity of hyperlipidaemia is rising year after year, so are the morbidity resulting coronary diseases, high blood pressure, and atherosclerosis which are seriously threatening
the health of man. Many studies have proved that Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin can assist the regulation of lipid metabolic disturbances through body regulation, breath regulation, and mind regulation. (I) Body regulation can consume the fat in the body surface and internal organs Long-term efforts in the limb movements of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin can consume the fat in the body surfaces and internal organs, increase the level of high-density lipoprotein which counteracts atherosclerosis in the organism, and thus reduce the levels of low-density lipoprotein, triglycercide, and cholesterol which are directly proportional to the incidence of atheromatous plaques. This will reduce the risks of coronary diseases, high blood pressure, and atherosclerosis induced by hyperlipidaemia. (II) Breath regulation can reduce the absorption of lipid and promote the discharge of lipid The respiratory exercise of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin can enhance the lung Qi and administer rhythmic massage to the internal organs which not only enhance the cardiac and pulmonary functions, but also promote the gastrointestinal peristalsis, enhance the alimentary, assimilative, and excretory functions to help discharge the “damp and turbid pathogens” from the body. The “damp and turbidity” is exactly the excess lipid. Therefore the breath regulation of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin can reduce the assimilation of lipid and promote the discharge of lipid to retard and prevent hyperlipidaemia. (III) Mind regulation can enhance the regulation of the nervous-endocrine system The mind exercise of Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin can excite the cerebral cortex and vegetative nerves, enhance the regulating effect of the nervous-endocrine system, and promote the lipid metabolism of the organism. In addition, the psychological counseling can reduce the practicer’s mental stress, remove the fatigue of the central nervous system, enhance and improve its functions, correct the nervous malfunction and disorder of Qi and blood, and help reduce the morbidity of hyperlipidaemia. To sum up, Health Qigong • Ba Duan Jin exercise promotes the assimilative, metabolic, converting, and discharging functions of the human body for all kinds of substances, help prevent and reverse incidence and development of glucose and lipid metabolic disorders, and maintains the normal levels of lipid and glucose metabolism. It is one of the supporting methods and approaches for the control and prevention of diseases related to glucose and lipid metabolism. Health Qigong strengthens the body, promotes health, and retards aging. It is worth further popularization and application.
A Study of the Improving Effect of Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin on Vertebrobasilar Ischemia of Old and Middle-aged People 2010-12-10 11:58:00Chinese Health QiGong Association
Xia Bin, He Songhua, and Shen Xiaodong; Shanghai Qigong Institute Ma Xiao Gang, Jin Miao Cerebrovascular diseases are common and frequently-occurring diseases that threaten people’s lives and health. Their high morbidity, high disability rate, high mortality rate, and high relapse rate have become public health problems of people’s concern. According to the estimate and analysis by World Health Organization (WHO), there are currently 5 million patients of cerebrovascular diseases in Chinese and about 1.6 million of them die of cerebrovascular diseases annually. Vertebrobasilar ischemia is an ischemic cerebrovascular disease frequently encountered in clinical cases. Characterized by repeated attacks and great persistence, it is extremely liable to cause acute cerebrovascular diseases and often seen in old and middle-aged people that are more than 50 years of age [1]. Aerobic exercise is an important aspect of the early intervention against vertebrobasilar ischemia and belongs to Level 1 prevention. Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin is a medium-low intensity aerobic exercise. Former studies have shown that a certain period (about 3 months) of Health Qigong ● Ba Duan Jin exercise can improve the cardiovascular functions, increase the oxygen content of blood, and enhance the compliance of blood vessels [2-3]. Therefore we designed an experiment to observe the possible effects and influences of 3-month Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin exercise on vertebrobasilar ischemia of old and middle-aged people. 1. General conditions 1.1 Inclusion and exclusion criteria Old and middle-aged male and female patients aged between 45 and 78 (inclusive) with paroxysmal positional vertigo; patients having vertebrobasilar ischemia (slow blood circulation) by TCD detection, one secondary symptom of headache, and history of cerebral arteriosclerosis; hemorrhage of brain stem, epencephalon, and occipital lobe and secondary vertigo like infarctus were excluded. 1.2 Test objects and intervening measures A total of 61 test objects were included and then randomly grouped by their serial numbers given at the time of enrollment. The control group had 32 cases (12 males and 19 females aged 59.0±7.8 on an average). The experimental group had 29 cases (10 males and 19 females aged 65.0±7.6 on an average). All test objects came from clinic or hospital patients of Shanghai Longhua Hospital and received normal therapies of traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine. The experimental group attended a Health Qigong ● Ba Duan Jin training class which administered one teaching and reviewing activity per week. On other days of the week, they practiced twice a day for 3 consecutive months. 1.3 Methodology and indexes
