Animal Frolics: Crane Form

Learn to move gracefully and elegantly, like a Crane

What you'll learn
The crane form is a meditative, graceful and fun form which is essentially a part of 'The Five Animal Frolics', dating back to Hua Tuo (110-207 A.D.)
This form aims at improving balance, flexibility, and strength in the body. Regular practice helps open and free the circulatory and respiratory systems
This form aims at improving balance, flexibility, and strength in the body. Regular practice helps open and free the circulatory and respiratory systems
The crane symbolises grace, stillness and longevity. It helps still and calm the mind whilst creating an abundance of energy.
Requirements
All you require is a computer, space to move and an open mind!!
Also, the willingness to have fun!
Description
The Crane Form is essentially a part of 'The Five Animal Frolics', dating back to Hua Tuo (110-207 A.D.). In ancient times, the great Qigong Masters, made observations from Nature and Animals in the Wild… They spent a lot of time keenly observing and studying animal behaviour, understanding how they adapted to seasonal changes, how they were able to deal with stressful situations and constant threats to their lives. Unlike human beings, animals do not live in constant fear of the future. They live in harmony with Nature. Often, human beings are caught with a constant fear about the future or stay stuck in the past. In their wisdom, Qigong masters, drew insights from their observations and created movements mimicking animals and found them to be immensely beneficial for human beings.Practicing Qigong and Taiji quan enables us to be more aware of ourselves and of Nature and be more present in the Now!This course aims at ebabling you to gently, come into harmony with your entire body, mind and spirit. The instructions are simple and imparted step by step enabling you to find flow and rhythm in your body, calm and still your mind, enliven and awaken your spirit.The crane form is an effortless way to improve one's balance, flexibility, and strength in the body. In gentleness, you strengthen each and every muscle in the body, starting from the neck to the toes. The crane form helps open up the shoulders, arms, back and chest muscles It permits opening of the airways and increaces the capacity of the lungs…It aids to stretch and strengthen the muscles of the legs. The bending forward action helps to naturally, massage the spleen and the liver and stimulate them.Regular practice of this form helps open and free the circulatory and respiratory systems without any high impact. Therefore, anyone, even those who cannot indulge in strenuous activities can benefit from it.This free flowing, dance like movements works on enabling the Qi flow in the lung and heart meridians and thus helps improve the immune system.The crane symbolises grace, stillness and longevity. It helps still and calm the mind whilst creating an abundance of energy. Practicing this form every day for even 5-10 minutes will help boost your immune system.

Overview

Section 1: Introduction

Lecture 1 Openings from head to toes /Warmups

Section 2: Greetings and introduction

Lecture 2 Greetings and introduction

Section 3: Clever tortoise looking at the moon

Lecture 3 Clever tortoise looking at the moon

Section 4: Imagine you are a crane

Lecture 4 Imagine you are a crane

Section 5: Flap your wings

Lecture 5 Flap your wings

Section 6: Baby Crane learns to fly

Lecture 6 Baby Crane learns to fly

Section 7: Baby Crane learns to Hunt

Lecture 7 Baby Crane learns to Hunt

Section 8: Baby Crane learns to Hunt- Beach Sequence

Lecture 8 Baby Crane learns to Hunt- Beach Sequence

Section 9: Baby Crane learns to Hunt

Lecture 9 Baby Crane learns to Hunt

Anyone, at any age can practice this form. If you can walk, you can do this form!,This is an elegant and magnificent form for Taichi Chuan practitioners to gain suppleness and fluidity in their movements.