Video On Demand Winter Practice Guide
/“The three months of winter denote closing and storage. Water freezes and the earth breaks open. Do not disturb the yang: go to bed early and rise late. "
-Su Wen Chapter 2
The darkest days of the year are upon us and we are counting down to the end of the year! With such a life changing year coming to a close, this winter is a special one. While Autumn energy supports our ability to let go, winter supports our ability to nourish the spirit. Right now, every moment is a supreme opportunity to align our spirit with the new waves of cosmic energy that are coming in through relaxation and surrender.
The Chinese character for the word winter is an image of the sun locked up and stored in an upside down bottle. (see character on the right) This is a clever way to show us that the energy of winter is closing and storage. All of nature is in a state of stillness and hibernation. Winter is defined as the the end of the seasons; it is the darkest, coldest, most yin time of the year. Therefore, it's the best time of year to conserve our energy and nourish our qi. Qigong practices for winter emphasize stillness and inward reflection, sleeping longer hours or taking naps, nourishing our qi and maintaining internal warmth throughout the organs especially in the lower dantian, our internal furnace. The YOQI Winter Series contains a variety of these seasonal practices to attune your energy with winter.
Physically, winter qigong practices focus on the organs of the water element: the kidneys and bladder.
In the Five Element Phases of Traditional Chinese Medicine, winter expresses the water element. In your body, the water element particularly affects your kidneys, bladder, fluids and brain. The kidneys are considered the energy batteries of the body. They store the yuan qi, the precious gift of innate qi that we inherited from our parents. They also store the reserve qi, jing qi, which effects our general energy and sexual potency. When our kidney energy is weak the whole body becomes weak and we cannot actualize our full potential or will power. The kidneys also regulate the water element, our body fluids and the blood.
Because the kidneys are so critical to our state of vitality, there are thousands of qigong practices that focus on cleansing, nourishing and refining the kidney qi. In the winter the qigong classics suggest that we pay extra attention to conserve our energy and use nourishing life qigong practices that focus on the kidneys (called Yang Sheng). All of our WINTER SERIES practices combine effective nourishing life qigong techniques to support the kidney and bladder with focus on purging, tonifying, circulating and complete routines.
Emotionally our qigong will focus on transforming fear or fright into trust and tranquility.
Can you imagine what it was like for the ancient people to survive the winter season? It was a time of danger, scarcity and death. Even today with our modern luxuries, those who live in remote locations are familiar with the trials of snowstorms and the priority of warmth and resources. Therefore, the natural emotion that resonates with winter is fear or fright.
One of the unique principles of Taoist wisdom is that emotions are not stored in the mind, they are stored in the organs and tissues of our body. In particular, the emotions of fear and fright are stored in the kidneys. As we work with the kidneys in this season's routines, we will be naturally transforming fear into trust and tranquility. As a result of this transformation, the emotional virtue or spirit of the kidneys that arises is zhi, meaning will power. When our will power is in a state of optimal balance we have a natural sense of confidence that we project into the world to promote peace and connection. This seasons QIGONG FLOW FOR HEALTHY CONFIDENCE is a fun and dynamic routine that empowers our zhi, the emotional virtue of winter.
Energetically, winter supports your ability to reflect inward and cultivate awareness.
In Yin and Yang theory, winter is called the time of “Great Yin” (tai yin 太陰). Yin denotes darkness, while yang is light. Winter teaches us to become still and awaken the awareness of our senses.
One of the best practices to attune your energy with the yin energy of winter is meditation. This season’s Guided Qigong + Meditation to Awaken Awareness is a strategic series of awareness exercises that are designed to bring forth your true nature. This meditation is inspired by the Buddhist Heart Sutra, Xin Jin.
There is a saying in Chinese medicine: “When there is no movement there is pain. Create movement and there is no pain.” (不通則痛, 通則不痛).
The weather pattern and pathogen associated with winter is cold (han 寒). Cold creates Yin, which is actually a lack of movement. The polar opposite of Yin is Yang (summer season). Yang represents the full expression of movement.
When Qi moves into an extreme Yin state at a particular place in the body or particular time, the result is pain. Therefore, pain is a disease that expresses the Yin nature of winter. Pain and stiffness are the result of a lack of movement in the Qi, the meridian channels, the blood, the fluids and tissues. So, while we focus on conserving Qi in winter, we must also be careful that our energy does not become cold. The ideal is to be still and internally warm at the same time. We instinctively do this in the winter by staying inside, lighting a fire, sleeping in a warm cozy bed and wearing warm clothing.
Since pain is a disease of stagnation and Yin, the treatment is to move and stay warm. Outdoor exercise is fine because warmth occurs, but sweating and becoming wet outdoors in the winter is to be avoided. If you do some outdoor exercise in winter, make sure to dry off and stay warm upon completion. Ice bathing has become a popular practice this winter, but according to Chinese Medicine if your Qi is weak, a cold plunge will result in a flu. So, choose carefully.
The YOQI Winter Series Qigong Flow to Purge is an invigorating routine designed to move stagnation, warm the internal organs (especially the kidneys) move the blood and warm the Qi in the lower dantian. We’ll also use a technique called Pai Da (拍打), body hitting, to stimulate blood circulation and open key acupressure points on the kidney and bladder meridians, creating warmth and internal flow.
