Most of the weight is on one leg concentrating it into one foot.
Crane Hand Posture : Spread fingers apart; curl up all the fingers, but press the middle finger down, and stretch the top up so it arches. Press it down to the closest joint to the hand and curl up from there. This helps activate the Pericardium Meridian.
Crane Hand
Instructions : Begin with Opening 3 Times.
Body: Cross the arms at the wrist, keeping the opposite hand to leg in front. For example, if the left leg is in front, the right arm is in front. Once you crouch down into your stance, rotate the arms outward, open the chest and straighten the arms.
As you open the arms, keep the wrist flexed in so the hand is coming towards you. As you straighten out the arm, bring the wrist out so it is flush with the arm. This is flexing the lung meridian at the LU-9 Tai Yuan acupuncture point.
Spread the arms so one hand goes to your upper ear level and the other to your mid rib cage level.
Breath: Breathe out as you step down. Breathe in as you pull the arms back and breathe out as you extend the arms. Breathe in as you come up.
Spirit: Feel as if you are a beautiful bird spreading its wings. The spirit of the crane is a free spirit, soaring, descending. Feel as if you are really flying.
Anatomical and Physiological Benefits : Fascia/Anatomy
The movement brings the body into a spiraling
motion through your legs and through your torso as well. There is deep balance within strength with this movement.
Meridians/Acupuncture Points Targeted: The Pericardium Meridian
The Pericardium Meridian (also called 'Heart Constrictor' or 'Circulation-Sex' Meridian) is a yin meridian and is paired with the Triple Warmer Meridian (also known as the Triple Energizer/Burner Meridian). This meridian begins in the middle of the chest, at the pericardium.
Spiral Line
© Copyright Anatomy Trains, Thomas Meyers
A branch descends internally through the diaphragm to the upper, middle, and lower burners - the Triple Warmer.
From the starting point a branch of the main channel crosses the chest to emerge just outside the nipple. It then ascends on the surface around the front of the armpit and flows down the arm, through the biceps muscle.
At the elbow crease it passes just to the inside of the biceps tendon, then down the middle of the front of the forearm, between the heart and lung channels to the wrist.
It crosses the middle of the palm to PC8 where it divides. The main channel continues to the outer corner of the middle fingernail.
The movements of the Crane follow this energy flow as the movements generally start inward from the chest, and expand outwards towards the hands and fingers by extension and twisting of the arms.
Tai Yuan Point
- English Name: Great Abyss
- Pinyin Name: Tai Yuan
- Chinese Character: 太淵
- Location: LU-9. Generally located on the wrist crease, but can vary on different people
LU-9 Tai
Functions:
1. Regulates and harmonizes blood vessels
2. Nourishes and invigorates Lung Qi and Lung Yin
3. Strengthens and nourishes the lungs
4. Descends Lung Qi
5. Transforms phlegm
6. Activates the meridian
7. Helps warms cold hands
8. Strengthens lung weakness such as chronic coughing or asthma
9. Decreases pain in the wrist or joint
10. It is the source point for the Lung channel