CRANES

In Chinese lore, the Crane has been venerated as royalty. One legend tells of deities from heaven riding a crane to fly to the human world.

The Crane is the symbol of longevity, grace, wisdom and peace.

The Crane is one of the five animals of the Wu Qin Xi or Five Animal Frolics, an ancient set of Qigong practices. The other animals being Tiger, Deer, Bear, and Monkey.

In Qigong practices, the Crane is associated with both the heart and the lungs.

Expansiveness, joy, summer. The Crane spreads its wings. We open our hearts.

Autumn, conserving energy, rooting, letting go. We spread our wings, nurturing the lungs. We also contract and conserve. The movements of Autumn.

Autumn is a beautiful time of the year, and also a challenging time for those with respiratory vulnerabilities.

By opening the heart center and feeding the lungs, we are strengthening our Wei Qi, our natural defense against pathogens, germs. Read about Wei Qi in a post I wrote called "Autumn and Immunity."

Below is a video by “Qigong with Kseny” practicing Crane forms. I'll supplement her lovely video with a brief elucidation of functions and effects of the forms. Good word, right?

After a brief "hook-up" calming the Qi, Kseny practices a form I call Sleeping Crane. This is the first form of the set called "White Crane Spreads its Wings."

Inhale our "wings" overhead while raising onto our tip-toes. Exhale as we bend forward and downward, wrapping our wings around our knees. 

We expand and contract. Reaching up, we lengthen the lung and large intestine meridians on the arm. We create space in the ribcage and the abdomen. On our tip-toes we activate a point on the bottom of our foot called "Bubbling Spring." By bending forward and downward we create space in the spine and gently massage the abdominal organs. We also send our Qi downwards, feeding our roots.

Now, the Crane Spreads its Wings. Flapping our wings promotes respiration and expands our lung capacity. We are flying like a crane.

As we raise our wings we focus on the thumb and index finger stimulating the movement of Qi along the lung meridian and its partner the large intestine meridian.

This is also a balancing form. It is important to feel the weight shift from one leg to the other. We empty the leg that is going to be lifted, and "pour" the weight into the supporting leg.

White Crane Dancing is a mating ritual. We stand and lift our beaks in a proud, contented fashion. Once again we are contracting and expanding. This time we contract the shoulders as we lift our beaks. As we lower our beaks, we relax and exhale. 

We shift the weight to one leg and extend the other leg back while our wings also move back. We are displaying our proud hearts. We are expanding our chest.

Two other meridians are stimulated during these forms, the Du Mai, running up the spine and the Ren Mai running down the front of the body.

And don't worry, you're not expected to bend your knees backwards.

The Wu Qin Xi, Animal Frolic forms, were standardized by Hua Tuo, a leading physician during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 CE). His inspiration came from observing the animals and also from ancient Shamanic dances.

There are numerous YouTube videos of the Five Animal Frolics. But, I supplement these with videos of the actual animals moving. The ancient Shamans practiced with the goal of becoming the animals. I love this video by Yasuhiro Nagata. Become the Crane.

I wish you good health and happiness

 

BRUSHING THE MERIDIANS

During Qigong practices I often refer to acupuncture/pressure meridians. 

My teacher/friend Dr. Jess Reynolds defines meridians as “pathways through the body that are consistent and predictable from one person to another, that transmit force and energy.”

Jess is a doctor of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), an acupuncturist, and a massage therapist living in Calgary, Canada. He and I have shared notes regarding core principles of TuiNa Chinese massage, acupuncture and Qigong.

Shared core principles include: 

• Balancing Yin and Yang.
• Regulating the internal organs.
• Opening and dredging channels, or meridians. 
• Promoting circulation of Qi, blood and body fluids.
• Calming the Shen (mind) and releasing emotions.

 

I'm going to focus on the Opening and dredging of the channels and promoting circulation of vital essences.

Channels? Meridians? 

