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MEDICAL QI GONG FORMS
There are hundreds of different styles of qigong. These qigong exercises were formulated at the Beijing Medical School to comply with any level of practitioner, beginner through advanced. They may be accompanied with warm-ups and stretches. This routine consists of three types of exercise: cleansing, cultivating, and refining.
OVERVIEW
OF FORM SEQUENCE:
1.
Tossing
2. Dropping the Post
3.
Trembling Horse
1.
Swaying
2.
Stroking Kwan Kong’s Beard
3. Opening the Dragon (Spine)
4. Harmonizing the Five Viscera
Lung
Kidney
Liver
Heart
Spleen
5. Holding Swallows' Tails (Storing Energy)
1. Golden Ball Meditation
DETAILED FORM MECHANICS:
Repetitions, Functions, Stance, Actions
Repetitions:
3x
Functions:
calms the mind with cleansing breaths, grounds energy, invigorates blood
Stance:
shoulder width
Action:
a)
Inhalation:
from Wuji (original stance),
bilaterally raise the arms (palms up) and slightly rise from the bent knee
position.
b)
Exhalation:
when the hands reach the forehead (palms down), pull down the heaven to the lower
dantian (elixir field, or ocean of energy, at the navel) while sinking by
letting the knee bend.
1. Tossing
Repetitions:
24x
Functions: clears toxins and moves stagnation in the body
Stance: shoulder width
Action:
a)
Inhalation:
Bilaterally raise the arms (palms down) to shoulder height while visualizing
white light.
b)
Exhalation:
Let the hand naturally fall down. Let one arm toss in front of the body (palm
up), while the other arm tosses behind the body. Visualize black toxins being
tossed out of the body.
2. Dropping
the Post
Repetitions:
4 sets of (24x: rapid raising) and (3x: slow
raising)
Functions: loosens and relaxes the muscles from the bones,
clears toxins and moves stagnation in the body, nourishes essence, strengthens
the root
Stance: feet together
Action:
a)
Vacuum:
Focus the mind on the ankles, while raising on the ball of the foot and dropping
down on the heels (24x).
b)
Inhalation:
Raise slowly up on the ball of the foot and turning the palm back.
c)
Exhalation:
Drop down on the heels and relax the hand back.
d)
Repeat
steps (a-c) 3 more times while focusing sequentially on the knees, hips, and
shoulders, letting the dropping feel heavier.
3.
Trembling Horse
Repetitions:
6x
Functions: loosens and relaxes the muscles from the bones,
clears toxins and moves stagnation in the body, invigorates blood
Stance: horse stance
Action:
a)
Inhalation:
Tremble the wrists and allow the trembling to travel to the shoulders and
slightly rise by straightening the knee.
b)
Exhalation:
Tremble and shimmy down the torso and legs while gradually sinking. Heat should
be felt all over the body.
1. Swaying
Repetitions:
36x
Functions: strengthens qi, aids peristalsis in digestion
Stance: shoulder width
Action:
a)
Exhalation:
Let hands drop to the sides while raising at the knees and contracting abdomen.
b)
Inhalation:
Expand the abdomen, slightly bend at the knees, and let the momentum of the arm
swing bring the hands up in front of the shoulders into a catch position and
hold momentarily. The tongue should be on the roof of the mouth.
2. Stroking Kwan Kong’s Beard
Repetitions:
9x
Functions: strengthens qi in the middle
Stance: shoulder width
Action:
a)
Inhalation:
With hands in front of the lower dantian,
let hands ascend up the anterior midline (palms down) while rising up on the
knee.
b)
Exhalation:
When hands reach shoulder height, stroke the long beard downward while sinking
the weight and bending the knee.
3. Golden
Dragon Flies to Heaven
Repetitions:
5-9x
Functions: opens and aligns the spine and governing vessel,
regulates yang energy, strengthens the lower back, open the life gate fire
Stance: shoulder width
Action:
a)
Exhalation:
When hands are over the head, point the fingers down while bending at the lower
back. Keep the eyes focused on the hands. When hands reach the ankles, bend
knees and squat.
b)
Inhalation:
Scoop, lift, straighten out the knee, and uncurl the spine. The body slightly
waves as the hands ascend the sides to the overhead position. Visualize golden
light traveling up the spine as it uncurls.
