The Four Seasons Qigong: Winter & Spring Sets

The Four Seasons Medical Qigong practice consists of four parts--the Spring, Summer & Fall, and the Year-round Triple Warmer routines. These routines are designed to harmonize the flow of Qi and positively affect one’s spirit, mind, and organs in relation to the changes intrinsic in each season.? ?Combining movement, organ-specific sounds, breathing, and self-massage, the Four Seasons Medical Qigong routines for Winter and Spring benefit the Kidneys and the Liver respectively. LEARNING OBJECTIVES In the First hour, participants will: - Learn the theory of the qualitative shift of Qi during Winter and how this seasonal change can affect one’s mind, emotions, and organs. Additionally, participants will learn the appropriate time to transition into, begin, and end a season’s practice. - Learn which Yin organ (the Kidneys) is related to Winter, its energetic pathway (meridian), its sound, and its associated external sensory organ (the ears). - Learn the four (4) postures of the Winter set and appropriate modifications of the movements for specific purposes in order to promote Qi flow, organ health, and seasonal harmony. - Practice the four (4) postures of the Winter set as a sequence incorporating the proper number of repetitions and using the appropriate breathing strategy. - Learn and practice the related self-massage at the conclusion of the Winter set to further enhance the benefits of doing the sequence. In the Second hour, participants will: - Learn the theory of the qualitative shift of Qi during Spring and how this seasonal change can affect one’s mind, emotions, and organs. Additionally, participants will learn the appropriate time to begin to transition into, begin, and end a season’s practice. - Learn which Yin organs (the Liver and Spleen) are related to Spring, its energetic pathway (meridian), its sound, and its associated external sensory organ (the eyes and mouth). - Learn the four (4) postures of the Spring set and appropriate modifications of the movements for specific purposes in order to promote Qi flow, organ health, and seasonal harmony. - Practice the four (4) postures of the Spring set as a sequence incorporating the proper number of repetitions and using the appropriate breathing strategy. - Learn and practice the related self-massage at the conclusion of the Spring set to further enhance the benefits of doing the sequence. Participants will receive a handout describing all of the above. The class is experiential. Participants will practice each of the postures and sequences several times. An important benefit is the practical application of this Qigong series to promote an embodied experience of equanimity for the acupuncturist. It is also a potential adjunctive tool to share with those being treated.