What Can Chinese Art Teach Us about Healing?
By Sally Perkins
“Where the art of medicine is loved, there is also a love of humanity,” said Hippocrates, highlighting the fact that medicine is a creative as well as a scientific pursuit. Medical professionals, after all, have a range of tools, knowledge, and experience at hand but often, in order for all these to align in the correct balance, creative choices need to be made. Ancient Chinese art, like ancient writings, are a rich source of information about medical practises, some of which are still used with patients today. They are also testimony to the celebration of humanity in all its facets and an open window into the suffering and joy involved in illness and healing, respectively.
Suffering for a Higher Good
The work Moxibustion, a hanging scroll by the Song artist Li Tang, depicts an itinerant doctor conducting moxibustion - a form of heat therapy in which dried plant materials (moxa) are burned close to or on the surface of the skin, to invigorate the flow of Qi through the body and to eliminate toxins. In the beautifully detailed scroll, the man being treated contorts his face in pain and others hold onto him or try to accompany him during this difficult time. The work is not only illustrative of the importance of balanced Qi but also a symbol of the sacrifices that must be made to achieve it and the pain this can involve. In order to be healthy of mind and body, everything from one’s choice of diet to one’s breathing and exercise habits must work in unison since prevention is always better (and less painful) than cure.
Photo by The Harmony of the Eight Brocades
The Eight Brocades are a set of qigong exercises that focus on a different meridian, once again focusing on a different meridian to encourage the optimal flowing of qi through the body. The work Illustrated Album of the Eight Pieces of Brocade, created by an anonymous artist during the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) portrays the eight exercises as well as breathing exercises. In the illustrations, both the beauty of the human form and the peace and joy that result from prioritizing health, are evident. In some postures, the subjects open their mouths to breathe but also seem to smile, their mouths turned upwards and their eyes both concentrating and enjoying the moment they are in.
Recreating the Beauty of Ancient Chinese Art
Art in itself can be a means of healing. It can inspire one to lead a healthier lifestyle and aspire to a higher ideal of health - a holistic, all-encompassing state of body and mind, one in which Qi is unblocked. If you wish to follow the example laid out in ancient Chinese art, begin by drawing the human face and body, paying special attention to proportion and perspective. If you are a beginner to drawing and you wish to express pain, joy, peace, and other qualities through the eyes, take advantage of online resources to hone the basics of eye sketching. Basic steps include making and joining curved lines, adding the iris, and adding color and details. As your skills improve, you can start to include more people in your drawings and create more sophisticated compositions.
Following the Examples Set in Ancient Chinese Art
You can also visit exhibitions featuring medical and health subjects to enlighten you on how to lead a healthier life. From studying the different positions and breathing techniques of qi gong right through to learning more about healing herbs, diet, and traditional medicines, you can balance the vital force of energy within you and feel more invigorated. In this state, it is easier to embrace creativity in everything from your work to your leisure time.
Art and science have a strong link and nowhere is this more evident than in highly praised objects of ancient Chinese art. The latter displays suffering, treatment, and healing methods. It also shows the importance of breathing and exercise to strengthen the body and enable Qi to flow as it needs to.
Featured image photo by Lisanto 李奕良 on Unsplash - photo from Sanxia District, New Taipei City, Taiwan
Martial Arts for Over 50's
By Cameron Cromwell
A commonly asked question is, ‘Can I start martial arts if I am over 50?’ The short answer is, absolutely yes! It is never too late to take up martial arts. This is especially true with the variety of martial arts and training programs available today. Many schools are offering classes that are ideally suited for older beginners.
There are a lot of reasons why someone over 50 might be contemplating taking up martial arts for the first time, or even returning to martial arts after many years away. I have provided a list of benefits specifically this age group. If you decide to give it a try then there is nothing stopping you. However, to help you get the best start I have also provided some advice that you may find helpful.
The Benefits
Fitness
Strength is perhaps the most obvious benefit because martial arts is a physical activity. Any type of resistance training helps to keep the muscles strong and healthy. In turn, this helps you to stay active and mobile while reducing the chance of injury from normal daily activities, such as moving heavy items around. It also helps to keep pain and discomfort away as you get older.
Balance & coordination improves form the strength and conditioning of your muscles and by ensuring your core remains strong. Good balance and coordination help to avoid injuries from falling or not getting out of the way quickly.
Flexibility comes from good stretching of all parts of the body. This is an important part of any good martial art training because flexibility helps you to be more effective with the skills and techniques you are taught. Good flexibility can help you in all parts of your life by reducing the risk of injury from normal day to day activities. Muscles will lose their elasticity over time if we allow it and this increases the chances of pulling or tearing a muscle or ligament. Injuries like this can take much longer to heal as we get older.
Cardiovascular improves when you regularly exercise and get your heartbeat up. This has many known health benefits. By improving your circulatory system, which includes your heart and blood vessels, your body is able to efficiently deliver nutrients and oxygen to the tissues of your body and to remove carbon dioxide and other wastes. In turn, this increases energy levels, makes it easier to sustain energetic activities, and recover faster from exercise and even injuries.
Weight loss becomes more of a consideration for us as we get older. Most of us find it too easy to put on unhealthy weight. Life transpires against us by slowing down our metabolism and getting us to spend more time behind a desk or doing things that require less physical activity on a daily basis. On top of this, going for regular runs or hitting the weights at the gym does not burn off the fat like it
used to.
Excess weight takes a significant toll on our health and ability to enjoy life. This is especially true if weight gain continues unchecked. However, it does not have to be an irreversible trend. It does mean that as we get older we need to exercise differently, and perhaps a little smarter. There is a lot of evidence today that controlled, high intensity, bursts of exercise and muscle strengthening, such as that offered by most martial arts, is more effective for burning fat and reducing excess weight for people over 40.
Keeping active
Simply put, staying active slows down the ageing process and helps you to get more out of life. With better fitness, you will not become tired as quickly. This is important for everyday life, but it can really make the difference of enjoying yourself when it comes to enjoying our precious weekends and vacations.
Some people want to be able to keep up with their grandchildren when the time comes. Why not make it so that your grandchildren struggle to keep up with you.
Posture
Muscle strength, flexibility and greater self-awareness of your body help to improve posture. A better posture makes you feel better about yourself and to look more self-confident. It also helps to prevent neck and back problems that can develop over time.
Self-confidence
It is amazing how much more confident you look and feel when you maintain your fitness and strength with the knowledge that you can do things that many people cannot, even those half your age. It signals to others that you may be older but you should not be underestimated.
As we get older we learn to appreciate the value of not relying on physical strength alone, even if we know we can. Martial arts help to develop an inner strength that can be drawn upon when needed. This, in turn, helps us to remain calm when the situation calls for it.
Self-defence
The martial arts have always been about self-defence. Even non-contact activities like Yoga and Tai Chi owes its roots to combative forms of martial arts.
Do you need to learn self-defence? Well, hopefully not. However, it is a sad fact that some people will try to intimidate and even prey on older people. But, getting older does not mean you have to become more vulnerable.
However, don’t expect to become Bruce Lee. It would be irresponsible to suggest that simply practising martial arts will make you invincible. The truth is that most martial arts today have developed into a sport whereby very specific rules are followed. In the real world, where things can quickly become dangerous, these rules don’t exist.
Saying that, if you train to box and you find yourself in a fistfight you will punch, block and dodge hits better. This improves your chances of not getting seriously injured. Most attacks and street brawls end up on the ground and this is where Judo or Jiu-jitsu training comes in handy.
It is true that you will become fitter, stronger and more self-confident, and these will no doubt help you defend yourself if the need arises. Your posture and body language alone may discourage someone from becoming aggressive toward you.
Mental health
Martial arts are not just about physical abilities. The tradition of most martial arts today, especially those of Asian origins, place as much emphasis on a healthy mind and positive mental attitude as they do on good physical abilities. For hundreds of years, what we have come to call ‘mindfulness’ in recent years, has always been a valued part of martial arts training. The good news is that even a healthy inner self remains an important benefit of modern martial arts.
