Newsletter April Ba Gua Sounds
The Eight
ve yin organs, the stomach, and to form food into acquired (post-natal)
connect heaven and earth’s qi. They qi and make it available to the other
Healing Sounds are practiced standing, walking, sit- organs. The Hu sound is toned or
ting, or lying down depending on silent and involves a stretching open
of Yin Style
your condition and needs. Each rep- of the middle dantian and then a
etition contains one complete breath folding down motion to descend
Bagua
cycle. Inhaling is entering, bringing qi to the stomach. The spleen dis-
qi into the organs and dantian, and likes moisture, and the mer sound
by David Parker
sealing the apertures- closing in and should be strong, deep, and reso-
guarding qi. Exhaling is exiting and nant (it sounds like a cow!) to liter-
opening the gates, owing qi ally “shake the dampness from the
The Eight Healing Sounds are one throughout the body as you make the spleen”, ascend and spread its qi
of the sets of Dao Yin health build- sound. Each exercise has its charac- The liver sound is Xu (shhhhh).
ing exercises of Yin Style Bagua teristic posture or movement. The qi It is ne, smooth and soft, lowering
(YSB), a large system of martial, that is developed and moved is pre- and clearing heat. Liver qi tends to
medical and qi cultivation arts origi- cious and is kept contained in the rise, become stagnant and disrupt the
nally developed by Dong Haichuan system by a quiet inward listening body’s free owing when it is unbal-
in the mid 1800’s. These “healing mind and closing in areas such as the anced. The hands rst carry water
without medicines” exercises are yongquan points and the perineum. energy up the front, separate and
based on the principles of the Yi Jing, The Ah sound, for the lung, is pass under the armpits and descend
or book of changes, and allowed rst. Make it quietly with or with- along the spine as you sound, spread-
people without medical knowledge out a tone. It helps the lung “take ing across the buttocks and return-
or access to doctors to strengthen in the new and expel the turbid”, as ing to the dantian.
and heal themselves.
well as smoothing qi in its meridian. This leaves the Yi and Hong
There is a simple upward and down-
sounds. Inhaling,
Sound is all around us and affects ward, opening and closing, circling
raise your arms up
us in different ways. The ancient motion with the arms that accom-
over your head,
Chinese understood this and endeav- panies this sound. It is important to
palms back to back
ored to distinguish between sounds realize that the organs are affected
while sinking the
that were benecial and disruptive on the physical, energetic, and emo-
shoulders
and
to people’s well being. Everyone tional levels with this work, so the
pelvis. This creates
has experienced feeling uplifted or sound can be used to clear phlegm
both upward and
calmed by the sound of moving in the lung, tonify its qi, or help pro-
downward qi move-
water, bird song or pleasant music. cess grief.
ment. Make a clear
On the other hand, who hasn’t been The Ha sound is next, for the
tone (yeee, a long
irritated by mechanical noises, a heart, it is quiet and untoned. This
e sound) by cre-
screeching sound, or jackhammer? sound regulates the yin and yang
ating a vibration
The 8HS are all in the benecial of the heart and clears heat. Its
that reaches head
category, and their theory rests on motion brings water energy up the
to toe, opening the
two main points. The rst is that ren meridian to balance the heart’s
spinal passes and
sound/vibration actually enters into re and then expels heat out through
entering the brain
the organs, and second, that sound the mouth with the exhale. It’s very
and kidneys. Lower
helps to move qi. So, while the useful to combine the Ha with the
the hands and pause
sounds physically vibrate the organs next sound, Heng (kidneys), to bal-
before repeating.
and cavities (cranial/nasal, abdomi- ance these two important systems.
The Hong sound
nal, etc.), they also open and ow The Heng sound is short and sharp. creates a strong shaking and vibra-
qi in the associated meridians and It creates a strong downward move- tion through the whole body, open-
vessels, strengthening and regulat- ment of qi, to ll the kidneys and ing and owing all the meridians
ing them. A practical application of lower dantian, building the essences. and connecting with earth’s qi. The
this is singing or chanting while per- Inhaling from the beginning posture, sound is a low guttural rumbling,
forming hard labor. The coordina- the arms fold up, palms covering and the movement is a rotating/
tion of certain exclamations with their opposite collarbones. The body shaking around the vertical center-
strenuous movements reduces the is sealed and you “Heng” forcefully, line of the torso, extending from the
risk of injury. The sounds make our dropping in your stance and arcing center to the extremities. I hope this
system more integrated and power- the arms down and outward. There introduction to sound in Qigong gets
ful. Approached and rened from a is a recoil at the end of the move- you interested in investigating this
medical perspective, specic sounds ment, as the qi enters the dantian.
unique practice further.
can be added to Qigong to amplify The Hu and Mer sounds belong to
and direct the movement of qi.
the stomach and spleen respectively. David Parker can be reached at:
The 8HS include forms for the These organs work together to trans- dp@dellnet.com
