The Blood is Circulated without
Stress on the Heart
Chi Gung works strongly with the body
fluids, including the blood, lymph, and
the synovial and cerebro-spinal fluids.
Concerning the circulation of blood, the
object of Chi Gung is not to make the
heart pump more strongly, but to increase
the elasticity of the vascular system.
As the vessels expand and contract with
more vigor, the heart doesn't need to
pump as strongly, which provides it with
more rest. Thus, the beneficial consequences
of Chi Gung, and the internal martial
arts, are primarily vascular, rather than
cardiac, in nature.
The Lymph Pump, Hence the Immune
System, Is Strengthened
The lymph fluids are moved primarily by
tiny muscular contractions. The Chi Gung
techniques taught in Energy Gates employ
some of their strongest motions where
the largest lymph nodes are located; that
is, the armpits, the backs of the knees,
and the inguinal region. The relatively
fine muscular contractions improved by
Chi Gung move lymph efficiently through
the entire system. These actions, as well
as the overall increase in chi that Chi
Gung brings, strengthen the body’s
immune system.
The Synovial Fluid is Vitalized,
Bringing Flexibility to Joints
Synovial fluid is found in the joints.
It lubricates the joints, allows joint
flexibility, and when functioning normally
helps prevent arthritis and rheumatism.
From the point of view from Chinese medicine,
when “wind/damp” or physical
obstructions (coagulated blood, calcium
deposits, and so on) get stuck in the
joints, the results are not only specific
joint problems but a decrease in the flow
of chi through the entire body as well.
Chi Gung works with the synovial fluid
by compressing and expanding it, preventing
and reversing all sorts of joint problems.
The Cerebro-Spinal Pump Becomes
Efficient
Cerebro-spinal fluid is basically a nutrient
bath and lubricating liquid that surrounds
the spinal cord and brain. It keeps a
constant pressure in the human body. This
pressure regulates nerve flow and affects
every physical sense. All the Chi Gung
techniques in the Energy Gates series
help strengthen the cerebro-spinal fluid
pumps in the body and add chi to the cerebro-spinal
fluid itself.
The quality of your physical senses is
determined by the health of your spine.
Your cerebro-spinal fluid, to a great
degree, determines just how healthy your
spinal cord is, and how efficiently the
spinal nerves carry messages from your
brain to your body and from your body
to your brain. All Chi Gung work strongly
affects the cerebro-spinal pump, both
by physically pumping the fluid and by
moving chi, all of which encourages the
cerebro-spinal fluid pump to perform at
optimal efficiency.
The Muscle Tissue Gains Elasticity
Chi Gung also causes muscle tissue to
elongate. This activity differs from stretching
in the usual sense. The object here is
to fill the tissues with energy, so that
they stabilize at a given degree of stretch.
With most forms of stretching, the body
soon shrinks back to its original state
when the stretch stops. With the stretches
of Chi Gung, however, the muscles eventually
attain a state akin to that of a springy
rubber band. A few athletes possess this
muscular springiness naturally, but anyone
can attain this state with Chi Gung practice.
The Tendons Are Strengthened
Chi Gung also adds greater strength and
elasticity to the tendons. This contributes
to the tremendous flexibility many Chi
Gung practitioners have, which derives
primarily from the tendons and ligaments,
not from the muscles. Chi Gung has the
ability to not only make ligaments more
springy but also to shrink and stabilize
overstretched ligaments, which may make
a joint too floppy—a problem experienced
by many dancers.
The Bone Marrow is Energized
Chi Gung affects the bones by directly
infusing the bone marrow with energy.
This technique is an advanced one, but
by the time a disciplined practitioner
reaches an advanced level of Chi Gung,
the energizing of the bone marrow has
started to occur.
Body Cells are Healed
Masters of Chi Gung have been healing
people suffering from chronic or incurable
diseases since ancient times. In modern-day
China, there are sections of hospitals
and clinics that use Chi Gung to treat
conditions unresponsive to other methods
of therapy, such as acupuncture, Western
medicine, and herbs. Here patients learn
to regulate their own chi, with a little
help from their therapist. The range of
maladies amenable to such treatment is
quite broad, ranging from nerve diseases,
such as Parkinson’s, to cellular
diseases, such as cancer.