Social interaction - Martial arts provide wellbeing in lots of ways. For example, just by participating you engage in social interaction and you are likely to make friends. Friends help to keep you going when you are tired or feeling low. As we get older it is easy to allow ourselves to become lonely and isolated. Joining a martial arts class is a great way to prevent this from happening.
Endorphins - Classes with periods of intense training will increase your levels of endorphins. Sometimes referred to as a ‘runner’s high’ this is a natural way of creating a good feeling. Regular exercise and release of endorphins are linked to improvements in mental health in people of all ages. Just because you are older doesn’t mean you can’t participate in the type of training that releases endorphins, even if start gradually and build up over time.
Personal achievement - As you learn new skills and are capable of doing things you could never do before you will enjoy a sense of personal achievement. This is enhanced when you are feeling more physically fit. Once you start training it will not take long to start feeling the boost to your self-esteem and general good feeling.
Cognitive function - Martials arts require learning very precise and accurate movements. Often these movements become a trained response to other stimulation. The more complicated the response and movement the more practice that is needed to perfect it. This training develops a good connection between your brain and muscles. There are studies that show an improvement in the cognitive ability of people over 50 after only 8 weeks of practising Tai Chi.
Reduced stress - Unfortunately, getting older does not necessarily mean you will become less stressed. This is especially true if you have greater responsibilities at work or demands from your family and life in general. Stress, if not managed correctly, can have serious health consequences.
Martial arts teach you to relax as you train to be more effective. Most people find that the focus during training causes them to temporarily forget all the things causing stress in their life. Then there are the physical exertions of martial arts to vent any pent-up, negative, energy. The endorphins that are released help to reduce pain, and they also help you to sleep better which helps
to reduce stress.
Getting Started
If you are reading this then you are probably aware that as you become older your body becomes more vulnerable to injury. Not everyone shows signs of ageing at the same rates, but nevertheless we are all ageing. While there is a lot that you can still do, probably much more than you might think, you will need to consider two things:
1) Your starting point
2) The limitations of your body
If you are already reasonably fit you will find it easier to get started with martial arts, just as you would with any new sport. If you have not been doing any form of physical exercise for a while your muscles will need time to strengthen. Beginner classes are intended to help you gradually build up your fitness while learning basic techniques.
Can’t kick someone above their shins? No problem. If it is a flexibility issue then you will improve. If you have a permanent restriction, such as bad hip or knee, oftentimes it is possible to learn how to safely adapt. Martial arts can even help to improve some injuries. For example, if you suffer from lower back pain then martial arts will keep your core muscles strong which protects the spine. A slimmer belly from exercising takes considerable strain off the lower back.
Still not sure? You can always get a medical check-up. Use the results to help you decide the type of training that is most suitable for you. You can discuss the results with a potential school instructor when looking for a martial arts school or club to join.
Of course, there are some limitations and disabilities that will make most martial arts impractical. You will need to decide this for yourself, but don’t be too hasty in telling yourself you can’t learn martial arts. It is worth exploring the different types to find out if there is one for you. I have recently seen a martial arts program that teaches the use of a cane for self-defence, which included students in wheelchairs.
Types of Martial Arts
This would become a very long article if I attempted described every type of martial art that is practised today. Even the more commonly practised martial arts make a long list. For an idea of popular martial arts that might appeal to you have a look at A Guide to the Most Popular Martial Arts.
Selecting a Martial Arts School
In many ways, the martial arts school, its attitude, its culture, and the available programs are more important than the type of martial art that you choose. When making a decision here are a few things you may want to consider:
- Ask to join a taster session – these are usually free.
- Ask to observe a few beginner classes to see what they are really like – avoid clubs that focus on training fighters
- Find a school that you can easily get to – you are more likely to stick with it if it is reasonably convenient to get to the classes.
- Take a friend or family member. This can make it more enjoyable to get started.
- Women only classes - some schools offer a friendly and less intimidating environment for women to get started.
- Senior only classes - some schools offer classes that provide a training program designed for older participants.
- Speak to the owner or lead instructor -
- What are his/her credentials?
- What is his or her attitude toward training?
- What is his or her approach to helping older people to get started?
- Can techniques be adapted to help students with physical limitations?
All martial arts have benefits. The best way to find out how you will personally benefit is to give it a try. Start with one and discover what you like about it. Sometimes it is the type of martial arts, sometimes it is the type of training, and sometimes it is just the class and the people in it that make it appealing.
If you are not sure about the school that you joined, for whatever reason, try a different school or martial art. Lots of people try more than one martial art for many reasons. You can even join more than one at the same time.
What to Expect
There is nothing wrong with engaging any type of martial arts at any point in your life. There are plenty of examples of people in their 70s earning black belts. I recently saw a video of someone in their 80s learning military-style self-defence for the first time, albeit in a suitably structured one-to-one lesson.
No matter how much you want to jump in with both feet and start training like could in your 20's and 30's it just isn’t going to work exactly the same. Even if you are reasonably fit, once you are into your 40's and beyond you need to think differently about your training. This is not to say you can’t be strong and fit, it just takes a different approach. Martial arts can provide ideal training as you get older.
Many schools that traditionally taught the hard-impact martial arts like boxing, kickboxing, and Muay Thai now offer non-contact classes. These are perfect for beginners and anyone wanting to enjoy the physical and mental benefits without the aggressive sparring that could lead to injury. These classes are just as fun and challenging.
Cameron Cromwell is the creator of Absolutely Martial Arts, a website aimed at introducing people to martial arts and helping them to get started.
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A Simple Qi Gong for Healing
By John Voigt
(previously published on Qi-Encyclopedia)
This a simple Qigong for healing that I do for myself and occasionally teach. I hope some of you might enjoy some of it--especially the clip of Afro-Cuban conga drummer Potato Valdez with whom I had the honor of playing. His touch is focused Qi used with controlled muscular strength. It is music of power and joy that for me is full of the same combination of controlled muscular strength and focused Qi as the Fa-Jin of Kung Fu and Taijiquan.
It only takes five to ten minutes to complete. Do it in the Morning, and before going to bed at night, or when you feel a problem or discomfort forming anywhere in the body. If any pain appears, or discomfort increases when practicing STOP DOING THE QIGONG! And see a medical professional if the pain or discomfort continues.
Here is the Practice:
Be Seated. Relax. Breathe softly, fully, deeply, gently, silently into the lower abdomen.
No forcing. Relax, empty your mind - [don't force, be natural.]
Feel yourself as a physical being.
Feel yourself as an energy being—and/or be aware of your breathing. Qi means life force energy and also breath/breathing.
Be aware of just being aware. Like Zen Mind. No words in the mind, when the words pop up, just let them pass and float away; or keep silently repeating 1-2-3-4-5.
Smile like the Mona Lisa.
Smile to the places that may need it. Do this 3 to 15 minutes once or twice a day. Visualize yourself as totally young, healthy and strong. An Amazon Angel perhaps? Or a Daoist Warrior-Scholar? Or you could just imagine a calm body of water, or beautiful mountains. Or a night time sky. Use whatever works to bring you to a place of silent but alert peacefulness.
Tap with love or at least send compassion to the situation muscles. Try tapping like Patato Valdez on your body, Notice how he is drawing the power out of the drum, not beating it. Do not tap on the top of the head. Or eyes, etc. This is a demonstration how to tap: (knifepoint qi sent in – explosive sound released out) Even though it is Afro-Cuban, I suggest the tapping techniques resemble certain ancient Asian trance-shaman percussionists. And in light of that, carefully experiment with your own dance free-form improvisations using the qigong and taijiquan moves you know and like to the video clip given here.
BATACUMBELE CON PATATO VALDEZ. "MI GUAGUANCO"
The Theoretical Side of Guo Lin’s Anti-Cancer Walk: How and Why It Works
By John Voigt
This entry is a continuation of The Anti-Cancer Walk …Guo Lin New Qigong Therapy which appeared in Chinese Medicine Living, May 30, 2019.
