Abdomen Daoyin

Brrrr…The weather is getting cold now.  It makes me think, often people come to the classes with sciatic nerve issues.  For those unfamiliar with sciatica, its is the irritation of the sciatic nerve in the lumbar vertebrae.  It gives rise to pain in the back, buttocks and sometimes all the way down the leg.  It can be a very difficult condition to resolve.

Remember, from a Buqi perspective, many conditions arise from a compression of the nerves in the spine from a long term poor body posture.  In real life this can be working at a computer over a long period of time, working in a vehicle or another sedentary job where you don’t move so much.

There are also other aggravating causes of the sciatic, such as the weather.  Typically when treating students or patients with such issues I find that in that area they have a build up of cold from the environment and some hot information from the inflammation of the nerves.

Treating  them can be straight forward by expelling the binqi locally or through the legs via the panguan meridian.  However, what I like about teaching  Taiji37 and Taijiwuxigong is that I can empower the students to participate in their own healing process.  I can also teach them simple exercises that will strengthen the lumbar area and bring healing forces to the area to dislodge the binqi.  In this respect, the student or patient can go away and practice and work towards resolving the issue.  With the help of  regular classes students maintain the momentum and perseverance and benefit from regular health information transmissions to configure the binqi to leave.

There are many classes around London teaching exercises like the abdomen daoyin which are really effective in addressing all sorts of issues to do with the contraction of the lumbar region.

If you have a musculoskeletal problem, maybe taijiwuxigong can help you work towards resolving it.

As always we will be continuing to build on the good progress students have been making last term.  Some beginning students really made progress in using the earth force (diqi)to activate the dantian developing some quite tangible long force. In Chinese this is called Chan Zi Jing and literally means:  ‘Long without stopping force’ which refers to the long purring vibration that occurs when you practise Taijiwuxigong.

This has moved us forward in our threefold practise objectives:

Above all, it has helped in the self-healing and self-development process, firstly in draining the channels and meridians and secondly, by gaining more spinal strength for the meditation exercises.    If the spine is straighter then oxygenated blood can travel easily to the brain.  Also, if the dazui (C7-T1) area has power this helps to open the central channel .  These health benefits develop more clarity in meditation and later develop latent mental functions. 

Secondly, it was also good spending time showing how the simple Taijiwuxigong exercises improve the quality and application of our Taijiquan practise.  The use of Chan Zi Jing is very common in the Yang Style Taijiquan and is one of the reasons it is well known for its slow flowing movements.  Many Yang Style Taijiquanpractitioners are unaware of these forces but because Taijiwuxigong and Taiji37 train them they are an excellent way to evolve your Taijiquan practise

Lastly, as a Buqi healer I use Chan Zi Jing in creating rigorous vibration force or warmth information in my patients.  Combined with hand techniques, mental direction, knowledge of the body and aetiology, chan zi jing, is an important part of my Buqi practise.

Once, when Dr Shen was a boy practising An, he first felt this shaking.  Starting from the earth coming into his body through his feet it then developed so quickly that his arms started to shake vigourously.  When Professor Yao Huan Zi saw this reaction he told him: ‘Today you have entered the door of Taiji’.

I look forward to opening more doors this spring.

Bertram

A few of the Taijiwuxigong books ‘Spontaneous Movement for Health and Happiness’ are for sale to students who come to Bertram’s London classes. 

It is an excellent book where Dr Shen presents a lucid and compelling exposition of the Taijiwuxigong system.  For my own training it has furnished me with a clear paradigm in which to understand the exercises and interpret the reactions that arise from their practice.  Furthermore, it expounds the core principles of Taiijiwuxigong so that the practitioner can practice in a safe and purposeful manner.

If you wish to purchase one see me at the classes.