There are many websites describing the meridians. I suggest this site because of uncomplicated images and simple descriptions: Meridians explained, meine-tcm.com

When we open channels, we encourage expansion and space for easy movement of the vital substances. We are clearing a channel, and in some cases joints. Qi can easily become blocked in the joints. Joint mobilization and visualization while breathing creates space in the joints and the channels, unlocking trapped Qi.

Dredging channels encourages the removal of detrimental blockages, pathogens, or debris (physical or emotional) from the channels or the joints.

Okay boss, how do we open and dredge channels?

We can stretch, twist, shake, vibrate, grasp, pat and my favorite: practice "nerve strokes" or "brushing the channels." Your hands can either lightly touch (tickle) the surface of the skin, or remain one to two inches above the skin, like brushing your aura or etheric field. 

Rather than describing this process, I have attached a video by Sifu Bodhi Batista. Yup, another beloved Canadian. Enjoy. 

I wish you good health.

AUTUMN AND IMMUNITY

High atop a hill sits a walled city. There is an inner wall and an outer wall keeping the inhabitants of the city safe from unsavory intruders. The city is well fortified.

This walled city is a paradigm for the body. We have defensive walls called Wei Qi (pronounced "way chee"). The inner wall exists just under the skin. The outer wall extends one to two inches from the skin's surface. 

During Qigong practices I also refer to the the Qi Bubble which extends out in all directions. Think of this as the hill you need to climb to reach the walled city. This bubble is your aura or the etheric field, extending roughly ten feet in all directions from the body, another defense against both biological and emotional "intruders." 

How about these unsavory intruders? Pathogens. Germs. Cooties. It's undeniable, they are out there waiting to attack. When they do, a battle ensues and your Wei Qi literally heats up. Wei Qi is a Yang force, hot and energetic. Wei Qi controls the opening and closing of our pores. You've experienced this with night sweats, fevers, chills, shivering. 

Wei Qi needs to be nurtured and developed since its strength can be affected by our movement, our diet, our sleep patterns, our emotions... 

Unlike a static wall, the ever alert Wei Qi circulates around the body. What drives this circulation you ask? The lungs and respiratory system. Seems fair since it is the respiratory system that is first to be affected by invasions of these unsavory, external pathogens. Symptoms of the sinuses, mucus membranes, the throat are all red flags alerting the body of invasion. 

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) the lungs are organs of the metal element. Metal in nature is related to boundaries, what do we let in? What do we expel? 

Every season and every element is connected to not only an organ but also a tissue, an orifice, a flavor, and direction, and a climate.

Metal tissue = skin. 

Metal orifice = nose. 

Metal flavor = pungent. 

Metal direction = west. 

Metal climate = dry. 

During this dry Autumn season we need to take measures to strengthen our Wei Qi. 

First step, breathe. During Qigong practice we may breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth. We may inhale and exhale through the nose. But it's best not to just mouth breathe. Why? As we inhale through the nose we moisten the air as it heads to the lungs. Breathing out can depend on the type of movement. Are we purging? We may want to exhale with a sigh or a specific sound. Mouth breathing dries the air and also, well, just looks distasteful. 

Next up, wake up the Qi. We can tap and stretch the meridians, especially down the Yin side of the arm (the pale side) and up the Yang side (tan side) or the arm. The lung meridian runs down the Yin (pale) side. 

The large intestine meridian which is the Yang partner of the Yin lung runs up the Yang side. Aim for the thumb going down the lung and move back up the large intestine from the pointer finger. 

You'll see this demonstrated in the attached video by Sifu Bodhi Batista.

Two other meridians can be tapped and stretched, the Pericardium (Heart Protector) and the San Jiao a.k.a.  Triple Warmer. The Pericardium meridian runs down the middle of the pale side of the arm whereas the San Jiao meridian runs up midline of the Yang (tan) side of the arm. 

The Pericardium acts as an intermediary between the heart and the outside world, functioning in both the physical and emotional realms. One point in particular is a favorite of mine. P6 (pericardium 6). This is known as the Inner Gate or the Neiguan. BRINGING US BACK TO OUR WALL. The wall has gates!