[Walking] Qigong readjusts the mind, the body, and the breathing. The peace of mind, the strong motive and faith to get well, combined with all the benefits from this holistic exercise, promote the body's neuroendocrine systems to adapt to the new mental and physical changes, which in turn triggers the immune system to function at higher and more competent levels. The end result is increased resistance to fight off diseases.
Source. http://www.orientalhealing.net/archive/03282000-2.html
Guolin Qigong can also transport our internal qi, dredge the meridians, harmonize the blood, improve the circulation, and adjust the balance of yin and yang in our body. Therefore, through practice, we can achieve self-regulation and self-repair in the body. This will improve the body's resistance. Our immune function is improved, it can cure cancer, but also prevent cancer.
Source. http://www.guolinqigong.net/site/index.php?cat=18&page=16
Disclaimer. This article is not offered as a cure for cancer or any other illness. It is meant only for educational purposes. If you are sick, you must seek proper medical care. However, in the author’s opinion additionally to any standard western health providers, it is suggested that a person have a qualified licensed and skilled Traditional Chinese Medicine professional on their health team. Western Medicine can cure; Traditional Chinese Medicine can heal. Use them both, and then judge accordingly by the results, and not by the hearsay or propaganda. Contraindications: “Guo Lin Qigong is not suitable for the treatment of acute diseases, infectious diseases, trauma, mental illness and so on.” From: Guo Lin Qigong Training and Guidance 100 Questions.
Source. http://www.maisondelamedecinechinoise.com/%E9%83%AD%E6%9E%97%E6%B
We will now briefly examine the following theoretical foundations of healing in Guo Lin New Qigong:
1. Oxygen enrichment Breathing.
2. Relaxation and Peaceful Thinking.
3. Bioelectricity and healing energetics.
4. Social gatherings as healing modalities.
5. Acupressure Points and Meridians.
6. Meaning.
Additionally, contact information for worldwide Guo Lin Associations, and more about Guo Lin’s life and powerful creative personality will be offered at the article’s end..
1. Oxygen Enrichment Breathing.
Guo Lin taught: An important cause of cancer is when the body, or a region of the body, is deprived of adequate oxygen supply at the tissue level. This condition is known as hypoxia. That is why I created my “wind breathing method” [i.e., inhale-inhale-exhale, repeat] where a large amount of oxygen is inhaled during the practice of my Walking Qigong. This encourages immune cells to destroy cancer cells. This is best practiced during all four seasons of the year, outdoors in clean air. It is important that the breathing be done without any exertion and that body movements are loose and natural; and that the mind is silenced. The length and intensity of the practice are dictated by the physical condition of the person. It is also necessary to study the theory of my new qigong therapy with a verified master. [Taken in part from “Why Does Guo Lin Qigong Fight Cancer?”
http://www.360doc.com/content/18/0124/11/2901197_724675042.shtml . And from “[Guo Lin Qigong] Guo Linxin Qigong Therapy for the Scientific Mechanism of Cancer Treatment, Zhou Guangqing, Ph.D., editor.”
http://www.51-kf.com/plus/view.php?aid=806
2. The Mental Aspect: Relaxation, and Peaceful Positive Thinking.
Guo Lin repeatedly taught that the most important aspect of her qigong was relaxation: “The whole emphasis in this practice is relaxing.” …. “Relaxation is the core of all qigong, and [my] Guo Lin Qigong in no exception.” Guolin New Qigong: An Introduction; 2.1.2, p. 14. http://www.cllam.com/contents/contenthtml/SSW-Doc/0804kuolin.pdf
Guo Lin also often emphasized that patients should constantly practice having a still peaceful mind where they exclude all distracting thoughts. She wrote:
For our healing work this is so important because the impact of negative emotions is another cause of the disease. Emotional depression can lead to a decline in the immune function and accelerate the death of cancer patients. I repeatedly stress to my counselors the need to listen and understand the thinking and emotions, as well as the pains and sufferings, of their patients; then to make a supreme effort to resolve such negative thinking by guiding them in increasing their mental confidence in an increased belief in the success of their fight against the disease.
Source. ftpguolinxqg.cl543.4everdns.com
3. Bioelectricity and Healing Energetics.
Guo Lin taught that the potential of the bioelectric voltage of tumors is always lower than that of normal cells; and that people who practice qigong can produce a kind of magnetic static electricity. It has been reported in the medical literature that if treated with this positive potential magnetism, a cancerous tumor may disappear. The secret of this cancer treatment is that it mobilizes human bioelectricity through scientific practice methods [of breath, movement, and meditation], and uses this bioelectricity to transform puerile cancer cells into mature normal cells, and cancerous tumors disappear without a trace. Cancer patients recover rapidly, spontaneously, unconsciously and without pain.
Source. http://www.51-kf.com/plus/view.php?aid=806
4. Social Gatherings - Oncology.
(“Oncology” means the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer. Humans interacting with other humans in ways to promote recovery from cancer is known as “Social Oncology.”) Guo Lin was instrumental in introducing the practice of social oncology to many hundreds of thousands of people in China. [For further information about Guo Lin and social oncology see Dr. Jerry Alan Johnson. “Medical Qigong Therapy and Clinical Oncology.”
https://www.daoistmagic.com/articles/2017/12/15/medical-qigong-therapy-and-clinical-oncology and Roger Jahnke. The Healer Within, pp.168-170.
It is not going too far afield to say that if Guo Lin did not invent social oncology, at least she, and those who followed after her, developed its techniques so that hundreds of thousands of people began practicing it: They have Walking Qigong gatherings and yearly reunions in many Chinese cities, where ex-cancer patients come to sing, dance and talk about their experiences.
The atmosphere is always very alive, optimistic and at times dramatic when they describe what they have been through before discovering Walking Qigong. John Dolic. Qi Gong Chinese Health.
http://www.qigongchinesehealth.com/walking_qigong
Group Singing as a healing modality. Throughout Asia, Guo Lin Anti-Cancer groups perform singing social oncology in a variety of ways. For example, here is the “Song of Cancer” performed by the Malaysian Guolin Qigong Research Association.
http://www.guolinqigong.net/site/index.php?cat=48 .
Here are the words of the song translated into English:
You don’t have to be sad when you find out you have cancer.
You should not delay the surgical operation when it is needed.
Radiotherapy and chemotherapy have to be carried out timing.
Drink Chinese herbs as it helps strengthen the immunity system.
Don’t go for any improper treatment. Practice Guo Lin Qigong unceasingly.
Your recovery will bring great happiness to the entire family.
Guo Lin Qigong Dance.
Here the formal movements of qigong become transformed into a seemingly ritualistic dance performed by members of the Malaysian Guolin Qigong Research Association for their 20th anniversary and 3rd Cancer Warrior Celebration during 2013 in Xiandu, Kuala Lumpur. 郭林气功舞蹈 – [Guo Lin Qigong Dance]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dc5dcisj0w4
Note: For more examples in pictures and text of such colorful musical and dancing social oncology go to Jinan Anti-cancer Club 2013 Spring Festival Gala http://www.jncajlb.xinwen365.com/710.htm
5. Acupressure Points and Meridians.
The Guo Lin Walking Qigong opens important acupuncture points in the palms of the hands and in the Gall Bladder channel (meridian) near the hip joints. The lifting of the toes opens the Kidney- 1 points. Lifting and stepping down on the heels opens the Yang Heel vessel, called the Yang Qiao Mai.
https://tcmwiki.com/wiki/yang-qiao-mai.
This extra-ordinary meridian tones and regulates the flow of Qi that connects to many other important life-energy channels. [More at “Guolin Qigong.” http://albanycomplementaryhealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Guolin-Qigong.pdf]
Yang Heel Vessel. Source: https://tcmwiki.com/wiki/yang-qiao-mai .
