Nature's Healing

This single set of forms is used during both Summer and Fall seasons but the intention is different for each season.

The Yang energy of Summer can be characterized as having a warm,  rising and expanding nature. The Yang nature of Summer can be compared  and held in contrast to the opposing and complementary Yin nature of  Winter with it’s cold and contracting influences. The Heart, actively  beating, corresponds to fire and resides in the upper torso. The nature  of heat is to rise and thereby could create an excess heat condition  that can imbalance the heart during the summer or in any environment  that overheats the body.

• Summer time practice for the Heart – Expands & conditions the Lungs to release and lead excess summer heat and humidity away from the Heart.
• In Classical Chinese Medicine and Chi Kung practice the Heart is  considered the Emperor of the body. It’s not proper to address the  Emperor directly. This classical concept translates as not placing your  mind or intent on the heart directly to avoid overheating the heart.  Where the mind goes the energy follows. The intent for summertime  practice to condition the heart is to focus on the lungs instead of the  heart to lead excess heat away from the heart to promote balance.

As  the seasons progress from Summer to Fall the natural surrounding energy  begins to contract and cool. The expanding Yang nature of summer has  reached it’s peak and begins to transform. This transition from Yang  (white / Summer) to Yin (Black / Fall) begins to manifest and can be  observed by the cold, contracting nature during this time in the  seasonal cycle. This contracting nature can have an adverse opposing  influence on the expanding effort of inhalation for the lungs.

• Fall time practice for the Lungs – Expands & conditions the Lungs to guard against the adverse contracting, drying and cooling nature that the Fall season has on the Lungs.

Based on 5 Element principles the tongue, facial complexion, chest (upper burner), arms, and palms correspond to the Heart system.

Based on 5 Element principles the nose, skin, chest (upper burner), arms correspond to the Lung system.

Releasing Sounds (see 6 Releasing Sounds reference):

• Heart – He (her)
• Lungs – Si (s-uh)

The forms are performed in order sequentially as listed in the lessons below at a slow, continuous and flowing pace.

Note: there is an Opening and Closing  form to the set. When combining additional 4 Seasons Chi Kung sets  together in a series the Opening and Closing forms are typically  performed only once at the beginning and once at end of the series  instead of per each individual set.

Defining Terms:

• Form – a short, repetitive movement.
• Set – a sequence of separate forms or movements strung together and fluidly performed from one form to the next.
• Series – a sequence of separate sets strung together and fluidly performed from one series to the next

Read through the additional course documents. The Handout is a step by  step instructional guide for each form in the Spring set. The Poster  document n be used as a reminder of each form in the set.