5 Element Qigong - PDF Version - 10 1 17 PDF
5 Element Qigong - PDF Version - 10 1 17 PDF
5 Element Qigong - PDF Version - 10 1 17 PDF
5 Element
Qigong
5 Ancient Qigong Exercises for
Ultimate Health and Longevity
Fascia and Chinese Medicine
in Qigong
BY Tevia Feng
五元氣功
Foreword
If you were to ask me to describe the author of this book in one sentence, I would say:
“Master Tevia Feng is a master of his craft, - a powerhouse; he lives and breathes Qi-
gong, fully practicing what he preaches, and inspires people from all walks of life, na-
tions and ages to journey into energy cultivation and to make a commitment to it.”
Bringing his original blend of traditional Qigong practices, combined with modern sports
science and fascia research to the printed word, Tevia provides here a holistic approach
to learning about Five Element Qigong. He has over three decades of experience and
Copyright © 2017 by Tevia Feng intensive training to draw upon, runs his successful White Tiger Qigong school, and has
developed numerous printed and audio-visual materials in this field.
All rights reserved. This book or any portion there of may not be reproduced or used
in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher Tevia wants Qigong to be an approachable modality, so this book is broken down into
except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. easily accessible sections: taking you on a journey to the mountains of China, sharing
Qigong principles, guiding you through the practices with clear pictures and instruc-
www.whitetigerqigong.com tions, and helping you to understand the short and long-term results of making Five
Element Qigong a regular part of your life.
五元氣功
He stresses the importance of developing sensitivity to one’s inner landscape during
practice, so that the profound effects this Qigong has at both the superficial and
deeper levels of the body, mind and spirit can be more fully grasped. We get out
of Qigong what we are willing to put in, and if we practice consistently, we can ef-
fect long-lasting changes to our entire fascia, nervous system and posture – and, of
Introduction
course, our energy flow!
As one of Master Tevia’s students, I hope that this book will either be used as a use-
ful adjunct to having already trained with him, or inspire you to seek out one of his
schools one day. “Breathing Out -
Touching the Root of Heaven,
The written word can provide an insightful learning platform, and this book is no ex-
ception. Still, I hope for your benefit that you will one day get to put into practice with
One’s heart opens;
Tevia what you have learnt here. Nothing beats the experience of training with the The Dragon slips by like water.
Master in the flesh! Breathing In -
Standing on the Root of Earth,
One’s heart is still and deep;
S A RA H D I V I N E The Tiger’s claw cannot be moved.”
White Tiger Qigong Instructor and Student
As a student of Qigong, I travelled China seeking the greatest masters. On my first visit,
I contacted a number of schools in the Wudang Mountains, a small range and region in
the northwestern part of Hubei, China, just south of Shiyan. This location is home to a
famous complex of Taoist temples and monasteries associated with the god Xuan Wu. It
is also believed to be the birthplace and center of Taoism in China and the place to study
the Taoist arts. A monk there told me that all the real monks are gone and that I would
only find experiences for tourists. Continuing my quest, I met a true master when I was
in Southern China and ended up studying with him.
I was walking around a local tea shop when I saw a sign reading ““I-Ching” Teachings
Here”. I walked in with a friend, who happens to be a lawyer and speaks Cantonese,
Mandarin, and English. It is here that we came upon a Taoist monk wearing a red robe,
who was very lively and had tons of energy. His back was upright and his voice was treated me to a noodle stand at the roadside. In the next few days, they upgraded my
commanding. “Come! Drink tea!” he said. He wore a jade amulet around his neck, accommodation a couple of times, each place better than the previous. I started to
which he was rubbing while looking at me. Later I learned that his amulet has the realize that the little old man in the ragged clothing commanded the monk. I thought
ability to change color depending upon the person’s energy, enabling him to see who that he was likely the boss and I was intrigued. He was originally very unassuming
is good and who is bad. At the time, I simply thought him to be just an odd guy rub- and had me believe that he was merely along for the ride. Every day he said, “I don’t
bing an amulet; then he began talking to me about tea. know that much, but…” and then he would teach me about the “I-Ching”. Eventually
he invited me to stay at his home, which I was surprised to find was a palace! The tea
The tea ceremony is inextricably connected with Taoism. The Taoist’s tea ceremony table alone was worth 100,000 USD. He was drinking tea that cost tens of thousands
focuses on the harmony between nature and human. As you prepare to drink tea, your of dollars. He said to me, “When you meet a real Taoist master, you will not know who
mind should have a connection with the natural spirit. While drinking the tea, you he is, as he hides his real powers.”
should quiet the mind, be mindful and free your mind of any thoughts. It is believed
that through the tea ceremony you have a direct connection to nature. Tea is also the The little old man in the rags and the taped Northface jacket turned out to be the Ab-
most absorbent part of all the plants, absorbing flavors and energies. It is important bot of Tien Ji Tao sect, a secret sect of Taoism. His master fled during the communist
where it grows, and equally important that the constellations are aligned with it when revolution and was a Taoist nun who passed the lineage down to him. “How did you
it grows. get so much money?” I asked. “Money is a game to me.” he replied. “I dress in rags. I
used the “I-Ching” to do business like a game. When you really understand “I-Ching”,
While in the tea shop, I saw a little old man dressed in rags. He was wearing a ragged you can play everything like a fiddle.”
Northface jacket with a hole in it that was held together with scotch tape. He was
holding up an empty plastic bottle with a flashlight. “What is that guy doing?” I asked. I ended up living with him in this spectacular palace and he would teach me all day.
He never charged me a dime, and gave me this amazing knowledge. I became the
The Taoist Monk wearing the amulet replied, “You want to know about “I–Ching”? only foreigner to ever study with this sect. As I met the few other disciples, I realized
Go to this man with the flashlight.” The old man dressed in rags spoke to me in Can- that all were very carefully chosen.
tonese, which my friend could luckily translate. The old man said, “If you really want
to learn about “I-Ching”, I recommend this guy.” He wrote down a name. On enquiry, There are many Qigong teachers who teach as a hobby. I have dedicated my life to
I learnt that this guy had died 5 years before. When I returned to the tea shop, I told this path, and I’ve been lucky to travel the world and meet many different teachers,
the old man “I couldn’t find this guy. He died.” So, he replied “Try this guy… he knows who have become the source of all this wisdom. Speaking Mandarin also helped as
a lot.” The little old man was testing my will and perseverance. He wanted to know if it opened a world most foreigners never get to experience. I have been given inside
I really wanted to learn about the “I-Ching”. information, and I care about putting it together in a way that the Western mind can
understand.
At the time, I didn’t know that he was testing me. I went home and searched but never
found this guy. So, I went back a third time and I told the man, “I couldn’t find him.” He
said “Ok, come to Wu Yi Shan. You come, you will learn about the “I-Ching” up there.”
The monk brewing the tea had invited me there to see his wild tea. They said to come Tevi a F eng
in May, two months from then, which I did. When I disembarked from the plane two Master Instructor, Creator & Founder of White Tiger Qigong™
months later, I was met by the monk and the same old man in ragged clothing, who
greeted me in perfect English. I was taken aback.
“Welcome to Wu Yi Shan.” he said. Now, usually when you do business with the Chi-
nese they will put you up in a five-star hotel. They put me up in a terrible hotel and
五元氣功
Meridians and Muscle Fascia 49
Foreword
Introduction White Tiger Qigong™ 70
How To Read This Book
History of White Tiger Qigong™ 74
What Is White Tiger Qigong™? 76
About this Qigong 1
Basic Premise of White Tiger Qigong™ 78
Guiding Principles of White Tiger Qigong™ 78
How Is This 5 Element Qigong Different? 1
Sports Science and Qigong 80
Warm Ups 83
Qigong Theory 19
General Concepts 19
5 Element Qigong 84
3 Treasures 23
The Dragon Water Element - Kidney 83
How Qi Is Made 26
What Medical Qigong Can Treat 28 The Tiger Metal Element - Lungs 95
General Categories of Medical Qigong 30
The Leopard Wood Element - Liver 104
Which Style Is Right for Me? 36
Energy Stagnation and Disease 36 The Snake Earth Element - Spleen 115
3 Harmonies 39
The Crane Fire Element - Heart 124
Adjusting the Body 40
Adjusting the Breath 41
Closing 132
Adjusting the Spirit 44
The 3 Results 46
Zhan Zhuang 137
The 3 Harmonies and Its Applications for Medical Qigong 48
Conclusion 142
Qigong Theory and Background
How to Read This Book
STORIES, THEORY AND PRACTICE Qigong Theory is comprised of several major components. In this section, we will explore
each one. Each element is part of a holistic view of the world popularized in Chinese Med-
icine. The 5 elements of Chinese Medicine are Water, Earth, Fire, Wood, and Metal. Each
element plays an important role in using this Qigong for mental, physical, and emotional
clarity and well-being.
This book was written in a formula that will allow you to take in the information in multiple
ways, through:
五元氣功
form works to heal and bring into balance the internal organs and the meridians of the
body. These animal forms each represent a different element of the 5 Elements of Chinese
About this Medicine, which are each associated with a different internal organ and related meridian.
Qigong
This Qigong works by squeezing out toxins and emotions out of the organs like a sponge,
then dynamically stretching the body to open the area up leaving you feeling peaceful,
relaxed and focused.
The 5 Element Qigong system covered in this book includes five powerful forms, named
after five powerful animals. Each form is associated with an element, a color, an organ, an
emotion, a season, a direction and more.
12 Qigong Theory 13
Vision Guides the Movement:
Your vision should either be at your hand or at a point in front of you that you are reach-
五元氣功 ing for. For example, in Dragon, if you want to reach a little further, look at a point a little
Key Principles of further than where your hand is, trying to reach for that area. If this is uncomfortable, just
look at the palm of your hand. In Crane, you stare at a point in front of you to focus your
5 Element Qigong Heart and Spirit. Without control of the gaze, there can be a disruption in the movement
and thus a disruption of the posture, breaking concentration and losing the major benefits
of each exercise.
Breath
Breath Matches the Movement:
Each animal movement should coordinate the push and pull with the inhalation and ex-
The 3 Adjustments of 5 Element Qigong halation. The most important part to pay attention to is the peak of the movement and
inhaling into that. Once there, hold the breath until you feel discomfort.
Expansion/Retraction, Contraction and Relaxation: Breath holding is for people who do not have blood pressure problems. If you do not,
Each animal movement has an expansion or retraction phase as well as a contraction make sure to hold the breath at the peak phase of each animal. Holding 3-9 seconds is a
phase. Finally, you have the relaxation phase which is in the Zhan Zhuang posture follow- good base, and gradually build up from there if you can.
ing the completion of each animal. This follows in alignment with the Yin/Yang principle.
If you leave out one of these phases, it is not in accordance with the principles of Yin and
Yang and is therefore incorrect. Intention/Spirit
It is important to reach to your maximum point in each movement without straining. If you There are two parts you can pay attention to and I recommend one at a time:
notice your body starts to shake during the movement, you may be straining too hard in
your efforts to reach your maximum. There is a fine balance point between reaching your 1. The spirit of each animal: Each animal has a spirit; I am not talking about something
maximum and putting in too much effort. The key words are ‘gentle’ and ‘gradual’. esoteric, but more on the behavioral level. When we embody this animal, it can change
14 Qigong Theory 15
the way we perceive and interact with the world around us. In addition, it can greatly How I learned 5 Element Qigong
affect our emotions, and thus our organs.
When I first found 5 Element Qigong, I had already developed a deep practice in Qigong
2. The intention and sensation of the movement: Within each animal movement, focus so picking it up was quick. I had learned this Qigong in my early thirties, but then found
on the natural expansive wave of inhalation to expand from within into the surround- 5 Element Qigong being taught in Wudangshan, which is one of the great major Taoist
ing space. At the peak of the movement, we engage a 360º body-wide spacious ex- centers of the world. There it was being taught by a variety of teachers all using slightly
pansion. This is done by gently engaging all the fascia at the same time. Through the different techniques. One of the more well-known sects teaching this is the San Feng Sect.
rooting of the feet and the pull or push of the hands and arms, this engages all the It makes sense that the 5 Element Qigong sequences all looked different. as I studied un-
superficial fascia, which envelops the body as a whole. Observe the feelings and sen- der three different masters in Wudang Mountain; they all had the same teacher, yet their
sations in your body. This has instant health benefits by dropping the endocrine stress forms all look a little different although their underlying principles are generally the same.
levels. In some of the animals like Snake and Dragon, you will be able to engage in No two schools or teachers are identical. What became more interesting was when I met
bi-directional movement, from hands to toes, meaning you will feel the hands moving an old master (who I ended up studying with) who told me that his master had taught the
in a different direction than the feet. lineage holder of a very well-known sect in Wudang Mountain a wide variety of forms. I
had learned deeper secrets of this form outside of Wudang Mountain, coincidentally. The
history of where this Qigong came from is a bit of a mystery. I have heard many debates as
Sequencing to the origin, but it is not my purpose to go into that in this book nor do I have an interest
in the debate itself.
