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I have often pondered a very practical question: why is the Ba Duan Jin (Eight Pieces of Brocade) still loved by people a thousand years later? Now I have found the answer: the reason a culture can be passed down for thousands of years without decline indicates that it is a superior culture, a necessity for people, guiding both material and spiritual life. Fitness Qigong, this treasure of Chinese traditional culture, is one of them.
Laozi wrote in the Dao De Jing: “Man follows the Earth, the Earth follows Heaven, Heaven follows the Dao, and the Dao follows Nature.” This means that people should live naturally in the world, operate naturally, and develop naturally. Doing things in accordance with nature, living in harmony with nature, achieving a state of being natural everywhere, and synchronizing everything with nature. Fitness Qigong perfectly embodies Laozi’s philosophy, as its movements are designed to align with the principle of “following nature.”
The wisdom of our ancestors lies in their ability to draw inspiration from life, understanding the preferences of the five organs and six bowels, and adapting them into exercise methods to benefit human society. Each set of Fitness Qigong, each movement, is designed to target specific organs, allowing individuals to communicate with their bodies during exercise. People often focus on the outside world, neglecting to care for their inner selves and bodies, which is the greatest folly. While practicing movements, if one thinks about their organs or a specific acupuncture point, the body will respond in kind. Subtle changes in physical condition can be felt. The unique charm of Fitness Qigong lies in its integration into daily life. Only that which is integrated into life possesses the most compelling charm. Practicing Fitness Qigong requires: integrating Qigong into life and making life a form of Qigong.
This article shares some of my insights and practices on how to integrate Fitness Qigong into daily life, hoping to exchange ideas with fellow practitioners.
The wisdom of our ancestors lies in their ability to draw inspiration from life, understanding the preferences of the five organs and six bowels, and adapting them into exercise methods to benefit human society. Each set of Fitness Qigong, each movement, is designed to target specific organs, allowing individuals to communicate with their bodies during exercise. People often focus on the outside world, neglecting to care for their inner selves and bodies, which is the greatest folly. While practicing movements, if one thinks about their organs or a specific acupuncture point, the body will respond in kind. Subtle changes in physical condition can be felt.
Ancient practitioners emphasized that “in all actions, standing, sitting, and lying down, one should not stray from this.” “This” refers to the right mindfulness or awareness of the practitioner, maintaining awareness in all actions. In daily practice, one should grasp at least two aspects: first, to enter the world without losing one’s true nature; second, to return to one’s original state in all actions. Similarly, practicing Fitness Qigong requires maintaining one’s true nature in life, letting go of acquired attachments, and gradually returning to the innate process. Only then can one maintain right mindfulness and awareness, achieving physical and mental health.
“Action” is the most important part of life; we cannot escape walking wherever we go. People often experience that when traveling, they rely on vehicles, yet feel unusually fatigued. This is because 90% of the information a person receives from the outside world is processed through their eyes. During travel, emotions are often in a heightened state, and the eyes do not get a rest, constantly observing and taking photos, leading to an increased amount of information to process, which requires more energy than in familiar environments. Traditional Qigong believes that “the eyes are the vanguard of the heart,” and “the essence of the five organs is all concentrated in the eyes.” Therefore, practicing Fitness Qigong requires focusing the gaze inward, which not only helps to calm the mind and spirit but also allows the protective Qi to gather within, nourishing the five organs for health and longevity.
Due to time constraints, I usually arrive at the square twenty minutes early to exercise. Walking on the street, my pace is neither hurried nor slow, maintaining a relaxed and natural state, with my gaze inward, generally not exceeding five meters. During class reunions, some classmates often say I have an attitude, not acknowledging people on the street. In fact, I have developed the practice requirements of Fitness Qigong, adjusting my mind before exercising to avoid external distractions and prepare to exercise with a focused mind. In our small county, we see familiar faces everywhere; if I walk down the street looking around and chatting with acquaintances, a one-kilometer distance would take half an hour, making it impossible to arrive at the exercise venue on time. If acquaintances bring up bothersome topics, my emotions during exercise would be affected, significantly reducing the effectiveness of the workout.
Here, “standing” actually refers to “stationary.” Anyone who frequently takes public transport has likely experienced this: when waiting for a bus, vehicles seem to pass by one after another; however, when waiting, it feels like the bus is taking too long, causing anxiety. In reality, the bus arrives on time; it is just one’s mindset that is problematic. During the time spent waiting for the bus, one can practice the Ba Duan Jin movement “Bouncing on the Heels to Eliminate All Illnesses”: First, stand with feet together, legs close, gaze directed downward, and focus the mind. Second, lift the heels, gripping the ground with the toes, tightening the abdomen, relaxing the shoulders, and lifting the Baihui (Hundred Meetings) point; inhale while lifting the heels. Third, when bouncing down, first lower halfway, then lightly shake the ground; exhale upon landing. At the same time, clench the teeth, relax the shoulders, and arms, and keep the body relaxed, gazing downward. Practicing the Ba Duan Jin movement while standing not only exercises the body but also calms the mind, making waiting for the bus less anxious. In the current ongoing pandemic, we might as well apply this movement while waiting for nucleic acid testing, preventing the emergence of anxious emotions. Practicing Fitness Qigong while standing calms the mind and exercises the body, achieving multiple benefits.
