Exercises that involve twisting, turning, spiraling, screwing, sliding, swinging, swimming, sinking down and rising up, wiggling, undulating, circling, or twining are often associated with snakes and dragons. There are many Qigong sets and specific Qigong movements given a name that includes a 'Dragon.' Baguazhang and Shaolin Kung Fu also include many "Dragon" forms, sets and movements. Silk Reeling Qigong is also related to Dragon like movements.
Dragon Qigong is often associated with Wudang Taoist mind/body arts. Maybe the cliffs and valleys of the Wudang Mountain area are home to many dragons? Dragons have a well established place in Taoist symbolism and lore, as well as in Chinese culture in general.
Dragon Qigong is often associated with Wudang Taoist mind/body arts. Maybe the cliffs and valleys of the Wudang Mountain area are home to many dragons? Dragons have a well established place in Taoist symbolism and lore, as well as in Chinese culture in general.
I welcome suggestions for additions and changes to the Dragon Qigong webpage. I have also successfully used these Dragon Qigong movements in my Hatha Yoga classes, and call them "Chinese Yoga."
Are you preparing for the upcoming start of the Year of the Water Dragon in 2012 starting on January 23rd? Check out the sidebar on this blog for links to resources on Dragons.
The East Asian Dragons are often associated with water, rain, vapors, fog, springs, streams, waterfalls, rivers, swamps, lakes, and the ocean. Water can take many shapes and states, and Dragons are shape shifters and linked with transformation, appearing and disappearing, changing into something new. Water is found in three states, depending upon the surrounding temperature: a solid (ice, snow), a fluid (flowing liquid), and a gas (fog, vapor, steam). Since rainfall is often accompanied by thunder and lightening (thunderstorms and typhoons), the Dragon is sometimes associated with fire; and, since hot water and steam are major sources of energy in human culture, this further links the Dragon with the essential energy of Fire. The Dragon is thus linked with the chemical and alchemical transformative properties of two of the essential Elements, both Water and Fire. Dragons are generally benign or helpful to humans in East Asia, but their powers can also be destructive (e.g., flooding, tsunami, typhoon, lightening, steam, drowning, etc.). There are both male and female Dragons, kinds or species of Dragons, Dragons of different colors and sizes, and mostly good but some evil Dragons. Some Dragons can fly, some cannot fly; most live in or near water, a few on land. The body of a Dragon combines features from many animals, representing the many possibilities for existential presence. The Dragon in the East has serpentine, snake, or eel like movement qualities: twisting, spiraling, sliding, circling, swimming, undulating, flowing freely like water. [See: The Dragon in China and Japan by Marinus De Visser, 1913]
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