The way in which the sequence is presented in this book is that you start with a high stance
in relation to the others, which is Dragon. Progressively you go lower and lower into each In China, there can be fierce debates as to who created certain Qigong forms and who
animal. Tiger is lower than Dragon, Leopard is lower than Tiger and Snake is the lowest. “owns” them and who does not. I have no desire to get into those debates, since I feel
Finally, you finish with a high stance such as in Crane. This is a standard sequence taught in this can harm the ability to spread a wonderful gift rather than promote getting together
most schools. When we use the Qigong exercises for Qigong prescriptions, we base the to share the beautiful knowledge. I don’t claim to know everything about this Qigong and
prescription on a 5 Element prescription model. Each animal fits with a different element I know there are experts in it who know more about it than I do, but have not written books
of the 5 Elements as was presented earlier in this book. In order to be able to prescribe about it. What I do know is this Qigong is becoming more and more popular and this
this Qigong, one has to become fluent in the 5 Elements and the 5 Element formula along book was intended for my students, but I decided to also let it be public. As a person who
with understanding this Qigong in depth. This is beyond the scope of this book as only a believes in the evolution of Qigong, I am always seeking to advance these Qigong forms
certified instructor or qualified teacher should be doing this. If you are interested in learn- more and more as well as constantly seeking out experts and new perspectives to this day.
ing this 5 Element formula to be able to prescribe this Qigong for yourself and potentially
one day for others, you must complete Levels 1, 2 and finally level 3 of our teacher train- What is in this book may look different than what you see on videos or have been taught if
ing. For more information on our teacher trainings see here: https://whitetigerqigong. you have learned this form. You can find a multitude of videos on this Qigong on YouTube
com/qigong/teacher-certification/ (in English they call it 5 Animals Qigong), but on the Chinese videos on Youku (a Chinese
video hosting website), they call it Wu Xing Qigong 无形气功。What is interesting is that
To find out when our next teacher training is please see our events page whitetigerqi- in many of the videos the forms can look quite different. What is even more important to
gong.com/event note is that what is often times taught at the schools is different from what is on the vid-
16 Qigong Theory 17
eos. Although I put the majority of the form in here, some of the deeper inner alchemy
work should only be taught face-to-face as it can be dangerous to do otherwise without
五元氣功
an experienced teacher to guide you. I have taken what I feel is the most effective way
to do the animal movements from different teachers and integrated them into the forms
you see here. I have also applied my understanding and studies of fascia and anatomy
as well as having worked with fascia and anatomy experts to make the movements even
more effective.
Qigong Theory
Since this knowledge is very special and powerful, not everything can be taught in books.
Some secrets are reserved for in-person, verbal and physical transmission, and some se-
crets take many years of developing your character and worthiness before they can be
revealed. There is great power in secrecy, and in the preservation of knowledge that de-
serves great respect. It is said by some that these teachings originated in Wudang Moun-
tain Taoist Schools in China. Others claim it comes from different locations in China. The
one fact we can prove now is that it is practiced all over the world. We are grateful for the “Wudang arts stress the movement of Qi and blood through the
knowledge of those ancestors and teachers who have passed this on. meridians. In training, one must reach a state of total relaxation.
This is a cultivation process that takes a long time.”
General Concepts
What is Qigong?
“Qi” (chee) means air or energy, while “gong” means work. Qi is defined as the circu-
lating life force. In traditional Chinese culture, Qì (also chi or ch’i) is an active principle
forming a part of any living thing. Qi is frequently translated as “life energy,” “life force,”
or “energy flow.” Qi is the central underlying principle in traditional Chinese medicine and
martial arts. The literal translation of “Qi” is “breath”, “air” or “gas.” On a more profound
level, Qigong is connected with the Tao (or Dao) which is the universal energy that comes
from infinity and lives in infinity. It is the harmonizing of self with heaven and earth.
To put it simply, Qigong is an exercise and skill of harmonizing the spirit, body, and breath
to achieve “oneness.”
18 Qigong Theory 19
Medical Qigong
Many Qigong documents have been discovered in ancient Chinese Medicine classic texts,
The official definition of Medical Qigong in Chinese medical textbooks is the combination such as the Yellow Emperor’s Internal Classic, “Huang Di Nei Jing”. It is interesting to note
of Traditional Chinese Medicine theory applied to Qigong practice. Modern Medical Qi- that, during the Sui Dynasty, Chao Yuan Fang, a well-known imperial physician, wrote a
gong utilizes not only Chinese Medicine Relationship theory, but also modern science and book on Medical Qigong, “General Treatise on Etiology and Symptomology of Various
technology. It is an exciting and dynamic evolution, so let’s dig deeper. Diseases”, which prescribes Qigong therapy for all diseases, instead of herbs. The tradi-
tional theory of Medical Qigong is built on the doctrines of Yin-Yang and the 5 Elements;
The word “medical” is self-explanatory. When you put them all together, Medical Qigong the (Zang-Fu) Internal Organs and Meridians; Qi-Blood and Body Fluids; Jing (essence),
refers to the systematic application of energy in the body for health, healing and wellness Qi, and Shen.
purposes.
Modern Medical Qigong is an assimilation of ancient Qigong methods. For example,
Medical Qigong exercises the internal and external body. Internal cultivation supports Buddhists, Taoists and Confucianists all have their own healing Qigong methods. The
essence, Qi and spirit, while external cultivation supports sinew, bone and skin. modern methods are a synthesis of these methods for healing and nurturing a healthy life,
rather than for spiritual enlightenment.
The use of Qigong as a medical therapy has been documented as far back as the ancient
beginnings of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The branch of Qigong that is guided by Tra- Taoist Qigong emphasizes the cultivation of both human life and spirituality. Traditional
ditional Chinese Medicine theory is known as Medical Qigong. Chinese Medicine originates from Taoism itself. Taoism was the creator of the internal elix-
ir, Qigong. I studied with a school of Taoists devoted to the development of the internal
Medical Qigong is a modality of Chinese Medicine. It is practiced in conjunction with acu- elixir practice. From Taoist Qigong also comes Zhou Tian, which means Heavenly Circula-
puncture and herbal treatment, or strictly by itself. It is a method of moving Qi or energy tion, otherwise known as micro and macrocosmic orbit.
through the meridians and organs of the body.
Buddhist Qigong is most well-known for the famous Iron Shirt Qigong of Shaolin, which
Medical Qigong has two parts: preserving health and treating illness. Medical Qigong is is the intensive practice of making the body like steel. It was developed for martial arts
most optimally used as a preventative measure, but if illness has ensued, it is used to treat purposes and is extremely powerful and effective.
illness in a holistic way.
Buddhist Qigong was originally more focused on spiritual enlightenment and martial pro-
A form of Medical Qigong is Outgoing Qigong Therapy, in which the practitioner emits Qi tection, while Taoist Qigong believes the body and the spirit to be intrinsically connected.
to the patient to move stagnant energy or move Qi through the meridians and the organs. They believe to attain enlightenment you would need to cultivate a healthy and strong
It is also often used in conjunction with acupuncture and herbs. To become a practitioner body. Most Buddhist Qigong forms were traditionally static, while Taoist had a broad
of Outgoing Medical Qigong Therapy, one must have a solid history of dedicated practice range of dynamic and static. As Qigong evolves, it is more and more common to see dy-
in Qigong and Medical Qigong theory to be able to generate the correct kind of Qi and namic Buddhist Qigong forms emerge.
direct it with precision. One of my Medical Qigong teacher’s prerequisites for Medical Qi-
gong was five years of Qigong experience. Outgoing Medical Qigong Therapy, however, What distinguishes Medical Qigong from the others is the special attention to the merid-
is beyond the scope of this training and book. ians and organs. A considerable amount of Medical Qigong is also adapted from Martial
20 Qigong Theory 21
Qigong, such as 8 Pieces of Brocade (Ba Duan Jin), which was created by Marshall Yue Fei. you must balance your body’s Yin and Yang. Yin and Yang principles will be discussed
The 8 Pieces of Brocade has been a popular basic Medical Qigong set around China and more thoroughly in the training and later in this book.
the U.S. since the movements are easy to learn, but it is far from being most profound.
There are sets of Medical Qigong that go much deeper into the body and stretch the
body more significantly. It does not mean one is superior to another, but it is important to
realize that Medical Qigong has many different forms, practices and levels.
Medical Qigong and Martial Arts Qigong have the same origins, but the intent and man-
ner in which they are practiced are distinguishably different. Certain elements of Martial
Arts Qigong can be found in most dynamic forms of Qigong.
Dan Tian
In Chinese, the Dan Tian is the center and battery storage area of your life force. Many
types of Taoist and Buddhist meditations and Qigong instruct the student to bring their
attention or awareness to the Dan Tian, as it is believed to quiet the mind.
The Lower Dan Tian, otherwise known as the Xia Dan Tian, is translated as “elixir field,”
which lies three finger-widths below your navel and two finger-widths behind your navel,
directly towards the center of your body. The two other Dan Tians are located at your third
eye (Upper Dan Tian) area in the middle of your forehead, and your heart (Middle Dan
Tian) area.
Yin Yang
22 Qigong Theory 23
while the second Qi is sourced from the air you breathe, liquids you drink and foods
you eat. The original Qi is stored in your lower Dan Tian. This feeds the Jing of the five
organs. The Qi you breathe, drink and consume is also stored in your lower Dan Tian.
五元氣功 The lower Dan Tian can warm the whole body or moisten the five Zang organs. The pow-
3 Treasures
er of your metabolism also lies in the lower Dan Tian.
Focusing on your lower Dan Tian, the “fire” in your heart can descend and warm the
“water” in your kidney. This helps maintain Yin essence. As fire generates earth (spleen),
the Jing you have acquired is replenished.
Shen
In Chinese Medicine and Qigong there are 3 treasures that are to be guarded. In Shen is translated as the Spirit. When we practice Qigong, we also train the Shen or
the Taoist schools of Qigong, Essence (Jing), Qi and Spirit (Shen) are taken as the the mind. The practice of Qigong can calm the mind and spirit. It is said that a person
original life drive and the material basis of life. with a strong Shen is intelligent, clear, centered, strong-minded, calm, and at peace.
Qigong training will naturally calm and concentrate your mind and spirit by simplifying
and purifying the mind and diminishing your desires. This will also contribute to keeping
Jing the mind tranquil while avoiding over-consuming the Shen. In Medical Qigong, they say
˝Don’t seek fame or gain and pathogenic Qi will not be able to root itself deeply into
Jing is our life Essence. It corresponds to the physical self and the Earth. It determines your body.” Regular Qigong practice can have profound effects on the mind and spirit.
how long you will live and it is your life force and is associated with your genetics. Our
Jing can be depleted by life itself or exhausted by overwork, stress, and excessive emo- The reason Qigong is so important is that it preserves, protects, replenishes, and sup-
tions. It can also be replenished through certain types of Qigong and herbs. plies these 3 treasures. The Jing, Qi, and Shen work together, synchronized to produce
the substances needed to stay youthful. The Jing is always controlled by the Qi; there-
fore, it is crucial to guard the Qi. The Shen is the ruler of the Jing and Qi, as it is the basis
of the physical body and the foundation of the length of our life.
Qi
We refine the (Jing) essence and convert it into Qi, refining the Qi to nourish the (Shen)
Qi is translated as vitality, although it is more complex than that. Qi is a refined and sub- spirit, and refining the spirit to return to nothingness. You will find an exercise called
tle substance but it can also be a functional activity of the organs in the body. Without Melting into Nothingness that we do at the end of our Qigong practice later in this
Qi, we would not be able to move and we would die. There are different types of Qi, and book. This is the final process of returning the spirit into nothingness, or what we may
Qi is sourced from two different places. The original Qi is inherited before your birth, call the cosmos.
24 Qigong Theory 25
3. Relaxation of the internal organs and fi-
How Qi Is Made nally the bones
3 Levels of Relaxation
Physical Relaxation-being
able to relax in a posture
1. Physical Relaxation: being able to relax in
a posture
2. Relaxation of the muscles and meridians
26 Qigong Theory 27
Qigong could, in fact, exacerbate some mental illnesses and psychological disorders and
should be treated with caution.
五元氣功
Who Can Learn Medical Qigong?
What Medical There are neither laws nor regulations on Medical Qigong. Anyone can practice Medical
Qigong Can Treat Qigong. China has only recently created a standardized Medical Qigong curriculum, but
it is limited in scope and does not include many ancient Medical Qigong forms and exer-
cises. A complete study would be almost impossible, due to the extent of Qigong taught
throughout history.
The Medical Qigong principle rests on the fundamental belief that all illness arises from
Medical Qigong has been used throughout ancient and modern-day China to treat imbalance and stagnation in the “meridians,” or energetic patterns in the body (see be-
a wide variety of illnesses and diseases. It is often used in conjunction with Chinese low for more on meridians). It is a preventative medicine used to treat various disorders by
Medicinal herbs, and is even used in Western medicine as a means of psychotherapy. restoring and adjusting energetic balances, breaking through stagnation, and restoring
Qigong, like psychotherapy, adjusts to the patient’s mental state. Going beyond this, unimpeded flow and circulation to the body.
Qigong also adjusts the body and breath.
Medical Qigong is becoming extremely important as healthcare costs continue to rise
and economies shrink. People all over the world are waking up to the fact that they need
Medical Qigong in China has been used for thousands of years, up to the present day, to to find alternative preventative medicine as a defense against the increasingly prohibitive
treat various disorders such as: cancer (most types), sports injuries, gastrointestinal disor- cost of conventional medical care.
ders, orthopedic disorders, broken bones, sprains, strains, common colds, arthritis, the
flu, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder, fibromyalgia, high Medical Qigong is practiced by the healthy as well as those suffering from severe illness-
blood pressure, nervous system imbalance and emotional disorders. es and diseases including cancer, sexual dysfunction, physical injury, and even common
colds.
28 Qigong Theory 29
Yin comes from stillness and Yang comes from motion. If Yin is in excess and Yang is defi-
cient, it is best treated with more Dynamic Qigong. On the other hand, if Yang is in excess
General Categories of Medical Qigong and Yin is deficient, it is best treated by practicing more Static Qigong. When motion
reaches its extreme, Yin is produced, and when Yang reaches its extreme, Yin is produced.
The general categories of medical Qigong include Outgoing Qigong Therapy and Med- Finding the proper balance between Dynamic and Static Qigong is one of the keys to
ical Qigong Exercises. balancing Yin and Yang.