Fitness Qigong is most widely applied in the “sitting” position. When a person works long hours at a desk, the internal organs may sag, and the Qi may descend, leading to discomfort in the back and neck, resulting in mental fatigue. Unconsciously, many people will instinctively interlace their fingers and stretch upwards, allowing the sagging organs to gradually return to their proper position, uplifting the Qi, and the body naturally feels comfortable, alleviating discomfort in the back and neck. This is a manifestation of the Fitness Qigong Ba Duan Jin movement “Two Hands Hold Up the Heavens to Regulate the Sanjiao (Triple Burner)” in daily life; in simpler terms, this movement is akin to the common “stretching” action. In my high school classes, I often notice students below doing this action, and others around them follow suit. In fact, these students may not even know the term Fitness Qigong, nor have they systematically learned this exercise.
Currently, many people who need to practice Fitness Qigong have regular jobs and lives, and exercising is often done in their spare time, making it very challenging to maintain consistency. In this context, integrating Fitness Qigong into daily life becomes very important. For office workers, they can perform some Ba Duan Jin movements while sitting in their chairs during work breaks, especially the first four movements. Time is like water in a sponge; if you squeeze it, there is always some to be found. Utilizing fragmented time can yield significant results.
Most people spend more than one-third of their lives sleeping. People often say that sleep is the best medicine. Thus, Fitness Qigong practiced in the “lying down” position is also very important. Modern life is filled with stress, leading to an increase in mental health issues, with anxiety and depression becoming more common, and insomnia being the primary manifestation. To treat insomnia, one might try listening to Fitness Qigong music before going to bed. The music of Fitness Qigong is uniquely composed, using traditional Chinese music with gentle melodies and harmonious tones. The pleasant and soothing tunes immerse one in a beautiful experience, allowing worries to fade away, clearing the mind, calming the breath, and relaxing the body, thus achieving psychological and physiological balance. Scientific experiments have shown that Fitness Qigong music has a therapeutic effect on the body and mind; its unique melody and rhythm can lower blood pressure, slow the pulse, increase skin temperature, enhance skin resistance, and reduce the speed of basal metabolism and respiration, allowing the body and mind to enter a relaxed state. For those suffering from insomnia, listening to Fitness Qigong music, especially the music of the Liu Zi Jue (Six Healing Sounds), before sleep can help them fall asleep faster.
The Fitness Qigong teachers I have encountered have always earnestly encouraged us to think about Fitness Qigong daily, to persist in practicing it, and to make it a part of our lives. I understand that Fitness Qigong is not just about knowing a few principles or performing a couple of movements; its special effects can only be achieved through long-term, diligent practice. As a beneficiary and promoter of Fitness Qigong, I have been putting the teachings of my teachers into action. However, in reality, there are days when I am out for research or meetings all day, and by evening, I lack the energy to practice one or two sets of exercises. In such cases, I follow my teacher’s advice to lie in bed and visualize the movements; thinking about the movements feels as if I have exercised, bringing a sense of peace. Sometimes, when I feel I still have energy but do not want to stand and practice, I lie in bed and perform the “Two Hands Hold Up the Heavens to Regulate the Sanjiao” movement several times, allowing my upper body to stretch and feeling a sense of accomplishment.
Life is not always smooth sailing; unpleasant events often test you. When faced with anger, most people tend to lose their temper. However, losing one’s temper often leads to negative consequences, potentially causing misunderstandings that escalate conflicts or turning small issues into larger ones, leading to greater suffering, which is truly counterproductive. A clever technique in Fitness Qigong can help you remain calm and avoid impulsively losing your temper: the movement “Red Dragon Stirs the Sea.” Whenever faced with an unpleasant situation and unable to control emotions, first suppress your feelings, using your tongue to stir and lick the inner gums of your mouth, first in a clockwise direction, then counterclockwise. This method not only strengthens the teeth, benefits the spleen and stomach, and promotes health, but also calms your emotions within minutes, allowing you to approach the situation with a more rational mindset.
Life, aging, illness, and death are realities everyone must face. In life, we inevitably visit relatives and friends who are seriously ill. Most people have a natural aversion to hospitals. If one must visit a seriously ill friend or relative, it is best to apply some cooling oil or sesame oil under the nose beforehand, and upon entering the hospital, use the Fitness Qigong “Holding Firm” technique, which involves clasping the thumbs of both hands in the palms. The Daoist text “Yun Ji Qi Qian” records: “Restraining the soul gate, controlling the spirit door, known as Holding Firm and securing the soul; this method solidifies the essence and sharpens the eyes, prolonging life and returning the soul. If one can hold it all day, evil spirits and poisons cannot enter.” The Holding Firm method is akin to closing a door, allowing one to calm the mind and secure the spirit. Additionally, Holding Firm can protect the essence and Qi, sharpen the vision, prolong life, and ward off evil and toxins. It is evident that Holding Firm plays a significant role in safeguarding the “essence, Qi, and spirit.” Elderly individuals who enjoy watching television can practice Holding Firm while enjoying their shows.
Source: China Fitness Qigong Association, with gratitude
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