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Contents

Combining Qigong, Yoga and Acupressure Using Meridian Qigong Exercises . . . . . 5

Theories of Yin-Yang and Kan-Li . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Introduction to Qi Gong Part 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Introduction to Qi Gong Part 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Qigong for Spring—Support the Liver and Expand Your Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Qigong for Summer – Transform Impatience and Anger into Patience and Compassion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

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Combining Qigong, Yoga and Acupressure Using Meridian Qigong Exercisesby Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming

Over the last fifty years, I have been searching for and compiling infor-mation on the qigong and yoga (which is essentially Indian qigong)

that can be effectively used to benefit today’s society. Our lifestyle today is very different from that of a hundred years ago. We are all busy and have less time. In addition, due to pollution in our air, water, and even the energy itself, this world has become the most difficult, contaminated, and harm-ful living environment ever existing in human history. In this situation, the body is constantly detoxing, and people commonly develop abnormal qi (energy) circulation patterns.

For this reason, qigong and yoga practice have become more important than ever. Because of its emphasis on maintaining smooth qi and blood circulation, these internal arts have been commonly used to maintain body health and extend life span. With regular practice, a practitioner will be able to regulate the abnormal qi circulation and strengthen the body’s vital force.

These qigong exercises focus on opening the twelve primary qi channels (meridians) in the early morning right after you wake up. When you sleep, your body’s hormones are produced, and part of their function is to expe-dite the body’s metabolism. But when we metabolize unclean food, water, and air, the body begins to accumulate toxic material. Early morning exer-cises and drinking water immediately after waking up are the crucial keys to help remove the toxins built up during sleep.

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I have compiled this qigong practice from my more than fifty years of prac-ticing and the irregular qi circulation can be corrected. Practicing daily will help you regain your health and maintain your vital energy.

In addition, practicing massage routines, using tui na and cavity acupres-sure techniques will allow you to enhance the qi circulation in the channels. These cavities are selected from traditional Chinese medicine and com-monly used in acupuncture.

Once you have practiced for a while, you will be able to comprehend the theory behind it and may even create new movements that are more suit-able for your lifestyle, body shape, and environment. These exercises only offer you some ideas and references to get started. You should keep your mind open and dare to experiment with new exercises, while listening to your body’s subtle feedback. I sincerely hope that Meridian Qigong is able to inspire you and contribute to making your life healthier.

Before you begin practicing, there are a few points you should understand. These exercises are designed to be done in bed, and ideally, you’ll be able to memorize them. But first, let me explain the benefits and the best time to practice.

Benefits of Exercises

To gain the most benefits from the meridian qigong exercises and acupres-sure, it is highly recommended that you practice all of the movements. These movements are designed in an order ideal to motivate the qi and blood circulation. However, if you feel the number of repetitions is too many or too few, you may adjust to fit what you need.

1 . Increasing Health and LongevityThe benefits you can gain from these exercises are not only to maintain your general health but also to slow down your aging process. The key of reaching these goals is to keep practicing regularly so that the body is able to get rid of the waste, and you can regain your vital force.

2 . Relaxing and Reconditioning Your Torso (Spine and Lower Back)Many exercises focus on torso movements that can not only loosen up the torso but also rebuild its strength. In Chinese medicine, the muscles/tendons that wrap around the torso are considered an organ called


triple burner (sanjiao, 三焦). When these wrapping muscles/tendons are loosened, the internal organs can be relaxed. Consequently, the qi and blood can smoothly circulate in the organs. In addition, through these exercises, you will also condition your torso and spine, especially the lower back. Therefore, to those who already have spine or lower back problems, these exercises will help you to regain health.

3 . Opening the Twelve Primary Qi Channels (Meridians)All exercises are designed to open up or to reactivate the qi’s circulation in the twelve primary qi channels. Once these channels are wide opened, the qi can circulate abundantly and smoothly. This will thus enhance the blood circulation as well. Qi and blood circulation is the crucial key to getting rid of the body’s toxins, especially when done in the early morning, right after waking up. In addition, if you practice before your sleep, you will loosen up the body and improve the qi and blood circulation. This will help you get rid of the toxins that have accumulated from daytime physical activities. Practicing before you sleep will provide a good circulating condition for the body’s metabolism during your sleep. However, you may experience that it is harder to fall asleep because the enhanced circulation may excite your mind and body.

4 . Strengthening Internal OrgansAnother benefit of enhancing qi circulation in the twelve primary qi channels is to recondition your internal organs such as the kidneys, spleen, liver, lungs, and heart. When the qi’s circulation in the twelve primary qi channels is enhanced due to the more abundant qi circulation provided, the internal organs can be conditioned and rebuilt. It is known in Chinese qigong practice that the crucial key of rebuilding the internal organs’ healthy condition is through abundant qi circulation. After all, if there is not enough energy circulating in the internal organs, then there is nothing that can be used to recondition the organs.

