Here are a few examples of Xi Xi Hu. Can you tell which is which? The day after my return home I took a hike with my husband and practiced the whole cycle for Lungs, Heart, Spleen, Kidneys, and Liver on a rock outcrop. I thought of you all as I exchanged energy with the rock, trees, sky, and water. My husband was amused by my eccentric behavior, but not entirely surprised. I felt full of fresh air and joy! I can incorporate the qigong we learned together at home. The struggle for me is to get up with the sunrise for my own practice before I go out to teach my yoga classes.
For my own benefit, I put together a series of qigong and yoga options that align with qigong intentions for Fall. I didn’t include a stance. Practice whichever one calls to you to build up your stamina. I hope you find my summary of many of the self massage techniques she uses in her centering practices helpful. I was particularly struck that both the Dai Mai and the Nourishing Women Qigong called on celestial energy. The qigong color for Fall is White and the element, Metal. Did she purposely chose these forms for Autumn? If I visualize the silvery white light of the night sky, or the pale glow of the early morning sunlight, a focus on the heavenly, metallic orbs seems seasonally appropriate. During my walk along the shore this afternoon, I was almost blinded by the white light of the sun, sparkling off Long Island sound. This week I added moon and star visualizations to my version of the Moon Salutation. My students were noticeably more focused and I hardly needed to make any alignment suggestions.
The Tiger is the animal associated with Fall Qigong. The short White Tiger form is an energizing breath practice in a single stance. There are a variety of tiger frolic walks and she created a more extensive Jade Tiger form, specifically for women. The Jade tiger form mimics the tiger waking up, cleansing herself, and moving through her daily activities. The form is almost a complete practice, warming up slowly and then including a balance of energetic and relaxing movements.
