Video On Demand Spring Practice Guide
/“The three months of Spring denote breaking open the old to create the new.
Heaven and Earth together generate life and the Ten Thousand things begin to flourish.”
-The Great Treatise on Regulating the Spirit with the Four Seasons (四氣調神大論)
Happy Spring Qi Friends! 快乐的春天
The Chinese character for the word spring, chūn 春, is an image of the sun underneath a tree with grass on top. (See ancient pictograph on the right.)
The character speaks clearly: Spring is yang (the sun), it's the element of growth (wood), and it brings life (grass).
In Traditional Chinese Medicine and qigong, spring is considered the beginning of the cycle of the seasons. We welcome this time of year when nature is born again after the dark yin phase of winter. Days become longer and Mother Earth gives birth to the fragrant aromas of fresh grasses and flowers.
Spring's rising yang energy supports expansion and growth, so its a good time for us to assume the movement of yang within ourselves. While in winter we should sleep more, in spring we should be more active, focus on goals, start new projects, and encourage other people on their journeys. Physically, spring is a great time to renew the body through detoxification and to strengthening the tendons and connective tissues. Energetically, it's a time to reboot our energy system so that we can restart the seasonal cycle with a clear mind. Spiritually, spring is a special time to expand our vision, shift into new perspectives and focus on manifesting our highest potential.
Many qigong practices for spring come from dragon forms that use spirals to stretch the tendons and detoxify the liver. Most of these forms were developed through martial arts lineages that focused on creating a firm and flexible body. This season the YOQI Video Library contains a super charged variety of seasonal practices that will detoxify, spiral, reboot and attune you to spring's generous energy.
A QIGONG PRACTICE FOR SPRING
Physically, spring qigong practices focus on the organs of the wood element: the liver and gall bladder.
The liver is the main organ responsible for processing toxins in the body. One of the liver’s main jobs is to filter toxic wastes from the bloodstream. Another task is to produce many of the alkaline enzymes upon which immune response and other vital functions depend. If the blood is constantly polluted by excess acid residues from a poor diet, alcohol and drugs, or excessive stress, the liver eventually gets overloaded with acid wastes and becomes deeply congested with toxic debris. This results in qi stagnation, chronic tension, joint pain, headaches, physical weakness, painful menstruation to name a few. Therefore, most qigong for the liver emphasize detoxification and purging rather than tonification or circulation. This season's SPRING PURGE, TONIFY AND CIRCULATE qigong routines use spirals and swimming dragon forms to cleanse the liver and cultivate resiliency, the energy of the wood element. Other videos this season that support the liver are Qigong Flow for a Happy Liver, Pai Da for Cleaning, Pai Da with Six Healing Sounds, Qigong Flow for Stress and Anxiety, Yi Jin Jing and Jade Woman Qigong.
Emotionally our qigong will focus on the emotions of spring: transforming anger or frustration into forgiveness and kindness
Our internal organs are reservoirs of energy. In the Taoist healing tradition, both positive and negative emotions are associated with them. The liver resonates with the emotional vibrations of anger and frustration. Most of us know intuitively that if we are carrying around stress, anger, grief and emotional trauma it has a direct effect on our body. Over time, the accumulation of too much anger creates heat in the liver, resulting in stagnation and impedes our potential. One of the most powerful tools to transform negative emotions is vibration. The Six Healing Sounds Qigong is a vibrational healing method that dates back to 4th century. It is a foundational YOQI practice we use to transform negative emotions into positive virtues. This season's video library selection introduces the complete Six Healing Sounds Method, and integrates it into a variety of practices: Pai Da hitting with the Six Healing Sounds, Seated Six Healing Sounds Qigong for Emotional Balance and Qigong Flow for Anxiety and Stress Relief.
Energetically, spring supports your ability to expand your visions and see new perspectives.
The energy of spring supports growth, expansion, vision and creativity. In Taoist metaphysics, these virtues resonate with the spirit of the liver, called the Hun. The Hun spirit shines through our eyes and gives us the energy to put things into perspective; to see the big picture. So spring a good time to break free from old programs, open to new ideas and set our Hun free. It's also a prime time to take new ideas and make them into practical plans. In this season's Qigong Flow for New Perspectives we explore the ability to focus on specific goals then relax and let things unfold naturally, at the same time. This standing flow is meant to be paired with the Energy Reboot Meditation, a powerful seated qigong that uses Dantian Activation and Meridian Tapping to realign your energy system and break free from patterned behaviors. Through this process of actualizing the Hun, we come realize that the largest perspective includes the highest good of all beings.
FEATURED VIDEO FOR SPRING: QIGONG FLOW FOR HAPPY LIVER
The suggested complete routine for your practice this month is Qigong Flow for Happy Liver (38 minutes) and is offered in both English and Spanish. This qigong flow routine is designed to purify, nourish and balance the liver and gall bladder. Inspired by the Swimming Dragon style of qigong the routine uses spirals and twists to release tension, detoxify the liver, nourish the tendons and get the qi flowing. Enjoy the scenery of the Northern California Redwoods.
VIDEO LIBRARY PROGRAM FOR SPRING
Qigong Flow for Happy Happy Liver
YOQI RESOURCE SERIES: Dantian Activation
Energy System Reboot meditation
Yi Jin Jing (Muscle & Tendon Changing classic form)
Spring Qigong to Purge and Detoxify
Spring Qigong to Tonify
Spring Qigong to Circulate
6 Healing Sounds Meditation practice
Qigong Flow for New Perspectives
Hitting (Pai Da) to Detoxify
Hitting (Pai Da) with the 6 Healing Sounds
Qigong Flow for Stress & Anxiety
Jade Woman Qigong Form
Note: These videos will appear at the top of the library status throughout the spring season.
DESIGNING YOUR SPRING PRACTICE
This seasons QiBLOG post features the four keys to a powerful qigong practice.
1. Harmonize your routine with the season
2. Emphasize practices that address your state of qi
3. Practice quality over quantity
4. Practice consistently over time
Read the full blog post here.
You will find that all the videos added to the library this season address these four keys. So, I suggest that you focus on mastering the exercises in these specific routines this season, practicing quality over quantity. With consistent dedication and skillful effort, your qi and inner light shall blossom….
May the life force be with you!
Marisa