6. Meaning and Importance.
A basic factor that triggers healing is the meaning and importance that a person consciously or subconsciously gives to
the medical procedures that they are undergoing. Traditional Chinese scholars might explain this by saying that life energy is led and guided by what the mind is thinking—(as in vital qi follows mental intention). This is about the power of the mind, the power of imagination, and the power of the will. The power to heal is something that we ourselves have; it is not something only possessed by a doctor, druggist, or surgeon. (This relates to the power of belief and faith, and not to the negative filled connotations of such words “placebo.”)
Each of the components of Guo Lin New Qigong carry at least one positive meaning. Doing the walking exercises in a public park, early in the morning, with like-minded people, often dressed in a semi-official Guo Lin uniforms, moving qi in the body and ridding the body of pernicious qi, all create a meaningful sense of doing something worthwhile that will aid in the
conquering of a vicious disease. Add to this, working [usually] under a charismatic hard working and able leader to create even more belief in that its practitioners will once again become healthy. And even more so, all this directly connects to doing a qigong created by Guo Lin who brought herself back from certain death by doing the same qigong that you and those around you are now doing. Guo Lin, a woman who put her life in danger in adverse political situations, and brought her no-cost health treatment, largely independent from any governmental or medical industry control, to people throughout China.
It is no surprise that participating in such a grand communal ritual of striving together to gain personal health creates an overflowing sense of personal meaning which dramatically increases the potential of any healing effect.
And even if death is inevitable, the calming and relaxing exercises of Guo Lin Qigong done with other people in similar situations, in a natural setting, with a meaningful possibility and hope that life itself can be somewhat extended, can
create a sense of pleasurable wellbeing even as a person’s life draws to a close. Worldwide Guo Lin Associations. Given the legal difficulties, especially in the United States, in practicing any cancer healing modality that is outside accredited hospitals or governmental approved practices, it is difficult to find trained Guo Lin Qigong instructors and healers. However, the International Guolin Qigong Culture Research Association based in Hong Kong has a web site in English that does list worldwide organizations.
http://www.guolinqigonghk.com/contactus_en.html
More About Guo Lin:
During the dangerous time of the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) with its continual personal criticism and life-threatening harassment, Guo Lin applied for and was granted a visa to come to the United States to live with her daughter. But she changed her mind; later she wrote why: I suddenly thought that Qigong was one of the treasures of the motherland's medicine. I saw many patients suffering from pain, and determined to bear the burden of humiliation. I resolutely withdrew my application abroad and became more active in qigong cancer treatment [and] practice. New Qigong therapy has been repeatedly validated in many cancer and chronically ill patients, saying that it has a unique therapeutic effect and that Guo Lin has explored a new path for Qigong to strengthen the body.
Source. http://qigong.blog125.fc2.com/blog-date-201404.html
More information is at "Recall Guo Lin" written by her husband, Lin Xiao. www.kangaiweb.com
Source: Today in History http://history.04007.cn/en.php/HisMain/11443.html
Guo Lin with her husband Lin Xiao. They married in Macau when she was a teacher and he a student on December 8, 1941—one day after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Source: https://wemp.app/posts/cfa28107-cdec-4b7b-a86d-f81e1cee09b0?utm_source=latest-posts
David A. Palmer. Qigong Fever. Columbia University, offers extensive information about Guo Lin, her work, and the China in which she found herself
https://books.google.co.cr/books?id=RXeuibmD2dsC&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=guo%20lin&f=false
Guo Lin was also a famous landscape painter and art educator. Here is a picture of her at work:
Source: http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_55da355b0102wvr8.html
Here is one of them:
More of her paintings may be seen at www.dealshaker.com
Concluding Comments
This entry is no more than a short introduction of Guo Lin’s anti-cancer walking qigong to an English-speaking audience. In actuality her complete “New Qigong” Therapy is composed of much more than the one set of coordinated steps, arm swings and breathing as presented in this article—(although that regime is what is most commonly found in books and on YouTube. However, the reality is that are at least twenty-six kinds of her qigong that are applied to help heal different diseases. For example there is Stick Rolling Exercises;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRBwHi7EtWI and the vocal techniques of “Guo Lin Qigong Expelling Sounds”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9X7P8gBNRY&t=681s .
Space limitations and the author’s limited abilities prevented any exposition here of that important information. And as always, consult your physician—trained in western medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, or preferably both—before commencing this or any other exercise program.
The Anti-Cancer Walk: An Introduction to Guo Lin New Qigong Therapy
by John Voigt
From a Chinese clinical treatment standpoint, Guo Lin Walking Qigong became the most popular and effective form of Qigong for cancer. qigonginstitute.org
Guo Lin’s New Qigong Therapy is composed of many different gestures, breathing patterns, meditations, mantra-like sound utterances, all used by varying social groups within various physical settings. Space limitations, as well as the limited abilities of its author, force this article to focus on the main part of its practice known as Natural Walking Wind-Breathing Anti-Cancer Qigong.
Guo Lin Biography.
The Walking Qi Gong to cure cancer was created by a Chinese woman named Guo Lin. In 1949 when she was forty years old she was diagnosed with uterine cancer and a hysterectomy was performed. In ten years the cancer returned, and had metastasized to her bladder. After six more unsuccessful operations, she refused a seventh and was told that she would die within six months. She began to practice several Shaolin qigong forms that her grandfather had taught her when she was a child, but they didn’t seem to help.
Always known for her strong will, she now increased her studies, reading traditional Chinese and western medicine text books; as well as experimenting with various historical qigong exercises, and Daoist breathing and relaxation meditations. She practiced for many hours a day, seven days a week. The result was that she created her own qigong and within six months, even to her own surprise, the cancer went into remission and her health returned.
Guo Lin publicly unveiled what she called her “New Qigong” therapy on September 4, 1971 in Dongdan Park in Beijing. This was the time of the Cultural Revolution when anyone doing anything related to China’s pre-communist past such as qigong, or traditional Chinese medicine put themselves in danger, for at that time such practices were called “anti-revolutionary fake and fraudulent," and were politically and culturally unacceptable. Guo Lin, along with those who helped her, could be incarcerated for political indoctrination and re-education. Additionally, she and anyone practicing qigong with her were in constant danger of being physically attacked by the teen-aged thugs collectively known as the Red Guards and being beaten, or even murdered, by them.
Red Guards in Beijing, June 1966, at the beginning of China's Cultural Revolution. More than one million people
are believed to have died during its ten years of social chaos.
Source: Jean Vincent/AFP/Getty Images.
In 1976 the Cultural Revolution ended with Chairman Mao Zedong’s death. “By 1977 [Guo Lin] had achieved such tremendous results that she publicly announced that qigong could heal cancer, and thus her classes grew to 300-400 students a day.” http://www.orientalhealing.net/qigong/
“Since then, thousands of cancer patients have taken part in her Qigong therapy classes at various coaching centers, located over twenty cities and provinces in China, and have attained remissions from this life-threatening disease.” http://guolinqigongpuchong.blogspot.com/2007/
Caring more for others than herself, and by being over-committed to her work—(her husband said that “she had her patients in her heart and mind and not herself.)—at the age of seventy-five she suffered from a cerebral hemorrhage, and died on December 14, 1984.
By the mid-1980s it was estimated that there were more than one million people practicing her Walking Qigong in China. There also were many Walking Qigong institutions, associations, health resorts and hospitals established. http://www.qigongchinesehealth.com/walking_qigong
In 1998 after extensive examinations by the Chinese government, Guo Lin Qigong was approved of as being effective for the health of the masses. [David A. Palmer. Qigong Fever. p. 181-2 https://books.google.com/books?id=RXeuibmD2dsC&pg=PA46&lpg=PA46&dq=there+were+no+officially+sanctioned+qigong+activities+in+China&source=bl&ots=aNIlwjgoL2&sig=zUv9AUh_SUsoK4_vQagmuXSr5dQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj2osrW3bnfAhUI01kKHV__CSsQ6AEwCXoECAoQAQ#v=onepage&q=there%20were%20no%20officially%20sanctioned%20qigong%20activities%20in%20China&f=false
More than two million copies of books by Guo Lin and her “New Qigong” have been published in China, making her the author of the largest number of books about qigong ever to appear in that country. [http://www.ed2kers.net/资料/体育健身/130644.html.] Presently [May, 2019] there is no available translation in English or in another western language, of any book ever written by or about Guo Lin.
