Shibashi

Nature. From the early times, Taoist principles and Qigong practices have been inspired by observations of nature. Shamanistic forms drew inspiration from animals, from the stars and astrology, from the elements.





Great, what is this Shibashi? It literally translates as “18 movements or forms”. How do you say it? It’s pronounced “sher bah sher”.

Shibashi is a set of individual Qigong exercises, encouraging us to stop and observe the qualities of nature. Shibashi combines elements from Yang style Tai Chi with breathing and movement exercises from Qigong. During and after a session, the body, mind and spirit undergo a “reboot.” Specific benefits are listed below.

Shibashi was created in Shanghai, China. To this day, all students of Traditional Chinese Medicine in China are required by the Government to study Shibashi. The exercises are medicinal and used to complement treatment of a number of common ailments, including cancer.

First off, many Qigong forms have cool names conjuring poetic images. For example: “painting a rainbow”, “Separating Clouds”, “Turning to Gaze at the Moon”, “Playing with Waves”…

Here are the 18 forms. I’ll note a couple benefits of each form. These are not promises. They’re not meant to replace other medical treatments, they are instead suggested as complimentary exercises.


1. Commencing Move – "Getting hooked up.” As the arms raise, we inhale earth energy, calming the emotions. As the arms lower, tensions are cleared and returned to the earth, where they are composted. We slow down. We move as though we’re painting, maybe we’re getting our canvas ready.

2. Broadening the Chest – Now, we hook up to nature, to our surroundings. This form is helpful for those suffering from depression, insomnia and hypertension and relieving mental fatigue. We unblock Qi energy of the heart and lungs. We open our chest and declutter our heart.

3. Dancing with a Rainbow – We turn upward and connect two important acupressure points: Laogong in the palms and the Bai Hui at the crown of the head. (Words in italics are defined in a previous blog post “Qigong and TCM terms”.) By connecting these points we strengthen the Heart and Triple Heater Meridians. Dancing with a Rainbow, or some call it Painting a Rainbow, relieves back pain and some say it may help to reduce fatty deposits around the waist. No promises though.








4. Separating the Clouds – We reach down to the earth and then up to the clouds strengthening the legs while activating the kidneys. Those who suffer from dizziness, palpitations, anxiety, or shortness of breath may find relief. We also connect two points at the wrists, the Inner and Outer Gates, the Waiguan and Neiguan.


5. Twisting Waist and Swinging Arms – This form moves congested energy from the liver and gall bladder, compressing these organs and lengthening the meridians. It relieves shoulder, elbow and wrist pain. The iliopsoas muscles, a troublesome couple of muscles, are lengthened.




6. Rowing a Boat to the Center of a Lake - A great shoulder opener. This form moves Qi along meridians of the arms (Lung, Heart, Pericardium, Triple Heater…)





7. Lifting a Qi Ball, Reaching for the Sun – Particularly good for relieving stress, it stimulates blood circulation and calms the spirit. The lifting and twisting motion activates the Spleen Meridian.



8. Turning to gaze at the Moon – By twisting the torso, this form improves conditions related to the stomach and spleen and improves digestion and may help reduce fatty deposits around the waist. And then there’s the moon. The earliest Taoists turned to the moon as a window of intuition. By turning to gaze at the moon, might we be seeking hunches from our unconscious mind?

9. Twisting Waist and Pushing Hands – Twisting the torso strengthens the function of and treats ailments of the spleen and stomach, aiding digestion. This form calms the mind, and treats pains in the waist and legs. The pushing motion encourages me to feel: “I’m finished with old, unnecessary thoughts and patterns, bring on the new.”

10. Wave hands like clouds – This has been a favorite form of mine since learning it from a Taiji teacher long ago. The hands focus our attention on the Heart center, and also the lower Dan Tian, the elixir field of our Qi. We connect these two centers with our hands and our breath. The two hemispheres of the brain are exercised with the movement of the hands.




11. Scooping from the Sea and Searching the Sky – Once again we cross our wrists at the Neiguan and Waiguan points, the Inner and Outer Gates. These points remind me that I do not need to absorb other peoples’ energies. On a physical level Neiguan is a point used for treating nausea and motion sickness. The action of reaching down and then extending up and back nurtures the low back and kidneys while allowing us to feel expansive as we reach for the sky.




