NECK PAIN AND QIGONG

I'm now practicing Qigong with clients at Sonlight Wellness in Arvada. By practicing with individuals and couples I am able to address specific needs, physical and emotional. So far I've created practices focusing on the neck, the shoulders, the wrists, and also anxiety. Soon, I'll  address depression, insomnia, low back pain, headaches, knee pain... First up, the neck.

Qigong is a Complimentary Alternate Practice along with Yoga Therapy, Massage, Art therapy... Practicing Qigong improves emotional and physical wellness with movement, massage, mindfulness, and in my case, laughter. It is not meant to replace care by a licensed health care provider. 

Now, back to the neck. The Chinese have called the neck the “Pillar of Heaven.” The neck supports the 15-to-20-pound weight of the head. The acupressure points in the neck are known as “windows of the sky.” When the neck is properly aligned, and there is a feeling of space between the cervical vertebrae, the “windows” are clear and open. You’ll hear me repeatedly reminding you to “lift from the bai hui,” the crown of your head. Doing this creates space in the cervical vertebrae. We've cleared and opened the windows.  

Reflexively, the neck responds to the “fight or flight” tension. Emotional imbalances create tension in the neck. When I, as I child, was being particularly raucous, my mother would say “you’re giving me a stiff neck.” She was kind of kidding. 

Each organ and meridian is associated with an emotion. The emotion may be in hypofunction (depleted) in hyperfunction (excessive.) The diagram below illustrates the five meridians that run through the neck. Busy place. Below the drawing, you'll see associated emotions. 

Organ Meridian               Emotion      Hypofunction      Hyperfunction

Liver/Gall Bladder           Anger           Indecisive              Irritation

Bladder/Kidneys              Fear             Doubt                    Foolhardiness

Large Intestine/Lungs     Grief             Sorrow                  Holding

SanJiao/Pericardium        Joy               Despair                 Manic Behavior

What about that Du Channel or the Governing Vessel? The pathway of the Governing Vessel passes through the three aspects of the mind; the kidneys, the heart, and the brain. It is often associated with depression and manic behaviors. More about that when I address anxiety and depression.

How about those muscles? Muscles travel through the neck from various directions. You'll hear about: the trapezius, the levator scapulae, the scalenes, the sternocleidomastoid... 

For our purposes, using movement, tapping, pinching, stretching, breath, and mindfulness we will lengthen and soften the muscle tissues and release adhesions in the fascia. You see in the drawing above some of the acupoints located on or near those muscles. Yup, we'll be tapping, massaging and pinching those points. 

Back to Qigong. Where shall we start?

Posture. Our intention? Create space.

Whether we're standing or sitting we can practice lifting from the crown of the head. This point is called the Bai Hui. Lifting from the Bai Hui will create space in the cervical vertebrae. Our chin will release down. And now we're almost ready for: 

WUJI, “Emptiness stance”

• Lift from “Bai Hui”
• Feel length in 7 cervical vertebrae. 
• Chin drops slightly.
• Release your shoulders back and down.
• Create space in your armpits, broadening the shoulders a bit. 
• Relax the tailbone down.
• Soften your knees.
• Feel your feet grounded in the earth. 
• Breathe in through the nose, out through the nose unless we're purging. If that's the case, in through the nose out through the mouth. 
  

Microcosmic Orbit, cool name right? Once we have created space we're ready to breathe up the spine, up the “Du Channel.” Exhale down front of body, the “Ren Channel.” We are directing our breath and our Qi. 

A good practice technique is to place one hand on the sternum, encouraging a relaxing of the chest as we exhale. 

"Okay boss, I'm reading about the tailbone, the shoulders, the armpits, and the feet. I came here because of neck pain."

It's all connected. Remember, muscles in the neck come from not only the back of the body but also the front. Meridians, or for those of you hungry for Western language, myofascial chains, also run up and down the torso, the arms, the legs, and through the neck. 

Reel it in. Back to Qigong. Many wonderful videos are found on YouTube. I am practicing many of these forms with clients at Sonlight Wellness in Arvada. 

Until we meet in person. Enjoy these videos:

Be well, be happy, follow your bliss and lift from your Bai Hui.

Brian