During menstruation cycles, when women need less Yang and more Yin; practices which
produce Yang will encourage more blood flow, which is unnecessary in that situation.
Meridian Medical Qigong exercises are designed to open up the meridian channels. The
levels of Dynamic Medical Qigong Exercises include:
In the first level of Medical Qigong, the practitioner needs to open the Meridian Channels
of the body. Once you have opened the rivers (meridians), the next stage is to go deeper
Dynamic and Static Qigong into the organs with Organ Qigong. Once you have opened and massaged the organs
and meridians of the body, your body will be ready to go to a deeper level of Qigong with
There are two main kinds of Qigong: Dynamic Qigong - Dong Bone Qigong. Bone Qigong requires a lot of flexibility and strength, as it has many deep
Gong (動功) Qigong - and Jing Gong Qigong (靜 功), or Static
動功
stances and postures.
Qigong. Dynamic Qigong is simply Qigong in movement. It
can be simple or complicated movements with deep twists,
stances, and stretches and is considered more Yang. Stat- Dynamic Qigong
Psychotherapy
靜功
ic Qigong can be practiced standing, sitting, or lying down
and is considered more Yin. Sitting is the most Yin practice, As mentioned above, Medical Qigong can be used to regulate the mental state. This is
whereas dynamic, standing Qigong is the most Yang. In any done on a deeper level through the 3 Harmonies.
Static Qigong
complete system of Qigong, all three are studied and prac-
ticed. Additionally, within each practice, there is always a way In Chinese Qigong, it is believed that the emotions can be regulated through regulating
to adjust your Yin and Yang. the body, breath, and mind. Each of the 5 Elements, which we will later explain in detail, is
related to each of the five Yin Organs which are the heart, lungs, liver, spleen, and kidneys.
30 Qigong Theory 31
and Bone Qigong sets. Each exercise twists, stretches, pumps and pulses to move the
Qi through one or more meridian pathways. These exercises will increase your flexibility,
strength, and balance. Each movement requires you to explore a rhythm. We will explore
meridians in more depth in later chapters.
Organ Qigong
After opening the meridian pathways with Meridian Qigong exercises, the next step is
Lungs Heart
to massage the internal organs with Organ Qigong. We teach a form comprised of eight
Qigong exercises that gently massage your internal organs in multiple ways and angles
through various twists and stretching movements, coupled with compression and expan-
sion of the body.
Bone Qigong
Kidneys Liver and Spleen
After mastering Organ Qigong and Meridian Qigong exercises, the next stage guides
the Qi into the bone marrow, tendons and ligaments. Building upon the components
and movements of the Meridian Qigong and Organ Qigong, the student is now ready to
According to Chinese Medicine theory, each organ has a relationship with different emo-
put the pieces together for the most profound Qigong experience possible. We teach a
tions. When emotions are trapped inside the body they can negatively affect the related
variety of Qigong exercises to do this, some of which are advanced forms that will chal-
organ, further exacerbating the emotions. This can lead to emotional outbursts and even
lenge even the well-seasoned Qigong practitioner. This is an advanced stage of Medical
ultimately lead to serious diseases, such as cancer. By working on the emotions through
Qigong which is more challenging than either Meridian or Organ Qigong, as it requires
Qigong exercises, one can literally squeeze the tension right out of the organs. This is
deep stances coupled with deep twisting movements.
how we can find a more balanced emotional state through Qigong. This concept will be
explained in more details in the coming chapters.
Each of these sets feels different. If practiced together, you have the opportunity for max-
imum Qi development. This is a preventative medicine program that is free and can be
practiced whenever and wherever you want.
Meridian Qigong
White Tiger Qigong™ teaches forms that incorporate the bones, meridians and organs,
In our Level One Medical Qigong course, we teach fundamental Meridian Qigong exer-
such as the 5 Element Qigong and the 5 Animal Frolics, created by Hua Tuo. Hua Tuo was
cises. These Qigong exercises are comprised of various movements specifically designed
a pioneer in Medical Qigong practice and the creator of The Five Animal Frolics, which
to open the meridian pathways. This is a great foundation to any Medical Qigong or Qi-
was the first series of dynamic Qigong documented in history.
gong practice. Many practitioners use it as a warm-up preceding the more difficult Organ
32 Qigong Theory 33
Circle Walking Qigong sitting practices include Primordial Breathing (Tai Xi), otherwise known as Fetal Breathing
or Embryonic Breathing, which involves the Golden Elixir method of swallowing saliva to
I have a strong foundation in Baguazhang and I am a big proponent of the Circle Walking improve digestion, cool fire in the body, and many more.
practice. Circle Walking is an ancient exercise of Taoist origin which has been taught to
beginner and advanced students. In Medical Qigong Circle Walking the practitioner will
learn the applications of Traditional Chinese Medicine theory to the practice.
Standing Qigong (Zhan Zhuang)
Zhan Zhuang, or Standing Qigong, is literally translated as “standing like a post.” This
Circle Walking involves having the practitioner hold various postures, including animal
Qigong training routine is also sometimes translated as “standing-on-stake,” “standing
postures. Each posture opens different meridian pathways, massages internal organs, and
Qigong,” “standing like a tree,” “post-standing,” and “pile-standing.” Standing Med-
will even drive Qi into the bone marrow with a deep walking posture.
ical Qigong is used in both martial and medical Qigong to help balance the central ner-
vous system. There are many kinds of Zhan Zhuang postures. The most common being
With each carefully executed step, the practitioner is massaging the acupuncture points
to place the feet about shoulder-width apart with the knees slightly bent and the sacrum
on the bottom of the feet. Coupled with special breathing and visualization techniques,
pulling downwards. There are also several general hand and arm postures. Zhan Zhuang
it creates one of the most powerful Qigong experiences available. Some Qigong masters
can be used with various animal postures for different effects on the various meridians and
have said that Circle Walking is better than a hundred exercises. There are a number of
organs.
Circle Walking practices which can be used for Medical Qigong purposes, martial arts,
meditation and even spiritual practices.
The main goals are centering the body between heaven and earth. Rooting into the earth
through the feet and connecting to the heavens through the crown point of the head, your
Sitting Qigong (Jing Zuo) spine lengthens and your place is found between heaven and earth. Standing Medical
Qigong also helps you in practicing the proper back posture before going into dynamic
Sitting Qigong, such as Primordial Breathing with exercises. Despite having no recognizable external movements, this type of Qigong is a
the Golden Elixir Breath, is used to treat a variety highly energetic exercise system. Zhan Zhuang, unlike other methods, develops internal
of gastrointestinal disorders and other illnesses. energy efficiently instead of consuming it.
In traditional Qigong, the saliva is considered the
Golden Elixir of health and vitality. The Taoists be- Those unfamiliar with this Medical Qigong can experience severe muscle fatigue and sub-
lieve it has very powerful healing benefits. sequent trembling at first. But once sufficient stamina and strength have been developed,
the practitioner can work on developing “Zhong Ding” or the central equilibrium and
With Golden Elixir Qigong, you generate saliva in sensitivity to specific areas of tension in the body.
your mouth through chattering the teeth multiple
times and then swirling your tongue around your Standing Qigong is often used to remove blockages in Qi flow. With correct practice,
mouth multiple times. Then you swallow a small blockage removal occurs and has a normalizing effect on the body. The body regains its
portion of it, coordinated with the inhalation and exhalation. It can aid in problems related natural ability to function optimally when habitual tension or tissue shortening (or even
to digestive issues, excessive heat, and much more. Chinese Jing Zuo medical Qigong lengthening) is normalized. It is thought that a normalized body might also prevent mus-
34 Qigong Theory 35
cular and skeletal health problems. When practiced to develop relaxed postures, Zhan This energy blockage is tantamount to cutting off the oxygen supply to your organs; they
Zhuang has a beneficial calming effect. While doing Standing Qigong you can become cannot breathe properly, and therefore suffer. If they suffer for too long, they can become
keenly aware of any tight areas or tension in the body. Once found, you can relax those damaged. It is therefore imperative to keep the body’s meridian channels open and flow-
areas through various breathing techniques and intentions.’ ing.
Once all these centers are coordinated with the breath and movement, you will be able to
Naturally, if a river is blocked, stagnation may result. If it cannot find a way to flow over
generate a strong pulse of energy through the meridian pathways to the extremities. This
time, it will eventually burst or find an alternative route that may negatively alter the course
is practiced with the Four Gate Breathing Method.
of nature. Likewise, in the human body if meridians are blocked, the proper nutrients, ox-
ygen and Qi cannot flow to the organs, resulting in stagnation and consequently, disease.
36 Qigong Theory 37
During Qigong practice, eight pulses are commonly recognized. These are the founda-
tional pulses, but many more variations can be experienced. Research has shown that hot-
ness is most common, second to automatic muscle contraction which is usually followed 五元氣功
by the other senses or pulses.
THE EIGHT PULSES The Three
Different Qigong forms will likely induce different pulses. For
example, Circle Walking can induce a feeling of floating, while
some Bone Qigong forms will feel heavy, hardening and con-
1.
2.
Contraction
Stretching
Harmonies
3. Coolness
tracting. A myriad of sensations and pulses are possible, but it 4. Hotness
is best for the practitioner to experience theirs without the pre- 5. Floating
conceived notion of others’ experiences. Once you have the pul- 6. Sinking
sation, observe it and then allow it to run its own course without 7. Hardening
intervention. 8. Softening
Proper posture is the foundation of all Qigong practice. A student once asked while I
was teaching on the first day of her class, “Where should I be guiding the Qi?” I told
her that she must first learn the form and postures properly before I would show her
where to guide the Qi. She became adamant and refused to do the form unless I told
her where her Qi was flowing. Patiently, I explained to her that before you can even
think about guiding the Qi, you must have correct form. Without proper posture, you
will not open up the proper channels.
Once you have the correct form, you add the breath. The breath is a major component
of guiding Qi. You should focus on allowing the breath to guide the movement and not
the other way around. The breath usually matches an exhalation with the stretch and an
inhalation on the relaxing part of the movement.
Once you can get the breath and the form harmoniously synchronized, it is time to add
the visualization of guiding the Qi. When I first begin teaching Qigong to new students,
I don’t like to tell them which exercises are related to which meridians because they want
to bypass the first two stages and go directly to visualization. This is due to lack of pa-
tience and understanding of the importance of posture and breath. In my years of Qigong
38 Qigong Theory 39
experience, I have found that the benefits come not through focusing on the meridians
themselves, but from focusing on the feet and hands with the exhalation as all the meridi- Adjusting the Breath
an channels run through these spots anyway. Once you realize the proper posture, you will
also be able to feel the meridians opening. This can take time for many people because Once we have adjusted the body into the correct posture and/or form, then we must ad-
they are not used to sensing different layers of their body. just the breath. The White Tiger Qigong™ System has 64 breathing techniques. In actu-
ality, it has eight foundational breathing techniques that eventually combine to create 64
If you only focus on guiding the Qi through the meridians, you may not be able to relax, total techniques. Here are some basic techniques:
which is a major objective in Qigong. Stress stifles Qi flow.
The dynamic movement is important in Qigong as it helps increase stability, flexibility, Reverse Breathing
strength, and mobility of the joints. Correct dynamic movement in Qigong exercises the
limbs and bones of the exterior of the body and stimulates the Five Zang and Six Fu or- Conversely, active breathing focused in the upper chest will increase blood pressure and
gans in the interior. This harmonizes the internal and external body. It also harmonizes the stimulate the heart and lungs to move the blood and Qi more quickly and with greater
lower and upper body, which leads to a holistic form of healing and exercise. force throughout the body. For people with low blood pressure and mental dullness due
to sluggish circulation of blood and Qi, this can be very helpful.
40 Qigong Theory 41
Holding Breath in China is called Biqi Fare Fa (闭气发热法 ), This is why it is so crucial to create a rhythm, as a rhythmic pulse will flow stronger than a
which means “Holding Qi to produce Heat Method”. This broken one. In most cases, the exhalation will match with the stretch or outward move-
闭气发热法
method is used as the practitioner inhales and then holds ments, while the inhalation will match the expansion of the chest.
the breath to produce heat. It is used in conjunction with
the perception of heat and fire developing. There are many Holding Breath Four Gate Breathing can be done lying down, standing, or sitting. If done sitting, do not
methods of breath holds. These are generally taught to in- sit cross-legged as this can stifle the Qi flow to the legs. It is usually best done sitting on
termediate and advanced practitioners, so beginners are the edge of a chair, or with the legs straight out in front of the body. The Four Gate Breath-
not advised to practice holding their breath without per- ing has a Fire Method and a Water Method, which will be described in the next sections.
sonal instruction from an experienced teacher.
Create a pump from the Dan Tian to the part of the body that is being stretched, all the
Four Gate Breathing Qigong has been used throughout
way to the extremities. We do this through correct breathing techniques coupled with
history in Chinese Qigong in both Martial and Medical Qi-
correct visualization:
gong. In Martial Qigong, it is primarily used for energiz-
ing the hands and feet for martial power. It is also used CHALLE NG E
• Inhale to the Dan Tian
as a sensory method, as the more you do the Four Gate
• Exhale to the extremities or part being stretched Try to do at least a hundred
Breathing, the more sensitive you become in “listening” to Diagram 2: Lao
Gong and Yong Four Gate Breaths per day.
energy. In Medical Qigong, it is used to create circulation
Quan points The purpose of this pump is to break through stagnation in While going to sleep, count
throughout the meridians and the body as the twelve main your breaths until you fall
the meridians. The easiest way to do this is to send Qi from
meridians all come out into the feet and hands. asleep. On many occasions, I
the Dan Tian to the four extremities (hands and feet). have fallen asleep while do-
ing the Four Gate Breathing,
Medical Qigong practitioners who practice Outgoing Qigong emitting therapies focus only to wake up later feeling
In order to understand how the Qi is flowing, you should
on the Two Gates in the palms and practice this to gain greater ability to draw the Qi to intensely strong vibrations
study the Meridian Maps. Do not intentionally try to move of energy in my limbs and
their palms and fingertips for outgoing healing. The Two Gates are also used to sense the
Qi through actual single Meridian points. Unless you are Dan Tian.
patient’s energy. The more the breathing is practiced, the more sensitive your hands will
a very well-trained Qigong practitioner of many years and
become.
have absolutely no distractions, it is easy for Qi to get stuck
in the meridian points, or worse, create Rising Qi to the head.
