Bruce Frantzis - Dragon and Tiger Qigong

Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung Instruction Manual

Other Books by Bruce Frantzis Opening the Energy Gates of Your Body: Chi Gung for Lifelong Health Tai Chi: Health for Life The Power of Internal Martial Arts and Chi: Combat and Energy Secrets of Ba Gua, Tai Chi and Hsing-I Relaxing Into Your Being (TAO meditation) The Great Stillness (TAO meditation) The Chi Revolution: Harness the Healing Power of Your Life Force

Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung Instruction Manual

Bruce Frantzis

Copyright © 2008 Bruce Frantzis All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher. Published by Energy Arts, Inc. P.O. Box 99, Fairfax, CA 94978-0099 The following trademarks are used under license by Energy Arts, Inc.: Frantzis Energy Arts® system, Mastery Without Myste~, Chi Rev Workout'", Longevity Breathing® program, Opening the Energy Gates of Your Body~ chi gung, the Marriage of Heaven and Earth'" chi gung, Bend the Bow'" spinal chi gung, Spiraling Energy Body~ chi gung, Gods Playing in the Clouds'" chi gung and Living Taoism~ collection. Lisa Petty, GiriVibe, Inc.: Book design and production, and cover design Michael McKee: Illustrations Abra Brayman: Dragon and tiger yin-yang design PLEASE NOTE: The practice of Taoist energy arts, such as the exercises in this manual, and the meditative arts, may carry risks. The information in this book is not any way intended as a substitute for medical, mental or emotional counseling with a licensed physician or healthcare provider. The reader should consult a professional before undertaking any martial arts, movement, meditative arts, health or exercise program to reduce the chance of injury or any other harm that may result from pursuing or trying any technique discussed in this book. Any physical or other distress experienced during or after any exercise should not be ignored and should be brought to the attention of a healthcare professional. The creators and publishers of this book disclaim any liabilities for loss in connection with following any of the practices described in this book, and their implementation are at the discretion, decision and risk of the reader.

Contents Acknowledgments

vi

Introduction

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Chapter 1:

Dragon and Tiger Chi Gung: A Miracle Health System

Chapter 2:

Standing Posture and Longevity Breathing: Movement 1 Basics

Chapter 3:

Dragon and Tiger Meet: Movement 1 Components

Chapter 4:

Putting It All Together: Movement 1 Integration

Chapter 5:

Shift Weight While Turning: Movement 2 Basics

Chapter 6:

Dragon Looks to the Horizon: Movement 2 Components

Chapter 7:

Putting It All Together: Movement 2 Integration

Chapter 8:

Tiger Crouches: Movement 3 Components

Chapter 9:

Putting It All Together: Movement 3 Integration

Chapter 10: Tiger Separates Her Cubs: Movement 4 Chapter 11: Tiger Pounces: Movement 5

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43 55 73

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127 141

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Chapter 12: Dragon and Tiger Pierce Heaven and Earth: Movement 6

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Chapter 13: Dragon Soars to Heaven and Brings Back the Pearl: Movement 7 Chapter 14: Dragon and Tiger Overview: Physical Principles Appendix 1: The Frantzis Energy Arts System Appendix 2: The Living Taoism Collection

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217

205

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Acknowledgments I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Jiang Jia Hua, who taught me Dragon and Tiger medical chi gung while I was studying in China. Although many people contributed to this book, I would especially like to thank the following: Diane Rapaport of Jerome Headlands Press for editing and production coordination; Bill Ryan, Senior Energy Arts Instructor, for putting in countless hours to assist in the editing and organizing of the illustrations during the many drafts of this book (Bill has developed a program for teaching Dragon and Tiger chi gung called the Moving Tiger Energy Exercise Method'· -visit MovingTiger.com); Michael McKee for the detailed illustrations that accompany the instructions; Youngja Kim, Meagan Miller and Damian Gordon for additional work on the illustrations; Marisol Mayell and Alistair Shanks for modeling the movements of the illustrations; Abra Brayman for her wonderful dragon and tiger yin-yang design; Lisa Petty, GiriVibe, Inc., for design and production; and my wife, Caroline Frantzis, and Energy Arts Director, Heather Hale, for copy editing.

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Introduction Chi-internal life-force energy-is the foundation of acupucture and all Chinese medicine, as well as the power behind the internal martial arts. Chi gung exercises are designed to build and work with this energy, to help it flow smoothly rather than being blocked. This instruction manual for Dragon and Tiger chi gung is available only through Energy Arts. It contains detailed instructions and illustrations for correctly learning the physical components and underlying principles of the seven movements of Dragon and Tiger, one of China's oldest and most comprehensive medical chi gung exercises. Some important points to note: • Students that have already taken a class in Dragon and Tiger will find this manual invaluable for helping them progress in their learning. • The first two movements are front-end loaded with movement and chi principles that are common to all the Dragon and Tiger moves as well to other forms of chi gung, tai chi and martial arts. These principles give you the necessary foundation for the other five movements of Dragon and Tiger and make them easier to learn. • Energy Arts Certified Instructors can use this as a reference manual while teaching. Visit EnergyArts.com for details of events with Bruce Frantzis and to find an Energy Arts Certified Instructor near you who can teach Dragon and Tiger chi gung.

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1

DRAGON AND TIGER CHI GUNG

A Miracle Health Systel11

Dragon and Tiger medical chi gung is a 1500-year old self-healing exercise that strengthens the immune system, mitigates the effects of chronic illness and improves relaxation. Over the centuries it has proven to be on extremely effective health maintenance program that has withstood the test of time. This medical form of chi gung (also transliterated as qigong, qi gong, ch'i kung or chi kung) is grounded in the ancient spiritual traditions of Buddhism and Taoism. Today, Dragon and Tiger is practiced by millions of people in China to maintain a vigorous level of health, relaxation and vitality. It is also known for its powerful ability to prevent and heal cancer and to mitigate the effects of radiation and chemotherapy. I studied energetic healing systems for 11 years in Chino, during which time I also worked as a chi gung tui no doctor. Dragon and Tiger was the most effective medical chi gung system I found that was not only easy to learn but also provided all the main health benefits generally associated with chi gung and many specific ones that will be discussed in these chapters. Because Dragon and Tiger is a soft-impact exercise that is easy on the joints and knees, almost anyone can do it, regardless of age, weight, body type or fitness level. One of its great strengths is that even if the movements are done inaccurately or within a small range of motion, it is still extremely effective.

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Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung

Dragon and Tiger: Medical Chi Gung Based on Acupuncture Dragon and Tiger is a type of medical chi gung system that is based on Chinese medicine's acupuncture wellness model. Together, its seven movements regulate and strengthen all of the acupuncture meridians of the body. Acupuncturists attempt to heal illness and pain by inserting needles into specific points along energy meridians (or channels) to stimulate and balance chi flow throughout the body. Increased energy flow through a damaged area can release chi blockages, thereby improving blood circulation and regenerating damaged tissues. An increase of chi flow in one meridian will stimulate greater flow in others. Dragon and Tiger uses your hands and simple body movements to accomplish the same chi balancing goals as acupuncture. Because chi flows between your external aura and your internal energy channels, moving your hand in your aura near a meridian, stimulates energy flow in the same meridian inside your body. Each movement is designed to stimulate not just a single meridian, but groups of meridians. Once you have finished all seven movements, you will have activated and balanced all of the major acupuncture meridians and released blocked and stagnant energy from your system. The movements are also designed to increase the flow of energy into your body from natural sources around you.

Dragon and Tiger: Using Chi to Heal Dragon and Tiger is especially renowned for simultaneously accomplishing four major changes in the body necessary for healing: •

Helps the body get rid of stagnant chi that cannot move freely. Stagnant chi can be located anywhere there is a physical, emotional or psychic blockage of energy.

•

Increases the speed, strength and evenness of the circulation of chi, blood and other fluids. This balances the body's energy.

•

Quickly raises the energy levels of the body to boost its natural healing capacities.

Chapter 1: A Miracle Health System

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You Don't Have to Feel Your Chi to Benefit Dragon and Tiger's seven physical movements develop and strengthen chi and make you healthier. You do not need to feel your own chi to benefit from these movements. These movements enable you to feel all parts of your body, which might otherwise remain relatively numb, while helping you become more physically and possibly more emotionally sensitive. Over time, this increased sensitivity will help you naturally develop a personal and experiential felt sense of your chi moving along the pathways. As this happens, you will begin to learn to use your intent together with your movements to more strongly direct your chi. As you practice, your chi, body and mind will begin to move in harmony.

Dragon and Tiger-Layers of Meaning The words "Dragon" and "Tiger" have many layers of meaning. In Chinese medicine, the tiger's immense strength and responsiveness are traits that derive from the liver-hence the tiger is a metaphor for a strong, healthy liver and powerful muscles. The dragon's ability to fly is a trait that resides in the lungs-hence the dragon is a metaphor for healthy and strong lungs. Metaphorically, Dragon and Tiger chi gung helps you develop the agility and flexibility of a flying dragon and the relaxed power of a moving tiger. In ancient Chinese culture, the dragon usually represents the yang or male forces of nature and the tiger the yin or female forces. Balancing those energies inside yourself is an essential part of this ancient self-healing system.

Learning Strategies This instruction manual provides you with an effective method to accurately learn the movements of Dragon and Tiger and continue to improve your practice. Just as Rome was not built in a day, neither can any high-quality form of chi gung be quickly assimilated. Give yourself the strength and patience of time to learn this valuable self-healing exercise. This manual provides a systematic way to learn and practice the movements, one stage at a time. Each instruction builds upon and amplifies the one before it so that you can integrate it into what you have already learned.

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Each chapter contains many micro-components, each of which should be learned in the sequence presented. Understanding how the small details work will enable you to gain the maximum benefit from the time and effort you spend practicing.

Movements 1 and 2 are Front-end Loaded The first two movements contain basics-such as standing, alignments, weight-shifting, breathing, turning and how to protect the knees-that are common to many movements of Dragon and Tiger as well as other forms of chi gung, tai chi and martial arts. Chi principlestracing the acupuncture meridians, pulling and pushing energy, releasing stagnant chiare also discussed in some detail because Movements 3-7 also use them in different ways.

Core Learning Principle: First Separate and Then Combine The principle of breaking movements into micro-components follows an ancient Taoist principle of learning called "first separate and then combine." First you learn to become comfortable with a specific micro-component. Next you learn and practice a second one. Then you combine both components and practice them simultaneously until they feel as though they are one movement. After this you will practice a new component by itself until it becomes comfortable. Then you will combine and integrate it with others until these three components feel like one. In this way you will build your skill in a relaxed manner and avoid feeling overwhelmed or leaving valuable parts out.

Take Breaks At the end of many micro-components in this manual, you will be asked to "Take a Break" to encourage you to stop and let your nervous system assimilate what you have studied before going back to practicing that component again or moving on. It is especially important to assimilate the material in each component before attempting to learn the next one. The breaks between might include: •

Taking 20 minutes off before practicing a micro-component again

•

Using a few days to a week or more to practice and assimilate one micro-component

•

Taking a few days to a week or more before going to a new complete movement, such as between Movements 2 and 3 or Movements 6 and 7.

What is important is to be patient and not be in a rush. If you give yourself the gift of time to take breaks, your learning will be smoother and less frustrating. Even the most

Chapter I: A Miracle Health System

5

talented and well-coordinated athletes have had challenges to overcome when learning chi gung. These breaks are those which I have seen to be the most effective for learning, both in China, and in teaching this material for nearly thirty years in the West. The goal is to build the necessary foundation that will make learning enjoyable and beneficial.

The 70 Percent Rule: Do Neither Too Much Nor Too Little The principle of moderation is the heart of all Taoist energy practices and is embodied as the "70 percent rule." The rule states that you should only do a movement, or any chi technique, to 70 percent of your capacity. Striving for 100 percent produces excess tension and stress. As soon as you strain or go beyond your capacity, your body has a natural tendency to tense up or shut down, without you necessarily being consciously aware that this is happening. Over time, staying within 70 percent of your capacities will help you attain optimum physical accomplishment in the shortest amount of time and simultaneously reduce stress. Although it may seem counterintuitive, the more you relax, the more energy, stamina and strength you will gain and the greater your range of motion will become. In this modern era people are led to believe that by straining, they will progress faster and further. However, if you always push your energy to 100 percent, you will never allow your nerves and muscles to relax so that you can progress efficiently and with a minimum of unnecessary stress or needless physical injuries. By staying within your comfort zone, your physical tension and subliminal psychological stress will gradually decrease and in time disappear. You will move forward faster than you would if you were to strain. Avoiding straining or stressing your body helps you to relax. And remember: no one goes to the hospital for a relaxation attack. Following this rule will also help you to uncover and actualize your highest potential. Whether you are a novice or an experienced practitioner, this method will help you to move through the levels of accomplishment faster. Incorporating the 70 percent rule into your practice may include•

How far down you bend your legs

Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung

6 •

How much you turn your waist

•

How much you straighten your elbows and knees

•

How deep a breath you take

•

How much time you practice

•

How much mental energy you expend.

Adjusting the 70 Percent Rule When You Have Illness, Pain or Injury If you are injured, or ill with any kind of chronic condition, or you have a cold or flu, you should temporarily practice chi gung using the 40 or 50 percent rule, i.e., move only to 40 or 50 percent of your maximum capability until you are healed. This may include doing movements while sitting or lying down. Once you are healed, you can resume practice again to 70 percent of your capacity. If you have pain, only move to 40 or 50 percent of the point where your pain begins. This will enable your pain to dissipate. When it is completely gone, you can return to the regular 70 percent rule. If you are in pain all the time, then judge your maximum movement as being the point at which your pain begins to escalate to the next level of significant or dramatic intensity. This pain level difference is very subjective, but it is the difference between "ouch" and "aaarghl" This could easily result in your range of movement being only 30 or 40 percent or even less of what you could normally do before your ailment began. When the problem is resolved, return to the regular 70 percent rule. Following this principle will allow your nerves to relax and your pain to heal in the

fastest time possible. In addition, you will be able to naturally return to your previous range of motion more quickly without discomfort.

Best Practice Surfaces The best surfaces to practice on are grass, dirt, carpet and wood. Concrete is not recommended. If you are sick or injured, try to practice on as soft a surface as possible.

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Expect Chi Reactions Dragon and Tiger is a powerful tool for awakening your body on physical, energetic, emotional, mental and spiritual levels. As you practice these movements and begin to move your body in ways that may be different for you, energy and fluids in your body are stirred up and begin to move more vigorously. At some point you may experience reactions, which may seem either positive or negative to you. These are called chi reactions: the body's response to the effects of energy beginning to flow more freely through previously blocked places. These reactions may show up immediately, hours, or even a day or two after practicing. Although many people will not begin to feel either negative or positive reactions without practicing a lot, others, particularly if they have done other forms of personal development work, may notice reactions almost immediately.

Positive Chi Reactions The positive reactions can range from less pain and more energy to being more centered, relaxed and comfortable with your body. Some people report that they sleep much better; others report greater flexibility and balance. You may also notice that you are calmer and have fewer mood swings. You may experience an overall reduction in stress and tension. A transformative effect, which most people consider positive, is an increase in and awareness of your sexual energy. This is entirely normal as it is the most fundamental energy in your body, and practice of Dragon and Tiger will increase sexual energy. Finally, a transformative effect, which confuses many people, is what we call "good pain." Dragon and Tiger is designed to gradually work more and more deeply into your body, to release muscles and other tissues and joints that have been restricted or blocked. When an area of your body that has been frozen begins to loosen and realign, more energy moves through that area than you are used to. But if the energy cannot flow freely or fully, you may experience temporary pain in the area. The Chinese medical theory of the body holds that pain in an area is a sign that the energy there is not flowing freely. You feel "bad" pain when an area is newly injured or hurt. In general, "good" pains tend to be temporary (lasting from a minute to at most a couple of days) and are usually dull, rather than sharp. As you practice you will learn to recognize such pains as signs of progress. Treat them with great care and keep within the 40 to 50

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Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung

percent rule when you have pain, illness or injury (see p. 6). Back off practicing and be sure to consult your healthcare provider if you begin experiencing either significant pain or pain that does not go away quickly.

Negative Chi Reactions As your body wakes up on various levels, it may do so the same way as when aroused from a deep slumber-cranky, sore and confused. You may experience some negative chi reactions. These can range from relatively mild but confusing aches, nausea, light-headedness, tingles, fatigue, unsteadiness, body temperature shifts or mood shifts to strong emotional releases and mood swings to unusual dreams or shifts in perception. You may also experience physical discharges, such as stronger body odors or more frequent bowel movements. As blocked and stagnant energy moves or leaves the body, energetic memories, which are associated with the problem stored in either your energy channels or physical tissue can awaken and cause you to relive the underlying and often repressed causes of the problemespecially if you have a severe condition.

Healing Crisis You might experience what doctors refer to as a "healing crisis." The term refers to that time during healing when a patient's body temporarily feels worse before it feels better. For example, when the body burns out infections, the patient often has a high fever. When the fever breaks, the symptoms of the disease pass. The fever may cause the patient to feel terrible, until the stored toxins or blocked energy are released. Afterwards the individual feels better as the illness passes. All these reactions are common to many natural forms of healing and are often a sign that your body is cleansing itself. Many people have a healing crisis when they fast or switch to a cleansing or vegetarian diet. The practice of Dragon and Tiger may often trigger such effects; they are fairly normal reactions. What is important to remember is that these reactions are temporary and usually pass when your body begins to rebalance itself. If you begin to experience strong or uncomfortable sensations, immediately sit down, put your hands on your belly and gently breathe with your belly to ground and center yourself. Such sensations will usually pass within minutes. Then suspend or reduce your practice for

Chapter 1: A Miracle Health System

9

a while. Start again by following the 20 percent or 40 percent rule and very gently explore your body's reactions to these practices. Remember that you are not alone in such experiences; almost everyone that practices will experience some of these reactions at some time. If the symptoms are intense, pull back your practice to 30 percent or 40 percent of what you normally consider your normal practice and consult with your teacher. Remember to drink plenty of water. Water helps accelerate the release of toxins. Taking some Vitamin C also helps that process. Make sure you rest after practicing. Be sure to consult a healthcare professional immediately if you have any symptoms that might be a sign of a medical or psychological problem.

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STANDING POSTURE AND LONGEVITY BREATHING Movement 1 Basics

All Taoist energy practices-chi gung, tai chi, ba gua, hsing-i and meditation-emphasize fundamental physical, breathing and energetic principles as you perform their movements. These principles systematically train your mind and body to relax and master the control of chi. They empower your body to have maximum internal movement by taking into account how each part of the body moves and needs to be aligned, not only your muscles but also the deepest internal subsystems, such as internal organs, glands, bodily fluids, ligaments, tendons and nerves. Two fundamental principles are taught in this chapter: the standing posture and 1

Longevity Breathing®, which are both derived from ancient Taoist techniques. These principles are integral to learning Dragon and Tiger's first movement and are incorporated into many of its other movements.

Learn the Basic Standing Posture The standing posture is fundamental to all the movements of Dragon and Tiger and the transitions between movements. This posture provides the best structural integrity, as it enables your body to maintain its stability, balance (root) and relaxation as you perform Dragon and Tiger's movements. The fundamental alignments of the standing posture will help to free your body from tension and the habits of poor posture. 1 Taoist breathing is fundamental to all Taoist longeVity practices. Although these practices are thousands of years old,

the author has developed his own method for teaching them, namely the LongeVity Breathing program. LongeVity Breathing makes these practices accessible and easy to learn, particularly for Westerners. These methods may be quite different from those that other instructors use to teach Taoist breathing.

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Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung

Fundamental Alignments of the Standing Posture The basic alignments 1 (Figure 2-1): 1. Your feet are parallel, approximately shoulder's width apart.o 2. Your weight should be distributed evenly on both feet. The ball, outside edge and heel of each foot must evenly touch the ground, so that you do not ride up on the outside edges or collapse on the inside of your feet.

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3. Your knees should be slightly bent. 4. Your tailbone should point to the ground, rather than backwards. 5. Your lower back should be straight, perpendicular to the ground. 6. Your belly and buttock muscles should be relaxed. 7. Your chest should be relaxed, slightly rounded and dropped. It should not be thrust forward, as in a military posture. 8. Your shoulders should be relaxed and your shoulders and shoulder blades should be rounded slightly forward. 9. Your arms should be relaxed downward and placed comfortably at your sides with the your palms facing backwards and your fingers pointing downward at the outsides of your feet. Your armpits should be slightly open, as though they were holding a small ball.

