Montreal Gongfu Massage, Dan Reid

A helpful explanation of how Chinese medicine achieves desired results by applying common principles of nature.

Spring is gaining stride. This is the time of the wood phase, fed by the water phase of winter. The wood phase benefits from the innate will-power (zhi) of the kidneys and transforms it into the upward movement of wood. The emotion of wood is anger, but anger is the result of wood being stifled. Wood is the grandparent of earth, meaning that wood teaches earth. Notice how plants prevent soil erosion by keeping the earth from becoming too dense or too loose. At times, howeve...r, earth can insult wood. If wood does not break through earth, this is not a harmonious relationship. So, in spring, wood needs to move, to sprout, to flourish, to break through. Wood phase contains the hun spirit which is the creative, expressive, intuitive level of the spirit, somewhat more pre-conscious than the shen-mind. Spring is the time for breaking through the weight of earth as the season nourishes the liver and the gallbladder the sources of energy for decision making and acting on those decisions, respectively. The wood-phase organs in the body represent the military leaders, and martial arts are a great way to exercise this part of our being. We don’t need to imagine an enemy, however, to awaken the strong wood phase inside of us. We have daily opportunities to overcome the earth inside of us, and break through to the light on the other side of the soil. Those who know others, are wise Those who know themselves, are clear-sighted Those who overpower others, have strength Those who overpower themselves, have fortitude Those who know contentment, are rich Those who exercise this fortitude, have will-power Those who do not lose their station, continue Those who die but do not disappear, live long Dao De Jing, chapter 33 Diet suggestion: Add some fermented or pickled ingredients to feed the gallbladder. Fast and easy blackbean recipe (1 serving) 1) 2tbs fermented black soybeans (ideally, rinsed and soaked for a several hours), mash in a bowl, mix with 2 pinches of 5-spice and a 1 tsp tamari. Add to 1 cup boiling water and simmer for 15 mins to reduce slightly (increase all by 50% per additional serving). 2) While boiling some noodles (al dente), saute some greens with lots of fresh ginger in a pan until dark green, 3) Add noodles to pan and pour sauce over noodles, mix and cook until water is absorbed. Serve protein on the side, or just snack on some shelled pumpkin seeds.

Self kidney massage on the chamber of will-power (zhishi) to refresh the mind and promote jing circulation. In TCM principles, the kidneys play a vital role in brain function, memory, will power, and mental vitality in general, as well as the bones, marrow, body temperature, immunity, and more. Here is a simple way to encourage and nurture the kidneys, promote flood flow and jing circulation, and prevent lower back problems. The effect of this will be especially noticeable ...if you do the massage when you feel your mind fading after sitting or studying for longer periods of time. To begin, sit up straight in a chair with both feet on the ground about shoulder width apart. First, reach both hands behind your lower back so that your left finger tips can rest on top of your right finger tips. Now, with your fingers touching, use your thumbs to feel down the side of your rib cage and gently find the lowest ribs at the side of your body. Be careful as these flexible floating ribs are potentially vulnerable, and you don’t want to push into your liver. Now, place your thumbs just below those ribs, keeping your fingers in the above-mentioned position, and push your thumbs slightly into the oblique muscles. Your thumbs are now covering point #25 of the gallbladder channel: Capital Gate (Jingmen, kidney front-mu point). Now, with the sides of your index fingers resting on your back, find the area next to your spine at the same level as where your thumbs are. You’ll know the spot because it will feel good when you squeeze your hands in this position with the intention to massage your kidneys. Your index finger right next to the spine is now laying across point#23 of the bladder channel Kidney Shu (shenshu) and also on point #52 of the bladder channel Chamber of the Will-power (zhishi) which you’ll feel further away from your spine as you squeeze your hands and your index fingers slide across your back. Note that when you squeeze your hands, you’re not to dig into your muscles. Just close your hands as though you’re trying to mimic a talking duck with your hands. Now, with your hands in the starting position (left finger tips rest on top of your right finger tips, thumbs under the ribs) let your belly expand into a breath. When your lungs are about 65-75% full and the inhale tapers off, begin squeezing your hands and let your fingers slide across your back, and coordinate the squeezing with breathing into the rest of your lungs. When your fingers have slid a few inches across your back, relax your hands and breath as you exhale. When ready to inhale again, begin again from the starting point. Do this for 9 breaths, then rest and absorb with your eyes closed for another 3 or 4 breaths.

Starts at about 6m30s. See video in comments for postures to target different areas of the lungs.

As mentioned in the article found in the comments below, these pumping techniques were extremely helpful during the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, used at the time by osteopaths (much of osteopathy has long existed in tui na, and likely showed up in the west via railway workers). See comments for more techniques mentioned in the article.