Qigong with Cris Caivano , Jan. 5 - 11, 2025
The Royal Court
The concept of making New Year’s Eve resolutions never sat well with me. I associated them with deprivation. Who wants to start a new calendar year like that?! Now, I much prefer the practice of intention setting, which is similar, but has more life and flow to it.
In Qigong, the mind sets an intention, like an archer aiming her arrow at a target. Then, the body’s internal organs, meridians, and other rivers of communication cooperate in the achievement of hitting that target. The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Medicine explains this by using the metaphor of a royal court. The heart is the “sovereign” of our own internal court. Our heart carries the qi of intelligence, wisdom, and spiritual transformation; it decides what’s important to aim at. The lungs are the sovereign’s “advisor”, and help the heart regulate the body’s qi. The liver is the “general”, contributing courage and creative resilience. The pericardium is the court “jester”, nudging the sovereign to laugh and find joy. All our internal organs have cooperative roles in achieving our aim.
I love this concept of internal cooperation. It engenders a feeling of trust in our own benevolent inner energy, and helps us feel looked-after, happy, and healthy. The Yellow Emperor stressed this, and used it as the basis of medical diagnosis. He wrote of the importance of observing and speaking to patients, taking time to notice if they looked pale or flushed, if they seemed calm or agitated. “First, select a quiet environment…gain the trust of the patient…Be thorough, and differentiate the truth. Observe the patient’s spirit. When there is spirit, the prognosis is positive. When the spirit is gone, the condition is very grave.” (The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Medicine, 3rd Century AD. Ellipses mine.)
What a good practice that can be for us! Find a quiet place, settle down, and observe in a trusting way what your heart -your own, personal, wise sovereign- is telling you. Breathe, and call on the heart’s advisors, the lungs, to keep things in balance. Know that the general, your liver, has courage and resilience to offer. Find what lifts and comforts your spirit, and liberates the inner wisdom of your heart. You may discover a new, healing and supportive intention toward which to aim your arrow. Enjoy that intention, like a laughing king or queen. And have a wonderful new start to your day, week, or year!
Schedule Notes:
Next free, live, in-person/ Zoom Qigong at Millbrook Library: Fridays January 17 and 31, 10-11 AM.
Open to all, and beginner friendly! Please contact millbrooklibrary.org to register and receive the link if you’re joining on Zoom. Once you register, you will also receive biweekly email reminders when the class is being offered.