5 . Improving Joint ProblemsMany exercises focus on stretching and exercising the joints. When you lie down, the physical body is relaxed, especially the joints. Therefore, it is the best position for stretching and exercising the joints and enhancing the qi’s circulation in the joints. This is the crucial key to healing and reconditioning.


6 . Improving the Digestive SystemSome of the exercises emphasize the abdominal area’s movement and massage. Through these exercises and massage, the qi will circulate following the bowel system. This is the key to improving the function of the digestive system.

7 . Preventing Prostate and Breast CancersThrough the shoulder and hip joint exercises, the qi stagnant around the breast and prostate areas can be removed. In Chinese medicine, it is recognized that smooth qi circulation is the key to preventing or healing cancers. Naturally, correct exercises and massage are the two most common treatments for cancer problems.

Important Points

1 . Time of Practice (練習時間)To gain the most benefit from these exercises, there are three optimal times that you can practice.

A. Right after waking up (剛睡醒)—Best timeB. Right before sleep (睡前)—Second-best timeC. Dusk (傍晚)—Third-best time

2 . Do Not Practice with Full or Empty Stomach (不要飽食、空肚)There are a lot of swaying and circling motions in these exercises. If you have a full stomach when you do these exercises, you will feel very uncomfortable. It is important to feel comfortable and relaxed. Naturally, if you are too hungry, that will also affect your exercises; you should eat a little bit of food first. However, if you feel comfortable right after you wake up, that would be the best time.

3 . Drink Plenty of Water (喝水足量)If you feel thirsty during practice, the waste in your body will not move adequately. Water is a necessary element to help cleanse the body. If you can, place a glass of water next to your bed so you will have it right when you are waking up.

4 . Breathe Naturally (呼吸自然)Breathing is a crucial key to repelling waste in the body. Plenty of oxygen will offer you a high level of metabolism. Therefore, when you practice,


you should breathe naturally and deeply. Holding the breath can only cause tightness of the body.

5 . Adequate Number of Repetitions (運動量適度)The right amount of exercise is always the key to progress. Too much will harm you, and too little will not be effective. In addition, you must consider how much time you have. If you rush through, even though you have done a lot of exercises, the result will not be as great as when you take time and relax. You must build up a habit of enjoying it instead of treating it as a necessary task. If you find that your body is a little bit sore the next day after practice, it is normal. However, if the soreness is significant, it implies you should proceed more slowly and more gradually.

To complete all of the exercises recommended, it will take about forty to fifty minutes. If you find that there are too many exercises, you may divide them into two or three groups and practice them alternatively. You may also select those exercises that are more beneficial to your needs. For exam-ple, if you have lower back pain, you may want to practice those exercises that focus on the lower back. If you have hip or knee joint problems, you may want to emphasize more on the hip and knee exercises. Naturally, you can always adjust the number of repetitions as well.

I hope this introduction has convinced you of the effectiveness and the benefits of meridian qigong. Please allow at least three months of practice to verify these benefits. The keys to making this happen are patience and consistence. If you find this is beneficial to you, please introduce these exer-cises to others such as your friends and family.


Theories of Yin-Yang and Kan-Li 陰陽、坎離之理論by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming

To practice qigong accurately, you must not only understand the theory but also the correct methods of practice. Knowing the theory correct-

ly places a clear and accurate map in your hands leading you to your goal in the shortest time. Without this map, you may take many years to find the correct path.

Two of the most important concepts in qigong practice are the theory of yin and yang and of kan and li. These two concepts have been commonly confused in qigong society, even in China. If you are able to understand them clearly, you will have grasped an important key to the practice of qigong.

What Are Kan and Li?

Kan and li training has long been of major importance to qigong prac-titioners.To understand why, you must understand these two words and the theory behind them. The terms kan(坎) and li(離) occur frequently in qigong documents. In the eight trigrams, kan represents “water,” while li represents “fire.” However, the everyday terms for water and fire are also often used.

First, you should understand that even though kan-li and yin-yang are related, kan and li are not yin and yang. Kan is water, which is able to cool your body down and make it more yin, while li is fire, which warms your body and makes it more yang. Kan and li are the methods or causes, while yin and yang are the results. When kan and li are correctly adjusted or reg-ulated, yin and yang will be balanced and interact harmoniously.


Qigong practitioners believe that your body is always too yang, unless you are sick or have not eaten for a long time, in which case, your body may be more yin. When your body is always yang, it is degenerating and burning out. It is believed that this is the cause of aging. If you are able to use water to cool down your body, you can slow down the process of degeneration and thereby lengthen your life. This is the main reason why qigong practi-tioners have been studying ways of improving the quality of water in their bodies and of reducing the quantity of fire. I believe that as a qigong prac-titioner, you should always keep this subject at the top of your list for study and research. If you earnestly ponder and experiment, you can grasp the trick of adjusting them.

