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The Complete Self Healing System
University of Virginia
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THE
OF
INTERNAL
EXERCISES
By Dr. Stephen T. Chang
Tao Publishing
Acknowledgements
The author gratefully acknowledges the support and help of:
Vera Brown Helene Chang Shirley Dahn Mako Hayamizu Sam Matthew Ed McLean Rick Miller Bjorn Overbye, M. Grace Roessler, Ph. Cecilia Rosenfeld, M. Eugene Schwartz Alice Seigneur Joel Seigneur Leonard Worthington, J.
Foreword
I would like to take this opportunity to thank every one of the honorable readers throughout the world who has purchased my books since 1978. I greatly appreciate the continuous support, which has been reinforced by thousands of letters of appreciation and inquiry. In regard to these letters, I would also like to take this chance to apologize to those whose letters I have not had a chance to answer. For these people, and others who wish to know more, I have written another book that will answer the many questions and satisfy the many appetites for knowledge. To let the reader know about the supplementations of a great many more healing techniques and new con
cepts and corrections to the old text, I have changed the title from The Book of Internal Exercises to The Complete System of Self-Healing. Instead of showing only one room, the new book opens the door to the entire house. I have devoted forty years of intensive research, experience, and meticulous selection to make sure that the techniques within this book are:
Absolutely true Taoist teachings (such as the principle of mind and body unification).
Absolutely scientific.
*Proven to possess great healing value.
- Absolutely natural (equipment, which causes bodily imbalances, is not needed).
*Absolutely safe (no side-effects) and free from time or space limitations. < I hope you will enjoy this book more, gain more riches in health and knowledge from it, and help more of those who are suffe ring with the aid of it.
Stephen T. Chang
An Important Note To The Reader
This book was written only to introduce the Internal Exercises of Taoism as a gesture of goodwill. Since certain exercises, special techniques, and teachings which are introduced may be new to certain societies, since human beings are complicated and delicate in constitu tion, and since every individual is different, please consult your physician before you try any of the contents of this book, for your own protection. The author and the publisher specifically disclaim liability for any loss or risk incurred by the use or application of any of the contents of this book.
PART ill ADVANCED LIVING
PART IV BEGINNING ANEW: FINDING PROBLEMS, - The Deer Exercise for Women - Instructions for the Female Deer Exercise - Prone Position for the Deer Exercise - Crane Exercise - Instructions for the Crane Exercise - The Standing Crane - Solar Plexus Exercise - Turtle Exercise - Instructions for the Turtle Exercise - Combining the Deer, Crane, and Turtle Exercises - Sitting Position - Standing Position
- w al •
- Sleeping Position
- Head Rubbing Exercise
- Eye Exercises
- Nose Exercise
- The Ear Exercise
- Mouth Exercises
- Tongue and Saliva Exercise
- Gum Pressure Exercise
- Teeth Clicking Exercise
- Face Rubbing Exercise
- Thyroid Exercise o •••••••••• o • • • •
- Techniques for Relieving Pain
- Hand, Arm, and Upper Body Exercises - Ann and Hand Pressing Exercise - Hand and Arm Exercise o o • • • o • •
- Lung Exercise
- Heart Exercise
- Heart Energizing Exercise
- Strengthening the Nerves Leading to the Heart
- Heart Healing Exercise
- Abdominal Strengthening Exercise
- Weight Reduction Exercise
- Stomach Healing Exercise - Liver Exercise - Kidney Exercise - Lower Back Exercise - Sun Worship Exercise - Lower Body and Sexual Glands Exercise - Toe Wiggling and Body Stretching - Internal Organ Relaxation - Meridian Massage
- BREATHING EXERCISES 7. TAOIST MEDITATIVE, CONTEMPLATIVE AND
- Meridian Meditation
- Meditative and Contemplative Exercises
- North Star Meditation
- Contemplations Candlelight, Sunlight, and Moonlight
- Concentration Exercise
- Breathing Exercises
- Reverse Crane I
- Reverse Crane ll
- Bone Breathing