Pericardium 6, Neiguan

P6 calms chest pain, pain in the ribs, palpitations, arrhythmia and hypertension. It relaxes the coronary arteries and is known to have a general analgesic effect. Powerful stuff.


It is also a go-to point for stomach issues such as nausea, motion sickness, morning sickness... Have you seen sailors with special wrist bands? These bands calm sea sickness.

There is an Outer Gate, Waiguan or San Jiao 5. This point is used to treat external unsavory invaders spurred on by wind, cold, heat and damp. It treats fever and many types of headaches.


The San Jiao meridian answers to many names: Triple Warmer, Triple Heater, Triple Burner, and the Triple Energizer. The low down is that this meridian is not connected to a biomedical organ. It has been theorized that it corresponds to the lymphatic or fascial systems.

Okay, great. Walls, gates, elements, breathing... what can we do to strengthen our Wei Qi, our immunity?

Move: Go for walks, leisurely bike rides. BE OUTSIDE! I love practicing Qigong outside in the elements. Move in a way that cleanses and strengthens the lungs. Breathe deeply, into the abdomen. And remember, inhale through the nose, exhale through the nose or mouth. Sweat will help purge unsavory pathogens. Balance exercise with both aerobic (Yang) activity and Yin movement such as Qigong, stretching and breath work. 

Eat unprocessed foods. Think harvest. What is fresh and local? The most common medicinal food in China during Autumn is the pear. Pears are cooling and moistening. Pears have a viscous quality that helps moisten the lungs. It's also advisable to eat warmed foods. Roast those veggies. Heat up that cereal.

Hydrate: Counteract the dryness of the air. Move cooties out of the system through the urine and sweat.

Declutter: Fall is the season of letting go. Clean your house, clean your emotions. Get rid of junk, both physical and emotional. Honor grief, anger, and disappointment, but let them go. Have a garage sale (but don't try to sell your purged emotions).

Slow down: Summer = expansion. Summer is Yang time. As we move into Autumn we slow down and become more introspective. Autumn is Yin time. Between Summer and Autumn we have those 18 days of Earth time which I call Harvest. This season expresses a balance of Yang and Yin. As the trees turn their energy from their leaves to their roots, so too should we begin focusing on our roots. The roots belong in the Kidney realm, and that’s right around the corner. Winter. The lungs are the mother of the kidneys. We should strengthen mom so she may tonify her child. 

Bodywork: Whether it's acupuncture or massage, get it. Mix it up, try a different type of bodywork: TuiNa, Thai Yoga Massage, Qigong Healing. I begin bodywork sessions with Yang influenced energy but transition to a more Yin relaxed, slow pace. 

Dress the part: Wear layers and keep your neck, especially the back of your neck covered. TCM warns that cold invasion will likely happen at your neck, particularly along the cervical spine. A hoody is a good fashion choice. 

Sleep! One of my favorites. As we sleep our bodies replenish, the liver cleanses the blood. We recharge. Practice sleep “hygiene” by leaving your devices in another room. Let them also recharge, but away from the bed. Enjoy a cup of Sleepytime tea. If you want to read, read a book. 

Above our bed I have this quote by W.H. Auden

"Dear children, trust the night and have faith in tomorrow; that these hours of ambiguity and indecision may also be the hours of healing."

Learn about the nature of each season. Live in harmony with the rhythm of the season. If nature is slowing down and contracting, do the same. Be Autumn. Wear an orange hoody. 

I wish you good health! 

I have attached  a video by Sifu Bodhi Batista. 

Bodhi crosses his arms at the lungs before taking an inhalation. His arms are crossing near the Neiguan and Waiguan points, the inner and outer gates. I like to cross my arms so that I’m “layering” these two points one on top of the other facing my chest, but not touching. You will also see him creating a Qi bubble. Creating this bubble strengthens our Wei Qi through intention, Yi. He also practices a from called Trembling Horse. This is a wonderful way to encourage circulation of Qi including Wei Qi.

