8 Brocades Qigong Practice

This is a relatively new Eight Pieces Brocade Qigong practice that I found posted to Facebook.

Especially nice is that Mimi Kuo-Deemer not only leads you through the practice visually, there is a voice-over explaining the how-to, the background, and the benefits of each movement.

This is a great video to return to for daily practice!

 Link to YouTube:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3K-0JpiJu-o

How Eight Pieces Brocade builds bone density

This is my Creative Health Tip for this week posted to the Believing Is Seeing blog, and since it describes one of the moves in the Eight Pieces of Brocade, it fits well here, too!





I say this without any hint of sarcasm, honest, but I really love it when science catches up with three-thousand year old Chinese medicine. That can be a great motivator to people who want to try a holistic health modality but aren't sure if it works.

I have here a pamphlet sent out as an invitation to subscribe to "Prevention," a magazine dedicated to health and wellness.

One of the articles is titled "The 60-Second Bone Builder." The article does not mention Chinese medicine, but the advice given in how to build bone density is the very essence of one of the movement positions in Eight Pieces of Brocade Qigong, a practice proven to increase bone density!

The article Says, "…..high impact exercises put strain on your bones, stimulating new bone growth." A little further down it says, "You need to subject your bones to more impact than what they're used to," agrees an MD at Stanford University. So if you're inactive, start walking. And if you're already walking, add a simple 60-second jog."

The reason for jogging is that bones, because they are so dense, need the additional impact as resistance. Just as you build muscles with resistance training by lifting weights, you build bone density with resistance of high-impact exercises.

In the Eight Pieces of Brocade Qigong, there is a position that includes exactly this type of high-impact training. (See the end of the article for results of a study of qigong on bone density.)

The practice is this: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, letting your arms hang loosely and naturally at your sides. Rise up on your toes for a count of three and then drop so that your heels hit the ground with a thud. Do this for one minute. When done, stand still and breathe deeply for about a minute.

There you have it: a high-impact, bone-building practice that is so simple you can do it any time and any where.

Eight Pieces Brocade / Baduanjin by Shifu Yan Lei

The Way of Qi Gong Volume One (Baduanjin) by Shaolin Temple Disciple Shifu Yan Lei on YouTube

A reader named James sent me the link to this wonderful video showing another variation on the popular Eight Pieces of Brocade, or Eight Fine Treasures, qigong.

Enjoy!

Eight Pieces Brocade Video by Sirzuke

Here is another offering from YouTube. This one is about five minutes on the Eight Pieces of Brocade. The young man in this video performs several of the exercises slightly differently than I do, but this is an excellent video, and by his comments it seems he is in the right frame of mind when it comes to qigong.

It's not only about performing perfect movements, it's about harmonizing and strengthening your qi (energy), and at the same time forming a strong mind-body connection for health and wellness.

Enjoy!

The four qigongs sanctioned by the Chinese government for health and healing

Health Qigong

From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qigong

In 2001 the Chinese Government showed great interest in regulating the Qigong movement. The State Sport General Administration of China founded the Chinese Health Qigong Association, as a mass-organization to popularize, spread and research Health Qigong in cooperation with the Peking Sport University. In 2003 the organization presented the newly developed four Health Qigong Exercises on the base of excellent traditional Qigong, including

• Yì Jīn Jīng (tendon-changing classic),
• Wu Qin Xi (frolics of five animals),
• Liu Zi Jue (the art of expiration in producing six different sounds),
• Ba Duan Jin (eight excellent movements),

to fit the people's needs of promoting their health and body, and to develop traditional Chinese national culture further. The Chinese Health Qigong Association is a member of the All-China Sports Federation.

During the process of developing the exercises, strictly scientific research methods have been followed. Primary experiments took place under supervision of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Modern Medicine, Psychology, Athletic Science and other related subjects. The Four Health Qigong Exercises can be seen as the essences from the related Qigong in various schools, inherited and developed traditional Chinese national culture.

The new Health Qigong represented by the Chinese Health QiGong Association is breaking with the old tradition of family-styles and close teacher-student relation. It is hoped that the new standardisation is supporting the international spread of Qigong in the western hemisphere.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To my students in Bend, I am very proud to bring to you two of the four qigong practices sanctioned by the Chinese government as healing practices: Eight Pieces of Brocade aka Eight Excellent Movements (Ba Duan Jin) and Five Animals Frolic (Wu Qin Xi).

Although the Six Healing Sounds (Liu Zi Jue) are included in the list instead of the Eight Healing Sounds, I believe that the practice of the Eight Healing Sounds, which I have practiced and also teach, are every bit as effective as the Six Healing Sounds approved by the Chinese government.

Eight Pieces Brocade positions hint list

People all around the world often use rhymes as memory devices, little poems like "Thirty days has September; April, June, and November…" to remember the number of days in each month.

