Practice the six-character formula, pay attention to abdominal breathing, breathe first and then inhale, and pronounce when exhaling. Exhale slowly, deeply and evenly to increase vital capacity. At the same time, your feet are open, shoulder-width apart, your head is straight, your knees are slightly bent, and your whole body is relaxed. Read each word six times, and then adjust your breath once.
The origin of six-character tactics
Six-character formula has a long history and is widely spread. According to textual research, the six-character formula was first seen in Tao Hongjing's "Record of Raising Sex and Prolonging Life" in the Northern and Southern Dynasties. Tao Hongjing was a famous Taoist priest at that time and also a famous Chinese medicine practitioner. Tao's "Good Health Preservation" collected and sorted out the expositions of health preservation in previous dynasties before the Southern Dynasties, and compiled the Record of Cultivating Nature and Prolonging Life.
In the part of "Taking Qi to Treat Diseases" in the Record of Nourishing Life and Prolonging Life, it is recorded: "Those who take Qi are called sucking; Exhale six, that is, blow, shout, hey, oh, shh, shh, all vent ..... cure the disease before it happens, blow to remove the heat, call to remove the wind, hey to remove the annoyance, ha to fire, shh to dispel the cold, and swallow to relieve the extreme. The book also pointed out: "heart patients have cold and heat, and exhale two kinds of gases;" Patients with lung disease, the chest and diaphragm are full, and the breath comes out; Splenic patients have a breezy upper body, itching and pain all over, and are out of breath; Patients with liver disease, eye pain, anxiety and unhappiness, exhaling. These records are the origin of the six-character formula or six-character qi formula in later generations.
Historical evolution of six-character tactics
Since Tao Hongjing, the six-character formula has been recorded in all previous dynasties, and the pronunciation of the six-character formula and its coordination with zang-fu organs have also undergone many changes. Among them, Sun Simiao's Thousand Women in the Tang Dynasty, Zou Pu 'an's Six-character Tactics in Tai Shang Yu Zhou in the Song Dynasty, Qiu Chuji's Theory of Taking Life Report in the Yuan Dynasty, Shou Shi Bao Yuan in the Ming Dynasty, Shou You's Compilation in the Qing Dynasty, and Medical Visit to the West in modern Zhang Xichun, etc. Zou Pu 'an, especially in Song Dynasty, made the most detailed exposition on this. He not only put forward specific requirements for breathing and pronunciation methods, but also made some preparatory work such as "Don't make a sound when reading", "Close your head and shut up when reading, slowly inhale the breath of heaven and earth through your nose" and "Don't make a sound when breathing", and also added some preparatory skills such as knocking your teeth, stirring the sea and swallowing body fluid. In addition, before the Ming Dynasty, the six-character formula did not match the body movements, but was just a simple breathing effort. Since the Ming dynasty, the six-character formula has been combined with body movements, breathing and guidance. For example, Leng Qian's Age Revision in Ming Dynasty and Hu's Class Revision.
In the Ming Dynasty, the orthodox Taoist Tibetan Cave God Department quoted the regimen of Taishang Laojun, which was more specific. The book says: the word "Shu" governs the lung, and the lung is connected with the five internal organs. When you were blown by the wind, your nose was blocked. If you have a disease, you can treat it by vomiting. Oh, words, heart, heart and tongue are connected, heart is hot and tongue is dry, and disease is treated by vomiting. Shout words, shout spleen, spleen is connected with lips, spleen is hot, that is, lips are burnt. If you have a disease, you can treat it by exhaling. Hush word, hush governs the liver, and the liver is connected with the eye. On intense liver fire and red eyes, if there is a disease, it is treated by asking for help and vomiting. Hippies dominate the triple energizer. If you get sick, spit it out and you can cure it.
