Tag Archives: Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine

Tai chi: Discover the many possible health benefits-via MAYO CLINIC

Tai chi _ Discover the many possible health benefits-via MAYO CLINIC

Tai chi _ Discover the many possible health benefits-via MAYO CLINIC (click the picture to continue reading the article at MAYO CLINIC)

The ancient art of tai chi uses gentle flowing movements to reduce the stress of today’s busy lifestyles and improve health. Find out how to get started.

(Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/tai-chi/SA00087)

Abdominal Breathing (Qigong Breathing)

Abdominal or Diaphragmatic_Breathing

Abdominal or Diaphragmatic_Breathing (click on picture to continue reading)

Abdominal Breathing

Animation of diaphragmatic breathing with the diaphragm shown in green

Qigong breathing in the manner of the water method of Taoist meditation is an exercise in relaxation.  Developing this skill requires patience and it should not be done in a forced manner.  To begin learning this way of breathing you can do it laying down.  When you are laying down, the chest and belly are relaxed.  As you inhale, you allow the diaphragm to move towards your abdomen to cause the belly and the sides of the body to expand.  Because of this movement in the abdominal region, this method is also called abdominal breathing.
Movement of the belly and the sides of the abdomen may be barely noticeable or uneven when you first start.  If, while you are practicing, you need a reminder for maintaining your breathing with your diaphragm, you can place a telephone book or some other large book on your belly and allow it to go up with your in-breath and down as you exhale.  Some find that placing of the hands on the belly works as well. You should work towards having smooth and even exhalations and inhalations, and relaxing into this pattern is the way to work towards that goal. Never exhale to more than 3/4 of your ability.                                   
(Source: http://www.qigonghealingarts.org/qigong-exercises/qigong-breathing)
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The Five Elements in Tai Chi Meditation: Concentrating on breathing connects one with one’s true self

The Five Elements in Tai Chi Meditation

The Five Elements in Tai Chi Meditation (click on Picture to view video)

Standing tall, heels in, toes slightly out, relax into the leg base, again, feeling that sense buoyancy. As you breathe in basing on the right leg, exhale forward stepping on to the left foot, fingertips touching fire, the first element. You cannot do that for too long so you shift back, fingertips in water. Second element, wood, the third is at your side, opening up into metal, grandeur and beauty of metal as you step forward, then shifting back, claiming and grounding with earth, the final element.

Let us do that again, slowly organically, easing into the right leg as a base. Stepping forward on to the left, fingertips touching fire, easing back, water, breathing, relaxing, wood is at your side, opening up, feel that beauty as you step forward, metal, shifting back, claiming, and grounding in earth.

Great, let us do the other side, easing now into the left leg as the base. Stepping forward on the right, just easily there, fingertips touch fire, shifting back, water, wood, relax, third element is at your side, opening up, metal, stepping forward, easing back, grounding in earth.

Great, one more time, slowly, just feel the beautiful organic aspect of movement. Noticing the solo nuance is in the body as you touch fire, easing back into water, wood, relax, supportive at your side, opening up, metal, stepping forward, feel that weight shift and easing back grounding into earth.

Excellent, stepping out into a horse stance, grounded to the leg base, spine extended, shoulders relaxed, arms coming up slowly, breathing in, exhaling, commencing form, palms coming down. Good, standing tall, let your arms relax slowly ease, and again, inhaling up, bending to the joints, relaxing shoulders, elbows, wrists, hands and fingers exhaling down. Good, feel that connection between your feet and your hands.

One more time, notice as my arms come up, I am going to ease back to in to my leg base. Inhaling, exhaling down, feeling very grounded in the center, lie your body to move a little bit there. Great, relax out.

Okay, commencing form right here, inhaling, exhaling down. Now, I am going to shift into what is called the right and left centering, easing into the left leg as the base, toes turning out to the right as you shift into the right leg, easing back, great, center.

The more you practice your daily Tai chi, it is a good idea to keep your head at a level, the same level as you move. So notice it was not a lot of rises and falls as I ease over.

Again, inhaling up, exhaling relaxed down, shifting to one side, relax into the body bending through the knees as you shift into the opposite leg. Elbows relaxed, shoulder relaxed, energy flow all the way through. Good, shifting into the right leg, left toes turn, easing into that left leg and shifting back.

Excellent, final, commencing form, energy down.