If you want to learn how to adjust them, you must understand that water and fire mean many things in your body. The first concern is your qi. Qi is classified as fire or water. When your qi is not pure and causes your physical body to heat up and your mental/spiritual body to become unstable (yang), it is classified as fire qi. The qi that is pure and is able to cool both your physical and spiritual bodies (make them more yin) is considered water qi. However, your body can never be purely water.

Water can cool down the fire, but it must never totally quench it because then, you would be dead. It is also said that fire qi is able to agitate and stim-ulate the emotions and from these emotions generate a “mind.” This mind is called xin (心) and is considered the fire mind, yang mind, or emotional mind. On the other hand, the mind that water qi generates is calm, steady, and wise. This mind is called yi (意) and is considered to be the water mind or wisdom mind. If your shen is nourished by fire qi, although your shen may be high, it will be scattered and confused (a yangshen). Naturally, if the shen is nourished and raised by water qi, it will be firm and steady (a yin mind). When your yi is able to effectively govern your emotional xin, your will (strong emotional intention) can be firm.

You can see from this discussion that your qi is the main cause of the yin and yang of your physical body, your mind, and your shen. To regulate your body’s yin and yang, you must learn how to regulate your body’s water and fire qi, and to do this efficiently you must know their sources.

To understand kan and li clearly and to adjust them efficiently, you are urged to use the modern scientific, medical point of view to analyze the


concepts. This will allow you to marry the past and present and give birth to the future.

Kan and Li in Breathing, Mind, and Shen

A . Breathing’s Kan and LiIn qigong, breathing is considered a “strategy” that enables you to lead the qi effectively. For example, you can use your breath to lead the qi to your skin or marrow. Slow orfast breathing can make the flow of qi calm or vigorous. When you are excited your body is yang, and you exhale more than you inhale. This leads the qi to the skin so that you sweat, and the excess dissipates into the surrounding air. When you are sad, your body is yin, and you inhale more than you exhale to lead the qi inward to conserve it, and you feel cold. You can see that breathing can be the main cause of changing the body’s yin and yang. Therefore, breathing has kan and li.

Generally speaking, in the normal state of your body, inhaling is considered to be a water activity (kan) because you lead the qi inward to the bone marrow where it is stored. This reduces the qi in the muscles and tendons, which calms down the body’s yang. Exhaling is considered a fire activity (li) because it brings qi outward to the muscles, tendons, and skin to energize them, making the body more yang. When the body is more yang than its surroundings, the qi in the body is automatically dissipated outward.

Normally, yin and yang should be balanced so that your body will function harmoniously. The trick to maintaining this balance is using breathing strategy. Usually, your inhalations and exhalations should be equal. However, when you are excited, your body is too yang, so youmay inhale longer and deeper to calm your mind and lead the qi inside your body to make it more yin.

In qigong practice, it is very important to grasp the trick of correct breathing. It is the exhalation that leads qi to the five centers (head, two laogong cavities at the center of the palms, and two yongquan cavities near the center of the soles) and the skin to exchange qi with the surroundings.


B . The Mind’s Kan and LiAccording to Chinese tradition, a human has two minds: xin (心) and yi (意). Xin istranslated literally as “heart” and is considered as the mind generated from emotional disturbance. Therefore, xin can be translated as “emotional mind.” The Chinese word for yi is constructed of three characters. The top one means “establish” (立), the middle one means “speaking” (曰), and the bottom one is “heart” (心). That means the emotional mind is under control when you speak. Therefore, yi can be translated as “wisdom mind” or “rational mind.” Because the emotional mind makes you excited and emotionally disturbed, which results in the excitement of your body (yang), it is considered as li. The wisdom mind that makes you calm, peaceful, and able to think clearly (yin) is considered to be kan.

In qigong training, the mind is considered the “general” whodirects the entire battle. It is the general who decides the fighting strategy (breathing) and controls the movement of the soldiers (qi). Therefore, as a general, you must control your xin (emotional mind), use your yi (wisdom mind) to judge and understand the situation, and then finally decide on the proper strategy.

In qigong, your wisdom mind must first dominate the situation and generate an idea. This idea generates and executes the strategy (breathing) and is also the force that moves the qi. Generally speaking, when your mind is excited, aggressive, and energized, the strategy (breathing) is more offensive (emphasizing exhalation), and the qi circulation is more vigorous and expansive. This aggressive mind is then considered a fire mind because it is able to make your body more yang. However, when the strategy is more defensive (i.e., emphasizing inhalation), the qi circulation will be more calm and condensing. Therefore, a calm or depressed mind is considered a water mind because it can make your body more yin.

