六字诀 Six Syllables Exercise

The following is an ancient Daoist exercise to balance the energies of the internal organs. In its oldest form, the practice comprises of reciting the sounds only but physical movements were added in later. This practice was made famous in the West by Mantak Chia, although the movements he uses are different from what is taught here.

梁代时的养生秘笈「六字诀」，是透过导引呼吸来锻炼我们的内脏，达致健身效果。「六字诀」是需要配合六个发音的健身操，六个发音则分别影响着相对的内脏：心、肝、脾、肺、肾及三焦。整套动作对呼吸、大脑以及内脏有好处，特别适合学生和都市人。动作比较缓慢，但必须配合呼吸。

第一式－－嘘 xu
　双手放腰间，向左转腰，把右手伸出至一半时读出嘘音，然后慢慢收回，再转到右边。左右轮流交替完成为之一次，并重复六次。由左转右前要收腹深呼吸。这动作有助疏肝利胆。

第二式－－呵 he (some practitioners pronounce it as ke, which works also)
　双手重叠从大脾上升至心口再向下压，下压时需要读出呵音。这动作帮助降心火。

第三式－－呼 hu
　接着「呵」的动作，双手配合呼气徐徐向上升，呼气时读出呼音，动作简单但要重复练习。有助调理脾胃。

第四式－－隋 si (pronounce as 四)
　两手向上托起，颈部尽量昂后，然后慢慢回到中间，双膝一松，双手推出时读出隋音。昂头时动作记紧要慢。动作有助颈部淋巴畅通、扩胸及增加肺活量，对肺部亦有帮助，更且生津止渴的功效。

第五式－－吹chui
　手放腹前，然后向两边推开，移至腰后肾的位置，再用力向下推。向下推时要同时读出吹音。这动作有补肾功效。

第六式－－嘻 xi
　双手手背相靠垂直放中间，然后向上面两边打开，双脚必须同时伸直。双手再由上方向下按，并同时读出嘻音。这动作可调理三焦。

You can visit the following site to watch the video: www.rthk.org.hk/elearning/morningexercises
You can read up more on the Six Healing Sounds here: http://baharna.com/chant/six_healing.htm


Regards
Alvin Chua

Memorising the Eight Trigrams (Bagua)

In the days I was learning from my first Daoist teacher, we memorise the Eight trigrams using rhyming formula (歌决) to do so. So here is the formula in the order of the Early Heaven Bagua:

乾三连 (translation: Qian, the three joined lines)

兑上缺 (translation: Dui, with the top incomplete line)

离中虚 (translation: Li, with the empty middle)

震仰盂 (translation: Zhen, the upright urn)

巽下断(translation: Xun, the bottom broken line)

坎中满(translation: Kan, the full middle)

艮覆碗(translation: Gen, the inverted bowl)

坤六断(translation: Kun, the six broken pieces)

The formula is actually the images that the Trigrams resembles.

Regards

Alvin Chua Kim Leng