Water is hidden in the ground beneath the snows of winter. The flow of creeks and streams is seemingly halted as water becomes ice.
Water represents the vital essence of life, a reservoir of potential, wisdom, and
adaptability. During the winter water is in a state of Wuji, the primordial void before differentiation into the complementary forces of Yin and Yang.
Associated with winter, water embodies the qualities of stillness, reflection, and renewal,
The Kidneys along with the Urinary Bladder are the organs of the Water element. The Kidneys store and conserve the body's vital essence (Jing).
A balanced Water element facilitates wisdom, flexibility, and adaptability, allowing individuals to navigate challenges and embrace change.
New word: Biophilia: a natural affinity with plants, animals, water. But it's actually more than an affinity, research shows that all humans actually benefit from and have an instinctual need for these connections.
Observing nature provides wisdom and guidance while fostering resilience, patience, and connection. How does this come to be? Observation, reflection, imitation and connecting with something larger than ourselves.
We collect Qi from nature: trees, rivers, stones, while we garden in the earth, feel the warmth of a nice fire, experience negative ions at the beach.
Five elements of nature create a framework for many practices: Fire, Earth, Metal, Water and Wood. A quick review for those who think in pictures, like me.
"Nothing in the world is as soft and yielding as water yet for dissolving the hard and inflexible nothing can surpass it." Tao Te Jing, chapter 8
QiGong Water Forms encourage us to observe, and feel ebb and flow as we move the body and breathe in a continuous and unbroken manner. We are drifting along currents while we also push and pull water like the tides.
Water forms give us a chance to practice Wu Wei, effortless action.
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| Savannah friends, where is this fountain? |
Rippling Waves Water Mudra
- Imagine you’re floating your hands above moving water, Let your motions be fluid and spontaneous. Observe without naming. Feel the water without trying to move the water. Wu Wei.
Move like water
- Feel waves moving up from your feet, up the spine from the sacrum through the neck. Your head, your Bai Hui, is being gently moved like a floating buoy on the surface of the water.
Fountain
- Drawing up from the Bubbling Spring points on your feet, your hands draw water up the central channel through the crown, the Bai Hui. Then your hands separate and fall to the sides of your body. Imagine rain falling. Effortlessly.
Pushing Waves
- While we imagine pushing and pulling waves, like we’re steering the tides, we can settle in Wu Wei by riding the waves forward and back as the tide moves in and out.
Daoyin
- Water meets earth. Fluidity as we engage muscles and tendons by stretching. We’ve turned our focus to our bodies. We twist and stretch, opening joints and waking up the spine as we turn one direction, then the other. This is a wonderful introduction to our next form:
Swimming Dragon
- Whole body spiraling. Our spine opens. Internally we feel the power and flexibility of a dragon swimming through a deep, dark blue sea. In yogic traditions, Kundalini is the latent spiritual energy coiled at the base of the spine. Its awakening is felt as that energy coils up the spine.
6 circles
- I love this variation of Dragon Circles as taught by Konstantin Rekk. it focuses our attention, connecting with Earth, Heaven, Living Beings, Yin Yang, and the Universe.
I will be practicing the forms listed above as a part of the National Qigong Association Zoom series called Syner-Qi in December. The entire practice will include being escorted by Guardian Dragons through the realms of the Five Spirits.
Another captivating video forthcoming.
And just for fun:
I wish you good health and happiness,
Brian
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