Basic Standing Posture

Figure 2-1

10. Your neck and head should be lifted slightly and held straight. As you practice this posture, sequentially focus on each alignment. Your primary consideration is that your stance must be comfortable and relaxed. At all times, remember the 70 percent rule. No alignment should be strained and stressed. Most people initially do not conform to all the alignment requirements of the standing posture. For example, many find it difficult to place their feet parallel. As you practice and incorporate these alignments into 1More detailed information on how to achieve these basic alignments is found in the author's book,

Opening the Energy

Gates of Your Body, revised edition (Blue Snake Books, 2006). 2 For those with collapsed arches, specific leg twisting chi gung exercises can enable you to partially or completely

restore your fallen arches. These exercises are taught in the author's Energy Arts teacher training and certification program for Opening the Energy Gates chi gung.

Chapter 2: Movement I Basics

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Dragon and Tiger's movements, your body will slowly relax and you will find it increasingly easier to maintain them.

Feet Shoulder's Width Apart Is the Ideal Stance The force of gravity has a powerful effect on the human body. The more directly gravity moves downward from the place it contacts your body to its exit point in the ground, the less your muscles must work to maintain any physical position, which includes sitting and standing. In terms of body stability this is similar to the situation of a table whose legs fall perpendicularly to the ground. This positioning is inherently more stable and strong than one where the table's legs angle either significantly toward or away from the outer circumference of the table top. In terms of body alignments, the line of the force of gravity falling through your body is most direct when your head and torso sit on your hips, your hips sit on your legs and your legs sit on your feet. When standing, this best occurs when your feet are shoulder's width apart with your weight distributed evenly on both feet. In this position•

Physical balance is easiest to maintain.

•

Your weight falls the most easily to your feet without needing your muscles to compensate for the force of gravity.

•

Your thighs, hip and lower back muscles have to work the least to maintain the position.

•

Your joints retain their stability with a minimum of physical tension and strain.

This width has been found to be within 70 percent of most people's physical capacity. In this stance, your legs will feel comfortable and relaxed, and you will be able to maintain your balance with minimum effort and tension.

Take a Short Break It is recommended that you take a break at this point in order to allow your nervous system to absorb what you have just learned.

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Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung

Learn Basic Longevity Breathing Principles All Taoist chi gung practices, including Dragon and Tiger chi gung, incorporate the principles of Taoist breathing. If I could only teach one chi gung exercise that would have the maximum effect of changing people's lives for the better, I would teach Longevity Breathing. Of all self-help exercises, breathing properly is one of the most effective ways to improve overall health, decrease stress and mitigate the negative effects of aging. Most Westerners are shallow breathers and use only a portion of the top of their front lungs. Not using the rest of the lungs is like starving the body of one of its most important rejuvenators. Only about 10 percent of people use their entire lung capacity and breathe deeply, smoothly and well. The rest inhale or exhale poorly, or hold or clutch their breath when they become tense of emotionally upset. Many experience shortness of breath as they age, a precursor to ill health, weakness and depression. Learning how to take steady, smooth and deep breaths will enable you to improve not only your practice of Dragon and Tiger and other chi gung exercises, but also your overall health, stamina and mental clarity. It will help to train and increase your body's natural ability and desire to relax.

Breathing and Relaxation In terms of breath and stress, here's a simple fact: The sympathetic nervous system turns on, stimulates and locks in stress responses. This means that every time you hold your breath, gulp air or breathe spasmodically in response to a negative situation, you lock stress and anxiety into your body and mind. Your body becomes conditioned to frequently adopt a "fight, flight or freeze" response, activating your adrenal glands and tensing your body. If you also hold your breath while eating, talking or thinking, you unconsciously reinforce poor breathing patterns that bring more stress into your life. On the other hand, smooth, steady and even breathing patterns help your body to relax and stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system to lock in relaxation messages to your nervous system. The antidote is to become aware of poor breathing patterns and change them to bring positive benefits to your parasympathetic nervous system. Once you learn Longevity Breathing, you can use it to relax you body and mind.

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The Oxygen-Carbon Dioxide Exchange When you breathe, you inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. The oxygen is released into your cells and powers your body's metabolism, circulation and ability to heal. When you don't get enough oxygen, your body becomes like a car that does not burn its fuel cleanly: it becomes sluggish and prone to problems. As you exhale, you release carbon dioxide, a waste product that builds up in the cells and lungs. Not fully exhaling causes carbon dioxide to build up in your lungs. This can cause you to yawn, make you sleepy or spaced out. The excessive build-up of carbon dioxide also decreases the amount of oxygen available to your cells and starts a vicious downward spiral: your arteries start to contract, causing your airways to constrict, which in turn causes you to hold your breath. This leads to an increase in tension and a cascade of stress responses. A smooth, full exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide helps foster optimal health. First, you must get the oxygen into your lungs strongly enough for it to be released into your cells and fully used by your body. Second, you must fully exhale carbon dioxide, which enables you to take in oxygen and make it available for usage in the cells. If you don't exhale sufficiently to get the carbon dioxide out, the cells can't get all the oxygen they need. This is comparable to having enough money in the bank, but not being able to withdraw it. The best way to get a strong oxygen-carbon dioxide exchange is by practicing deep breathing using your diaphragm and belly. Breathing from the upper chest, a habit of most people, is too shallow and weak to provide strong inhales and exhales. When you are breathing from your belly, your inhalations and exhales will arise seamlessly, as a natural reflex.

1. Breathe from Your Belly Always try to breathe from your belly and not solely from your chest. This is the way you breathed when you were a baby. Belly breathing is the first step in learning Longevity Breathing practices and ideally should be incorporated into all Taoist chi gung or tai chi practices. Belly breathing drops and lifts the big muscle of the diaphragm, the natural body mechanism which pushes air in and out of your lungs. Belly breathing helps you to center your awareness in your body, rather than in your head, so that you feel more physically and energetically centered and grounded. It helps you to relax your neck, shoulders and arms. It improves the circulation of blood and the flow of chi in your internal organs.

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Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung Belly breathing will provide a wonderful massage for your internal organs. Once it

becomes a comfortable habit, you can breathe in this manner 24 hours a day. Just as massaging your muscles adds to their tone and overall functioning, so will belly breathing benefit your internal organs. In terms of your health, massaging your internal organs is more important than toning your visible muscles. Belly breathing increases the blood circulation in the blood vessels that nourish your internal organs. Ideally, inhale and exhale only through your nostrils. If medical reasons make this impractical, inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Inhale and exhale through your mouth only as a last resort. 1. When you inhale, feel your breath come into your nose, down your throat and into your lungs and belly. Let your belly muscles expand to move your belly forward (Figure 2-2).

-

With inhale, belly expands

Breathing with the Belly: Inhale

Figure 2-2 2. When you exhale, let your belly return to its original positions and relax (Figure 2-3).

With exhale, belly relaxes

Breathing with the Belly: Exhale

Figure 2-3

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Do your best to completely relax your chest (Figure 2-4 A) and not use any strength to puff it out when you breathe (Figure 2-4 B). You should have very little or no sense of air going into your chest.

Correct: Front of spine lifted, chest relaxed _ _ _ downwards

Incorrect: Back of spine arched, chest lifted upward and _ _ _ expanded

B

A Breath with the Belly, Not the Chest

Figure 2-4 3. First, practice by focusing on expanding and relaxing your lower belly. Your lower belly extends from slightly above the top of your pubic hair to your navel. Breathe in such a way that there is no movement of the lower belly below the top of your pubic hair. Avoid straining or any feeling of pressure in your genitals. 4. When this is comfortable, turn your attention to moving the middle belly when you breathe, which for most people is more difficult. The middle belly extends from your navel to just before your diaphragm. Placing your hands on the lower, middle and upper parts of your belly as you breathe will give you clear feedback as to whether and how much your belly is moving. 5. Finally, concentrate on expanding and relaxing your upper belly-your diaphragm and solar plexus- just underneath your lowest ribs. Try to have your diaphragm move downward as you inhale and upward as you exhale. This will help push air into the back and top of your lungs, parts that seldom get exercised. Eventually, you will be able to move all three parts of your belly in unison.

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Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung

2. Breathe Smoothly and Deeply As you breathe, make both your inhales and exhales smooth and full, without strain. When your exhale is full, your next inhale will naturally and smoothly arise by itself. Conversely, if your last exhale is shallow and not full, your next inhale will not come smoothly and you may have a tendency to hold your breath, gulp your inhale or hyperventilate. Deep and smooth breathing enables you to take in and use more oxygen, better release carbon dioxide, calm your nerves, and, over time, take longer breaths, increasing the length of your inhale and exhale, without strain. To get the sense of how to breathe smoothly and deeply, practice breathing from a straw for a few minutes a day, in a smooth and steady fashion. It will help you tune in to your breathing habits, and, over time, help you overcome poor ones. Often lifetime habits of poor breathing can be overcome by practicing breathing with a straw for a few weeks.

3. Exhale Fully Exhaling fully will get rid of the carbon dioxide in your cells and lungs and decrease its buildup in your cells, which produces sluggishness and yawning, diminishes mental clarity and increases stress. Exhaling fully will also make it easier for you to breathe in sufficient oxygen and make it easier for your cells to procure it. You can do this in one of three ways.The first is by exhaling a little more than you inhale. For example if you inhale for four seconds, you might take five seconds to exhale. This is the method to use when practicing breathing without doing any movements. You will use this method in Dragon and Tiger's movements 1, 3 and 4. The second method is to do an extremely rapid exhale (one or two seconds very forcibly). If you find yourself getting sluggish or yawning, you can do 3-10 forceful exhales and wake yourself up. Rapid exhales are used in Movement 5 of Dragon and Tiger. The third way is vary the speed of the exhale. For instance you might exhale 50 or 60 percent of your breath in the first two seconds and take four more seconds to exhale the rest of your breath. Dragon and Tiger's movements 2, 6 and 7 use this method.

4. Never Hold Your Breath Focus on not holding your breath between the end of an inhale/exhale and the beginning of the next inhale/exhale. Let one flow into the other in as relaxed a manner as you can.

Chapter 2: Movement 1 Basics

19

Holding your breath can cause emotional tension and jangle your nervous system. Breathe smoothly and evenly, without stop-and-start breaks or jerkiness. Involuntarily holding the breath both triggers and escalates stress.

5. Keep the Tip of Your Tongue on the Roof of Your Mouth As you breathe, keep the tip of your tongue touching the roof of your mouth. (If you make the sound "Ie," as pronounced in the word "let," your tongue will touch the correct spot just slightly behind your top front teeth.) Eventually, the muscles on the base of your tongue will stretch slightly and allow you to maintain this position comfortably, without effort. When your tongue touches the roof of your mouth, it continuously stimulates and balances all your body's acupuncture meridians. The twelve main acupuncture meridians of your body are all connected to points along the governing and conception vessels, which are two of acupuncture's eight extraordinary meridians. The points along these two special meridians interface with and influence all the acupuncture points and meridians within your body. These two vessels form the chi pathway that is called the microcosmic orbit. That place just behind your upper front teeth on your hard palate is the acupuncture point where the governing and conception vessels meet. At this point, upward flowing energy from yang meridians in the back of your body changes to downward flowing energy in the yin meridians in the front of your body.

6. Only Breathe to 70 Percent of Your Capacity There is no gain in putting tension in your body by straining to take longer inhales and exhales. Because breath is such a primary human function, it is quite possible to negatively pattern yourself and lock tension into your nervous system by forcing your breath. If breathinduced tension lodges in your nervous system, the tension and stress will far outweigh the benefits of breathing quietly, softly and deeply in a relaxed manner. By staying within 70 percent of your capacity, you will wean yourself from pushing yourself and gain the habit of relaxation.

How to Practice Breathing You can practice Longevity Breathing any time you can remember to do so. The goal is to train the body to breathe this way 24 hours a day. 1 Opening the Energy Gates of Your Body, revised edition, or from his Longevity Breathing DVD and Taoist Breathing CD.

1 You can learn Taoist breathing principles in more detail from the author's book,

20

Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung When you first start, establish a time when you know that you will be undisturbed for

five or 10 minutes and practice either standing, sitting or lying down. This mig~t be when you first wake up in the morning or while you are having your first cup of coffee or tea. Focusing on· belly breathing is also a way to calm the mind before you go to sleep. In any session, focus on one breathing principle at a time until it feels comfortable, for example moving one part of your belly. Then integrate it with another breathing principle, such as moving another part of your belly. Add, then combine the new principles one at a time, integrating them with the last one you have become comfortable doing. At some point, you will find that you have integrated all these separate principles into one seamless, smooth and relaxed breath. 1 Later, add more practice times, perhaps during or after meals. Finally, put your focus on your breathing while moving, such as when practicing Dragon and Tiger, walking or doing chores. Eventually, you will learn to focus on your breathing during larger and larger parts of the day and use it as a tool to become less stressed and more balanced.

1 The author's CD set,

Ancient Songs of the Tao, is a compilation of Taoist chants that create vibrations for changing the

energetic frequencies in human beings. It includes seven songs specifically meant to help you breathe into your belly and internal organs.

DRAGON AND

3

TIGER MEET MoveI11ent 1 COI11ponents

In the first movement of Dragon and Tiger, you will learn to use your hands to trace "energy pathways" over acupuncture meridians that you are trying to activate. The pathways for each movement of Dragon and Tiger are different. Each pathway was designed so that a hand movement in the etheric body over the pathway will stimulate chi to flow through acupuncture meridians beneath it and eventually through the deeper energy channels of the body. Chi flows in the direction that the hand moves. Your hands should stay over these pathways during the entire movement. The more precisely you learn to move your hands along the specified energy pathways in the correct sequence, the more you will reap the full benefits of Dragon and Tiger chi gung. In this chapter, you will learn the separate components of Movement 1. learn each step sequentially. Take as much time as you need to absorb and comfortably integrate the material of each step. This will help you to develop confidence in your learning ability and make it easier to learn the next step. Chapter 4 will teach you how to combine these components and put the whole movement together.

21

22

Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung

Step 1: Trace the Energy Pathways by Touch To learn to correctly trace the energy pathways of this movement, first work with a partner and then by yourself. Working with a partner will make it easier for you to learn to precisely feel and trace the energy pathways without looking at your body. Your partner will lightly pat your body along the correct pathways. During this exercise, focus on feeling what your partner is touching, either with your eyes closed or looking neutrally at the space in front of you as you will do in Movement 1 . Human touch helps most people to feel or sense the nearby space just outside their body. The pats should be done very lightly with the tips of the fingers and relatively slowly and continuously along the energy pathways. In addition, pats should contact broad areas along the body, not narrow lines. If you have no partner, you can follow these instructions and pat these pathways by yourself. While doing so, look at the energy pathway you are activating (Figure 3-1 A-B).

Upwards You or your partner will pat your body as follows (Figure 3-1 A-B): 1. Begin on the inside of one of your ankles and continue upwards along the inside surface of your calf, knee and thigh to the kwa Ihip joint} without touching your genitals. 2. Continue upward from the kwa along the front of the torso on a straight line to your nipple and shoulder's nest Ifront of your shoulder}.

Downwards 3. From the shoulder's nest, pat downwards on a straight line from the nipple to the kwa on the same side of the torso. 4. Continue patting as you cross over to the outside of your hip. 5. Continue to pat downwards along the outside of your thigh, knee and calf to the bottom outside edge of your foot. Your partner lor you yourselij should tap in this manner several times on both sides of your body to help you to feel these energy pathways.

Chapter 3: Movement I Components

Shoulder's Nest

23

Shoulder's Nest

Left Side

Right Side

~A

B

Energy Pathways to Trace Pat up the inside of the leg to the kwa, then up to the shoulder's nest. Trace back down to the kwa, then down the outside of the leg. Figure 3-1

Body Memory Mind/body fusion methods are not normally a part of Western education. Our system trains people to memorize and manipulate symbols and images, but rarely instructs people about how to have a distinct and felt consciousness of their body (body memoryJ.l Most people can, with closed eyes, visualize their body moving in space, but, unless trained, will be unable to translate their internal images into accurately feeling where their hands and feet are moving in relationship to their body. Tracing energy pathways, first by tapping them and then by using your hands in space, will help you develop an accurate awareness of how your your body is positioned or moving in space (proprioceptionJ, including the effects of posture, movement and weight shifts, and help you more precisely perform the movements of Dragon and Tiger chi gung.

1 Many

of the ancient traditions of the world practiced these mind/body fusions as part of their traditional educational

process. The tools these traditions used included, but were not limited to, martial arts, yoga and shamanic practices.

Take a Short Break It is recommended that you take a break at this point in order to allow your nervous system to absorb what you have just learned.

Chapter 3: Movement 1 Components

25

Step 2: Trace the Energy Pathways Without Touching Your Body Now you will trace the same energy pathways shown in Figure 3-1 A-B. Keep your palm facing the pathway you are tracing at all times. In Movement 1, although you will trace the exact same pathways, the hand motions themselves will be different (see Step 3, p.30). Since this method of feeling your body may be new to you, practice will be helpful. You must develop an experiential awareness of knowing where your hands are in relation to your body, whether you are still or moving. Ideally, you should keep your hands six to eight inches away from your body and never allow your hand to move closer than the width of your own closed fist. You can check the accuracy of where your hands move by either having a friend observe and comment or by using a full-length mirror to check yourself. If it is the latter, start by tracing the pathways with your eyes open; then close your eyes and open them at discrete points to check the accuracy of your movements. At some point you will be able to directly feel your hands tracing the energy pathways without looking at them. Check your positions visually until you establish your ability to accurately feel where your hands are. You can trace the energy pathways while sitting or standing. However, unless you are ill or injured, standing is preferred as Dragon and Tiger's seven movements are most commonly done this way.

Option 1: Trace the Energy Pathways While Sitting Sit in a chair or on the floor with your legs slightly separated. You will trace the same energy pathways shown in Figure 3-1 A-B and hold your palm six to eight inches away from your body as you do so. Keep your palm facing the pathway you are tracing at all times.

Option 2: Trace the Energy Pathways While Standing Remain standing upright throughout the tracing of the energy pathways. The palm of the

hand that is tracing the pathways must face your skin during this entire step.

26

Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung

Upwards - Left Arm Only Beginning position: Feet parallel, shoulder's width apart with your weight evenly distributed on both feet. Your arms rest comfortably at your sides, with your armpits slightly open. Your fingers point downwards at the outsides of your feet (Figure 3-3 A). 1. Bring your left arm around your foot so that your fingers point toward the bottom inside of your left foot (Figure 3-3 B). 2. Slowly rotate and bring your left arm upwards, with your fingers first pointing towards the inside of your left ankle. Your arm continues to move slowly upwards, as your fingers point to the inside surface of the calf and knee and thigh to your kwa (Figure 3-3 B and C). Your palm will continue to face your body at the height of your kwa. 3. Continue to move your arm upwards with your palm facing your body. Trace the energy pathways along the left channel of your body to your nipple and then to your shoulder's nest. Your palm continue to face your torso (Figures 3-3 D-F). Try to keep your hand six to eight inches away from your body at all times. As you trace the energy pathways, imagine you are pulling energy up the inside of your left leg and then up the left energy channel of your body to your shoulder's nest.

A

o

c

E

Trace the Energy Pathways with One Hand While Standing

Figure 3-3

F

Chapter 3: Movement 1 Components

27

Downwards - Left Arm Only 4. When your left palm reaches the top of your shoulder's nest, your arm will reverse direction and move slowly downwards as you trace the energy pathways from your shoulder's nest to your nipple to your kwa at approximately waist height (Figures 3-3 G-I). Your palm and fingers continue to face your torso.

5. At the kwa, move your palm around from your kwa to the side of your hip socket. Your fingers now point downwards (Figure 3-3 J). 6. Move your left arm downwards and continue pointing your fingers downwards along the outside of the thigh, knee and calf to the bottom outside edge of your foot (Figure 3-3 K). As you do so, imagine you are pushing energy down the outside of your leg. Practice tracing the energy pathways on the left side of your body ten times or more. Try to keep your hand six to eight inches away from your body at all times. As you trace these energy pathways, imagine you are pushing energy downwards from your shoulder's nest, down the left energy channel, to the outside of your legs and feet.

