TAIJI HEALING:

By Erle Montaigue

There are three areas of Taijiquan healing. The first area is that of healing oneself. Here, we use the postures from the Taijiquan form as a qigong exercise. The ancients who
invented the postures of what is today known as Taijiquan had an in-depth knowledge of what movements caused what meridians and hence what organs to be worked thus
sending life-giving and healing Qi to that particular part of the body. The movements were based upon martial arts as China's history is steeped in the wushu or 'war arts'. So
they worked out what movements caused Qi to be sent to the area that was doing the work and through which organs etc. So a movement such as "Brush Knee and Twist
Step" sent the Qi through the heart in order to do that kind of work dictated by the application of the movement. Hence it is very important to also know about the martial
applications of the form so that the mind is able to visualize these applications thus fooling the subconscious into sending Qi to these areas to do that kind of work.

The second area is that of teaching others to do the moments so that they are able to gain the healing benefits from the postures. So the Taiji 'doctor' would send his patient
home with a posture to perform, as well as some herbs to take to enhance the movement.

The last area is that of 'Medical Taijiquan' where the 'doctor' actually performs the martial arts applications (in a soft, healing manner) on the patient. Another important
reason to know the martial applications.

You cannot divorce the martial from the healing, to do so you are not performing real Taijiquan.

This section deals with the T'ai chi self-healing and what it means. It's not just a matter of doing the form and hoping for the best! And it is also not a matter of just doing the
postures and knowing what each posture is meant for. There are also secondary postures to use along with the major postures when the opposite condition applies, for
instance if we are using a heart posture for a heart ailment which is yin in aspect, then we would use this posture only if we were treating a yang state i.e.; too much yang, too
much sexual urge or pre ejaculation etc. If however we were treating a state that required less Yin, is the case of not enough sexual urge etc., then we would also use the small
intestine qigong, which is yang. The small intestine is the heart's opposite organ; they work together and must be kept in a state of balanced yin and yang. For this we have a
number of Qi massage routines that will balance out the Qi in the six main pairs of meridians. We also have specific self-qigong methods that will do the same when a qigong
doctor is not available.

In my book series, "Internal Gung-fu, the Complete Story", I will be covering all of the Taijiquan healing methods in the three areas.
ORGAN POSTURE STATE CONDITION

COLON Use the posture of "Grasping YANG If treating a yin disease such as
Bird's Tail" up to the posture of diarrhea use this qigong only.
"Push. Repeat ten times.

COLON Use the qigong for the Lungs, YIN Use this as well as the above if
i.e.; The posture known as the state is Yang such as
"Fishes in eight". Go into it ten constipation.
times and hold at the end of
each time as qigong for one
minute.

LUNGS The posture of "Fishes in eight". YIN Use by itself if a Yang

Do the posture as a continuing condition like inflammation etc.
movement in groups of six But OK for all lung ailments.
repetitions.
 LUNGS Use the posture of YANG Use if liquid on lings etc. Along
with the above as an adjunct to
"Grasp Bird's Tail" as above. it.

STOMACH Use the posture of "Single YANG Use by itself for all stomach
Whip" or Tan Pien for Digestion ailments or in particular if too
as a static qigong, or Wave little stomach activity e.g.; too
Hands Like Clouds to balance yin.
out the energy.

STOMACH Use the posture of "Parting YIN Use with the main one of Tan
pien if too yang activity in the
Horse's Mane" with Wave stomach. Heart burn etc.
SPLEEN
Hands Like Clouds. Do one set
of postures then go straight into
the next.

LIVER Use the posture of: YIN Use by itself for all liver
ailments but in particular if too
GALL BLADDER "Lift Hands" as a static qigong angry, red face etc. i.e.; too
 for three minutes on each leg. yang.

LIVER Use the posture of: YANG Use with the above if a yin
condition exists, dull and listless
"Step Back And repulse etc.
Monkey". Do the set three times
on each side.

Central Nervous System Use the posture of "Shoulder This qigong is one by itself and
Press". Go into it from Roll also acts upon the cerebrum
Back and hold for 5 minutes, making it more alert, good for
then go into Stork Spreads exams etc.
Wings and hold for five
minutes.

HEART Use the posture of: YIN Use for all heart states, but in
particular if too much fire in
Brush Knee Twist Step. Simply heart, can't sleep etc. For pre-
do the set of postures on each ejaculation.
side equally in sets of three as a
 Moving qigong.

HEART Use the posture of: YANG If too much sleep, not enough
sexual urge etc.
SMALL INTESTINE "Fan Through Back" as a static
qigong, holding it on both sides
for three minutes.

DIGESTION GENERAL Do the posture of "Play Pipa",

go into this from Brush Knee
Twist Step. Hold for 5 minutes
and repeat five times.

GLANDS GENERAL Use "Step Forward, Parry and

Punch", from B.K.T.S, up to
punch, hold at end for 3
minutes, repeat five times.
 GENERAL GASTRIC Repeat from the posture at the
TROUBLES end of the third of Press, to
Apparent Close Up and hold at
end for one minute and repeat
ten times.

GENERAL Use Embrace Tiger, Return To

REJUVENATION OF Mountains, go into it from
Cross Hands, repeat ten times.
THE INTERNAL
ORGANS

GENERAL GASTRO Wave Hands Like Clouds.