A Vertigo Symptom Rating Sheet [4] and a customized Vertebrobasilar Ischemia Symptom Self-Rating Sheet were used; German EV-4.0TCD diagnostic unit was used; 2MHz Doppler probes were placed on the pulvinar window to detect the peak systolic velocity (Vp) of the basal arteries (BA), left and right vertebral arteries (LVA, RVA), diastolic velocity (Vd), mean velocity (Vm), pulsatility index (PI), and resistance index (RI). The detection was undertaken by a professional doctor. Brief Health Rating Scale SF-36 was used to evaluate the life quality of the test objects, including physical function (PF), role physical (RP), bodily pain (BP), general health (GH), social function (SF), role emotional, and mental health (MH) dimensions [5]. All indexes were measured respectively before and after the experiment. 1.4 Statistics and analysis SPSS12.0 was used for statistical analysis. P air T-test was used for before-after comparison of the experimental group. T-test of independent samples was used for inter-group comparison. 2. Results 2.1 Evaluation of vertigo ratings No significant difference was found between vertigo ratings of both groups before the intervention. By comparison between the ratings of the experimental group before and after the intervention, the degree, frequency, duration, and overall rating of vertigo were all significantly increased (P<0.01). After 3 months of intervention, the degree, frequency, duration, and overall rating of vertigo of the experimental were all significantly higher than the control group (P<0.05). (See Table 1) 2.2 Self-rating of related symptoms By observing the changes in the percentage morbidities of all symptoms, we can see that all symptoms, especially headache, carebaria, vomiting, and nausea, of the experimental group were improved after intervention. Compared with those of the control group, some minor symptoms such as headache and carebaria were also significantly improved. (See Table 2) 2.3 Blood supply of vertebral-basal arteries (detected with TCD) After intervention, the Vp, Vm, and Vd of LVA and RVA of the experimental group were significantly increased (P<0.05 or <0.01). And by comparison with the control group, these indexes were also significantly higher (P<0.05 or <0.01). In addition, PI of the basal arteries of the experimental group were decreased after intervention and by inter-group comparison (P<0.05). (See Table 3 and Table 4) Table 1. Comparison between Vertigo Ratings of Both Groups before and after Intervention (mean ±SD)
GroupnVertigo degreeVertigo frequencyVertigo durationOverall vertigo rating Before interventionAfter interventionBefore interventionAfter interventionBefore interventionAfter interventionBefore interventionAfter intervention Experimental group295.52±1.156.83±1.00△△1.34±1.042.45±1.38△△2.34±1.043.14±0.79△△9.21±2.6512.41±2.85△△ Control group325.63±0.796.00±0.00▲▲1.47±0.982.28±0.922.22±0.9752.69±0.78▲9.31±2.0610.97±1.51▲ Notes: △P<0.01 for before-after comparison of experimental group; ▲P<0.05 and ▲▲P<0.01 for inter -group comparison Table 2. Variation of Percentage Self-Ratings of Related Symptoms before and after Intervention (%) SymptomHeadacheCarebariaNausea & vomittingVision disorder AmbiopaHearing loss TinnitusUnstable gait AtaxiaHusky voice, choking on drinking water, dysphagia GroupExperimental groupControl groupExperimental groupControl groupExperimental groupControl groupExperimental groupControl groupExperimental groupControl groupExperimental groupControl groupExperimental groupControl group n2932293229322932293229322932 Before24.131.124.153.124.121.975.978.141.481.344.862.534.50.0 After6.921.90.031.30.00.062.181.331.059.424.128.127.60.0 Table 3. TCD Values of Vertebral-Basal Arteries of Experimental Group before and after Intervention (Mean ±SD) GroupnVpVmVd LVARVABALVARVABALVARVABA Before intervention2933.4±6.3336.8±7.5244.5±9.6521.8±4.5625.4±5.3531.2±7.8013.2±3.5916.6±3.8821.5±6.08
After intervention2941.1±6.20△44.0±8.36△50.1±9.90△△27.1±4.45△29.5±6.41△35.5±8.20△16.5±5.09△△18.5±6.03△ 24.6±7.18△ Notes: △P<0.05，△△P<0.01 for before-after comparison of experimental group Table 4. Changes in TCD Values of Vertebral-Basal Arteries of Both Group before and after Intervention (Mean ±SD) GroupnVpVmVd LVARVABALVARVABALVARVABA Experimental group297.68±6.457,15±4.745.65±8.885.24±4.714.04±4.174.33±7.063.34±4.862.02±5.293.09±6.56 Control group322.17±11.1▲0.21±4.03▲1.25±6.27▲-0.80±4.59▲▲-1.36±5.48▲▲2.90±4.19▲▲1.13±4.23▲0.43±4.020.97±4.83 Notes: ▲P<0.05，▲▲P<0.01 for inter -group comparison 2.4 SF-36 self-rating After intervention, RP, GH, and RE levels of the experimental group were significantly increased (P<0.05 or <0.01). By comparison with the control group, BP, GH, and RE were improved (P<0.05 or <0.01). (See Table 5 and Table 6) Table 5. SF-36 Ratings of Experimental Group before and after Intervention (Mean ±SD) nPFRPBPGHVTSFREMH Before intervention2980.2±12.946.6±42.673.8±14.3341.7±11.467.8±1.8291.8±20.149.4±49.373.2±12.5 After intervention2978.1±16.780.2±34.3△△76.9±1.2550.1±14.9△72.4±12.393.5±18.575.9±37.7△70.5±13.2 Notes: △P<0.05，△△P<0.01 for before-after comparison of experimental group Table 6. Changes in SF-36 Ratings of Both Groups before and after Intervention (Mean ±SD) nPFRPBPGHVTSFREMH Experimental group29-2.0±16.734.0±34.23.1±14,58.3±14.14.7±9.251.7±15.226.0±45.8-3.0±11.9
Control group321.3±19.013.0±60.9-5.0±13.9▲-5.0±18.0▲-1.0±17.60.0±24.6-25.0±58.0▲-3.0±13.7 Notes: ▲P<0.05，▲▲P<0.01 for inter -group comparison 3. Discussion The vertebral-basal artery system is an important blood supply system of the human brain. It mainly meets the blood demand of the occipital lobe, epencephalon, brain stem, thalamus, and inner ear, which takes up 1/5 of the blood flow volume of the entire brain. When all kinds of pathogens reduce the blood flow volume of the system to a certain extent, cerebral ischemia of corresponding parts will be caused, leading to symptoms like vertigo, vision disorder, headache, dyskinesia, sensory disturbance, and viscerogenic disorder. The acute onset period is usually not longer than 24 hours but repeated outbreaks may follow, causing trauma, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, anxiety, and sleep disorder among the old and middle-aged people and seriously abasing the quality of life. 1/3 of the patients will eventually develop cerebral apoplexy (stroke) and cerebromalacia which deprive them of the abilities to take care of themselves. Health Qigong ● Ba Duan Jin is an exercise for the entire body and mind. It counteracts multiple pathogens from various perspectives. Studies have shown that: Health Qigong ● Ba Duan Jin is helpful for reducing the blood fat, controlling the body weight, and improving the oxidation resistance of old and middle-aged people [6]. And Hea lth Qigong ● Ba Duan Jin lays great emphasis on the exercise of the neck and shoulders and almost every movement is favorable for improving the anatomic structure and blood s upply of the neck and thus favorable for assuaging the compression and spasm of the vertebral arteries [7]. Health Qigong ● Ba Duan Jin advocates abdominal respiration, promotes the cardiac and pulmonary functions, and improves the blood and oxygen supply of the brain. Judged from the data of this study, the 3-month exercise of Health Qigong ● Ba Duan Jin helped improve the blood and oxygen deficiency symptoms of the brain, such as dizziness, headache, and carebaria among old and middle-aged people and elevated the self-ratings of physical, mental, and overall health. Objective TCD test data also shows that Ba Duan Jin exercise improved the blood flow and blood supply of patients having slow vertebral basal diseases and helped improve the elasticity of blood vessels. All this has shown that Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin can improve the vertebrobasilar ischemia of old and middle-aged people to a certain extent. In addition, significant reduction of blood glucose and blood fat was found in some individuals during the experiment. This indicates that the improvement of cerebral blood supply engendered by Ba Duan Jin should be of a systemic nature. Since this study only involved observation of the efficacy of the exercise with a small sample size and a short time period, the effect of Ba Duan Jin on the control and prevention of vertebrobasilar ischemia and cerebral ischemia still needs to be verified with further long-period experiments with greater sample sizes. References [1]Yang Renmin. Transient ischemia of vertebral and basal arteries, vertebrobasilar insufficiency, and chronic cerebral ischemia [J]. Journal of Clinical Neurology, 2002, 15(4): 247-249
[2]Zeng Yungui, Zhou Xiaoqing, Wang Anli etal. Research on the Impacts of Fitness Qigong•BaDuanJin on Figure and Physical Function among the Middle-aged and Aged People [J]. JournalL of Beijing Sport University 2005,28(9): 1207-1209 [3]Li Dongjun. An experimental study of the effects of Ba Duan Jin on cardiovascular functions of the human body. Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2006, Abstract from Graduation Dissertation for Master ’s Degree [4]Wang Chuhuai, Zhuo Dahong. A preliminary study of the evaluation of symptoms and functions of cervical vertigo patients [J]. Chinese Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine 1998,13(6):145-147 [5]Xu Jun, Hu Minyan, Yang Yunbinetal. Health Rating Scale SF-36.[J] Chinese Journal of Behavioral Medical Science 1999,8(2):150-152 [6Liu Junrong, Zhu Liguang, LOi Junjie etal. Influence on Level of HDL and LDL in Different Blood Fat People About Baduanjin [J]. Journal of Tianjin College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2005,24(3):121-122 [7Sun Limin, Wu Yi, Hu Yongshan Effects of rehabilitative exercise on patients with cervical spondylosis in communities [J].Chinese Journal of Clinical Rehabilitation.2006,10(8):163-165
“
”
Qi
and
“
”
Mind
in Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin Exercise
2010-09-26 09:50:00Chinese Health QiGong Association
Shen Xiaodong, Shanghai Qigong Institute Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin is a simply, refined, smooth, graceful, and eff ective health-preserving exercise which contains deep health-preserving philosophy and is deeply welcomed by the common people. This paper provides a detailed analysis of “Qi” and “Mind” in Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin exercise according to the practicing process of Health Qigong •Ba Duan Jin. “Integrated Qi between Heaven and Earth” in Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin Exercise The “integration of three regulations” is the core and feature of health Qigong exercise. The body regulation, breath regulation, and mind regulation are everything we can use for self-regulation of both body and mind. The three regulations are commonly seen and practiced in our daily activities but the “integration of three regulations” is difficult to achieve. Health Qigong is exactly aimed at achieving such a state. The “integration” of “integration of three regulations” should refer to “Qi”. Zhuangzi said “Qi runs throughout the entire world” (Zhuangzi: Zhi Bei
You). Huang Di Nei Jing: Su Wen: Bao Ming Quan Xing Lun says: “when Qi between the heaven and earth was integrated, man was created” and “man was created with the Qi between heaven and earth and lives by the rules of the four seasons”. Man can actively and consciously realize the “concordance of Qi” of his body and mind and merges his own life into the tremendous steam of life in the cosmos. Man can actively maintain his own health and assist the circulation and development of life between heaven and earth. Qi is the source of life and motive power for vitality. Qi “cannot be seen, cannot be heard, and cannot be touched” (Lao Tzu). Qi is beyond our sensory organs. We cannot represent it, objectify it, or consolidate it. But we can learn it by establishing a concept with our mind. Qi has is intrinsic rules and principles of operation, which are exact “Dao”. There is only one way to master Qi: to merge ourselves into “Qi” and “Tao”. We should “get relaxed and natural”, lay down our preoccupation and sensory organs, empty our heart and mind, and then The forms of things all in it crouch; Eluding touch, eluding sight; There are their semblances, all right. Profound it is, dark and obscure; Things' essences all there endure. Those essences the truth enfold” (Lao Tzu). The movements of Qi in the human body can be understood as “ascending, descending, incoming, outgoing” circular movements. “Extension Tao Outlook” is advocated by the Chinese culture. It is believed that all things in the world moves in circles like the universe. This is also the case with the operation of Qi in the body. Qi runs in the body through the Twelve Regular Meridians and the Eight Extra Meridians like rings. Qi of the human body also communicates with Qi of the heaven and earth through acupoints on the body surfaces. The human body is an open “macrosystem” (Qian Xuesen). On the one hand, our body performs material metabolism with the outside world. On the other hand, the functional activity systems (e.g. meridians, spirit, Qi, and essence) of our life also have energy and information transmissions and exchanges with the outside world. “Man is connected to heaven and earth” (Huang Di Nei Jing: Ling Shu: Xie Ke). Man is a small cosmos. The changes of things in the environment have certain connections with the physiological changes of man. This is called “Induction b etween Heaven and Man”. By carefully