G

H

J

Continue to Trace the Energy Pathways with One Hand While Standing

Figure 3-3

K

28

Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung

Upwards - Right Arm Only Beginning position: Feet paral/el, shoulder's width apart with your weight evenly distributed on both feet. Your arms rest comfortably to your sides, with your armpits slightly open. Your figures point downwards at the outsides of your feet (Figure 3-4 A). 1. Bring your right arm around so that your palm and fingers point toward the bottom inside of your right foot (Figure 3-4 B). 2. Slowly bring your right arm upwards, with your fingers first pointing towards the inside of your right ankle. Your right arm continues to move slowly upwards, as your palm and fingers point to the inside surface of the calf and knee and thigh to your kwa (Figure 3-4 C). Your palm will continue to face your body at the height of your kwa. Imagine you are pulling energy up the inside of your right leg. 3. Continue to move your right arm upwards with your palm facing your body. Trace the energy pathways along the right channel of your body to your nipple and then to your shoulder's nest. Your fingers point sideways and your palm faces your torso

(Figures 3-4 D-F). Try to keep your hand six to eight inches away from your body at all times. As you trace the energy pathways, Imagine you are pulling energy up the inside of your right leg and then the right energy channel of your body up to your shoulder's nest.

arm

A

B

c

D

E

Trace the Energy Pathways with One Hand While Standing Right Palm and Fingers Face Your Body

Figure 3-4

F

Chapter 3: Movement I Components

29

Downwards - Right Arm Only 4. As your palm traces the energy pathways to the top of your shoulder's nest, your arm will reverse direction and move slowly downward as you trace the energy pathways from your shoulder's nest to your nipple to your kwa at approximately waist height

(Figures 3-4 G-/). Your palm and fingertips continue to face your torso. 5. At the kwa, move your hand around from your kwa to the side of your hip socket. Your fingers now point downwards (Figure 3-4 J). 6. Move your right arm downwards and continue pointing your fingers downwards along the outside of the thigh, knee and calf to the bottom outside edge of your foot

(Figure 3-4 K). As you do so, imagine you are pushing energy down the outside of your right leg. Practice tracing the energy pathways on the right side of your body ten times or more. Try to keep your hand six to eight inches away from your body at all times. As you trace these energy pathways, imagine you are pushing energy down the right energy channel from your shoulder's nest to your kwa and then down the outside of your leg and foot.

G

J

H

Continue to Trace the Energy Pathways with One Hand While Standing Right Palm and Fingers Face Your Body

Figure 3-4

K

30

Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung

Step 3: Learn Precise Hand, Elbow, Palm and Finger Positions Your hand movements will follow the same energy pathways outlined in Step 2. Now you will learn more precise positionings for the arms, elbows, palms and fingers. Practice each hand separately. Try to keep your hand six to eight inches away from your body at all times.

Upward Movement-Left Hand Only Beginning position: Feet parallel, shoulder's width apart with your weight evenly distributed on both feet. Your arms rest comfortably at your sides, with your armpits slightly open. Your fingers point downwards at the outsides of your feet (Figure 3-7 A). 1. Rotate your left elbow and hand so that your fingers first point at the tips of your toes and then at the inside of your foot. Do not lock your elbow, wrist or finger joints. Keep your arm relaxed as you let the rotation come from your elbow and shoulder. Point your left fingers toward the inside of your left foot (Figure 3-7 B). Your palm faces the inside of the leg. 2. With your left hand's fingertips and palm, trace the energy pathways along the inside of your left leg from foot to knee to kwa. Imagine you are energetically touching and pulling energy up the inside of your leg (Figure 3-7 C). By the time your left hand reaches your

c

A Upward Hand Movements-Arm, Elbow, Palm and Finger Positions

Figure 3-7

Chapter 3: Movement I Components

31

kwa, the tip of your left elbow should be facing fully sideways. This elbow position will keep your armpit open and maintain the flow of energy from your spine to your arm. 3. From the kwa, gradually turn your palm to face upwards as you bring your arm up the left energy channel through your nipple to the shoulder's nest (Figures 3-7 D-F). Your fingertips should point directly across your torso toward the right. As your palm, which finishes facing upwards, moves up from your kwa to your shoulder's nest, make sure to the extent of your 70 percent capability that: •

The center of your left palm traces and always remains over your left channel

•

Your elbow, upper arm and shoulder are relaxed and feel slightly heavy

•

Your shoulders are down.

4. In the final position of the upward hand movement, the palm of your hand faces completely upwards as your elbow tip and fingers are on a straight line pointing through the fingers directly sideways towards your right arm (Figure 3-7 Fl.

Left palm faces upwards and elbow faces sideways

D

E Upward Hand Movements-Arm, Elbow, Palm and Finger Positions

Figure 3-7

F

32

Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung

Downward Movement - Left Hand Only 5. At the top of your upward hand movement rotate your elbow and palm in place until your palm is facing the ground (Figure 3-7 G). Turning the palm completely over requires your shoulder rotation movement to be relatively loose. Doing the movement at 70 percent will gradually loosen your shoulder. 6. In a relaxed way, push your palm down over the left channel to your kwa

(Figure 3-7 H-J). Maintain the sideways position of your elbows and fingers and the center of your palm position over your left energy channel. Feel as if you are gently pushing your hand through water. Maintain this feeling in your hand at all times as you move it up and down. Sometimes, the movements of chi gung and tai chi are called "swimming on dry land" because practitioners strive to maintain this feeling. 7. At the kwa, curve your arm and palm, so the center of your palm faces your body as you move your hand around from your kwa to the side of your hip socket (Figure 3-7 J-K). 8. Lower your palm as it faces the outside of your leg, as far as you comfortably can go without locking your arm and without any strength or tension (Figure 3-7 L). As you do so, progressively point your fingertips down your thigh, knee and calf until they point toward the outside of your foot. As your hand lowers, imagine you are projecting energy down the outside of your leg to your foot.

Left palm rotates towards torso

G

H Downward Hand Movements-Arm, Elbow and Finger Positions

Figure 3-7

Chapter 3: Movement 1 Components

33

Repeat the upward and downward movements as much as you need to, until you feel competent in the basic procedure without having to refer to the text. Your goal is to practice until you can turn your palm, hand and fingers in the right directions at the proper positions and trace the correct energy pathways in a smooth, relaxed manner.

How High Do I Raise My Palm? Initially, the ideal height is in front of your collarbone, just slightly above your shoulder's nest. This is the optimal height for physically loosening your shoulder. However, when you begin learning this movement, it may only feel comfortable to raise your hand as high as the bottom of your ribs. With practice you will gradually reach the nipple, the shoulder's nest and then the collarbone. If you are stiff or injured only raise your hand to a height that does not cause tension or pain to begin. The highest you should raise your hands is to your collarbone. Although you may be physically able to raise your hands higher, you will not gain any energetic benefit by doing so. The ideal height energetically is at the shoulder's nest, where you will have the strongest positive effect on stimulating energy flows in this area, that is, after you are stretched and can comfortably reach your collarbone. By staying within your comfort boundary as you repeat the movements, your physical tension will gradually decrease and in time disappear. It may take you a few weeks or months to get your hands all the way to your shoulder's nests or collarbones, but when you do, your energy will flow more strongly than if you had forced your shoulders to stretch.

J

K Downward Hand Movements-Arm, Elbow and Finger Positions

Figure 3-7

L

34

Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung

Upward Movement-Right Hand Only Follow the previous instructions 1 through 4 with your right hand (Figure 3-8 A-F).

c

A

D

E

F

Upward Movements-Right Hand

Figure 3-8

Downward Movement - Right Hand Only Follow the previous instructions 5 through 8 with your right hand. Repeat the movements with your right hand as much as you need to feel competent in the basic procedure of moving your hand up and down the energy pathways.

G

J

H

Downward Movements-Right Hand

Figure 3-8

K

L

Take a Short Break It is recommended that you take a break at this point in order to allow your nervous system to absorb what you have just learned.

36

Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung

Step 4: Learn to Shift Weight Some of Dragon and Tiger's movements require that you shift your weight side to side, fully, smoothly and evenly from one foot to the other. Other movements require that you turn your torso while smoothly shifting weight (Chapter 5). These basic weight shifting methods are also used in other chi gung exercises and in tai chi.

1. Shift Weight to Left Foot and Back to Center In this step, you will learn to shift your weight from being evenly distributed on both feet to being primarily centered on your left foot.

Beginning position: the standing posture-face forward, feet flat on the floor, parallel to each other, approximately shoulder's width apart, with your weight distributed evenly on both feet. 1. Ideally, shift your body's entire weight to your left foot, keeping your left leg slightly bent. Gently exert pressure through your left heel. This will cause energy to drop down the left side of your body. As you do so, lift your right heel off the ground, while keeping the ball of your foot on the ground (Figures 3-5 or 3-6). This will cause energy to rise on the right side of your body.

Left hip stays level, does not tilt

Hip ioint flexes, does not rise

-

Left hip stays level, does not tilt

Hip ioint flexes 70%, does not rise to

Knee extends forward

Knee extends forward to 70%

Right foot. Heel rises-ankle and foot are fully flexed

Right foot. Heel rises-ankle and foot rise to 70%

Shift Weight to Left Foot-Ideal

Shift Weight to Left Foot-70 Percent

Figure 3-5

Figure 3-6

Chapter 3: Movement 1 Components

37

•

Your left leg and foot must stay relaxed. Your hips must remain even and not tilted.

•

Remember the 70 percent rule and lift your heel only as high as you are able to maintain a relaxed leg, stay comfortable and keep your balance.

•

Let your right knee go forward and allow your right toe, ankle, knee and hip joints to move in a smooth, loose manner as the heel rises.

•

Ideally, your right leg becomes weightless. However, if you cannot comfortably shift all the weight to your left foot while keeping your left hip and leg muscles relaxed, only shift as much weight as is comfortable. Allow some weight to remain on your right foot. As you practice, you will become increasingly comfortable in shifting more and more of your weight to your left foot. At some point, you will be able to make the 100 percent weight shift. The main point is not to force it.

2. Shift your weight from the left foot back to both feet until your weight is evenly distributed on both feet. Do not force a 100 percent weight shift if it does not feel comfortable or makes you feel unbalanced. Shift your weight from center to the left and back again ten times. Try to feel the spring in your feet as your heel gently presses down on the weighted foot and the heel rises up on the unweighted foot.

2. Shift Weight to Right Foot and Back to Center Repeat steps 1 and 2 for your right foot. Shift your weight to your right foot and back to center (Figures 3-7 or 3-8). _ Right hip stays level, does not tilt

Hip ioint flexes, does not rise

Hip ioint flexes 70%, does not rise to

-

Right hip stays level, does not tilt

Knee extends forward to 70%

Knee extendsforward

Left foot. Heel rises-ankle and foot are fully flexed

Left foot. Heel rises-ankle and foot flex to 70%

Shift Weight to Right Foot-Ideal

Shift Weight to Right Foot-70 Percent

Figure 3-7

Figure 3-8

38

Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung

3. Shift Weight from One Foot to the Other Practice either of the options described below until your weight is shifting smoothly and evenly. Aim towards making the up and down movements merge seamlessly. At first, you may abruptly stop and start. However, as the spring in your ankles increases, the transition between up and down will become uninterrupted. You want to get the feeling of simultaneously pumping one foot up and the other down as though you were pedaling a bicycle. As you shift weight, while lifting and lowering your legs and feet, let your movements become very smooth, steady, rhythmical and continuous. Play with finding a slow, steady rhythm that is relaxing and feels good. Move as if you were a big cat, steadily, carefully and consciously. Let all the muscles of your legs, feet and hips relax so that you use only those muscles necessary for the movement. This will allow your feet to exchange chi with the earth. Try to be aware of every joint in your toes, feet, ankles, knees and hips attempting to move every part in unison in a liquid manner.

Beginning position: Right leg weighted, left heel raised.

Option 1 (Ideal) As you put your left heel down, your right heel will simultaneously rise as you shift your weight to your left foot. When you shift your weight back to the right foot, your left heel will simultaneously rise as you put your right heel down. This will provide the smoothest and most seamless weight shift. Both heels will be off the ground for only the briefest moment in the middle of your weight shift.

Option 2 At first you may find that it is easier and more comfortable to put the heel of your foot down before beginning to shift your weight back to that side. As you become comfortable doing the weight shift smoothly from side to side, you will find it unneccesary to do this.

Take a Short Break It is recommended that you take a break at this point in order to allow your nervous system to absorb what you have just learned.

40

Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung

Step S: Coordinate Raising and Lowering Hand and Heel-One Side Only Left HeeVLeft Hand Beginning position: Feet flat on the floor, parallel to each other, approximately shoulder's width apart. The weight is distributed evenly on both feet. Place both hands comfortably at your sides, open your armpits slightly and point your left fingers at the outside of your left foot (Figure 3-9 A). Your goal is to lift and lower your left hand and left heel in unison. DOing so will mean that you must keep the ratio of the movement of your hand and heel constant, so that they begin and finish together and are always at the same percentage of their respective ranges of movement. This is challenging because the tendency of many people is to have the heel go up and down faster than the hand. 1. Rotate your left elbow, wrist and palm so that your fingers first point at the tips of your toes and then at the inside of your left foot (Figure 3-9 B).

D

A Left heel begins to rise

E -----i.~

Trace the Energy Pathways with One Hand While Standing Left Hand and Heel Rise

Figure 3-9

F Left heel fully raised

Chapter 3: Movement I Components

41

2. Begin to shift your weight to your right foot and slightly raise your left heel. With your left hand's fingertips, trace the energy pathways along the inside of your left leg from foot to knee to kwa (Figure 3-9 C). At this point, your left heel will be raised halfway. 3. Finish shifting your weight onto your right leg and raise your left heel to its maximum comfortable height as you gradually turn your left palm upward and bring it up to your shoulder's nest (Figure 3-9 D-F). 4. After your left hand rotates to face palm down, it then moves down the left energy pathway of your body. At the same time, begin lowering your left heel (Figure 3-9 G). 5. As your hand pushes down the energy pathway of your torso (Figure 3-9 H-I) your left heel will continue to fall. When your hand reaches the kwa, your left heel will be half way down (Figure 3-9 J). As your left hand turns from the kwa to face the outside of your leg, your heel will continue to go down (Figure 3-9 K). 6. When your hand has finished tracing the energy pathway down the outside of your foot, the left heel will be fully lowered (Figure 3-9 L). Practice coordinating the timing of your left heel rising and falling with your left hand rising and falling a minimum of 20 times.

G

H Left heel begins to fall

J

K

-----I.....

.. Trace the Energy Pathways with One Hand While Standing Left Hand and Heel Fall

Figure 3-9

L Left heel fully lowered

42

Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung

Right HeeVRight Hand Repeat Step 5 coordinating the rising and falling of your right hand and right heel

(Figure 3-10 A-L).

Right heel •

E

D

A Right heel begins to rise

G Right heel begins to fall

Right heel fully raised

J

H

------i..~ -----....,..~

K

...

Trace the Energy Pathways with One Hand While Standing Right Hand and Heel Rise and Fall

Figure 3-10

L ...

Right heel fully lowered

PUTTING IT

4

ALL TOGETHER

Movement 1 Integration In the previous two chapters, you learned the important components of Movement l-the standing posture; fundamental principles of breathing from the belly, weight shifting with heels rising and falling, tracing the energy pathways, and precise arm, elbow, palm and finger positions. Now you are ready to learn how to combine these separate components and put the whole movement together. You will learn how to synchronize your weight shifts with your arm movements and coordinate them with breathing so that your body functions as one integrated whole. There is no need to be concerned about learning the movement perfectly. Doing the movements in a "more or less" fashion is quite acceptable. Be gentle with yourself and do not try to be perfect.

Overview Your main goal will be to coordinate the following into one seamless, integrated and flowing movement: •

Moving your palms and fingers in prescribed patterns through your etheric body to activate the accupuncture meridians

•

Raising and lowering your heels in coordination with your hand movements

•

Shifting all your weight from one leg to the other in coordination with your hand movements

•

Inhaling and exhaling in coordination with your leg and hand movements.

43

44

Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung

Step 1: Raising and Lowering Your Hands and Heels-Both Sides of the Body Now you are ready to learn how to coordinate the movement of both hands and feet simultaneously. You will be shifting weight as you simultaneously move your hand to trace the energy pathways. When you perform Movement 1 correctly, you will feel as though there is a continuous pulley-like motion between your right and left sides.

8eg;nn;ng position: Stand comfortably, feet parallel, shoulder's width apart, with your weight evenly distributed on both feet. Your arms rest comfortbly at your sides, palms facing the outsides of legs and fingers pointing toward the floor. Maintain a little space within both armpits and keep your elbows slightly bent (Figure 4-7 A). Breathe comfortably using your belly (see Chapter

2, pp. 15-20). let your breath

become very steady and relaxed. let your mind become calm and feel your breath move in and out of your body. let your thoughts drop away and prepare to begin the movement.

1\El

~

A

B

Begin Movement 1

Figure 4-7

c

Hand and heel begin to rise

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1. Rotate your left elbow, wrist and palm so that your fingers first point at the tips of your toes and then at the inside of your left foot (Figure 4-1 8). 2. Begin to shift your weight to your right foot and begin to slightly raise your left heel. With your left hand's fingertips, trace the energy pathways along the inside of your left leg from foot to knee to kwa (Figure 4-1 C). When your hand reaches the kwa, your heel will be raised halfway. 3. Finish shifting your weight onto your right leg, raising your left heel to its maximum comfortable height as you gradually turn your left palm upward and bring it up to your shoulder's nest (Figure 4-1 D-F). You are now ready to begin coordinating the hands and feet on both sides. Ideally, as one side of your body's hand and heel are moving downward, the other side's hand and heel simultaneously are going upward. Your weight shift should be 100 percent onto the side of your descending hand. As all your weight is shifting onto the side of your descending hand, the heel on the side of your ascending hand rises. There should be no perceivable stops or starts at the ends or beginnings of the weight shifts.

Left ~ heel

D

E

Left heel continues to rise as weight continues to shift to the right foot Movement 1 Continues

Figure 4-1

F Left heel fully raised; right heel fully lowered

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46

Left Hand and Heel Down/Right Hand and Heel Up Beginning Position: Your left heel is fully raised and your left hand is turned palm up at your shoulder's nest. Your right leg is 100 percent weighted; your right palm faces the outside of your right foot (Figure 4-1 G). 1. Rotate your right hand and fingers to point at the inside of your right foot and begin to raise your hand up inside of your leg with the palm facing the leg. At the same time, begin to rotate your left hand to turn palm down. Smoothly begin to shift your weight from your right foot to your left: your right heel will begin to rise and your left heel will begin to fall (Figure 4-1 H). 2. Continue to shift your weight as your right palm moves upwards from facing the inside of the leg to gradually facing fully upwards at the kwa. Once your left palm faces downward, lower it toward your left nipple. Continue to drop your left heel and raise your right (Figure 4-1 I).

At the kwa, right palm faces upwards

Right hand and heel begin to rise

Right leg is 100% weighted

Left hand and heel begin to fall

G Both heels are slightly off the --------i.~ ground while your weight is distributed evenly on both feet Movement 1 Continues Coordinate Hand and Foot Movements

Weight begins to gradually shift from the right leg to the left leg

Figure 4-1

Chapter 4: Movement 1 Integration

47

3. Finish shifting your weight to both feet as your rising right hand, with palm up, passes your falling left hand with its palm facing down, ideally at the level of your lower tantien

(Figure 4-1 J). Both heels will be briefly off the ground and your weight will be evenly distributed on both feet. 4. Shift your weight toward your left leg as you move your right hand up to your right nipple, move your left hand down to your left kwa, drop your left heel further toward the ground and further raise your right heel (Figure 4-1 K). 5. At the kwa, curve your arm and palm, so the center of your palm faces your body as you move your hand around from your kwa to the side of your hip socket (Figure 4-1 L). 6. Finish shifting your weight 100 percent onto your left leg as you move your right hand up to your shoulder's nest, move your left hand and fingers down the outside of your leg to point at the outside of your foot, and finish dropping your left heel and raising your right heel (Figure 4-1 M). As you shift the weight from your right leg to your left leg, ideally your right and left heels should rise and fall at the same respective speed.

Right hand and heel continue to rise

1

l l

Left hand and heel continue to lower

i§ K

L

Right heel continues to rise

Left leg is 100% weighted

1

M

~.

Right heel is fully raised Movement 7 Continues Coordinate Hand and Foot Movements

Figure 4-1

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Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung

Right Hand and Heel Down/Left Hand and Heel Up 7. Rotate your left hand and fingers to point at the inside of your left foot with your palm facing your leg. At the same time, rotate your right hand to turn your palm down. Smoothly begin to shift your weight from your left foot to your right: Your left heel will begin to rise and your right heel will begin to drop (Figure 4-1 N). 8. Continue to shift your weight as your left palm moves upwards from facing the inside of the leg to gradually facing fully upwards at the kwa. Move your right palm that is facing down toward your right nipple. Continue to drop your right heel and raise your left (Figure 4-1 0). 9. Finish shifting your weight to both feet as your rising left hand passes your falling right hand, ideally at the level of your lower tantien (Figure 4-1

Pl.