You can see that the kan and li of the mind are more important than those of breathing. After all, it is the mind that makes the strategy. Regulating the mind and the breathing are two of the basic techniques for controlling your body’s yin and yang. Regulating the mind and the breathing cannot be separated. When the mind is regulated, the


breathing can be regulated. When the breathing is regulated, the mind is able to enter a deeper level of calmness.

C . The Shen’s Kan and LiNow, it is time to consider the final and most decisive element in winning a battle: the shen (神). Shen is compared to the morale of the general’s officers and soldiers. There are many cases throughout history of armies winning battles against great odds because the morale of their soldiers was high. If a soldier’s morale is high enough, he can defeat ten enemies.

It is the same in qigong training. It is the shen that determines how successful your qigong practice will be. Your yi (wisdom mind), which is the general who makes the strategy, must also be concerned with raising the fighting morale (shen) of the soldiers (qi). When their morale is raised, the soldiers can be led more efficiently, and consequently, the strategy can be executed more effectively.

You can see that knowing how to use the yi to raise the shen is the major key to successful qigong training. In qigong, shen is considered the headquarters that governs the qi. As a matter of fact, both yi and shen govern the qi. They are closely related and cannot be separated.

Generally speaking, when the wisdom mind (yi) is energized, the shen is also raised. You should understand that in qigong training, you want to raise your shen but not let it get excited. When the shen is raised, the strategy can be carried out effectively. However, if the shen is excited, the body will become too yang, and that is not desirable in qigong practice. When you are practicing qigong, you want to keep your shen high all the time and use it to govern the strategy and the qi. This will enable you to readjust or regulate your kan and li efficiently.

Shen is the control tower that is able to adjust the kan and li, but it does not have kan and li itself. Nevertheless, some qigong practitioners consider the raised shen to be li (fire) and the calm shen to be kan (water).

Now, let us draw a few important conclusions from the above discussion:

A. Kan (water) and li (fire) are not yin and yang. Kan and li are methods that can cause yin or yang.


B. Qi itself is only a form of energy and does not have kan and li. When qi is too excessive or too deficient, it can cause the body to be too yang or too yin.

C. When you adjust kan and li in the body, the mind is the first concern. The mind can be kan or li. It determines the strategy (breathing) for withdrawing the qi (kan) or expanding it (li).

D. Breathing has kan and li. Usually inhaling, which makes the body more yin, is kan. Exhaling, which makes the body more yang, is li.

E. The shen does not have kan and li. Shen is the key to making the kan and li adjustment effective and efficient.


Introduction to Qi Gong Part 1by Lee Holden

Qi means life force energy. The ancient pictogram of Qi represented mist coming off water or steam coming off rice. The mist and steam

signified that Qi was invisible. The rice meant that Qi nourished the body.

Qi is the animating power of the body. It’s the difference between a live body and a dead body. When someone dies, the Qi is gone. The body weighs the same, has the same organs and muscles, but is lifeless. Qi is the aliveness. It’s the power behind your heart, it’s the light in your mind, it’s the shine in your eyes, it’s the movement in your body.

When I was ten years old, I got inspired to take karate after watching a Bruce Lee movie. He was my childhood idol. After six months or so of class, the teacher brought out a stack of bricks and broke them with a karate chop. I was mesmerized. I was sold. I wanted to learn that. When I asked how he did it, he simply said, “with Qi.”

In the Yellow Emperor’s classic on Chinese Medicine (I’m sure you’ve read it, it’s a classic), about 360 different kinds of Qi’s (not to be mistaken with cheese.) You get Qi, your aliveness, from different sources. For example, you get Qi from food. When you don’t eat for a few hours or days, your energy changes. You get Qi from nature, from sunlight, from the wind, from the trees. You get Qi from water. But, the quickest source to energy is your breath.

You can go without food for weeks, go without water for days, but only go without breath for minutes. If you don’t breathe, in less than 10 minutes, no more Qi! Breath is life force energy. Learn to breathe properly and you can cultivate more Qi.


What is Energy?

Energy is life; your life and life all around you. When your life and life all around become harmonious, the energy you experience is joyful, exciting, fulfilling. When internal energy and external energy combine in just the right way, we experience love; love for someone, love for each other, love of life.

Ask the mystic, the Qi Gong master, or the Quantum physicist and you get a similar answer to the nature of the body. The Qi Gong master describes the nature of the body as Qi, as life force energy. The mystic says that the physical body is an illusion, a constant process of change. The physicist describes the body as vibration and empty space.

Quantum physicists and mystics from all ages agree that we are literally made of and living within a limitless sea of energy. How is it then, that we suffer chronic low energy, fatigue, or poor health? Medical surveys show that “lack of energy” and high levels of stress are the biggest complaints in physicians’ offices today.

