Qigong for Staying Young by Shoshanna Katzman

Author:Shoshanna Katzman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2017-02-06T09:20:24+00:00

Strong Bones

IN SET 6 we focus our mind intent further, shifting focus from the endocrine glands to the bones and taking the time to care for these remarkable structures so crucial to long, healthy lives.

SET 6: KNITTING STRONG BONES

Qigong exercises to maintain strong bones and good balance are called Bone Marrow Washing. These exercises were developed simultaneously with two other qigong forms. One is the muscle tendon classic done to maintain strong tendons and muscles, of which several are included in the Twenty-Minute Workout such as Phoenix Eats Its Ashes and Tigress Crouches Down. (The third system, eighteen Luohan Qigong has not been included in this book.) Bone-marrow-washing exercises date back to at least the sixth century A.D., when an Indian monk named Da Mo brought Buddhist teachings to China. On his visit to the now famous Shaolin Monastery, he found the monks sickly from long hours spent sitting in meditation. Da Mo created these exercises to develop flexibility and bone health, helping the monks heal their muscles, tendons, and marrow. This was the first time that meditation and martial arts were brought together as a unified system.

The purpose of the Bone Marrow Washing exercises was and is to promote qi and blood flow in the bones, in turn bringing oxygen to the bone marrow. Because the practice has always been closely linked with meditation, Bone Marrow Washing is also said to promote peace of mind and spiritual enlightenment.

Indeed, in addition to health, the two most significant benefits from these exercises are longevity and enhanced spiritual life. Bone Marrow Washing prevents aging of the joints and bones by bringing together the body and the mind. As we perform Bone Marrow Washing, we are indeed “washing” the red and white blood cells produced in our marrow which become “dirty” with age, or less effective at the same time the marrow becomes more fatty. But besides purifying our bodies, Bone Marrow Washing purifies our spirit. These exercises teach you how to regulate qi within the meridians and organs. The training encourages qi circulation to the bone and brain in particular, nourishing them and maintaining their proper function. When qi flows to the brain, it sparks the spirit.

Bone Marrow Washing exercises combine self-massage, mental concentration to direct qi, and breath control. As you practice, you expel pathogens from the bones and improve blood circulation, maximize qi flow, and increase flexibility. Washing the marrow provides you with the same kind of fresh healthy blood you had as a child. As the “mother of qi,” the blood in Chinese medicine nourishes all the organs to bring you youthful vitality.

The qigong exercises in this set build bone mass in different ways. For one, these qigong exercises strengthen the kidneys, and the kidneys nourish the bones. Invigorating the kidney energy of the body balances and strengthens the hormonal system and thus the bones. Secondly, moving muscles and using weights stresses the bones, increasing bone mass. Our major muscles are attached to underlying bone by tendons. Every time a muscle contracts, it exerts a force on the bone to which it is anchored.

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