Breathing should naturally inhale into the Dan Tian and exhale into the Four Gates: the
palm centers (Lao Gong points) and the center of the bottom of the feet (Yong Quan
Symptoms of Rising Qi can be mild to severe headaches and dizziness. The safest and
points). The Yong Quan points are called the “Bubbling Wells,” as it is believed that Qi
best way to do visualization is simply to pay attention to the Dan Tian area upon inhalation
springs from them like water from a well. By breathing from the Dan Tian and to the ex-
and focus on the hands and feet upon exhalation. The Qi will naturally move through the
tremities, you are creating a pulse of Qi. By coordinating the movements with the breath,
meridians on its own.
you are creating a stronger pulse.
42 Qigong Theory 43
The Yin and Yang of Breath
We must understand the Yin and Yang of the breath. The act of inhalation is Yin, as we are
drawing energy inwards. The act of exhaling is Yang, as we are sending energy outwards.
Intention(Yi)意, is a condition of purposeful being and a
state of allowing. It gives energy direction. 意 Intention
Think of physical exertion and the coordination of an exhale. The effect of inhalation on
the body is Yang as we are drawing in energy. When we exhale, it has a Yin effect on the How do you create intention in Qigong by simply being aware?
body as we are dispersing energy. Death is going back to the ultimate Yin state. Think of
a diver, who must breathe in to have the energy to dive for a while. They must breathe If you want to bring Qi to your hands, just become aware of your hands. If you want to
out and then in again or else they will drown. Before drowning, they would breathe out all create fiery hot Qi feelings in your hands, then see it in your mind. You do not think about
their air, which is Yin. it; it is just a state of being. If you think the thought “I want to put Qi in my hands,” then
you are in your head and will create rising Qi.
You can further adjust the body’s Yin and Yang by adjusting the respiration rate. Breathing
faster is Yang, while breathing slower is Yin. Try putting your mind’s eye in your hands when projecting your Qi into your hands. For
example, if you want to throw a ball to a friend then you just do it, you don’t think about
Research has shown that prolonged exhalation can stimulate the parasympathetic nerves, it. It is the same with Qigong, don’t think about it, just do it. I know one high-level Qi-
resulting in a slower heart rate, lower blood pressure, increased salivary secretion and gong master whose healing touch feels like needles are coming from his fingers into your
faster gastrointestinal peristalsis. body—and he isn’t even touching you. When I asked him his secret, he said that it is just
his intention. He said that it came very naturally as he “just did it.” He told me that if I
Once you grasp the concept of the Yin and Yang of breath you can further regulate the continued to practice the way I had been, the intention would grow stronger and stronger
body’s water and fire. until it manifests itself.
Breathing during Qigong practice serves not only to strengthen the respiratory system, That is why so few people can achieve such incredible results with Qigong; they don’t
but also to improve digestion, the nervous system and the cardiovascular system. have the patience or the time to strengthen their intention through long-term practice.
Granted, this master is over 55 years old, but he had a lifetime of just practice.
Adjusting the Spirit Your Xin 心, which is your heart, affects your intention. If you are practicing Qigong and
your intention is to send Qi to your limbs, but you have anger inside, that anger will be di-
Adjusting the spirit consists of using our intention to guide our focus to the purpose of rected into your body. That is why we have the fire method to expel anger (explained later
the exercise and visualization to guide our imagination. The purpose is to perceive what in the book). If you are practicing, but in your heart you do not believe in Qigong, it will
we are visualizing and to “feel it”. For example, in Dragon Ball Qigong at the end of the affect your intention. It is best to start Qigong with a clear, calm mind so you do not direct
book, you will try to visualize a ball, not only seeing the image of a ball, but more impor- negative energy in the body or to others. You must have a calm and clear mind and heart.
tantly trying to feel it.
44 Qigong Theory 45
As a beginning practitioner, I suggest you stick with simple intentions, such as the inten- Putting It All Together
tion to generate the pulse from the Dan Tian to the limbs during dynamic forms of Qigong
and especially when doing Four Gate Breathing. Once you can do that, add more com- The right posture and movement in harmony with your breath and your Yi 意 (intention)
plex intentions of hot and cold, etc. lead the Qi flow, and where the Qi goes the blood flows. On every inhalation, you draw
the focus back to your Dan Tian, and on every exhalation, you lead the Qi to the extremity
When doing static Qigong, the way you concentrate the energy can determine the amount or the part of the body that you are moving. The reason for this is that we want to create
of Yin and Yang. Dynamic mind concentration is associated with Yang, while static mind a habit of a natural pump with the breath and the mind to circulate the Qi and blood
concentration is more Yin. For example, if focusing on the Dan Tian you can spin a ball throughout the meridians. The 12 main meridians all end in the limbs, so focusing on the
inside it, this is more Yang, while having a still ball is more Yin. exhalation means the Qi and blood will naturally flow through them.
Synchronizing intention or visualization with inhalation and exhalation, finally coupled with There is actually no need to focus on the meridians themselves, as Qi and blood flow like
movement, is what makes Dynamic Qigong, Qigong. water, finding the easiest pathway. This is why posture and proper body alignment are so
important in these exercises, as you are sending a flow through the proper meridians.
Without intention or visualization, it would merely be an exercise. Intention tells the Qi
where to go. The breath and movement help move the Qi through different muscle fibers, In many of the White Tiger Qigong™ exercises, you create a flow of Qi from your Dan Tian
organs, tendons, and ligaments. (an area of the solar plexus) to your extremities and back to your Dan Tian.
The Qi follows the Yi 意 (intention) and the blood follows the Qi, thus stimulating maxi- Each exercise has a stretch that reaches its limit so that the movement helps guide the Qi
mum circulation while simultaneously concentrating and calming the spirit. there. In the beginning, you must focus on correct form, next add the breath, and finally
the visualization (of color, for example). Without these 3 Adjustments, it is not Qigong, just
exercise. Learn the 3 Adjustments for each Qigong exercise one at a time and eventually
The 3 Results combine them. Some Qigong exercises focus more on one of the 3 Adjustments than
others. For example, Dragon Ball is more focused on form and visualization while simply
The following is an example of how to combine intention with breath and movement. Let’s using a relaxed and natural method of breathing.
say you have a movement that is pushing forward. When you push, imagine you are push-
ing something heavy like a car or pushing through water. This visualization will stimulate The 3 Adjustments all affect each other. Using visualization can calm and focus the spirit,
the mind to send blood and Qi to that area when you are able to do this while maintaining thereby changing the rate of respiration. The rate of respiration can change the physio-
a loose and relaxed posture. logical state of the body. The 3 are intertwined and have a rhythmic influence upon each
other. Practice them separately and then unify them until there is no separation of them.
Generally, we exhale while we push and inhale coming back to center. If you were really
pushing a car, you would exhale as you push; thus, the mind is naturally molded to re- Once a practitioner becomes advanced, they do not need to make any adjustments be-
spond by sending blood and circulation to that area. cause it starts to happen naturally as it becomes second nature.
46 Qigong Theory 47
Once the Spirit, breath, and body are unified, you reach
the Taoist state of unification of the macrocosm, which
is the unification of Heaven, human, and Earth - “天人合 天人合一 五元氣功
Meridians,
Heaven and human are one
一” -, which means Heaven and human are one.
According to Chinese Medicine Theory, the heart (心) governs the Spirit and is the master
of the five Zang organs and the six Fu organs. Adjusting the Spirit can calm the emotional
mind and bring balance to the nervous system, thus regulating the Qi in the organs as As Qigong goes through a modern evolution, much research has and is being con-
well as the whole body. Try to recall a scary situation that really startled you. Your whole ducted to improve Medical Qigong’s efficacy through using insights from modern
body tensed, your heart beat dramatically increased and you probably lost a sense of your medicine and scientific research. As my master told me, he always wished his stu-
increased breathing rate. You had, in a sense, lost voluntary control over your body as dents would evolve the existing Qigong. This is why I have delved deeply into fascia
instincts kicked in. Now this can be a very good thing in survival situations; the problem research and sports science. I have gained incredible insights and breakthroughs that
is that we put ourselves in these types of situations daily, through severe stress from work I am sharing with you.
and life. As the world appears to be becoming increasingly chaotic, it is more crucial than
ever to learn to adjust the Spirit, body, and breath. There has been ongoing research into physically identifying where the meridian systems
actually are in the body. In his ground-breaking book “Anatomy Trains”1, Thomas Meyers
Only when we are in a relaxed state, with the body becoming more open and fluid and the dissected cadavers to understand the inner workings of the muscle fascia. He discovered
breath relaxed and/or controlled, are we setting ourselves up for a state of healing. previously unknown lines of muscle fascia interwoven throughout the body. He called
In order to reach these states, the practitioner must believe. Without belief, the results will these connections The Myofascial Meridians. At the time, he was neither looking for nor
be weak if any. People ask me all the time: referring to the Asian Meridian system. It was only later that he realized the uncanny par-
allels of the meridian lines in Traditional Chinese Medicine to his own discovery of these
“Do you think I can heal my illness with this Qigong?” Myofascial Meridian lines.
I respond, “More importantly, do you believe you can heal yourself with this Qigong?” On a simple level, muscle fascia can be defined as the dense fibrous connective tissue that
interpenetrates and surrounds the muscles, bones, nerves, and blood vessels of the body.
1
Anatomy Trains: Myofascial Meridians for Manual and Movement Therapists, by Thomas Meyers
48 Qigong Theory 49
Meyers explains that fascia is the biological fabric that holds us together. You are about 70
trillion cells all humming in relative harmony; fascia is the 3-D spider web of fibrous, gluey,
and wet proteins that hold them all together in their proper placement. Understanding
fascia is essential to the dance between stability and movement – crucial in high perfor-
mance, central in recovery from injury and disability, and ever-present in our daily life from
What Meyers explains is his belief that the Western anatomy perspective of individual
muscles is not true. He believes that we don’t have 600 muscles; we actually have one
muscle within 600 fascial pockets. This would confirm the Chinese belief that blockages in
one meridian line can affect other meridians as well.
There is conclusive evidence that the fascial net responds and distributes forces as a whole,
not just locally. This was exemplified when strain was measured in various tissues while
doing the straight leg lift test, commonly thought to measure hamstring resistance to hip
flexion (a movement we have in one of the Meridian Qigong exercises). It was discovered
that the strain distributes itself throughout the myofascial net.
According to Meyers, the distribution tracks the Superficial Back Line, the Spiral Line, and
the Back Functional Line. The Superficial Back Line is related to the Bladder Meridian. The
Spiral Line is related to the Stomach and Bladder Meridians of the acupuncture Meridians Spiral Line 3 Superficial Back 3
from Traditional Chinese Medicine.
to accurately/predictably control subtle human shape in three dimensions. Shape and
Modern research has shown the link in both form and function between the workings of function are usually correlated.”
acupuncture and the fascial network in general. Prominent acupuncturist and researcher,
Dr. Helene Langevin, has shown that connective tissue along with collagen fibers and Meyers believes that ‘shape control’ might be the guiding principle that unites the signal-
fibroblasts wind around the end of an acupuncture needle when it is rotated in place, ing response through the connective tissue and the odd but intuitively apt course of the
creating detectable mechanical effects. Dr. Langevin concluded that oriental acupuncture meridian lines across the body.
meridians may follow intermuscular or intramuscular fascial planes.
This explains why, through proper manipulation of the fascia, you can relieve headaches
Meyers quotes Osteopath Phillip Beach, from his book2: “In essence it is hypothesized and heal muscle injuries and more. It is a very exciting time as the connections of modern
that the Chinese mapped the minimum number of lines, in exactly the right location, scientific research and the meridians are taking a whole new dimension.
2
Muscles and Meridians: The Manipulation of Shape by Phillip Beach 3
Reprinted from Anatomy Trains: Myofascial Meridians for Manual and Movement Therapists, 3E, Thomas Meyers,
2014, with permission from Elsevier
the connections of the muscle fascia throughout my body. My discovery of Thomas Mey- whole self with a new way to move and hold Epidermis
er’s work and others helped to confirm evidence of what I had known all along. It is one yourself; thus, you change the way you per-
thing to read about the meridians, but to feel and experience these connections takes ceive yourself and your relationship with dermis
patience and lots of practice and the rewards are immeasurable. the world.
When training the animal movements, aim to feel the pull and stretch along these me- Fascia provides structural and functional
ridian lines from your fingertips to your toes in the direction of the line, in order to truly continuity between the body’s hard and
experience the stretch. soft tissues. It is a ubiquitous elastic–plastic, Hypodermis (subcutaneous tissue)
is the “ superficial fascia. deep fascia
sensory component that surrounds, sup- (muscle fascia)
Skeletal muscle
To allow the myofascial chains to work in the best ports, separates, connects, divides, wraps,
possible way and enable movement, the trunk must and gives both shape and functionality to
be stabilized. We do this through the stances, which the rest of the body, while allowing gliding, sliding motions, as well as playing an import-
stabilize the trunk in the 5 Element Qigong. In the Ba- ant role in transmitting mechanical forces between structures.
gua Organ Qigong, this is done through a solid horse
stance. The twisting, compression and expansion of the visceral fascia helps release tension and
blockages in the fascia.
