My YOQI™ teacher shares much about the Daoist life approach of "Yang Sheng". Learning Yǎng Shēng fundamentals has been a life changing experience for me, improving both my physical & mental health.
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| Yǎng Shēng Characters from Mandarin |
Yang Sheng, 養生, can be translated as meaning "Nourishing life for longevity". I've read translations, especially those written in the Ming dynasty era, that also convey the main meaning such as; longevity life, nurturing vitality, cultivating life, nourishing one's vital principle. Some additional older manuscript descriptions of Yǎng Shēng include:
- Preserving one's lifespan by keeping good health,
- Living locally,
- Working the land & raising food, and
- Keeping the mind and body healthy for longevity.
Some of the primary tenants of Yǎng Shēng include:
- Self whole body care, especially self massage
- Qigong, yoga, stretching and exercises that move Qi & balance Yin & Yang
- Lower Dantian Breathing (belly breathing instead of chest breathing)
- Meditation
- Spending time outdoors in the sun & water & elements (think five element theory)
- balancing fire & water
- grounding into earth
- opening the Central Chong Channel to the heavens above & earth below
- balancing metal & wood elements
- Dietetics
- eating local
- organic & sustainably raised foods
- avoiding mono-crop raised foods and seeking out foods raised with complex biodiversity techniques (emphasis on Entourage Effect)
- avoiding all refined sugars & unhealthy fats
- Internal alchemy - Neidan - such as esoteric, 'spiritual alchemy'
- External Alchemy - Waidan - as Herbs from Traditional Chinese Medicine
- Sexual Health
"Yang Sheng"'s focus can be a healing pathway for us. We will be looking at the most used components off "Yang Sheng" over the next several blogs. Hope you will follow and consider how "Yang Sheng" can improve all aspects of your health.
Be blessed and filled with Qi.
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