Gong Tingxian of the Imperial Hospital in the Ming Dynasty also talked about the six-character formula for treating diseases in his book "Shoushi Baoyuan". The book says: "Don't refine the elixir, swallow the jade liquid, exhale the poison from the viscera, and inhale the clear heaven and earth. He also said: "The qi of the five internal organs is unknown because of the burning of five flavors, and there are also six desires and seven emotions. After a long illness, internal injuries to viscera and external attacks on nine orifices lead to illness, ranging from addiction to blindness and even casualties. Therefore, I am too sympathetic, and I use the six-character prescription to treat the diseases of the internal organs. Its method is to expel the poisonous gas from the zang-fu organs by calling words, and to collect the clear gas from heaven and earth and replenish qi by inhaling. The quiz on the same day, the big exam on the tenth day, no illness after the year, long life. Don't pass on the treasure of health to others. There are six ways to shout: shush, heh, hoo, moo, blow, hee and suck. There are six kinds of breathing, namely, the word "ha" is used to treat heart qi, the word "Hu" is used to treat temper, the word "Shu" is used to treat liver qi, the word "blow" is used to treat kidney qi, and the word "gallbladder qi" is used to treat gallbladder qi. This six-character formula divides the internal organs into six parts. 」
Practice of Taoist Six-character Tactics
▌ 1. Read the word "shh" more to protect the liver.
The word "shh" is one of the important methods to protect the liver. Regular practice of nourishing the liver "Shuzigong" can not only nourish the liver and improve eyesight, but also help to treat eye diseases, liver deficiency, liver fire, indigestion and relieve symptoms such as dry eyes and dizziness. It has a certain curative effect on eye diseases and headaches caused by stagnation of liver qi or hyperactivity of liver yang, as well as hemifacial spasm and mouth-eye deviation caused by internal movement of liver wind.
Mouth shape: the pronunciation of the word "shh" xū When exhaling, the lips and teeth are slightly open, the corners of the mouth are pulled back, and the lips are slightly "flat". Alveolar teeth are flat up and down, leaving a gap in the middle, the tip of the tongue is flat, the tongue body is slightly retracted, and there is also a gap between alveolar teeth and tongue edge. When exhaling, the breath is exhaled from the gap between alveolar teeth and lingual side.
Action: Stand facing the east, with feet naturally separated, shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, head straight and neck straight, chest straight, waist straight and back pulled. The arms droop naturally, the armpits are empty, the elbows are slightly bent, and the palms gently lean against the outer thighs. Relax, open your eyes and look straight ahead. Those who are old, weak or unable to stand due to illness can change seats. Slowly raise your hands, with the backs of your hands facing each other, and reach shoulder level through your ribs. Your arms are like a piece of a bird, separated from the left and right, palms up. When inhaling, bend your arms and hands and slowly fall through your chest and abdomen.
Breathing method: Breathe normally after hissing, but you should still hold your nose and vomit, calm down your mood, calm down and think quietly, with your eyes slightly closed, your lips slightly closed, your tongue touching the upper jaw, and your upper and lower teeth gently tapping 36 times. The purpose of breath regulation after holding your breath is to nourish healthy qi and promote growth. The technique of booing should be practiced once in the morning and once in the evening, and it is best to stick to it every day.
▌ 2. Read the word "ha" more to replenish your heart.
The word "ha" is a breathing method of six-character formula, which is more suitable for summer practice and has the function of nourishing the heart and refreshing the brain. Hot summer, burning heart, sore throat, dry mouth, burning breath, upset and other symptoms occur from time to time. Symptoms such as palpitation, angina pectoris, insomnia, forgetfulness and hyperhidrosis can be done more.
Mouth shape: the sound of "ha" is H. With your mouth half open, you can insert your thumb, pull your cheeks back slightly, and stick your tongue on your chin; The tip of the tongue gently pushes the lower teeth and the lower jaw relaxes.
Action: Stand upright with your feet apart, shoulder width apart. The knees are slightly bent, the head is straight and the neck is straight, including the chest and abdomen, the waist is straight and the back is stretched, the arms are naturally drooping, and the whole body is relaxed. Use abdominal breathing, naturally and evenly, inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth, and gently touch the lower teeth with the tip of the tongue. After breathing smoothly, the palm of your hand is slowly lifted upward and the word "ah" is issued at the same time. When you reach shoulder height, when you finish breathing, gently rub your face with your hand, and then naturally slowly hang down on your legs. After a total of 5 ~ 10 minutes, rest for 3 minutes and adjust your breathing. You can practice every morning and evening.
Breathing method: inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth, take a deep breath as far as possible, exhale all the turbid gas in the lungs when exhaling, and fill the lungs when inhaling; When practicing, you should concentrate on it. Imagine that the inhaled gas will irrigate the internal organs and penetrate into the limbs. Try to practice in a park or a place with fresh air in the wild, and clear your mind before practicing. Although the mouth shape of the six-character formula has the above requirements, in practice, under the premise of ensuring the correct mouth shape, the lips should be relaxed, not too tight, so as to avoid deliberately paying attention to the tension of the whole facial muscles, which is not conducive to smooth breathing and qi and blood circulation.