The choices we make everyday, from exercise to diet, change the way we feel and work from the inside out. As we cultivate more energy within ourselves, life’s stresses that we normally face aren’t so overwhelming. As our energy increases, so does our ability to handle stress and create effective solutions. It’s when we are depleted that stress seeps into our body and mind.

In Eastern terms, the more energy circulating in the body, the healthier we are. Abundant energy manifests in the body as better functioning organs, more flexibility in the muscles, supple joints, and balanced emotions. Loss of internal energy creates fatigue, tension, low metabolism, inability to cope with stress, insomnia, depression, and turbulent thoughts.

Energy level is a great indicator of our general health. A Yale University study found that energy levels had the highest correlation with gener-al-health status and were the best predictor of both physical and psycho-logical health over time. Energetic people, the study showed are generally healthy, whereas the enervated are often ill, becoming ill, fighting off illness, or struggling with their low energy condition. Illness, apathy, fatigue, anxi-ety, chronic stress, depression and the like are all signs that we are becoming depleted.


Nature pulses with energy. In the Eastern forms of exercise, tapping into this abundant energy all around us and within us is one of the goals. Some-times, cultivating more energy is as simple as getting out of our own way, of letting go of stress, tension, old emotions, and discordant thoughts. Abun-dant energy is not something that we have to create or make. It is always there, wanting to flow, wanting to express itself as creativity and balance.

Searching for energy in the material world, as we so often do, often leads to disappointment. It is important to remember that the path to more energy is not product related. What we want in the material world is a reflection of an inner feeling—security, fulfillment, health, power, excitement, youth, and vitality. These are all inner qualities. One of my teachers calls this inces-sant desire for material goods the search for “Dragon eggs.” In other words, it is a search for something that doesn’t exist.

To cultivate energy from the inside is something that lasts – a way to go to the source of energy and allow it to grow. Happiness and joy already exist inside you. The notion that acquiring something material to elicit this inner quality only leads to continual grasp of external things. If we are constantly pulled outside ourselves in our quest for happiness, it is like trying to cap-ture waves by scooping up the ocean in a bucket. By cultivating energy from within, you can enjoy the material world without attachment. The material world is truly for our enjoyment and experience, but when we approach it from internal balance and strength, we can appreciate all our possessions without being controlled by them.

The key to happiness and vitality is balance: a harmony with your relation-ship with life in every area, both internal and external – diet, exercise, work, relationships, sleep, play, and contemplation.

Story: Looking for Energy

There was a man looking for the mystery of life. He studied with medi-tations teachers, mystics, yogis, qi gong masters, and philosophers. He learned technique after technique. At times he would feel amazing, bliss, elevated, connected to the universe. At times, he felt one with life. He had experiences of unconditional love and present moment awareness…but it would fade and dissipate. He would then be back to the stresses of life and the frustrations of living. He pursued his quest for finding deeper


meaning and everlasting happiness. He studied in India, Tibet, and China. He learned about breath, stretching, secret postures, being in the present moment, moving energy through his body. His wonderful experiences continued and faded. The man was saddened by the fleeting nature of these experiences. He finally climbed the highest peak in the Himalayas and called up to the heavens, “God, why am I still miserable?” God replied, “I am constantly giving the most precious energy of life, but you are leaking!”

It’s not how much energy we tap into, it’s how much energy we retain and contain. In psychology, this would be the difference between a state and a trait. We can drop into certain states—happiness, presence, peace and be pulled out of those states by the next phone call, thought, or traffic jam. Traits are more permanent. They are longer lasting and resilient. States, through repetition lead to traits.


Introduction to Qi Gong Part 2by Lee Holden

My First Qi Experience

I was ten years old, lying in my bed. My dad was standing in the door way speaking in a low deep voice, “10 feel your body relaxing, 9, going deeper

now, 8 very relaxed, 7, your body is so relaxed that it feels like your floating on a cloud…” He was guiding me through a visualization. Every night be-fore bed, either my mom or dad would guide us kids through a deep relax-ation technique. By the time I was 15, I was proficient in self-relaxation and visualization techniques. I would use the technique to help with school and sports.

Each night, my practice would get more and more intense. I started feeling a tingling and a buzzing coursing through my body. I was both excited and a little scared. This new sensation was mysterious. Intrigued by the new discovery, I would practice diligently each and every night. The electricity in my body was palpable. My hands were lit up, my spine felt like a super conductor, my head was light as helium, and my feet buzzed like a street corner light. What was happening? What was this strange and amazing sensation?

Since these early day discovers of electricity, I have been fascinated with internal energy. It wasn’t till I was browsing a spiritual bookstore in down-town Berkeley that I discovered more about the experience.