Deep Front
Imagine right now you are wearing a suit. Your skin Arm Line
is your suit. Underneath your skin, you have layers of Loading, stretching or compressing will inevitably squeeze
other clothing which are your deeper layers of fascia. Lung Meridian
water from the sponge-like connective tissues. Once that is
They move against one another, sliding, pulling done, it may be replaced with fresh fluid from surrounding
and stretching as well as contracting. Now imagine you can change the shape of your suit. tissue and the local vascular network. This is what my mas-
You can have a tight suit, loose suit, relaxed and supple suit, or a strong suit. What kind of ter was referring to when he told me that, in our Qigong,
suit do you want? we are squeezing out our organs and wringing out the me-
ridians, and when we go into the expansion phase we let
This Qigong system creates what we call the “Bamboo Body”. It is strong, yet flexible, fresh, healing Qi in.
supple and elastic. Think of the bamboo tree, it moves with the wind, yet stays rooted and
firm. You can bend it very far and it will snap right back with high elasticity. Why wouldn’t The fascial web can be seen as our largest sensory organ
you want to make this kind of suit? in terms of overall surface area. With regards to the sheer
quantity and richness of nerve endings, this network can
4
4
Reprinted from Anatomy Trains: Myofascial Meridians for Manual and Movement Therapists, 3E, Thomas Meyers,
2014, with permission from Elsevier
According to sports science principles, Qigong is considered a form of dynamic stretch- We rest in our Qigong by doing Zhan Zhuang and concentrating on relaxing the fascia
ing. Long-term and regular use of such dynamic stretching, correctly performed, can pos- and the whole body. The tempo of your breathing and the movement tempo you choose
itively influence the architecture of the connective tissue, in that it becomes more elastic. also determine the effect on your nervous system.
The elasticity of the fascial tissue is the key to its high capacity to store kinetic energy. I
believe this is the Qi that the fascia can contain. This is crucial for dancers and athletes as Synchronizing your breathing with the type of Qigong movement necessary for the in-
much as for the regular ol’ Joe. tended result can attune your nervous system to respond to the conditions of the moment.
The nervous system seems to have around six times more sensorial interest in what goes
Scientific studies have shown a higher output of power from myofascial tissues due to on in the fascial matrix than it does in detecting changes in the muscle itself.
their more elastic recoil properties than muscle. This is significant for martial artists, danc-
ers and athletes as they search for the best training methods to generate power. The nervous system plays a crucial role in the improvement of activities. This is known not
only from competitive athletes but also from great musicians. What this means is that the
What is also interesting is that the elasticity of the fascial ele- frequency of your training and movement patterns facilitate reflex building which finally
ments reduces the work needed from active muscle fibers, which leads to a most perfect execution of the movement. This is due to the plasticity of the
leads to a decrease in energy expenditure. I believe this is what nervous system.
my master was referring to when he told me that when you use
Qi, you don’t need muscle energy and you will have increased It is vital to remember that movements are always the result of myofascial chains. Every
stamina. dysfunction of a single member of these chains has a negative effect on the overall move-
ment pattern. So, meridians are not just important for circulation, but crucial for proper
It is important to keep the fascia flexible. The storage of elastic movement.
energy is only possible in more flexible tissues. Due to the supe-
rior muscle tension in top-level athletes, muscle stiffness exceeds Muscle needs a stable hold in order to make a movement. That is why we need to root
the stiffness of fascial tissues. This leads to increased elastic recoil properly with each stance firmly pressing into the ground. Think of the body as having
in fascial tissues. This could have implications in the validity on strength training with been just one muscle that has subsequently subdivided into more than 600 fascial bags.
weights for the proper tension and practicing certain types of dynamic Qigong, such as This physical network of your body is made up of a structural material called connec-
White Tiger Qigong™ for the fascia.
5
Chu & Cordier (2000)
Rhythmically loading and unloading the fascial tissue is an important part of “fascial fit- Using visualization or feeling in Qigong stimulates chemical releases in the body and neu-
ness”. This is a core principle in our Qigong. ron signals that produce movement. Through training visualization, you are exercising the
messages that travel from the brain and spinal cord through the fascial network and into
Nearly 50 percent of a healthy person’s lack of range of motion at the joint can be attribut- the muscle to produce movements.
ed to the tightness of the joint capsule. White Tiger Qigong™ works deeply on opening
the range of motion to greater depths at the joint capsules. This is why experienced Qigong practitioners can experience incredible feats. They have
trained their concentration to a fine point and developed a mind-body connection so that
The more you do this Qigong, the more your body produces the elements necessary to they can more precisely control the signals and amplitude of these signals from the brain
keep you flexible and strong and to greatly diminish the stiffening effects of age. to the muscles.
When the body does not have good structural alignment (i.e. good posture), it has to en- By practicing various motions with a meditative mind, they can sense the meridian con-
dure additional stress and strain in an effort to provide more support as it functions within nections which are essentially muscle fascia connections. Due to deep movements and
the pull of gravity. This Qigong is a way to ameliorate injuries from long-term structural the ability to more precisely manipulate their muscle fascia and signals, they can mold
imbalances. their body and control it with extreme precision.
For example, my teacher taught me how to open the pores on my skin at will. It took me a
while, but I did it. His instructions were, “Just use your mind with the breath and a special
method of tension.”
• Improves Heart Health: Relaxation via meditation (done once or twice daily for
three months) significantly lowers blood pressure and psychological distress, and
bolsters coping ability in people at increased risk of hypertension.
6
http://www.nytimes.com/1986/05/13/science/relaxation-surprising-benefits-detected.html?page-
wanted=all
As many of you may know by now, not all Qigong is the same. With over 3,000 kinds of Qi- Instead of just doing the exercises, you need to go deep within your body, tuning into
gong documented today, it is hard to find the right kind of Qigong for you. I was fortunate your entire system. Feel each undulation, stretch, compression and expansion, twist and
enough to learn a variety of Qigong techniques from different masters. I kept gravitating release, matching each movement with slow breaths to get maximal tissue elongation
towards deep dynamic Qigong because I discovered the benefits of a good balance of in broad or specific areas. It is not a state of tension, it is a state of expansion. Trying to
static and dynamic Qigong exercises. After trying roughly 40-50 different styles of Qigong, explain this in theory is difficult. You must keep practicing this and notice if you have a
I found actually only about four or five styles that I really wanted to continually practice and tendency for tensing too much.
explore further because they had depth. These styles, which are now the integral part of
White Tiger Qigong’s curriculum, seem to have an infinite depth. It is important to remember when you perform each movement that you have the move-
ment come from the core of the body out to the extremities. This is the way my teachers
The White Tiger Qigong™ system is about fascial restructuring for optimal health, healing all taught me, and interestingly enough this is what fascia research also explains. In the
and performance. It usually takes three to nine months to see tissue remodeling effects book, “Fascia in Sport and Movement” by Robert Schleip7:
from the outside as well as ‘feel’ them in palpation. Fascial improvements have a sustain-
able, cumulative effect and will not be lost quickly (for example, when training is stopped “…a stretching impulse, aimed at reaching the tendinous tissues,
because of health or work-related reasons). may profit from including some moments in which the lengthened
muscle fibers are actively contracting or are temporarily resisting
Regular practice of this Qigong for roughly two or three years will definitely be expected their overall elongation.”
to yield long-lasting tissue improvements in the form of an improved strength and elastic- Robert Schleip, Fascia in Sports and Movement
ity of the global fascial net. Essentially, we seek to preserve and promote elastic integrity.
In some of the exercises, we are actively contracting our lengthened muscle fibers by
Movement, first and foremost in this Qigong and many pushing into the earth with the feet, while at the same time stretching, such as in the Spiral
sports, involves a sophisticated interaction of the central Palm where you can feel the opposite foot and toes with the hand. For example, as your
and peripheral central nervous system, force-generating torso twists to the left, grab the ground with your left foot while your right hand moves
muscle and connective tissue, such as fascia, which is with the twist across to the left. Here you will feel the natural tension moving across the
intrinsically tied to skeletal muscle. The nervous system body.
seems to be around six times more sensorially interest-
ed in what goes on in the fascial matrix than it does in
detecting changes in the muscle itself.
7
Fascia in Sport and Movement by Robert Schleip January 31, 2015
The musculoskeletal system provides form, support, stability, and movement to the body.
It is made up of the bones of the skeleton, muscles, cartilage, tendons, joints, and other
connective tissue that supports and binds tissues and organs together. Pannicular fascia Axial and appendicular
Anatomically, the fascia can be divided into four groups: One of the pioneers in research into TCM meridians and fascia is Helene Langevin, a
Professor in Neurology from the University of Vermont. Langevin and her team found that
Pannicular fascia: this is the fascia beneath the skin which covers the whole body ex- most of the Qi points occur where fascia planes or networks converge. They showed that
cept the orifices of the body. acupuncture points mostly lie along the fascial planes between muscles or between a
muscle and tendon or bone. When an acupuncture needle pierces the skin, it penetrates
Axial and appendicular fascia: this fascial layer represents the fascia of the musculo-
through the dermis and subcutaneous tissue, then through deeper interstitial connec-
skeletal system.
tive tissue. Langevin hypothesized that a Qi blockage can be viewed as an alteration in
Visceral fascia: this fascia wraps the organs. It is fixed at the cranial base and through- the composition of the fascia and that needling or acupressure may bring about cellular
out the whole spinal column down to the sacrum. change in the fascia8.
Meningeal fascia: This consists of three membranes - the dura mater, arachnoid, and If we take a look at the drawing of “Spiral Qi Lines” by Chen Xin taken from his book, “Illus-
pia mater. These are essentially the membranes that line the skull and vertebral canal trated Explanations of Chen Family Taijiquan”9, what seem like random circular drawings
and envelope the brain and spinal cord. around the body were possibly an early attempt to explain the concept of fascial integrity
with what was familiar to Chen at the time - spiral Qi. Another way to look at his drawings
During Primordial Breathing Qigong, we are pulsing the brain, which involves bringing a are as a rather accurate “force-map” for the major fascial connections in the body. A small
slight tension and relaxation to that area thus stimulating and bringing circulation to the excerpt from his book reveals his deep knowledge:
brain. This eventually can be integrated with each movement so the whole body pulses at
the same time.
8
Langevin & Yandow 2002
9
Illustrated Explanations of Chen Family Taijiquan by Chen Xin
This is just a prime example of what these practitioners knew about fascia over 100 years
ago. One of the masters I studied with most closely always taught me to feel the con-
nection from the toes to my fingertips. When I feel tension on the one foot, to grasp the
Possible Adverse Reactions to Qigong
ground a little more firmly with the toes activates that meridian even more. When I look
at this picture, it reminds me of the Spiral Palm (Pan Huan Zhang) in particular. See the 8 Soreness and fatigue
Trigram Organ Qigong for that exercise.
At the start of practicing Qigong, new practitioners may feel soreness, fatigue, or weak-
ness in the beginning stages. You are doing new exercises, stimulating new energy flows,
using new muscles and exercising the body in a new way, which is why it can take some
time to adjust. In fact, soreness could actually be a positive result of good Qigong prac-
tice. Shooting pain is not good and you should stop the movement if you experience this.
Let yourself rest and come back to it once more. If it still persists, stop and seek out the
advice of a qualified instructor. If after three days you are still sore from the Qigong, it
means you have pushed your body too hard or over- exerted. The next time you practice,
do less so that you can recover properly.
66 Learning Qigong 67
example of this is when you train so hard that you become so fatigued that you have no
Headaches and dizziness energy left. Always keep a little energy for the next training session.
Concentrating too intensely during Qigong practice can cause headaches. Qigong should
always be done gently in a calm and relaxed way. Holding the breath unnecessarily can Best practices for Qigong
also cause headaches and dizziness, as the oxygen supply and blood flow will potentially
be blocked. I recommend practicing bare foot on soft, dry grass. This ensures proper stimulation of
the acupuncture points on the bottom of the feet. The next best practice is to wear soft,
thin-soled shoes that allow your feet to flex and feel the connection to the earth.
Menstruation
During menstruation, women are advised to proceed with caution. If the Qigong increases ADDITIONAL TRAINING TIP: Breate Continuously
your menstrual flow, cease your practice until your period stops.
Women should not practice Qigong while menstruating heavily as Qigong will likely in- Only hold your breath when instructed by a qualified teacher. Hold-
crease blood flow. ing your breath while doing certain Qigong can be dangerous as you
risk losing your balance, passing out, getting dizzy or simply hurt-
ing yourself.
Learning Principles Always let your tongue touch the roof of your mouth to connect the
Ren and Du Mai (Governing and Conception Vessels).
Learn each movement by itself and then put them together. This is a time-tested Taoist
methodology of learning. You must be able to grasp each component to successfully
combine it with others.
68 Learning Qigong 69
their lifetimes shows organs displaced into new areas of the body. This pressure on the or-
gans gradually builds more toxins as it becomes more compressed, which then gives rise
五元氣功 to emotions they don’t understand. They are so focused on their work that they ignored
White Tiger
the signals from their bodies.
Qigong™ If you can wake up and brush your teeth, you can wake up and clean your organs by
opening your meridians and beginning to oxygenate your whole body. We hardly ever
put pressure on the bones when riding in a car or while on a train or sitting all day at work.
Through Qigong, we can ward off osteoporosis or muscle and tendon weakness with
Introduction: Ancient Health and Longevity simple postures to strengthen our bones. You can then restructure your entire body to
Wisdom for Modern Society become more limber, flexible, strong, and resilient.
