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The Eight Treasures

Adapted by Robert Dickinson

 

The Eight Treasures are simple Tai Chi warm-up exercises, based on those that have been done in China for thousands of years. They are generally done early in the morning and if you watched Bill Moyers' program on Healing and the Mind on PBS, you may have seen the segment showing people of all ages awake at an early hour doing similar exercises in a public park in China.

Tai Chi exercises are useful to relieve stress any time during the day. The whole series has an overall strengthening and balancing effect on the body, but not all of them need to be done at one time--even a few will help.

  • Upholding the Heaven With Two HandsThe First Treasure:
    Lifting the Earth to Support the Heavens:

    With feet parallel, shoulder-width apart, sink down, exhaling, bending the knees and interlacing the fingers down in front. Inhale lifting the hands as if lifting a heavy stone. At chest level turn the palms away from the body and up towards the ceiling while rising on the toes, having fully inhaled. Exhale as you open the arms out and down to the sides, letting them float down as the heels come down and knees bend. Clasp the fingers down in front again. Repeat eight times.

  • Opening the Bow To the Left and RightThe Second Treasure:
    Pulling the Bow:

    Step to the left in a "horse stance" position, as if sitting on a horse. Feet should be shoulder width apart. Weight evenly distributed, extend the left hand, palm away to the left side, index finger pointing up. The right hand pulls back as if pulling a bow string, and the weight sinks evenly on both legs as you exhale. Inhaling, move the right hand as if pulling an arrow from the quiver, bring the left foot up next to the right, let both arms down to the sides, then up and crossing in front of the chest. Repeat eight times.

  • Raising the Hands Separately With One Palm Up and One Palm Down The Third Treasure:
    Lifting Alternate Hands:

    Inhale as you lift the left hand palm up over the head, and fully extend the arm. Fingers are pulled back and pointing to the right. Simultaneously, the right hand extends palm down at the side towards the ground. Fingers are pulled back and pointing to the front. Exhale, sink. Bring the left arm down and the right arm up, crossing in front. Repeat, but with right arm up and left arm down. Repeat eight times.

  • Looking Backward Over Both Shoulders The Fourth Treasure:
    Looking Right and Left:

    Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Look over the left shoulder as you inhale. Exhale as you return head to the front. Look over right shoulder as you inhale. Exhale to the front. Repeat eight times. (This is especially useful for relaxing eyes, neck, and shoulder muscles after working for some time on the computer.)

  • Holding the Fists Tightly and Gazing With Angry Eyes The Fifth Treasure:
    Punching and Glaring:

    Stand in "horse stance" with fists pulled back to the waist, inhale. Exhale, punching out with right fist using dynamic tension (as if pushing against resistance.) Eyes are glaring, open wide. (Another good eye relaxing exercise.) Inhale and relax as you bring right fist back. Repeat with left fist. Repeat eight times, then punch with both fists to front, pull back relaxed, punch to sides, pull back relaxed, above head, pull back relaxed, down in front, pull back and relaxed.

  • Jumping With Toes Lightly The Sixth Treasure:
    Lifting Heels:

    With feet parallel, hands relaxed
    at sides, inhale. Rise up,
    lifting heels off the ground.
    Exhale, sinking down,
    but without touching heels.
    Repeat eight times.

  • Shaking the Head and Waving the Tail The Seventh Treasure:
    Rotate Head and Trunk:

    In "horse stance", hands on knees, leaning forward, shift weight right, stretching to right around back, over to left, and down to the front. Continue around eight times, then reverse eight times, inhaling as you rise up and exhaling as you sink down.

  • Holding the Toes With the Hands The Eighth Treasure:
    Bending to Touch Toes and Bending Back:

    Bring hands up over the head
    as you inhale. Then exhaling, bend
    forward from the waist, keeping the
    legs and back straight, hands
    touching toes. (If it is too difficult
    to touch the toes, just stretch as
    much as possible.) Then, inhaling, roll up
    vertebra by vertebra, putting hands on the
    kidneys and bending backwards.
    Repeat bringing hands up over
    head and stretching down four to eight times.
    Jump, shaking out whole body.

Complete Eight Treasures
By Taking Several Zero Breaths

Zero Breaths are used most frequently after a vigorous workout or after certain exercises. Stand with feet shoulder width apart, inhale, rising on toes, and lifting arms at both sides until over your head, touching index finger to index finger, thumb to thumb. Exhale, sinking down and bringing the arms down the center line in front of the body, palms facing down. Repeat rising up. Repeat three to six times.

 


For more information you can send e-mail to Robert Dickinson at: info@newhorizons.org.

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