Invisible Forces

Life is ruled by invisible forces. Like the wind, this force can’t be seen, but experienced. When the wind blows, we don’t witness it directly, but we can


feel it across our skin, we can see it moving the branches of the tree. Energy is the same, we don’t see it directly, but we experience it as it animates every-thing in our bodies from the heart beat to the thoughts in the mind.

Gravity is another invisible force that rules life. We are all bond by the laws of this force, this magnetic energy. What is gravity? Again, we experience it, science can describe it, but know one knows how to define it. Your heart-beat, gravity, thoughts, emotions, are all invisible. We can describe each of these, yet we don’t know where these forces come from, how to define them, or even where they originated. Invisible forces like love and gravity have big impact on our lives.

We don’t need to know exactly what these forces are. Just in the same way, you don’t have to be a cardiologist and know all the intricacies of the heart organ to get the benefits of exercise. You do it and whether or not you know how many chambers the heart has or not, you get the benefit.

Qi or energy is the invisible, immaterial substance that propagates life and animates our bodies with movement. Within, it gives birth to our thoughts, emotions and consciousness. Externally, energy is infused in both the infinite space of the Universe and the infinitesimal space of the smallest particles. It is the spiral dance of the planets, the magnetism between the electron and proton, and the attraction between male and female. Energy is in the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the emotions we feel. It is the force that allows the planets, stars, and galaxies to work in perfect harmony. Mountains arising, forests growing, rivers flowing, and all life proliferating are expressions of this life-force energy.

Energy as Medicine

A doctor came into my office for a treatment on a rainy day with his wife. “My husband needs an acupuncture appointment,” she said. I brought him into the treatment room and the first thing he said was, “You know, I don’t believe this is going to work, but I’d rather come in for a treatment than listen to my wife nag at me all day.” I laughed and said that it couldn’t hurt, that at least he’d get a good rest. “What do you mean ‘I couldn’t hurt, you sticking me with needles.’” I explained that acupuncture is for the most part very relaxing, that it comes from a medicine that sees the body in a completely different paradigm than Western medicine.


The doctor came back a week later, his wife had a smile on her face as they came into the office. When I brought him back to the treatment room I asked how he was. He said, “I still don’t believe in this, but it’s the only thing that’s working.” We had a good laugh. Qi is beyond concepts and ideas. Qi isn’t something to be understood or even believed in. It’s to be experienced.

In Western medicine they look at the different systems of the body. For example, if you have issues with the lungs or sinuses, you go to a respiratory specialist. If you catch frequent colds, you might talk to a doctor who spe-cializes in the immune system. We have specialist for all the different sys-tems of the body—the nervous system, the digestive system, the endocrine system, the respiratory system, the immune system, and so on.

In Chinese medicine, they focus on something completely different—the electrical system. The electrical system is the energy of the body. Each of the systems within the body need power. The heart needs energy or electricity to beat, the nervous system needs electricity to communicate, the digestive system needs energy to pull out the nutrients from the food and get rid of the waste, the brain needs energy to create images or light in the mind. Everything in the body needs energy to function.

Think about it this way. If the power lines go down or flicker on and off during a storm, everything in the house stops working or only works sporad-ically. Without electricity, we have no heat, we can’t cook our food, watch TV, or use the computer. If we apply the same principles to our minds and bodies, we see that low energy causes shortages in our overall vitality, the way we metabolize food, our stress levels, our libido, our creativity, and our enjoyment of life.

You live in two bodies simultaneously—the bio-mechanical body and the bio-electrical body. Chinese medicine is based on the bio-electrical body, the energy system. Western medicine is based on the bio-mechanical body. Both systems work. Both systems are correct. But to feel like a well-inte-grated, healthy, whole person, we need to understand that we are more than just a sack of bones and muscles with a pump, with a tube on one end and a hole on the other with a thinking mechanism that is just about survival. We have energy, feelings, thoughts, a personality, a soul. These are all invis-ible. See if you can put your personality in a test tube or do surgery on an


emotion. These invisible energies give life texture, context, and sensation. Yes, the heart is a pump, but love makes life worth living. Yes, sound creates vibration on your eardrums, but music turns it into bliss. Yes, light enters into the eyes, but the smile from a baby lights you up in unexplainable ways.

“You are not just this body,” a teacher told me. “You only think you are. You are something much more mysterious. You are Qi.”


Qigong for Spring—Support the Liver and Expand Your Visionby Marisa Cranfill

Physically, spring qigong practices focus on the organs of the wood ele-ment: the liver and the gall bladder. The liver is the chief organ respon-

sible for processing toxins in the body. One of the liver’s main jobs is to store the blood and filter toxic wastes from the bloodstream. Another task is to produce many of the alkaline enzymes upon which immune response and other vital functions depend.

