Ba Duan Jin and The Six Harmonies / Liuhe

Qigong is a wholistic mind-body practice from China that is thousands of years old.

The Ba Duan Jin qigong is one of the most common forms of Chinese qigong used as exercise, some Chinese historical documents put its age anywhere between 2500 - 3600 years old.

Depending on teacher and region of China, the Ba Duan Jin if referred to by different names; Eight Pieces of Brocade, Eight Treasures,  Eight-Section Brocade, Eight Silken Movements or Eight Silk Weaving.The name of the form is a symbolic reference to how the eight individual movements of the form impart a silken quality (like that of a piece of brocade) to the body and its energy. In ancient China, silk brocade vests were highly prized as status symbols, hence the use of the term to demonstrate the high value of this qigong set.

The Ba Duan Jin is most commonly considered a form of medical qigong, because of its effectiveness in strengthening the body and improving a person's overall health. This is a different context than other forms of qigong such as religious or martial sets of qigong. However the Ba Duan Jin has been used by practitioners of all kinds as a strong addition to regular body conditioning and other qigong practices.

This course will outline the concepts of listening to the external Three Harmonies 9feet and hands, knees and elbows, hips and shoulders) to find and learn to listen to the internal Three Harmonies of Qi, Jing and Shen within the movements of the Ba Duan Jin.

This course will focus on Qi 氣 as vitality, energy, force; Jing 精 as essence refined and Shen 神 as the blend of spirit; soul, heart and mind.

Qi (pronounced “chee”) is thought of as the vital force within our bodies. Qi travels through the 12+ meridians ( energy channels) very much like blood through vessels. Qi is often viewed as a 'yang' characteristic of human expression.

Jing, or Essence, is that aspect of the body that is the basis for all growth, development, and sexuality. Original Essence of Jing is that energy that is inherited from one's parents. Jing is often viewed as a 'yin' characteristic of human expression.

One of the greatest valued qualities of the Ba Duan Jin is the benefit to the health of the kidneys. Kidney Essence produces marrow, which then creates bone marrow that fills the spine, bones and spinal cord. As a result, kidney Essence rules over growth, reproduction, and development, and kidney deficiencies can manifest as improper growth and maturation.

Shen represents the forces that shape our personality; physical, mental and spiritual aspects. It is said that the heart houses Shen and it can be observed by trained practitioners through a certain brightness of the eyes and strong physical presence.

Shen disturbances or imbalances commonly manifest as mental disorders. While the concept of Shen is often used as a way to refer to Spirit, it is best not be confuse it with the Christian idea of the spirit. The Shen it is much more about a person's inner light. Shen is the most subtle and invisible of the Three Treasures in Chinese medicine.