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Theory & Efficacy
The Function of the Routine “Lotus Flower Appears above the Water”
2016-09-20
The Function of the Routine “Lotus Flower Appears above the Water”
Every movement in Health Qigong embodies the connotation of the meridian theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Taking the routine Lotus Flower Appears above the Water (Fu Rong Chu Shui) in the Health Qigong-12-Step Daoyin Health Preservation Exercises as the example, I will explain the theories and functions of this routine combining with the meridian theory.
The first movement is that the left foot stepping to the left with inhaling, while both arms rotating inward, the hand backs closing up and raising upward. The continuous movement can stretch the three yin meridians of hand and three yang meridians of hand. And overlaying the wrists can massage the three yin meridians of hand and three yang meridians of hand. Then rolling the fingers and filliping the nails can stimulate the Well Acupoints (Jing Acupoints) of the three yin meridians of hand and three yang meridians of hand. The Well Acupoints (Jing Acupoints) are compared as the source of water by the traditional Chinese medicine, which are the origins of Qi of the meridians. Therefore, rolling the fingers and filliping the nails can also start the Well Acupoints (Jing Acupoints). Both palms separate respectively to the left and right to the height of the shoulder, with palms facing up. It can smooth the three yin meridians of hand and three yang meridians of hand, which contributes to strengthen the heart and lung, lubricate the intestines and regulate the triple energizers, etc.
The second movement is that the center of gravity moves to the left foot with the exhale, right foot falling aside behind the left foot, and toes touching the ground. It is the coiled roots step. This movement aims to clear the three yin meridians of foot and three yang meridians of foot, which contributes to harmonizing the stomach and spleen, soothing the liver and gallbladder, as well as strengthen the kidneys and waist. The basis lies in two points. First, the three yin meridians of foot spreads in the inside of the leg. The spleen meridians of foot-taiyin origins from the end of the hallux toes and spreads along the inside of the hallux toes. The frequent stimulation of Yinbai acupoints, namely the well points of spleen meridians, has a certain effect on abdominal distension, hematochezia, nixie, menorrhagia and uterine bleeding, etc. The meridians spread up to the front of the medial malleolus along the inside of shinbone, passing through the knees and the inside of the front thigh, entering into the abdomen and contacting the stomach. Kidney meridians of foot-shaoyin origins from the lower end of the little toes, spread obliquely toward the soles of the feet. The frequent stimulation of Yongquan acupoints, namely the well points of spleen meridians, has a certain effect on the head pain, dizziness, constipation, dysuria, epilepsy and dysphoria in the soles, etc. The meridians spread below the scaphoid bone, the branches spread into the heels along the back of the medial malleolus, going upward along the inside of the crus and posterior thigh through the popliteal, and then going upward through the spine, which belong to the kidneys and connect the vesica. The liver meridians of foot-jueyin origins from the fetlock on the back of the hallux toes. The frequent stimulation of Yongquan acupoints, namely the well points of spleen meridians, have a certain effect on the hernia, vagina contraction, pudendum pain, irregular menstruation, vaginal bleeding, hematuria, enuresis, leaching and other diseases. They go upward along the dorsum of the foot to the front of the medial malleolus, and then along the inside of the tibia, knees and the inside of the thighs into the pubes around the genitals, reaching to the lower abdomen, relying on the stomach side, which belong to the liver and connect the gall bladder.
Second, three yang meridians of foot is in the outside of the leg. The stomach meridian of foot-yangming origins near the nose. Its branches are divided from the place where 3 inches below the knees, going down into the outside of the middle toe and to the toe end. The frequent stimulation of Lidui acupoints, namely the well points of the stomach meridians, has a certain effect on the swollen face, tooth pain, foot pain, fever, etc. The urinary bladder meridian of foot-taiyang origins from the inside canthus (Jingming acupoint), going upward through the forehead and intersecting on the top of head. Another meridian on the back going downward respectively from the inside of the shoulder through the scar, passing through the hip joint, going down along the back of the thigh and joining in the popliteal fossa, going down through the gastrocnemius muscle, going to the outside of the little toe along the fifth tuberosity, connecting the kidney meridians of foot-shaoyin. The frequent stimulation of Zhiyin acupoints, namely the well points of the bladder meridians, has a certain effect on the headache, eye pain, nasal congestion, etc. The gallbladder meridian of foot-shaoyang origins from the canthus, going up to the head angle, and then down to the back of ear, going down to the seventh cervical along the neck, returning to supraclavicular fossa, going down to the axilla along the side of the chest, going through the lateral thorax and joining at the hip, then going down along the thigh and the outer edge of the knee, going along the front of the fibula and going out of the front of lateral fibula, going to the end and the outside of the forth toes along the acrotarsium. The frequent stimulation of Zuqiaoyin acupoints, namely the well points of the gallbladder meridians, has a certain effect on the migraines, dizziness, deafness, tinnitus, chest pain, dreaminess, etc. The left foot and right foot respectively fall aside behind the other, which has started the well acupoints and stimulates the related acupoints.
The coiled roots step can stretch and massage the eight extra meridians, which effectively contributes to the improvement of human health and preventive treatment of diseases. Here are two examples.
