Medical Qigong uses a combination of movement, visualization, and breathing (in this case toning healing sounds) to engage the power of the mind-body connection.
In this case, the sound for the Liver "Shoo" is used while imagining that any excessively rising energy is descended down. Chinese Medicine poetically describes this rising force as the "Wood Element" - like a growing tree or plant rises up. As we get close to summer, we want to make sure that "Wood" doesn't produce an excess of "Fire" and leave us overheated and exhausted!
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, in each season of the year, our bodies are sensitive to certain "climates" - meaning we might have issues related to that type of energy in our meridian system.
In Summer, obviously, this climatic energy is "Heat". What may not be as intuitive is that according to this theory, you can your harmony with the coming season by working on the one that precedes it.
Thus, to have a great and healthy summer, Qigong theory says we should cultivate harmony with Spring!
In particular, we want to help the springtime energy that rises up to learn also how to calm back down. Otherwise, the ancient metaphor says that "Wood [element] promotes Fire [element]". We can perhaps see this in the abundant evidence that people get meaner, more irritable, and more frustrated when the weather gets warmer. The rising up of anger gets exacerbated by the outer heat and leads to emotional explosion!
Qigong and Yoga exercises have been used for millennia to harmonize with these climatic energies within and without. Try this week's exercise to help create calm and cool within your body and mind.
You can learn even more about harmonizing with these meridians and this season in the 'Qigong for the Spring Season' mini-course, now available at a discount for the last week of Spring!!!
