Summer time has started and with the weather changing in many places all over the world, we experience different temperatures. Some love it and at the same time many experience it as ‘too hot’ and suffer from it. Teacher Ning shares how to keep an optimal energy level during summer. What should we be aware of to avoid, and what can we do to have optimal energy levels.
First teacher Ning has set up the Qi field. After that…
So now it is getting hot because it is summertime. According to traditional Chinese medicine and Medical Qigong, during the summertime, the heart reacts to the weather. It’s getting hot outside and on the inside of the body the heart reacts to the heat. They have this connection. So during the summer the heart works more than during other seasons.
What happens outside, reflects in the inner organs
What happens outside, the inner organ will react. So, in the winter, the kidneys react more. In the spring season the liver reacts more. In the autumn, the lungs react more. In summertime the heart works harder than other seasons. This is why for people with a heart condition, it can be more difficult to go through the summertime.
Pay more attention to the heart
As Qigong practitioners, we need to pay more attention to the heart. Whatever Qigong practice you do, you can do some healing for the heart, or bring the heart energy go downward intentionally and let it better connect to the kidneys. You can also work more on the lungs and kidneys. The lungs are more contracting and can make balance with the heart. Because if the heart’s energy goes out too much and works too hard – the lungs can close it in more, contracting energy more and let the energy flow downward.
Avoid practicing the liver during summertime. The liver is a sprouting energy. It is too hot right now for that. If you practice the liver, it will generate more heat and then you don’t feel good.
Option 1: practice the heart itself
According to medical Qigong one option is to practice the heart itself and to let the heart Qi flow downward and connect to the kidneys. That is option one.
Option 2: practice lungs and kidneys
Option two is to practice the lungs and the kidneys. To contract more energy and make balance with the situation of the heart.
Do not practice the liver
If you would practice the liver, it is like you burn an extra fire, you put in more wood to the fire. That will produce too much heat.
Practice sounds healing for the heart
In this lesson we will practice the sounds healing for the heart for a while. When the heart works more, it generates more heat. This is why so many people feel it is so hot inside. When we do a practice to the heart, we can lead the Qi of the heart to flow. Then you don’t feel that hot. When you feel very hot inside, you probably need to work to the heart more.
So now we are going to practice the sound healing for the heart.
<video at 12:56 minutes – explanation and short practice of first sound for the heart – ‘zhen’>
<video at 17:42 minutes – explanation of the mudra>
<video at 19:40 minutes – start full practice of first sound for the heart>
<video at 38:00 minutes – showing shenmen point>
Massage Shenmen point
After the sounds we are going to massage Shenmen point – along the pinky finger, on the wrist you can feel a small round bone and a bit of a hole next to it. This is shenmen point. Massaging this point is beneficial for the heart meridian.
Another point: If you feel uncomfortable on the inside of the forearm, in between the two tendons, this relates to the pericardium.
Second sound for the heart, connecting to the kidneys
Now we go to the second sound for the heart. This sound works more to let the heart’s energy flow downwards. To connect with your kidneys Qi.
<video 42:00 minutes – explanation of the second sound – ‘deng’>
<video at 45:20 minutes – start of full practice second sound for the heart>
So, during the practice, sometimes you would feel some reaction from your stomach and the pancreas. Sometimes they make some noise, as if you are hungry, as if the stomach is asking for some food. While we are doing the sounds for the heart, the heart is supporting your pancreas, so this is a natural reaction of the pancreas. This is also a way to treat diabetes. When a person has diabetes, sometimes the solution is to improve the heart and the diabetes is solved.
How often practice this?
How often practice this sound? You don’t need to practice this every day. Just when you feel very hot. For example, in the afternoon around 17.00 hours into the evening. That even when you took a shower and still feel hot. This shows your heart accumulated too much heat. Generally, two times a week is ok. But do check with yourself, when you have this hot feeling around 1700h, you need to pay attention to practice this.
<video at 1:00:18 hours – showing the connecting movement>
Usually after the sounds we make a connecting movement. You place your hands in front of your heart and then bring the energy of the heart down to in front of the kidneys and then the hands are circling in front of the kidneys. Gathering energy to the kidneys. You can close your eyes.
Finish with putting your hands on top of each other on your lower abdomen. Nourish Qi.
So, usually we just practice this option 1 and focus on the heart. This is enough for safely going through the summertime.
If you want to practice action to, lungs and kidneys, some of you have learned before. Today we will not focus on that, because the main solution is this option one of practicing the heart and ending at the kidneys.
Qigong practice is something flexible. It needs to follow the changes of what is going on outside. When I was at the Qigong center, we learned and taught students to just do the exercises. But it is something flexible. We need to follow a lot of principles. We need to know some associations, the relationships.
Enjoy your summer time and your vacation.
In case you do like to explore the second option teacher Ning has introduced:
>> teacher Ning on How to practice Lungs
>>teacher Ning on How to practice Kidneys