5 ANIMAL QIGONG TIGER

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Sheila Benson
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5 ANIMAL QIGONG TIGER Tiger Story Tiger Level I: Tiger Climbs the Mountaintop Tiger Level II: Tiger Descends the

climbing a mountain top; in the second level the tiger descends. In the third level, the tiger is hunting for food.

Each Qigong forms movements in each level which correspond to the name of the Qigong.

The metal element is related to the organ system of the Lungs. The related emotion is grief.

There are several levels which serve to open up the Lung Meridian quite deeply, Level I and Level III being the

2 5 ANIMAL QIGONG TIGER Tiger Story Tiger Level I: Tiger Climbs the Mountaintop Tiger Level II: Tiger Descends the Mountain Tiger Level III: Tiger Hunts for Food Tiger Level IV: Tiger Feasts In the first level, the tiger is climbing a mountain top; in the second level the tiger descends. In the third level, the tiger is hunting for food. Finally, it needs to eat its food. Each Qigong forms movements in each level which correspond to the name of the Qigong. The Tiger contains a lot of twists, which gives a nice compression and expansion of the spleen and liver. This also gets the kidneys. In the 5 Elements, the Tiger is related with the Metal Element of the 5 Element Theory of Chinese Medicine. The metal element is related to the organ system of the Lungs. The related emotion is grief. Deep breathing is an integral part of the Tiger. There are several levels which serve to open up the Lung Meridian quite deeply, Level I and Level III being the deepest. Balancing the Emotions of the 5 Elements The opposing emotions of grief are satisfaction and relief. The tiger had a good long day of roaming and hunting and finally eating. Eating brings much satisfaction and relief to the Tiger, if not every animal. This balances out grief. Metal chops downwards. The Tiger continually moves down in most of the forms, which is a very metal element-like movement. 1 Five Animal Qigong

TIGER LEVEL I 上山虎 Shan Shang Hu Tiger Climbs the Mountaintop Stance: Empty Stance (Xu Bu 虚步 ): Ensure that 99% of the weight is on the back foot, which is turned outwards to a 45-degree

The knees are also in alignment. Empty Stance (Xu Bu 虚步 ) - Anatomical and Physiological Benefits: During the Tiger, the spleen and liver are compressed and squeezed out.

The main tension point is across the middle of the palm which is called the Palm Heart in Chinese ( 心掌 Xin Zhang) Tiger Claw. This activates the Lao Gong Point.

This builds pressure in the meridians and acupuncture points in the hand and in the Lao Gong point.

3 TIGER LEVEL I 上山虎 Shan Shang Hu Tiger Climbs the Mountaintop Stance: Empty Stance (Xu Bu 虚步 ): Ensure that 99% of the weight is on the back foot, which is turned outwards to a 45-degree angle. The front knee is straight and the front foot is directly in front of you. By keeping the knee of the front leg straight and the foot flat, the leg is stretched. The knees are also in alignment. Empty Stance (Xu Bu 虚步 ) - Anatomical and Physiological Benefits: During the Tiger, the spleen and liver are compressed and squeezed out. Tiger Claw ( 虎爪 Hu Zhua): Monkey Hand Hold 30% tension in the hand as you curl the first and second interphalangeal joints of the fingers and thumb. Keep the tension throughout the exercise. The main tension point is across the middle of the palm which is called the Palm Heart in Chinese ( 心掌 Xin Zhang) Tiger Claw. This activates the Lao Gong Point. When practicing Tiger, it is important to always hold tension in the Tiger Claw. Do not let go of the tension. This builds pressure in the meridians and acupuncture points in the hand and in the Lao Gong point. Once you let go of the Tiger Claw when you close, you can feel a surge of Qi energy into the hands and fingers which is quite powerful. It is beneficial for preventing arthritis or for people suffering with arthritis, and is beneficial for people who work on computers a lot. The tiger claw squeezes the Qi into the bones of the hand. It also strengthens the tendons and joints of the hand and increases the gripping strength. 2

Instructions: Begin with Opening 3 times. Body: With the left palm facing up in a tiger claw in front of the body, step out with the left foot while the right foot is turned out to a 45-degree angle.

From here, try to lift it higher until you reach your maximum stretch.

