Try Eight Direction Exercise for Health and Longivity
Yin Yang Bafang Gong 陰陽八方功
Note: perform each movement 3x
Starting position:
Start with feet spread shoulder width apart and hands resting at side ofbody. Stand erect with back straight, lifting the crown of the head to the sky, and relaxing the chin. Stand in a relaxed position; specifically, with the knee and hip joints relaxed. Your mind should be concentrated on the Dantian 丹田region, four finger widths below the belly button.
Part 1
Movement 1 to 4
1. Breathing Gently and Relaxing
Inhale, lifting the arms in a circular motion with the palms facing
upward. When the hands reach above your head with palms facing down,
exhale, starting to press down towards the ground.
2. Turning and Pointing Back
Raise your arms to shoulder height, pointing the index fingers of each
hand. Inhale, rotating at the waist to the left, your eyes following the index
fingers. Imaging chi going to the tip of the index finger. As you turn,
pivot on the ball of the big toe on the foot opposite the direction turned.
Exhale, rotating at the waist back to the original position. Facing forward,
lower the hands to waist level, imagining chi sinking down to the dantian.
Perform for the right side.
3. Stretching the Side of Your Body
Inhale, bending at the left waist towards the ground. Left hand is flat
on the side of the body, extending down, while the right elbow is simultane
ously rising up along the body towards the shoulder, stretching it.
4. Stretching the Thighs and Relaxing the Hip Joints
Spread feet wide apart, with feet parallel towards the front. Bend the
left knee, while maintaining the right leg fully extended. Press down with
the right hand on the right hip joint and inhaling raise the left arm up to the
sky. Exhale, bending at the right waist, keeping the left arm near the left
ear and your weight on your left heel. Extend the upper body, stretching
the right inner thigh; do not collapse your upper body. Perform on the right
side.