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Disclaimer: Before commencing this or any other exercise program consult your physician, or appropriate medical professional. This entry is not offered as a cure for cancer or for any other disease. It is not intended to replace any cancer therapy prescribed by a physician.
Guo Lin wrote, To achieve a reasonable treatment, organically combine Chinese and Western medicine, qigong, diet, and psychology. Adopt their respective strengths and avoid their shortcomings. This will make us more likely to recover, live longer, and live a better quantity of life. Guolin New Qigong: An Introduction, p. 20.
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Natural Walking Wind-Breathing Anti-Cancer Qigong: The Preparatory Exercises.
1. Stand in a Relaxed Fashion.
The eyes are closed. The shoulders are loose. The knees are slightly bent. The tongue is on the upper palate. If necessary, silently count to sixty to still the mind. Cancer patients generally stand this way for two to three minutes. Those with chronic diseases generally stand from three to five minutes. The direction you face in depends on the location of the disease. 1. East: liver, gallbladder. 2. South: heart, small intestine, brain, tongue. 3. West: lung, large intestine, nose, skin. 4. North: kidney, bladder, ear, bone, reproductive organs, endocrine. 5. Southwest: spleen, sarcoma. 6. Northeast: stomach, esophagus. 7. If not sure of the location of the disease face North. From: “Guolin Qigong: Preparatory Exercise” beginning at 1:40.
2. Three Special Breaths.
Place the hands on the lower abdomen just below the navel. Men place the right hand above the left; woman place the left hand above the right. Inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth. Then one normal breath in and out through the nose. Do this same pattern for a total of three times. See: “Cancer – We Can Beat It” - from 23:56 to 27:35.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRAuzeVEwns
3. Opening and Closing Hand Movements
(Also called “Opening and Closing the Dantian”). The body, shoulders, arms, and hands are relaxed. The eyes are closed, and the tongue is on the pallet. The palms face each at the level of the waist. Gather in (close) the hands as you inhale through the nose. Open the hands with the palms facing downward as you exhale through the nose. Do this three times. See the video “Cancer – We Can Beat It.” (posted above) from 27:40 to 29:20.
Note: the Dantian is the major location for the storage and cultivation of vital life energy [Qi] located slightly beneath and under the navel, in the center of the lower torso.
Natural Walking Wind-Breathing Anti-Cancer Qigong: The Main Exercise.
Women take two quick inhalations and swing both hands to the left and step forward with the right foot by first lifting the toes up from the ground and then having their right heel step down on the ground. As the heel touches the ground, exhale through the nose and swing both hands to the right, and step forward with the left foot.
Take two more inhalations, and again swing both hands to the left, and step forward with the right foot. As the right heel touches the ground exhale and swing the hands to the right and step out with the left foot; but now (with loose shoulders and waist) turn the head to look to the right.
If the woman’s health and level of comfort allow for it, continue this pattern for fifteen to twenty minutes, then reverse sides (right becomes left and left becomes right) and continue for another fifteen to twenty minutes.
Men do the opposite. Take two quick inhalations and swing both hands to the right and step forward with the left foot by first lifting the toes up from the ground and then having the left heel step down on the ground. As the heel touches the ground, exhale through the nose and swing both hands to the left, and step forward with the right foot.
Take two more inhalations, and again swing both hands to the right, and step forward with the left foot. As the left heel touches the ground exhale and swing the hands to the left and step out with the right foot; but now (with loose shoulders and waist) turn the head to the left.
If the man’s health and level of comfort allow for it, continue this pattern for fifteen to twenty minutes, then reverse sides (left becomes right and right becomes left) and continue for an additional fifteen to twenty minutes.
After completing one of these 30-to-40 minute sessions, and before commencing another such session, both men and women should do the Opening and Closing Hand Movement for three times. This helps settle the newly activated qi-life energy into the lower dantian.
The question of how many and for how long such a 30-to-40 minute session should be repeated will be addressed directly below.
The Concluding Exercise in Three Parts.
When coming to the end of a completed Walking Qigong practice, perform the Preparatory Exercises again, but now in an inverted order. First do the Opening and Closing Hand Movements: Inhale and close the palms hands towards the belly, and exhale and open the hands with the palms facing downward; do this three times. Next do the Three Special Breaths: Place the hands on the lower abdomen. Women left hand on top of right. Men right hand on top of left. Inhale through nose, exhale through mouth. Then take one breath in and out through nose. Do this for a total of three times. Next Stand Relaxed For two or three minutes. This brings the practice to a close. Return to your normal day’s activities.
How fast and for how long should a person or a group of people spend in practicing Natural Walking Wind-Breathing Anti-Cancer Qigong? Properly speaking, the length, speed, and nature of the exercise should be determined by a skilled and experienced instructor based on observations of the health and stamina of the practitioner.
Qigong Master John Dolic writes, [Gou Lin] Walking Qigong should be practiced for two to five hours a day. The practice is done in 15-minute intervals with plenty of breaks in between. In other words, it is not a solid two to five hours’ worth of practice. Those who cannot walk for even 5 minutes can take a few steps, then stop and rest, then another few steps and so on (to start with). Gradually, as their stamina improves and they become able to walk for two hours, they should keep that as their daily minimum. Qigong Chinese Health
http://www.qigongchinesehealth.com/walking_qigong
Guo Lin said it depends on the person and the state of their health, and if the person feels exhausted the next day, they should reduce the extent of their practice. She also said the entire practice with its repeating sessions can take up to four to five hours a day. Guo Lin would often advise that, “Patients suffering from high blood pressure, heart disease, and other chronic diseases should use a weak wind-breathing [two inhalations, one exhalation] or perhaps just normal breathing, and their rate of walking should be slower. Those with poor physical weakness can walk in less than twenty minutes intervals.” Source: Guolin (Guo Lin) Qigong .pdf in English [sic] & Other Language.
http://cancer-qigong.blogspot.com/2012/04/guolin-guo-lin-qigong-pdf-in-enhlish.html
Very Important Note About Heart Disease
Throughout information on the internet, it often is advised not to practice Guo Lin’s Natural Walking Wind-Breathing Qigong if the person suffers from heart disease, or hypertension (high blood pressure). Here again it is absolutely necessary to consult with your physician or professional medical consultant.
Additional Comments.
For cancer of the liver, gallbladder, both male or female patients begin by first stepping forward with their right foot.
The practice is called “Wind-Breathing” because the air coming into the nose should feel like wind blowing through a small passage, and sound as if you are sniffing a flower. To accomplish this, you should quickly inhale twice and exhale once through the nose. To keep track of this breathing and its required movements, think—or have someone say—in-in out; in-in turn. On some Chinese videos you might hear something like, she-she, ho; she-she, dwahn. Which means, inhale-inhale, exhale; inhale-inhale, turn [the head].
Any saliva generated in the mouth is to be thought of as healing Qi. Swallow it in three mouthfuls down into the (lower) Dantian.
Conclusion.
This entry is no more than a short introduction to Guo Lin’s anti-cancer walking qigong meant only to introduce it to an English-speaking audience. As already mentioned, her complete “New Qigong” Therapy is composed of much more than what is presented in this article. A future article in Chinese Medicine Living will briefly explore her theories on how and why her qigong works through the use of breathing, psychology, meditation, bioelectricity and social gatherings—and even by the use of singing and dancing as successful healing modalities. There will also be more about the powerful creative personality of Guo Lin. Also additional videos and internet resources will be listed—(mainly in Chinese because there is so little available in English). And we will finish by listing various worldwide Guo Lin Associations.