▌ 3. Read the word "Hu" more and nourish the spleen.
The word "Hu" belongs to soil, which has the function of strengthening the spleen and treating abdominal distension, diarrhea, loss of appetite, muscle atrophy and skin edema. In late summer and early autumn, practicing reading the word "Hu" in a place with fresh air can stimulate appetite and protect gastrointestinal tract, thus achieving the effect of invigorating the spirit.
Mouth shape: the sound of "Hu" is hū. Neko is tubular, with a flat tongue, which stretches forward forcefully and rolls up slightly.
Action: Stand upright with your feet apart, shoulder width apart. The knees are slightly bent, the head is straight and the neck is straight, including the chest and abdomen, the waist is straight and the back is stretched, the arms are naturally drooping, and the whole body is relaxed. Breathe through the abdomen, inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth, and gently touch the lower teeth with the tip of the tongue. After breathing smoothly, spit out the word "shout" from the front of the lower abdomen, palms up and navel. Looking forward and down, raise your left hand to the top of your head and spin your right hand down to the front of your lower abdomen. When exhaling and inhaling, the left arm turns inward and falls from the front. At the same time, the palm of your right arm is turned inward and upward, and your hands are crossed on your chest, with your left hand outside and your right hand inside. Turn your hands inward to the front of your abdomen and naturally vertical to your side. After practicing for 5 ~ 10 minutes, take a rest for 3 minutes and adjust your breathing.
The word "Hu" in vomiting mouth has the function of releasing spleen and stomach turbidity and regulating spleen and stomach function. At the same time, through the opening and closing between the palms and the navel, the whole abdominal cavity can be greatly relaxed and contracted, thus promoting gastrointestinal peristalsis and strengthening the spleen and stomach. When exhaling, the sides of the tongue are rolled up and the lips are round. After the gas comes out of the throat, it forms an intermediate airflow in the mouth and exhales through the round lips.
Breathing method: When practicing the calling function, be gentle and silent, and avoid breathing hard. Generally, practice one hour before or after meals, and it is not appropriate to practice the word-calling skills if you eat too much. Practice time needs to vary from person to person and cannot be forced. If you feel uncomfortable, you should stop practicing at once.
▌ 4. Read the word "rhyme" more to moisten the lungs.
The word "moo" is more suitable for autumn exercise, because it has the effects of moistening lung, nourishing lung and tonifying lung qi, and has a good improvement effect on various chronic lung diseases. Exogenous diseases, cold, fever and cough, phlegm and saliva upwelling, backache and chills, shortness of breath, frequent micturition and scanty micturition, burning pain at the urethral orifice and heart diseases can all be treated with the word "baa".
Mouth shape: the sound of "one" The lips are miniature, the upper and lower teeth are closed with gaps, and the tip of the tongue is pressed against the gaps to pronounce.
Action: Lift your hands from the front side of the lower abdomen, and turn your palms up gradually until your breasts are flat and your arms rotate outward. The palm is turned outwards to form a palm, the fingertips are pointed at the throat, and then the arms are spread left and right, pushing the palm like a bird zhang yi. Turn your hands, say "moo" at the same time, exhale completely, and naturally hang your arms to your sides with inspiration. Repeat six times to adjust your breathing.
Breathing method: Breathe along the abdomen, breathe first and then inhale. When exhaling, read the words and lift the anus at the same time, and the center of gravity naturally moves back to the heel. Be careful not to feel suffocated. When inhaling, the lips are lightly closed, the tongue is on the palate, the whole body is relaxed, the lower abdomen is naturally raised, and the air is naturally inhaled. Exhaustion of qi leads to emptiness in the chest and abdomen.
Action plays a role in guiding qi and blood, so the action should be soft, stretched, natural and not forced. The frequency of action should be consistent with your breathing frequency. At the beginning of training, there may be a phenomenon of forgetting to breathe and forget to move, or a phenomenon of wanting to move but not taking care of breathing. This is a skilled process. If time permits, you should be proficient in abdominal breathing first, and then increase your movements on this basis, so as not to lose sight of one thing and lose sight of another. Pay attention to lifting the anus when exhaling and reciting words. This is very important, it can help qi to go up.
▌ 5. Read the word "blow" more to strengthen the kidney.
