Fascia and the Yi Jin Jing In the history of qigong no set of exercises may be as highly revered as the yijinjing.

The yijinjing or sinew changing classic is attributed the famous Buddhist saint Damo or Bodhidharma. It said that Damo taught the yijinjing to the Shaolin monks shortly after he arrived from India because he felt that the monks weakness and ill health were affecting their ability to progress spiritually. This series of exercises is said to transform the sinews, which is the fascia. Why, we should ask, did Damo develop a specific routine in response to ill health and weakness of the monks? Why not just some basic calisthenics? The answer to these questions is profound and directly relates to the practice of qigong and healing in general. Damo devised a series of exercises that not only increased strength and general vitality but also transformed the very fabric of the monks physical being. He sought to do this because inherent in the fabric of our being is much of what must be overcome in the process of spiritual awakening. It is widely known that how we think affects our posture and body use and vise versa. Research has demonstrated that when we stand up straight and smile we fell better, uplifted and cheerful and when we stoop and frown our mood quickly deteriorates regardless of how we felt previously. Our mind body connection here is obvious and profound. Repeated patterns of physical behavior literally sculpt our bodies. This seen most obviously in the modern obsession of working out which almost always has as its goal a particular physique. Our bodies are physically sculpted on at least two levels, one muscular the other fascial. The muscular sculpting is determined by the amount of exercise we do, the relative tone of muscles and to a certain degree, genetics. The fascial level is deeper and significantly more profound. The fascial sculpting, barring serious trauma, generally takes years to condition. It is normally the result of our habitually body use patterns and posture but can be profoundly affected by certain forms of qigong training and yoga. By playing a decisive role in our range of motion and basic movement patterns fascia can and does determine not just our physical bearing and posture but our mental one as well. Fascia is the medium upon which much of our habitual tendencies are recorded. It is in this sense a major player in our karmic being. Karma is the momentum of our habitual tendencies. Fascia is a means by which we get locked into these habits. Fascia is found through out the body. It is our soft skeleton. It provides support for our organs, integrity to our muscles and literally connects every part of our body to every other part. Fascia also has an important energetic function. The Chinese, have for centuries, recognized fascia as a reservoir and conduit of qi. In the west we are just beginning to understand the profound role of fascia in the complex workings of the human body. Fascia, like quartz crystals, generates piezo-electric currents. Its very structure determines the growth and function of tissues and organs. The perineural fascia may be the locus of an entire primitive neurology henceforth unrecognized. The interrelationships of just these, already recognized, functions of fascia point to its role as the most important tissue in the body. The pivotal role fascia plays in our mental and physical health and well-being underscores the importance of any healing modality that addresses its proper function. Qigong, in the form of

taiji, yiquan, yijinjing, qigong anma or others, is just such a modality. Qigong anma, the yijinjing and certain other forms of qigong represent a corpus of knowledge and techniques which allow practitioners to take charge of their own and others health in a profound way not even yet recognized in the west. The east in general and the Chinese in particular have long recognized the subtle and profound role of fascia in health and longevity and so it is from this vantage point that we will further explore the role fascia plays in the healing arts. Fascia is the reservoir of qi and the medium through which it reaches the various structure of our body. Qi flow in the fascia has at least two important functions; getting qi to the entire body and the generation of qi fields. As a conduit of qi flow the fascia must remain open, healthy and abundant. If the fascia is compromised qi flow is impaired or blocked and certain areas of the body become deficient in qi allowing them to become weak and depleted. Furthermore if the qi flow is impaired the fields it generates will change. A change in a qi field changes the information sent to the surrounding tissues and can have disastrous consequences. Qi fields regulate the growth and regeneration of cells in tissues. If the field changes cell growth may not be properly regulated and organ dysfunction and/or cancer can result. Organ dysfunction can also result from the obstruction of qi flow through the fascia in terms of the meridians as well. The importance of fascia has already been touted in regards to basic myo-skeletal relationships. Binding and restriction of the fascia is generally the root cause of the pain, discomfort and restricted ROM. The complex interrelationships supported by the fascia make a holistic approach to healing essential. This is particularly relevant to chronic conditions but many acute injuries also have origins here in that is was what predisposed the injury to occur in the first place. The etiology of fascial pathology is, in and of itself, complex. Muscles hold positions for the short term but fascia locks habitual body use patterns into place. It is through our physical habits that fascia gets sculpted. This can be the result of how we think, what we do, our physical surroundings and probably many more factors. By opening up fascial planes and qi flow, for example through the sinew channels, we temporarily step outside our habitual patterns and get the opportunity to change course, so to speak. We get a taste of freedom; it is up to us to change the actual patterns that gave rise to the issue in the first place. Often the process of opening up restriction will bring whatever deeper psycho-spiritual issues are partner to this dysfunction to the surface allowing us to, if we so choose, move on. One can affect change directly through fascial restructuring, such as yijinjing, yi quan or qigong anma or regulation of qi flow through more meditative approaches. Since the time of Damo the forms of qigong designed to benefit the fascia and hence the whole body has increased both in quantity and quality. Today we have Iron Shirt, Golden Bell Cover, Lo han Patting, and many different styles of Yijinjing, not to mention the nei gong exercises of the various external and internal martial arts. It is not by coincidence that many of these styles have massage and self-massage as part of their training regimens. There are two important aspects to training fascia from the perspective of qigong. The first is to open the channels. This means to stretch the connective tissue and remove obstructions. The second is to fill the tissue with qi. This can be done externally via striking, rubbing,

