RAISING YOUR HEELS AND BENDING BACKWARD SEVEN TIMES , ALL OF YOUR DISEASES WILL DISAPPEAR – SIXTH BROCADE
This is the sixth of eight exercises known as the Eight Pieces of Brocade or Ba Duan Jin . These Dao Yin are over 900 years old and one of my essential exercises . These are foundational exercises that prepare the body for receiving and storing energy . These are not to be confused with other moving qigong that are often practiced after the stillness portion of the training . These eight exercises balance the energy and emotions in the simplest terms . This exercise is called ” Raising Your Heels and Bending Backward Seven Times, All of Your Diseases will Disappear ” and is used to strengthen the Kidneys . When the Kidneys are strong, the endocrine system is strong as well . When the endocrine system is healthy, the bloodstream will have an abundance of hormones and endorphins . When these are plentiful , they will create a sense of vigor and wellbeing . To start the exercise step out to the left and Hook Step into a Natural Stance . The open hands first coil down the side seams in opposition of the crown point rising to stabilize while hook stepping. Once the heel is set, turn the waist forward, drilling downward while Guiding & Guarding the open palms up to the ” Holding the Camera” position. This is the opening movement .Then exhale and Guide & Guard the hands down towards the Kua or Inguinal Crease and seat the palms. Inhale and let the palms relax and hang at side center. Exhale and close and slide the palms up the back to align the Lao Gong ( PC 8) with the Shen Shu ( BL 23) . Now, inhale and raise your heels off of the floor and arch your back while looking upward no more than 45 degrees above the horizon . Then exhale with a silent “HA” sound releasing energy from the Lao Gong Points into the Shen Shu Points while lowering the heels slowly and closing again. ( When you inhale, the spine opens in the front and closes in the back. When you exhale , the front closes and the back opens) . This makes one cycle. Repeat this exercise for seven cycles. Then inhale while letting the arms release and hang at side center . Then exhale to connect with the hands. Then inhale Guiding & Guarding the hands up with the eyes and then rotating around the still elbows Guide & Guard the hands downward with an exhale while pressing downward to the level of the Solar Plexus then continue pressing downward while the eyes and crown point press upward in balanced opposition . Then relax when complete .