ABOUT        CONTACT        RESOURCE        FOUNDER        BLOG       

TM + © 2008-12 PLUM BLOSSOM CLINIC, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

HOME     MEDICINE     CALENDAR     LOCATIONS     NETWORK     FOUNDER     ACUPUNCTURE     HERBS     TUINA     NUTRITION     QIGONG     HAWAII HERB HIKES    

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:

PRELIMINARY: calming the spirit and settling (grounding) the energy

Pulling down Heaven

 

CLEANSING: feeling the energy (clearing toxins and obstructions from the energy meridians)

1. Tossing

2. Dropping the Post

3. Trembling Horse

 

CULTIVATING: building the energy

1. Swaying

2. Stroking Kwan Kong’s Beard

3. Opening the Dragon (Spine)

4. Harmonizing the Five Viscera 

5. Holding Swallows' Tails (Storing Energy)

REFINING: conducting (moving) the energy

1. Golden Ball Meditation

CLOSING: stabilizing the balanced energy flow

Pull down Heaven

 

 

DETAILED FORM MECHANICS: 

Repetitions, Functions, Stance, Actions

Preliminary:

Pulling down Heaven

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.

 

Cleansing:

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.

 

Cultivating:

Transition: Pull down Heaven

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.

 

Transition: Pull down Heaven

 

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.

 

Transition: Pull down Heaven

 

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.

 

Refining:

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.

 

Closing: Pull down Heaven

Pull down 3x: in front, in back, in center.