analyzing every movement of Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin, we can find that all three movements embody the association and connection between the human body and Qi of heaven and earth. In “Holding the Hands High with Palms Up to Regulate the Internal Organs”, both arms are required to be rounded and pushed upward and both feed are required to be firmly pressed onto the ground as if taking roots in the ground. The exerciser will be like “standing upright on his two legs between heaven and earth”, connecting the upper and lower Qi of the human body and merging it with Qi of the heaven and earth. In “Posing as an Archer Shooting Both Left- and Right-Handed”, the exerciser is required to draw an imaginary bow as if shooting an arrow, pulling the arms, shoulders, and the back leftward and rightward and directing the thought towards the boundary between heaven and earth in the distance. And the legs are kept in a Horse Stance with five toes anchored onto the ground. This can be called “shooting the heaven and anchoring the earth”. In “Holding One Arm Aloft to Regulate the Functions of the Spleen and Stomach”, one arm is held up against the heaven and the other is held down towards
the earth as if holding up a cauldron with great power. This is called “propping up heaven and pressing earth”. In “Looking Backwards to Prevent Sickness and Strain”, both arms rotate outward, the head and arms are turned, the chest is square and the abdomen is drawn back. Qi is concentrated in Baihui Acupoint. The entire body looks like a high tower which takes in Qi from heaven and earth. This is called “twisting heaven and bending earth”. In “Shaking Head and Tail to Dispel Heart Fire”, the head and hips are shaken while the waist is rotated and the body is turned. They respectively take circular movements which are corresponding to the rotating movement-one of the fundamental movements of the universe. This is called “turning heaven and rotating earth”. In “Both Hands Touching the Feet to Strengthen the Kidneys and Waist”, both hands move downward from the top, run along the body to the back, reach to the ground and stretch forward, and finally slowly move up from the front of the body, as if both hands are moving in a circle around the body to infuse Qi of heaven and earth into the body. This is called “receiving heaven and connecting earth”. In “Thrusting the Fists and Making the Eyes Glare to Enhance Strength”, both fists are clenched and thrust alternately into the air. Both legs are firmly kept in a H orse Stance. And the eyes glare at the same time to produce tremendous power and grandeur. It is called “thrusting heaven and clenching earth”. The last routine “Seven Movements of the Back to Eliminate all Diseases”, the heels are feet are lifted and then released. The head and neck are kept straight and lifted as if propping up something. The lower part of the body is held to the ground as if being pressed by a very heavy object. This is called “propping up heaven and bumping earth”. “Coordinated Form and Spirit” in Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin Exercise Health Qigong exercise is a resting and growing process. In our daily life and work, all kinds of mental and physical damages are inevitable and consume the resources and energies of the body. And Health Qigong is exactly a “magic weapon” for restoring the resources and energy of the body. Our predecessors pointed out that the purpose of Qigong exercise is to “nourish the vital Qi”, “regulate the meridian Qi”, and “consolidate the defensive Qi” in order to help us achieve “sufficient essence, full Qi, and complete spirit”, keep us away from or eliminate diseases, and maintain the internal equilibrium and stability of both the body and mind. Health Qigong exercise involves thought, which is a great feature of Qigong. The thought has major influences on both our body and mind. Compared with animals, man is more susceptible to diseases, probably because our thoughts are too disorderly and frequent. It is believed in traditional Qigong theories that thoughts have to be “neither forgotten nor assisted” and have to be placed between adherence and non -adherence. Huang Di Nei Jing says: “To treat deficiency pathogens, we need to avoid wind with good timing. If we stay indifferent to fame or gain and keep a vacant heart, the genuine Qi will follow us, the essence spirit will be contained, and diseases will be prevented.” During health Qigong exercise, we should learn to maintain an indifferent mental state and draw back into our own body. We should neither eradicate thoughts nor become over-absorbed by the mind. Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin is a moving exercise dominated by Daoyin of movements. As a Qigong exercise, however, it has its own requirements on thought. “Being relaxed, serene, and natural” is the threshold and
orientation of Qigong. During the exercise of Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin, we should always maintain a long and unhurried thought, keep our mind peaceful and delighted, naturally relaxed our body, and make our movements smooth, round, and continuous. In the preparative stance of Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin, we should not only bring our body into an empty and relaxed state, but also quiet our mind, eliminate distracting thoughts, evil intentions, and stupor in order to keep our mind in “subtle and continuous” indifference and delight. As is described in Qigong tips, “when we keep our spirit in a serene state, the form will be naturally upright” (Zhuangzi: Zai You). While quieting, emptying, and relaxing our body and mind, our body will naturally become soft and comforted. In this way we can “maintain both body and spirit and live to the full length of our life” (Huang Di Nei Jing: Su Wen: Shang Gu Tian Zhen Lun). To sum up, Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin is dignified and graceful. Its movements are internally smooth and externally straight and full and circular. Its process is like moving clouds and flowing water. Qi circulates throughout the body to straighten bones, soften tendons, and facilitate blood and Qi circulation. While practicing Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin, we need to enter a good state of “integrated Qi of heaven and earth” and “coordinated form and spirit” through the “Three Regulations” in order to achieve the fundamental objectives of Health Qigong exercise.