Both heels will be briefly

off the ground and then your weight will be evenly distributed on both feet.

10. Shift your weight toward your right leg as you move your left hand up to your left nipple, move your right hand down to your right kwa, drop your right heel further toward the ground and further raise your left heel (Figure 4-1 Q).

Right palm begins to rotate downward

At the kwa, left palm faces upwards Left hand and heel begin to rise Left hand and heel continue to rise

Right hand and heel continue to fall

Right heel begins to fall

N Weight begins to gradually shift from the right leg to the left leg

p

- - - - - - i..~

..

Movement 1 Continues Coordinate Hand and Foot Movements

Figure 4-1

Both heels are slightly off the ground while your weight is distributed evenly on both feet

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11 . At the kwa, curve your right arm and palm, so the center of the palm faces your body as you move your hand around from your kwa to the side of your right hip socket while your left palm rises slightly higher (Figure 4-7 R). 12. Finish shifting your weight 100 percent onto your right leg as you move your left hand up to your shoulder's nest, move your right hand and fingers down the outside of your leg to point at the outside of your foot, and finish dropping your right heel and raising your left heel (Figure 4-7 5). Repeat instructions 1 through 12 in a continuous loop, with one hand and foot moving up while the opposite hand and foot go down. There should be no sudden starts or stops at the beginning or end of each weight shift or hand movement. During your weight shifts, your right and left hands should rise and fall at the same respective speed. If you lose your place, begin again at either position 4-10 F or 4-10 M. In these positions, one hand and heel is fully raised and the other hand and heel are fully lowered.

Left hand and heel continue to rise

l l

Right hand and heel continue to fall Right leg is 100% weighted

Q

R

!

Left heel is fully raised

1 t@ S

Movement 1 Continues Coordinate Hand and Foot Movements

Figure 4-7 Take a Short Break It is recommended that you take a break at this point in order to allow your nervous system to absorb what you have just learned.

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Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung

Step 2: Coordinate Breathing with the Movements Beginning position: Stand comfortably with your feet parallel and shoulder's width apart, hands at your sides. Breathe softly from the belly and calm your mind. Feel free to choose whichever one of your hands you can keep track of the most easily and calibrate your breathing pattern to the motion of that hand. Illustration 4-2 coordinates the breathing with the left hand. The movement of both hands, feet and breath should be as smooth and relaxed as possible. 1. Inhale as your left hand and heel rises (Figure 4-2 A-F). 2. Let your inhale turn into an exhale when you rotate your left hand at the shoulder's nest and your lower right hand around the bottom of your right foot (Figure 4-2 G). Let this happen smoothly and try not to hold your breath or have any gap between inhale or exhale. 3. Continue to exhale as your left hand drops to your kwa, and then the outside of your foot (Figure 4-2 H-L). 4. Then smoothly transition from your exhale to an inhale as you rotate your lower left hand from the outside of your left foot to the inside, and your upper right hand from palm up to palm down at the shoulder's nest (Figure 4-2 M). 5. Continue to inhale as your left hand and heel rises (Figure 4-2 N-R). 6. Repeat Instruction 2. Continue coordinating your breathing and your movements until it feels comfortable. During any practice session, you may choose either hand with which to coordinate your breathing, so feel free to try either side at any time. A preferred technique for developing a more balanced awareness of both sides of your body is to coordinate your breathing with the hand that you feel less aware of while doing these movements.

Take a Short Break It is recommended that you take a break at this point in order to allow your nervous system to absorb what you have just learned.

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Left heel is fully raised

~

ABC D E Begin Movement 1 by roising your left hand ond heel. Begin Movement - Begin to Inhale • Continue to Inhale ----~.~

Finish Inhale

Right hand

J K • Continue to Exhale • Coordinate both hands and feet together. The left hand and heel fall as the right hand and heel rise.

Repetition 1- Begin to Exhale

Finish Exhale

Q The right hand and heel fall as the left hand and heel rise.

Repetition 2-Begin to Inhale ----~.~ Continue to Inhale ----~.~ 18 more repetitions Movement Integration

Do

Figure 4-2

Finish Inhale

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Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung

Final Step: Integration and Practice Once you have comfortably integrated your breathing with the movements, you are ready to do 20 repetitions of Movement 1 of Dragon and Tiger (see Figure 4-2). One repetition is defined as one cycle of a hand moving from down to up (Figure 4-2 F-L or Figure 4-2 L-R). Choose your right or left hand and count the rising of that hand as one, its falling as two, its next rising as three, etc. Doing 20 continuous repetitions without rest is considered one round of practice.

Use Movement 1 to Balance Your Chi Now you can start to use Movement 1 to balance the chi of your feet, legs, hands, arms and torso. Begin to do Movement 1 slowly, steadily, and continuously. Try to keep your arms and hands, and your legs and feet moving at all times. If you stop moving a part of your body for an instant, then your chi circulation in that part of your body will slow or even stop. It will lag behind the circulation in other parts of your body and your overall chi flow will become less balanced. So the first step in balancing your chi is to move continuously. The next step is to notice which parts of your body feel more alive and easy to move and which feel less responsive and more sluggish or tight. For a while just practice feeling your body as you do the movements. Be aware of what you notice, but do not try to do anything yet. Relax and open your mind and let yourself learn to feel many parts of your body simultaneously. Once you can do this a bit, then begin to play within your body. Put a little more attention into the parts of your body which feel less alive and responsive. Play with how you do the movements so that you try to awaken these areas. For example, you might exaggerate how you move those areas or how you move your hands across those areas to make them more alive.

Moving with the Breath You can also use your breath to help you focus on less responsive areas of your body. To breathe in concert with the movements, pick a hand or foot with which to coordinate your breath. As that hand or foot moves up, you inhale. As it moves down, you exhale.

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53

Try not to hold your breath at any time; let it smoothly shift from inhale to exhale and vice versa. For example, as your hand smoothly turns over near the front of your shoulder, let your breath smoothly and steadily move from inhale to exhale. As your hand circles from the outside of your foot to the inside, let your breath change smoothly from exhale to inhale. Choose to coordinate your breath with the part of your body that you'd like to awaken. For example, if your left leg or foot seems like the least responsive part of your body, then breathe in concert with the movement of your left foot. If it is your right shoulder, then breathe in concert with the movement of your right hand.

Emphasize the Downward Movement A slightly more advanced aspect of Movement 1 is to try to balance the up and down flows of energy between your body and the earth. The best way to do this is to emphasize the downward action of your hands and heels. The way chi works in the body is that if you can cause energy to sink down your body into the earth, chi will naturally rise up again. (This does not necessarily work in reverse; an upward flow won't necessarily cause a downward flow to occur.) So in Movement 1 you should play with sinking energy out of whichever heel is dropping at any time. You can simultaneously also play with moving chi with your falling hand down the front of your torso and the outside of your leg into the earth. It is best to master the downward flow before trying to work with the upward flow. Once you get those downward movements going, then you start to playas well with the hand and foot that are rising. Try to move in such a way that you feel your dropping hand and heel causing your other hand and heel to rise up your body.

Important Points to Remember •

Pay special attention to using your hands to trace the correct energy pathways. If you do so, then you will more fully reap the benefits of Dragon and Tiger chi gung.

•

Keep your hands six to eight inches away from your body and never allow your hand to move closer than the width of your closed fist.

•

Remember the 70 percent rule and only raise your hand and heel as far as you can without strain.

•

Putting a little pressure on the heel of the weighted foot will cause energy to drop down your body. Putting a little pressure on the ball of the weighted foot will cause energy to rise.

54

Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung •

The raising of the hand and heel occur simultaneously. Keep the ratio of the movement of your hand and heel constant, so they begin and finish together and are always at the same percentage of their respective ranges of movement.

•

As your hand rises, make sure the tops of your shoulders stay relaxed and down.

•

The weight shifts should be seamless and comfortable.

•

The breath should be relaxed and your transitions from inhale to exhale and vice versa should be smooth and without gaps. You should not hold your breath at any time during the movement.

•

When you perform Movement 1 correctly, you will feel as though there is a continuous pulley-like motion between your right and left sides.

•

Be gentle with yourself and do not try to be perfect.

Congratulationsl You have learned the first of Dragon and Tiger's seven movements. Practice this movement until you become very comfortable with it. Then move on to learn the second movement.

5

SHIFT WEIGHT WHILE TURNING Movell1ent 2 Basics

Before attempting to learn Movement 2, you must learn how to properly shift weight while turning the torso from the hip joint (kwa). This is necessary for physical balance, coordination and, most importantly, the protection of the knee joints and the lower back. Learning to do this will make it easier for you to learn Movement 2, arguably the most difficult of all Dragon and Tiger's movements. Turning while shifting weight is also a major component of Movement 7 and many other chi gung and other Taoist energy arts, especially tai chi. First you will learn the basic positions of weight shifting: turned left, center position and turned right. Next, you will be taught five components for turning correctly that you will integrate into these basic positions.

Step 1: Basic Turning and Weight Shifting Positions Beginning (facing center) position: Basic standing posture-face forward, feet flat on the floor, parallel and no wider than shoulder's width apart (Figure 5-1). The center position is a mid-point resting stop before turning left or right. It provides the best structural integrity for enabling your body to turn in a relaxed and stable manner.

Basic Standing Position

Figure 5-1

55

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Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung

1. From the facing center position (Figure 5-2 A), shift your weight and turn your hips and torso to the left (Figure 5-2 B). When you do this, make sure you do the following•

While turning, raise your right heel, but keep the ball of your right foot touching the ground.

•

let your right foot pivot on its ball so that your right knee and toes turn to point in the same direction as your torso and hips.

•

Only turn your torso and hips 70 percent as far as is comfortable.

•

Initially let your unweighted right leg naturally follow the turning of your hips and torso. Do not independently move or force the unweighted leg to pivot.

2. From the facing left position, gradually shift your weight and turn back to the facing center position (Figure 5-2 C-D). When you do this, make sure you do the following•

As you begin to turn your hips and torso back to the center, keep your weight mostly on your left foot and begin to put your right heel down.

•

Gradually shift your weight toward the middle and turn your hips back to face forward. As you do so, let your right foot pivot on its ball until your knees and toes face forward and then put your right heel completely down.

•

When your feet are facing forward and parallel to each other, your weight should be evenly distributed on both feet.

Turn torso to left

Right foot pivots back to center Right foot

t A

c

B

Turn Torso to the Left and Back to Center Again

Figure 5-2

o

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57

3. From the facing center position (Figure 5-2 E), turn your torso to the right. Gradually shift all the weight of your torso onto your right foot, as you turn your torso and hips to the right (Figure 5-2 F). When you do this, make sure you do the following•

While turning, raise your left heel, but keep the ball of your left foot touching the ground.

•

Let your left foot pivot on its ball so that your left knee and toes turn to point in the same direction as your torso and hips.

•

Only turn your torso and hips 70 percent as far as is comfortable.

•

Initially let your unweighted left leg naturally follow the turning of your hips and torso. Do not independently move or force the unweighted leg to pivot.

4. From the facing right position, gradually shift your weight and turn back to the facing center position (Figure 5-2 G-H). When you do this, make sure you do the following•

As you begin to turn your hips and torso back to the center, keep your weight mostly on your right foot and begin to put your left heel down.

•

Gradually shift your weight toward the middle and turn your hips back to face forward. As you do so, let your left foot pivot on its ball until your knees and toes face forward and then put your left heel completely down (Figure 5-2 H).

•

When your feet are facing forward and parallel to each other, your weight should be evenly distributed on both feet.

Start return

Left foot pivols back Right foot

E

F

G

Turn Torso to the Right and Back to Center Again

Figure 5-2

58

Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung Practice this basic turning sequence (Figure 5-3 A-G) for four or five minutes or until it

feels comfortable and natural and you do not have to refer to the instructions. The most important point to remember is to let your unweighted leg follow the turning of your hips. It is very easy to get into the bad habit of independently moving or forcing the unweighted let to pivot.

Turn right

Turn left

Right foot

A

B

c

D

E

F

Basic Turning Sequence

Figure 5-3

Take a Short Break It is recommended that you take a break at this point in order to allow your nervous system to absorb what you have just learned.

G

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59

Correct Turning Protects Your Knees Although you have just learned the basic positions of turning, there are five discrete components that will help keep your knees healthy and pain-free. These are•

Using your kwa to turn

•

Maintaining a constant shoulder's width stance

•

Keeping the knee of your weighted foot stable

•

Paying attention to the alignments of the legs and feet

•

Keeping the "four points" together as you turn.

learning to turn correctly so that you do not damage your knees is one of most important things you can learn. The knee joint is not meant to be a weight-bearing joint. The five components of correct turning will enable the pressure of your body weight to pass through and go around the knee joint into your muscles. They will keep the weight off the knee joint so that it doesn't cause damage to your cartilage and tear the ligaments of the knee. If you properly protect your knees when turning, you will mitigate or break any bad knee habits you may already have and adopt safe ones. This will enable you to safely protect your knees while performing other physical activities. Once you learn these components, you will not only use them in Movements 2 and 7 of Dragon and Tiger but will be able to apply them to any other chi gung, tai chi, Taoist energy arts programs and most sports. Knee injuries, particularly when turning, are common in almost any movement activity and not easy to repair.

The Importance of Correct Hip, Leg and Knee Alignments The perspective held by chi gung doctors on the natural design and proper functioning and protection of the knees is different than that held by some Western medical and exercise professionals. According to the Western view, to protect your knees you should build up the strength and tension in the soft muscles around the knee joint to better hold the joint in place. The chi gung perspective is to learn how to have proper body alignments as you turn, particularly as regards the hip, leg and knee joints, as well as maintaining relaxation. Correct alignments allow the pressures generated from the turning of your body to be absorbed by your soft tissues and not your knees or lower spine.

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How Knee Damage Occurs Knee joints are fragile and have limited range of motion. They can withstand very little twisting, torque or direct sideways pressure before their cartilage or ligaments become damaged. Your knees are especially vulnerable when you shift weight and turn because all your body's weight must pass through one knee. Any pressure exerted on the knee should pass through or around the joint. The attached surrounding soft tissues (muscles, fascia, ligaments and tendons) should stretch and twist to take the pressure away from the joint. Learning to reduce or eliminate small pressures exerted on the knee when turning can forestall or erase long-term problems. If these tissues do not gently stretch and twist they will stiffen and pull strongly where they attach to the knee bones and joint. As a result, the joint may be pulled out of alignment, the soft tissues (especially ligaments) may tear and the cartilage inside the joint may wear down prematurely.

Knee Damage Is Usually Progressive Most knee problems are not caused by one dramatic incident, such as a severe unexpected accident. Rather they are caused by cumulative damage, which can occur over months of intense physical activity or imperceptibly over years of everyday activity. Over time, repetitive strain can either set up knee ligaments and cartilage to excessively wear and eventually tear, or cause them to overstretch, resulting in a floppy knee with minimum capacity to remain stable as you stand, move or turn.

Learning Strategy These components are essential to learn in the sequence presented and before you move on to learning Movement 2 of Dragon and Tiger. As you learn each component, integrate the component into the basic turning sequence and practice turning left, center, right, center, left, etc. for four or five minutes. Practicing these weight shifts continuously for that amount of time will help lock each component into your body memory. If this amount of time is insufficient to have the component feel comfortable as you turn, take the time you need to do so. Sometimes taking a short break before trying to once again integrate the component into the basic turning sequence will help lock it into your nervous system. After learning each component, take a break for five to 10 minutes.

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61

Important Safety Principles As you learn the components of correct turning, remember these important safety principles•

Your muscles, ligaments, tendons and fascia-all of which are soft tissues-should comfortably and safely twist when you move. The bones and cartilage of your knee joint are not designed to be twisted and therefore should not twist when you move, or the result can be painful knee damage.

•

If you feel pain inside your knee joint while exercising you may be risking knee injury. Do not continue any movement that makes you feel pain inside the joint itself. If you do feel pain, something, somewhere needs to be adjusted.

Step 2: Use Your Kwa to Turn Turning from the hip joint (kwa) is integral to all Taoist internal arts, including chi gung and tai chi. Besides protecting your knees, turning from the kwa has important energetic and healing benefits. First, the kwa is the meeting point which connects the horizontal energy flows to the legs from the vertical right or left energy channels or the central energy channel flowing from the torso, and vice versa. The kwa is also the connection point that connects the horizontal flow of energy in the acupuncture meridians from the torso to the legs and vice versa. When turning while keeping the four points aligned (see Step 6, p. 70), you will enable the energy obtained from the turning actions of the legs to transfer through the hips into the abdominal cavity to massage your internal organs in the most optimal way.

Preliminary Exercise Working with a partner will help focus your attention on feeling the the kwa and keeping the knee of your weighted foot balanced and stable as you turn. If you wear a bikini or briefs and turn to the side, your kwa fold will be very visible in the groin area.

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Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung

1. Stand with your feet parallel, approximately shoulder's width apart and your weight evenly distributed on both feet (Figure 5-4 AJ. Your partner will place the edge of a hand on the bottom of your left kwa crease, where your inner thigh connects to the hip. Your partner will place the other hand on your knee to help keep it balanced and stable. 2. Turn to the left, and as you shift your weight to your left foot, your left kwa will begin to fold. Your partner will rub the edge of that hand up the crease, stopping at the top (crest) of the hipbone when you complete your turn (Figure 5-4 BJ. 3. Now, as your partner rubs the edge of that hand down from the crest of the hip bone to the bottom of your left kwa crease, turn back to face the front (Figure 5-4 C). When you return to center, the kwa will have stopped unfolding (Figure 5-4 DJ. Repeat these folding and unfolding actions until you can feel the impetus for your turns coming directly out of the movement of your left kwa. Your partner will keep the left weighted knee stable as you do so. 4. Repeat the procedure on your right side.

,,7\

Left kwa begins ta unfold as you turn back to center

Left knee remains stable Right foot

A

B

C Learn to Turn by Folding the Kwa

Figure 5-4

D

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63

Fold Your Kwa When You Turn The primary impetus to turn your torso towards your weighted leg must come from your hip joint (kwa), not your shoulders or chest. The torso will turn naturally when you fold the kwa and swivel from the hip. This will prevent damage to your knees and lower back, which you could cause by the twisting that can occur inside your knee joint if you turn from the shoulders and chest. In these instructions, you will fold the kwa as you turn by yourself.

Beginning (facing center) position: Basic standing posture-face forward, feet flat on the floor, parallel and no wider than shoulder's width apart (Figure 5-1). 1. When you shift your weight and turn your hips to the right, maximize the crease on the right side of your kwa to enable you to use its full range of motion and properly protect your knees and back (Figure 5-5 A). Turn to rightwhen your kwa stops folding, stop turning

Turn to leftwhen your kwa stops folding, stop turning

Left knee remains stable

Right knee remains stable

Left foot is weighted

Right foot is weighted

A

B Fold the Kwa as You Turn

Figure 5-5

• If you turn your hips to the right but you do not fold the kwa, then you are not swiveling your hip joint fully or properly. Your turning movement is incorrectly coming from twisting your back, knee, ankle, chest, shoulders or all of the above. •

Keep the weight evenly distributed on your weighted foot as you pivot on the ball of your unweighted foot with your heel raised.

•

Only turn your hips as far as your kwa can fold comfortably. Remember the 70 percent rule.

•

Keep the knee of the weighted foot stable and balanced.

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64

2. When your kwa stops folding, stop turning. Turning too much will generate pressures inside your body that can pull and strain your knees and lower spine. Such pressures will block the flow of energy and inhibit the overall circulation of energy throughout your body. They will also cause damage to, or inhibit the healing of injured hip, knee, ankle or foot joints. Do not ride up on the outside or collapse on the inside edge of the weighted foot. 3. Shift your weight back to center. Your kwa will unfold as you turn inward. Repeat steps 1-3 five to ten times until your turning to the right and back feels comfortable and relaxed. 4. Repeat steps 1 and 3 to turn to the left (Figure 5-5 B) at least five or ten times, or until it feels comfortable and relaxed.

Integration and Practice Integrate this component into the basic turning sequence for four or five minutes to help lock it into your memory.

Take a Short Break It is recommended that you take a break at this point in order to allow your nervous system to absorb what you have just learned.