12. Playing with Waves – While we are learning and practicing new movements, it’s important to smile, to play, to enjoy. Once again we are rocking on our feet, stimulating both Kidney and Bladder points. This movement calms the mind and alleviates anxiety and insomnia by pushing unneeded energy away and pulling in good, healthful Qi. The pulling of the waves directs Qi to the lower Dan Tian.

Practicing this form and the next, we rock on the feet, massaging the point on the bottom of the foot called Bubbling Well, Yongquan, the point where we root to the earth. We also reach upwards from our Bai Hui, our crown.

13. Flying Dove Spreads its Wings – Once again we open the chest by spreading our wings. In doing so, we release blocked Qi and nurture the heart and lungs. Like many other forms, this action helps with depression, especially if done with a smile.





14. Punching – What do you think of when you think of punching? Anger, which can be destructive but can be channeled into productive action. By punching in this form we relieve mental stress and tension (particularly work related stress). But, we focus on keeping our fists relaxed and soft. A dichotomy which can teach us to react with strength and confidence, but with softness. It also strengthens Liver Qi.

15. Flying Like a Goose – I’d like to call this “Acting Like a Silly Goose.” We’re reaching upwards, getting on our tip toes. This form is very grand and ballet-like. We lift away from depression and expand to new heights. This is a wonderful shoulder opener, activating the heart and lung meridians. By getting on our tip toes we exercise the kidney and bladder meridians.

16. Turning the Wheel – This form used to make me dizzy. If we turn “the wheel” focusing on moving the rib cage rather than the arms, we won’t get dizzy. We also follow our arms with our eyes using peripheral vision rather than rotating our neck. Moving the rib cage moves Qi along the Gall Bladder and Spleen meridians. By compressing and then opening the abdomen and chest we aid bowel, liver and kidney function.





17. Bouncing a Ball – This is a balancing of left and right brain hemispheres, improving coordination. The bouncing takes place in our arms, legs and feet, once again moving briefly onto our tip-toes. And like these kids, we smile! Remember the song “Skip to my Lou?” It goes well with this form.




18. Pressing the palms – Regulates and settles internal Qi through the meridians and settles the vital energy in the Dan Tian. We connect heaven and earth. The ascending and descending movements absorb the Yin quality of Earth Qi and the Yang quality of Heaven Qi.


And there you have it. Shibashi 101, a step towards your better understanding of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Practice these gentle yet effective moves with Karen Soo, and with me “in a park.”

I've included two videos: and informative set my Mimi Kuo Deemer, and a shorter, flowing set my Vivian Chao. You will notice variations in some of the forms. But you know me, I like that. 

RECLAIMING MY CRANE

“I don’t know what you’re doing but keep doing it.” My oncologist knows that I attribute my ability to subdue the effects of cancer to the practice of Qigong. He’s mystified by my practices, and in awe. 

“…keep doing it.” 

When I was diagnosed first with Leukemia and then Merkel Cell Carcinoma he asked me if I wanted to know my prognosis, how long do I have to live? 

No, I’m good. That’s up to me.

Lymphocytes have mutated, multiplying irregularly. Cancer cells, bad guys, are creating tumors and harassing my lymph nodes. I’m faced with bullies. 

Being bullied is not new to me. As a kid I was not like the other boys. I drew attention to myself by pretending to be a bird flying across the playground. Ecstasy! 

The other boys called me names; they threatened me verbally and physically. I was branded. I disconnected and was afraid. I built a wall. I hid. I was lonely, but safe. I hid my dreams of flying. 

And now as a grown man another bully has moved onto the playground. Cancer.

My response? I spread my wings and fly like a bird. I unabashedly flap my wings with friends in parks, contentedly drawing the attention of people passing by. They stare, we smile. 

I’m empowered. I’ve reclaimed my crane. 

My oncologist is curious and in awe. What AM I doing? I am pouncing like a tiger and grabbing fruit like a cheeky monkey. I’m standing like a tree and moving like water. I’m dropping on my heels to create vibration and reaching upwards to feel expansiveness. I’m dancing with rainbows and moving my hands like clouds. I’m scooping water from the sea and reaching for the heavens. I’m creating space in my body, mind, and spirit.