The Origin of Ba Duan Jin--One Set of Health Qigong 2009-12-24 10:21:00Chinese Health QiGong Association
The word “Ba”(八) in Ba Duan Jin does not simply stand for the number of the segments, sections or the eight movements, but mean that in the practice of Ba D uan Jin, there are various elements which are inter-restricted and inter-related and revolve circularly. As the “Guidance of Ba Duan Jin” in Eight Letters on how to Comply with the Health Preserving and Care ( 《遵生八笺》)written by Gao Lian in Ming Dynasty says, “Practicing Ba Duan Jin in the early morning will help you absorb the essence of the Heaven and the Earth. It is good for your health for such kind of repeat practice is like the cyclic Eight Diagrams”. The Chinese character “Jin” ( 锦) consists of two radicals------“gold” (金)and “silk”(帛) which can show its refinement and elegance. In addition, the character “Jin” also means the compilation of all the single postures and that Ba Duan Jin contains a complete set of way for maintaining good health which is similar to the smoothness and incessancy of silk floss. The name of Ba Duan Jin first appeared in a magnificent personal monograph ------Yi Jian Zhi ( 《夷坚志》) written by Hong Mai in the Southern Son Dynasty------“In the seventh year of Zhenghe, Li Siju was appointed as a government official who was responsible for recoding the emperor’s statements and actions. He always tried to stand and sit at mid-night, adjusting breath and having massage and such practice was called Ba Duan Jin.” The record shows that Ba Duan Jin was already popular in the Northern Song Dynasty and it could be practiced either in standing or in sitting at that time.
As the standing style is much easier for practicing, it is widespread. The book 《Health Qigong•Ba Duan Jin》rearranged and modified the information on 《The Standing Style of Ba Duan Jin 》, so it will focus on the analysis and introduction of the origin and other relevant information of Ba Duan Jin. The earliest record of the standing style in the documents about health preservation is found in the 35th volume of Taoism Essence (《道枢》)written by Zeng Zao in the Southern Song Dynasty ——“Uplifting the hands with palms up to regulate the Sanjiao; opening bow from left to right as shooting vulture; holding the two arms separately to harmonize the spleen and stomach; looking repeatedly towards both the left and right side to ease illness and strain ; stooping down to harmonize the internal five organs (heart, liver, spleen, lungs and kidneys); swallowing saliva and breathing in while rolling the fingers; moving the body like an eel to relieve stress; touching the feet with the hands to strengthen the waist.”But there was not a fixed name like Ba Duan Jin and all the postures were not compiled into a pithy formula. It was named as “Relaxing Method of Taoist Lu” i n a folk encyclopedia (《事林广记》) written by Chen Yuanliang in the Southern Song Dynasty and the content was a pithy formula. Ba Duan Jin developed greatly during the Ming and Qing Dynasty and was spreaded widely. At the end of Qing Dynasty, the name------ Ba Duan Jin first appeared in the book New Method with Illustration for Maintaining Health------Ba Duan Jin (《新出保身图说•八段锦》). With elaborate illustration, the complete set of movements was formed. The formula was: “Uplifting the Hands with Palms Up t o Regulate the Sanjiao; Opening Bow from Left to Right as Shooting Vulture; Holding One Arm Aloft to Regulate the Functions of the Spleen and Stomach; Looking Backwards to Ease Illness and Strain; Swinging the Head and Moving the B ody to Relieve Stress; Raising and Lowering the Heels to Cure Diseases; Thrusting the Fists and Making the Eyes Glare to Enhance Strength; Moving the Hands down the Back and Legs and Touching the Feet to Strengthen the Kidneys”. Since then, the movements of Ba Duan Jin were fixed. During the process of popularizing, Ba Duan Jin has developed into many schools. For example, in the Qing Dynasty, Lou Jie described the standing style as “Holding the hands high and posing as an opening bow from left to right; holding one arm in strength and swing to semi-shoulder like using sword; arresting and releasing quickly like monkey and being august like ferocious tiger; finishing all movements quickly and lightly as swallow. Besides, there are Illustration of extra-form of Yi Jin Jing for strengthen fitness (《易筋经外经图说•外壮练力奇验图》) (Qing Dynasty, Anonymous), Gymnastic illustration of Ba Duan Jin (12- movements) (《八段锦体操图(12式)》) and so on. Such kinds of Ba Duan Jin all derived from Buddhism and the monks at that time took it as the way to keep healthy and improve martial art skills. Generally speaking, there are mainly two schools practicing Ba Duan Jin------the South School and the North School. Featuring as gentle movements, the South School which was said to be handed down by Liang Shichang mainly employs standing style. With lots of horse riding stance, the masculine movements which were said to be created by Yue Fei are the characteristic of the North School. Studies of the relevant literature and movements show that the South School and the North School stem from the same origin because there is no documented evidence about the legendary founder of the two schools.