Step 3: Maintain a Constant Shoulder's Width Stance As you turn your torso from side to side, you may find that the width of your stance changes to become wider or narrower than shoulder's width apart. Do not allow this to occur. Maintain a constant width between your feet. If your stance becomes too narrow, you may feel unstable, compressed and uncomfortable. If your stance becomes too wide, you may overstretch your lower body and strain your knees, ankles or lower back. The shoulder's width stance is ideal for turning because•

In order to turn, your body has to overcome a minimum of resistance from tight muscles, ligaments, etc. This allows your pivot and turn to be smoother, more relaxed and more fluid.

Chapter 5: Movement 2 Basics

•

65

You will most efficiently use the natural strength of your hips to support both your legs and lower back. Your ability to use this strength diminishes when your weight falls between your legs in a wider stance or outside of your legs in a narrower stance. In such stances, you tend to use the muscles of your lower back and legs for support. As a result, you can easily strain all the muscles of your lower bodylower back, hips, legs and especially your knees. This in turn may strain your lower spine and diminish the nerve flow to your lower body.

•

This is the ideal width for you to maintain physical balance in turning movements where you alternate between a forward-facing stance and turning your hips and torso to the side, as occurs in Dragon and Tiger Movements 2 and 7.

•

The width also ensures that when you turn your torso side-to-side, you will not exceed your body's stretching capacity. Too wide a stance may result in overstretching your tightest muscles, for which the body compensates by contracting other muscles in the pelvis and legs. This can put direct and potentially damaging pressure inside of your knee instead of having the pressure generated by your turn flow safely into the soft tissues that surround the knee joint.

•

Excessive width can also bind the body, add tension and stiffen the muscles above and below the knee, further putting pressure into the joint itself, as well as cause the spine to twist excessively, particularly at the lower back. This can lead to chronic back problems. A telltale sign that you are doing this is when your shoulders tense and begin to rise when you turn.

First, practice maintaining a constant shoulder's width stance as you turn for four or five minutes to help lock it into your memory. Every minute or so check your stance. When this component feels stable, then combine it with turning from the kwa. Make sure you are comfortable doing this before learning the next component.

Take a Short Break It is recommended that you take a break at this point in order to allow your nervous system to absorb what you have just learned.

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Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung

Step 4: Keep the Knee of Your Weighted Foot Stable The following biomechanical alignment and movement principles are valuable because they allow the pressure generated by the turning of your body to be absorbed by your soft tissues and not your knees or lower bock. You can best protect your knees by keeping the knee of your weighted foot stable, making sure that you do not twist or collapse your weighted knee outwardly or inwardly while turning from the kwa (Figure 5-6 A-C). Doing so blocks the ability of chi to flow through your legs and between your spine and lower body.

Incorrect: Right knee twisted out

Correct: Right knee is stable

A

Incorrect: Right knee collapsed inwards

B

c

Correct Knee Position While Turning From the Kwa

Figure 5-6 When you turn, try to consciously and properly align the bones and joints of your entire weighted leg. Let any pressures on the leg move through and around the soft tissues, rather than into the bones or cartilage. The soft tissues should turn and twist in synch with your movements in a natural and relaxed manner. Your bones should move very little, if at all. The knee is a fragile joint and is not meant to bear excessive weight. When your knee is not in alignment with your supporting foot, the weight of your upper body goes directly into the places where the ligaments of your knee hold the knee together. If, in any form of physical activity, the ligaments of your knee are habitually exposed to such strain, they can tear or become severely strained. Over time this can lead to their becoming overstretched, often to such on extent that they can no longer stably hold the knee in place.

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In martial arts, if you want to dislocate or break someone's knee, the standard technique is to kick or, with your hands, twist the opponent's knee so the knee is radically displaced outwardly or inwardly. You can achieve less dramatic, but similarly harmful results with your own knee, by slowly, progressively over time, putting your knee in the same dangerous positions when you stand or turn.

Integration and Practice Integrate this component into the basic turning sequence for four or five minutes to help lock it into your memory. Next, try to combine keeping your knee properly aligned as you turn from the kwa and maintain a constant width between your feet. Make sure you are comfortable doing this before learning the next component.

Take a Short Break It is recommended that you take a break at this point in order to allow your nervous system to absorb what you have just learned.

Step S: Pay Attention to the Alignments of Your Legs and Feet Legs weigh a lot. If you shift your weight and turn your hips and torso without relaxing and letting the unweighted leg turn, a potentially dangerous pull can be exerted on the anatomical insertions to your lower back and weighted knee. If you try to throw, hit, push or exert strength against something when you turn, leaving your unweighted leg behind will inhibit the success of that activity. Your goal is to have your spine, hips, navel and moving kneecap, foot, and toes face in the exact same direction during your entire turn, while, ideally, keeping your leg and foot relaxed at all times.

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1. Adjust the angle of your weighted foot when necessary.

When you are turned to either side, the ideal position of the toes of your weighted foot is to be pointing forward with those of your unweighted foot pointing toward the side (Figure 5-8 A). If you properly turn your body into this position, you create maximum pressure in your lower and middle internal organs and massage them at the same time. This increases fluid flow through them and improves their functioning. Initially, achieving this ideal position may compromise your comfort. If you feel any weakness at all in your back or if you feel pressure going into either knee, relieve this by letting your weighted foot turn from five to 45 degrees toward the side (Figure

5-8 B). Although this will reduce the beneficial pressure into your organs a little, it should alleviate strain in your knees or hip or lower back and allow you to turn your hips further toward the side. If you still feel pain in your knees, increase the angle of your foot to more than 45 degrees until the pain in your knee subsides (Figure 5-8 C). Although doing so will significantly reduce the pressure that your turning generates into your internal organs and reduces the benefit of the internal massage, it is far more important to protect your knees and not force your body to maintain an uncomfortable or potentially dangerous position. When you have practiced enough that your body and balance have become stronger and your knee more comfortable, then return to the 45-degree turn-and ultimately, bit by bit, to the zero degree turn.

The ball of the unweighted right foot follows the turn of the left kwa

'\~

--... Only if necessary: More . ~ ethan 45 degrees

I B ' \ Acceptable: 5 to 45 .. degree angle Ideal: Straight ahead A

Weighted Foot Position Options

Figure 5-8

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The correct placement of your feet will help you turn and shift your weight without strain and will alleviate cumulative damage to the knee and lower back. 2. The ball, outside edge and heel of your weighted foot must evenly touch the ground, so that you do not ride up on the outside edge or collapse on the inside of your foot.

If your foot does not evenly touch the floor, natural body alignments from your ankle upward through your whole body will become distorted to compensate for not having a stable base. As you put your weight on one foot, make sure you are not rolling your foot up on its outside edge. This strains the places where your tendons and ligaments attach to the bones of your foot, ankle, and knee and may also strain your lower back. Your foot or knee should not collapse inward. The key to preventing this is to keep your perineum open at all times (see Chapter 14, Principle 12). Most people with normal arches do not pay attention to how their weight moves through their feet; in Dragon and Tiger, you should do so. 3. Let the unweighted knee, foot and toes move in synch with the hip turn.

While you are making the turn, pivot on the ball of your unweighted foot. As you turn, your thigh, knee and toes should point in the same direction as your torso. Commonly, there is some initial inertia to overcome to get your unweighted leg to turn. Try to consciously relax and let the unweighted leg rotate and turn. Pay special attention to the first moments when you move from feet evenly weighted to shifting your weight to the side. If you relax and let your leg turn at this point, inertia is easily overcome. If you wait until midpoint in the shift to let the turn occur, you may get preoccupied and stiffen your unweighted leg so it does not rotate and follow your hips, thereby potentially straining your knee joints or lower back. 4. Integrate this component into the basic turning sequence for four or five minutes.

When this feels comfortable, combine it with the other components that you learned: paying attention to your leg and foot alignments, keeping your knee properly aligned, turning from the kwa and maintaining a constant width between your feet. Make sure you are comfortable doing this before learning the next component. Take a Short Break It is recommended that you take a break at this point in order to allow your nervous system to absorb what you have just learned.

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Step 6: Keep the IIFour Points" Together As You Turn As you turn your hips, keep both shoulder's nests and both sides of the kwa vertically aligned to form a rectangle within your torso (Figure 5-9 A & B). This alignment is called the four points.

Shoulder's nest

Shoulder's nest --+....- - - .

Kwa

Ideally, when you turn, top and bottom points turn the same amount and rectangle is maintained

Kwa

A

B

Correct Four Points Alignment-Four Points Maintained as a Rectangle

Figure 5-9

Shoulder's nest turned a lot to left

Unhealthy S-curve created in torso and spine

Kwa points turned a little to left

Incorrect Four Points Alignment- Top Points Turned More than Bottom

Figure 5-10

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This body alignment principle of the four points is very important in most Taoist chi gung practices, tai chi and other internal martial arts. It provides several important benefits and will•

Ensure that you are turning from your kwa and not your shoulders, chest or belly

•

Form a box within your torso to hold your internal organs in stable, natural alignment

•

Cause a light nonforceful twisting pressure to arise from your hips that will massage your internal organs

•

Unify the energy of your body

•

Prevent your spine from twisting into a misaligned S-curve (Figure 5-10).

Incorrectly turning from the chest or shoulders, without maintaining the same degree of turn in the kwa, has several negative consequences•

You can torque the inside of the knee joint causing potential damage

•

Your upper spine will twist into an S-curve and misalign your upper spinal vertebrae

(Figure 5-10) •

Your middle spine will twist and misalign your middle spinal vertebrae.

If you leave your upper body still and only turn from your belly, your lower spine will twist and misalign your lower vertebrae, a common cause of lower back pain. Over time the habitual misaligning of vertebrae can result in neck or back pain and visits to your healthcare practitioner. To help yourself maintain this four-point alignment, as you turn exert very light pressures simultaneously downward from your shoulders' nests and upwards from both sides of your kwa. You should have a definite feeling that the up and down movements meet somewhere in the middle of the left and right channels of your body. Integrate this component into the basic turning sequence for four or five minutes to help lock it into your memory.

Integration Integrate all five components into the basic turning sequence. Turn for five more minutes. Each minute or so, place your attention on one of the components to make sure the integration is seamless. If any component needs more practice, go back and practice it separately and then integrate it again into your turning movements. Once you feel you have learned and integrated these components into your turning

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movements and both your balance and movements are smooth, you are ready to go on to the next chapter. However, if one or more of these components are still not smoothly integrated into your turning sequences, it will be much more difficult for you to learn Movement 2. You also risk locking in habits that can lead to damaging your knees and lower back. It is far easier to learn fundamentals now than to go back to try to undo bad habits.

Important Points to Remember While Turning •

Turn from the kwa.

•

Protect your knees. Keep the weighted knee stable.

•

Do not let the knee of your weighted foot twist outwardly or collapse inwardly as you turn.

•

Keep the weight evenly distributed on your weighted foot.

•

Maintain a constant width between your feet.

•

Pivot on the ball of your unweighted foot with your heel raised.

•

Let the ball of your unweighted foot follow the turn of the kwa.

•

Keep the four points aligned.

•

Remember the 70 percent rule: Only turn your waist and hips to 70 percent of their full range of motion.

6

DRAGON LOOKS TO THE HORIZON Movement 2 Components

Dragon looks to the Horizon, Movement 2, contains a flicking motion that releases stagnant energy out from your hands and feet. This helps the energy that remains to circulate more strongly and smoothly. When done correctly, this movement works deeply into the soft tissues of the neck, shoulder and arm to help them relax. Of all Dragon and Tiger's movements, Movement 2 is the most difficult to learn. There are several coordination challenges that have to be integrated in one seamless, relaxed and flowing movement. These include•

Turning your hips and torso as you shift weight, in a manner that protects your knees, ankles and lower back (covered in the previous chapter).

•

Moving your arms in different directions from each other, at different speeds, as you turn your torso and shift weight.

•

Maintaining your balance on your weighted leg during hand and foot flicks and while lowering the foot that has flicked to the ground.

•

Coordinating your breathing with your hand, foot and turning movements.

•

A sudden release of energy combined with a timed exhale when you flick your hand and foot.

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Best Learning Strategy The movement is taught in discrete steps to enable you to learn this movement in the fastest way possible and make your learning more enjoyable. The previous chapter taught you to turn your torso waist and legs in such a way as to protect your knees, ankles and lower back. This essential component of Movement 2 will make it much easier for you to continue to safely turn and maintain your balance, especially when you learn and incorporate the flicking motions of the hands and feet. This multi-layered physical coordination requires several different kinds of memory: motor memory, using parts of the brain that you normally don't use in purely intellectual activity; neurological memory that operates between your brain and the nerves of your body; and neuromuscular memory that operates between your nerves and muscles. Each step in learning this movement adds a progressively new and more difficult layer, which helps develop and coordinate these capacities. Each step will also contain many microcomponents. learning each step and each microcomponent sequentially will enable you to smoothly hardwire them into your nervous system. Take as much time as you need to absorb and comfortably integrate the material of each step and its microcomponents. Do not try to skip steps or combine them with others until you are completely relaxed and comfortable with the material you have learned. Remember to follow the 70 percent rule as you learn. Practice each day until you can do each step without having to think about it or reread this text. This will help you to develop confidence in your learning ability and will make it easier to learn the next step. Taking a little bit of patience to stabilize each step will save you great frustration. Step 1: learn the energy pathways that are activated by your movements. Step 2: learn the basic hand, elbow and shoulder movements for each hand separately, while directly facing forward, and learn how to flick the fingers of the hand. Step 3: learn to coordinate the motions of both hands. Step 4: learn to coordinate the essential breathing pattern with your hand movements. Step 5: learn to flick your foot. When you have learned these essential components, Chapter 7 will teach you how to integrate them into one complete movement.

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Step 1: Learn the Energy Pathways It is important to first physically tap the energy pathways you will be activating during this movement to help you kinesthetically remember them. This is most easily done by having a partner tap them for you. If you do not have a partner, sit down and lightly tap yourself.

Tap the Energy Pathways Upwards and Downwards-Left Side 1. Your partner (or you) will begin on the inside of your left foot and pat upwards along the inside surface of your calf, knee and thigh, toward your perineum, which is located on the underside of your pelvis, mid-way between your anus and genitals (Figure 6-1). 2. Pass over the perineum and genitals, and continue patting up the centerline of the torso, including the navel, solar plexus and center of your chest. 3. Next move diagonally to your left shoulder's nest.

A. Proceed along the inner side of the left arm to the elbow, wrist, center of the palm, fingers and fingertips.

Shoulder's Nest

Solar Plexus Lower Tantien Perineum ----1-

Upwards and Downwards-Left Side

Figure 6-1

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5. Start from your left armpit. 6. Proceed down the left flank of your body past the midriff to the hip socket. 7. Continue down the outside of your left leg to finish at the outside of your left foot.

Tap the Energy Pathways Upwards and Downwards-Right Side Repeat Instructions 1-7 on the right side of your body (Figure 6-2). After your partner has patted you, you should follow these instructions by yourself to reinforce your body memory.

Shoulder's Nest

Center of the Chest

Lower Tantien Perineum

Upwards and Downwards-Right Side

Figure 6-2

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Trace the Energy Pathways Without Touching Them Now you will trace the same pathways without touching them. 1. Sit in a chair or on the floor. Use your left hand and pass it through your etheric body to trace the same energy pathways indicated in Step 1, Instructions 1-7. 2. Keep your hand six to eight inches away from your body, ideally feeling that your palms or fingertips are energetically touching your skin. 3. Face your palm or point your fingertips toward the energy pathways you are tracing. 4. Use your right hand to trace the energy pathways on the right side of your body. 5. Practice each side until you kinesthetically know the pathways without looking at them.

Take a Short Break It is recommended that you take a break at this point in order to allow your nervous system to absorb what you have just learned.

Step 2: Learn the Movements for Each Arm Separately First you will learn how to move each arm without turning your torso. Your arm will be making a continuous loop using upward, sideways and downward motions to activate the energy pathways on one half of your body. Each arm will rise up from the inside of your leg, perineum and body's centerline to the heart, and then make a sideways circle as the arm extends and flicks. Your arm then descends down your flank and outer leg until your fingers point to the outside of your foot. Your arm will then rotate around your foot so that can repeat the cycle. You will also learn an important physical principle-how to rotate your arm from your shoulders to your fingertips as one unit. The instructions start with the movements of the left hand. Because most people are righthanded, the weakest link in learning this movement will be coordinating the movement of the left hand with the right. Thus we begin with the principle of overcoming the weakest link first by taking the time to teach you the movements of the arm that is commonly more difficult for most to control and coordinate. Practice until the movement of this arm has a smooth, fluid and circular quality to it before learning the right hand movements and especially before trying to coordinate the movements of both hands together (Step 3).

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Upward Movement - Left Hand Beginning Position: Feet flat on the floor, parallel to each other, approximately shoulder's width apart. The weight is distributed evenly on both feet. Place both hands comfortably at your side, open your armpits slightly and point your left fingers at the outside of your left foot (Figure 6-3 A). 1. Rotate your left elbow and hand so that your fingers point at your toes and then the inside of your foot (Figure 6-3 B). Do not lock your elbow, wrist or finger joints. Keep your arm relaxed. Let the rotation of your arm come from the shoulder so that your arm, elbow, hand and fingertips turn and move as one unit. 2. As in Movement 1, move your left arm slowly upwards as your fingers trace the energy pathways along the inside of your calf and knee, and then to the top of your inner thigh (Figure 6-3 C).

Left hand rotates to face inside inside of leg

~

~.

~

~

A

B Hand and Palm Positions-Left Hand

Figure 6-3

c

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79

3. Cross over from the top of your inner thigh to the perineum. Do not reach down to do this; simply point your fingers at the pathways as you trace upward, maintaining your hand six to eight inches away from your body. From the perineum, gradually turn your palm to face upward (Figure 6-3 OJ. 4. Continue to trace the energy pathways up the centerline of the torso to approximately heart height. Keep your palm turned upwards and in line with your torso's centerline (Figure 6-3 E-FJ. •

Do not let your left hand or wrist drift or cross over to the right or left side of your body

•

Keep your armpit open, elbow and fingers pointing directly sideways

•

Keep your shoulders relaxed and down.

Q

Left hand rises up centerline

Lefthand reaches ~~rtheight

~ t "" t t

D

E Hand and Palm Positions-Left Hand

Figure 6-3

F

Left elbow points sideways

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Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung

Left Hand Moves Sideways 5. Move your palm from the center of your chest to your shoulder1s nest. As you do so, rotate your palm from facing upwards as in Figure 6-3 F to directly facing the center of the shoulder's nest (Figure 6-3 GJ. The thumb will either be slightly above the palm or stay hidden behind the palm with the space between the thumb and index finger being extremely relaxed and open. • Your elbow points to the side • Your armpit must remain open. 6. Begin to gently curl your fingers to point at your arm, as you drag your arm sideways

(Figure 6-3 HJ until the center of your palm faces the middle of your upper arm. The elbow and your upper arm muscles begin to rotate downwards (Figure 6-3 HJ. 7. Unfurl your arm sideways (Figure 6-3 I, J & KJ. Rotate your shoulder towards your back, letting your elbow drop until it directly points to and is perpendicular to the ground. Simultaneously unfurl, rotate and begin to extend the forearm sideways. As you do so,

Left palm turns to face shoulder's nest

~

Left hand and fingers ) face the I upper arm

&\

Left elbow begins to rotate downward

G

H Hand and Palm Positions-Left Hand

Figure 6-3

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81

gradually curl your fingers towards each other until all your fingers touch the thumb, forming a "beak hand" and your fingers face toward the crease of your elbow (Figures 6-3 I,) & K). As you finish unfurling your arm, your wrist and fingertips will be pointing downwards and perpendicular to the ground (Figure 6-3 L). 8. Continue to extend your forearm sideways with your beak hand until your arm is fully pointed sideways (Figure 6-3 L). Under no circumstances should you fully straighten or lock your shoulder, elbow, wrist or finger joints. Doing so will block the flow of chi.

l' J

Unfurl and rotate the forearm, gradually begin to curl your fingers towards your thumb.

In the Beak Hand, all four fingers touch the thumb.

As left arm unfurls, fingers face the crease of the elbow

K

At the end of the arm's final extension, the elbow and fingertips point downward and the elbow is slightly bent

L Hand and Palm Positions - Left Hand

Figure 6-3

Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung

82

9. Flick your fingers outward in a very relaxed manner so they point horizontally and are parallel to the floor (Figure 6-3 M). The primary function of the hand flick is to release stagnant energy out of the armpit, shoulder and arm.

