Qigong Basics: The Breath & Calming the Mind

By Eric Aufdencamp, D.O.M.

Qi is the vital life force that animates all living things. In Chinese medicine, the breath is one aspect that allows us to create Qi.

Qi from a Chinese Medicine perspective:

1. Provides warmth
2. Keeps blood in the vessels and organs in their proper place
3. Acts as the catalyst for the production of blood
4. Protects the body from external influences (i.e. bacterial and viral influences)
5. Provides movement for the fluids in the body

Qigong means to acquire benefit through being in harmony with one's life energy, or Qi. Exercise and relaxation techniques are ways you can regulate the flow of Qi in your body. If you tend to be tense and always on the go, then relaxation practices are very important. If you tend to have a sedentary lifestyle, movement practices such as tai chi, yoga, swimming, and other low-impact exercises, are important.

Regardless of your activity level, quieting the mind is an essential practice for better health.

• To begin your practice, first sit and simply observe your breath. Is it shallow, rapid, slow, or constricted? Do you breathe only in your chest or do you breathe deeply into both your chest and abdomen?

• Next, breathe through your nose with your mouth closed and the tip of your tongue gently resting on the border of your upper teeth and palate. This creates a circuit in the body that assists the movement of Qi. Breathe from your diaphragm, or from the area around the middle of your torso. As you fill up the area of the diaphragm, your chest may slowly rise as a natural consequence.

• It is best to breathe from deep in the belly, because chest breathing may cause you to feel anxious or lightheaded. When inhaling, breathe deep in order to fill up the entire cavity in a 360-degree radius. Feel as if there were a balloon in the center that is being filled up in all directions. Remember that breathing should always be gentle and not forced.

Over time, your breathing will become slower and deeper without effort. Eventually, you can let go of the focus on your breath and just notice the sensations in your body and the sounds surrounding you.

It is ideal to not shut out sounds, but instead make them a part of your practice. It is a practice of accepting or surrendering to what is both in our bodies and our minds. This practice is excellent for reducing anxiety, promoting restful sleep and slowing down our thoughts.

DAO YIN Exercises for Health

By Junie Norfleet, L.Ac.

In the book Daoist Health Preservation Exercises, it is reported that Dr. Tissot, a famous French doctor from the 18th century, said, "As far as the role of movement is concerned, it can almost replace any kind of medicine. But no medicine in the world can replace the role of movement."

For many years the Chinese culture has recognized the importance of using movement to maintain and support the health of the body. The type of movement that the Chinese culture uses is not the aerobic and weight lifting types of movement that are so much a part of the culture in the United States.

Dao Yin movements are gentle and yet very effective for moving the energy (qi) of the body to help maintain health or to help cure illness. Following are some Dao Yin exercises that will help to maintain a supple, energized body. (As with all exercise, do only what your body feels comfortable doing.)

1. Lie on your back. Relax. Notice where your breath is in your body. Put your hands on that area. Relax. Gently guide your breath to the lower body. Breathe into the lower body several times. Place one hand on the upper body and one hand on the lower body. Inhale into the lower body and hold the breath. While holding the breath, force the breath into the upper body and then back down to the lower body. "Pump" the breath between these two places until you can no longer hold your breath. Release the breath through the mouth. Repeat several times. Relax and notice where the breath is now.

2. Stretch both hands over your head and spread your legs so that your body looks like an "X." Relax. Now you are going to "crawl on your back." Stretch the right hand higher over your head, then stretch the left leg out; then the left hand higher and the right leg out. By letting the hips shift as you reach, a "crawling" motion will be created when you do it at a fairly rapid pace. Once you have done it several times, relax and notice what feels different in your body. Where is the breath?

3. Lie on your back with your arms out to the sides as if the body is a cross. Pull the knees up and place the feet on the floor. Cross the right leg over the left leg so the knees cross. Inhale and let the weight of the right leg push the left leg to the left as far as it will go and release the breath. The head should naturally turn to the right. Let the left leg do the work of bringing both legs back up. Repeat this several times. As you repeat the exercise again, this time let the legs flop over to the left and release the breath rapidly. Repeat several times. Now lie on your back again. Notice what feels different in the body. Which leg feels longer, heavier? Where is the breath?

4. Repeat exercise 3, but cross the left leg over the right.

Doing these gentle exercises helps to lubricate the joints, stretch the sinews, move the qi, and relax the body. As you do these exercises more and more, you will begin to notice that you feel more centered and comfortable in your body, and that your body can stretch more each week. And remember, there is no medicine that can take the place of movement!

Huff Puff Qi Gong

By Blake Crownover, L.Ac.

The Huff Puff Qi Gong DVD instructed by Jeffrey Yuen is available at no charge to the community at the Chinese Acupuncture and Herbology Clinic.

