Chinese Healing Exercises by Steven Cardoza

Author:Steven Cardoza
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Taiji, Qi Gong, Daoist yoga, Chinese Healing, Health, medicine, remedy, energy
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide, LTD.
Published: 2013-09-22T16:00:00+00:00

Figure 6.10B (Opposite Leg Toe Touch, the Whole Body Windmill)

If you want to increase the release in a tight body part, you can hold the position with your hand to the ground and head turned to your upper hand, and breathe into any tight area for a number of breaths before returning to an upright position. If you want more aerobic benefit, you can do the exercise more rapidly once you are comfortable with it.

8. Seated Torso Twist

This is a variation of a popular yoga posture, an example of how similar exercises may arise in different cultures, sometimes for the same or similar purposes, and sometimes for very different ones. This is another more challenging stretch, requiring your legs and hips to be already fairly open. Depending on how flexible you are currently, and as a reminder, you may elect to skip this exercise for now, until your body opens more from practicing other exercise. This is of course true for any exercise you may find too difficult. Don’t let that discourage you from doing the ones you can, as they will help you on their own and make it possible for you to do more difficult ones farther down the road.

Purpose

Physical: Creates a strong rotational stretch throughout the whole spine, increasing the benefits begun in other rotational spine stretches, and stretches the hip rotator muscles. Helps stabilize the pelvis and hips, opens the low back, promotes freer movement between the pelvis and low back, and reduces low back pain.

Energetic: Opens the Urinary Bladder and Du meridians, removing obstruction to qi flow in those channels. Both the rotation of the torso and the hip rotator stretch opens the sides of the body, so the lower portion of the Gall Bladder meridian is opened and qi flow is stimulated. Opens and activates the Daimai (Girdling or Belt Vessels, which energetically bind and connect with all the regular acupuncture meridians), benefits the kidneys, and stimulates the Mingmen (Life Gate, or Gate of Vitality, an energy center located between the Kidneys.)

Techniques used

Stretching, rotational stretch/twist, Daoist yoga, focused breathing.

Method

Sit on the floor. Fold your right leg beneath you by bending your right knee, keeping your knee on the ground, and slide your right foot beneath your left upper thigh, so that your right heel is at or just under your left buttock. With your left leg bent at the knee, place your left foot flat on the floor just to the right of your right knee. In this position, your left leg is crossed over your right. Keep your lower left leg from knee to ankle as close to vertical as possible, that is, not leaning to one side or the other. Place your left palm flat on the floor for support, just to the left of, or as far to the rear of your left hip as is comfortable. Alternatively, you may prefer to make a fist instead of using a flat palm, as that will give your left side slightly more lift and aid in keeping your spine perpendicular to the ground.

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