Description
The Eight Exceptional Vessels Qigong Course
This Exceptional Vessels Qigong course has optional captions (English, French & Spanish).
Welcome to the Eight Exceptional Vessels Qigong course. The original online version of this course was created in 2016 and I thought that it was due an update. The original course was simplified somewhat as I was not sure just how much information and experience could be passed on in an online format. Now, with the incredible feedback received, I now realise just how effective these courses are.
The Eight Exceptional Vessels Qigong course is not suitable for beginners so I will not be covering the basics such as Wuji stance, abdominal respiration, etc. If you are unsure of any of these it means you are not ready for this course. If that is the case, I recommend that you undertake some of the 12 Classic Meridians Qigong courses as these cover all of the foundations required. These courses include: The Shibashi, the Ba Duan Jin, the Embroidered Brocade and the Ten Fundamental Treasures.
These exercises in the Exceptional Vessels Qigong work with the Qi that is stored in the Eight Exceptional Vessels (aka the Extraordinary Meridians). These Vessels are often likened to reservoirs that store Qi and blood while the Meridians can be likened to rivers that carry the Qi.
As well as using the Yi (that is the brain), the eyes and the breath to guide the Qi, these exercises also make use of the Master Points and the Coupled Points.
According to Classical Theory, the Qi flow in the Exceptional Vessels is described as ascending (that’s with the exception of the Ren Mai aka the Conception Vessel and Dai Mai, aka the Belt Vessel). However, the directions given for the flow of Qi in the meridians and vessels is an abstract, constructed in order to simplify things, as Qi flow is not confined to the meridians and is not confined to any specific direction.
The quality of the Qi in the Exceptional Vessels, appreciated through listening jing, is tangibly different to that of the Qi flowing along the meridians. In the 12 classic meridians, slow Qi flow is often associated with sluggishness, problems and illness. In the Exceptional Vessels Qigong, slow flow is normal and natural. In some ways, the flow in these Vessels feels tidal.
Only two of the Exceptional Vessels have their own, discrete, acupuncture points, Ren Mai and Du Mai, that’s the Conception Vessel and the Governing Vessel, but all eight connect to the twelve classic meridians via the Master and Coupled Points.
So, although the Exceptional Vessels do not have direct connections to the organs their intersections with the main meridians provide indirect access.
The first two exercises are, as far as I am aware, much older than the third. My Qigong Master told me they were taught to Master Wang (Huang) Jiu Mei by his teacher, a monk. Master Wang was taught Qigong and martial arts from childhood.
I am more than slightly passionate about Qigong because I know, through personal experience and practice, just how wonderful, powerful and beneficial Qigong is. I do not mean the physical exercises that are currently being passed off as Qigong. I am talking about the real thing. Qigong is the art of working with your Qi, with our life energy. Qi is tangible. It does not need to be visualized. Within Dao Yin, Neidan, Neigong and Qigong (when the literal translation is used and adhered to): –
- You lead and guide the Qi.
- You experience the Qi, tangibly.
- You use this, tangible, feedback to increase your skill.
- You use the, physical, movements as a means and not an end.
At the end of this Eight Exceptional Vessels Qigong course you will have deepened your understanding and your awareness of the Qi in the Vessels. You will be able to practice all of the exercises and, through continued practice, deepen that awareness.
The Exceptional Vessels Qigong course is structured in order to make sure that you have all the information you need, when you need it. Please keep to that structure. Going directly to the exercises will only cause misunderstanding and your progress will be hampered, even stopped before it gets started. The Qi in the Exceptional Vessels has a marked difference in quality to that found in the 12 meridians. So, if you have only been practicing meridian Qigong do not expect the same experiences, the same feelings, with these exercises.
The Exceptional Vessels govern three physiological functions
- They are likened to reservoirs of Qi. Continuing with this analogy, the meridians can be likened to rivers.
- They store energy for the body by regulating the flow of Qi into the meridians, providing homeostasis.
- They drain excessive energy from the meridians, again with the function of bringing about homeostasis.
The, free preview, Introduction lesson explains this Exceptional Vessels Qigong course in depth. The benefits of true Qigong are too good to miss. Enjoy your Qigong journey! There are also downloadable files that contain information pertinent to the course.
Recent Reviews of the Exceptional Vessels Qigong course:-
- “As always he delivers well! He teaches the secrets behind qigong as well as the exercises themselves!” P.R.
- “I keep coming back to this course and it’s a year since I finished it. There’s so much information and detail regarding the Acupuncture points of focus and where to put your attention during practice in order to guide the chi. The Qigong set it relativity straight forward and easy to learn. But the TCM related detail that supports the process demands some study to memorise the points. Everything is here to ensure complete success and a total understanding of the process. This is an excellent qigong course. Definitely the most comprehensive instruction in Qigong I’ve had.”
- “I am so glad I chose this course. It is set at a pace I can work with and each movement clearly explained. The illustrations are helpful and the two views make errors less likely. I also appreciate being able to practise along with the instructor in the sections where the movements are repeated. Des Lawton is an impeccable instructor.”
- “I have been doing qigong and taichi for years, and I find the course simple and at the same time meticulous. Structured in a simple way to learn and at the time for thanks to the different sections.”
- “Very informative and deeper than anything I have yet come across. This is what I have been looking for: a more in depth approach. I thank you!”
- “Great class this my third video with Des, I always learn something.”
- “A great Teacher of Qigong, it was a privilege to take this course! I could feel the Qi moving while performing each exercise. Quick response to questions asked, much appreciated! I look forward to taking more courses in the future. Humble thanks!”
- “Really enjoyed course. Have been meditating on the eight exceptional vessels for awhile and now having the movements to work with as well is ‘exceptional’ . Thank You.”
- “Loved the flow of these exercises and the feeling of peace as I carried them out. Found the focus points after the exercises particularly helpful. Thank you for another great course!”
- “The course is easy to follow, and the instructions are clear and detailed. I also like the instructor’s style of teaching.”
- “Excellent instructor! Beautiful material!”
- “This was a fantastic course that went into great detail in the subject. I would highly recommend this course for those that want to work specifically on the Eight Exceptional Vessels. Very good course!”
- “Excellent explanation of the subtleties of wuji. I felt an immediate shift while practicing under the guidance in this video. A lot of these subtleties are overlooked, but here they are explained with great clarity. Thank you for creating this course!”
- “Clear instruction and demonstrations. Feel the chi when do the movements. Each movement has multiple parts. Plenty of follow along repetitions and tips to get the patterns. Thanks.”
The Eight Exceptional Vessels Qigong course – Questions and Answers
Des is often asked questions about the Exceptional Vessels Qigong course and has started to collate the most common ones. Q&A
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