4 Instructions: Begin with Opening 3 times. Body: With the left palm facing up in a tiger claw in front of the body, step out with the left foot while the right foot is turned out to a 45-degree angle. The right hand is at the waist level facing down. Bring the right arm around in a circle until the hand is parallel with your shoulder and the ground. From here, try to lift it higher until you reach your maximum stretch. Simultaneously let the left hand and arm circle behind you in the opposite direction, going to your maximum stretch in that direction. The head is facing down; bring the body down so that the back is straight. You should feel a stretch in the kidneys and compression of the spleen. Turn the right arm from the shoulder to the hand to the right to get a maximum twist. At the same time, rotate the left arm to the left from the shoulder to the hand to get the maximum twist. Then rotate the left arm back to the original position and turn the left foot in a 45-degree angle to the left. Step out in front with the right foot, at the same time circling your arms in the opposite direction so that the right arm goes behind you and the left arm is now in front of you. The eyes should always be looking down at the ground.with each repetition feel as if you are climbing a mountain. Do 6-10 repetitions. Breath: Breathe in when you swing the arms and breathe out as you twist them. Breathe naturally. Learn the advanced breathing technique from a teacher under supervision, otherwise it can be dangerous. Spirit: The feeling is as if you are a tiger climbing to the top of a mountain. In China, the tiger is revered as the king of the animal world. The spirit of the tiger is powerful, strong, confident, and can be fierce if needed. Feel all these feelings coming through each movement. Become the tiger. 3

Anatomical and Physiological Benefits: Fascia/Anatomy Stretches the visceral fascia that surrounds and holds the kidneys Compresses and squeezes the visceral fascia around the spleen and liver Works

The arms move in opposite directions so you get a dynamic cross stretch along the back of the body. Stretches the lower back.

The bending and extending movements can greatly improve the flexibility of the spine that gets rid of muscle stiffness along the spinal column and maintains a healthy function of the torso.

Copyright Anatomy Trains, Thomas Meyers Copyright Anatomy Trains, Thomas Meyers Copyright Anatomy Trains, Thomas Meyers Chinese Medicine Relationship: This motion is a metal-like movement - chopping

5 Anatomical and Physiological Benefits: Fascia/Anatomy Stretches the visceral fascia that surrounds and holds the kidneys Compresses and squeezes the visceral fascia around the spleen and liver Works on the elasticity of the upper body, especially the shoulders. The legs keep the strength and grounding in the feet. The arms move in opposite directions so you get a dynamic cross stretch along the back of the body. Stretches the lower back. The deep stretching on the arms will help loosen up the shoulders, lift up the rib cage, and benefit movement of the lungs. The bending and extending movements can greatly improve the flexibility of the spine that gets rid of muscle stiffness along the spinal column and maintains a healthy function of the torso. The feet and legs remain switched on which provide front to back balance. Dynamic arm movement builds fascia elasticity around the shoulder and brings a cross stretch to the back fascia of the body. Copyright Anatomy Trains, Thomas Meyers Copyright Anatomy Trains, Thomas Meyers Copyright Anatomy Trains, Thomas Meyers Chinese Medicine Relationship: This motion is a metal-like movement - chopping and descending. Practitioners should also be aware that beyond all physical extension and contraction of the movements, it is the internal impact of these movements that brings the long-term healing benefits. In particular, the bending and flexing movement on the Spinal Column will help to activate the meridians along the Du Mai (governing channel), which extends along the posterior midline, and Ren Mai (conception channel), which extends along the anterior midline, which keeps it blockage free, ensures the smooth flow of Qi and blood and promotes the balance of Yin and Yang in our body. 4 Five Animal Qigong

The flat-footed empty stance stretches the Stomach Meridian particularly at the ST-41 ( Jie Xi) point, which is the point that activates this meridian and calms

6 Meridians/Acupuncture Points Targeted: All Meridians of the Arms How it works - the twisting of the arms dilates the meridians in the arms. The secret breathing technique helps further intensify the dilation for further pumping and opening. The flat-footed empty stance stretches the Stomach Meridian particularly at the ST-41 ( Jie Xi) point, which is the point that activates this meridian and calms the spirit. This point is also good for problems in the lower leg and ankle. Dilates the meridians of the arms (lungs, heart, pericardium, triple burner small intestines, large intestines).opens up the Ren and Du Mai (Governing and Conception Vessels). 5

5 ANIMAL QIGONG. Monkey

5 ANIMAL QIGONG. Monkey 1 5 ANIMAL QIGONG Monkey Monkey Story Level I: Monkey Strolls Level II: Monkey Turns to Look at the Moon Level III: Monkey Picks Fruit Level IV: Monkey Serves Fruit The Monkey is related to the Wood Element