Ba Duan Jin - 8 Sections of Brocade. Chinese Health Qigong

Ba Duan Jin - 8 Sections Of Brocade. Chinese Health Qigong

Ready Position

Step to left to shoulder stance, knees soft. Bring hands to ‘hold the ball’ with thumbs down. Tongue touches upper palette. Back straight with tailbone dropped. Open armpits, shoulders relaxed, elbows sunk. Chin pulled in a little / crown lifted (suspended). Feet parallel. Relax. Breathe slowly and completely and settle the mind on dantien ready for practice.

1) Holding the hands high to regulate the three visceral cavities housing the internal organs (san jiao) or ‘Supporting the Heavens’

Interlock fingers loosely at dantien. Raise the hands up the front of body, lifting head to follow them. Press upwards. Pull arms backwards as you drop chin & look forwards. Don’t hunch shoulders nor arch back. Expand the chest on the in breath as hands rise and contract the abdomen. On out breath the hands descend down either side. Soften the chest and sink the knees here. Repeat 5 more times.

Benefits of Exercise 1:

 Regulates all internal yin organs, heart lungs spleen liver and stomach  Improves blood and energy circulation to organs of san jiao  Prevents and corrects neck and back problems

2. Posing as an Archer shooting both left and right handed

Step wide to left. Cross hands, with left hand outermost. Sink into horse stance, Pull the bow & apply strength here. Keep R elbow forwards. Turn the head to the left. Push right palm to right side as weight transfers right, look right. Close the left foot into shoulder width stance and bring hands down at the sides & palms upwards at dantien. Repeat on the right side and then once more to each side. (4 in total) Benefits of Exercise 2  Stimulates Du Mai -Governor channel (back meridian) and Lung Meridian  Strengthens leg muscles and knee/ankle hip joints  Improves balance & coordination  Increases flexibility of wrists and strength of bones  Corrects bad postural alignment - esp neck / Ba Duan Jin - 8 Sections Of Brocade. Chinese Health Qigong shoulders

3) Holding one Arm Aloft to Regulate Functions of Spleen & Stomach

Palms are facing upwards at dantien to start. Both palms raise together to bottom of ribs then right palm presses down to R hip & L hand presses up. Lower (R) hand fingers face forwards. Fingers of upper hand (L) point across the body above the head. Elbows are NOT locked out. Push with heels of hands and straighten fingers. Bend knees as both hands return in the same way, to starting point. Repeat on other side and then twice more to each side. Hint: Expand chest but relax shoulders on stretch, keeping shoulders level. Try to feel a separation at waist - top half light, bottom half heavy. (Variation: Turn head to look at top hand and then lower hand then back to centre) Bring hands to meet, palms up, in front of dantien at end of this exercise

Benefits of exercise 3

 The oblique stretch massages stomach and spleen  Regulates energy circulation between the organs via stimulating acupoints on the back  Strengthens minor muscles along the spine which improves spinal stability, making it less prone to injury  Prevents & cures neck & shoulder problems

4) Looking Back to Prevent Sickness and Strain Ba Duan Jin - 8 Sections Of Brocade. Chinese Health Qigong

Open arms to sides, and rotate the arms backwards. Turn the eyes, then the head to the left keeping chin pulled in. Eyes start the head movement. Look as far as possible without turning/lifting shoulders or chest. Extend fingertips (esp little finger) towards ground, diagonally. Hands then return to downward facing palms beside the hips on out breath as the knees bend a little. Look ahead here. Repeat on other side then twice more on each side. Bring hands together in front of dantien, palms upwards. Variation: Come up onto tiptoes as you look back. Benefits of exercise 4  Prevents diseases of the heart, kidneys, liver, spleen, lungs, eyes  Strengthens Central Nervous System  Improves range of movement & strength of neck and shoulders  Stimulates acupoints in neck  Exercises eye muscles to prevent eye strain  Increases blood flow to brain

5) Swinging the Head and Lowering the Body to Relieve Stress

Take a wide step to the RIGHT and at same time raise hands in front of body then bring them down the sides and place them on thighs. Circle upper body to right first (anticlockwise). All movement comes from shifting the weight & bending / leaning at waist not curling the spine. Reach out as far as possible with crown of head and extend buttocks in opposite direction. Allow chin to drop as head passes the centre line. At top, roll head right back and bring hip forwards before settling weight in centre and sinking into a low horse stance. Repeat to left and twice more to each side. To end movement, both fists push up centre line. Arms open to sides and come down to dantien.

 Horse stance stimulates Du Mai channel  Strengthens legs, hip & waist muscles and improves flexibility in these areas  Swinging head stimulates internal energy circulation  Helps eliminate stress

6) Moving the Hands down the Back & Legs & Touching the Feet to Strengthen the Kidneys Ba Duan Jin - 8 Sections Of Brocade. Chinese Health Qigong

Raise both hands above head again to begin. Bend elbows & palms press down to chest then rotate upwards, move under armpits hold kidneys. Keep shoulders relaxed here. Move hands down back until arms straight. Then bend at waist as shown keeping legs straight. Lift head to look ahead when hands rest on feet. Try to bend from waist and keep back as straight as possible. Reach out along floor and curl toes to keep balance. Bring arms up to beside ears first before straightening up from the waist. Use core muscles to straighten. Repeat 5 more times. Finish with hands above head & lower them to the sides to continue into next movement

 Stimulates Du Mai energy channel  Stimulates Yongquan points on soles of feet  Pulls on adrenal gland to strengthen it’s function  Improves trunk muscle strength  Strengthens kidneys  Prevents and corrects urinary problems

7) Thrusting the Fists and making the eyes glare to enhance strength

Step L into horse stance - feet fwd and sink as low as possible whilst maintaining correct horse stance. Bring fists to beside the waist. Keep back straight throughout. Keep chest facing forwards when thrusting L hand slowly outwards and push L shoulder forwards. Watch the hands and open the eyes wide in a glare as fist pushes forwards. Open hand, circle palm & make a fist again. Apply strength when thrusting, circling fingers & making fist. Relax eyes and strength when arm withdraws. Thumbs go inside fists. Withdraw one arm before other arm starts movement. Repeat with R hand and then twice more to each side. Benefits of exercise 7  In TCM Liver is connected to eyes making the eyes glare stimulates liver channels / points which improves blood and energy circulation within them.  Clenching toes and fists and turning the wrists stimulates du mai and acupoints of the hands

8) Raising and Lowering the Heels to Prevent Diseases Ba Duan Jin - 8 Sections Of Brocade. Chinese Health Qigong

Grasp floor with toes. Keep ankles and knees together. Drop shoulders when raising up. Head cranes upwards to create neck / spine stretch. Look straight ahead. Hands are touching sides of legs. When heels tap, clench the huiyin (perineum) and clench the teeth lightly. Relax rest of body as heels tap to generate a small ‘shockwave’ through the energy meridians which regulates internal energy flow. Hint: Rise up onto toes in two stages - half way then full way & return downwards in same 2 stages. Repeat 6 more times = 7 in total.

Benefits of Exercise 8  Stimulates acupoints on feet which improves the functions of the organs.  Improves blood flow to spine  Improves balance  Relaxes whole body  Sinks qi back to dantian at end of practice.

Closing Movement: Palms press backwards, circle to hold ball and without stopping, bring hands to rest on Dantian L over R for ladies and R over L for men, dragons mouths interlinked. Take a few breaths to sink Qi.