There is no final conclusion about who founded Ba Duan Jin at what time. However, at least four postures showed in the pictures of the Guidance Map which were unearthed in No.3 tomb of the Western Han Dynasty at Mawangdui (Hunan province) are similar to the postures of Ba Duan Jin, such as “Holding One Arm Aloft to Regulate the Functions of the Spleen and Stomach”, “Moving the Hands down the Back and Legs and Touching the Feet to Strengthen the Kidneys”, “Opening Bow from Left to Right as Shooting Vulture” and “Raising and Lowering the Heels to Cure Diseases”. In addition, the similar postures can also be found in The Record of Methods for Keeping Healthy and Prolonging Life ( 《养性延命录》)edited by Tao Hongjing in Northern and Southern Dynasties. For instance, “swing left to right as wolf”, “raising and lowering the heels for three times”, “posing the left and right hand as holding a bow”, “raising one arm” and “thrusting fists of the two hands” are respectively similar to “Looking Backwards to Ease Illness and Strain”, “Raising and Lowering the Heels to Cure Diseases”, “Opening Bow from Left to Right as Shooting Vulture”, “Holding One Arm Aloft to Regulate the Functions of the Spleen and Stomach” and “Thrusting the Fists and Making the Eyes Glare to Enhance Strength” in Ba Duan Jin. Those similarities prove that there is a definite relationship among Ba Duan J in, Guidance Map and the Record of Methods for Keeping Healthy and Prolonging Life. At the late 50’s of the 20th century, the People’s Sports Press published successively series of book about Ba Duan Jin written by Tang Hao, Ma Fengge and etc. and then organized several groups of professional editors to modify and adapt the traditional Ba Duan Jin. The government attaches great importance to Ba Duan Jin and that is why there are more and more people practicing it. As a national traditional sports event, Ba Duan Jin began to be taken as a course in colleges and institutions at the late 70’s and early 80’s of the 20th century. All of these greatly promoted the development of the theories of Ba Duan Jin and enriched its connotation. The following basic conceptions can be concluded through careful reference to and textual research of abundant historical literature and materials: •Traditional Ba Duan Jin should be originated at the time before the Song Dynasty and developed greatly in the Ming and Qing Dynasty. •There is not any final conclusion about the founder of the traditional Ba Duan Jin, but it can be concluded that Ba Duan Jin is the intellectual property accumulated by generations of experts in health preservation and its practitioners. •Ba Duan Jin was a kind of guided skill which focused on body movements before the end of the Qing Dynasty. •Although there are different schools such as the South School and the North School and different ways for practicing, they all derived from the same origin and influence each other during the developing process and there is a trend of assimilation for the different schools. (Translated by Wang Suyan)
Step-by-Step Description on Correct Practice Specific Phases of Health Qigong Ba Duan Jin 2009-05-22 16:51:00Chinese Health QiGong Association
“Learning” refers to the process of learning knowledge and skills, and “practice” refers to the process of increasing proficiency. In other words, applying learning to practice or integrating practice with learning is the essence for improvement, with each other perfect complement and reciprocal, which needs unremitting efforts. During the learning and practice of the Health Qigong Ba Duan Jin, it is involving with principles and methods of practicing as well as the fundamental characteristics, movement essentials and the requirements for practicing. This article intends to focus on several issues that is needed to pay attention to during learning and practicing the Health Qigong Ba Duan Jin. Learning and practicing the Health Qigong Ba Duan Jin should take the “appearance training” as the key points The standing postural Ba Duan Jin belongs to one of the ancient Chinese Daoyin. During its process of evolution, regardless of which period and what kind of genre, it has never separated from the exercise feature that focus on physical training. By means of limbs movement, it achieves the purpose of keeping fit through strengthening tendons and bone, enhancing the body immunity and organs, clearing the meridians and adjusting the blood circulation and breathing. There are three stages in practicing the Health Qigong Ba Duan Jin. The first stage is the learning and mastering movement period. At first, it is required to practice from the basic body posture, basic hand posture and basic steps. During the learning and practicing, it is necessary to grasp the typical actions and movements for repeated practice. As the old saying goes, “regardless of similarity or not, you should achieve at least 30 percent of resemblance.” That is to say, regardless of the technical level, the depth of skills, the specific hands posture and footsteps, as long as you start practicing, you should exert every effort to make it standardized, which is very important for beginners. During learning and practicing the Health Qigong Ba Duan Jin, it is necessary to master three primary elements including point, line and posture. In terms of point, it refers to the starting and ending point of actions. In terms of line, it refers to the operative approach of the movements. In terms of posture, it refers to both the dynamic and static state. Whether for any requirement, it is significant to standardize your actions and movements. Generally speaking, it is required upper body straight, lower extremity stable, footsteps & hand postures clear, precise and in place. In other words, it is advised that as the old saying goes, “at first standardized and then to be diverse and flexible.” The second st age is to master actions and movements in proficiency period. During this stage, it is necessary to pay attention to the conversion of the body gravity, master a good balance and deal with the convergence between actions. In addition, it is required to rely on spinal column to lead to the movements of limbs in order to make the soft, gentle, flexible, coherent, and round movements. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to practice repeatedly, correctly and improve movements constantly so that
