Five Animals Qigong

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Each class begins with a standing meditation and a series of warm-up qigong movements. We then practice the Five Animal movements. This is followed by a short discussion and a sitting meditation.

This first lesson introduces each of the Five Animals: Tiger, Deer, Monkey, Bear & Bird (or crane). We practice the five movement sequence and I discuss the relation between the Five Animals and the Chinese Five Phase (Element) Theory.

This lesson we go deeper into the Tiger.

Each animal has five movements of its own and this lesson covers:

Tiger Emerges from Its Cave

Tiger Pounces

The nature of the Tiger movements are soft but powerful, fluid and dynamic. Understanding the movements helps us understand the nature of each animal and bring this quality into our practice. 

This lesson we get to complete the five Tiger movements.

Each animal has five movements of its own and this lesson covers:

Tiger Leaps

Tiger Contends

Tiger Rests

The nature of the Tiger movements are soft but powerful, fluid and dynamic. It is important to avoid tension when practicing the Tiger movements, so the spontaneous nature of the Tiger can be expressed. Understanding the movements helps us understand the nature of each animal and bring this quality into our practice. 

This lesson we look at additional movements for the Deer:

Deer Looks Behind

Deer Leaps

Deer Contends

The nature of the Deer movements are stable and upright, emphasing structure & stability. Understanding the movements helps us understand the nature of each animal and bring this quality into our practice. 

This lesson we look at complete the five movements for the Deer with:

Deer Stretches

Deer Prepares for Night

The nature of the Deer movements are stable and upright, emphasing structure & stability. The movements focus on the bones & regulate fear by cultivating trust. Understanding the movements helps us understand the nature of each animal and bring this quality into our practice. 

This lesson we introduce the Five Monkey Movements:

Monkey Shakes Mud From Its Fur

Monkey Pushes the Boat

Monkey Picks Up The Fruit

The nature of the Monkey is light and aglie, with a higher centre of gravity compared to the other animals. Understanding the movements helps us understand the nature of each animal and bring this quality into our practice. 

This lesson we look complete the movements for the Monkey:

Monkey Present the Peach

Monkey Taps 5 Acupoints

The nature of the Monkey movements are light and agile, emphasing turning to change direction. Finding the stillpoint around which this rotation happens leads to a deper understandning of the Monkey.

This lesson explores the Bear movements:

Bear Scratches Its Back

Bear Pushes The Ball

Bear Stirs the Pot

The nature of the Bear movements is stable and rolling. It is associated with the muscles and with digestion. The rhythm of the movements is an important part of practice the Bear.

This class also discusses the five hand shapes for the animals: claw, fist, hook, palm & fan.

This class completes the five movement for the Bear:

Bear Balances

Bear Stretches

The quality of the Bear movements is rhythmic and steady. It is associated with the digestion of both food (nutrition) and ideas (thinking). Alternating between action & rest is part of the quality of the Bear movements because of this.

This class looks at the Bird (crane) and three of the five Brid (crane) movements:

Crane Flies Through The Woods

Crane Spreads Its Wings

Crane Soars

The quality of the Bird movements is open & extended. It is associated with the skin and the surface of the body.

This final class completes the Bird (crane) movements and sumarrizes the Five Animals

The crane movement covered in this class:

Crane Lands On The Treetop

Crane Rests For The Night

The Five Animals can be practiced using one movement from each animal, using several movements from each animal, just practicing movements of one animals and even simply taking one move and repeating it again and again.

There are many variations of the movments and the ways t o practice them. In part, this is becuase the intent is the most imporant part. The movements are a way to communicate this intent and cultivate it in your practice.

Thank you for being a part of this class!

Keep practicing, keep learning!