As my master told me, you need to keep an open and flexible mind. By finding alternative
ways to enhance our existing performance and life we can bring a whole new richness to
our life that many will never even discover because they are limited by tunnel vision and
disbelief. Believe me, I would not have dedicated my life to these types of practices if I was
not reaping huge personal benefits. There is no greater joy than to share with someone
overcoming extreme difficulties such as cancer and terrible emotional pain in their own
walk of life through this practice. I derive great pleasure in watching some of my students
Because the organs and meridians that relate to them are connected to the different emo- explore the profound depth of their body and existence with Qigong.
tions in Chinese Medicine, this can result in emotional imbalances. Many people suffer
from emotional imbalance and the Chinese see the emotions as connected to the body,
the diet, and what you are digesting through all of your senses. If you are taking in stressful
information, it will manifest into pain.
Modern fitness programs focus on energizing the muscles through weights, running on
a treadmill, increasing the heart rate, and pushing to become stronger. What modern
workouts are missing is internal fitness - the fitness of the organs, meridians, bones, fas-
cia, breath, and spirit. It’s more complex and takes more time to learn. You can learn how
to lift a weight in one minute, but to feel and wring out your spleen may take more time.
History of White efficacy of the Qigong he learned in a Western way. This is when Tevia turned to science
and anatomy.
Tiger Qigong™ He began to study the Western scientific and anatomical connections of the Qigong he
spent a lifetime learning. He found many direct connections and explanations that anyone
could understand. Bridging the gap between Western science and ancient Traditional
Chinese Medicine has become a passion for Tevia, which has also allowed him to develop
his system of White Tiger Qigong™ even further.
Throughout Tevia’s experiences in seeking out teachers around the world, he realized
that most were teaching incomplete forms of Qigong. Most of the types of Qigong he
saw taught in the West were extrapolated parts of Tai Chi, isolated and incorrectly called
Qigong or Tai Chi Qigong.
Tevia could not understand why anyone would teach this way or why anyone would want
to study this way. He realized that most were teaching it this way because most Qigong
practitioners only knew Tai Chi as their form of Qigong. It is also important to note that
Tai Chi has been heavily promoted and marketed around the world as a form of healing
movement. In addition, to learn an entire Tai Chi form can take a long time, while most
people in the West don’t have this luxury; so, the moves were broken down into easy, frag- Tevia was blessed to be born in an age where he could travel to train with various mas-
mented parts that one could learn quickly. This does not do the practice of Qigong justice. ters. He also had the background, the ability to speak Mandarin and the understanding
Very few people realize that there are over 3,000 kinds of documented Qigong. Tevia was of Chinese culture to be readily accepted into secretive Taoist sects. Over 30 years of
fortunate to have been able to study with various masters since the age of seven. His fa- training led him to create White Tiger Qigong™, a masterpiece Qigong system which is a
ther had practiced Qigong before Tevia was even born and was able to introduce him to synthesis of the greatest techniques and teachers in conjunction with modern science and
a good master at a young age. anatomy. He has now become teacher to some of the most well-known Qigong teachers
in the world. He has taught best-selling Qigong authors his techniques, and even Taoist
Over the years, he went far beyond what his parents introduced him to and ended up Abbots from China have trained with him. All through this, he believes in maintaining a
working at a Medical Qigong clinic in China, treating cancer patients. His journey in China humble approach and deep reverence for his teachers and students alike.
led him to study at several Taoist temples, including under unknown hermits and monks.
White Tiger Qigong™ is a school of Taoist Qigong, Baguazhang, and Qi Healing Thera-
pies. White Tiger Qigong™ was founded and created by Master Instructor Tevia Feng. Modern Science Meets Traditional Arts
The White Tiger School of Qigong’s teachings are based on the principles that the body,
Tevia Feng has sought to bridge modern science with ancient traditional training tech-
mind, and spirit must be trained harmoniously as one. In this complete system of training,
niques. White Tiger Qigong offers a uniquely designed training system that teaches the
the student will learn techniques to strengthen the spirit, the body, and the mind through
practitioner time-tested, traditional training methods, and principles with modern scien-
Qigong movement, meditation, and the Taoist internal Martial Art of Baguazhang.
tific principles of human anatomy, modern exercise science and muscle fascia research.
White Tiger Qigong™ bridges the new and the old world like it’s never been done before.
A Complete Holistic Training Method
White Tiger Qigong™ is a truly unique, fully integrated, holistic system of training of Ba-
guazhang, Xing Yi Quan and Healing Qigong. In ancient times, many traditional Taoist
masters were trained in Qigong, martial arts, and healing. Keeping to this ancient tradi-
tion, White Tiger Qigong™ offers a truly complete training program. Ultimately, the goal
for this system of Internal Arts is health and longevity as it is a physical, mental and spiri-
tual elixir.
五元氣功
experience. Only after we have healed ourselves and been through the transformation
process can we reach this new mountain peak.
The Basic Premise of
White Tiger Qigong™
Balance is the key throughout all the training. Never over fatigue your body or do any-
thing too much or too little.
Adapting to your environment means tailoring your Qigong practice to aid you while
adjusting to your living environment; whether it is spring, summer, winter, or fall. This also
includes your sense of place and weather. Whether it is raining, sunny, dry, or humid, ev-
White Tiger Qigong™ is about healing yourself first and eventually teaching others the erything is taken into consideration in the way we train Qigong for balance.
self-empowering techniques of self-healing. Once you heal, you go through a transfor-
mation that occurs physically, emotionally and spiritually. After this transformation, you’ll
Training balance
reach your maximum human potential while maintaining balance and harmony.
• Technical skill to learn the form and technique correctly and properly.
• Physical fitness so that you can perform the Qigong with supple strength.
• Calm spirit so that you can focus on the movements you are doing.
五元氣功 • Proper breathing technique so that you can incorporate the movements with the
Transformation occurs after the healing process. We can then go through an alchemy-like
process of the body, mind, and spirit realizing total transformation.
五元氣功 Remember to let the breath direct and guide you as to how long you remain in each exer-
Sports Science cise. The body responds powerfully to different tempos of breathing. A very slow tempo
and Qigong
stretching helps you achieve your most dramatic and permanent gains in flexibility and
strength. A faster tempo would be more Yang and a slower tempo would be more Yin.
The protocol of a movement (engram) is generated in the motor cortex of the brain. In-
terestingly enough, in many classic Qigong documents and books, the old wise ones say
use your Yi (intention) to tell the body what to do. The Yi is like the General and the Qi is
the soldiers.
The elasticity of large connective structures, such as tendons, changes our thinking about
• Dynamic stretching
force transmission and efficient movement.
• Strength and Endurance
White Tiger Qigong’s dynamic Qigong exercises White Tiger Qigong™ and the Western Anatomical Perspective
from a sports science point of view can be classified
as dynamic stretches, strength exercises, endurance From a Western anatomy perspective, these exercises are a type of dynamic stretching
exercises, and even endurance strength exercises. that moves the limbs through a greater range of motion than normal.
Dynamic stretching is best for increasing dynamic or
active flexibility which is applicable to everyday life “Studies show that static stretches actually have a detrimental effect on explosive move-
and especially sports. ments and strength output. There are two types of flexibility receptors: a static receptor,
which measures magnitude and a dynamic receptor, which measures speed and magni-
You can adjust the speed of these exercises to slower or faster tempos. If you are using tude. Dynamic activities that require movement, such as running, jumping or kicking use
them as a warm up, I suggest a faster tempo. If you are using them as a method of strength the dynamic receptor to limit flexibility. Therefore, a dynamic stretch that stresses the dy-
training, I suggest using a slow tempo. In the 5 Element Qigong, you can also sustain a namic receptor is more beneficial when preparing for a warm-up when performing a dy-
Following this theory, you could use White Tiger Qigong exercises as a great warm-up or
cool-down for another workout, or as a workout in itself. For me and many practitioners, It is important before you begin your Qigong practice, to properly warm up the body,
this is our main form of exercise. using a variety of warm-up exercises. The warm-up should last two to ten minutes. Some-
times I do a light jog, jump rope or even just jog in place until I feel my body starting to
warm up. If you don’t warmup properly, you risk injury as the joints and muscles are cold,
thus the fascia is tighter. Below is a great Qigong exercise that I frequently use to warm
up. This is also one of the most common Medical Qigong exercises taught in China as it
is easy to do, safe and has a very positive effect on your health.
Upon completion, allow the palms to settle by your side and practice Ting Jing. This prac-
tice makes it easy to feel Skin Qi.
The mythical Chinese Dragon is a symbol of the power of the emperor, of divinity, mys-
ticism, blessedness and benevolence. It is the kind of power only gained outside of the
realm of the physical world - like the sun kings of Europe and the deified royalty of the
Maya. The emperor was more than human, but possessed of something that transcended
this earthly plane.
Dragon myths exist all over the world, from South America to the British Isles, India, South-
east Asia and the great dragons of China. Some breathe fire, others slash with their claws,
some have feathers and others are like giant snakes. The kingdom of Bhutan is known in
local language as the land of the dragon, and the Bhutanese leaders are called Thunder
Dragon Kings. In China, the dragon has closely been associated with the emperors, who
took the dragon as their emblem, and the Chinese people are sometimes called “Descen-
dants of the Dragon.”
Relying on the wisdom of the old humaneness, the Tao of the ancient emperors (now practiced by
strategic leaders) is put forth; this still has great relevance in an age of rapid changes, and hence its
appeal. Positive and harmonious relationships are emphasized, with the country (the world) and its
citizens enjoying the ‘Big Peace’10.
The Dragon form targets our original Jing essence - centered in our kidneys. This is one of
the keys to longevity. As we twist to our maximum range of motion through our spine, we
wring out the kidneys and stimulate flow in the spine. This builds our capacity to retain this
basic life force, given to us by our parents, of which most of us have a finite amount that
we use up during our lifetime. The emotion associated with the kidney is fear; this is the
五元氣功 place that is most impacted when we are afraid, and in this world of deep fears, as well as
T H E DRAGON
constant media bombardment that triggers those base survival instincts, our kidney Jing
is in danger of being depleted.
Low, K C Patrick, Applying Strategic Leadership, the Way of the Dragon (January 6, 2010).
10
If good kidney function makes an individual feel strong, agile, and energetic, the descrip-
tion of kidney qi deficiency, with lower backache, soft bones, weakness, fatigue, dizziness,
and forgetfulness, means it is all just part of the aging process. When we age, or have
a decrease in kidney essence, the hair thins and hearing is impaired. The term essence
is sometimes used to mean semen. Since aging is the result of a progressive decline in
reproductive hormones, it is evident that the TCM view of the kidneys must include the
reproductive system.
From this position, slowly turn back to the front into horse stance, bringing the left foot
Instructions back so that the feet are again at shoulder width and the arms are parallel to the ground
From the standing meditation posture, open by raising both arms forward to the chest with fingertips facing upwards. In addition to the step, simultaneously circle the arms back
level and then dropping them back down to the waist. From here, turn both hands as if to “hold the ball” except this time the right hand is on the bottom. Remember, what is on
“holding a ball”, with the right hand above the left at the level of the navel. Step out with the outside is also on the inside, so feel the points from your lower Dan Tian to your mid-
the left foot into a horse stance and then sink the turn into the “bow stance” while the dle Dan Tian becoming full. Repeat this motion on the right side to complete one whole
right palm pushes up towards the sky and the left hand moves out laterally to the left as if round; three repetitions on each side make a full set. Once a full set is complete, end the
throwing a frisbee. sequence by opening the hands down, out, and up and then closing (see closing chapter
for precise instructions). Finish with Zhan Zhuang.
11
Optimal Healing, Patricia Tsang M.D., 2008
86 5 Element Qigong 87
gives a good squeeze of the kidneys from the bottom up and a twist squeezing them at
several angles (see figure for the placement of the kidneys). As you sink deep into the
stance, you can feel it stimulating your lower back and kidneys. Do not slack, and make
sure to sink deep into this stance to reap maximum benefit.
88 5 Element Qigong 89
The deep twisting engages the Spiral Line. About the Meridians
The Kidney Meridian - Root of Life, Reservoir of Energy, and
Seat of Courage & Willpower
In traditional Chinese medicine, the spinal cord and the brain are forms of marrow, and
therefore poor memory, inability to think clearly, and backache are all regarded as indica-
tors of impaired kidney function and deficient kidney energy.
The kidney meridian’s vitality is reflected externally by the condition of head and body hair
and is associated with the entrance hole of the ears. Tinnitus (ringing ears) is thus a sign
of kidney dysfunction14.
The kidneys are also the seat of courage and willpower, and therefore any impairment in
the kidney meridian results in feelings of fear and paranoia, and can have an impact on
13 the bladder. The kidneys are responsible for filtering waste metabolites from the blood
and moving them onwards to the bladder for excretion in urine. As such, intense fear can
cause involuntary urination, a phenomenon also known to Western medicine.
Effects on the Meridians
The kidney and bladder meridians are engaged by having the foot at a 45-degree angle, Along with the large intestine, the kidneys control the balance of fluids in the body.
turned inwards with the leg straightened. As you twist you can feel “lines” from your feet
going up the legs and into the torso twisting. To distinguish this try turning the foot out to Element: water
a 90-degree angle and twist. You will not feel the twist of the “lines” in the legs. I have my
students do this often to show them how to more precisely feel the meridians.
Reprinted from Anatomy Trains: Myofascial Meridians for Manual and Movement Therapists, 3E, Thomas
13
90 5 Element Qigong 91
Physical Imbalances: chest pain, asthma, abdominal pain, irregular menstruation, Emotional Imbalances: lack of energy, being inflexible and fearful. Resisting change
impotence, hernia and basic negative attitude are also expressions of bladder meridian imbalance.