I’m living. 

I am balancing Eastern and Western modalities as I fight this disease. I attribute my physical and mental state of well being to Qigong and acupuncture; but I also rely on immunotherapy, surgery, radiation, all the things. 

During our Friday morning Qigong practices we will be flapping wings, practicing Crane forms.

I’ve chosen to start with forms as taught by Kseny as we focus on expansion, and compression. We begin curled up, asleep. And then we rise, we fly. 

I hope that you will spread your wings and fly!

I love you all.

Brian

EXPANSION, CONTRACTION, COMPRESSION

BECOMING UNSTUCK: Expand, Contract, Compress, Repeat

One of the first Qigong forms I learned, and one that I practice with friends regularly is "Compress Pearl." 

Palms face each other, okay, the Laogong points on the palms face each other, as though we're holding a ball, or a pearl in front of the lower Dan Tian. As we inhale, the arms lift to the sides creating more space. The arms lower on an exhalation, letting the palms organically draw back to the pearl. Open, close, open, close. 

Eventually one might feel some sort of sensation between the palms, energy, electricity... Sometimes I feel as though two magnets are being pushed towards each other, they create some sort of a energetic resistance. 

Compression = Reduced volume created by external pressure or squeezing. An object is made smaller due to an external force or applied pressure. Compression also comes in the form of a hug. 

Perhaps we're embracing or caressing that Qi ball at our Lower Dan Tian. It's a good thing. 

Contraction = Becoming smaller, shorter, or tighter. This action generates force and causes movement. Contraction is an inward expression, due to internal changes rather than an outside squeeze.

Expansion = We make room for inspiration. We open our eyes. We connect to the vastness of the universe. We experience a sense of awe. 

We've also been practicing "Shake the Back Seven Times to Eliminate the 100 Illnesses" or "Drop the Heels" or "Drop the Post."

Brace yourselves. As we contract, squeezing our muscles, lifting onto our tiptoes, we inhale. As we release, we drop our heels and exhale. Contract on the inhale, expand on the exhale; the opposite of "Compress Pearl."  

I teach a variation of "Drop the Heels" as it is practiced by the Shaolin Monks. We raise up onto the balls of our feet, onto our tiptoes, lifting the heels, inhale, and then drop onto the heels exhaling as we create a vibration throughout the body. 

The variation I teach also involves raising the shoulder up to the ears, making fists, bending the wrists so that our fists are behind us, even the eyebrows instinctively rise, we've inhaled, we hold the breath for a moment, squeeze, squeeze, squeeze. And then we drop onto our heels with a mighty exhalation. We release. Our arms swings out in front of our bodies. It's as though a spring has been released.  

What have we done here? We've contracted our muscles, drawing inwards, compressing. We've created an isometric compression by holding for even just one second. The real lesson comes with the release. 

Release = Relief 

"Six Directional Breathing" is an excellent practice focusing on breath, expansion and contraction. 

Begin by focusing on the lower abdomen and the lower back, the Dan Tian and the Ming Men. Place one palm just below the belly button, the other hand, palm facing out at your lower back. Breathe. See if you can feel your hand at the lower Dan Tian gently move forward on the inhalation. The back hand? I feel as though I’m creating space between my rib cage and my sacrum. 

Now we grow wings. Bring your arms to your sides. We are going to breathe into the sides of the body, expanding the rib cage. Feel space in the arm pits. The inhalation encourages a gentle lift of the arms. The exhalation allows the "wings" (yes, you've grown wings) to settle back down towards the sides. Your wings are attached to your spine. Feel that connection. After a while, the lift of the arms feels effortless. The breath is creating the lift. Wu wei, effortless action. 

I introduce the next direction, UP, by imagining that as you lower your wings, you are gracefully generating lift, like a bird. On the downstroke, wings compress air beneath them. This generates the upward lift needed to raise the bird’s body against gravity. 

Breathe and feel a lift at the crown, the Bai Hui. Feel space all the way down the torso, down to the perineum, the Huiyin point. Maybe we can imagine the breath traveling all the way down to the feet. 

Another application: next time you practice "Compress Pearl," see if you can feel the expansion in six directions. 

All together now: front and back, side to side, top to bottom. 