- Energizing and Relaxing Breathing Exercises
- Brain Cleansing Breathing
- Brain Cleansing I
- Brain Cleansing ll
- HEAVENLY CYCLES 8. IMMORTAL BREATHING: SMALL AND LARGE - Small Heavenly Cycle - Large Heavenly Cycle
- Heart Exercise
- Heart Energizing Exercise
- Strengthening the Nerves Leading to the Heart
- Heart Healing Exercise
- TAOIST HEALING PRESCRIPTIONS SOLVING PROBLEMS
- 1 0. CONCLUSION
- IN'"D EX
Introduction
by depleting the energy of the internal organs, thereby causing not only any number of illnesses, but also premature aging. The fatigue, stress, strain, pain, and contortions associated with the external exercises disrupt the delicate organic functions. Since responsibility for the body's regenerative processes and defenses against disease-causing agents lies in the internal organs, disrupt ing their functions will impair the body's ability to replace old or worn cells and fight off genns and viruses. The internal organs do what thick muscles can not do: protect the body against age and disease. The Internal Exercises, in tum, protect, heal, and energize the organs. And when internal organs are healthy, attractive figures naturally result. The creator of this system of movements was the Yellow Emperor, who was also a father of Taoism, the science and philosophy of life and longevity. His original, untranslated name for the Tao of Revitalization is Yang Sheng Shu. One can define the latter term as the achievement of a happy, healthy, and long life through the utilization of mental and physical movements to prevent and correct all ailments, reverse the aging process, and improve all functions of the body. Tao of Revitalization has a six thousand year long history of success. Upon realizing its enormous medicinal potential, the Yell ow Emperor gave the Tao of Revitalization the title ''The Foremost of Therapies''. In the Tao Te Ching, Lao-Tse called it the ''best therapeutic method for promoting and prolonging life''. Its reverent and faithful practitioners are multitudi nous. And it was effective even when its expansive teachings were frag mented and disarranged. Many versions of the Tao of Revitalization exist, each with appropriate ly descriptive names. These names, however, do not reflect the true meaning and function of the Tao of Revitalization. One version is Tao-Yin, which means the utilization of thought, tools, and certain body movements to guide the flow of energy to heal ailments of all kinds. Presently, this version of the Tao of Revitalization is immensely popular in Japan. Do-in, as it is called in Japan, is taught in Do-in clubs which are organized in every city, village, and neighborhood. Club members meet once or many times a week to help and encourage each other in the practice of selected methods of Do-in, thereby preventing and treating diseases. The form of Tao of Revitalization that is popular in China is Chi-Kung, also called Nei-Kung. The term Chi-Kung translates to Breathing or Energizing Exercises. The term Nei-Kung translates to Internal Exercises. In China, a scientific study was conducted on Chi-Kung therapy by Dr. Pao Ling. His work, published in Guolin Research Report, involved 2,
14
Introduction
terminal cancer patients who took part in an experiment wherein Chi-Kung therapy was used to treat their afflictions. Within a six-month period, about 12% of the patients were cured and about 4 7% showed significant improve ments in their conditions. About 41% showed no improvement. Another experiment involving school children was conducted to test one part of Chi-Kung-the eye exercises. Their exercise routine was accompanied by music and instructional intercom announcements. As results of the exer
cises, farsightedness, nearsightedness, and other eye problems became a rare affliction. Other experiments conducted on Chi-Kung therapy demon strated tremendous and rapid efficaciousness against sinus allergies, hemorrhoids, prostate problems, and aging. In the hospitals, clinics, and health organizations of China, Chi-Kung therapy reigns supreme above other treatments, such as chemotherapy, surgery, and acupuncture. Its effectiveness was found to lie in its ability to cure and prevent disease.