Huff Puff Qi Gong is one of the easiest forms of Qi Gong for a person to learn. Though the exercises are simple they can have a strong dynamic affect on the body.

One can use the exercises to treat anything from jet lag and hypertension to cancer and chronic degenerative diseases.

In China, there have been multiple cases where those who have practiced Huff Puff Qi Gong to treat chronic degenerative diseases have succeeded through regular practice in curing their illness.

When beginning the Huff Puff Qi Gong practice, it is important to consider three main aspects:

1) Breathing
2) Posture
3) Intention

Breathing

Huff Puff Qi Gong is a form of Qi Gong that focuses particularly on one's breathing technique. Therefore, the diaphragm is a particular focus for these exercises. Contracting the diaphragm (raising one's trunk) with several inhales through one's nose makes a sound like Huff, and dilating the diaphragm (lowering one's trunk) with one's exhale through one's mouth makes a sound like Puff.

In Huff Puff Qi Gong, it is fundamentally important that the inhale Huff is a few short, quick, yet strong breaths in comparison to the exhale Puff which should be one, long, quick, yet strong breath. This breathing strategy enables the practitioner of Huff Puff Qi Gong, to increase the amount of carbon dioxide exhaled, enhancing one's detoxification.

Posture

Huff Puff is a form of walking Qi Gong that begins focus on posture by aligning one's body into a particular structure. Structure/posture in Qi Gong is important because it provides an ideal opportunity for the individual to gain awareness of Qi by following a few principles in which the body is more open, receptive and relaxed.

The posture begins by first standing with feet shoulder width apart and then grounding oneself in this posture by dropping one's tailbone. To support this grounding, it is good to place one's intention on KI 1, otherwise known as Bubbling Spring, at the center of the sole of one's foot, and further imagining his/her toes are like roots growing into the ground.

Next, it is important to create a counter balance for this by lifting up at the top of one's head at Du 20, otherwise known as Bai Wei. This lifting and grounding counterbalance creates an environment in which the tension builds at one's center, also known as the abdominal/trunk region.

With the combination of one's tension and breath, the body creates a pumping action that increases circulation at one's center, nourishing his/her viscera/internal organs. This helps cleanse the body of any illnesses that may be present there.

The next important aspect of posture is to place one's thumbs in his/her navel, therefore forming a triangle with his/her hands over one's lower belly. Also known as the lower dante en/elixir field, this elixir field is known in many traditions to be essential for promoting long life when over time one nurtures and stores his/her energy there.

Intention

Holding in your mind your personal goals for health makes this exercise as much a meditation, as it is a physical movement.

To receive your FREE Huff Puff Qi Gong DVD, email: contact@ashevilleacupuncture.com.

Self-Cultivation: Holding Your Heart in Your Hand

By Junie Norfleet, L.Ac.

Sit or lie quietly with your eyes closed. Take several deep breaths into your lower abdomen, letting each one out slowly. Place one of your hands over your heart. Let it rest there lightly. As it rests over your heart, spend time scanning the body from the head to the feet, front to back, in gratitude for your skin and all that it does to protect you.

Move your attention back to your hand. Imagine that the little finger and ring finger move slowly and gently into the body in a cupping motion. Again, scan the body from the head to the feet, front to back, in gratitude for the muscles, ligaments, and tendons and all that they do to help the body move gracefully, and to help you as you move through life.

Bring your attention back to your hand. Imagine that the middle finger moves into the body to join the other two fingers in the cupping motion. Scan the body from head to feet, front to back, being grateful for the skeleton and all that it does to help support and move your body, and to the system of blood vessels that helps to oxygenate the body and to keep you alive and well.

Move your attention back to your hand. Imagine the ring finger joining the others in the cupping motion around the heart. At this time, the image should be that the fingers are cupped against the back wall of the heart. As you scan the body this time, be grateful to each of the organ systems in the body and each of the special things they do to help you maintain good health.

As your attention goes back to your hand, imagine the little finger as it moves into the body, creating a picture of the heart sitting in the palm of your hand. With the heart sitting in the palm of your hand, appreciate the core of who you are – all of the natural kindnesses that you perform, the loving presence you are to those around you, the joy that you bring to yourself and others, and most of all, the special niche that you offer to the oneness of all things.

Smile at your heart and begin to imagine gently and slowly removing your fingers from around your heart. Let your hand come to rest in your lap. Take several deep breaths into the lower body, with the focus on the bottoms of the feet. When you are ready, slowly open your eyes.

This exercise can be done alone, or you can work with a partner. When working with a partner, your hand holds the heart of your partner, while their hand holds your heart. One of you would lead the guided meditation by talking you both through the different steps. It is very important not to rush through this exercise, so that you have time to truly appreciate the wonderful being that you are.