The focus of our Qigong in a Park practice this week began with Purging forms. Why purge?
As Lee Holden says: "In order to cultivate new, nourishing energy, it’s important to first let go of anything that’s holding us back. Whether we’re feeling stressed, anxious, or emotionally burdened, Qi Gong offers practices for releasing old energy so we can create space to grow. This process is called “purging.”
Purging is synonymous with "shaking it off." We're getting rid of something, namely our own thought patterns. We're cleaning house, we're evicting, we're dismissing, and emptying while making room for restoration, purification, and healing. You get the idea.
We used quick movements, sounds, and massage to purge what we no longer need.
Once we cleaned house, we had room to circulate good, healthful Qi. I chose to focus on placing Qi in the Laogong acupoints in the palms of the hands. I've been brushing up on my Qigong Healing skills and thought, "heck, let's share."
Two videos that helped me frame my practice. I of course took some liberties and added in some explanations and forms. Enjoy.
We also practiced a form of Separating Heaven and Earth. I love this form and all of its variations. We practiced the simplest form and then the more complex form from the Shaolin Temple in China.
A little history: When the Bodhidharma came to the Shaolin Temple [around 500 C.E.], he found the monks were weak from sitting in meditation all day so he devised a series of Qigong exercises to energize their brains, prolong their lives and help them gain enlightenment.
When he passed away, he left behind a manual called Yijinjing which some have translated in English as Muscle Tendon Changing Classic. This manual was then used by the monks to increase their vitality and extend their martial arts capability.
Shaolin Qigong also has roots and Kung Fu. I personally find the Shaolin forms to be slightly more martial, more Yang, more active while being mindful, meditative. The form demonstrated in this video draws Qi to the core of the body, mixing "Heavenly Qi" with "Earth Qi."
Just a bit about Separating Heaven and Earth and Yin and Yang. Yang energy naturally rises, think fire. Yin energy naturally falls, think water. By pulling down that Yang fire from Heaven, and raising the Yin water from Earth, we are mixing the two to create a balanced Yin Yang Axis. A brief note: in Taoist practices, the word "Heaven" is synonymous with "Sky," perhaps without religious significance. However, I invite people to think of "Heaven" however they like.
When he passed away, he left behind a manual called Yijinjing which some have translated in English as Muscle Tendon Changing Classic. This manual was then used by the monks to increase their vitality and extend their martial arts capability.
Shaolin Qigong also has roots and Kung Fu. I personally find the Shaolin forms to be slightly more martial, more Yang, more active while being mindful, meditative. The form demonstrated in this video draws Qi to the core of the body, mixing "Heavenly Qi" with "Earth Qi."
Just a bit about Separating Heaven and Earth and Yin and Yang. Yang energy naturally rises, think fire. Yin energy naturally falls, think water. By pulling down that Yang fire from Heaven, and raising the Yin water from Earth, we are mixing the two to create a balanced Yin Yang Axis. A brief note: in Taoist practices, the word "Heaven" is synonymous with "Sky," perhaps without religious significance. However, I invite people to think of "Heaven" however they like.
Roger Jahnke, O.M.D. has a wonderful illustration of this action. But more about this later.
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