In the U. S. , a scientific study was conducted on the Internal Exercises by Dr. Cecilia Rosenfeld. After practicing the Internal Exercise and experi encing an immediate improvement in health, Dr. Rosenfeld decided to
prescribe these exercises to her patients. Internal Exercises were taught to her patients, and within one week, about 80% of the patients showed positive results. Then eight nurses were hired, taught about the Internal Exercises, and trained in the instruction and supervision of patients. Afterward, several patients were assigned to each nurse after the patients were examined and given a prescription of specific Internal Exercises. Most patients reported that they experienced immediate improvements in health, without feeling pain or discomfort, and the nurses themselves reported that they had boundless energy even after a day of performing and demonstrating the exercises. As one nurse explains: "It used to be that a nurse's life was miserable. Every day all we saw was sickness, suffering, pain, and death. We heard only complaints. The patients never called the nurse to say 'Isn't it a nice day?' After working eight hours on our feet, we felt as if we were ready to die. But now, since we started using these exercises-a hundred times a day-we feel as if we're ready to jump through the roof at the end of the day! We have so much energy we can't stand it anymore!'' As a result of this study, the Internal Exercises became a subject of study for many universities, colleges, medical schQols, hospitals, and the general public. What underlies such miraculous results? Prevention, a principle of the Tao of Revitalization, is one key to the
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PART I
UNDERLYING
PRINCIPLES
1
Taoism
The Complete System of Self-Healing: Internal Exercises is about one part of the living philosophy of Taoism. Taoism is the eldest of the world's religions. Its founder, Lao-Tse, the best-known and perhaps greatest of Taoist sages, laid the groundwork which was to support the Eight Pillars of Taoism when he wrote the Tao Te Ching. The Tao Te Ching itself is primarily a political treatise and a theoretical representation of Taoism expressed from the point of view of an enlightened being. The formulation ot'the practical and functional aspects was left to other Taoist sages-the Yellow Emperor, for instance. When other ancient Taoist masters devised-in addition to the basic spiritual doctrines and philosophy of Taoism-innumerable techniques designed to ultimately transform and immortalize the physical body, the Eight Pillars of Taoism materialized. The Eight Pillars are eight branches of Taoist thought and practice, and they are symbolized as eight trigrams in the Pa-Kua, the symbol of Taoism. The Internal Exercises themselves form one pillar of Taoism.
Taoism
THE TAO OF PHILOSOPHY
The Tao of Philosophy discloses the logic underlying the way life
unfolds and the purpose of destiny. It is a collection of guidelines that is used by the individual as well as the collectivity for attaining success and spiritual elevation. Based on the spiritual discovery of hidden but ever permeating and reliable laws of this universe, the Tao of Philosophy provides detailed information on the proper methods of government and
fosterage of social development and individual well-being.
THE TAO OF REVITALIZATION
This is the subject of this book, the purpose of which is to explain clearly the complete theory and practice of the Tao of Revitalization. The Internal Exercises direct the innate healing power to specific internal organs and glands to energize the entire body, balance the energy level, and promote a more effective functioning of the internal organs, in order to heal, adjust, correct, and above all prevent disease. In sum, their main purpose is to promote longevity. There are three categories of Internal Exercises. The first category of Internal Exercises includes those designed to
21
Taoism
correct sitting, reclining, walking, and working postures, to facilitate healing. These exercises are the Five Animal Exercises, Eight Directional Exercises, Twelve Zodiac Exercises, and Twelve Nerve Exercises. Also included are the basic exercises known as the Deer Exercise, the Crane Exercise, and the Turtle Exercise. The second category includes Meridian Meditation, also known as Trip-Around-the-World Meditation, or simply Taoist Contemplation. A tremendous healing art, Meridian Meditation is used to adjust, balance, and elevate the energy level in the body. By meditating on the pathways of energy in the body, anatomically known as the meridians, a person is able to feel the energy flow along these pathways and balance the energies within the body. The mind, body, and spirit are completely integrated, and the individual is completely enlivened. Acupuncture and acupressure techniques, which originated from Merid ian Meditation, are used to help others, whereas Meridian Meditation is used to heal oneself. The third category of Internal Exercises concerns energy breathing techniques. Through these techniques, energy can be absorbed through the acupuncture points which lie atop the meridians which traverse the body. Energy breathing is a vital step in self-healing and in forming an indivisible link with the energy permeating the universe.