During our Qigong in a Park session this week we will practice forms focusing on the lung. These will include Dragon and Tiger forms. The Dragon swims, the Dragon flies. Its ability to fly is fueled by the lungs. The Tiger is strong and alert. Its strength comes from the liver, the wood element: resiliency and rootedness.

 

TAOIST FIVE ELEMENT QIGONG

Five Elements, Five Seasons, Five Animals: Five Qigong practices, encouraging health and vitality for the body, mind and spirit.

Our external or internal experiences are paired with the Five Elements, When the external (climate, both physical and social) and internal (our physical selves) elements are balanced, we experience health and prosperity. When out of balance we experience disease.

The elements are not static, they are fluid. We move from one element to another. They may also be referred to as the “Five Phases” or “Five Transformations” or “Five Orbs."

Today during Qigong in a Park we practiced the Taoist Five Element Flow. 

Five elements show up often during Qigong practice. The flow that we practiced today focused on the elements and the corresponding Yin organs.

Metal: Lungs
Water: Kidneys
Wood: Liver
Fire: Heart
Earth: Spleen or Pancreas

During the standing meditative postures we added whispered sounds. A purging practice, Healing Sounds cleanse and nurture the physical body and emotions, "our baggage". There are six healing sounds, we practiced the five today. The sixth sound purges the Triple Warmer. We'll save that for another time. 

The Element/the Yin Organ, the sound and an emotion to purge, soften or temper:

Metal/Lungs: SSSSSSSSS (like a snake) grief/sadness 

Water/Kidneys: CHOOOOOO (like a choo choo train) fear

Wood/Liver: SHHHHHH (quiet please sound) anger

Fire/Heart: HAAAAAAA (sigh of relief) excess joy (think about it) 

Earth/Spleen: HOE (Long O, ho ho ho) Worry, anxiety

These practice YouTube videos were created by Brain Education TV

ENJOY! 

We practiced another Earth form. But, these resonate with me so next week we may go in THIS Earth direction. 

Be well, be happy, and follow your bliss

Brian

 

TAPPING POINTS

It's Harvest Season leading us to Autumn, my favorite time of the year but also my most troublesome season regarding allergies, sinus stuff, lung stuff, basic gunk. 

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers relief. Remember, there are five branches of TCM: Acupuncture, Herbology, Nutrition, Massage and Qigong. A visit to the acupuncturist will set you up with treatments, herbs, massage and recommendations for diet.

But, let's look to see how you might additionally take care of yourself at home. 

Tapping and Qigong. 

These are merely suggestions and are not meant to take the place of care by a licensed physician. I am not providing medical advice, diagnosis or treatments. 

During our "Qigong in a Park" I have suggested specific points to relieve and possibly prevent sinus and lung gunk. 

First off, let's recognize the organs associated with Autumn: Lungs and the Large Intestine. I'm writing this during the late summer season which I refer to as Harvest. So, I will suggest some points to support the Stomach and Spleen, the organs of Harvest Season.

We often begin our practice with arm swings. Turning from the waist and tapping parts of the back and torso. Most meridians run on both sides of the body. So, say Urinary Bladder (UB) 50 points will be on both the right and left sides of the body. 

Start with swinging the arms, turning the waist and tapping with a light fist the mid/lower back. This is the Ming Men, the Door of Life. On either side of the Ming Men we have Urinary Bladder (UB or BL) 50. Two lines on the UB (or BL) Channel run along the spine. The UB 50 points regulate the Stomach and Spleen. 

Good Harvest Season points.  

While we're swinging let's tap LUNG (LU) 1 and 2. Twist and tap each side with the opposite hand. You may like a light relaxed fist, or open palm. These points are good for coughing, asthma and chest pain. 

If you tap on these points with your open palm you're also tapping a point on the pad of your thumb, LU 10 which also relieves coughing, but also sore throats and hoarseness. 

