Course Overview

Half-way between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox, li chun the Beginning of Spring on Feb 4th is the end of the dark winter, when light can be seen and felt returning. Chinese new year at the new moon is always close to this time, this year on February 17th, the start of the Fire Horse Year, an intense time of double fire. Moving from winter to spring, from water to wood, we also move from the kidneys to the liver as plants start to shoot and sprout, new life appears and stagnation is resolved. We need to follow this freer time as indicated in Neijing Suwen chapter 2, Tune your Spirit to the Qi of the Four Seasons. Moving and exercising more, we are active, generous and outgoing. We are also aware of the lungs, the meridian associated with the first month. Particularly as we are still in the climate of wind that affects the lungs exteriorly and the liver interiorly. We must guard against wind with such points as Bl 12 feng men Wind Gate for the lungs and GB 20 feng chi Wind Pool for the liver. The traditional images here are of ice thawing, the hexagram 42 yi Increasing and the qi gong exercise activating lumbar 2, where the warming and strengthening ming men the Gate of Destiny lies. The universal importance of this time we can also see in the Celtic calendar celebrating Imbolc at the beginning of February and in the Christian Candlemas on February 2nd. Many cultures have marked this exit from the dark quarter of the year.

Course Objectives

• Understand the sequential rhythms of time and how to use them
• Be aware of the seasonal energies available each day and their benefits to treatment
• Be able to practise the traditional qi gong exercise for the fortnightly solar period
• Live in harmony with the time of year

Course Outline

0 hrs - 15 minUnderstand li chun, the Beginning of Spring, its yin yang nature, Chinese traditions and food.

15 min - 30 minUnderstand the nature of the 3 months of spring in Neijing Suwen 2, their qualities, activities and use

30 min - 45 minUnderstand why the liver is activated in spring and which points are best to use

45 min - 1 hrsUnderstand the dangers of the host climate wind in spring, both exteriorly for the lungs and interiorly for the liver

1 hrs - 1.25 hrsUnderstand the first lunar month and its link with the lungs and how to use that to improve treatment

1.25 hrs - 1.5 hrsUnderstand the meaning of Fire Horse year and which stems, branches and elements are involved

1.5 hrs - 2 hrsLearn the Beginning of Spring and Rain Water traditional qi gong exercises and the vertebrae they activate

2 hrs - 2.25 hrsUnderstand the 6 traditional 5 day periods and their images from changes in nature

2.25 hrs - 2.75 hrsUnderstand the 6 hexagrams and their advice for the time of year

2.75 hrs - 3 hrsUnderstand yu shui Rain Water, its yin yang nature, Chinese traditions and food.