Qigong exercise has been shown to offer many health benefits. A study at the University of Bonn in Germany showed that Parkinson's disease patients' symptoms improved with the practice of qigong. The Qigong Institute of California showed that a combination of qigong and drugs offered therapeutic benefits to cancer patients and reduced symptoms in those suffering with asthma. There are many qigong exercises but the Eight Pieces of Brocade are the most popular and are completed in a set.
Pressing the Heavens
Stand, relaxed, with your arms at your side and your feet about shoulder-width apart. Slowly and deeply inhale as you raise your arms in wide arcs until your hands overlap over your head. Hold your palms upwards. Push your palms toward the sky and stand on your toes as you hold your breath for a few seconds. Return to your heels and exhale deeply as you slowly return your arms to the starting position.
Archer
Stand with your feet about two shoulder-widths apart. Place both palms on the solar plexus, or the pit of the stomach. Inhale deeply as you raise your arms to your chest and then rotate your waist and arms so they extend out of the left side of your body. Your left palm should face the east while your right arm pulls back an imaginary bow. Breathe deeply as you repeat the "bow pulling" motion eight times and switch sides.
Seperate Heaven and Earth
Stand with feet about shoulder-width apart. Place your right hand, palm down, above the solar plexus and your left hand, palm up, below the solar plexus. Simultaneously extend your right hand up and your left arm down. Fluidly, return your right arm down and your left arm back up but place your right hand, palm up, below the solar plexus and the left hand above the solar plexus, palm down. Extend your left arm up and right arm down. Repeat the motion eight times rotating between arms while breathing deeply.
Pushing the Mountains Aside
Stand in a squatting position with your legs about two shoulder-widths apart. Place your hands on your hips. Turn your waist to the left until your elbow is pointing north. Return to starting position and repeat seven times. Perform the exercise again for the opposite side.
Look Back
Stand up straight with your hands on your hips, palms down, and your feet about shoulder-width apart. Inhale and gently turn your head to the left as far as you can. Exhale and slowly return head to starting position and then turn the head to the right. Repeat eight times.
Punching Angrily
Stand in a squatting position with your feet about two shoulder-widths apart. Use your right arm and punch it, fiercely, across your body toward the left side. Use your left arm to punch across to the right side. Exhale as you punch and inhale as you pull your arm back.
Bouncing on Toes
Place your hands on your hips. Bend your left knee and place your right leg about a foot in front of the left. The right foot should be on its toes. Raise your body up and down taking slow, deep breaths, eight times. Repeat for the opposite side.
Toe Bend
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Place your hands on your hips and slowly allow them to travel down your legs to your toes as you bend your knees. Exhale deeply as you bend down. Hold for a few seconds and exhale as you stand back up, keeping your hands on your legs at all times.
Member Comments