The word "blow" is a breathing and breathing method to eliminate diseases and prolong life. According to the relationship between four seasons and five elements and zang-fu organs and meridians, coordinate zang-fu organs, balance yin and yang, eliminate diseases and prolong life. After the elderly practice the word "Shu", they can practice the word "Blow" to tonify the kidney.
Mouth shape: the sound of "blowing" is chuī and. Pinch your mouth, the corners of your mouth are backward, and the tip of your tongue is slightly upturned.
Action: Squat slightly, release your hands, and slowly spread out your palms. Get up, turn your hands slowly outward and inward, and stroke your abdomen. Palm around waist and abdomen. Squat slightly, slide your hands down along the lumbosacral and the outside of your legs and swing forward. When the hands slide down from the waist, they will cooperate with the word "blow" (breathe first, then inhale, and then blow when exhaling). Repeat this 6 times. For the last time, put your hands back on your abdomen, bend your knees slightly, and spread your hands slowly. Get up, slowly turn your palms outward and inward, put your hands in the jaws of a tiger and gently cover your navel, and rest for 2 ~ 3 breaths.
Kidney is the passage of cold water, and solar terms belong to winter, so there is a saying that "the cold is blown away". Blowing Chinese characters has the function of strengthening the body and tonifying the kidney, and has certain preventive and therapeutic effects on diseases such as soreness of the waist and knees, night sweats and nocturnal emission, and uterine deficiency and cold. When practicing the word "blow", you should pay attention to the fact that your lips seem to be closed and your toes seem to be grabbing something.
▌ 6. Read the word "Xi" more and manage the triple energizer.
The word "Xi" corresponds to the spirit of three exchanges between Shao and Yang. The triple energizer is closely related to the viscera and meridians, and it is the way for the whole body to regulate qi activity. Therefore, it can treat dizziness, tinnitus, sore throat, chest tightness, dysuria and other symptoms caused by poor triple energizer. For those who love to lose their temper, love to be angry, always feel uncomfortable and depressed, it has a good relieving effect on female menopausal patients.
Mouth shape: the word "Xi" is pronounced x:. When exhaling, the tip of the tongue gently touches the lower teeth, the corners of the mouth are slightly pulled up and up from the back, and the alveolar teeth are gently meshed up and down, so that the gas can be exhaled from the gap at the edge of the alveolar teeth when exhaling.
Action: raise your hands from the side like a grip, cross from the abdomen to the chest, and the breast is in a horizontal position. Palm outward, arms outward, lift to the head, palm upward, fingertips opposite. When inhaling, separate your fingers and slowly fall from your head along your sides.
Because the six-character formula originated from Taoism and doctors, its achievement method has the academic characteristics of Taoism and doctors.
Judging from the characteristics of practicing the six-character formula, it is a qigong method with the emphasis on pranayama. Qigong is a physical and mental exercise skill that integrates body-regulating, qi-regulating and heart-regulating. After the Ming dynasty, the six-character formula was accompanied by movements, but these movements were coordinated with breathing and pranayama, and did not dominate. Knowing that pranayama is the core of the six-character formula is helpful to grasp the key points of practice.
In addition, the six-character tactic was also called "six-character tactic" in ancient times, which further emphasized the importance of pranayama. The six-character formula "Hush, Ha, Hu, Moo, Blow and Hip" should be read in practice, but the purpose of reading is to adjust the breath, not to listen to the sound. In Song Dynasty, Zou Pu 'an asked "Don't listen to reading". Reading different words should have different mouth shapes and pronunciation positions, so as to guide different breaths to exhale. The name of "six-character Qi Fang" emphasizes the importance of guiding breath, which is the purpose of pronunciation. Understanding the relationship between pronunciation and breath in the six-character formula is also of great significance for practicing the six-character formula.
From the doctor's point of view, the theory of six-character prescription is closely combined with the theory and practice of traditional Chinese medicine. The pronunciation of the six-character formula is directly directed at the zang-fu organs and is also related to the health care of the four seasons. It has a strong medical color and is very practical. However, it should be noted that the six-character prescription is mainly used for exhaling, and its function is generally biased towards diarrhea, so it is mainly used in clinic. This is reflected in the account of Tao Hongjing's Record of Nourishing Sex and Prolonging Life. Therefore, as a daily exercise of health qigong, we should pay attention to the inexhaustible breath pronunciation, control it and leave room.