each action can be accurate in place and with ease. The third stage is the consolidation and improvement of movements period. It is required that based on the previous practice to strive to the integration of dynamic and static, masculine and feminine, rigid and flexible. Furthermore, it is necessary to relax both internal mentality and external body, with serene mind and concentrating on practicing. Apart from that, it is significant to pay attention to the combination of tense with relax, firm with gentle, moderately elastic, and use mind concentration rather than physical strength. At the same time, it i s advised to experience the connotations between “three adjustments” in order to achieve the flexible and freely movements, appropriate breathing and gradually transferred into the unity of “three adjustments.” During learning and practicing the Health Qigong Ba Duan Jin, it is required to attach great importance letting the spinal column leading the movement of limbs The spine has the functions of supporting the body and protecting the internal organs, and at the same time, it is also the hub of human motion, taking charge of the physical movements. According to the clinical statistics, the spine-related diseases have become the greatest potential risk for human health at the 21st century. Therefore, the spine is called the body’s “second lifeline.” The Health Qigong Ba Duan Jin takes full account the influences that the spine exerts in the human health during its working out specific movements, thus it emphasizes the training for the spine. Each action’s starting posture all stem from the Jiaji of the spine (empty place between two scapular ridges) and its exercise rules are all involved with the spine as the axis to extend to the whole body. In addition, the Du meridian has close relation with the spine and connects with the whole body meridians, while the Yu acupoints of the bladder of the both sides of spine directly connect with the internal organs, therefore, it is conspicuous to see the vital significance for training spine. To some extent, in the practice of Ba Duan Jin, those who master the rules of spine exercise grasp the essence of Ba Duan Jin of Health Qigong. In order to facilitate practitioners to master the pivotal role of the spine, the specific illustrations are as follows. In the “preparatory posture”, it is required that both the preparatory posture as well as all the rising and fall movements should be in vertical spine, with the entire spine spiraling up and down throughout on the pull-out length. In the “Routine 1 Holding the Hands High with Palms Up t o Regulate the Internal Organs”, it is required that both palms hold the spine and pull upward and downward, using vital energy to reach to the Lao Gong acupoints until the Jiaji. In the “Routine 2 Posing as an Archer Shooting Both Left-and-Right-Handed, it is required that two wrists cross- put on the chest and relax the Jiaji, with the strength of left-and-right shooting posture reaching Jiaji. In the “Routine 3 Holding One Arm Aloft to Regulate the Functions of the Spleen and Stomach, it is required that both palms pull in composite direction and make the spine stretch, using vital energy to reach to the Lao Gong acupoints and the Jiaji in center. In the “Routine 4 Looking Backwards to Prevent Sickness and Strain”, it is required that two palms press downward and hold the spine upright, s tretching the shoulders to look back and using vital energy to reach to Jiaji. In the “Routine 5 Swinging the Head and Lowering the Body to Relieve Stress”, it is required that using forward stance to hold the spine, stretch the spinal column by side, and around the body to rotate the Weique. In the “Routine 6 Moving the Hands down the Back and Legs and
Touching the Feet to Strengthen the Kidneys”, it is required to stretch and relax the spine. In the “Routine 7 Thrusting the Fists and Making the Eyes Glare to Enhance Strength ”,it is required to using forward stances and crouching to hold the spine, with left-and-right fists twisting. In the “Routine 8 Raising and Lowering the Heels to Cure Diseases”, it is required that stretch the heels and slightly vibrate the lower spine. In the closing posture, it is required to relax the spine and make closure of the whole exercise. With the vital energy, it means using the id ea rather than strength, otherwise, it is easy to lead to stiff and blood stasis. Therefore, the vital energy should be interpreted as the integration for verve, breathing and spirit. The practice of preparatory posture cannot be ignored in practicing of the Health Qigong Ba Duan Jin It is universally known for the preparatory posture of the Ba Duan Jin, which is called “Tai Chi Pile” in Tai Chi Boxing and is called “San Yuan posture” or “Holding Ball posture” in Health Qigong. Extremely rich in connotations, it is the primary preference when practicing, so that it is called “primary pile in practicing Health Qigong.” There are three connotations for the preparatory posture. The first one is as the basic body posture. The second one is as the basic movement. The third one is as the basic skills. With regard to the basic body pos ture, it refers to the static state of the body. Thi s is the most representative posture, which requires straight spine, low shoulders and elbows, pulling back the abdomen and with comfortable ease mien. With regard to the basic movements, it refers to the most fundamental movements and with rules to follow. The preparatory posture appears repeatedly in the connecting of actions, playing an importantly coherent role. Therefore, if practicing this preparatory posture well, it is conductive to improve the overall exercise. With regard to the basic skills, it refers to the prerequisite quality and capacity for practicing Health Qigong. All the above-mentioned issues can be resolved and reflected by the standing pile exercise of the preparatory posture, which contributes considerably to the overall and comprehensive improvement of the practicing Health Qigong. The above-mentioned “three basics” established the status of preparatory posture in the practicing of Ba Duan Jin. This shows that preparatory posture not only serves to prepare for practicing but also has the highly close relation with the whole set of exercise. Therefore, it is necessary to attach great importance and strengthen the efforts for practicing preparatory posture. There are three steps needed to pay attention during practicing preparatory posture. The first step is "When Heaven is about to place a great responsibility on a great man, it always first frustrates his spirit and will, exhausts his muscles and bones, exposes him to starvation and poverty." Therefore, it is necessary to overcome the muscle soreness, joint numbness as a result of standing pile and dismantle the exercise tension. This stage is called “change energy” in the Qigong terms. Normally it takes about three weeks. The first week is relatively tortured and the second week you will feel gradually relaxed, and the third week you will feel that there is strength in arm and the degree of comfort is improved. The second step is based on the previous practice, it is naturally to pursue the relax and serene state of both spirit and body. With regard to relax and serene, the relax is the prerequisite, which is required to relax steadily