Moving along, we'll stop twisting now and chop the pinky sides of your hands together. At this point I recommend tapping each pair of points 36 times. 

We are now going to activate a point in the SMALL INTESTINE (SI) meridian. SI 3. This meridian is a cheeky little monkey that runs up the arm, zig zags around the shoulder blade, up onto the shoulder, neck and face, ending at the ear. SI 3 will relieve head and neck strain, both are common when your sinuses or coughs are giving you grief.

Heading now to the face. We're first going to tap 36 times on each pair of points with our fingertips.

URINARY BLADDER (UB) 2 is where your eyebrow meets the bridge of the nose, then GALL BLADDER (GB) 1 at the corner of the eye, then STOMACH (ST) 2 found in a hollow on the cheek bone. 

These points may all help with sinus conditions including headaches. They also support vision and eye health. I was going to use my face to show these points but George Clooney seemed like a better choice. 

You're welcome.  

If you lift your eyebrows, B 2 and ST 2 are more accessible for tapping. Remember, tap each pair 36 times. 

Another great point is LARGE INTESTINE (LI) 20. Rather than tapping here I recommend using one finger to lightly rub small circles 36 times. You can rub both points at the same time. 

And while we're working on the LI (Large Intestine) meridian let's move down to LI 4 UNLESS YOU'RE PREGNANT! Stay away from this point if you are. 

This is a "go to" point for headaches, body aches, dizziness, congestion, swelling and pain of the eye, sinusitis, nosebleed, toothaches,  gastric pain, constipation, diarrhea, and on and on. This point tonifies Qi and strengthens immunity. But, it can also induce labor. 

Once again, rather than tapping I suggest small circles on the points on each hand. You'll feel a little spot on the bone below your index finger. That's the spot.

Back to tapping. The next two points may help with coughs and chest congestion. 

KIDNEY (K) 27 and SPLEEN (SP) 21. 

K 27 is located under the collarbone near the sternum. Tap with a loose fist or with fingertips.

 

SP 21 is on the ribcage just below the arm pit. Tap SP 21 points one at a time by lifting your arm and using the other hand to tap with an open palm. To encourage lymphatic flow start at the arm pit and tap down along the ribs. Then lift the tapping hand back to the arm pit and head back down. Repeat one more time. 

There are many more points that may help with coughs, colds, sinus issues, allergies. If your condition warrants care, please see a licensed acupuncturist, TCM doctor, or your personal physician. 

The points I've suggested:

• UB 50, near the Ming Men on the back 
• LU 1 and 2, at the hollows below the collarbone near the shoulder
• LU 10, thumb pad of palm
• SI 3, pinky sides of the hands, palms up
• UB 2, at the end of the eyebrow nearest the bridge of the nose
• GB 1, at the corner of the eye
• ST 2, hollow of the cheek bone
• LI 20, outer edge of the nose hear the nostrils
• LI 4 UNLESS YOU'RE PREGNANT between the thumb and index finger, aim towards the bone of the index finger
• K 27, under the collarbone near the sternum
• SP 21, on the ribcage under the arm pit

Here are a couple of examples of tapping. These are variations working towards general well being and not specifically for the Lungs and Sinuses. 

Karen Soo's video also includes Bone Marrow Cleansing which I'm very fond of. 

ENJOY!

LISTENING TO TREES

I moved to Colorado with my parents when I was 16 years old. Like many young people I was trying to find my place. Life had been a little rocky before the move and I took this as an opportunity to redefine myself. Nobody knew me or my past. I was a clean slate.

My sister inspired me with books. As a gift she sent me a copy of the I-Ching, the Book of Changes. Hungry for new direction, I took this odd yet intriguing book up to a mountain park and sat under some tall trees. I read a little, and then sat. I just sat, unintentionally meditating. 

It must have been spring because I remember patches of melting snow. I remember the smell of the earth and the warmth of the sun. I remember looking up through the trees, realizing I was part of something big, something nurturing. Nature.



