week 1 of the Qigong video link series is EARTH
This week’s qigong class focuses on the element earth and its corresponding organs, the spleen (yin organ), and the stomach (yang organ). The corresponding sense organ is the mouth (taste). The healing sound is “Whoo” and the energy colour is yellow. Earth is the element at the center of all the other elements and their seasons, where life originally arises.
Our source of nourishment, grounding, gravity, and stability, earth is our mother and she is our home.
Physically, the spleen, which is about the same size as the heart and sits just behind the stomach on the left side of the body, is an important organ of digestion. It governs our food-Qi by extracting and converting the pure essence of our food and liquid. It is also the site where white blood cells work to prevent infection, where lymphocytes are produced to destroy and recycle old red blood cells, and where blood is stored for emergencies.
Energetically, the earth provides us with a center, enabling us to balance our lives and live with harmony. Emotionally, earth element helps us to digest, or absorb, our life experiences.
The acquired emotions or states of the spleen may include worry, anxiety, nervousness, overthinking, obsession, and self-worth issues. The balancing and natural virtues of the spleen include trust, openness, resolution, centeredness, balance, and equanimity.
Imbalance, blocks, excess or deficiency in the earth energy may show up as mouth sores, digestive ailments, fatigue, weight challenges, allergies, chronic immune disorders, candidiasis, disrupted cycles, and addiction. The classic symptom of earth element imbalance is seen in the person who has difficulty receiving love and support, but is very good at giving it to others.
As always, the other elements (and organs) play a role in the health of the spleen and balance of earth element. Wood (liver) regulates earth (spleen), just as tree roots hold soil. Also, earth (spleen) generates metal (lungs). Compassion and kindness (liver) can help to regulate worry and imbalance (spleen). The ability to trust, be open and take in nourishment (spleen) can result in the production of integrity and strength (metal).
Flowing and balanced spleen Qi helps us to find our balance, our center, to take in life and to trust in the divine unfolding of our journey.
This week we will use the inner smile meditation and spleen healing sound to practice the alchemy of transforming held or stuck worry and anxiety, inviting our natural virtues of trust and openness to expand. Our self-acupressure will focus on the spleen and stomach meridians.
We will practice Earth Qigong, and the Daoist Five tonifying movement for the Spleen, as well as Shibashi movements.
I’m looking forward to practicing with you.
Namaste,
Sandra
© Sandra Tonn
Spring is the first season in the cycle of nature and wood is a good representation of this beginning. This season has the energy, the Qi or life force, of wood—like a tree rooting into the earth at the same time it reaches for the sky. A lovely balance, like the balance of yin and yang energies in spring.
#7 – Bending Over and Stretching Back
#5 – Swaying the Trunk and Swinging the Tail
#3 – Separating Heaven and Earth
#1 – Holding up the Heavens
Ancient silk drawings show qigong practitioners moving through the exercises of Pal Dan Gum or the 8 Silken Movements (also known as “Ba Duan Jing”). The practice has been used in China and Korea for many thousands of years to develop and maintain radiant health, inside and out, by improving Qi (energy) flow through the body’s energy pathways. Physically, the practice stretches the tendons, making them as supple and resilient as silk in order to enjoy good posture, flexibility, and movement and also prevent injuries. Energetically, the movements activate and balance all of the 12 organ meridians and 8 extraordinary channels, which is why it is considered a complete qigong practice, even though it does not take long to do.
Following nature’s lead, this series of Dao yoga classes will embrace the power and depth of stillness and quiet. Now is the time to recharge and rejuvenate our physical and energy bodies. The yin organs that resonates with this cool, dark season are the kidneys—our energy batteries and the home of our original Qi (life force energy).
Lao Tzu said, “Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them—that only creates sorrow. Let things flow naturally in whatever way they like.”
Breath with mindfulness and posture = qigong. All three, together, help to bring about the state in which we can improve digestion, remove energy blocks, and move stagnant energy, allowing Qi—life force energy—to flow. When Qi flows, we are healthy and can digest our food and our life experiences as nature intended.