Qigong is the only exercise I know that exercises the internal organs. We don't usually think about our internal organs until they go wrong. But our internal organs govern our body. If our internal organs are well and healthy then we are well and healthy. If our internal organs aren't functioning properly then neither are we.
Deep abdominal breathing has been shown to reduce cortisol, a stress hormone in our body. When we do Shaolin Qigong, we practice an even more powerful form of breathing which is reverse breathing. If you already practice The Eight Treasures Qigong or Yi Jin Jing then you know about this breathing. The potency is even stronger in Bone Marrow Cleansing Qigong ( Xi Sui Jing) because - in some of these Qigong exercises - we use power on the inhale instead of the exhale.
This powerful form of breathing makes the circulation flow from our feet to out head in a circular movement. This unique breathing method is, I believe, one of the most important things we can do for your health.
When students learn Bone Marrow Cleansing Qigong, they usually only learn the 1st part which I teach in my DVD. The first part is when we cleanse our mind and body. This sitting Qigong helps us to focus. Through the movements and breathing, our mind starts to calm and we cut the circle of thought so we can access a Zen-like state.
With this Zen-like focus, we then move onto the next 3 stages of the Qigong. The process we go through is similar to when we wash clothes. First, we cleanse the body, then we lock the joints, then we wring out our internal organs then we use the bamboo brush to dry out the body.
As we get older, the production of new blood cells slows down. Shaolin Monks believe that this Qigong prevents the degeneration of the bone marrow so that the production of new blood cells continues at a similar pace to when we were younger.
Shaolin Monks practice Yi Jin Ying and XI Sui Jing together. It doesn't matter which one you learn first. They complement each other. Yi Yin Jing makes our body strong. Xi Sui Jing cleanses our body and changes our muscles and tendons. These two Qigong forms are arguably the most important Qigong forms to come out of the Shaolin Temple and sadly the most misunderstood.
I think it's because many people can't grasp the unique combination of Yin and Yang training that is needed to waken the body. Partly because I've trained in Iron Shirt since I was sixteen-years-old, I have a thorough grounding in how the Shaolin Temple combine Yin and Yang in a Qigong form. It's unique to the temple. Not wanting this Qigong to be misused, these teachings have only been taught within the temple walls. And, like Chinese whispers, the actual teachings that come out of the temple, tend not to be taught by students of the temple, and rarely have any resemblance to the true authentic form.
This is sad because both of these forms are very powerful for the body. I feel that this is one of the best things we can do for our health. And this is my gift to you, I use my heart to teach this form, I put a lot of effort into how to teach you in a relevant way that you can understand and gain the knowledge and the experience.
Once it's yours, nothing and no one can take it away. It's yours for the rest of your life. At the Shaolin Temple, we say that Xi Sui Jing will make our body become its own doctor.
Recently, a student of mine kept getting ear and chest infections, they were so severe that she had to take antibiotics. Clearly, her immune system was compromised. For this, the prescription is Xi Sui Jing - focusing specifically on the 3rd and 4th parts of the form. This strengthens her from the inside out so she doesn't keep getting infections again.
I don't mean that you should ignore modern medicine. If I ever had a serious illness, I would go to the doctor and get treatment. What I mean is that through strengthening the internal organs, our body works at its optimum. This Qigong is like a reset for the body. Due to the internal organs working at their optimum, this energy-generating Qigong protects and looks after our body.
Shifu Yan Lei is teaching an online course in Bone Marrow Cleansing Qigong. Click HERE for more details.