Case one: keeping the coiled roots step, the palms gently clench, the right fist falls on the front of right chest and the left fist falls on the left hip, the tiger's mouth is inward 30 cm from the hip, gradually clench the fist. Finally, the middle finger touches Laogong acupoint, which is the well point of the pericardium meridians. Stimulating Laogong acupoint can prevent and control the diseases, such as cardiodynia, stroke, sunstroke, vomit, etc. Cases two: keeping the coiled roots step, the palms turn into fists, the right fist falls on the front of right chest, and the left fist falls near the left hip. At the same time, turn the head slowly to the left. Turning head can stimulate the Dazhui acupoint, which is the meeting point of the six yang meridians. It is in the seventh cervical spinous process and on the posterior midline. The frequent stimulation of Dazhui acupoint has a certain effect on the migraines, dizziness, deafness, tinnitus, chest pain, dreaminess, etc. There is Dingchuan acupoint next to the Dazhui acupoint. Stimulating the Dingchuan acupoint can prevent and cure asthma, cough, stiff neck, shoulder pain, causalgia in upper limb and other diseases. So turning head should be in the most significant way, in order to achieve the best results.
The third movement is to turn the fists into palms with the inhale, put palms roots together before the chest like the lotus. The body slowly rises up like a lotus rising out of water, which brings us a clean and beautiful mood. The right foot step to the right, with the toe touching ground first (It aims to avoid a measured gait with the toes pointing outwards), and then the center of gravity is moved to between the legs, popping up the palms as the body rises, which can not only regulate the triple energizers, but also massage the internal organs .
The forth movement is to the center of gravity is moved to the right foot with the breath, the right leg is slightly bent; the left foot closes to right foot. Separate both palms respectively to the left and right side of the body. Look straight ahead. (Make the sound of "Si" while exhaling, which belongs to the lung meridians and mind concentration on the Taiyuan acupoint) Separate both palms respectively to the left and right can regulate the lung meridians; and mind concentration on the Taiyuan acupoint can dredge the lung meridians. The lung governs Qi, connecting with all meridians of the body. The circulation of blood depends on the motivation of Qi, so it can regulate the circulation of Qi and blood of the body. Stimulating the Taiyuan acupoint, which belongs to the yuan-primary point and shu-stream point of the lung meridians, can prevent and control the wrist pain, cough, asthma, hemoptysis, chest pain and other diseases.
The movements aim to adjust the body and exercise the meridians. Accompanying with the fine and deep abdominal breathing, they are the needs to prolong the life. The longevity is called "Qi Shu (fortune destiny)" in the folk. The common understanding is that “Qi Shu” (fortune destiny) refers to the number of breaths. The number of breaths is limited. "One's days are numbered" which means one's life is over. So if we want to extend the life, it is necessary to reduce the number of breaths per minute.
So, Tao Yin health preserving experts all advocate "breathing to the navel", and they say that "if people breathe to the navel, it will prolong the life."
Chuang Tzu advocated "breathing to heels", heels are the lower parts of the body. Actually, it refers to the deep breathing, which is called "breathing to the roots". The Returning to the roots means to be quiet and returning to the life, so as to achieve longevity.
We should inhale lightly and exhale slowly, gradually learn the deep abdominal breathing when breathing. Abdominal breathing -- the diaphragm muscles go down and the abdomen is convex when inhaling; the diaphragm muscles go up and the abdomen is concave to increase the depth of breathing when exhaling. There are the diaphragm, the upper and lower thoracic cavity, as well as the intercostal muscles. The heart is on the top, the liver, gallbladder, stomach, spleen are in the middle, the large intestine, small intestine, kidney, bladder are in the below part. The contraction of the diaphragm will lengthened the chest, the abdominal pressure is increased. The changing barometric pressures contribute to the breath.
Because the contraction of diaphragm, the liver and gallbladder in one side and the spleen and stomach in another side are affected, thus improving the blood circulation and smooth the qi, so the deep abdominal breathing can strengthen the main organs of the body and smooth the blood circulation. So the exercisers should gradually learn the deep abdominal breathing in the practice of Health Qigong.
After being skilled in the methods, the exercisers should gradually combine with the ideas. In such a way, the exercisers are not easily distracted, and it can strengthen physical health. In the Huangdi Neijing-Su Wen (Inner Canon of Yellow Emperor-Plain Questions), Huangdi asked Qibo that what should be prepared in the patient's bedroom? Qi Bo said that first of all to keep up your spirits and imagine that a kind of yang qi is developed in your heart to enrich yourself, and then imagine that green qi developed from the liver guards the east and turn into the woods; imagine that white qi developed from the lung guards the west and turn into the armours and weapons; imagine that red qi developed from the heart guards the south and turn into the shining brilliance; imagine that black qi developed from the kidney guards the north and turn into cold pure water; but also imagine that yellow qi developed from the spleen guards the middle and turn into the soil used for the growth of everything; finally imagine that there is the Big Dipper shining on your head. Only with refreshing sprits and being full of healthy qi, you can enter the patient's bedroom. The ancients tell us that ideas can also keep fit and heal the diseases. In order to confirm that the mind concentration can keep fit, my teacher has found 35 middle aged and elderly people to do a contrast experiment of mind concentration on the Laogong acupoints for three minutes. After the mind concentration practice, their skin temperatures near the Laogong acupoints have increased at an average of 0.5 degrees. It indicates that the distal artery spasm of the body is healed and the blood circulation accelerates, which can strengthen the body. Mind concentration does not mean to pay attention to it, but exercisers should not practice unintentionally.
Exercisers should concentrate in a state between being intentional and being unintentional, as well as keep the mind continuously.
by Meng Xia
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