M Hand and Palm Positions-Left Hand

Figure 6-3

•

As you flick your fingers, keep your elbow comfortably bent and the elbow tip pointed directly to the ground; do not straighten your arm or lock any joints in the elbow, wrist or fingers. Open your armpit a tiny bit.

•

Flick in a relaxed, springy and nonforceful manner. This flick is similar to how you would splash water with only your wrist and hand action rather than by exerting arm strength. Relaxed speed, not strength, is your goal.

•

As you flick, try to have a sense of projecting energy out of your hand.

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Downward Hand Movements - Left Hand 10. Keep your arm and fingers extended as you let your arm fall smoothly and slowly along the outside flank of your body (Figure 6-3 N), until your fingers point directly at the outside of your foot (Figure 6-3 0). 11. Circle your arm until your fingertips point toward the inside of your foot (Figure 6-3 P). Keep your arm relaxed. let the rotation come from the shoulder so that your arm, elbow, hand and fingertips rotate and move as one unit. Instructions 1-11 should be repeated at least ten times. Your goal should be to become comfortable making this movement before trying to learn the movements of the right hand.

Left arm begins to softly fall

()

Fingers point to outside of foot

Left hand circles to face inside of foot

~

r;;j)

N

o

p

Hand and Palm Positions-Left Hand

Figure 6-3 Take a Short Break It is recommended that you take a break at this point in order to allow your nervous system to absorb what you have just learned.

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Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung

Upward Movement - Right Hand Beginning Position: Feet flat on the floor, parallel to each other, approximately shoulder's width apart. The weight is distributed evenly on both feet. Place both hands comfortably at your side, open your armpits slightly and point your right fingers at the outside of your right foot (Figure 6-4 A). 1. Rotate your right elbow and hand so that your fingers point at your toes and then the inside of your foot (Figure 6-4 B). Do not lock your elbow, wrist or finger joints. Keep your arm relaxed. let the rotation come from the shoulder so that your arm, elbow, hand and fingertips move as one unit. 2. As in Movement 1, move your right arm slowly upwards as the fingers trace the energy pathways along the inside of your calf and knee, and then to the top of your inner thigh (Figure 6-4 C).

o Right han rotates to face inside inside of leg

Right \ hand begins to rise

t

t

g\,.1 A

.~

~ B

Hand and Palm Positions-Right Hand

Figure 6-4

~ ~

c

Chapter 6: Movement 2 Components

85

3. Cross over from the top of your inner thigh to the perineum. Don't reach down to do this; simply point your fingers at the pathways as you trace upward, maintaining your hand six to eight inches away from your body. From the perineum, gradually turn your palm to face upward (Figure 6-4 D). 4. Continue to trace the energy pathways up the centerline of the torso to approximately heart height. Keep your palm turned upwards and in line with your torso's centerline

(Figure 6-4 E-F). •

Keep your armpit open, elbow and fingers pointing directly sideways.

•

Keep your shoulders relaxed and down.

•

Do not let your right hand or wrist drift or cross over to the left or right side of your body.

Q

Right hand

Right hand reaches heart heig/~

c::~\

--------tt

Right elbow points sideways

D

E Hand and Palm Positions-Right Hand

Figure 6-4

t

F

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Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung

Right Hand Moves Sideways 5. Move your right palm from the center of your chest to your shoulder's nest (Figure 6-4 G). The palm will gradually rotate from facing upwards as in position one to directly facing the center of the shoulder's nest. The thumb will either be slightly above the palm or stay hidden behind the palm with the space between the thumb and index finger being extremely relaxed and open. •

Your elbow points to the side.

•

Your armpit must remain open.

6. Begin to gently c;url your fingers to point at your arm, as you drag your arm sideways

(Figure 6-4 H) until the center of your palm faces the middle of your upper arm. The elbow and your upper arm muscles begin to rotate downwards (Figure 6-4 H). 7. Unfurl your arm sideways (Figure 6-4 I, J & K). Rotate your shoulder towards your back letting your elbow drop until it directly points to and is perpendicular to the ground. Simultaneously unfurl, rotate and begin to extend the forearm sideways, gradually

Right palm turns to face shoulder's nest

Right hand and fingers face the upper arm Right elbow begins to rotate downwards

G

H Hand and Palm Positions-Right Hand

Figure 6-4

Chapter 6: Movement 2 Components

87

begin to curl your fingers towards each other until all your fingers touch the thumb, forming a "beak hand" with your fingers facing the crease of your elbow (Figures 6-4

I, J & K). As you finish unfurling your arm, your wrist and fingertips will be pointing downwards and perpendicular to the ground (Figure 6-4 L). 8. Continue to extend your forearm sideways with your beak hand until your arm is fully pointed sideways (Figure 6-4 L). Under no circumstances should you fully straighten or lock your shoulder, elbow, wrist or finger joints. Doing so will block the flow of chi.

Unfurl and rotale the forearm, gradually begin to curl your fingers towards your thumb.

In the Beak Hand, all four fingers touch the thumb.

As right arm unfurls, fingers face the crease of the elbow

At the end of the arm's final extension, elbow and fingertips point downward and the elbow is slightly bent.

L

K Hand and Palm Positions-Right Hand

Figure 6-4

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Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung

9. Flick your fingers outward in a very relaxed manner so they point horizontally and are parallel to the floor (Fjgure 6-4 M). The primary function of the hand flick is to release stagnant energy out of the armpit, shoulder and arm. •

As you flick your fingers, keep your elbow comfortably bent and the elbow tip pointed directly to the ground; do not straighten your arm or lock any joints in the elbow, wrist or fingers. Open your armpit a tiny bit.

Right hand flicks

M Hand and Palm Positions-Right Hand

Figure 6-4 •

Flick in a relaxed, springy and nonforceful manner. This flick is similar to how you would splash water with only your wrist and hand action rather than by exerting arm strength. Relaxed speed, not strength, is your goal.

•

As you flick, try to have a sense of projecting energy out of your palm and fingers.

Chapter 6: Movement 2 Components

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Downward Movements - Right Hand 10. Keep your arm and fingers extended as you let your arm fall smoothly and slowly along the outside flank of your body (Figure 6-4 N), until your fingers point directly at the outside of your foot (Figure 6-4 0). 11. Circle your arm until your fingertips point toward the inside of your foot (Figure 6-4

Pl.

Instructions 1-11 should be repeated at least ten times. Your goal is to become comfortable making this movement before trying to coordinate the movements of both hands.

Right arm begins to softly fall

\

\ \

Fingers point to outside of foot

\ \

\

Right hand circles to face inside of foot

\ N

o

p

Hand and Palm Positions-Right Hand

Figure 6-4 Take a Short Break It is recommended that you take a break at this point in order to allow your nervous system to absorb what you have just learned.

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Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung

Step 3: Coordinate Hand Motions While Facing Forward Coordinating your hand motions in Movement 2 is one the most difficult challenges of Dragon and Tiger's seven movements. Left, right, up, down, inwards and outwards are all happening at once, with each hand going in different directions. Even though both hands are making the exact same movements, they do so out of phase with each other and in different rhythms. This could be compared to two sections

of a choral group singing a round

such as "Row, Row, Row Your Boat," where one half of the group starts singing the melody and the other half follows with the same melody several beats later. For this reason, you first learn to coordinate the movement of the hands without turning and shifting weight. This step also contains other micro-components, such as learning how to drop your hand and arm down after you flick the hand.

Landmark Positions Three landmark positions will help you learn to coordinate your right and left arm movements. They are: Foot and Shoulder's Nest position (Figure 6-5); Heart and Beak Hand position

(Figure 6-6); and Flick position (Figure 6-7). These are key positions that both hands will simultaneously reach. When learning, pause briefly until both hands reach these landmark positions before moving on. This will help lock in your body memory. At first, one hand may want to go faster than the other. Do not be concerned. As you practice and become more confident, both hands will begin to move together. Your goal is to have both hands continuously and fluidly moving between these positions with ease and precision. In time they will. Many of us have become accustomed to multi-tasking and splitting out attention between many activities. This means that we can also have a tendency to space out or daydream, briefly losing our orientation. If this happens to you while you are trying to learn to coordinate the right and left arms movements, you can use any of these landmark positions as a new beginning point, and continue to practice without feeling frustrated, confused, guilty or stressed out.

Chapter 6: Movement 2 Components

o

Ri9ht~ if!' ~

i~ft

~nd

hand

Palm faces shoulder's nest

Foot and Shoulder's Nest Position

Figure 6-5

Heart and Beak Hand Position

Figure 6-6

Flick Position

Figure 6-7

91

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Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung

Transiting between Landmark Positions with Both Hands Beginning position: Foot and Shoulder's Nest position (Figure 6-8 A). Your right palm faces your shoulder's nest and the fingers of your left hand point to the ground. 1. Move your left elbow and hand so that your fingers point at the inside of your foot. Your right palm continues to face your shoulder's nest as your forearm begins moving sideways and upwards and your elbow drops slightly (Figure 6-8 8). 2. Your left arm begins to rise as your fingers trace the energy pathways on the inside of your leg. At the same time, begin to curl the fingers of your right hand as the arm moves a bit more sideways. The palm of your right hand will face the middle of your upper arm and the elbow will begin to rotate downwards (Figure 6-8 C).

Left hand faces inside of leg

Left hand begins to rise

t t

J

\W

Foot and Shoulder's Nest position

~

A

B Transiting between Landmark Positions with Both Hands

Figure 6-8

c

Chapter 6: Movement 2 Components

93

3. At the perineum your left palm will rotate to face upwards. Your left arm continues to rise up the center of your torso, elbow facing ~ideways. At the same time, your right arm continues to trace the energy pathways on the inside of your arm by unfurling, rotating and extending sideways, with your fingers facing the crease of your elbow. The elbow is moving toward pointing directly downwards. Your fingers continue to curl towards and touch each other (Figure 6-8 D). 4. Both hands now reach the Heart and Beak Hand position (Figure 6-8 E). Your left hand has reached heart height on your torso. The left palm is facing upwards; and the left elbow is pointing sideways. Your right arm is at the end of its sideways extension. Your arm is bent and your fingers have formed a beak hand. Your right elbow and beak fingers point downward. 5. When your right hand flicks, you have reached the Flick position (Figure 6-8 F). Your left arm remains stationary, palm turned upwards.

Right hand unfurls

t

extension, elbow and fingertips point downwards Left hand rises Heart and Beak Hand position

D

E Transiting between Landmark Positions with Both Hands

Figure 6-8

F

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Dragon and Tiger Medical Chi Gung

6. The right hand softly falls to finish at the outside of your right leg. At the same time, the palm of your left hand turns to face the inside of your torso and drifts sideways from the centerline to the shoulder's nest (Figures 6-8 G). You will now have arrived at the Foot and Shoulder's Nest Position on the opposite side of your body (Figure 6-8 H). 7. Your right arm rotates to point to the inside of your right foot. The palm of your left arm moves sideways and upwards and your elbow drops slightly. Your palm continues to face your shoulder's nest (Figure 6-8 I). 8. Your right arm begins to rise as your fingers trace the energy pathways on the inside of your leg. At the same time, curl the fingers of your left hand as the arm moves a bit more sideways. The palm of your left hand will face the middle of your upper arm and the elbow will begin to rotate downwards (Figure 6-8 I-J).

RighI ho,d

softly falls ~

~--.,

'-Z.~

~

Left palm faces shoulder's

Leftpalm faces shoulder's nest

-1--\ ,,,I Right hand faces inside of leg

The Foot and Shoulder's Nest position

G

H Transiting between Landmark Positions with Both Hands

Figure 6-8

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9. At the perineum your palm will rotate to face upwards. It continues to rise up the center of your torso, elbow facing sideways, palm facing upwards. At the same time, your left arm continues to trace the energy pathways on the inside of your arm by unfurling, rotating and extending sideways, with your fingers facing the crease of your elbow. The elbow is moving toward pointing directly downwards. Your fingers continue to curl towards and touch each other (Figure. 6-8 K). 10. Both hands now reach the Heart and Beak Hand Position (Figure 6-8 L). Your left hand has reached heart height on your torso. The right palm is facing upwards and the right elbow is pointing sideways. Your left arm is at the end of its sideways extension. Your arm is bent and your fingers have formed a beak hand. Your left elbow and beak fingers point downwards.

