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Experience Exchange
Daoist Yang-Sheng: Preserving Life At All Costs
L ast year I was lucky enough to be able to spend the
day at a series of conferences and workshops
entitled ‘The Embodiment of the Dao: Daoist Yangsheng
Practices and the Cultivation of Health
and Vitality’. It was an inspiring and
informative day, and I’d like to share
some of what I learned.
In the morning, Dr. Vivienne Lo talked
about the history of Yang-Sheng self-care
practices, and discussed their relevance
and importance to the modern day. She
emphasized that the key components of
health have always been to keep moving,
and eat a healthy seasonal diet, adding
that though this is common sense, it is
not common practice! To me, this shows
the importance of Qigong and Taiji, and
Chinese dietary therapy/nutrition as the
cornerstone practices for good health.
Professor Jiao Guocheng from the
Renmin Peoples University of China then
spoke on the Daoist approach to life and
the practice of self-care techniques. He contrasted the
pressures of the modern world with the simple Daoist
beliefs – today we strive for success, wealth and fame at
the cost of our health, while to the Daoists, health and well
-being were precious treasures to be guarded and
preserved at all costs.
He quoted from Daoist philosopher Chuang-Tzu, who said
the modern way is like "shooting a sparrow on a high cliff
with priceless pearls". The pearls represent your life and
health, which you waste, the sparrow is the uncertain
profit that you aim for, and the cliff is the dangers that you
face along the way.
In the afternoon, we were treated to demonstrations and
workshops by Abbot Liu Suibin (pictured) on Qingcheng
Qigong and martial arts, and Abbot Wang Chengya on
Daoist Five Phase Kung Fu. Some of these forms were
extremely simple, but had very powerful effects – as
Westerners we often complicate things when we don’t
need to, but the Daoist way is simplicity itself.
道家养生:不惜一切保养生命
by Neil Kingham
In my clinic, I see clients with countless health problems
of all kinds caused by poor diet over a long period, stress,
and lack of exercise and bad posture. These are truly the
health problems of the modern Western
world, and we are all prey to them to a
greater or lesser extent! In my mind, the
ancient Daoist Yang-Sheng practices for
self-care have enormous relevance in the
modern day. Qigong and Taiji practice
help to calm the mind and reduce stress,
and work the physical body to maintain
suppleness, balance and movement. Proper
eating practices, as described by Chinese
nutrition, help to maintain the body and
mind by ensuring that we get sufficient
nourishment.
These two foundation practices of good
health can provide an antidote to ‘the
modern condition’ and help us to nourish
rather than squander life, and live longer,
with better health and greater happiness.
The Yang-Sheng self-care practices are as
relevant today as they were thousands of years ago.
Neil Kingham has been involved in the
Chinese healing arts for over 14 years.
His interest in the area began with Taiji
and Qigong, and these disciplines remain
an important part of his own practice
today. He has trained in the UK and
China, and runs a busy practice in the
UK in Bristol and South Wales. He is a
great believer in using the Chinese
health arts to prevent illness and disease,
and maintain optimum health. Neil is a
respected writer and teacher in the field of Chinese medicine.
He is also an experienced practitioner, and course/workshop
leader, and has worked in diverse settings with corporate
groups, young sports-people, children with learning difficulties,
and various health organizations. For more information about
Neil and his blog, go to http://neilkingham.com
December, 2011 Yang-Sheng (Nurturing Life) 51