4. Harmonizing
the Five Viscera
Repetitions:
9-10x
Functions: strengthens, regulates, and nourishes the five
viscera and their physiological functions
A)
Lung
Functions:
expands and relaxes the chest, dispels exterior wind,
governs qi, deepens respiration
Stance: shoulder width
Action:
a)
Inhalation:
After hands descend to shoulder height, separate the arms to the sides (palms
down), while sinking the weight and bending at the knees until hands are at the
sides.
b)
Exhalation:
Rotate palms up, squeeze thighs, rise up on knees, and bring the hands together
in the front. Visualize bright white light expanding and contracting between the
arms in the lungs.
B)
Kidney
Functions:
strengthens the essence, promotes urination
Stance: horse
Action:
a)
Inhalation:
Twist waist to left with the arms spread. Place the left hand on the right
kidney. Shift weight to the right leg while drawing back with the right hand
(palm outward), at the head level.
b)
Exhalation:
Bend at the lower back, sink by bending the knees more, and scoop with the right
hand (palm up), while shifting the weight to the left. Visualize bright blue or
purple light going into the kidney.
c)
Repeat
(a-b) for the opposite side. Release hand from kidney so that both hands are out
in front. Circle left hand around the left side of the waist.
C)
Liver
Functions:
regulates the smooth flow of energy and emotions, cleans
toxins from the blood
Stance: shoulder width
Action:
a)
Inhalation/Exhalation:
Push the thenar prominence of the palm (knife hand) out in front at the level of
the liver while the other hand (palm up) moves to the hip (3x). Visualize bright
green light in the liver area.
b)
Push
both palms out in front. Hold the ball with the right hand on top (right palm
down/left palm up).
D)
Heart
Functions:
calms the spirit, regulates blood circulation
Stance: shoulder width
Action:
a)
Exhalation:
Twist waist to the left, circle left hand to block overhead (palm out), push
right hand (palm out, finger up) to the left at the heart level, and sink by
bending the knees. Visualize bright red energy in the heart.
b)
Inhalation:
Pull hands (right hand: palm up/left hand: palm down) back to the center, twist
the waist right while raising up on the knee.
c)
Push
out to the opposite side.
E)
Spleen
Functions: optimizes digestion,
stabilizes all organs, enhances immune
function
Stance: shoulder width
Action:
a)
Exhalation:
After the last heart level push, form a triangle with the hands by connecting
the index finger and thumbs. Let the triangle return to the center in front of
the lower dantien.
b)
Inhalation:
Focus on the center of area of the imaginary triangular plane and let the
triangle ascend over the head. Visualize bright yellow or golden light in the
spleen area and in the triangular plane.
c)
Exhalation:
Twist the waist to the left, sink by bending the knees, let the triangle descend
closer to the head, and keep the eyes focused on the center of the triangle (not
through it).
d)
Inhalation:
Twist the waist back to the center, raise up on the knees, ascend the triangle
farther from the head, and maintain focus.
e)
Exhalation:
Twist to the opposite side.
f)
Twisting
from side to side should resemble a corkscrew. After the last twist, return to
the center, disassemble the triangle, and turn palms down.
5. Holding
Swallows’
Tails
Repetitions:
5x
Functions: stores the visceral energy in the yellow court (lower
dantian, or ocean of energy), combines the organs into one
Stance: horse
Action:
a)
Exhalation:
Press hands down. When hands reach the shoulder level, form gentle fists (tuck
thumb, then index, middle, ring, and pinky), bend knees and squat, and turn
fists over (palm up) as if holding swallows’ tails. Let arms unbend into
hanging position.
b)
Inhalation:
Release gentle fists and let arms ascend over the head as if pulling down the
heaven.
1.
Golden Ball Meditation
Repetitions:
8x
Functions: refines the intention behind the movement,
sublimates the ocean of energy into spirit
Stance: shoulder width
Action:
a)
Inhalation:
Gather hands (palm up) at the
lower
dantian.
b)
Exhalation:
Rise hands to shoulder height,
squeeze thighs together, rise up on knees, and wave body subtly.
c)
Inhalation:
Expand arms (palms face each other)
to sides and sink by bending the knees.
d)
Exhalation:
Contract hands together in front of
the body, squeeze thighs together, rise up on knees, and wave body subtly.
e)
Inhalation:
Draw in hands (palms forward) and
sink by bending knees.
f)
Exhalation:
Push out hands, squeeze thighs, and
wave body.
g)
Inhalation:
Fall hands to lower dantian.
h)
Exhalation:
Disperse hands (palms down) to sides
and sink by bending knees.
i)
Inhalation:
Draw hands (palms up) up the anterior midline to the middle abdomen.
j)
Exhalation:
Let hands descend to sides.
Pull down
3x: in front, in back, in center.