Why the Chinese Don't Count Calories (30 page)

This simple full body massage routine will take between ten and twenty minutes, depending on how many repetitions you do, and will set you up for the day.

18.
Wu xing zhang
– Five Elements Palm Technique

Wu xing zhang

Following the Five-Elements cycle, start by toning the liver, the
wood
element. This exercise should be practised more in the spring. Stand facing east with your legs at shoulder width apart and your palms touching in front of your chest. Breathe in as you step back on to your right leg, straightening your left. Twist your body to face left and move your arms down towards the knee, palms down, then turn the palms in towards the body and make a scooping motion as you bring the hands up until they reach shoulder height. Start to breathe out, making the healing sound ‘shuuuuuuuuu’, and push the palms out, then down again, transferring your weight onto the front knee, as the arms lower back towards it. When the hands reach the knee, breathe in again, scoop the arms up, straighten the front knee and bend the back. Repeat the movement complete with healing sound, at least twice.

After you have finished your left-facing movements, use the in-breath to accompany another scooping motion where you swing your body round to the right, straighten the right leg while bending the left one and carry out the exercise above the right knee, for the same number of times.

To tone the heart, shift your position so that you face south. Let the arms hang down, elbows rounded, palms facing upwards, and fingers lightly touching. With the feet slightly more than shoulder width apart, bend both knees, lift the hands up to shoulder height and breathe in. Straighten the left leg and lean back on to the right, push the arms out to the left at shoulder level with the palms facing outwards. Rock forward onto the left knee and then take your weight over both knees in a squatting position as you bring the hands round to the right in circular motion, breathing out with the sound ‘hurrrrrrr’.

When your hands reach the far right, breathe in as you bring them down and turn the palms upwards as you straighten the right leg and rock back onto the left. You can then repeat the movement in the other direction and continue to alternate directions for as many repetitions as you like, but at least three on each side.

To tone the spleen, stay facing south. Put the feet together and let your fingertips touch, palms facing upwards. Breathe in and lift the right arm up at the same time as you lift and bend the right knee. As the hand reaches your chest, move the arm out to the side as you turn the palm over to face the ground. You will then be balancing on the left leg with the right arm outstretched. As you bring the arm down to the centre, and the leg to the ground, breathe out with a ‘hoooooooo’ sound. Repeat with the left arm and left leg; then alternate sides at least twice more.

In order to tone the lungs, step the right leg round so that you are facing west. Breathe in, take your weight back onto the right leg, bending the right knee while lifting your arms up to chest height and pulling the right arm back and shooting the left forwards, just as if pulling a bow and arrow. Then ‘release the bow’: pull the left arm into your chest and shoot the right arm forwards, straightening the back (right) knee and bending the front (left). Breathe out with a ‘see-aaah’ noise during this movement. Pull back and breathe in. Repeat the whole movement at least twice, then swing to the right and carry out the same movement in reverse.

Finally, to tone the kidneys, step round so that you are facing north. Stand with the legs comfortably apart, breathe in and lower to a squatting position, taking the weight back onto the right leg, bending the right knee and straightening the left. Keep your hands low, palms to the floor. Then breathe out and, making the sound ‘chuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii’, rock forward onto the left leg. Lift the arms slightly up and pull the palms up,then turn them over to face the ground in a lifting and falling movement and, settling into a squat, move the hands in a circular motion from left to right until the weight is over the right leg. Lean back onto the left leg, pull the arms up and round and breathe in then repeat the movement at least twice.

According to the Five-Elements theory, each movement corresponds to a season and should be performed more often at the appropriate time. So, the liver needs more toning in spring, the heart in summer, the spleen in late summer, the lungs in autumn and the kidneys in winter. But the movements are best carried out as a sequence, so just increase the repetitions for the organ that needs more toning at any particular time. Once you are experienced, you will find that the movements flow naturally from one to the other in accordance with the Five-Elements cycle.

19. Standing meditation

Face south with the feet shoulder width apart, relaxing the knees and hips. Tuck in the stomach, relax the waist, straighten the back but allow the shoulders to droop slightly. Bend the elbows, then allow them to droop; move the arms slightly away from the body so that the armpits are open and hollow; relax the wrists. Lift the head until you can imagine it hanging from a thread above the body; tuck in the chin. Close the eyes lightly, and touch the lips and teeth together. Finally lift up the tip of the tongue so that it touches the upper palate. This small movement forms a bridge so that
qi
can circulate around the meridians that run vertically through the body.

In this position you should be able to concentrate on your breathing, especially when you inhale (remember the technical term, inspiration) and on the
dantian
, a point about three fingers’ width below the navel. Traditional Chinese medicine teaches that this is the starting point of the circulation of
qi
and the place where
qi
is stored.

When standing you should try to let your thoughts slip away: push them out of your mind if necessary and concentrate on the flow of
qi
. After a time your mouth may fill with saliva, you may feel warm or even start to sweat – these are all signs that the
qi
is flowing. After standing, which you can practise for between two and fifteen minutes, rub your hands together, then shake lightly to get rid of any tensions.

The following self-massage routine can be performed on its own but ideally should be followed by the
Wu xing zhang
(Five Elements Palm Technique), which tones the five organs, and a short period of standing meditation. Each action should be performed at least thirty-six times, though you can do as many as a hundred if you have time.

The
Wu xing zhang
that follows is a series of linked movements with ‘healing sounds’ that tone the five organs, by purifying their
qi
and dispelling toxins so that your whole body is fit and ready to go. Traditional Chinese medicine has focused on the sounds that we make naturally to stimulate the body’s innate healing capacities. If you think this sounds a bit far-fetched, remember that human beings have always made noises when experiencing emotions, and I will show in the next chapter how the emotions are linked to the organs. Children scream when they are angry or excited; the screaming sound is linked to the liver. We all know that talking can release tension, and this is particularly true where the energy of the spleen is disrupted, since the spleen is associated with worry and stress. If we can rebalance our organs we can digest food better and shift excess weight. It must be worth a try.

Conclude the
Wu xing zhang
with a period of standing or meditation. During meditation the mind is emptied of all thought and the body stops responding to external stimuli, enabling it to restore its own balance. Successful practice enhances the metabolism and boosts the immune system. In China, parks are full of men and women moving gracefully in a trance-like state, oblivious to the buzz of city life but totally aware of their place in the natural order of things.