Bend-down #3, front view - 03/03/09 (Winter)
BLEND SKY & EARTH ENERGY
Blend sky energy with earth energy inside the body.
One of the central observations of Taoism: a human being stands between Heaven and Earth. Feet on the ground. Head rising toward the sky. Very much like a tree, which has roots in the ground and branches reaching up to the sky.
Sky energy meets earth energy inside the human body. The abdominal tan-tien, close to the gravitational center of the human body (the physical point around which the entire body would spin if it were set freely spinning in space), is an important meeting place where sky energy connects with earth energy, and is circulated throughout the entire body.
To maintain long-term health, it's important to harmonize oneself with these vast cosmic forces that are passing through the body during every moment of one's existence.
Many Taoist-inspired exercises involve "scooping" up earth energy, bringing it into the vicinity of the abdominal tan-tien, and blending it with sky energy that enters the body through the head, and through uplifted arms.
Another important tenet of Taoist practice: there are three major "tan-tiens," or energy centers, in the human body. One is in the area of the head / brain. Another in the region of the heart. The third in the lower abdominal area.
There's also an energy gate known as the "Bubbling Well" near the center of each foot's sole, through which earth energy enters the body.
And an energy point at the top of the head, where sky energy enters the human body.
Many of the exercises that I do daily are based on this concept of blending sky energy with earth energy inside the body, and harmonizing the energies for long-term health by circulating them through these 3 tan-tiens. These 3 tan-tiens can be thought of as power centers which help distribute "chi" throughout the rest of the body. When chi runs smoothly through all the circuits / meridians of the body, long-term health is the result.
This idea that "smoothly flowing chi is an essential ingredient of long-term health" is a major tenet of Eastern medicine, and is the underlying basis of preventive medicine exercises such as chi kung and tai chi.
"Bone breathing" is also a major component of my exercises. Porous bones are imagined and eventually experienced as being like hollow straws. They can suck energy into themselves, like a vacuum cleaner. They can also blow energy out of themselves, like a leaf blower. Earth energy can be sucked upwards from the ground through the legs. Sky energy can be pulled into the body through the head and uplifted arms. Energy can also be sent back into the earth through the legs, and out toward the sky through head and arms.
Throughout this video, please note how many times my arms rise toward the sky. I am intentionally pulling sky energy into my body every time my arms rise upward and return toward my center.
Also, please note how many times I bend down close to the earth, and "scoop" up earth energy with my arms, returning to a central position with my arms in the vicinity of my abdominal tan-tien. I am scooping up earth energy and blending it with the sky energy I bring into my body from above.
I'm also consciously "sucking" earth energy upward through my legs toward my abdominal tan-tien. And "sinking" sky energy down from my head to the abdominal tan-tien. I then consciously circulate the resulting blend of energy (chi) throughout my body, in coordination with deep abdominal breathing.
One doesn't have to be a Taoist to improve one's health with these types of outdoor, fresh air, deep-breathing, chi-circulating exercises. They can benefit any human being who walks on this planet and, like me, stands between earth and sky.
ChiGuy396
ChiGuy396@yahoo.com
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