When should I choose to do a purging routine?
Winter Purging routines are great practices on days when you feel extra tension in the body, stress, emotional imbalance, fear, cold hands and feet, lethargic, or have stiffness in the muscles and joints. Winter purging is also great practice to strengthen the Wei Qi field, to prevent cold and flu.
To tonify means to strengthen, support and nourish your Qi. In Chinese this is called Yang Qi Fa (nourishing qi method). Because the kidneys store our reserve Qi, called jing (life essence), and winter corresponds to the kidneys, now is an important time to "nourish the storage" and give extra support to the kidneys and the blood.
The energy point on the body for nourishing the kidneys is the ming men or life gate. The ming men is like a switch that regulates the flow of vital qi through the body and balances the kidney yin and kidney yang energy. The ming men and the lower dantian are closely related: any exercise that builds the energy of the dantian also strengthens the ming men. Therefore, our tonification exercises this season are slower and gentle meditative movements that focus on building internal energy in the lower dantian and ming men. A nap or still seated meditation after this practice is highly recommended.
When should I choose to do a tonification routine?
Most everyone can benefit from tonification qigong. Those who should be careful with
tonification are those who are in an acute stage of a flu, virus or disease. There are specific tonification exercises for diseases such as cancer that focus in on specific organs and these should be prescribed through personal consultation with a medical qigong doctor.
The element of winter is water. Water has the tendency to sink downwards, expressing closing and storage. Recent studies on bio-electricity pose the theory that qi is conducted through the water-gel substance that connects our tissues, called fascia. When our body is fluid and water flows, we are healthy and full of Qi. If our internal waterways become stagnant, illness arises. Circulation qigong use flowing movements, breath and mental intention to nourish the tissues, energize organs, recycle internal energy, refine the qi and irrigate the meridian pathways. An interesting side effect you may notice after qigong and meditation is an increase of saliva in the mouth. This is a good sign of water Qi circulation!
The energy in our bodies flows through numerous channels called meridians. The meridians can also be likened to rivers. The mother of all rivers is called the Central Meridian (Zhong Mai). It is the main conduit of energy in our energy system. The Central Meridian channel runs through the core of your body from the crown of the head through the pelvic floor to the earth.
When energy flows freely through the Central Meridian all its tributaries benefit. In our Winter Series Circulate routine, we focus on circulating Qi through the Central Meridian. Then we will direct the flow through the kidney and bladder meridians. The routine finishes with the Small Heavenly Circuit, moving energy through the Du Mai and Ren Mai.
When should I choose to do a circulation routine?
Circulation routines are a more advanced form of Qigong practice that use the mind to guide the Qi. Choose winter circulation practices when you have an ample amount of qi and are ready to raise and refine your frequency. In other words, circulate when you feel good and have fun doing it! Your body should be internally cleansed and balanced before circulating energy. If you feel tired or weak, it is not a time to circulate Qi, it is better to tonify first.
COMPLETE ROUTINE: QIGONG FLOW FOR HAPPY KIDNEYS
The complete routine video focus for your practice this month is Qigong Flow for Happy Kidneys. This routine uses specific qigong exercises that focus on the kidneys and the principle of effortless flow to harmonize your energy with the water element of winter.
NEW VIDEO LIBRARY ADDITIONS THROUGHOUT WINTER SEASONAL PERIOD
Winter Series: Qigong Flow to Purge and Cleanse
Winter Series: Qigong Flow to Tonify
Winter Series: Qigong Flow to Circulate
Winter Series: Qigong Flow Complete Routine
Winter Series: Bare Awareness Meditation
Qigong Flow for Happy Kidneys
Seated Qigong Flow for Happy Kidneys
Evening Qigong to Relax and Unwind
Qigong Flow for Vitality
Qigong Flow for Healthy Confidence
Self-Massage for Winter
Qigong Flow for Immune System Support
Qigong Flow for the Winter Solstice
Qigong Flow for Improved Vagal TonYin Yoga for Happy Kidneys
Self Care Series: Tuning your Meridian Clock
Qigong Flow for a Happy Lower Back
Yin Yoga for Happy Kidneys
Self Care Series: Tuning your Meridian Clock
DESIGNING YOUR WINTER PRACTICE
Choosing a routine for your day is a great way to use your intuition and listen to your body. The Seasonal Series routines are designed to be alternated throughout the week as you wish. Although each routine has a focus denoted by a colored spiral (purge, tonify, circulate, complete routine, or meditate) each routine is also its own complete practice that contains warm ups, main focus exercises and a closing to integrate and center the qi. There is no need to layer the videos and do all of them in one day. It's best to choose one per day and then rest. If you feel like you want to do a longer complete routine there many options in the library: Winter Complete Routine, Vitality Flow, Qigong Flow for Healthy Confidence and Qigong Flow for Happy Kidneys.
In honor of the conserving nature of the winter season, after each practice I suggest that you immediately take a 5 to 10 minute nap, or longer, to nourish your qi and allow the body to process the energy work. Then when you wake up you will feel refreshed and revitalized!
Read The 4 Keys to a Qigong Practice blog post here.
With consistent dedication and skillful effort, your qi and inner light shall blossom….
May the life force be with you!
Marisa