The Chinese have just such a poem to remember the positions in the Eight Pieces of Brocade Qigong! In Chinese it rhymes; unfortunately in English it does not, but is still a handy reminder list so you won't forget any of the positions if you like to practice at home between classes!

From the Eight Section Brocade webpage of Michael P. Garofalo (click the Chinese writing for better visibility):

"I saw you included the list of movements in Chinese in your webpage on Baduanjin. Very good! It might be interesting to add that this is a Chinese (didactic) poem, made for easy remembering the eight movements and their effect. This poem has the classical Chinese format with 8 lines of 7 characters each and rhyme in line 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8."

Translation:

1. Both hands carry heaven to regulate the triple burner.
2. Draw the bow left and right as if to shoot a vulture.
3. Regulate spleen and stomach by lifting one hand.
4. Remedy the 5 symptoms and 7 disorders by looking backward.
5. Turn the head and swing the tail to eliminate heart-fire.
6. Two hands grab the feet to strengthen kidneys and waist.
7. Clench fists and look angry to increase qi and strength.
8. Jolt the back 7 times and hundred illnesses will disappear

Thanks to Hielke Hylkema for sending me the above information and translation.

Shaolin Baduanjin Qigong - Video

This fantastic four minute video was uploaded from YouTube

Eight Pieces Brocade Physical, Mental, and Emotional Health Benefits

Striking (Punching) With Angry Eyes

The Governing Vessel Channel controls all yang channels. I placed “Striking” with the Governing Vessel Channel because: “This exercise develops the flow of chi from your feet through your entire body and extends it through your hands and eyes.”

P. 78, The Way of Energy. Upward movement is usually considered a yang activity, so I paired the controller of the yang channels with the upward movement of the Governing Vessel Meridian.

Internal Health Benefits of this position: improves circulation and nervous system, strengthens eye muscles.

Exercise and Relaxation Benefits of this position: works chest (pectorals), back, shoulder, and arm muscles; helps trim waistline; improves circulation and nervous system, strengthens eye muscles.

Mental and Emotional Benefits of this position: it supports the benefits of the yang organs; the Large Intestine, Stomach, Small Intestine, Bladder, Triple Burner, and Gall Bladder.

Shooting an Eagle with a Bow and Arrow is particularly beneficial for the energy channels associated with the paired organs of Lung (yin) and Large Intestine (yang).

Internal Health Benefits of this position: opens the chest cavity which promotes heart and lung health, and improves circulation and oxygenation of blood; promotes health of the small intestine.

Exercise and Relaxation Benefits of this position: works muscles of upper back, neck, shoulders, arms, wrists, fingers; opens the chest cavity which promotes heart and lung health, and improves circulation and oxygenation of blood.

[Also, I placed this position with Lung/Large Intestine because of the hand positions: Index finger is start of large intestine, index finger and thumb are ends of lung channels.]

Mental and Emotional Benefits of this position: promotes emotional balance; promotes ability to quickly regain composure following an emotional reaction; promotes "big picture" thinking and vision; promotes resolution of grief and sorrow; promotes unbiased judgment; seat of "Ah-ha!" flashes of inspiration.

Mental or emotional unbalance could manifest as lack of emotional response, or hysteria; unresolved grief; lack of sense of completion or closure.

Separating Heaven And Earth (also known as Regulate Spleen & Stomach By Raising Each Hand) is particularly beneficial for the energy channels associated with the paired organs of Spleen (yin) and Stomach (yang).

Internal Health Benefits of this position: promotes health of liver, gall bladder, spleen, stomach, and intestines.

Exercise and Relaxation Benefits of this position: works muscles of middle and upper back, shoulders, wrists, and stretches the spine.

Mental and Emotional Benefits of this position: promotes clear thinking, decisiveness, insight, enthusiasm to engage in life; seat of motivation and creativity.

Mental or emotional unbalance could manifest as excessive worry, difficulty in making decisions, confusion; could be overly helpful or distant and unhelpful.

Head and Hips Removes Excess Heat From the Heart is particularly beneficial for the energy channels associated with the paired organs of Heart (yin) and Small Intestine (yang)

There are two main variations on this position:

1 – semi-squat and turning from side to side;

2 – raising the arm above the head and leaning to the side

Internal Health Benefits of this position: Reduces tension, benefits nervous system, encourages positive, even flow of energy throughout body.

Exercise and Relaxation Benefits of this position: works all back muscles, shoulder and neck muscles; reduces tension, benefits nervous system, encourages positive, even flow of energy throughout body.

Mental and Emotional Benefits of this position: promotes interactions and behaviors that are timely and suitable to the context and the situation; supports showing respect, being thoughtful, and offering to be of help at the right time; promotes the ability to clearly communicate through precise word choice; supports short-term memory; seat of consciousness, self-awareness, and connection to and living in harmony with the world.