And as always, consult your physician—trained in western medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, or preferably both—before commencing this or any other exercise program.
Sources Consulted for this Entry - Books:
郭林氣功 - 簡介.(Guolin New Qigong: An Introduction); [in Traditional Chinese script]. http://www.cllam.com/contents/contenthtml/SSW-Doc/0804kuolin.pdf.
郭林新气功为什么能治病抗癌. (Why Can Guo Lin New Qigong Cure Diseases and Fight Cancer?). ISBN-13: 978-7-5009-3889-7. People's Sports Publishing House, 2016. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003SRJE4A/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
郭林新氣功治癌功法.(Guo Lin New Qigong Cancer Treatment); [in Traditional Chinese script]. ISBN 9579263140. Taipei City: Lin Yu Culture, 1995.
Websites:
John Dolic. Qigong Chinese Health: “Walking Qigong: The Anti-Cancer Qigong.”
“Guolin (Guo Lin) Qigong .pdf in English [sic] & Other Language.” http://cancer-qigong.blogspot.com/2012/04/guolin-guo-lin-qigong-pdf-in-enhlish.html
Videos:
Jack Lim. “Cancer – We Can Beat It.” © Jack Lim. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRAuzeVEwns.
Guolin Qigong, Natural Walk, Walking Qigong, Anti-Cancer Qigong. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12RSk3BkCFw
Guolin Qigong: Concluding Exercise. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt-QSno0-dI.
Guo Lin Book (in Chinese)
Guo Lin New Qigong: Therapeutic Exercises.
(The book is in Chinese. Its title is 郭林新气功：治疗功法挖掘功法中高级功法.)
See Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Guo-Lin-Qigong-treatment-Paperback/dp/7500917813
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Featured image
Guo Lin Teaching New Qigong Walking
from http://ftpguolinxqg.cl543.4everdns.com/index.php?r=pages/category/index&cid=55 51La
Practical Qigong - A Quick Mental Tune Up
by John Voigt
After I do qi work with someone I email them a reprise of the session: notes of what we did so that they may practice it by themselves in their dedicated times to do qigong work. This also frees them of the drudgery of taking notes when I am working with them.
What follows was sent to a middle-aged woman with whom I have been working for several years. She has been suffering from intense sleep disorders which she believes are caused by various spiritual forces. Within the context of her suffering, I believe hers is a valid conceptualization of the problem. I work with her by using Daoist and Christian prayers, and with external qi sending and acupressure with my hands and fingers (no needles). She continues to improve: she is successfully working, going to college, performing as an art-rock vocalist, and having her writings published. She is also working with medical doctors, which I think is necessary.
My email begins:
Be Seated.
Relax. Breathe softly, deeply, gently, silently into the lower abdomen. No forcing, be comfortably natural.
Feel yourself as a physical being.
Feel yourself as an energy being—and/or be aware of your breath/breathing.
Be aware of being aware. Like Zen Mind. No words in the mind; when words appear let them pass and float away.
Smile. Like the Mona Lisa. Really. It works.
For Mental Tuning Up.
Rub, tap, massage, squeeze these points; as you do this continue doing the Mona Lisa Smile and being aware of your slow, deep, silent breathing.
Remember most acupressure points are bi-symmetrical meaning that they appear on both sides of the body, or both arms, or legs, etc.
Yintang.
"Hall of Seal." Calms the mind.
This image from A Manual of Acupuncture by Peter Deadman
Earlobe.
[it functions as your head when you were a fetus].
Taiyang.
"Great Sun." Head pain.
This image from tcmpoints.com
Bl-15. Xinshu.
"Opening to the heart." Nourishes the spirit and calms the mind. Sleep issues.
This image from tcmpoints.com
Si Shen Cong.
The four points around the crown of your head. Light finger tapping.
Image from A Manual of Acupuncture by Peter Deadman
GV-17.
Nao Hu "door to the brain." Heaviness in the head. Also tapping as well as penetrating massage.
This image from tcmpoints.com
GV-18.
Qiang. Sleep issues.
This image from tcmpoints.com
GV-16.
Fengfu. "House of the Wind." For fear and/or fright, and depression. it is an opening into the center of the brain.
This image from tcmpoints.com
The Bladder Channels.
The bladder channels run down the sides of your spine (and backs of legs). Helps tone and harmonize water issues. Be like a bear rubbing her back against a tree.
This image from tcmworld.org
Kidney-1.
Flushes out the schmutz (bad stuff).
Image from A Manual of Acupuncture by Peter Deadman
For now all you perhaps might do is with gentleness and love massage the points where they feel blocked. Approximate guessing where they are will work. There is a lot here, just take your time and do what you comfortably can and go for what feels good. These perhaps can be instant fixes, but more likely the Chinese thing works better over time, like practising music.
To end, make a Clockwise Circle on the lower Abdomen with your left palm over your right palm. 24 or 36 times. This helps absorb any excess cultivated qi in the dantian.
More in case you are interested:
Tapping and Slapping Qigong
https://www.
External Qi Healing
https://www.
https://www.
https://www.
Exercise Is The Perfect Complement To Traditional Medicine
By Sally Perkins
Being told to exercise is likely one of the most common treatments ‘prescribed’ by contemporary doctors. It’s not without merit, and there are a multitude of benefits to be gained from exercise that are discovered every day. For example, medical researchers have recently found that 10% of advanced lung cancer patients benefited from exercise.
What role does exercise have to play in traditional medicine? The likes of tai chi and tui na already have a physical aspect and the benefits of those practices are well known. Both within Chinese medicine and other non-western medicines, physical activity has been shown to have a positive contribution to overall health when used in conjunction with other methods.
Tai Chi, Yoga, and The In Between
Coming from different corners of the continent, tai chi and yoga have remarkable similarities despite their differences. Both rely on stretching movements, but yoga is more energetic and pushes into stillness; whereas tai chi relies on fluid movements to relax the muscles in preparation for stretching later. Recently, they have ‘combined’ in a way to create yin yoga. Early studies have suggested that this particular type of yoga, when conducted safely and with the proper equipment, can have a strong positive influence on health. One study, conducted by Lund University, Sweden, found that yin yoga could significantly reduce physiological and psychological risk factors. The study found that those taking part in yin yoga had reduced levels of ADM, a marker often found in those developing non-communicable disorders such as cardiovascular disease.
Is Vigorous Physical Activity Possible?
Vigorous activity is not part and parcel of Chinese medicine. As the Traditional Chinese Medicine foundation have noted, sweat is the fluid of the heart, and vigorous activity will unbalance your Qi creating a deficiency. What’s the solution?
One potential is swimming. Swimming can be moderately vigorous, requiring every muscle in the body to work in tandem to stay float and propel. However, it can be moderated, and sweat is greatly reduced when in a colder pool. There is also evidence to show swimming can work well in tandem with traditional Chinese medicine. Researchers from Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai, China, found that songyou yin and swimming aided liver immunity when used in conjunction. Ultimately, this reduced the levels of liver cancer in the study group.
The Bottom Line
Photo by Ishan @seefromthesky on Unsplash
Bringing in more energetic forms of traditional exercise, and more mainstream methods, such as swimming, have an overall contributory effect to your health. However, multiple studies have shown the well established link between traditional Chinese exercises, like tai chi, and good health. As this South China Morning Post article clearly outlines, the holistic use of traditional Chinese exercises, good diet and mindfulness (or meditation) mitigate many cardiovascular ailments, regardless of country; the study cited pointed out that over 2,000 people across 10 countries reported on.
Traditional medicine has shown its effectiveness when paired with exercise. There are ways to augment this in order to provide the maximum benefits for your health. However, while these have been shown to help, the best way to stay fit is through traditional routines.
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The Qigong Corner - 2: Qigong Walking
By John Voigt
Boston Common 2011. Source: author.
Introduction.