from head to toe, from internal to external and spread from peripheral areas to pores. With regard to the serene state, it refers to remove the personal considerations and absent-mindedness. As the old saying goes, “it is important to pull back the absent-mindedness and curb the wanderings.” It is necessary to achieve the state of calm tranquility and concentrating on practicing. There are different effects of the relax and serene state, which cannot be attained in the short term and need to practice more than several years. Even some people practicing for a long time still fail to resolve the problems. It can be seen that if you do not seriously practice and exert assiduous efforts, you cannot grasp the essence of the Health Qigong. The third step is with the deepened stage of relax and serene state, breathing begins to slow and the vital energy starts to rise and gradually enter into the period o f convalesce. Under this occasion, it is necessary to maintain the ease and natural state rather than pursue deliberately and mechanically. After the long-time practice, you will feel energetic and robust. It should be noted that it is negative to close your eyes during practicing With regard to the exercise intensity, it is advised to be moderated and suitable. If there happens to palpitation, shortness of breath, dizziness, uncomfortable, tremble and other abnormal phenomenon, it is significant to immediately stop practice and carry out adjustment to avoid deleterious effects. Yang Bolong
Four kinds of meaning in the exercise of Ba Duan Jin 2008-12-03 09:52:00Chinese Health QiGong Association
Practicers should grasp the basic points of which mean to relax all the joints in the body, dredge the meridians and strengthen the power of the lower limbs, of the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin including natural relaxation, agility and correctness, combined exercise with rest, being step by step,. After that they can start the stage of applying the mind that means to guide Qi by way of mind and move the body by way of Qi. Or, the more haste, the less speed. Now let’s talk about the four kinds of methods of applying the mind in the exercise of the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin. The basic meaning of the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin is the mind of points and lines. The transformation of the interior and exterior rotation of points and lines set up the basic movements of the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin. Many points constitutes the parabola (rotating curve) in the course of the exercise and all kinds of running lines of movements and the latter can transform into the circle. And then the circle can gradually turn into the points and lines and rotating curve and the circle itself. The process can go on and on. That is the same for the construction of the body. The acupoints of Jian Yu and Da Zhui are united into one horizontal line. Bai Hui, Ren Zhong, median Dan Tian and Hui Yin are united into the frontal central perpendicular line. Wei Nv, Min Men, Da Zhui, Yu Zhen and Bai Hui are united into the posterior median perpendicular line. The frontal and posterior perpendicular lines of which are the Ren and Du meridian are united into the arc line. The intersection of the horizontal and perpendicular lines constitutes the auto-crossed balancing line. The arc lines can be divided into the four lines including three horizontal lines that are the shoulder line that is in charge of the balance of the body, waist line
that is in charge of the rotation of the body and hip line that is in charge of the movement of advancing and retreating and one perpendicular line that is in charge of the exertion of the body. Wherever the position is, the crossed lines should be kept the state of balance. In the course of the exercise, the joints of fingers, palm, arm, hip, waist and neck are in the movements of the rotating and twisting all the time. The basic styles of rotation are intortion and extortion and other movements are changed out of that. Firstly, the rotation of fingers and palms and arms occurs in each routines of Ba Duan Jin of which embodies the health action by way of the rotating movement. For example, in the routine 7 of the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin that is thrusting the fists and making the eyes glare to enhance the strength there are three movements of rotating and winding of which are the intortion of left arm and left fist turning into palm( the first rotating movement) and the extortion of the left arm( the second rotating movement) and the mild flection of the elbow joint and the left rotating and winding of the left fist(the third rotating movement) and turning into grasping the fist with palm upward and posterior. In addition, in the routine 3 of the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan J in that is holding one arm aloft to regulate the function of the spleen and stomach, the first movement is to slowly straighten the knees and stand straight and raise the left hand and turn the left arm outward(the first rotation) past the face and meanwhile turn the arm inward(the second rotation) to a position above the head on the left side with the elbow slightly bent, let the strength get to the base of the palm that faces upward with the fingers pointing to the right, in the meantime raise the right hand a little and then turn the arm inward (the third rotation) and press it down to the side of the right hip with the elbow slightly bent strength applied at the base of the palm that faces downward and fingers pointing forward, hold this position looking straight ahead. The second movement is to move the body weight slowly down and bend the knees slightly with the waist relaxed and hips down, meanwhile bend and turn the left elbow outward(the fourth rotation) and move the left hand down past the face to a position in front of the abdomen with the palm up and turn the right arm outward(the fifth rotation) with the palm up looking straight ahead. Secondly, it is about the rotation of the waist, hip, neck and nape. For example, in the movement of routine 5 of the Health Qi Gong Ba Duan Jin that is swinging the head and lowering the body to relieve the stress, the third section of movement is as follows: raise the bod y weight slightly, move it to the right and tilt the upper body to the right and forward and fix the gaze on the right foot. The fourth section of movement is as follows: shift the body weight to the left and move the upper body forward and then turn to the left with looking at the right foot. The practicer should shake the head and turn the neck along with swinging the waist and relaxing the hips with the rotation of eyes and coccygeal end in the same time in the third and fourth section of movement. There is rotating in the part of waist, hip, body, coccygeal end, head and eyes in this routine. Thirdly, it is about the meaning of open and close of which is the key point of guiding movements. Close is certain to ensue after open is done and vice versa. Generally, extending is open and contracting is close. During the course of exercise, the practicer should put mind on the relaxation of all the joints and the mind itself while