Mental or emotional unbalance could manifest as insomnia, anxiety, discomfort in being around people, inappropriate or strange behaviors.

Supporting The Sky With Both Hands Regulates All Internal Organs is particularly beneficial for the energy channels associated with the Pericardium (yin) and Triple Heater (yang).

Internal Health Benefits of this position: massages all internal organs, promotes circulation and oxygenation of blood, beneficial for back and spine, improves posture, and relieves tiredness.

Exercise and Relaxation Benefits of this position: works muscles of upper back, neck, shoulders, arms, wrists, fingers; promotes circulation and oxygenation of blood, beneficial for back and spine, improves posture, relieves tiredness.

Mental and Emotional Benefits of this position: promotes interactions and behaviors that are timely and suitable to the context and the situation; supports showing respect, being thoughtful, and offering to be of help at the right time; promotes the ability to clearly communicate through precise word choice; supports short-term memory; seat of consciousness, self-awareness, and connection to and living in harmony with the world. (Same as Heart - see above)

Mental or emotional unbalance could manifest as insomnia, anxiety, discomfort in being around people, inappropriate or strange behaviors. (Same as Heart)

Bend Forward And Touch Toes (also called Touching the Feet With Both Hands Reinforces the Kidneys and Loins) is particularly beneficial for the energy channels associated with the paired organs of Kidney (yin) and Bladder (yang).

Internal Health Benefits of this position: strengthens lower back and leg muscles, benefits abdominal organs and muscles, strengthens kidneys and adrenal glands.

Exercise and Relaxation Benefits of this position: works to strengthen lower back and all leg muscles; stretches and relaxes back and shoulder muscles.

Mental and Emotional Benefits of this position: promotes will power, efforts and commitments that allow for personal responsibility for life; understanding that correct living is effortless (to "go with the flow" of universal energy); the seat of spirituality and wisdom.

Mental or emotional unbalance could manifest as phobias, anxiety surrounding life and death, inability to appreciate one's own age and wisdom.

Looking Back Like A Cow Gazing at the Moon is particularly beneficial for the energy channels associated with the paired organs of Liver (yin) and Gallbladder (yang)

Internal Health Benefits of this position: promotes circulation to head, supports nervous system, stimulates kidneys, strengthens eye, neck, and shoulder muscles. This is an excellent exercise for remedying high blood pressure and hardening of the arteries.

Exercise and Relaxation Benefits of this position: works muscles of neck, upper back, wrists; trims waist; promotes circulation to head, supports nervous system; strengthens eye, neck, and shoulder muscles.

Mental and Emotional Benefits of this position: promotes healthy personal boundaries; supports ability to remain un-tense thereby allowing greater tolerance to physical pain; promotes kindness and benevolence.

Mental or emotional unbalance could manifest as anger, stubbornness; lack of self-worth or self-esteem; numbness or insensitivity to physical and emotional/spiritual suffering of self and others.

Shaking Off Illness

I can’t recall where I saw this, but this movement allows for energy to be let go or sent back into the earth instead of being raised from it. I have paired this movement with the Conception Vessel Channel. Alternative names of this exercise support this idea: “Seven Disorders and Hundreds of Illnesses Disappear and are Left Behind Your Back” and “Reaching Down to Dissipate Disease.”

Internal Health Benefits of this position: internal organ massage; benefits spine, nervous system, and balance. Especially, this activity activates lymph system. (Tuberose.com)

Exercise and Relaxation Benefits of this position: works muscles of calves, thighs, and lower back; beneficial for the nervous system, and balance.

Mental and Emotional Benefits of this position: it supports the benefits of the yin organs; the Lung, Spleen, Heart, Kidney, Pericardium, and Liver.

Bibliography:

Chuen, Lam Kam The Way of Energy, Fireside (Simon & Schuster Inc), NY, 1991, ISBN 0671736450

Garofalo, Michael P., “Eight Section Brocade” http://www.egreenway.com/taichichuan/esb.htm

Kaptchuk, Ted J., O.M.D, The Web That Has No Weaver: Understanding Chinese Medicine, McGraw-Hill, NY, 2000, ISBN 0809228408

Tuberose.com http://www.tuberose.com/Cancer.html Cells are able to function better with fresh lymph fluid filled with the proper concentrations of oxygen, glucose and all other nutrients. When fresh supplies replace the waste products of cells--the toxins, bacteria viruses, poisons, trash and debris--cells are healthier, and so are you. But the lymphatic system is completely dependent on some kind of movement to stimulate the pumping action. When you do rebound exercise, your lymphatic system moves about twenty times as fast as it does at rest.

Acupuncture charts courtesy of Pedro Bernardy and RyuBuKan Dojo. For informational purposes only.