It is common knowledge in the west that walking is an excellent
exercise that promotes general fitness. When walking is practiced as a qigong it
becomes even more effective. For Chinese people throughout the world it is the
most commonly practiced qigong used to promote health and well-being.
Walking becomes a qigong when: The person is fully aware of 1. The gravity of the
earth grounding and supporting them. 2. The air they are breathing deeply and fully
into their lower abdomen (the simplest definition of qigong is “breath work”). 3.
The beauty of nature around them—the trees, flowers, sunrise, other walkers, etc.,
as well as the universal nature above them (sky, clouds, sun, the stars, planets,
galaxies, heaven)—and that they are an integral and living moving part of all of this.
Walk as if you are kissing the earth with your feet.
Thich Nhat Hanh.
Qigong Gymnastic Walking.
There are many styles of walking qigong. What follows was synthesized
from various instructions from my teachers, observations
in parks in Chinatowns in the United States and Canada, and from the
sources listed below. A bibliography is attached for further study.
The Simple Walk. Stand straight. Relax your body and mind. Have your shoulders
loose, and your chin slightly tucked it. Breathe comfortably, slowly, and fully
through the nose into the lower abdomen. Now begin walking calmly, and allow
your arms to loosely and gently sway from side to side. When the left foot moves
forward the right arm sways forward and slightly to the left; when the right foot
moves forward the left arm sways forward and slightly to the right. Increase your
awareness of your surroundings, your gentle but full breathing, and the way the qi-
life energy is feeling inside your body. Walking in this way moves health bringing
energy (qi) throughout the vessels and channels (meridians) and organs of the body.
Increasing The Amount of Qi-Vital Energy. Mind thinking nothing. Body relaxed
and tranquil. Inhaling more oxygen than exhaling. (Sheng Keng Yun).
Now intensify your walking this way: have your right hand make a waving motion
up as you quickly breathe in twice. Then as you exhale once the left foot steps out.
Immediately reverse this with the left hand making a waving motion up as you
breathe in twice. Then as you exhale once the right foot steps out. Do this
approximately for five to fifteen minutes. If it feels really good and natural you may
do it for a longer period of time. If something feels wrong or not right then stop
doing it and consult a qigong teacher well versed in such things, or if necessary a
doctor or physical therapist.
Video of Qigong Gymnastic Walking
Carolyn Wilkins - Reiki master, spiritualist medium, tai chi and qigong
practitioner demonstrating Qigong walking gymnastics.
Walking Meditation.
Walk very slowly, and optionally and if safe to do, with bare feet on clean
naked earth. When stepping out lift the heel first. When stepping down
the toes touch the earth first. Clear the mind of all verbal thinking about what
happened in the past and may happen in the future and be totally mindful in the
present. For a beginner, walk in this manner for ten minutes up to a half an hour at a
time.
If you can’t keep your mind quiet as you walk, then count numbers related to the
rhythm of your breathing patterns, or repeat a single word (e.g., “Peace”).
The walking becomes more spiritual or religious when you add a silently said
spiritual affirmation such as, I feel more youthful, healthy, and beautiful [or
handsome] with each step I take. Or a short religious prayer; e.g., Heal me, O Lord,
and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved; for you are my praise. – [Jeremiah
17:14]. For believing Christians, silently chanting the name Jesus contains enormous
power. From a Daoist perspective, by observing your oneness with the movements
of interacting yin and yang energetic elements around you as you walk, you may be
brought to a place that offers the quietude of a deep seated mediation. This qi-
energy harmonizing is said to extend all the way to the stars, planets, and galaxies of
the universe to the divine forces in heaven.
A more simple practice as you walk is to repeat to yourself the word Dao; which may
be understood as “The Way” – (as in the path, the proper direction, for spiritual
progress).
Buddha’s Footprint. A symbolic representation of the presence of Gautama Buddha.
Practical advice.
- When you step don't mindlessly drop the foot down, instead feel as if you are
gliding above the earth. One of my qigong masters over the years never needed to
have his leather shoes resoled. - Use a walking cane if needed. Excessive pressure should never be placed on any of
the body’s joints or bones in walking qigong. Correctly done walking is one of the
few exercises that will strengthen the joints and aid in preventing arthritis. - Most qigong exercises are best done at the break of dawn, in good weather among
the civilized nature of a large well cared for and secure park. - Qigong walking is best done in groups. But within such groups the Chinese people
seldom talk to each other in order to maintain a concentrated focus on what they
are doing. It is after the walking that they usually gather in a tea house and socialize
with lots of talk, and laughter. Opposite the Boston Common I would gather with
one such group at a McDonald’s. They didn’t speak that much English and my
Cantonese was worse, but there was plenty of fun and good feelings and smuggled
home baked Chinese cookies hidden in purses to go along with the plastic cups of
coffee and hot water for tea. - Knowledgeable Chinese do the walking in circles, usually—but not always—in
some sort of counter-clockwise way (the left side pointed in to the center of the
circle). In Chinese communities in the morning you will see this done around small
ponds, large fountains, or even a tree. From a Southern Daoist lineage that I was
taught in, this is best done with the people singularly filing after each other in a line
that curves around in a circle. This is intended to bring peace to the walkers and to
the world at large.
Disclaimer.
This article is not presented not as a cure for any illness but as a
possible way to help to gain well-being. If any this or any other qigong, or exercise
or activity, hurts or causes discomfort stop doing it and see a medical professional.
Author’s Note.
In this short article I wanted to introduce Guo Lin’s Anti-Cancer
Walking Qigong, but time and space ran out on me. So I plan to write that for next
month’s issue of Chinese Medicine Living. But for now the interested reader could
reference these sites:
Walking Exercise - Persatuan GuoLin QiGong Malaysia
and Guo Lin’s Anti-Cancer Fixed Foot Walking Qigong, by Jim Russo.
Boston Common 2011. Source: author.
Sources & Further Resources.
- Robert Chuckrow. Tai Chi Walking. YMAA, 2002.
- Five Seasons Medicine. Medical Qigong Walking – Nature’s Powerful Healing Tool.
- Guolin Qigong, Natural Walk, Walking Qigong, Anti-Cancer Qigong. YouTube.
- Sheng Keng Yun. Walking Kung. Samuel Weiser, 1997.
- Ta’i Chi Walking, compiled by Michael P. Garofalo.
- “Qigong Exercise, Bagua walk, at East Coast Park, Singapore.” YouTube.
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The Qigong Corner - 1: The Basics
By John Voigt
Qi.
A general meaning of this word is “life energy,” and the meaning of Gong relates
to “work,” “cultivation,” and “accomplishment.” Qi is pronounced chee with a fast
descending soft (close to she ) sound. In Cantonese, a language often spoken by
more older people from southern China, it sounds like “hay,” so we have hay gong.
The older English spelling is “chi kung.”
Feel the Qi.
Qi manifests in many ways, one is the flow of bio-electricity in our body.
It is relatively easy to physically experience this by doing the following exercise: Rub
your hands together, then stretch and wiggle your fingers. Tap your fingertips
together, and tap them on each palm. Wiggle your fingers again. Now pretend you
are holding a ball approximately a foot and a half in circumference. Inhale and feel
this imaginary ball expand. As you exhale squeeze it back to its original size. Do this
for a few minutes or until you feel your palms and fingertips grow warm—or even
better hot—with the energy of life. You are experiencing a manifestation of the
reality of qi, of life force, of bio-energy.
Qigong.
Its origins are Chinese and many millions of Chinese people practice it daily
throughout the world in any number of ways; most often with gentle physical
movements, stretches, meditations, and mentally focused visualizations. The term
actually relates to the harmonious interplay of yin and yang energies in the body:
specifically in the way we hold our bodies and move, the way we breathe which
effects internal energy, and what we have in our minds. Its repeated practice helps
bring about mental, physical, and spiritual well-being and healing.
Stretching is a good example of body work, and you don’t need a park in Beijing to
see thousands of people doing it, just go to a baseball park during a game and take
part in the seventh inning stretch. If there is space for it after the stretching walk
about some. It all helps get the qi moving.
