Silk Exercises Class – 2023.05.17

The Silk Exercises

In these classes we are working with the Silk Exercises and how they have developed over the millennia to include the Ba Duan Jin and the Ten Fundamental Treasures.  Initially, we are focusing on and consolidating the Ba Duan Jin while taking one of the Qigong and showing the variants that are seen in the Silk Exercises and in the Ten Fundamental Treasures.

The term “Silk Exercises” is translated from Ba Duan Jin and literally means “the Eight Section Brocade”. Over the millennia, the original exercises have developed with the Internal focus changing as Masters explored their potential. This has led to a number of variations of the Ba Duan Jin being taught.

In these classes we will be working with the Ba Duan Jin and the Ten Fundamental Treasures. We will also be looking at how the exercises have developed by introducing the four sets of the Silk Exercises, each of which is made up of eight movements that share the same name. The complexity of the Internal movements increases as you progress through the sets. The first three sets are performed in a standing posture and the last is performed seated.

As the classes develop, we will learn each of the four sets of the Silk Exercises as well as the ten Fundamental Treasures.

• Daoyin stimulation and warm up exercises.
• Lifting the Sky – from the Ba Duan Jin.
• Pull the Bow to Shoot the Eagle – demonstration from three of the Silk Exercises and from the Ten Fundamental Treasures.
• Pull the Bow to Shoot the Eagle – from the Ba Duan Jin.
• Holding up a Single Hand – from the Ba Duan Jin.
• The Wise Owl Looks Backward – from the Ba Duan Jin.
• Sway the Head and Shake the Tail – from the Ba Duan Jin.
• Hold the Feet to Strengthen the Kidneys – from the Ba Duan Jin.