THE TAO OF BALANCED DIET
The acid-alkaline balance of our food is very important. Foods that are pH-balanced will not corrupt quickly, and the eater will be able to extract the maximum amount of nutrition available from those foods. If the food we eat is not pH-balanced, it becomes corrupt as soon as it enters the digestive tract. The body, instead of benefiting from the nutrients in the
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Taoism
Herbs have many properties that modem science has yet to discover. The Academy of Sciences currently estimates that there are approximately one million plant varieties in the world. As yet, only an insignificant portion has been examined by modem means of analysis. The food we buy in the supermarket is the weakest food available. The selection there is very limited if one considers the varieties of food actually available in the world. God created leaves, branches, trunks, and roots for our consumption, but they were completely overlooked by most people. Called ''forgotten foods'' by Taoists, herbs were forgotten because they were eliminated from our ancestors' diets through a process of selection which, over the course of thousands of years, rejected foods that were unappealing to the eyes, nose, or mouth. When man learned to cultivate his own food, he naturally chose to cultivate only those foods that appealed to his senses. As the saying goes, we are what we eat. If we eat stronger foods, we become stronger ourselves. If we eat better foods, our health improves. But, if we eat weak foods, we become more vulnerable to diseases. When we compare a magnolia tree to a bunch of celery, we will see that the tree is much stronger than the little clump of celery. Investigating further, we will find that the tree is of greater medicinal value than the celery. In fact, the various properties of the magnolia tree build up the stomach tissues and strengthen the female sexual organs. Ginseng is another example of a strong food. It grows in cold and harsh mountainous regions, yet it can survive for more than a thousand years. Imagine what such great vitality could do for your body. (Please use discretion when ingesting ginseng. It must be balanced with other herbs, since it produces strong side-effects as well as benefits.) In sharp contrast, a carrot grows only in temperate climates and its lifespan is about three months. If you do not unearth it within three months, it will decay and disappear. Herbs give everlasting strength, whereas regular foods give only temporary strength. The foods we commonly eat and love are also eaten and loved by the germs in our bodies. They utilize this food (organic or junk) to maintain their lives just as we do. Fortunately, herbs do not nourish germs and human beings equally. Human beings, exercising their will power, are able to ingest sometimes distasteful herbs. Germs, not being blessed with will power, are simply repelled by herbs. When human blood is permeated with herbal nutrients, the germs in the body will starve to death, and the human body will be naturally cleansed and purified. The cleansing and purifying qualities that allow herbs to last for years without rotting are the greatest benefits to be gained from herbal diets.
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Taoism
THE TAO OF HEALING ART
Like the Tao of Revitalization. the Tao of Healing Art adjusts, balances and elevates vital energy. Unlike the Tao of Revitalization, which is primarily a means for self-healing, the Tao of Healing Art is utilized for
healing others. The Tao of Healing Art, also called Tui-Na, is basically a form of massage that fo llows the body's energy pathways, anatomically known as meridians, to regulate the body's vital functions. By using the sixteen different handling or manipulating techniques of Tui-Na, one can also reposition disarranged internal organs. In conjunction with these tech niques, which were designed to adapt to various parts of the body, appro
priate mediums can also be used. These can be any of the five fundamental elements: earth, metal, water, wood, or fire. Acupuncture needles (used to channel energy into the body) and moxibustion are two of the best known metal and fire mediums in the West. Acupuncture and moxibustion are derivations of Tui-Na principles and methods. For more information, please refer to The Great Tao, Chapter 5.
THE TAO OF SEX WISDOM
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The Complete Self Healing System
University: University of Virginia