Space, expansiveness, lightness; fly like a bird. 

I spend a great deal of time thinking about Qigong's effect on the psyche. 

Expansion creates feelings of openness, receptivity, growth, and connection. We may feel aligned with our desires and values. We feel energized, inspired, and ready to reach beyond our current limitations. Think like a tree. 

We feel drawn to the ethereal realms, Shen and Hun; being in awe while being inspired by dreams. The expansiveness of heaven creates the sense of awe. Shen spirits are tethered to the heart, fire element: expansion, the draw to move upwards.

Contraction in contrast signals a need to pause, reflect, ground ourselves, sometimes emerging from fear or uncertainty. How does your body feel when you're nervous, anxious, frightened, sad? While contraction may feel restrictive, it serves as a necessary process for introspection, focus, or recalibration before we can expand again. 

This compressed state is common in the realm of the Po Soul of the corporeal realm. The Po Soul is connected to the lungs. The lungs express shades of grief. How does your body express grief? 

Visit FAQ about the Wu Shen, the Five Spirits to learn more about the Shen, Hun, Po, Yi, and Zhi Spirits; metaphors of the human psyche. 

Both expansion and contraction contribute to a well-rounded psyche.

Is one good, the other bad? No. 

Compression is sometimes given a bad rap. It’s paired with suppression, or repression. Play with this idea: think of compression as a zip-drive, creating space. Rather than storing raw memories, we can compress “data” into images, archetypes, and dreams. The expansion may help us retrieve "data," let go, move on. Or, perhaps we'll keep the "data" safe until we're ready to process. Read my blogpost: Descending Into Awareness

Expansion and compression are two halves of a single whole. These expressions are present in the natural world, the seasons, day and night, growth and decay... All living things express expansion and contraction. The universe is thought to be expanding. 

Yin and Yang.

Expansion comes with great relief. While it may feel like the grand finale, it’s not the penultimate since the process repeats and repeats in our daily lives, in our practices. I end my sessions by practicing expansion. Then we ground ourselves. And then we bow three times, expressing gratitude. The bows feel like a compressed hug. 

Qigong forms you'll see in this video expressing expansion, compression, and contraction:

• Six Directional Breathing
• Green Dragon from the East
• Compress Pearl
• Wise Owl Turns Its Head
• Dragon Transforms Qi
• Drop the Heels
• Monkey Lifts Paws

May you experience expansiveness, safety and balance.

One more thought, life begins with an inhalation. 

Expansion. 

Life ends with an exhalation. 

Contraction. 

In the meantime? BREATHE! 

I love you all. 

Brian

A hug, compressed love

PRACTICING WITH INTENTION

We have been practicing Ba Duan Jin, the Eight Brocades, as taught by various teachers. Some variations of the forms are subtle, some are more obvious. All forms offer an aesthetic as they also encourage a particular connection and sensation. Forms connect us with our bodies, our breath, and our surroundings. 

Today we practiced the forms as taught by the Buddhist monks of the Shaolin Temple. 

Watching someone practice the Shaolin forms may be perplexing. Until you practice along. The intention seems different. 

Intention, Yi, is a delicate balance of directing energy toward a goal while maintaining a state of "allowing," or, as commonly put, being "true to oneself" while flowing with the natural rhythm of life.

"Yi dao, qi dao’ translates roughly as: "where the intention goes, the qi flows." If we slow down movement, or even stop it altogether, and focus our mind on a direction, a spiral, a reach, where our eyes focus, or even a punch, we will enjoy attentive awareness. 

Let's look at the Chinese character for "yi."

Yi is a combination of two radicals. On the bottom is an open bowl, symbolizing the heart, Xin. Above the heart is the radical for sound, a musical note, a chant, a poem. We connect inspiration and intention; insight and fulfillment the hearts desire. We sing. 

Since it has been my intention to encourage my friends to "make it your own," I am not going to direct their attention to feeling this or that. I have included a video of a Shaolin monk practice and also of Mimi Kuo Deemer. I first learned the Eight Brocades by watching this video every day for almost a year. Practice and notice. What resonates with you? 

After studying forms by many teachers, I have created a set which I enjoy. For today. Tomorrow could be different. 

I wish for you peace, health, and endless inspiration

Brian