INTESTINAL Repeat as many times as you
like. But usually ten X four
steps.

WEIGHT LOSS From the Old Yang Style, use

Fist Under Elbow. This should
only be form the Yang Lu-
 ch'an style of Taijiquan and not
from the yang Cheng-fu system!
As many times as you like. Also
use Lotus Kick.

WEIGHT GAIN Use Fist Under Elbow from

Yang Cheng-Fu Form and hold
as qigong for five minutes each
side.

GALL BLADDER Use "Step Back And Repulse YANG If too yin, not enough bile etc.,
Monkey" from the Yang Cheng not working too well. If you
Fu form. have bad lower back pain
especially in the mornings.
Repeat five times X five. But
also use for overall Gall
Bladder.

GALL BLADDER Lift Hands from 'Stroke Horse's YIN Use if too much bile or too yang
Mane' into it and hold for five activity. Use it with the above.
 LIVER minutes on both sides.

LUNGS/SPLEEN IN GENERAL Use Stroking The Horse's Mane,

be sure to swivel on the heels.
Repeat five times holding the
finishing posture for three
minutes.

SEXUAL PROBLEMS NEEDLE AT SEA BOTTOM. Go into this one from BKTS and
This one is also use to increase hold for one minute then slowly
the life force to the spine come up and repeat on the other
especially when used with side.
LOTUS KICK YANG CHENG-
FU STYLE.

SMALL INTESTINE Fan Through Back Hold the YANG Use by itself for overall but in
Static Qigong for five minutes. particular if too little activity in
small intestine i.e.; too yin.
SMALL INTESTINE Brush Knee Twist Step YIN Use with the above if too much
small intestine activity, i.e.; too
HEART yang.

TO REMOVE EXCESS Turn Around And Chop With

FAT Fist, Yang Cheng-Fu Style. Do
it as many times as you like.

STOMACH Wave Hands Like Clouds: Do YANG If not enough activity, but
the set of postures on both sides overall good qigong for
as many times as you wish. You stomach.
could even go around in circles
if you wish. This is the only set
of postures that you are able to
change from both yang style
forms.

STOMACH Parting the Horse's Mane, use YIN Use with Wave Hands if to yang
with the above in Stomach.
 SPLEEN High Pat On Horse, use as YIN Use if too much Yang in spleen.
static qigong, hold for five
minutes on each side. Or use
Parting Horse's Mane as
moving qigong.

SPLEEN Wave Hands Like Clouds YANG Use with the above if too little
spleen activity, i.e.; too yin.
STOMACH

LUNGS AND COLON Pulling The Bow, plus Lift General Overall toning of both
hands to heaven, that whole these areas
section that involves those two.
Repeat five times.

PERSON TOO YANG Separation Of Right And Left YIN

Leg in Yang Cheng-fu Style.
PERSON TOO YIN Separation Of Left And Right YANG
Leg, Old Yang Style.

REJUVENATION Use the Sitting Like A Duck

Posture, from the 'Old Yang
Style'. Go into it from standing
if possible, no good for older
people who are arthritic etc.,
Hold for three minutes on each
side.

KIDNEYS Spin around and kick. Yang YIN Too fearful

Cheng-fu.

KIDNEYS Use with the above. Mailed YANG Takes Fear Away.
Fist, Old Yang as well as Tan
BLADDER Tien Pushing bit from Old
Yang, Bit from end of Old Yang
when you take the fist over your
face and around bending
backwards etc.
 BLADDER Mailed Fist and Tan-tien YANG Controls sorrow.
pushing, and bit at end as
above. Fist around head.

BLADDER Spin around and kick YIN Use with the above to balance
emotions.

KIDNEYS Overall, Snake Creeps Down. Repeat and hold three times on
each side for 3 minutes if
possible, less if not.

STOMACH Overall, use Golden Cock Use as static qigong for 3

Stands On One Leg minutes on each leg.

BLOOD General Step Forward to Seven Stars Hold As static qigong for 3
CIRCULATION minutes on each leg X 3 times.
 JOINTS Use moving 'Single Whip' or
tan-pien from fishes into it and
hold for 3 minutes on each leg.

SPINAL COLUMN Use lift hands as moving and

static to make Spinal Column
elastic and maintain a youthful
appearance.

STOMACH General, Hold BKTS as static on

each side for five minutes X 3.

YIN ORGANS: YANG ORGANS: An imbalance of yin or yang

energy in these main organs
causes disease so we try to
balance the yin and yang energy
using the above postures as
Liver Gall Bladder
Qigongs.
 Heart Small Intestine

Spleen Stomach

Lungs Colon

Kidneys Bladder

These yin organs store energy These Yang organs

for use later. ACTIVATE energy, i.e.; they
cause the energy from the
storage organs to do something.

TRIPLE WARMER We use the 3 warmer qigong

exercise. This organ generally
not known about in Western
medicine is used to regulate the
other organs and the amount of
yin and yang energy. This is
why we usually start with this
one.
GATE OF LIFE Again usually unknown in
ORGAN West. It produces semen in
males and is the uterus in
females. It regulates the
regenerative energy and is
therefore in control of
happiness. We use the 'opening
of the gates qigong for this one.