Emotional Imbalances: hysteria, paranoia, depression, fear, loneliness and insecurity When Balanced: Hopeful, looking forward, calm and peaceful
When Balanced: wisdom, rationality, clear perception, gentleness and self-under- Peak Hours: 3-5pm
standing
Route
Peak Hours: 5-7pm
It starts at the inner portion of the eyelid and travels across the front of the head to the
Route back of the head. It then forms two branches that travel down the back to the sacrum
The Kidney Meridian starts from the inferior side of the small toe. Crossing the middle of along the spine. It then goes along the middle of the butt, and then to the back of the
the sole and the arch of the foot, it circles behind the inner ankle and travels along the thigh. The two branches then meet behind the knee and travel between the calf along the
innermost side of the lower leg and thigh, until it enters the body near the base of the Achilles tendon to the outside of the foot. The Bladder Meridian ends at the outside of
backbone. After connecting with the kidney, it comes out at the pubic bone. Over the the baby toe.
abdomen, it runs externally upwards until it reaches the upper part of the chest (the inner
side of clavicle). A second branch emerges from the kidney and moves internally upwards
and passes through the liver, diaphragm, lungs and throat, finally terminating at the root
of the tongue. Another small branch divides from the lung to connect with the heart and
the pericardium.
The bladder meridian is a yang meridian and is paired with the yin kidney meridian.
This meridian is the longest and most complex meridian.
Element: water
92 5 Element Qigong 93
“The spirit of the White Tiger combines the courage and
fierceness of a soldier with an ethereal, magisterial dig-
nity. In ancient times, the head of the White Tiger graced
the shields of soldiers going into battle, the entrances to
important fortifications and the bows of the Emperor’s
fastest ships. 15”
The path you are embarking upon is the path of the White Tiger - the king, the metal ele-
ment forged in the earth, and the power of physical, mental, and emotional strength. The
tiger is powerful and strong, and in China is referred to as the King of Beasts. The tiger is
associated with military might and power; a general might be referred to as a tiger. The
symbol on the forehead of the white tiger means king.
The white tiger, for whom this Qigong is named, is the highest of the animals in the Chi-
nese pantheon. It has mystical significance and abilities and as the king of the animals, the
white tiger possesses incredible power. It was said that the white tiger would only appear
when the emperor ruled with absolute virtue, or if there was peace throughout the world.
Ancient astronomers in China named the twenty-eight stars near the ecliptic “the twen-
ty-eight mansions”. The mansions of the west were collectively named the White Tiger.
In nature, the tiger is the largest member of the cat family in Asia, weighing up to 660 lbs.
They like water and are good swimmers, climbers, and runners. A tiger’s roar is so loud it
can be heard two miles away, yet a tiger can be so quiet that it can get close enough to
its prey to pounce.
Fossil records show that tigers in China may be 2 million years old.16 However, now these
magnificent animals are critically endangered, as both climate change and human en-
croachment into their territories has decimated their populations; poaching is also an
五元氣功 enormous threat. At the time of this writing, there are only 3,200 tigers left in the wild.
T H E T IGER 15
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95
The Tiger form opens the lungs, releases grief and stress, and allows us to expand our Now, with the exhale, sink deep into the “horse stance” and tuck in the tailbone while
capacity to breathe. It begins with the expansion of the chest and with retracting our “ti- pressing both palms forward; the fingers should be bent at the tips so as to resemble a
ger claws”, then pushing them out and expelling all our air. Poor lung function can impair “tiger paw.”
oxygenation of blood, and therefore the skin and hair, suffering this loss, can become dry.
We know, for example, that smoking (which obviously affects lung performance) is asso-
ciated with premature aging of skin. Some TCM treatments, in fact, address skin diseases
by treating the lungs.17 The Tiger form may also be utilized to promote greater lung health
and ameliorate associated problems.
In terms of emotional release, when someone is grieving, they ‘close up’, often times
slumping forward, thus restricting movement and the full expansion of the lungs. We can
counteract this with the movements of the Tiger, which deeply open the lungs.
Instructions
From the standing meditation posture, open the same way as in the Dragon by letting the
arms rise and fall in front in time with the breath. From here, step out with the left foot to
assume a standard “horse stance.”
With the inhale, circle both hands outward and then draw them back towards the shoul-
ders. Turn the palms towards you, facing inwards to stimulate the lung meridian. Then,
with the exhale, push the arms straight back with the hands still in a “tiger paw” to stretch
the chest and shoulders, extending the wrists behind you.
Again, bring the arms up the front with an inhale, but this time draw the hands back so that
they are near the shoulders. It is important to feel the twist from the lung point all the way in the upper chest to the
hand and thumb to get the lung meridian. With the inhale, turn the hands again, and relax
as the hands are drawn forwards and then back to the shoulders in a scooping motion.
17
Optimal Healing, Patricia Tsang M.D., 2008 This completes one whole round; three rounds make a full set.
96 5 Element Qigong 97
waist and assume the standing meditation posture; enjoy the standing Qigong for anoth-
er three minutes.
Check Points
Stance:
Upper Body:
During the inhalation phase of the Tiger, you can see the muscles that you are engaging.
Notice the pectoralis muscles (chest muscles) are engaged, which helps open the lungs
deeper. Thus, the Tiger utilizes these muscles in opening and closing the chest.
During the exhalation phase of the tiger, a forced exhalation is created by engaging the
internal intercostal, transversus thoracis and abdominal muscles. Make sure to contract
the abdominal muscles here to get the maximum exhalation. This will also serve to tone
the abs.
Once a full set is complete, close by pushing the hands forward and bringing the left foot
back so that the feet are again at shoulder width. Allow the hands to drop back to the
98 5 Element Qigong 99
Effects on the Meridians
The lung meridian (pic of lung meridian here) is
engaged through the deep twisting combined
with the pushing and pulling of the arms in Ti-
ger. To truly engage the lung meridian, make
sure to get a deep twist all the way from your
hands to the shoulder. Do it slowly and gently,
to feel deeper into the tissue and meridian. This
wrings out the meridian. Feel it combined with
the stretch of each push and pull, and experi-
ence deep lung meridian opening.
Lung Meridian
Emotional Imbalances: The Lungs are responsible for establishing the foundation of
Qi for the entire body. The Lungs house the body’s ‘Seven Emotions’ and are responsi-
Arm Lines18
ble for self-protection and self-preservation. Their negative attributes are disappoint-
ment, sadness, grief, despair, anxiety, shame and sorrow.
Reprinted from Anatomy Trains: Myofascial Meridians for Manual and Movement Therapists, 3E, Thomas
18
Route Emotional Imbalances: The large intestine meridian is affected by the emotions of
This meridian begins deep in the solar plexus region (middle burner) and descends to sadness, grief and worry.
meet the intestine. Winding up past the stomach, it crosses the diaphragm, divides, and
enters the lungs. It then re-unites, passes up the middle of the windpipe to the throat and An energetic imbalance in the large intestine can result in physical weakness and pro-
divides again, surfacing in the hollow region near the front of the shoulder (LU-1). From voke emotional introversion, accompanied by feelings of depression, irritability, dis-
here it passes over the shoulder and down the front of the arm along the outer border of couragement, distress and apathy and low self-esteem.
the biceps muscle. It continues down the forearm to the wrist just above the base of the
thumb (LU-9). The channel crosses the height of the thumb muscle to finish at the corner When Balanced: righteousness, dignity, integrity and high self-esteem, which is the
of the thumbnail. same as for lungs
Element: metal
Physical Imbalances: Paired with the lungs, the large intestine depends on the lungs
for movement via the expansion and contraction of the diaphragm, which works like a
pump to give impetus to peristalsis by regulating abdominal pressure.
How do you cope with anger and frustration? Are you able to let go and surrender to what
is happening in the moment? Do you hold on to the past, letting frustrations and resent-
ment eat away at you, or can you stay focused in the present moment, unaffected by past
traumas and dramas?
In the Peruvian Amazon shamanic tradition, the jaguar, a close relative to the leopard, is
said to represent “stalking that which is stalking us”. This is a perfect metaphor for the
practice of the leopard form - targeting the liver, the organ that is associated with anger
and toxicity, that must purify our bodies so that we are not consumed by those things that
might kill us.
“If liver Qi [function] is congested, a person will anger easily, have chest and flank swelling and pain,
and women will have irregular periods. If liver Yang [force] is rising upward, one will have headache
and dizziness. If more severe, the eyes will ache, get red, and if even more severe, a stroke could ensue.
Liver is closely linked with emotions. If liver Qi is deficient, the patient is easily frightened or angry.”
-Optimal Healing by Patricia Tsang M.D.20
The liver filters and detoxifies the blood, produces hundreds of enzymes and hormones,
and regulates the volume of circulating blood. Oftentimes, due to poor diet, stress, irrita-
bility, and inactivity, the Liver becomes clogged and sluggish. For this vital organ to work
properly, it must become decongested and supple.
五元氣功
The Leopard form targets the liver, squeezing the organs as we push the sides of the body
together and twist. The liver is the organ of detoxification and purification. It processes
T H E LEOPARD impurities in the body, protecting us from them so they do not kill us.
19
The Leopard, Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, 1958
105
Instructions: Once fully extended to the left, turn back and sink into a “horse stance” with the feet and
knees turned out to a 45-degree angle, which opens the liver meridian. Keep the weight
From the standing meditation posture, open in the same manner as in the previous move- balanced 50/50 on both legs as much as possible and press the big toe into the earth to
ments and circle the hands to “hold the ball” with the left hand on the bottom. Step out further activate the liver meridian. At the same time, the left hand pushes back, behind the
with the left foot into a “bow stance” and let the right hand remain stationary as the left neck and over to the right side; in time with this movement, allow the right palm to face
hand moves out laterally to the left side as if throwing a frisbee. up as if to protect the left armpit.
From here, allow the left hand to drop down as the body returns to a “horse stance.” In a
continuous motion, bring the left foot back to shoulder width and circle both hands back
Effects on the Fascia Liver and Spleen
to “hold the ball”, with the right hand now on the bottom. Repeat this motion on the The Lateral Line (LL) is involved with stability. Specifical-
other side to complete one round; three rounds make a full set. After a full set, close in ly, it is used in keeping the body stable with side to side
the same way as in the Dragon by opening the hands down, out, and up as if outlining a movements. By bending sideways, you activate the LL. The
huge ball. Gather the energy, bringing it over the head and down through the body until fascia that moves up the spine is engaged in a contraction
you reach the lower Dan Tian. Once again assume the Zhan Zhuang Standing Qigong and stretching phase as well.
posture. Stay in this meditation for at least 3 minutes.
Check Points
Stance:
Lateral Line Sides
• Feet turned out to a 45-degree angle minimum
• Weight even on both feet The LL is almost identical to the gallbladder meridian,
• Knees both bent which is interesting because the gallbladder meridian is
the opposing meridian to the liver. (see below in the me-
ridian pictures). Lateral Line21
Reprinted from Anatomy Trains: Myofascial Meridians for Manual and Movement Therapists, 3E, Thomas
21
The LL brackets each side of the body from the medial and
lateral mid-point of the foot around the outside of the an-
kle and up the lateral aspect of the leg and thigh, passing
along the trunk in a ‘basket weave’ or crossed-shoelace
pattern under the shoulder to the skull in the region of the
ear. Lateral Line Neck
The LL can be seen in action in jogging, as the rib cage winds and unwinds with each step.
You can also really feel this LL engagement in the Leopard, with the deep twist at the peak
of the movement.
Lateral Line
The LL functions posturally to balance front and back, and bilaterally to balance left and
right. The LL also mediates forces among the other superficial lines – the Superficial Front
Line, the Superficial Back Line, all the Arm Lines, and the Spiral Line. The LL often acts to
Liver Meridian
Physical Imbalances: Liver function is reflected externally in the condition of finger- Physical Imbalances: insomnia - waking up suddenly very early in the morning and not
and toenails and by the eyes and vision. Blurry vision is often a result of liver malfunc- being able to fall asleep again, tendons, tears, nails, eye diseases, glaucoma, and night
tion rather than an eye problem. blindness, stiff neck, ringing in the ears, dizziness
Emotional Imbalances: The liver governs growth and development, drive and desires, Emotional Imbalances: timidity, indecision, being easily discouraged, resentment
ambitions and creativity.
When Balanced: courage and initiative, decision making and good judgment, sound
Obstruction of liver energy can cause intense feelings of frustration, rage, and anger, sleep, healthy expression and processes of creativity, planning, brainstorming, analy-
as well as irritability, resentment, jealousy and depression. sis, and decision-making
This meridian begins just outside the outer corner of the eye, turns down towards the ear
Route and then up to the forehead just within the hair line, then descends behind the ear to the
corner of the skull. It then returns to the forehead above the center of the eye and moves
The Liver Meridian starts inside of the big toenail, crosses the top of the foot, passes in
down the head to the bottom of the skull. It continues down the neck to the shoulder, de-
front of the inside ankle and up the inner aspect of the leg. It continues upwards, passes
scends the side of the body along the ribs, to the waist and pelvis. It continues down the
the knee, and continues along the inner thigh to the groin and pubic region, where it
outside of the leg, to the ankle, ending on the outside of the 4th toe.
The snake slithers stealthily through the grass, and strikes fast. The snake also sheds its
skin and is completely remade and reborn, all at once. Unlike the other animals in this
set, the snake is not endangered; the snake is ancient and lives on - adapting to all envi-
ronments. Snakes live all over the world, on every continent except Antarctica. It seems
a deep primal response to fear the snake, as the snake can sneak up on us and move so
quickly we have no hope of escaping its deadly bite or squeeze.