Left hand points to arm

Right hand begins ta rise

lU! ~

J

~~~~t

:;nd centerline

At the end of the arm's extension, elbow and fingertips point downwards

l \,1

Heart and Beak Hand position

~

K Transiting between Landmark Positions with Both Hands

Figure 6-8

L

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11. When your left hand flicks you have reached the Flick position (Figure 6-8M). Your right arm remains stationary, palm turned upwards. 12. The left hand softly falls to finish at the outside of your right leg (Figure 6-8 N). At the same time, your left palm turns to face your torso and drifts slightly sideways to your shoulder's nest. You have again arrived at the Foot and Shoulder's Nest position on the opposite side of your body (Figure 6-8 0). Follow Instructions 1-12 until you are comfortable with the coordination of both hands.

Left hand flicks

n

~,

Right palm faces

~:~~/der's Left hand

r~~ Right palm faces upwards

The Foot and Shoulder's .. Nest position '2:,

The Flick position

M

N Transiting between Landmark Positions with Both Hands

Figure 6-8

o

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Important Points to Remember •

Be patient with yourself and remember the 70 percent rule.

•

If you get lost, start again at the Foot and Shoulder's Nest position.

•

Both hands move at the same relative speed when they go from the Foot and Shoulder's Nest position to the Heart and Beak Hand position.

•

As your hand moves up the centerline of your body, do not let it drift or cross over to the other side of the body.

•

If you get frustrated, take a break. Afterwards, take a few moments to review the movements of each hand separately before you try to coordinate them again.

Take a Short Break It is recommended that you take a break at this point in order to allow your nervous system to absorb what you have just learned.

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Step 4: Coordinate Breathing with Your Hand Movements Beginning position: Foot and Shoulder's Nest position. 1. Inhale smoothly as your hands move from the Foot and Shoulder's Nest position to the Heart and Beak Hand position. 2. When you flick, quickly quickly exhale most of the air from your lungs. As your arm descends, in a relaxed, smooth and even manner, exhale the rest of your air, until this hand reaches the outside foot position and your other hand reaches its shoulder's nest position. 3. Repeat 1 starting from this new Foot and Shoulder's Nest position. 4. Repeat 2. Practice this entire breathing cycle (Instructions 1-4) until your inhales and exhales are seamlessly coordinated with your hand movements. You may have trouble coordinating your breath with the hand movements while both hands move. If so, try moving just one hand and coordinate your breath with it. Inhale as the hand rises and moves out and exhale when you flick and the hand descends. Then try the other hand. When you are comfortable with this breathing pattern for each hand separately, then try breathing in synch with both hands moving.

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Important Points to Remember about the Breath •

Never hold your breath anywhere in the cycle. The temptation to do so just before you flick might challenge you.

•

The speed of the flick should mirror the quick exhale of most of your breath but in a relaxed manner. Release more than half of your breath during the flick.

•

Ideally, the exhale should be released from the nose, not the mouth. Ideally, there should be no sharp sound accompanying the release of your breath as you flick. However, you may first want to do so loudly out of your mouth to program your nervous system. When the release is effortless, then powerfully, smoothly and most important of all, quietly exhale only through the nose.

•

Release the rest of your breath in a continuous, easy, relaxed stream. Time that release so that you finish when your flicked arm has dropped and the fingers are pointed to the outside of your foot.

Take a Short Break It is recommended that you take a break at this point in order to allow your nervous system to absorb what you have just learned.

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Step S: Turn and Flick the Unweighted Foot You will now learn to flick the unweighted foot and toes, using the turning instructions that you learned in the previous chapter. This would be an excellent time to make sure that your turns incorporate all the physical principles taught in that chapter about how to protect the knees while turning. The primary function of the foot flick is to release stagnant energy out of the legs. The flicking action also boosts circulation to the feet, helps increase their flexibility, prevents or mitigates the tendency toward bunions and is an antidote to the negative effects of wearing ill-fitting shoes or high heels. Flicking should also help you improve your physical balance. For most people, flicking the foot is far more challenging than flicking the hand. Many find it difficult to remain both relaxed and balanced while turning, flicking the unweighted foot and most especially while putting the foot down correctly before turning to face center. If you find that following these instructions destabilizes and unbalances you, try the options on p. 103. These options will help you improve your balance so you can comfortably do the foot flicks.

Beginning position: Face forward, feet flat on the floor, parallel to each other and approximately shoulder's width apart. Your weight should be distributed evenly on both feet (Figure 6-9 A). Your arms should rest downwards along the sides of your legs. 1. Turn your torso to the left and flick the right leg. a. Gradually shift all the weight of your torso onto your left foot, as you begin to turn your torso and hips to the left (Figure 6-9 B). •

While turning, raise your right heel while keeping the ball of your right foot touching the ground.

•

Let your unweighted right leg pivot on its ball so that your right knee and toes turn to point in the same direction as your torso and hips. Do not force the leg to pivot.

b. At the finish of your turn, lift your unweighted right leg slightly off the ground and extend it backwards as you flick and send energy out of your toes (Figure 6-9 C). The flick should be loose and relaxed, following the guidelines suggested for flicking your hand. Your right foot should be completely off the floor. As you flick, your right toes briefly point backwards and downwards rather than parallel to the floor or upwards.

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2. Return to the beginning center position. a. As you begin to turn your hips and torso back to the center, keep your weight mostly on your left foot. Bend your weighted left leg slightly as you slowly lower the toes and ball of your right foot to the ground (Figure 6-9 OJ. If your balance is unsteady, it will take some time for you to learn to both precisely control the flick and maintain balance as you put your foot back down. b. Gradually shift your weight toward the center, fold your kwa and turn your hips back to face forward. As you do so, let your right foot pivot on its ball until your knees and toes face forward and finish putting your right heel down (Figure 6-9 Aj. c. When your feet are facing forward and parallel to each other, your weight should be evenly distributed on both feet. You are now ready to turn your torso to the right and repeat the movement on the other side (Figure 6-70 Aj.

Right foot lifts slightly off ground as you flick

Right heel pivots out with turn

t A

c

B

Turn Torso to Left and Flick the Foot

Figure 6-9

o

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3 . Turn your torso to the right and flick left foot. a. Gradually shift all the weight of your torso onto your right foot, as you turn your torso and hips to the right (Figure 6-10 Bj. •

While turning, raise your left heel, but keep the ball of your left foot touching the ground (Figure 6-10 Bj.

•

Let your unweighted left leg pivot on its ball so that your left knee and toes turn to point in the same direction as your torso and hips. Do not force the leg to pivot when you turn your hips.

b. At the finish of your turn, lift your unweighted left foot slightly off the ground and extend it backwards, toes pointing towards the ground as you flick and send energy out of them (Figure 6-10 C). The flick should be loose and relaxed. Your left foot should be completely off the floor. As you flick, your left toes briefly point backwards and downwards rather than parallel to the floor and upwards. 4. Return to center position. a. As you begin to turn your hips and torso back to the center, keep your weight mostlyon your right foot. Bend your weighted right leg slightly as you slowly lower the toes and ball of your left foot to the ground (Figure 6-10 Dj. If your balance is unsteady, it will take some time for you to learn to both precisely control the flick and maintain your balance as you put your foot back down.

Foot lifts slightly off ground as you flick

A

c

B

Turn Torso to Right and Flick the Foot

Figure 6-10

D

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b. Gradually shift your weight toward the middle and turn your hips back to face forward. As you do so, let your left foot pivot on its ball until your knees and toes face forward and then finish putting your left heel down. c. When your feet are facing forward and parallel to each other, your weight should be evenly distributed on both feet as in Figure 6-10 A. Slowly and carefully repeat Instructions

1-4 until you are comfortable and can do them in

a relaxed manner.

Important Points about Flicking • The flick should be like a dog's sudden backward pawing of the ground. •

The flick should be relaxed, springy and loose, not tense.

•

The ideal height of the flick is the mid-calf of the other leg, but under no circumstances should it be higher than your knee.

•

Raise your foot no higher than where you can easily maintain balance.

•

The toes and arch of your foot should point backwards and then downwards toward the floor and not parallel to the floor or facing upward.

Options for Learning the Flick If you are tense while you flick your foot or lose your balance, here are some options to use until your balance feels more stable. These methods will help you improve your balance until you can do the foot flicks without using them. 1. Instead of flicking, lightly press the ball of your foot against the ground. Some people find it very difficult to lift their foot off the ground and flick it backwards. This causes them to tense their bodies as they do so or feel unstabilized, which is not desirable. This option will also help you learn to have your foot pivot follow the turning of your torso. 2. Hold onto a chair or table to balance yourself while you practice the flick, until you can do it in a relaxed, balanced and comfortable manner. You can also postpone learning the foot flick until you have thoroughly learned an practiced the other Dragon and Tiger movements. This will give you time to develop better balance.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

7

Movell1ent 2 Integration

In the two previous chapters, you learned how to turn your torso while protecting your knees and the basic components of Movement 2. Now you will learn to put them together. Step 1 teaches new landmark positions that will help you coordinate the movements of the hands while turning your torso, shifting weight and flicking the hand and foot. Step 2 teaches you how to smoothly transit between the landmark positions. Step 3 teaches you how to make the transition between Movement 1 and Movement 2. This could not be taught at the end of Movement 1 because it incorporates many elements of Movement 2 which still needed to be learned. Step 4 teaches you to integrate all the steps that you have learned into one relaxed and coordinated movement.

Step 1: Learn New Landmark Positions New landmark positions will now help you coordinate the movements of your hands, legs, breath, weight shifts and turns. These landmarks are devices to help orient you as you move from one position to another without stops and starts. If you lose your place, these positions will be very helpful to put you in a comfortable starting place. 105

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The Foot and Shoulder's Nest position is the one you have already learned (Figure 7-7). You will always return to this position just before turning your torso to the right or to the left. The Heart and Beak Hand and Flick positions (Figures 7-2 & 7-3) differ from the one learned in Step 4 of the previous chapter (p. 98) because your torso will be facing sideways and not forward. For now do not worry about how you transit to these positions. Use the instructions below to place your hands and feet in the landmark positions. Follow the 70 percent rule in doing so. 1. Begin with the Foot and Shoulder's Nest position (Figure 7-7 A), right arm up. •

Your right hand is up at about shoulder's height, elbow pointed sideways and palm facing your shoulder's nest.

•

Your weight is evenly distributed on both feet.

2. Turn your torso to the right to put yourself in the Heart and Beak Hand position

(Figure 7-2 A). •

Your right foot is fully weighted and faces forward.

•

Your torso is turned to the right as far as is comfortable.

•

Your left leg is turned at the same angle as your torso and left foot is ready to flick.

•

Your right arm is extended, elbow dropped, fingers in a beak hand. Your beak

•

Your left arm is at the centerline at about heart height with palm facing upward.

hand is ideally on the centerline of your body at about shoulder height.

3. Flick the tigers of your right hand and left foot to place yourself into the Flick position

(Figure 7-3 A). •

Your right foot is fully weighted.

•

The fingers of your flicking hand point straight ahead, your palm faces downwards at the ground and your flicking foot and toes point downwards.

•

The left hand continues to be on the centerline at about heart height with palm facing upwards.

4. Turn your torso to face back to center to place yourself in the Foot and Shoulder's Nest position, left arm up (Figure 7-7 B). •

Raise left arm slightly to about shoulder height, palm facing towards shoulder's nest.

•

Right arm has dropped and palm faces towards the right leg. The right fingers face downwards.

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Palm of upper hand faces shoulder's nest

Weight is evenly distributed on both feet

A

B

Foot and Shoulder's Nest Position

Figure 7-7

~ ~~ Beakhand ideally is on the centerline of the body

~ ____---'

~Ii! )C--

Palm is on centerline of body facing upwards

~

Pivot on the ball of the foot

Right foot is fully weighted

A

Left foot is fully weighted

B

Heart and Beak Hand Position

Figure 7-2

Fingers flick towards _ _ _.... the horizon Palm remains on centerline

Toes point to ground A

Flick Position

Figure 7-3

Beak hand ideally is on the centerline of the body

B

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5. Turn your torso to the left and put your hands and feet in the Heart and Beak Hand position (Figure 7-2 B). •

Your left foot is fully weighted and faces forward.

•

Your torso is turned to the left as far as is comfortable.

•

Your right leg is turned at the same angle as your torso and left foot is ready to flick.

•

Your left arm is extended, elbow dropped, fingers in a beak hand. Your beak hand is ideally on the centerline of your body at about shoulder height.

•

Your right arm is at the centerline at about heart height with palm facing upwards.

6. Flick the fingers of your left hand and flick your right foot to move into the Flick position

(Figure 7-3 B). •

Your left foot fully weighted.

•

Your torso is turned to the left.

•

The fingers of your left hand have flicked and point straight ahead (palm facing downwards at the ground).

•

The right hand continues to be on the centerline at about heart height with palm facing upwards.

•

Your right leg flicks with toes pointing downward.

Repeat Instructions 1-6 until you are comfortable with these new landmark positions. If you cannot turn your torso all the way to the side to achieve these ideal positions, then you have two options. One is to turn your weighted foot outward as described in Chapter 5, p. 68, so that your body can turn to the ideal position. The other is to turn your torso less. Then your beak hand will be positioned somewhat off your centerline.

The Position of the Hands When the Body Is Turned Sideways When viewing all illustrations which show the turning of the hips and pivoting of the foot, the angle of perception may be visually deceptive. You must remember: •

The center of palm as it comes up the torso is directly on the body's centerline, not your wrist, forearm or fingers.

•

Your beak hand will be positioned either on the centerline of your torso, or closer to the right or left energy pathway depending on how far you turn to the right or left. Take a Short Break It is recommended that you take a break at this point in order to allow your nervous system to absorb what you have just learned.

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Step 2: Transit between Landmark Positions You are now ready to learn to transit between each landmark position and coordinate the movements of the hands while turning your torso, shifting weight and flicking the hand and foot. New challenges will arise. Here are some examples•

You might find that when turning from side to side and flicking, you remember your foot and waist turning, but forget what the hands are doing or vice-versa.

•

You might find it difficult to keep the flicks of the hand and foot relatively constant and balanced, so that one does not overly dominate and imbalance the other.

1. Move to the Flick Position 8eginning Position: Put yourself in the Heart and Beak Hand position with your torso facing left (Figure 7-4). a. Flick your left hand forwards and your right foot backwards (Figure 7-5). Imagine you are projecting energy simultaneously from your hand and foot. •

Your left palm should face the floor. Your right toes should point toward the floor with your right foot no higher than the mid-calf of your left leg.

b. Exhale with a short explosive force and release more than half of your breath.

Left hand flicks. Immediately exhale at least half your breath

Right palm remains on centerline as it rises

Right foot flicks

Heart and Beak Hand Position

The Flick Position

Figure 74

Figure 7-5

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2. Turn Back to the Foot and Shoulder's Nest Position Although the right and left sides of the body continuously and simultaneously move, this move is broken into two parts to make it easier to learn.

Part A-Left Side (Figure 7·6 A) a. Start to lower your left arm and fingers until they are midway down the left side of your body at heart height. b. Continue to exhale in a continuous stream in concert with the movement of your left arm. c. Unfold your left kwa and turn partially back toward the center.

Part A-Right Side (Figure 7·6 A) d. Put your right toes slowly down, pivot on the ball of your right foot towards the center e. Rotate your right palm until it faces your body. f.

Pull your right hand across your chest until your right palm is midway between your heart and shoulder's nest.

Left hand softly falls Palm of right hand begins to turn toward the shoulder's nest

Right foot pivots to center

A Transiting to Foot and Shoulder's Nest Position

Figure 7-6

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Part a-Left Side (Figure 7-6 a) g. Finish lowering your left arm until it is by your side and your fingers point to the bottom outside of your left foot. h. Your exhale should finish at the same time your left hand points to the bottom of your foot. Part a-Right Side (Figure 7-6 a)

i. Continue to pull your palm sideways until it faces your shoulder's nest.

j. Continue to pivot on your right foot until it faces forward and is parallel with your left foot. k. Put your heel down as you evenly shift your weight onto both feet. You have reached the other Foot and Shoulder's Nest position and have finished exhaling. The palm of your right hand faces your shoulder's nest (Figure 7-6 B).

Palm faces shoulder's nest

In the Foot and Shoulder's Nest position, the weight is evenly distributed on both feet

B Reaching Foot and Shoulder's Nest Position

Figure 7-6

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3. Turn Right and Move to Heart and Beak Hand Position a. Rotate your left fingers around your left toes, until they point to the inside of your left foot (Figure 7-7 A). b. Shift all of your weight to your right foot (Figure 7-7 A). c. Begin inhaling. Continue to inhale until you reach the Heart and Beak Hand position.

Part A-Right Side (Figure 7·7 B) d. Begin to fold the right kwa and turn your hips slightly to the right. e. As you begin to turn, your right arm begins to move sideways and unfurl. Your fingers point towards your upper arm. f. Your right fingers begin to form a beak hand.

Part A-Left Side (Figure 7·7 B) g. As your left leg becomes weightless, lift your left heet so that you can begin to pivot on the ball of your left foot. Keep touching the ground with the ball of the foot. h. As you begin turning right, pivot on the ball of your left foot.

i. While you turn, the left fingers trace the energy pathways up the inside of your left leg to your perineum.

j. At the perineum, your left palm turns upwards and continues up your centerline. Fingers point towards

Left palm turns upward at perineum and continues up your centerline

Right kwa begins to fold

Right foot is weighted

-

A

B

Transit to Heart and Beak Hand Position. Inhale Smoothly.

Figure 7-7

Left heel begins to rise and pivot

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1 13

Part a-Right Side (Figure 7·7 C& D) k. As you continue turning, fold your right kwa more.

I. Your right arm continues to unfurl sideways, fingers tracing the energy pathways of your upper arm. Your elbow rotates down and moves further away from your body as you extend your wrist further sideways. Do not close your armpits or bring your elbow nearer to your body. m. When your right arm has reached its fullest extension, your elbow is slightly bent and its tip points downwards. n. All five fingers of your right hand touch each other in a beak hand. Ideally, your beak hand is on your centerline, fingertips facing the ground. Part a-Left Side (Figure 7·7 C& D) o. Continue to pivot on the ball of your left foot, so your knee and toes point in the same direction of your hips. p. Bring your left palm, still facing upwards, up the centerline to your heart. q. Keep your elbow completely horizontal in relation to your body and not collapsed towards your body. Your hands and feet are now in the Heart and Beak Hand position and you have finished your inhale (Figure 7-7 DJ.

Left palm rises on the centerline

Right kwa folds more

Fingers of the beak hand point downwards

Left palm continues to rise and stays on centerline

Right kwa is folded to 70%

Left heel begins to rise and pivot

Heart and Beak Hand Position

c

Pivot ends

o

Transit to Heart and Beak Hand Position. Inhale Smoothly.

Figure 7-7

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4. Move to Flick Position Flick your right hand and left foot (Figure 7-8). a. Simultaneously flick your right hand forwards and your left foot backwards. Do not raise your left foot higher than the mid-calf of your right leg. •

Right and left fingers and palms become parallel to the floor, left toes point toward the floor and your left foot is no higher than the mid-calf of your right leg.

•

Right kwa unfolds when you flick. This causes separation of the vertebrae in the lower spine, which is helpful for people with lower back problems.

b. Exhale with a short explosive force and release more than half of your breath.

5. Turn Back to Foot and Shoulder's Nest Position This move is broken into two parts to make it easier to learn (Figure 7-9 A & B).

Part A-Right Side (Figure 7-9 A) a. Start to lower your right arm until it extends midway down the right side of your body. b. Continue to exhale in a steady stream in concert with the movement of your right arm. c. Unfold your right kwa partially back towards the center.

Right hand flicks. Immediately exhale at least half of your breath

Left palm is on centerline

Right kwa unfolds when you flick

Flick Position

Figure 7-8

Chapter 7: Movement 2 Integration

1 15

Part A-Left Side (Figure 7·9 A)

d. Put your left toes down, pivot on the ball of your left foot towards the center. e. Start rotating your left palm toward your shoulder's nest. f.

Pull your left hand across your chest until your left palm is midway between your heart and shoulder's nest.

Part B-Right Side (Figure 7·9 B)

g. Finish lowering your right arm until it is by your side and your fingers point to the bottom outside of your right foot. h. Your exhale should finish at the same time your right hand points to the bottom of your foot. Part B-Left Side (Figure 7·9 B) I.

Continue to pull your palm sideways until it faces your shoulder's nest.

j. Continue to pivot on your left foot until it faces forward and is parallel with your right foot. k. Put your heel down as you shift your weight onto both feet evenly to face forward.

Palm of left hand begins to turn toward shoulder's nest

In the Foot and Shoulder's Nest position, the weight is evenly distributed on both feet

Left foot pivots back to center

A

B Reaching Foot and Shoulder's Nest Position Figure 7-9

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6. Turn Left and Go to Heart and Beak Hand Position a. Rotate your right fingers around your toes, until they point to the inside of your right foot. (Figure 7-10 A). b. Shift all your weight to your left foot (Figure 7-10 A). c. Begin inhaling. Continue to inhale until you reach the Heart and Beak Hand position.

Part A-Left Side (Figure 7-10 B) d. Begin to fold the left kwa and turn your hips slightly to the left. e. As you begin to turn, your left arm begins to move sideways and unfurl. Your fingers point towards your upper arm. f. Your left fingers begin to form a beak hand.

Part A-Right Side (Figure 7-10 B) g. As your right leg becomes weightless, lift your right heel so you can begin to pivot on the ball of your right foot. Keep touching the ground with the ball of the foot. h. As you begin turning left, begin to pivot on your right foot.

i. While you turn, your right fingers trace the energy pathways up your leg to your perineum.

j. At the perineum, your right palm turns upward and continues up your centerline.

Fingers point towards

Right palm turns upward and continues up your centerline.

Right hand

Right foot is weighted

A

B

Transit to Heart and Beak Hand Position. Inhale Smoothly.

Figure 7-10

Chapter 7: Movement 2 Integration

1 17

Part a-Left Side (Figure 7-10 C & D) k. As you continue turning, fold your left kwa more.

I. Your left arm continues to unfurl sideways as your elbow rotates down and moves further away from your body as you extend your wrist further sideways. Do not close your armpits or bring your elbow nearer to your body. m. When your right arm has reached its fullest extension, your elbow is slight bent and its tip points downward. n. All five fingers of your left hand touch each other in a beak hand. Ideally, your beak hand is on your centerline, fingertips facing the ground.

Part a-Right Side (Figure 7-10 C & D) o. Continue to pivot on the ball of your right foot, so your knee and toes point in the same direction as your hips. p. Bring your right palm up the centerline to your heart. Your palm continues to face upwards. q. Keep your elbow completely horizontal in relation to your body and not collapsed towards your body. Your hands and feet are now in the Heart and Beak Hand position and your have finished your inhale (Figure 7-10 DJ. You are ready to Flick and begin the sequence from 1-6 again.

Right hand rises on the centerline

Left kwa folds more

Right palm continues to rise and stays an centerline

Left kwa is folded

to 70%

Right heel begins to rise and pivot

Heart and Beak Hand Position

c

D

Transit to Heart and Beak Hand Position. Inhale Smoothly.

Figure 7-10

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Ideally, each transit to a different landmark position should be practiced separately, until you are comfortable about what each hand and foot should be doing when you turn. Remember that in all the turning positions, the palm that rises stays on the centerline of the body. Depending on how for you are comfortable turning the body, the beak hand will either be on the centerline of your body or near the right or left energy channel. For most, the coordination of both hands and feet while turning is a challange. Be patient with yourself and do not try to rush going through these steps. Take as much time as you need to learn them.

Take a Short Break It is recommended that you take a break at this point in order to allow your nervous system to absorb what you have just learned.

Chapter 7: Movement 2 Integration

1 19

Step 3: Transition between Movements 1 and 2 Now that you have learned Movement 2, you are ready to learn the transition between Movement 1 and Movement 2. This could not have been taught to you previously, as the transition incorporates many of the components of Movement 2. Transitions are as important to learn as the main movements because they ensure a smooth relaxed flow of chi into the next movement without stops or starts.

Beginning Position: End of the 20th repetition of Movement 1 (Figure 7-11A). •

Weight is on your right foot and you are facing forward

•

You have just finished your exhale

•

The armpits of both hands are open

•

Your left heel is off the ground

•

Your right arm will be at your side, with the fingertips facing downwards and pointing to the outside of your right foot