Taoist philosophy and TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) observe nature, providing an understanding of where and how we fit in. Connection. These observations go back to ancient times. Early Shamans gained inspiration from animals, from elements, from the stars, from light and shadows, from the seasons.

A common thread connecting all living things is Qi, energy. Qi exists in nature. We cultivate Qi from the foods we eat, from the air we breathe. Practicing Qigong outside connects us with the five elements common in TCM and Taoist philosophy: trees (wood), the sun (fire), the earth, metal (found in rocks) and water. The elements teach us how to get unstuck, how to move. If I’m feeling stressed, I remind myself to move around obstacles like water. If I’m feeling unbalanced, I root myself like a tree and reach towards the sun.

Now, let’s look at this Shaman business.

A Shaman - or wu 巫 in Chinese, is a person who can mediate within the powers of nature. Shamans are viewed as bridges between the natural and the spiritual world. They observe nature, they become what they are observing and gain insight. Shamanism dates back to 40-100 thousand years ago, and is considered to be the oldest spiritual and healing practice known to humankind.

During Qigong practice, we observe and imitate the movements of animals, mythical creatures, swaying trees, streams and ocean waves, children playing, clouds drifting. We learn by becoming these things.





Guidance and inspiration is also drawn by observing the changing seasons and the associated elements.

The most common diagram of the seasons is the circle with the pentagram. We can connect the five elements with a clockwise circle. Wood feeds fire. Fire feeds earth. Earth feeds metal. Metal feeds water. Water feeds wood.

The hexagram in the middle shows the Controlling Cycle. Wood holds earth in place. Earth shapes water flow. Water dampens fire. Fire melts metal. Metal chops wood. Sort of a simplistic view of things, but you get it.

Each element is paired with a season. 

• Wood = Spring: growth. 
• Fire = Summer: expansion, heat. 
• Earth = Harvest (late summer): abundance. 
• Metal = Fall: inspiration and letting go. 
• Water = Winter: stillness, conserving of energy. 

The early Taoists used another model which I’ve grown to love. Earth is in the middle. The other four elements are to the north, south, east and west. This orientation of the elements is rooted in Feng Shui, the art of balancing Yin and Yang to encourage the flow of Qi.

Notice how this diagram shows the association of the organs with the elements.

The four seasons are determined by the equinoxes of spring and fall, and the solstices of summer and winter. Let’s look at four seasons but five elements.





In the Feng Shui model, each of the four seasons lasts ~73 days. Before each equinox or solstice we have ~18 days of earth time. The earth element is nurturing and seeks to draw all things together within itself, in order to bring harmony, rootedness and stability.

Ponder this: 

Winter officially begins December 21-22, but December 4th sure feels more like winter than autumn. We're in that earth time. 

Spring, March 20-21, but we all want to start planting seeds in earlier March. 

Earth times... you get it.


A note about Taoism:

Taoism is a philosophy. You can be Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Atheist, Agnostic… and still be inspired by Taoist thinking and practice Qigong. There are those who practice Taoism as a religion with rituals and icons. Deities, often borrowed from other cultures, are assigned particular roles. But, there is not an omnipotent being, a god.

But, I do bow.

At the end of each Qigong practice session I bow three times. By bowing I am showing reverence and connection.

The first bow is to my teachers which include all living things; the people I study with, practice with, the people and animals and living things that I come in contact with. I learn from all of them.

My second bow is to my body, my biology, the Jing I was born with. Biology shared with children, brothers and sisters, parents, ancestors…

My final bow is to the Tao, the Way, my place in nature, perhaps a collective intelligence. I call it the Tao. The Tao unifies all living things.

This is what I discovered decades ago as a kid sitting under a tree in a park on a mountain on a cool and sunny day with an odd little book about changes.

Collected together, the ethers of the universe constitute a unity; divided they constitute Yin and Yang; quartered they constitute the four seasons; [still further] sundered, they constitute the five elements. These elements represent movement.

-Tung Chung-Shu

Now, go find your tree.