Welcome to the first signs of spring. Although it may still be cold in your parts, nature is beginning to wake up from its deep slumber and new life is stirring.

The Chinese character for the word spring is Chūn 春. It’s an image of the sun underneath a tree with grass on top. The character speaks clearly: spring is yang (the sun), it’s the element of growth (wood), and it brings life (grass.)

In Traditional Chinese Medicine and qigong, spring is considered the beginning of the cycle of the seasons. We welcome this time of year when nature is born again after the dark yin phase of winter. As the days are become longer, Mother Earth gives birth to the delightful aromas of fresh grasses and flowers. Spring’s rising yang energy supports growth, so it’s a good time for us to assume the movement of yang within ourselves.

While in winter we should sleep more, in spring we should be more active and focus on goals, start new projects, and encourage other people on their journeys. Physically, spring is a great time to support liver detoxification


and to strengthen the tendons and connective tissues. Energetically, it’s a time to reboot our energy system so that we can restart the seasonal cycle with a clear mind. Spiritually, spring is a special time to expand our vision, shift into new perspectives and focus on manifesting our highest potential.

Many qigong practices for spring come from dragon forms that use spirals and twists. Most of these forms were developed through martial arts lin-eages that focused on creating a strong and flexible body. I have developed a yoga-qigong YOQI video series which contains a super charged variety of seasonal practices which will detoxify, spiral, reboot and attune you to spring’s generous energy.

Your Spring Qigong Practice

Physically, spring qigong practices focus on the organs of the wood ele-ment: the liver and the gall bladder. The liver is the chief organ responsible for processing toxins in the body. One of the liver’s main jobs is to store the blood and filter toxic wastes from the bloodstream. Another task is to produce many of the alkaline enzymes upon which immune response and other vital functions depend. If the blood is constantly polluted by excess acid residues from a poor diet, alcohol and drugs, or excessive stress, the liver eventually gets overloaded with acid wastes and becomes deeply con-gested with toxic debris. This results in qi stagnation which is experienced as tension, joint pain, headaches, physical weakness, painful menstruation. Therefore, most qigong for the liver emphasize detoxification and purging.

Emotionally, our qigong will focus on transforming anger or frustration into forgiveness and kindness. Our internal organs are reservoirs of energy. In the Daoist healing tradition, both positive and negative emotions are associated with them. The liver resonates with the emotional vibrations of anger and frustration. Most of us know intuitively that if we are carrying around stress, anger, grief and emotional trauma, it has a direct effect on our body.

Over time, the accumulation of too much anger creates heat in the liver, resulting in stagnation and impedes our potential. One of the most pow-erful tools to transform negative emotions is vibration. The Six Healing Sounds Qigong is a vibrational healing method that dates back to the fourth century. It is a foundational YOQI practice we use to transform negative emotions into positive virtues.


Energetically, spring supports your ability to expand your vision and see new perspectives. The energy of spring supports growth, expansion, vision and creativity. In Daoist metaphysics, these virtues resonate with the spirit of the liver called the Hun. The Hun spirit shines through our eyes and gives us the energy to put things into perspective—to see the big picture. Spring is a good time to break free from old programs, open to new ideas and set our Hun free. It’s also a prime time to take new ideas and make them into practical plans. Through this process of actualizing the Hun, we come to realize that the largest perspective includes the highest good of all beings.

Spring is one of my favorite seasons to practice a diversity of qigong forms and is one of the largest collections in my library. If you are interested, you can learn more about how to choose practices from my blog. I suggest that you focus on practicing quality over quantity. With consistent dedication and skillful effort, your qi and inner light shall blossom.

May the life force be with you!


Qigong for Summer – Transform Impatience and Anger into Patience and Compassionby Marisa Cranfill

Energetically, summer is also a powerful time for transforming energy. The element of summer is fire. In our body, fire connects to the heart

fire that resonates the human force of unconditional love and acceptance. Therefore, many qigong practices for summer come from spiritual qigong traditions that focus on internal alchemy; the process of transforming and refining our vibration to its highest potential.

There is so much transformation going on during this epoch time on earth, it is beyond words. The gift of qigong is that it gives us tools to embrace the flow of change by aligning our energy with nature. When we are in harmony with nature, we are in harmony with our true nature which brings vitality, love and wisdom. A simple way to do this is to choose qigong prac-tices that correspond to the four seasons.

During summer in the Northern Hemisphere, yang energy is rising to its peak expression which is on the Solstice, June 21. As I begin summer qigong practices, I realize there has not been a more critical time for humanity to expand our capacity to love and be loved. This expansive energetic support is one of the many blessings of summer qi. I say, bring it on!

