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Ba Duan Jin : 8 pieces of Brocade

1 Stretch both arms above head to regulate the triple burner (one of the 12 mainmeridians in acupuncture)

a. Put your attention between the 2 eyebrows and sink your Qi (:Chinese term todescribe your bio-electricity or internal energy; pronounce like tchie) to the area

just below your navel (also called dan-tian)

b. Stretch arms above head, hands together, fingers linked. Stretching is alternately withpalms facing up and down. As you stretch up, go up on tiptoe.

c. With arms above head and fingers interlinked, bend alternately to the left and right.Keep feet parallel, shoulder width apart.

d. Repeat b and c above 12 times.

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2 Bend the bow to the left and right like shooting a hawk (to strengthen waist and

vertebrae and improve respiratory system)

a. Stand with legs slightly bent and apart, as though riding a horse.b. Position arms towards one side as though holding a longbow, moving the handholding the bow away from the body. Keep the hand holding the string close to the

body.

c. The hand holding the bow is actually kept open. Concentrate on the imaginarytarget.

d. Repeat with arms to the other side of the body.e. B and c above count as 1 movement. Repeat 24 times

3 To regulate the spleen, stomach and liver (in case of fatigue, anger, digestionproblems)

a. Raise 1 arm above the head, wrist bent backwards, palm facing up. Whilst stretchingupwards, raise the elbow first. (do not use force).

b. At the same time, lower the other arm, wrist bent backwards, palm facing down.c. Repeat, reversing the positions (i.e. the arm that was up is now down, and vice versa).d. Exhale when stretch (later eventually with sounds)e. The combination of a to c above counts as 1 movement. Repeat 12 times.

4 Looking left and right (to help old internal injuries, relieve tensions in neck andplexus)

a. Hands on hips. Keeping body still, turn head to the left as far as possible and try tolook behind you.

b. Repeat to the other side.c. Look left and right as above, but with hands behind you in the small of the back (on

the kidneys).

d. Look left and right as above, but with hands in front of chest, palms facing up, tips offingers not quite touching.

e. Each look to left and right is one complete movement. Do each complete movement 6times for each hand position.

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5 Sway the head and swing the tail to get rid of the heart firea. Stand as at 2 a, hands just above knees, thumbs to outside, press down on legs.b. Bring left shoulder towards right knee, hold for 2 or 3 seconds then return to original

position and bring right shoulder to left knee. Hold for 2 to 3 seconds and return to

original position.

c. good for blood circulation, qi stagnation in solar plexus. (pains in the chest getrelieved)

d. Repeat 8 to 12 times for each side.

6 Touching your toes (stretches muscles, tendons; strengthens the kidneys )a. Stand with legs together, feet parallel, arms above head.

b. Swing arms down to feet, grip toes (or ankles) and hold for 3 seconds. Rock slightlysite wards

c. Straighten up, sliding hands up legs and thighs. Try to unroll the spine 1 vertebra at atime.

d. Repeat 12 times.

7 Punching stance (increase muscular strength, relaxes the liver energy)a. Stand as at 2 a, make a fist with both hands.

b. Stretch 1 arm in front (or to the side) of body, parallel to ground, hand in a fist,knuckles upwards. Hold the other arm close to the side, arm bent, elbow behind the

body, for arm parallel to the ground, hand in a fist, knuckles facing down.

c. Reverse arm positions, keeping arms close to body so that the elbows massage yoursides.

d. B and c above count as 1 movement. Repeat complete movement 8 times.e. Look fierce or very focused !

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Rising up on toes (calms and accumulated the generated energy released by previousexercises)

a. Legs together, feet parallel, hands on hips.b. Rise up on toes, hold for 3 seconds.c. Hands on small of back (on the kidneys), rise up on toes, hold for 3 seconds.f. Hands in front of chest, palms facing up, tips of fingers not quite touching. Rise up on

toes, hold for 3 seconds.

d. Repeat each exercise 6 to 12 times.