THE AUSPICIOUS CRANE

The auspicious Crane is often depicted in Chinese and Taoist culture. The Crane Qigong Forms balance the practitioners body, mind and heart.

"When the heart is at ease, the body is healthy."

Qigong offers a number of Crane Forms also known as Crane Frolics. Our bodies become crane like as we move our arms like wings, compress and open our chest and focus on movement of Qi along four meridians associated with the element of Fire. We become the crane. Remember that each element is associated with a season, an animal, an emotion, a taste, a sense organ...





We expand, compress, spiral and focus on the Heart Meridian (HT) which runs from the armpit, down the inside arm, and to the fingernail of the pinky finger.

Shenmen (HT 7) is one of the "celebrity" points (it's a thing, really) on the Heart Meridian. It helps nourish the blood and cool/calm down the internal fire making it a good point for the mind, emotions, and heart-related issues such as stress, anxiety, insomnia, and palpitation.



The Heart Meridian is a Yin meridian. Its Yang parter is the Small Intestine Meridian (SI). Both are Fire Element Meridians, both associated in joy or if out of balance agitation. 

Working the SI Meridian cools heat while relieving shoulder pain. As you can see below the SI Meridian travels up the arm, across the scapula, up the neck, through the jaw and ends at the ear. That end of the line point, SI 19 helps with ear problems including tinnitus.




But wait, there's more. The Fire Element is supported by not the usual two, but four meridians. We have the Pericardium Meridian which supports and protects the heart. And, the Sanjiao Meridian, also known as the Triple Heater which controls our fight or flight response. These meridians also travel up or down the arms.


Heron, Batik by Jan Wilken
Provided by: Eastern Shore Art Center in Fairhope Alabama
https://www.facebook.com/EasternShoreArtCenter


And now, the CRANE FORM as taught by Nick Loffree