Or do as so many people do, upon awakening in the morning get out of bed and take
several deep breaths—(one definition of qigong is “breath work”)—as you stretch
your hands and arms upwards and pay attention to the way it feels. As with most
qigong this is best done in the morning in a park with people all about doing various
qigong or tai chi (actually the word is taijiquan) or other forms of physical health
regimes.
It is a simple step to see the resemblance of this kind of stretching to a qigong
master doing the first movement of the most popular worldwide qigong form, the
Standing Eight Pieces of Brocade” (Baduanjin). The stretch is called “Holding Up
The Heavens” and it is said to regulate the passage of qi in the body and mind, and
tone and promote healing in the functions of the body’s inner organs.
Take a look at a grandmaster doing it on YouTube:
Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming. Standing Eight Pieces of Brocade. [it runs from 0:17 to 3:26].
More about Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming here
I suggest after you see Dr. Yang in action, you do some similar stretches
immediately. Five of them is enough. And take it easy: as you can see from the video,
qigong does not subscribe to the “No Pain No Gain” school of thought. If fact if there
is any pain stop doing it immediately and go see a health professional.
You now have an idea, and more importantly a physical experience, of what qi and
qigong are. Practice these or any gentle stretches in the morning as you breathe
calmly, smoothly, fully and gently into the lower abdomen.
Don’t do any qigong as if were a forced prison exercise drill, but rather as if you are
a young child having fun playing. And very important: keep noticing how the energy
feels inside of you. That way you become cognizant of the movement of the qi. And
don’t forget to smile. Smiling always helps increase the flow of this vital qi.
For the next issue of Chinese Medical Living we will go to a park near Boston’s
Chinatown and join the elders in the great healing exercise of social walking, and
learn about a simple walking regime that helps in the healing of cancer. If you wish
to learn something about that right now, on your browser explore this name, Guo
Lin and her walking qigong.
Qi has many appearances and definitions. One is “universal
consciousness.” Here is a painting by visionary artist and distance viewer
Ingo Swann titled “Cosmic Intelligence” which is an artistic depiction of such Qi.
Author with painting at the American Visionary Art Museum,
http://www.avam.org/ Baltimore, June 2018
Note: For more about Qi and Qigong go to qi-encyclopedia.com
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John Voigt is a regular contributor to Chinese Medicine Living - you may read his bio here.
Tapping and Slapping Qigong
By John Voigt
The Exercise
This qigong may be done when standing, seated, or walking. It is a delight to do in the morning, especially with others in a park as the morning sun rises. But it may be done at any time, and it’s especially helpful if you haven’t moved for a while. As with any exercise, and especially if you have or may have an illness, first check with a health professional before adding it to your daily practice. And stop doing it if anything hurts when doing it or afterwards “No pain no gain” is a western malapropism.
This Qigong is done with penetrating percussive fingertip tapping, open hand slaps, and softly clasped fists. Hit gently but forcefully, imagining you are penetrating all the way into the marrow of the bones. Never should the skin appear bruised, instead the skin should feel tingly and radiantly alive. Underneath the skin, especially in the fascia, should feel strengthened and full of warm thick qi. Also, your acupuncture points may begin to feel opened and cleansed. All these positive sensations may last for twelve to twenty-four hours, or possibly longer.
The number of taps and slaps for each individual body part—usually of nine in a “bundle”—is for the beginner. Once you have grown accustomed to the exercise, the number of taps or slaps on any body part may be increased to up to one hundred or more in what I am calling a “bundle,” and the number of bundles may be increased from one to five or more. Yet even only a few taps, slaps, or hits with soft fists can prove beneficial and enjoyable. However it is important not to omit any section of the exercise; in other words, work on all the suggested parts of the body in the order that they are given, and try to do the entire practice every day.
The Warm Up
To build up the Qi (Life Force Energy): Rub your hands together, then stretch and wiggle your fingers. Feel the blood, qi and warmth flow into your hands. Tap your fingertips together. Wiggle your fingers again.
Pretend you are holding a beach ball. Inhale and feel this imaginary ball expand. As you exhale squeeze it back to its original size. Do this for a few minutes or until you feel your palms and fingertips grow warm—or even better, hot. This is to increase the quantity and quality of your qi as your taps and slaps are sending this healing vitality into the body.
1. The Upper Part of the Head. Lightly pat from the front to back with the fingertips. For the left side do 9 taps; then for the right side do 9 taps. Then repeat this. Avoid hitting the Baihui point, GV-20, at the crown (top) of the head.
2. The Arms. Tap with a soft fist 9 times down each of the four sides of the left arm (inside, outside, upper, lower). Stop when you reach the hand and never tap on or over the fingers. Do the same on the right arm.
3. The Shoulders. With either fingertips, soft fists, or cupped palms, strike the left shoulder with the right hand. Then the right shoulder with the left hand. Do each side 9 times.
Note: Hit on and around the general vicinity of the GB-21 point. This is said to “disperse liver qi stagnation,” and “dredge excess qi from all the yang channels.” [Professor Jerry Alan Johnson. “Point Tapping Therapy.”]
4. The Upper Back. Tap the upper left back with a right-hand soft fist. Then the upper right back with a left-hand soft fist. Do each side 9 times. If easier to do, use the right hand on the right side, left hand on the left side.
Note 1: Aim on striking on and around the Bl-15 acupressure point.
This point opens directly to the heart. Here a slapping or soft fist tapping is more easily done by someone else. It may help in reducing emotional problems—here I speak from personal experience, although it wasn't necessarily an instant fix.
Note 2: Because the upper back can be hard to reach, it may be convenient for you to substitute a tree for your fists by being like a bear in the woods and rubbing, banging and scratching your back up against a tree. Be careful; wear a thick shirt or a coat, and as with any qigong: use common sense.
5. The Chest. Alternately using the hands, pat the chest downward and upward for a total of 18 times.
6. The Abdomen and Small of the Back. Strike the left lower side of the abdomen with the right palm as you with a soft left-hand fist strike the small of the back. Do the left side 9 times; the right side 9 times.
7. The Buttocks. Tap or slap the left buttock with the left hand’s fingertips or soft fists or open cupped palm 9 times. Strike on and around the GV-30 point at the dimple on the buttocks. Do the same for the right side.
8. The Legs. Do not do this when standing on both feet. That would bring too much blood (and qi) to the head and also you might fall over. So do this exercise when you seated, or if standing prop your heel up on a support (chair, bench, low wall, etc.). It’s a good idea to hold onto something with your non-striking hand to maintain your balance. Begin with fingertip tapping down from the thigh to the ankle (never hit the foot) 9 times for each of the four sides of the left leg (inner, back, upper, outer). Then do the same on the right leg.
To Finish
Rub your hands together and brush yourself off—(think “air wash”). Then shake yourself to further rid yourself of any remaining stagnation or bad qi [xie qi]. Then if convenient take a short walk.
Additional Comments. When tapping, slapping or hitting don’t just brutishly bash away on yourself. Use a light but penetration touch sending arrowheads of qi into the body, and then by instantaneously withdrawing your hand the acupoint (or whatever you are working on) seems to open by itself like a flower blooming in the spring. This Tonifies (strengthens by gathering in good qi), and Sedates (disperses bad qi).
Sources
Hu Bin. Keep Fit The Chinese Way. Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 1991. https://www.amazon.com/Keep-Fit-Chinese-Way-Traditional/dp/7119009087
Professor Jerry Alan Johnson. “Point Tapping Therapy.’ Qi Journal, vol. 274; Winter 2017-2018. http://www.qi-journal.com/store.asp?-token.S=qi&ID=3639
Mantak Chia. Bone Marrow Nei Kung. Destiny Books, 2006. https://books.google.com/books?id=Sl0oDwAAQBAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s
The author, may be contacted at john.voigt@comcast.net
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The beautiful featured image photo by Manja Benic on Unsplash
