Tips for Opening Meridians in the Shoulders ?

[Sebastian]

Hey Guys,

 

So If my understanding is correct, 10 out of the 12 primary meridians shoot up to the head, minus the pericardium and another heart meridian I believe. This shows the importance of the neck, primarily C7 or Du 14 points which funnels a lot of these meridians upwards.

 

However, all 12 primary meridians have a close relationship to the shoulders. According to Damo Mitchell, one of the hardest areas to open up in Daoism is the area known as the Shoulder's nest.

 

I've seen different degrees of emphasis on the shoulders accross lineages. My past lineage had a huge amount of emphasis on the shoulders where half of the entire set was shaking the entire body via the shoulders - Like you're pulling them upwards and let go repeatedly to make the entire body shake, the soles of the feet and bubbling points slightly rattling as a result.

 

Now that I am 100% SFQ I don't see as much emphasis on shoulders other than letting them sit completely relaxed and hitting three massage points during the Qi-Massage if you do that.

 

Are the shoulder's under-emphasized you think in most systems, and do you know of any particular exercises to open the channels in them ?

 

I don't have any pains in them or anything, but this seems like a good area to invest efforts in.

Thanks

 

Seb

 

 

 

 

[Spotless]

What is SFQ

[Sebastian]

Ha, Sorry, Spring Forest Qigong.

 

I guess it could also mean Shoulders for Qi... haha.

[lifeforce]

In the system I practice, xing yi nei gong, the first four exercises of the set focus on the shoulders. It gives a nice warm, loose feeling which continues throughout the set.

[RobB]

My teacher has currently got me doing 100 shoulder rotations a day i.e., 100 rotations forward + 100 rotations backward. Supposedly, slowly and mindfully. He also encourages a lot of arm swings during regular practice. I've noticed that, when doing my normal standing practice, that any shaking in the body (usually starting somewhere in the lower body) is carrying further into the areas around the shoulder girdle.

 

cheers

 

Rob

[Brian]

Stillness-Movement's qigong has movements which specifically target opening the shoulders. I will sometimes run through one of them a few times in isolation just because they feel so good.

[Sebastian]

My teacher has currently got me doing 100 shoulder rotations a day i.e., 100 rotations forward + 100 rotations backward. Supposedly, slowly and mindfully. He also encourages a lot of arm swings during regular practice. I've noticed that, when doing my normal standing practice, that any shaking in the body (usually starting somewhere in the lower body) is carrying further into the areas around the shoulder girdle.

 

cheers

 

Rob

Cool, I do this one too. 36 times backwards and 36 times forward while seated.

 

I also do this pose from Nan Huai chin with arms completely stretched and fists pushing on the hips. Note that I don't do his super advanced vase breathing on that video, just wanted to show the pose. He says this benefits the shoulders. Video has CC option in bottom right.

 

Edited November 6, 2014 by Sebastian

[Sebastian]

Stillness-Movement's qigong has movements which specifically target opening the shoulders. I will sometimes run through one of them a few times in isolation just because they feel so good.

 

Cool, which ones in particular ? I am familiar with GOT.

[doc benway]

Basic zhan zhuang is wonderful for opening the shoulders.

After reaching the point where you can comfortably stand for an extended period of time in the basic posture, more challenging postures for the shoulders are hugging the tree and san ti shi.

[Brian]

Cool, which ones in particular ? I am familiar with GOT.

Most specifically the one where you swoop your fingers towards the toes as you take three steps forward and then three steps back, and the one often described in terms of the atomic symbol.

[Sebastian]

What about swaiso, arm swinging ? I guess that one should have some value for the shoulders.

Edited November 6, 2014 by Sebastian

[Sebastian]

Basic zhan zhuang is wonderful for opening the shoulders.

After reaching the point where you can comfortably stand for an extended period of time in the basic posture, more challenging postures for the shoulders are hugging the tree and san ti shi.

Basic ZZ you mean just Wuji with arms resting on the side ?

Edited November 6, 2014 by Sebastian

[BaguaKicksAss]

Bagua!

[zerostao]

do children have open meridians until they develop blockages?

[doc benway]

Basic ZZ you mean just Wuji with arms resting on the side ?

 

Yes and no - the arms are by the sides and a bit toward the front with the arms slightly internally rotated from the shoulders.

Not resting on the side exactly but yes, what people generally refer to as a wuji posture.

It takes a long time (months) but I have found simple zhan zhuang to work wonders for neck and shoulder tightness.

Dissolving practices ala Bruce Frantzis can be useful too.

 

Edit - What I think may be even more important than any sort of exercise or practice to open the shoulders is to practice mindfulness regarding relaxation and proper posture in your daily life, especially if you are a keyboard jockey for work or play...

Edited November 6, 2014 by steve

[BaguaKicksAss]

I wonder if half the benefits of ZZ and Bagua regarding the shoulder meridians are due to the completely relaxing and dropping the shoulders?

[liminal_luke]

Here´s a really cool (imho) shoulder opening move from polarity therapy that quite literally gets into that energetically juicy area underneath the shoulder blades. Have the client lie face up. With one hand the therapist reaches under the underarm area and gently lifts the shoulder so that the shoulder blade is accesible. With the other hand reach in and position your figertips so they come right between the lower medial edge of the shoulder blade and the rest of the back. Then let gravity do the work.

 

As the client relaxes your fingers should slip deeper into that space further freeing up the shoulder blades. Slowly reposition your fingers upwards to relax the upper part of the blade.

 

Liminal

Edited November 7, 2014 by liminal_luke

[Trunk]

DGS's "13 Elbows" dvd are movements that, on the outside are elbow strikes but on the inside are different ways to articulate the shoulder blades. Opens up energetics / blood flow / something I'm not sure what - in really good feeling ways, lol.

[Flolfolil]

...

Edited March 5, 2015 by Flolfolil

[Brian]

every time you say that in a thread it makes it more and more difficult to find threads wholly dedicated to bagua

<snip>

I think the plan is for ALL threads to one day be bagua threads...

 

[soaring crane]

You don't achieve suppleness in the shoulders by introducing tension into them.

[Sebastian]

You don't achieve suppleness in the shoulders by introducing tension into them.

 

Thanks, so it seems there are two schools or complementary excercises to open shoulder meridians then. Let them fall naturally and relax in Wuji or perform slight stretches / rotations. Do you mean the latter can be counterproductive ? Sorry for the dumb questions, just picking up on this stuff. Thanks

[Flolfolil]

...

Edited March 5, 2015 by Flolfolil

[Flolfolil]

...

Edited March 5, 2015 by Flolfolil

[Brian]

Yours might change with time and maturity, too, Flo -- as might mine.

 

Unless you believe you've got it all figured out.