1Tevia Feng

1Five Animal Qigong

DEERDeer Story

5 A N I M A L Q I G O N G

Deer Level I: Deer Lifts Its AntlersDeer Level II: Deer Peeks Its HeadDeer Level III: Long Distance Running DeerDeer Level IV: Deer Slaps Its Legs

The deer is connected to the kidneys. In the 5 Elements, the element is water. The emotion of fear is the emotion of that element. The deer can be fearful and cautious, but when it is using its power, it has amazing willpower, grace and ease.

The Deer in 5 Animal Qigong really works the kidneys, but also goes a whole lot deeper. The deer is connected to sexual vitality, since it is known to sit on its perineum, which is the pump for the opening and closing of sexual energy. The movements of the Deer open up the spine, and the Governing and Conception Vessels (check the section on Meridians to learn more about that).

The movements of the deer also open various meridians along the legs, including the bladder me-ridian.

The story of the Deer in this Qigong form is in Level I where the Deer Lifts Its Antlers as if waking up and coming to life. By Level II, the Deer Peeks Its Head to look for danger. Once it sees there is no danger, it runs off to exercise and forage for food. Finally, nour-ished and fed, the Deer stretches out and prepares for sleep with Deer Slaps Its Legs.

Balancing the Emotions of the 5 ElementsTo balance fear, we need courage and calm. The deer is alert and aware of danger. It has a good system of warning fellow deer of danger by wagging its tail in a certain way. It is also very fast and can run long dis-tances. It is calm and confident in its abilities to be alert to danger and outrun predators.

Kidneys

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DEERDeer Story

Stance:

Empty Stance (Xu Bu 虚步): Ensure that 99% of the weight is on the back foot, which is turned outwards to a 45-degree angle. The front knee is straight and the front foot is directly in front of you. By keeping the knee of the front leg straight and the foot flat, the leg is stretched. The knees are also in alignment.

Instructions: Begin with Opening 3 Times.

Body: Step out with the left foot into cat stance, at the same time bring the right hand down by the side with the palm fac-ing in front of you and the arm relative-ly straight. Begin to scoop up in front of you, staring at your Da Ling point. While the other hand is resting against your Ming Men, focus your intention here. Do this while inhaling.

昂脖鹿 Ang Bo Lu—Deer Lifts Its Antlers

D E E R L E V E L I

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Come up with your arm over your head and keep it straight; try to come back as far as you can. Feel a massage on your kidneys as you go back. Feel all the weight and energy go onto the back foot. When you reach your maximum extension with your arm and body, try to bring your fingers to your forearm and bend at the Da Ling point and the wrist. This squeezes the Da Ling point. Turn your back foot to a 45-degree angle outwards.

Come up with your arm over your head and keep it straight; try to come back as far as you can. Feel a massage on your kidneys as you go back. Feel all the weight and energy go onto the back foot. When you reach your maximum extension with your arm and body, try to bring your fingers to your forearm and bend at the Da Ling point and the wrist. This squeezes the Da Ling point. Turn your back foot to a 45-degree angle outwards.

Rotate your arm outwards and bring that hand down to rest the back of your hand against the Ming Men point. At the same time, bring the opposite arm down and in front as in the first repetition while stepping out with the other foot. Do this and repeat the sequence at least 8 times.

Breath: With natural breathing, breathe in, bringing the arm up as you flex the wrist and bringing the arm down as you breathe out.

Spirit: The spirit of the deer is in fact the opposite of the tiger.

The Deer Qigong is to imitate the shape and movement of a deer, hoping to attain long life and a pure soul like a deer. The features of a deer are its gentle disposition, swift movement, love of pushing with antlers, and being good at running. When it stands, it likes to stretch its neck to glance at things afar. The deer also likes putting its weight on its rear foot and is good at moving its tail bones (sacrum).

4Five Animal Qigong

Anatomical and Physiological Benefits: Fascia/Anatomy

• Deer Levels I & II exercise the neck• Opens Governing and Conception Vessel• Good for people who sit in a chair a lot and those

with strained neck and spine. • As in Tiger Level I, you have that same strength and

grounding in the legs and feet, except with a back-bend. This lengthens the front line of the body while keeping stability through the feet.

• Strengthens the gluteus maximus and lower back; stretches and strengthens the abs; brings more mo-bility to the wrist.

• This Deer provides front to back balance with the opening and lengthening of the front fascia of torso.

Chinese Medicine Relationship: The tail bone is where the Jen and Du meridians meet. Thus, during practice, the practitioner not only needs to imitate the attitude of a deer with swift movement and calm spirit, but also needs to focus attention on the tail bone. This will guide Qi to the whole body, open meridians, circulate blood, and relax tendons and bones as well as benefit the kidneys and strengthen the waist. It can also enhance blood circulation in the abdomen.

This is suitable for curing dysfunctional nerves in the internal organs, chronic infections of the internal organs, fatigue in the waist muscles, nerve pain in the pelvis, deteriorated thigh bones, and a lack of sex drive.

Meridians/Acupuncture Points Targeted:

Da Ling Point

• English Name: Great Mound• Pinyin Name: Da Ling• Chinese Character: 大陵• Location: In the middle of the wrist crease between the tendons of palmaris longus and flexor

carpi radialis. It is located on the Pericardium Meridian.

Functions:

• Clears the heat of the heart• Calms the spirit• Harmonizes the stomach and intestines• Relaxes the chest• Clears heat from the deeper layers of the body

Ming Men Point• English Name: Life Gate

Da Ling-Great Mound

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Ming Men Point

• English Name: Life Gate• Pinyin Name: Ming Men• Chinese Character: 命命• Location: L2

Ming Men: This is an important point to strengthen the kidneys.Chinese Medicine Indicators if this point is out of balance are:

1. Chronic weakness on both physical and mental levels2. All sexual problems caused by weakness of the kidneys3. Lower back and knee problems4. Hemorrhoids or blood in the stool5. Adrenal exhaustion from stress or overwork, fatigue, lack of sexual vitality or sexual exhaus-

tion.

Functions:

1. Regulates Yang Qi: Clears heat but can also strengthen the physiological fire of Ming Men2. Regulates the governing vessel3. Tones the kidneys4. Strengthens the lower back

Yao Yang Guang is the “lumbar gate” or “lumbar hinge”; at this point the low back bends in flexion. Treat for pain when bending forward.