The Energy of Summer—Expansion

The Chinese character for the word summer, xia 夏, is an image of a man standing under the scorching sun. Summer is the Great Yang (Tai Yang 太陽) when the days are longest, and the nights


are shortest. The consistent heat of summer ripens the fruits of our hearts, creating the sweetest and juiciest energy of the year—joy and love.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, summer is the peak of nature’s expansion, so it is the best time for us to express the most yang aspect of ourselves. It’s the time to live life to the fullest, nourish our spirit and dare to go places we have not gone before. Summer’s sunshine invites us to go outside and to be more active through movement and play. While in winter we should sleep more to nourish yin, in Summer we can get away with less sleep but still remembering to always tend to the needs of our individual state of health. Dynamic relaxation, joyful flow and laughing qigong are beautiful charac-teristics of summer practices.

Energetically, summer is also a powerful time for transforming energy. The element of summer is fire. In our body, fire connects to the heart fire that resonates the human force of unconditional love and acceptance. Therefore, many qigong practices for summer come from spiritual qigong traditions that focus on internal alchemy; the process of transforming and refining our vibration to its highest potential.

Your Summer Qigong Practice

Physically, summer qigong practices focus on the organs of the fire element. The heart and small intestine cultivated through qigong are all beneficial to regulate the physical aspects of the heart.

The heart is a major pump that ensures a constant circulation of oxygen rich blood to all parts of the body. The average heart beats 100,000 times per day and pumps about 7,200 liters (1,900 gallons) of blood! Every cell must relax and contract in a precise rhythm for the heart to keep us alive. One tiny hiccup can disrupt the electrical signals causing a heart attack or stroke. The relaxation, rhythmic movements, and patience cultivated through qigong are all beneficial to regular the physical aspects of the heart.

Although the element of the heart is fire, too much fire or heat disturbs the heart. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, when heat collects in one area of the body this is called “fire poison,” otherwise known as inflammation. Summer, being the hottest time of the year, has its own two pathogens called summer heat and summer damp heat. The symptoms of summer heat are dizziness, confusion, lack of sweating after profuse sweating, diffi-


culty breathing, fatigue, muscle cramps, and fainting. Summer damp heat symptoms include nausea or vomiting, poor appetite, stuffy chest, heavy or fatigued limbs, and diarrhea. In extremely hot summer weather, it is important to dress lightly, drink lots of fluids and take care not to physi-cally overexert yourself. Practice qigong early in the morning or later in the evening.

Emotionally, your practice will focus on the emotions of summer—trans-forming impatience or hatred into acceptance and compassion.

The heart is the emperor of our emotions. In Chinese language, the heart is such an important aspect of our consciousness that is has its own mind called the heart mind (xin nian). The heart mind perceives situations based on feelings and emotions. This is in contrast to the conscious mind, yi nian, that perceives based on rational logic. Regulating the xin nian to be coher-ent with the yi nian is fundamental to our evolution and spiritual growth.

The heart is affected by all emotions. As we learn in The Six Healing Sounds practice, the five primary emotions are anger, hatred, worry, grief, and fear. Hatred is the most destructive emotion for the heart. Hatred and impatience create heat and a violent movement that causes energy to rise and leak out. Qigong flows that balance the heart transform hatred and impatience into love and joy.

When negative emotions are transformed into positive virtues, the heart becomes a cauldron of spiritual alchemy. As the positive virtues combine in the heart center they are further refined into the ultimate spiritual energy, compassion. Compassion is a vibration that exudes a quality of magnetism: it touches others and is reflected to the person expressing the emotion.

Energetically, summer supports your ability to transform and transmute your vibration.

The heart is the residence of the spirit (神) and its spiritual goal is eternal happiness through meaningful and intimate connection with the world. I feel that the quarantine situation of COVID-19 has reminded us of the simple joy in connection with others and is opening up many hearts that had become numb over the last decade. This disruption in the previous pro-gram is also creating a powerful shift in the collective that is taking place through the heart center.


Surrounding the physical heart at the center of the chest is a reservoir of qi, called the Middle Dantian or heart center. A Dantian is an area in the body where qi gathers, is refined, transformed, and stored. The energy generated here is the vibration of love and compassion. When the Middle Dantian is weak or stagnant we feel irritated, unfulfilled, rejected, hypersensitive, shy, disturbed, lonely and miserable. When the Middle Dantian fire is strong and radiant we feel loving, compassionate, awake, patient, understanding and are open to love and be loved. Compassion means “with passion.” The compassion frequency fuels us to experience life in every possible reality, to accept all beings and circumstances with pure love and awareness.

The Middle Dantian is the gateway between the physical realm and spiri-tual realm and the process of refining energy through the Middle Dantian is called internal alchemy (Nei Dan). Alchemy is to transform one frequency of energy into another frequency. According to the Dao, we are refining our energy to return back to its original frequency that vibrates with the original source of unity consciousness.

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