|
|
"Chi kung" |
|
|
What is the Chinese symbol at the upper right? Notice it is in two parts. The lower image depicts steam. (work) Image below explains the upper left symbol |
||
 |
||
|
Exercise I Ch'ing Trigram Parts of the Body Affected 1. Pressing the Heavens South, Summer Ch'ien, Heaven, Sky, AirIntense Yang Heart, Small Intestine, Stomach, Lungs (The Triple Warmer) 2. Drawing the Bow Southwest, Mid-Summer Sun, Wind, Yang Kidneys, Spleen, Waist, Eyes, Legs 4. Wise Owl Gazes Backward West, Autumn K'an, Water, Yang-Yin Lungs, Immune System, Large Intestine 7. Big Bear Turns from Side to Side Northwest, Mid-Autumn Ken, Mountain, Yin-Yang Heart, Waist, Legs 3.
Separate
Heaven and Earth North, Winter K'un, Earth 6. Bouncing on the Toes Northeast, Mid-Winter Chen, Thunder, Yin Immune System, Calves, Feet 5. Punching with Angry Gaze Spring, East Li, Fire, Yin-Yang Liver, Gallbladder, Blood, Eyes 8. Touching Toes then Bending Back Southeast, Mid-Spring Tui, Lake, Yang-Yin Kidneys, Waist, Legs, Back |
||
| The above schema was created by me
based upon 1) my reading of
qigong
literature of a general nature, 2) my reading of
books and
magazine articles, and listening to
media
products about the Eight Section Brocade
qigong,
3) the Before Heaven Arrangement of the Eight Diagrams attributed to the
mythical sage-ruler Fu Hsi, 4) my reading of Western esoteric, Pagan, and
Magikal literature regarding practices of the
Green Wizard,
and 5) the notes I made while getting group or personal instruction from a
qigong or taiji quan teacher in the Eight Section Brocade. Depending upon which qigong expert you consult, you will likely find different associations, attributions, and correlations for these movements, tri-grams, and bodily organs. Furthermore, there is one theory about how the five elements "control" each other. For example, water controls fire, so an exercise like the "Wise Owl Gazes Backwards" stimulates the "Water" element, which in turn helps to balance excesses in "Fire" element, and thus helps to improve the liver. The many theories about the Five Elements (i.e., Five Activities), the Eight Diagrams, and their relationship to Chinese medicine are far outside the scope of this essay on the Eight Section Brocade. My own personal view is that mindfulness exercises of this type help
calm the mind and body, lower the blood pressure, provide mild stimulation
to the organs of the body, provide rest and relaxation, move the limbs
through a wider range of motion, provide for stretching the muscles,
reduce stress, improve the digestion, help the immune system to
function better, improve balance and coordination, increase the
respiratory volume, lift the spirits, and help make exercise fun for us.
Some controlled
medical studies also support some of these health improvement claims.
Thus, my own beneficial experiences, and positive comments from others,
reinforce my decision to continue to enjoy practicing the Eight Section
Brocade standing qigong form. I believe that the whole body and mind
benefit from this type of gentle qigong. Best wishes,
|
||
