רונית מלכין - מורה לצ׳י גונג ומטפלת שיאצו

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The Five Animals

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"Breathing out the old and taking in the new, walking like a 
bear and stretching the neck like a bird - this is what cultivators of the body and those searching for long life enjoy".

Chuang Zi, circa 300 BCE.

The Five Animals is probably the most entertaining and challenging qigong form in the world. It is long and detailed, varied and demanding, which elevates the long-term enjoyment factor to an extremely high level. The form is a traditional one, and is said to have its origins in the animal impersonations created by - or transmitted to - Hua Tou, one of Chinese medicine’s most legendary and colourful characters.

Hua Tou is famous for his early experiments with surgery; this long before the art was developed to any significant level here in the West. There is a set of acupuncture points named after him alongside the spine and he is generally credited with detailed knowledge of esoteric herbal formulas for longevity and wisdom.

It is said that he received this set of animal movements - or a slightly simpler one - from the daoist recluses in their mountain caves. It became his gift to mankind with the advice to keep the joints open and the muscles soft and filled with flowing energy. This form certainly gives us the necessary tools to do exactly that.

"Man's body must have exercise, but it should never be done to the point of exhaustion. By moving about briskly, digestion is improved, the blood vessels are opened and illnesses are prevented. A used doorstep never rots.

I have created the Frolics of the Five Animals: the Tiger, Deer, Bear, Monkey and Crane. They eliminate sickness and benefit the legs. If you feel out of sorts, just practice one of my Frolics. A gentle sweat will exude, the complexion will become rosy, the body will feel light and your appetite will improve." (Hua Tou in The History of the Later Han)

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