Maoshan 5 Elements Chi Gung – this breathing and standing Chi Gung will allow one to balance the five main organs of the body.There are 5 postures that one stands and holds. One for each element and an part of the body.
1. Wood: stand with hands straight to sides
2. Fire: stand with hands in front of you with thumbs at eye brow level.
3. Earth: stand with hands in front of stomach area.
4. Metal: stand with hands straight up, shoulder level.
5. Water: stand with hands on side of body shoulders and elbows tucked.
This practice was taught to me in 2 variations:
- Martial arts style: you do each posture for 7 or more
First time you try and do it within 1 minute or so you will have a hard time keeping the posture. It sound simple and easy, but since body is not used to it, mind and start complaning. In old days, a student would be asked to hold one of the postures for 2 days before being accepted into a monastery.
- Tai chi, you do 5 postures in a flow.
You do the same excercises but in a flow slowly moving from one posture to another. A much easier way fo doing it
Its supposed to be a Grounding practice, If your mind is all over, it bring you back to ground and you become aware of your body, chi. It strengthens your body internally.
When you start out, always bend you knees enough that you cant see your toes. It’s a relaxed position that you can hold for longer period. The more bent you can handle as more advanced you are. Its like the Chinese martial arts horse stance.
Then you put one hand on the other in front of shoulders - crossing your hands.
Bend slightly to front, push hips back slightly – correcting your posture
And from this you move hands out to sides – wood.
He said the following as doing the tai chi form:
Wood (Liver) is consumed by Fire
Fire (heart) creates ash (earth)
Earth (spleen) creates metal
Metal (lungs) is tonified by
Water (kidneys).
Wood - liver, gall bladder
Fire - heart, small intestine
Earth - stomach, spleen
Metal - lungs, large intestine
Water - kidneys, bladder
Video on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/v/O0Mg5wiiBdY&hl=en