Physiognomy: Tai Chi Loose Waist

Loosening the waist is an important stage in the practice of Qigong for health preservation. It is an important stage in the practice of allowing the mind to observe, control, and command the spine and enter the spine, fully controlling the skin, flesh, tendons, veins, and bones of the spine, thereby returning the essence and energy to the internal organs. It is a sign that a person's health level has reached comprehensive health and longevity. It should be pointed out that the waist in health preservation refers to the entire spine.

1. The meaning of loosening the waist: the lumbar spine and its ligaments, muscles on both sides of the waist, etc. are all relaxed, gradually changing the natural curvature of the waist; when standing, the waist is straightened and even protrudes backwards, and when sitting, the waist is straightened and even collapsed forward. When straightening, do not be stiff, but pull up and down, as if the vertebrae are gently overlapping each other. The ancients said that "it is shaped like a nine-bend pearl", referring to the relaxed spine.

2. Simple sign of a loose waist : when standing, the waist can bulge and retract freely with breathing.

Specific steps: (1) bulge the gate of life outward (2) loosen the sacroiliac region (3) loosen the belt meridian and coccyx (4) loosen the rib cage (5) loosen the meridians and bones

(1) The gate of life bulges outwards

Stand naturally, and when you inhale, your navel and the gate of life will bulge outward at the same time. The bigger the bulge, the better. When you exhale, return to the original position. The lumbar vertebrae can move up and down and rotate left and right.

(2) Relax the sacroiliac region

That is, the sacroiliac joint is pulled apart to both sides, also known as sacroiliac eversion. This action also causes the entire spine to protrude backwards, changing the entire physiological structure of the spine. The opening of this joint also means the expansion of the entire Dantian area.

When most people are standing, the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae are stuck inside the sacroiliac spine and are difficult to feel.

From a physiological structure perspective, the sacroiliac joint is a false joint that tightly connects the auricular surface of the sacrum and the ilium through cartilage and ligaments. So we loosen the sacroiliac ligament and dissolve the cartilage.

Because the Mingmen bulges backwards to a certain extent, and because the two sacroiliac joints are tightly locked, fixing the sacrum and iliac, it is impossible for the Mingmen to bulge backwards any further. If the sacroiliac joints are not loose, it will be very difficult to bulge backwards.

(3) Loose belt meridian

Once the Yaoshu point is opened, the Qi and blood in the entire waist will become more and more vigorous. The smooth flow of Qi and blood in the waist accelerates the loosening of the waist muscles, membranes, ligaments, and lumbar vertebrae. At the same time, it also makes the Qi and blood in the belt meridian become sufficient and lively, so that the Qi and blood in the whole body are well adjusted.

The cauda equina nerve of the sacrum can extend all the way to the soles of the feet. As the waist, sacroiliac, yangguan, yaoshu, Changqiang and coccyx become loosened, the cauda equina nerve stack's ability to control the lower limbs will become stronger, the qi and blood in the lower limbs will become more vigorous, and the qi will become more substantial. As a result, the adjustment of Qi and blood in the joints, muscles and meridians of the lower limbs is accelerated, especially the opening of the orifices. Some large acupoints such as Huantiao, Xuehai, Sanyinjiao, Zusanli, Qiuxu and Yongquan will be loosened front and back, blending the inside and the outside.

The cauda equina nerve exits from the tip of the coccyx, so loosening the coccyx makes the qi flow in the body more flexible and unobstructed, mainly because it is directly connected to the brain and goes to the soles of the feet.

As the belt meridian and waist loosen faster and faster, the life gate loosens more and more along with the lumbar spine, and the essence and qi become more and more sufficient. When a person's qi and blood become more and more vigorous, the inner orifice of the life gate will gradually be revealed. The inner acupoint of the life gate is connected to the deep life of each of us and every corner of our body. This is the foundation of life our parents gave us.

(4) Loose Rib Film

Next, the qi flows to the ribs of the torso, which is half superficial and half internal. The ribs are the only place in the adult body that produces red bone marrow. Other bones degenerate with age and cannot produce red bone marrow. Because red bone marrow can produce blood, the ribs are the human's hematopoietic organs. The Qi rushes up to the ribs, first clearing the areas where Qi and blood are blocked in the ribs, thereby restoring the hematopoietic function of the ribs. .

Because the inner orifice of Mingmen is the center of the body's Hunyuan Qi, once the Yangguan closes the function of producing essence, the entire essence will be transformed into Qi. As the Qi in the orifice of the Mingmen becomes more and more abundant, the Qi will flow throughout the body to supply our life activities. The holographic Hunyuan Qi rises to nourish the brain. Because the central qi is sufficient, the qi in the whole body will gradually become sufficient as well. It is connected with the qi in the whole body.

Generally, the rib lesions have several parts. First of all, the rib itself is a flat bone. Some elderly people walk with a hunched back because the ribs are blocked, resulting in less red bone marrow, less blood production, and weak vitality. Why does the lady have a hunched back? Look at her ribs, they are sunken. She doesn't have much vitality, it's because the qi and blood are weak, and the old lady's two ribs are blocked. According to Chinese medicine Qigong, Qi is the commander of blood, which means it helps the blood flow. So at this time the first reaction is to stimulate a person's rib lesions and restore the rib's hematopoietic function.

As the Qi and blood in the ribs become vigorous and unobstructed, the Qi and blood in the diaphragm connected to the ribs gradually become sufficient, and the function of the diaphragm is strengthened. The diaphragm is the little sun of the human body, like the source of energy of the human body; another reason is that the diaphragm connects the acquired qi (lungs) and the innate qi (kidneys). The contraction and relaxation (power) of the diaphragm movement allows for sufficient mixing of the lungs and kidneys. At the same time, the foot of the diaphragm is connected to the lumbar spine, so that every breath we take is related to the waist.