Tao Yoga (Tao Yin)

Tao Yoga is a form of energy-enlivening exercise originating out of the wealth of knowledge of China s oldest system of philosophy, Taoism. Tao Yin is a series of revitalizing exercises that develop flexibility, strength, resiliency, and suppleness. These exercises create harmony within the body, mind and spirit through their integrative principles.

In the old days when people still lived close to nature, the heat that was released by the body was absorbed by the woods. Nowadays, the artificial environment where we live in, doesn't provide us with this kind of release. The overheat is trapped inside the body, causing damage to the internal organs. This may cause various diseases including heart attacks.

Tao Yoga lying and sitting positions contain a set of postures, breathing exercises, and meditation that are designed to move the excess heat out of the body. They stretch, detoxify and revitalize the muscles and the tendons. While in the relaxation period after the active phase of movement and stretching, we guide the Chi with the breath to that particular part of the body affected by the exercise. This yin phase of the practice expels the heat and opens the muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints that are emphasized in the postures. The combination of active and passive phases of practice balances the spine, tendons, ligaments, muscles and diaphragm in a deeply rejuvenating way, that cannot easily be achieved in most standing and moving positions. A balanced session of practice opens chi flow throughout all the meridians, removes toxins and tension throughout the

body and engenders a deep sense of relaxed peace and calm yet wonderfully energized at the same time.

The Tao Yoga exercises we will learn in our vacation seminar are all performed in either lying or sitting positions. Tendons and psoas muscles will be imbued with the power of elasticity, and the spine will become more flexible.

Tao Yoga exercises are moving meditations.

Using the inner smile, we will train the brain of feelings and awareness, the "Second Brain" inside the abdomen, that coordinates and directs the actions in the body. We will integrate the subtle power of the breath and mind in the process. We will learn to train and develop Yi, the mind-eyeheart power.

The name of this system of exercises is Tao Yin, and it means energy directing.
Yin in this name is not the same as the yin that we know of in English as part of the yin yang symbol. That symbol represents the interaction of the energy of life s complementary polar opposites, such as cold and hot. The Chinese character for yin, which means cold, is a single character and is quite different. The Yin in Tao Yin results from the combination of two Chinese characters. The first character represents the Taoist concept known as mind-eye-heart power, YI (pronounced ee). The second character means directing, and the pronunciation is translated into English as IN. Hence, the combination of the characters for YI and IN becomes YIN, meaning mind-eye-heart power directing. When used with the character for Tao, the translation is roughly directing Chi using mind-eye-heart power.

Releases chronic tension, energy blockages, and toxicity

Tao Yin practice is used to release chronic tension, energy blockages, and toxicity that may have accumulated in your body over many years. Tao refers to the fact that physical movements are guided by the strength of the mind and in turn stimulate the internal flow of Chi within the body. Yin means that with the aid of physical movements, Chi can reach the bodily extremities. These exercises activate Chi flow in the meridians, opening and strengthening them.

Stretching, not just muscles but also fascia

Why stretch the body? Stretching brings the energy from the interior to the exterior, lengthening the meridians and bringing Chi to the surface. It feels good because this allows the energy to flow easily. Along with other Tao Yin techniques, stretching liberates the energy to flow freely where it needs to, balancing the Chi and restoring health to the whole body. By working progressively through the Tao Yin exercises and engaging most of the meridians, the benefits are multiplied throughout the whole body.

Most forms of stretching, like in sports, focus mainly on stretching muscles, whereas Tao Yin Exercise aims to stretch and energize also the connective tissue, the fascia. According to the 'science of stretching', rigidity developing in the fascia is the main reason for loss of flexibility as the body ages. During this process our elastic fibers are gradually replaced by rigid ones, ie. collagenous fibers. The result of which is decreased joint mobility, weakened muscles, hardened tendons, atrophying nerves: all actually caused by the breaking down of our connective tissue, which permeates the whole body. 'Sacks' of Connective tissue surround our organs, glands, muscles, tendons, joints and bones, and all this connective tissue indeed connects throughout the body. In Tao Yin practice we learn to direct our Chi to flow through the fascia, following the connection points in the fascia, which run along lines known as acupuncture meridians.

Meridians may be blocked by physical, mental, or emotional toxins and tensions. Just like a dam that blocks a river, that blockage stops the flow and creates stagnation. Above the dam the flow builds up to excess and below the dam the river bed or channel is empty, with little flow. In terms of the body this creates imbalance leading to sickness and ill health through an imbalance of excess Yang and deficient Yin (to illustrate but one example of an imbalance). Through loosening and stretching, the energy flows freely, allowing healing energy to permeate the whole body.

Like a Child

The ultimate goal of doing Tao Yin Energy Directing Exercises is to become soft, pure, responsive and full of energy, like a child. Tao Yin can be used for physical, emotional and spiritual cultivation. Although these exercises are surprisingly simple to perform, they are sophisticated and effective in re-establishing the harmony we have lost between ourselves, nature and the universe.

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