The snake works on the spleen - an organ that in Chinese Medicine is related to the diges-
tion of food Qi - getting nutrition from food and good digestion. The spleen has a ten-
dency to get too damp, and when the spleen is damp mucus can form, digestion goes off,
and we can experience anxiety or worry. To reduce dampness, TCM herbal prescriptions
often times act as a diuretic. Through compression and “squeezing” out of the spleen
we can increase the diuretic function. The Spleen: “The spleen governs blood. It makes
blood and regulates the circulation and direction of blood flow. If there is malfunction, the
symptom is deficient-type bleeding. The Spleen governs muscle. This governance goes
all the way to the mouth and flourishes in the lips. If the Spleen is in good condition, the
person is muscular and lips are red. If the Spleen is in poor condition, there is decreased
muscle tone, and lips are withered and colorless.”22
Rumination, or worrying something over and over, is associated with the spleen. Stagnant
Qi is also related to the spleen. Symptoms like phlegm arise from issues with the spleen.
The spleen creates stagnation easily.
The Snake form opens with the snake slithering up the body, looking back, creeping
五元氣功 through the grass, and returning to the center of the body. The ‘creeping through the
T H E SNAK E grass’ movement compresses the organs, squeezing them out like a sponge. The organs
are further expanded as the torso returns to the center of the body, and thus absorb fresh
energy.
115
Instructions From here, turn the right hand over so that it is now palm down and move the left hand
From the standing meditation posture, open again in the same way as for the other forms. down as the body sinks into a “snake creeps through grass” posture.
After the opening, draw the left hand back and the right hand forward as if outlining two
circles. While stepping the right foot out into a “bow stance”, bring the left hand over to
the right side as the right hand slides laterally- palm up - up the left arm, moving over and
beyond the left palm.
• Both hands reaching to the max There is an interplay between the Deep Front Line and the
• Both palms facing pointing in the same direction Lateral Line here as they create stability between the out-
• Stretching the body in the direction of your hands side and the inside of the leg. You can really feel this again
with the extension of the back leg and pushing the foot
firmly into the ground. Feel the extension all the way into
Anatomical and Physiological Benefits the hands. The twist at the end of the movement also acti-
vates the Spiral Line. Deep Front Line23
During the contraction phase as you go into the “creeping through the grass” phase of
the movement, you will pay attention to squeezing out the spleen on the left side. This Additionally, as you pull the back arm back, it opens the Superficial Front Arm Line.
also squeezes out the small intestines. As you go into the phase of “Snake catches its
prey” you are expanding the spleen area. As you go to the right side, you are squeezing
out the large intestines. In addition, the added spiraling motion at the end of the move-
ment will really open the spine.
Lower Digestive System Reprinted from Anatomy Trains: Myofascial Meridians for Manual and Movement Therapists, 3E, Thomas
23
The Spleen Meridian - For Self Esteem and Open Mindedness Physical Imbalances: digestive and stomach problems - abdominal pain, distension, ede-
ma, vomiting, sore throat, facial paralysis, upper gum toothache, nose bleeding
Function & Qualities
This meridian is a yin meridian and is paired with the stomach yang meridian. Emotional Imbalances: anxiety, worry, skepticism, poor confidence, feelings of suspicion
or mistrust
Element: earth, with strong nurturing qualities
When Balanced: fairness, openness and caring
Physical Imbalances: digestive and stomach problems
Peak Hours: 7-9am
Emotional Imbalances: worry, poor concentration, forgetful-ness, cloudy thought pro-
cess, addiction, attachment, obsession, gluttony, jealousy, self-pity, strong concern about Route
opinions of others, stubbornness, low self-esteem, poor self-image
The stomach meridian starts between the lower eyelid and the eye socket, and runs down
the face, looping up to the forehead. It then backtracks down across the shoulder, down
When Balanced: fairness, openness, deep thinking and reminiscence, self esteem
the ribs, along the stomach, and then down the leg ending on the outside edge of the
second toe.
Peak Hours: 9-11am
The Crane is an animal of pure grace and beauty. In Chinese mythology, the crane rep-
resents longevity and peace. As the crane flies above the world, it is also considered a
symbol of purity and cleanliness. There is a toast for birthdays in China, Japan and Korea
that goes: “May your life be as long and as happy as that of a crane.” It is also a symbol of
high office, leadership, and nobility. Images of cranes were embroidered onto the robes
of first ranking officials. Motifs of cranes in Chinese art are common, and while some are
purely referring to the physical animal, some of those images have powerful symbolic
meaning, including the representation of Taoist immortals (Xian), who were said to have
the ability to transform into cranes.
Cranes live very long lives; the average lifespan is 20 to 30 years. They are highly social,
and large flocks of cranes can be comprised of tens of thousands of birds. Cranes often
stay with their mates their whole life span. Cranes dance for each other, bowing, bobbing
their heads and spreading their wings. They may take grass or stones in their beaks and
throw them in the air. Cranes seem to dance and jump for pure love and joy! Migrating
cranes fly in a V-formation so that birds following the leader save energy. The birds can
cruise at speeds of up to 45mph and glide over long distances, and the Siberian Crane
may fly up to 10,000 miles in a year. The common crane is one of the highest-flying birds,
flying over 33,000 feet over the Himalayas. Cranes, like tigers, are endangered. Out of the
15 types of crane, seven species are considered vulnerable to extinction.
In 5 Elements Theory, the Crane is associated with the element of fire, and with the heart.
The heart is the color red.
五元氣功
T H E CRAN E
The physical form is one of the easier ones to learn. As you practice, imagine this beautiful
animal as it stands on one leg, stretches its wings, puffs out its chest and lands gracefully
in a fluid motion.
125
Instructions From here, slowly drop the leg and return to the standing position before bringing the
arms back down to the sides. To do the motion on the other side, simply raise the arms
From the standing Qigong posture, again, open in the same way as the other movements. out to the sides again; it is not necessary to repeat the opening movements.
Choose a single point to stare at in front of you. This will focus your spirit. After the open-
ing, allow both hands to open out towards the sides until they are parallel with the ground.
From here, lift the left knee above the waist and extend the leg straight out with the toe
pointed forward.
Balance on the right leg as the left leg circles out, around, and back. Point the fingers up
towards the sky and open the arms backwards pushing your chest out towards the point
you are staring at. Lean forward to lift the left leg as high as possible while keeping the
head up and the arms level. This is the full extent of the motion. Hold this posture with a
full breath for three to nine seconds.
Stance:
Effects on the Fascia
• Front foot planted firmly in the ground
• Back foot behind you and feeling as if you are trying to touch your toes to your head The Crane activates and opens the Superficial Front Arm Lines while using the Superficial
• Lower leg straight, or a micro-bend in the knee is fine Back Arm Lines to contract and pull on the Superficial Front Arm Lines.
Upper Body: By pulling up the back leg and arching the body, we contract the Superficial Back Line
while stretching the Superficial Front Line.
• Fingers stretching straight up to the sky
• Opening the chest to the max to bring the heart out
• Back arched to the max
By really opening the chest, you allow your lungs and rib cage to move out of the way to
open the heart area, bringing it forward. You open the chest during the inhalation phase Superficial Front Arm Line25
to get a deeper inhalation. The arching compresses the kidneys, too.
When balanced: tranquility, gentleness, emotional balance, spirit, love, integrity, op- Peak Hours: 1-3pm
timism, emotional and spiritual growth, zest for life, control of thoughts and senses,
conscience and wisdom. Route
Peak Hours: 11am-1pm The Small Intestine Meridian starts from the tip of the little finger and crosses the wrist. It
runs upwards along the posterior side of the forearm until it reaches the back of the shoul-
Route der, where it ends at the uppermost part of the back (the bottom of the neck). From this
position, it travels externally across the neck and cheek until it reaches the outer corner of
It originates from the heart, emerges and spreads over the heart system, passes through
the eye and then ends in the ear.
the diaphragm to connect with the small intestine. The exterior (surface) running part runs
to the lung, then turns downward along the arm. It ends in the inner tip of the little finger.
In addition, it opens into the tongue and controls speech.
All Qigong exercise should include a closing sequence, which settles the body’s energy
back to the Dan Tian, calms the mind, and relaxes the body. We do this through Zhan
Zhuang practice.
Bring the palms to the sides and face the palms up while positioning the feet at shoulder
width apart. Inhale and at the same time bring the hands up, arching towards the center-
line of your body. Once your hands reach the top of your head, face the palms downwards.
Exhale and press the Qi down your centerline with your fingertips facing each other. Pass-
五元氣功
ing through your Shang Dan Tian (Third Eye), then through your Zhong Dan Tian (heart),
pressing all the way down to the Xia Dan Tian (Lower Dan Tian).
CLOSI NG
133
Upon completion of this, you have the option to continue with these Zhan Zhuang exer-
cises or you can begin a final closing to your exercise.
Final Closing
Once you complete these breaths, bring the palms over the Lower Dan Tian (left hand on
the Dan Tian with right hand on top for males; the opposite for females). Breathe slow,
deep breaths into the lower Dan Tian, feeling the Qi accumulating, gathering and con-
densing there. Slow down the breath and make it soft, long and thin like a thin silk thread.
Once you reach this point, slowly relax your hands at your sides while keeping your fingers
spread, without your hands touching the legs. Begin the deep Four Gate Breathing, inhal- Hold the thumb over the large intestine acupuncture point, which is the squishy part of
ing into the Dan Tian and exhaling into the centers of the feet and palms. Do at least eight the hand between the thumb and index finger. Place the thumb of the outside hand on
to 64 breaths depending on how you feel. the center of the palm of the inside hand. This is the Lao Gong point (pericardium point).
By activating these two acupuncture points, you help the Qi to sink, which is what we
want at the end of our practice. It is important after finishing all the Qigong exercises, to
do some deep breathing Qigong. Sports science has proven that deeper breathing after
exercise is not only necessary for replenishment of oxygen, but also for elimination of
carbonic acid.
Whenever we open or close at the beginning and end of Qigong, we focus on the Dan
Tian to generate source Qi, harmonize the blood vessels and strengthen the spleen and
stomach.
Daniel Reid
Zhan Zhuang has many benefits and a multitude of purposes. Zhan Zhuang is one method
we use to stop and check in with our body, to tune in to what is happening and observe
the changes occurring after each Qigong exercise and also upon completion. This helps
create a habit of checking in with yourself and becoming keenly aware of your body and
the internal body. When you become accustomed to periodically checking in with how
your body is feeling and performing, from when you wake up until the time you go to
sleep, you can evaluate and treat small problems before they become big ones.
This is a Taoist exercise of letting go of the physical body and melting into the energy of
the universe. The Taoists believe this exercise calms the spirit, reduces wrinkles by relaxing
the skin, completely relax the organs, and on a spiritual level brings you to new heights
and understanding of the universe we live in. This exercise will help you sense and guide
Qi on a more profound level.
Instructions:
Assume the common Zhan Zhuang stance of legs at shoulder-width apart. Touch your
五元氣功 tongue to the roof of your mouth. Then begin to gently and softly screw your legs into the
earth to root and to open the sacrum, allowing it to drop naturally to the earth. Many peo-
ZHAN ZH UANG ple, even teachers, make the mistake of “tucking in the tailbone”. This is an unnatural pos-
137
ture for the body as we have a natural curvature to the spine. Over time, if you repeatedly ter of the palm), while the inside hand’s thumb is touching the large intestine point (the
“tuck in the tailbone” you will distort the natural curvature and possibly create difficult spi- squishy point between the thumb and the index finger). Think of this as if connecting a
nal problems to overcome. I have even heard of a man whose teacher told him for many battery where the positive and negative meet. This will help generate an electrical charge.
years to tuck in his tailbone until he eventually had to have corrective surgery to regain the
curvature in his spine. I can therefore not overemphasize the importance of opening the Now that your structure is created and the palms are over the Dan Tian, begin to relax
hips so that the sacrum can naturally drop to the earth. This creates grounding and further the body from the top down. When relaxing, it is best to
rooting as you feel your perineum’s natural pull towards the earth. Dropping the sacrum sink your energy and to do this we start from the head to
also stretches the lumbodorsal fascia. the feet. This is Yin as opposed to Yang, where when we
raise energy we move it up.
The breath should be full and comfortable. Try to keep the breath slow, soft and even, at
a rate of four to six breaths per minute. The external flow of breath is a reflection of the
internal flow of energy; by regulating the breath, one can regulate the heart rate and Qi
flow of the body, inducing relaxation and ease.
The intention should be focused but gentle. Allow the eyes to lightly gaze on the floor
three to six feet ahead or keep the eyes closed. Keep the attention on the breath and con-
centrate it deep into the navel. Try to still the mind. Avoid distracting thoughts that take
the mind off of the present moment of practice.
In Zhan Zhuang, total relaxation of the body involves softening the muscles and tendons.
After circulating the Qi deep inside the body and after thorough dynamic movement of
compression, expansion, twisting and rotation, thus squeezing out the organs and merid-
ians, you will be able to relax into Zhan Zhuang much more deeply. Correcting the align-
ment while allowing the tendons to relax is important. The back should not be tense at all
when standing.
Do seated practice after becoming completely relaxed.
Skin Breathing
An alternative to focusing on the lower Dan Tian is to feel as if each breath you take is
drawn through the pores of your skin, bringing the energy into the lower Dan Tian and
五元氣功 each other from suffering while promoting healing, transformation and the realization of
your ultimate potential.
To Your Health
and Longevity!
Tevia Feng
Founder of White Tiger Qigong™
WhiteTigerQigong.com
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The 5 Animal Qigong course provides in depth details of every animal, an en-
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expert Chris Kummer, as well as the 5 Elements of Ancient Chinese Medicine
and its relationship to the 5 Animal Qigong.
Tevia Feng is the Master Instructor and Founder of White Tiger Qigong™. He
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