•

Your left hand is at the shoulder's nest with the palm facing up and the elbow facing sideways.

Right hand

A Final Position of Movement 1

Figure 7-11

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1. Transit to Foot and Shoulder's Nest Position a. Gradually turn your left palm to face your shoulder's nest (Figure 7-11 BJ. b. Drop your left heel and shift your weight to be evenly distributed on both feet

(Figure 7-11 C). This is the Foot and Shoulder's Nest position.

2. Go to Heart and Beak Hand Position a. Rotate your right fingers around your toes, until they point to the inside of your right foot. Your left palm faces the shoulder's nest. (Figure 7-11 OJ. b. Shift all your weight to your left foot (Figure 7-11 DJ. c. Begin inhaling. The following movements of the right and left hands should be done simultaneously, not sequentially. To help you easily learn this transition, the instructions are broken down into two parts with detailed guidance for each side of your body. During both parts, you will be continuously and smoothly inhaling.

Gradually turn your left palm to face shoulder's nest

Left palm faces shoulder's nest

Left palm faces

shoulder's nest

Right hand rotates to inside of foot

Left foot is weighted

B

c Transition between Movements 1 & 2, Continued

Figure 7-11

D

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121

Part A-Left Side (Figure 7-11 E) d. Begin to fold the left kwa and turn your hips slightly to the left. e. Pull your left hand sideways, passing through your shoulder's nest, while beginning to form a beak hand, until the center of your left palm is facing the top of your upper arm just past the shoulder. Part A-Right Side (Figure 7-11 E) f. As your right leg becomes weightless, lift your right heel and keep touching the ground with the ball of the foot. g. Begin to pivot on your right foot at the same time as you begin to turn slightly to the left. h. Your right fingers trace up the inside of your leg to your perineum. I.

At the perineum, your right palm turns upward and continues up the centerline of your body.

Left palm faces

Right hand continues to rise on the centerline

Left kwa starts folding

Right heel begins to rise and pivot

Left foot is weighted

E Transition between Movements 1 & 2, Continued

Figure 7-11

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Part a-Left Side (Figure 7-11 F & G)

j. As you continue turning, fold your left kwa more. k. Move your elbow further away from your body as you extend your wrist further sideways. As your left hand unfurls, your fingers first point to your inner arm and finish facing the ground.

I. Your left arm rotates until the elbow and fingertips point to the ground. Do not close your armpits or bring your elbows nearer to your body. m. When your arm has reached its fullest extension, your elbow is slightly bent and its tip points downwards. n. All five fingers touch each other in a beak hand. Ideally, when you reach the Heart and Beak Hand position, your beak hand will be on your centerline.

Part a-Right Side (Figure 7-11 F & G) m. Continue to pivot on the ball of your right foot, so your knee and toes point in the same direction as your hips. n. Bring your right palm up the centerline to your heart. o. Keep your elbow completely horizontal in relation to your body and not collapsed towards your body.

Left hand unfurls Right hand stays on centerline

As you turn, your right hand rises up the centerline of your body

Left kwa folds more

Left kwa is folded to 70%

Right foot pivots as you turn your torso

Right foot is ready to flick

G

F Transition between Movements 1 & 2, Continued

Figure 7-11

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123

You have now completed the transition between Movement 1 and Movement 2 and are in the Heart and Beak Hand Position. Your left hand and right foot are now ready to flick

(Figure 7-11 GJ. You are now ready to begin the sequence of Movement 2 (Step 4), as shown on the next page.

Take a Short Break It is recommended that you take a break at this point in order to allow your nervous system to absorb what you have just learned.

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Final Step: Integration and Practice Repeat Instructions 1-6 in Step 2 alternating sides in a continuous loop, transiting between Landmark positions in a relaxed, comfortable manner (Figure 7-12).

A Flick positionExhale strongly

B Hand softly falls as you turn back to center. Continue to exhale

Foot and Shoulder's Nest position

Begin Exhale - - - - - - - - - - - - - . . . . . . . Finish Exhale ----I.~ Begin Inhale

J Flick positionExhale strongly

Hand softly falls as you turn back to center. Continue to exhale

Foot and Shoulder's Nest position

Begin Exhale - - - - - - - - - - - - -__.~ Finish Exhale ----I.~ Begin Inhale

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20 movements are one round of practice. One movement is defined as completing a flick on one side. If 20 rounds are too much for you at first, do fewer rounds. Make sure you do them in even numbers, so that you balance the flicks on each side.

D v Left hand begins to rise as you turn right

Right hand forms beak hand, left foot continues to pivot

Right hand unfurls, left foot pivots on ball of foot

Heart and Beak Hand position

----------------------------------il.~

K

Finish Inhale

N

M V

Right hand begins to rise as you turn left

Left hand unfurls, right foot pivots on ball of foot

Left hand forms beak hand, right foot continues to pivot

Heart and Beak Hand position

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -..... Finish Inhale

Integration of Movement 2

Figure 7-12

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Important Points to Remember Each day that you practice Movement 2, pick just one or two of the following to focus on for that day. •

Fold the kwa when you turn.

•

Protect the knees.

•

Maintain a constant width between your feet.

•

Pay attention to the alignments of the legs and feet.

•

Maintain your "four points" as you turn.

•

Try not to hold your breath.

•

Maintain your hand six to eight inches away from your body at all times.

•

Do not let either hand drift or cross over to the opposite side of your body.

•

Try to move your hips and shoulders fluidly.

•

The flicking hand and foot should be loose and relaxed at all times.

•

After you flick with a hand, let that hand and arm drop softly and slowly.

•

In all positions where the body centerline is involved, the center of your palm Irather than your wrist, fingers or forearm) is directly on the body's centerline as it comes up the torso. Your beak hand will be positioned either on the centerline of your torso, or closer to the right or left energy pathway depending on how for you turn your torso to the right or left.

•

Clearly be in each of the landmark positions before moving to the next. They are all equally important.

•

Remember the 70 percent rule and don't try to be perfect. Be gentle with yourself as you learn.

Practice daily until you can do all of the components in Movement 2 without having to read the text.

8

TIGER CROUCHES Movell1ent 3 COll1ponents

The name of this movement is a metaphor for the manner in which tigers and other members of the cat family crouch and wait in a relaxed and very aware fashion for their prey. A key feature of Movement 3 (Tiger Crouches) and Movement 5 (Tiger Pounces) is the repeated horizontal tracing of the great meridian (dai mail, which connects all the vertical acupuncture lines in the body, transfers energy between them and activates the energies of the lower tantien. A diagram showing the location of the great meridian and lower tantien appears on page 130 in this chapter.

Overview Movement 3 has five basic goals•

Increase overall blood circulation

•

Increase overall leg strength, flexibility and balance

•

Increase the speed and strength of the energy circulation in your legs

•

Release energetic blockages in the waist and legs

•

Fully open the energetic circulation from the kidneys to the legs. By revving up the energy in the legs, Movement 3 sets the stage to open the energy in the upper body, especially the heart, during Movement 4.

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Movement 3 Can Be Done

In

Five Positions

The first is for people who are in good health; the other four positions are for people who have short- or long-term leg, hip or spinal injuries, have poor balance, are bedridden or are wearing a leg cast.

Upright Position

Figure B-1 1. Standing upright provides the best overall benefit (Figure B-1). All your weight will be on the forward leg, with the back leg stretched backward and resting on the ball of the foot. 2. Standing with one foot supported on a stool or step (Figure B-2).

Standing with One Foot Supported Position

Figure B-2

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3. Sitting on a chair. 4. Sitting on the floor, with legs outstretched (Figure 8-3). A variation of this posture for a healthy person is to stand with one leg in the air and use a stretching bar for support.

Sitting on Floor Position

Figure 8-3

5. Lying down on a bed, couch or floor, with or without one or both legs raised (Figure 8-4).

Lying Down Position

Figure 8-4

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Step 1: Trace the Correct Energy Pathways For purposes of tracing the energy pathways, we will refer to the points in front of the lower tantien as the tantien and behind the tantien as being the mingmen (Figure 8-5).

In this movement, two hands trace the energy pathways. One hand pats up the inside of the leg; the other pats up the outside of the leg. First, have a partner pat your body along the energy pathways as outlined in the following instructions. Second, pat your body yourself. Third, trace the energy pathways in space by yourself. As you do so, remember to keep your hands six to eight inches away from your body (Figure 8-5).

Front View

Side View

f#:;j~~--Great Meridian

l.,.,;:=ltt--- Great Meridian {Dai Mai}

{DaiMai}

Energy Lines to Trace-Right Side

Figure 8-5

Back View

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Beginning Position: Hands on either side of the heel of one foot. 1. Sit on the floor or in a chair and trace the energy pathways one leg at a time. a. Move your hands forward along both sides of one foot to the toes and on the top of the foot back to the inside and outside of the ankle and up the leg. b. Your hands simultaneously reach the top of either side of your thigh. c. The hands meet at the kwa and front of the hip socket. d. Both hands move sideways together over to the center of the torso and belly in front of the lower tantien. e. One hand pats back along the dai mai around the left side of the torso; the other around the right side of the torso until both hands point at the mingmen without touching. f. Then your hand pats back along the same pathway on the left and right sides of the torso along the dai mai until both point at the lower tantien. g. They pat sideways to the kwa and hip socket. h. The hands separate. One hand goes down the inside of the leg; the other down the outside of the leg. I.

Hands end on either side of the heel.

Your partner should pat each of your legs 10 times. Next, you should do the same. Finally, you should trace the same energy pathways without touching your body.

Take a Short Break It is recommended that you take a break at this point in order to allow your nervous system to absorb what you have just learned.

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Step 2: Learn the Leg Movements Beginning Position: Stand with your feet shoulder's width apart and parallel to each other.

1. Move into a Forward Stance (Figure 8-6 A-C) a. Put your right leg forward a comfortable distance with most of your weight on it. b. Keep the heel of your left (back) foot off the ground but maintain a light pressure on the ball of your back foot. c. Slightly bend both knees and keep your back straight and perpendicular (vertical) to the floor. You can also lean forward 45 degrees. Keep your spine straight, neither hunched or arched, and your head at the same angle as your back.

Center of hip joint Kwa --!=~~--.

Center of Knee --.:to Right foot is weighted

Left foot

Center of Ankle .=.:--~.

A

B

C

Side view upright

Front view

Side view bent 45%

Correct Leg Alignment

Figure 8-6 To protect the knees, move the knee of your front leg slightly forward and back, until you find a position where you can feel the center of your knee connecting through the center of your ankle to the center of your foot. Find the position where your knee and foot ·feel as stable as possible. A lack of stability often involuntarily causes the body to tense and block

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the flow of chi. The back of your knee should feel connected to the back of your ankle. Your weight should fall through the center of your foot and spread out evenly through its ball, heel and outside edge. Do not move your kneecap when bending down. Do not collapse the knee inwards or outwards (Figure 8-7 A & B). Do not bend the knee too for forward or back

(Figure 8-7 C & D).

'(

{J

Knee collapsed .,....,,.....-t--inwards Knee collapsed outwards \

Incorrectknee too for forward ;~ ____..-1

Incorrectknee too for back

\/ j :5 ),

'I B

A

c

D

Incorrect Leg and Knee Alignment

Figure 8-7

Important Points about the Forward Stance •

Maintain the 70 percent rule.

•

Only stretch your forward leg 70 percent as far as it can go.

•

The ideal position of the legs is for each kneecap, ball of the foot and heel to be vertically aligned with the kwa and shoulder's nest. Your front and back legs should be on parallel lines to each other (Figure 8-6 A). Your toes, kneecaps and torso should all face directly forward.

•

Keep the perineum open.

•

Once you find a comfortable stance-and when you continue the movement-your forward kneecap should not move forward, back or sideways. Sideways movement is especially dangerous to the ligaments of the knee (Figure 8-7 A & B).

•

When you have made all these adjustments, you should feel stable, relaxed and comfortable and be able to feel a natural bounce inside all of the joints your legs and hips.

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2. Learn to Bend Forward from the Kwa Three options are given. Options A and C are for those that are weak, injured or have poor balance. When you have become comfortable and stable doing one of these options, you can progress to Option B, the most ideal.

Option A: Fold from the Kwa Try this option first if your balance is poor or your legs and lower back are weak or injured.

8eg;nn;ng Position: Take the forward stance with your left foot forward. Head and spine are upright. (Figure 8-8 A) 1. Fold forward from your kwa. Your torso should lean forward. This movement should come from a rolling action of your torso and buttocks around your hip joints. Do not let your legs or hip joints move forwards, backwards or down. •

Maintain a straight spine and neck without turning your hips or any further bending of either knee (Figure 8-8).

Upper spine & torso lean forward Hip joint becomes pivot point around which spine moves. Joint always remains at same height

Q

/_ \ "

r:-:ry

Tailbone tilts back Upright position Left foot

Left foot

B

Forward Fold from the Kwa-Correct

Figure 8-8

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•

135

Do not bend your your spine and do not let your head fall forwards (Figure 8-9 A) or pull it backwards (Figure 8-9 B). Spine bends, not kept straight

Hips not tilting

Kwa not folding \-#--

Forward Fold-Incorrect

Figure 8-9 •

Only fold as far as is comfortable for you. You do not want to feel the muscles of your lower back or thighs restricting your movement or feel restrictions in other places, such as your neck or calf muscles. As you practice, gently relax and stretch any restricted areas and gradually, over time, fold lower and lower. Eventually, you will be able to fold forward far enough that your arms can hang down low enough so your hands can touch the floor (Figure 8-10).

Eventually, as your body loosens, you will be able to fold forward so that hands can touch the floor

Forward Fold-Option A

Figure 8-10 If your stance causes your legs to wobble or your breath to become strained, then stand up higher. Any bodily tension and excess strain will defeat the relaxation that can be achieved by doing this movement.

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2. Return to the upright position a. Unfold from your kwa and roll your torso upward (Figure 8-11 A & B). Upper spine and tor~o tilt upwards \ Spine does not bend

Hip ioint is pivot point and remains at the same height

Unfold upwards from the kwa

Tailbone tilts forward

A Return to Upright Position-Correct

Figure 8-11 •

Raise your torso by rolling your hips in a seesaw action. Feel as if your rear end and tailbone roll downwards a little as your torso rolls upward. The pivot point of your seesaw is the center of your hip joints. Do not let your legs or hip joints move forwards, backwards or down.

•

Try not to tighten your shoulders. Do not use them to lift your torso. It may take practice for you to raise your torso by using only the muscles of your hips and legs. Your chest, shoulders and arms should remain loose and relaxed.

b. Repeat folding from the kwa and returning to the upright position as many times as is necessary to have the soft tissues of the kwa feel comfortable and relaxed. 3. Change Legs a. Bring your feet parallel again. You can bring your feet parallel in one of two ways. Choose whichever method is most comfortable for you as both are correct and will help you achieve the goals of this movement. You can move your back foot forward or you can shift your weight backwards and then bring your forward leg backwards. b. Then either step forward with your right foot or put your left leg backwards. Either way, your weight should be on your forward right leg and your left leg will be behind you with its heel raised and the ball of the foot lightly pressing into the ground.

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Option B: Squat from the Kwa (Ideal Position) In this option you lower your body by squatting from the kwa. 1 Keep your front knee stable-do not move it forward, back or sideways-even as you bend it. Begin with a completely vertical back, weight on the front leg (Figure 8-11 A). 1. Squat downward by simultaneously bending from your kwa and knees to lower your hips down and back. While leaning forward, keep your back straight. Squat down to 70 percent of your full range of motion. In time your hands will be able to touch the floor. (Figure 8-12).

Upper spine and torso tilt forward

Thigh moves downward Front of knee should not move forward or backward

Front of knee should not move forward or backward Knees bend

Knees bend

Squat from Kwa-Downward Movement

Squat from Kwa-Upward Movement

Figure 8-12

Figure 8-13

2. Return to the upright position. Keep your front lower leg and kneecap stable and unmoving and use your legs, hips and kwa to push your back up into its original vertical position (Figure 8-13). Repeat this movement until you can squat and rise in a relaxed, smooth and comfortable manner. Then change legs and practice squatting from the kwa on the other side.

Important Points About the Kwa Squat •

Only go 70 percent or as low as you can go without strain.

•

If you feel strain in your knees, ankles or lower back, only go 50 percent of as low as you can go.

lMore information about the kwa squat can be found in the author's book, revised edition, pp. 163-165 and pp. 202-203.

Opening the Energy Gates of Your Body,

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•

Initiate the bend of the legs from the kwa, not the knees

•

Your front kneecap should not move forward, back or sideways

•

Use your hip and leg muscles, not your shoulder or chest muscles to move your weight up and down.

Option C: Folding from the Kwa Using a Support for the Front Leg If you are injured, ill, recovering from surgery or have extremely poor balance, you may find it easier to fold from the kwa using Option A by keeping your weight on your back leg and supporting your forward foot on a stool, step, ledge or book (Figure 8-14). Using a support for a limited time will remove unnecessary discomfort and help speed your healing process.

Folding from the Kwa by Using a Support for the Front Leg

Figure 8-14 The ideal height for the supporting object should be one that helps you to•

Maintain your balance with the least effort possible

•

Retain balance while bending down

•

Keep your supporting back foot and leg firmly anchored flat on the floor

•

Change from one leg to the other without strain.

8eginning Position: Stand with feet side by side, shoulder's width apart and parallel to each other.

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1. Shift your weight to your left (back) foot and place your right foot up on your support. 2. Fold forward in your kwa so that your torso leans forward in the manner described for Option A. This movement should come from a rolling forward action around your hip joints, not by bending your spine. a. Maintain a straight back, without further bending of your knees or turning your hips

(See Figure 8-8). b. Keep your head aligned with your spine, neither letting it fall forward nor pulling it back (See Figure 8-9 A & B). c. Only fold forward 70 percent of your full range of motion so you always remain comfortable. If you are not in constant pain, finding this range of motion should be easy. If you are in constant pain, be sure to find a height for your support that meets the criteria listed above. Then fold forward until you feel your pain significantly increase. Thereafter, only fold forward 50 percent of this range of motion. 3. Return to the upright position with your back and head perpendicular to the floor by unfolding from your kwa and rolling your hips downwards. a. Raise your torso by rolling your hips in a seesaw action. Feel as though your rear end and tailbone roll downwards a little as your torso rolls upwards. The pivot point of your seesaw is the center of your hip joints; do not let your legs or hip joints move down, forward or back. b. Try not to tighten your shoulders or use them to lift your torso. It may take practice for you to become accustomed to raising your torso by using the muscles of your hips and legs, rather than lifting from your chest and shoulders. Your chest, shoulders and arms should remain loose and relaxed. Repeat as many times as you can while following the 70 percent rule. 4. Switch legs. First lower your right foot down and stand with your feet side by side and parallel. Then shift your weight to your right leg and place your left foot forward on your support. 5. Repeat Instructions 2 and 3. Repeat as many times as you can without strain. With gentle practice each day the soft tissues around your kwa should relax and your range of movement should increase. As your injury or illness gets better, progressively use less and less support until you can do the exercise while standing (using option A or B without aid).

9

PUTTING

IT

ALL TOGETHER

Movement 3 Integration

You have learned various options for bending from the kwa and have chosen the one that is most comfortable for you. Now you will learn to add the arm movements which, combined with the bending of the kwa, will activate the energy pathways that are important to this movement. You do not have to bend as low as the woman in these illustrations to reap the benefits of Movement 3. Over time, your body will loosen and you will be able to go lower. At all times, remember the 70 percent rule and only bend as far as is comfortable.

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Step 1: Transition between Movements 2 and 3 Beginning Position: You have finished the flick of Movement 2 (Figure 9-/ AJ. 1. Return to stand facing forward, with your feet side by side and parallel, and your weight evenly distributed. •

As you begin to turn, fold your left arm at the elbow and bring your left hand, with your palm facing your body, to your left flank, just below the armpit.

(Figure 9-/ B-C). •

Move your right hand across your body to face your palm toward the right flank of your body, just below the armpit (Figure 9-/ B-CJ.

2. Continue to trace your palms down your flanks until they reach the great meridian

(Figure 9-/ DJ.

A

c

B

Transition from Movement 2 to Movement 3: Part A

Figure 9-/

D

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3. Bring your hands forward along the dai mai until they almost meet but do not touch, with palms facing the lower tantien, approximately six to eight inches away from your skin (Figure 9-1 f). 4. Simultaneously, trace the great meridian (dai mail, palms facing your skin, back to the mingmen and forward again, as you step into a forward stance so your right leg is forward and your left leg is back with the heel raised (Figure 9-1 F-I). • If you are using a support, shift your weight onto your left foot and put your right foot onto your support. You are now ready to start Movement 3.

Left foot is bock

E

F

G

H

Transition from Movement 2 to Movement 3: Port B

Figure 9-1

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Step 2: Combine Arm and Leg Movements Movement 3's hand movements are the easiest of the entire Dragon and Tiger chi gung set. These hand movements can be combined with Option A (folding the kwa), Option B (squatting from the kwa) or Option C (using a support for your forward leg).

Beginning Position: Place your hands in front of your tantien, as you did when you traced the energy pathways. Your palms will face your tantien and your elbows will point down. Your weight is on your right leg and your left leg is behind with the heel slightly raised (Figure 9-2 A).

Downward Movement 1. From the tantien (Figure 9-2 A), move your hands sideways and downwards toward your right leg and then split the hands apart, with your left palm facing the inside of the thigh and your right palm facing the outside of your thigh (Figure 9-2 B).

Left heel is slightly raised Right leg is " \ weighted l;::.~ '- J

(~

A

B Begin Downward Movement

Figure 9-2

c

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145

2. Move your palms down both sides of your legs to trace the energy pathways down your legs (Figure 9-2 C). 3. Move your hands down your calves to your heel and then forward to your toes using either the kwa fold or the kwa squat (Figure 9-2 D &

fl.

You will be tracing the energy

pathways with your hands around your toes. If you cannot reach all the way down to your foot with your hands, simply point your fingers, as in Option A, in the direction of your foot to trace the energy pathways. Make sure your upper body does not touch your upper leg as you bend downwards.

Left foot

E

D

D

Option A Kwa Fold

Option B Kwa Squat

Finish Downward Movement- Two Options

Figure 9-2

E

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Upward Movement 4. Straighten up from your kwa, as your palms retrace back up on both sides of your leg from your ankles to the top of your thighs to your kwa and then sideways to the front of your tantien (Figure 9-2 F-I).

Right foot

G Upward Movement

Figure 9-2 F-I 5. Trace the dai mai (the great meridian) backwards to the mingmen and then trace forward to the front of the tantien (Figure 9-2 J-M). Do ten repetitions on this side and then change legs.

~

(?})

Right foot

M Trace Dai Mai Backwards and Forwards

Figure 9-2

Chapter

9:

Movement

3

Integration

147

6. To change legs, as you finish raising your body and arms, step either forward or backwards to bring your feet side by side and parallel (Figure 9-3 A-D). 7. Move your left foot to the forward position and simultaneously trace your palms along the great meridian to the mingmen and back to the lower tantien (Figure 9-3 E).

ffl (}, \ t \

Right leg

Left leg

A

8

C

D

Change Forward Leg from Right to Left

Figure 9-3 8. Repeat Instructions 1-5 for the left leg. The sequence is shown below (Figure 9-4).

Movement

2 - Left Leg Forward

Figure 9-4

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Step 3: Coordinate Breath with Movements Option A (Ideal) This option is for people who can do a long inhale and exhale in coordination with the movements without strain (Figure 9-5). 1. Exhale slowly and continuously as you move your hands from your lower tantien

1. Transition from Movement 3. Perform once.

Right foot

I Exhale _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _....

2.

M~_t wi~ 3

,;ght I.. kKw,,,d.

Perform 10 times.

fl ~ ,~

Exhale

-----------tl...

Inhale - - - - - - -

3. Change positions to put your left leg forward. Perform once. Inhale - - -

4. Movement 3 with left leg forward. Perform 10 times. Exhale - - - - - - - - - - - . . . . . .

Inhale------

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across to your kwa and down either side of your leg to your heel and toes. 2. Inhale even more slowly as you bring your hands back toward your ankle and up your leg, your kwa, to your tantien, around the dai mai and back to your tantien. 3. When you change legs, exhale with the next downward movement. 4. Inhale as you change leg positions and circle the dai mai; exhale as you move your hands down from your lower tantien to the newly positioned forward leg.

Left foat is back Inhale - - - - - - - - - - -....

Integration-Hands, Feet and Breath-Option A

Figure 9-5

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Option B If you find that Option A causes you to strain or hold your breath (Figure 9-6): 1. Exhale slowly as you move your hands from your tantien to your toes. 2. Inhale slowly as your hands trace back up to your tantien.

7. Transition from Movement 3. Perform once.

Right foot 'Exhale ------t.~ Inhale _ _ _ _ __

2. Movement 3 with right leg forward. Perform 10 times.

~\\J1~

Q~i;~