rolling, or patting the body or internally by the guiding the qi with the intent, yi. One can also accomplish both of these aspects through massage. Stretching fascia and removing obstructions is basic to most forms of effective therapeutic healing practices and therapies. Filling the fascia with qi is a much more subtle art. This will often involve acupressure or deep tissue techniques and may at times require the use of herbs either externally in the form of liniments and oils or internally through herbal teas. The martial traditions of China have created a number of formulas that one can use their training. The martial qigong practices such as iron shirt, iron palm, golden shield, and golden bell cover training all provide recipes for external and internal training formulas that increase the quantity and flow of qi in the fascia. This is because these traditions postulate that the cushion created by increasing the qi in the fascia protects one against trauma or external invasion. It has been observed amongst qigong practitioners that the external reservoir of qi produced by these practices greatly increases the overall health of the individual. This observation has led many non-martial practitioners to do these practices for health benefits alone. There are many techniques that one can use to enliven the tissues with qi some more, and others less, suited to the practice of healing arts. Friction techniques are a common practice in both Asian and western healing modalities. Patting and slapping are also common and useful for personal cultivation although not always the best adjunct to some of the more subtle approaches to healing others. The use of various tools is also common in traditional Chinese massage, particularly in the martial traditions. Mallets, pestles, wire brushes, rattan sticks, and balls of various types are just some of the large array of tools found in this arsenal. Many of these tools are more commonly used in self-massage, especially today. The friction techniques of traditional Chinese massage are the most refined in the tradition of rolling hands tuina. Circular friction is by far the most common technique in Chinese massage but cross fiber friction can also be very useful. Patting and slapping are similar in technique but vary in intensity and intent. Patting is meant to stimulate deeper into the body with deep penetrating blows often having a more tonic affect. Slapping is more superficial and is meant to stimulate local, superficial blood flow to very specific areas. It can disperse qi and blood stagnation or tonify an area depending on how it is administered. Slapping can be used in lieu of or in combination with a number of liniments to affect therapeutic inflammation. It is very important to recognize the profundity of the work we are doing both on the physical plane and deeper. By changing fascial relationships in the body we are changing the structure of the body physically and energetically. We are, in effect, taking karma in to our own hands. We must know what we are doing and have a plan; there is no room for error here. If we make inappropriate changes in basic structures we can worsen the condition and perhaps even cause irreparable damage. A thorough assessment of the condition is absolutely necessary before we do any substantial fascial releases. This applies as much to yoga and personal qigong practice at it does to any form of therapeutic bodywork. This is a skill which must be cultivated over time. Be patient, thoughtful and listen to the body and messages of pain and resistance as well as comfort and relief. Keep an open heart and mind and move slowly and you will succeed.