Ba Duan Jin (Eight Treasures) Qigong
This is an ancient method with many variations. It is one the four oldest and most famous Qigong methods in China. This form dates back to the early 12th century where it evolved as a popular folk healing practice. It was originally developed for monks practicing meditation to address the joint problems they developed after long years of sitting meditation practice.
The routines of this form are designed to build strong bones, increase tendon and joint flexibility, awaken/stimulate the energetic function of our organ-energy systems and helps to heal the seven emotions. This form is often used in the treatment of osteoporosis. In addition to addressing the physical body, when you move your focus from the external to the internal you engage calmness in the body-mind creating an internal harmony that exudes outward. Tendons are related to our Liver organ and Spring is the optimal time to work them.
A standing form consisting of 8 different movements.
Dai Mai Qigong
This is a unique form that focuses on the Dai Mai or Belt Channel. This channel circulates around our waist and is the only channel that travels in this direction. Once the Belt Channel is activated, Qi starts to flow freely and expands. The highlight of this form occurs as the Dai Mai’s energy builds and spirals out, forming an energetic cocoon that provides protection from diseases and radiation that constantly bombard us throughout our modern lives and helps to move the Qi down and up the body.
This Qigong medical form helps conditions such as: constipation, low back and hip pain, weight control, fibrocystic breasts, and all gynecological and digestive issues.
A standing form consisting of 6 different movements.
Celestial Pillar Qigong
This form helps to strengthen and boost your Zheng Qi (upright Yang Qi). Strong Yang Qi gives you the foundation for a strong and vibrant life. In our fast paced modern society, we drain and consume our Yang Qi on a daily basis. When our Yang Qi begins to diminish, we have the potential to become ill. When all of our Yang Qi is depleted our life ends. The universal Yang Qi is represented by the sun and illuminates the entire universe and generates energy for the earth. This warming of the earth controls and allows for 10,000 things to be born and become activated. The Sun controls the temperature for everything to survive.
In this form we will work on two types of Yang Qi, Shao Yang (Younger Yang) and Tai Yang (Supreme Yang). Shao Yang helps slow down aging, lifts chronic fatigue, supports liver and gallbladder function, harmonizes gynecology functions, supports healthy erections, addresses Parkinson’s symptoms, and stabilizes emotions. Tai Yang helps with osteoporosis, moving qi and blood, reducing edema, cancer prevention, clarification of the mind (Alzheimer’s, and dementia). Celestial Pillar also helps to take off excess weight, burdens, negative emotions, and thought patterns that don’t serve you.
This is a standing form that consists of 6 different movements, with a 7th repeated in between them.
Hu Lu Gong
Translated as Squash Qigong, this is a form designed to boost and maintain defensive energy (the immune system) in the body. The oldest Taoist name for qigong is “Bao Qi Ping – conserve the Qi in a bottle.” In ancient China, dried gourds were used as containers for hot water, tea, or hot wine during the winter. Because they retained the taste and temperature of what they held, gourds were also used in Chinese medicine to hold herbs. This vegetable became a metaphor for the body since the gourd’s form and function are similar to the form and function of the human body as it practices qigong. The concept of “Squash Qigong” originated in the Liu family as well as with other Taoists.
In this Qigong form, students also learn to walk on the Ba Gua (eight trigrams), which symbolizes different elements of spirit energy and smooth transitions. The regular practice of this form is beneficial especially during the cold and damp winter months. Practicing Squash Qigong supports your Wei Qi “defensive Qi or immune system” while increasing and maintaining your body’s energy, recharging your vitality, and protecting you from the cold damp winter wind that causes us to catch cold easily.
This is a standing form consisting of 5 movements (the last one is walking the Ba Gua).
Magic Square Abdominal Qigong
Within Taoist Medicine, all diseases and emotional issues are rooted in the abdomen. Scientists have proven that we have more neurons in our “gut brain” than our head brain. By using our abdominal brain, you only use 20% of your energy to do the same “ thinking”. In turn, you store and save more energy for your body, healing, and overall health. The Stomach is the 2nd brain and it is really more powerful and smarter, then the brain in the head. The head brain is the consumer and the gut brain is the producer. Learn how to train your second brain (abdomen) for energy saving. Then you can sleep at night peacefully and happily.
This is a standing form consisting of 10 movements for each element of nature.
Nourishing Woman Qigong (Yang Tai Gong)
This is a medical Qigong form that has been developed in Master Liu’s family to tonify the woman’s body and procreative organs, enhance fertility, and to support the mother and her baby during pregnancy. This form provides great benefit to all women regardless of age or reproductive history, as well as supporting smooth transitions with menopause. Since the physiology of women is different from that of men, this Qigong form focuses on nourishing the woman’s body and is a great form for the winter months as you step inward.
This is a seating form consisting of 7 different movements, including visualizations and chanting
Heart Wheel Meditation
This meditation activates and develops our Thymus field energy. Most qigong forms work with our vertical energies while this form works with our horizontal energies through five integrated breathing techniques. Once the Thymus energy field is activated you sync with the earth’s rotation, providing a deep connection to the world.
The Thymus field provides us an automatic Qi charge. Children, having larger thymus fields, experience a lot of energy and are always on the go. As we age, this declines and our automatic Qi charge slows down. This is why we recover more slowly and can age quickly. By developing the thymus field energy we reinforce our immune system. The thymus gland also produces antibodies to reject foreign tissues and cells.
Another important role of the Thymus field energy is the effect on the pituitary gland (emotion controlling), that’s why we also call the thymus the “Peacemaker”. By developing this energy, our emotions can be controlled easily and we can receive peace within others and ourselves.
This is a seated meditation with 6 movements working with our breath and visualization.
Jade Leaves Qigong
Many cultures recognize the eyes as the window to the soul. In Qigong practice, the eyes represent the “shen” or the spirit of the practitioner and are associated with the liver. Therefore, the eyes are an indication of many levels of physical, emotional and spiritual health. This form makes it possible to open the five “shu” points and is a supreme method of healing eye disease and benefiting the related systems.
This is a seated meditation with 4 movements and includes a self-massage preparation for the eyes.