Qigong Training Principles for Springtime

According to ancient Daoist philosophy, Spring is the time of rising up.

Because of this, we have great potential to awaken these rising energies within us: we can bolster our spirit, we can gain new vision, we can limber up our bodies.

But we also have the potential to experience the opposite - specific challenges in this time of year.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, this upward moving energy can give rise to allergies with their itchy eyes and sneezing, headaches, and insomnia or other types of overwhelm. 

According to this ancient medicine, how well we harmonize with one season even effects what we'll experience in the NEXT season.

The qigong performed in the video above contains three main principles we want to understand to harmonize with the energy of this season.

1. We want to liberate this growthful energy and guide it to the surface

This is accomplished by the 'Dragon Stretches its Claws'

2. We want to harmonize the smooth flow of energy in our bodies making it like a gentle breeze

This is the purpose of the 'Dragon Soars in the Sky' exercise

3. We want to help any energy which is overly ascending to descend back down

This is accomplished through the 'Dragon Beats the Drum' exercise.

We can use these three basic principles to design our practice sessions skillfully:

if we're feeling pent up, we can do more movements that bring the energy out to the extremities and release it out of the body.  This might be the Dragon exercise above, or the 'Punching With Angry Eyes' from the Brocade Qigong.  It could even be a boxing workout or going for a run.

If we're feeling like we need smoothing, we could do Tai Chi, restorative yoga, or a gentle qigong flow - as well as the Dragon stretches included above.

If we've got too much rising up making us feel rushed, anxious, or a little to hyper-aroused, we can focus on exercises that bring things down - like the Beating the Drum above as well as the pulling down heavens exercise.  Even going for a walk and getting down into our feet can be very helpful!

If you'd like to go IN DEPTH into practices specifically for this spring season, sign up for the brand new mini course 'Qigong for the Spring Season'.  It includes three 20 minute practice along sessions (released on 5/17, 24, and 31) plus bonus materials explaining the medical qigong theory of how to apply the exercises to assist with common complaints!