Daisy Lee – 5-Animal Qigong 2024

Daisy will introduce you to 5-Animal Qigong (Wu Qin Xi), an ancient Qigong form that’s approximately 1,800 years old — one of the classic Qigong forms made famous by China’s renowned master physician Hua Tuo.

In this vibrant and joyful opening session, Daisy will share the principles and practices that make this form a favorite, from the youngest to the most sagely practitioner.

She’ll guide you to begin laying the foundation to practice the complete set of all five animals by the end of this program.

In this first module, you’ll explore:

• An overview of the 5 animals and how each animal relates to Traditional Chinese Medicine principles
• Each animal’s key characteristics and how they can guide us in becoming healthier and more vibrant
• The unique hand forms and the corresponding stance work for each animal
• How the animals teach us to cultivate focus and alertness while retaining inner calm and stability
• Techniques to increase strength and resilience in both body and mind

With its supple spine and powerful, agile legs that help it to spring into action with confidence and grace, the Tiger is one of the masters of the jungle — yet it’s also wise enough to know when it needs rest, relaxation, and play.

When a Tiger is focused on a goal, it gets a glint in its eyes and prepares for what’s ahead with patience and decisive action.

Able to maintain peace of mind and clarity of vision, the Tiger is undisturbed by emotions like anger or fear, making it both a formidable adversary and a powerful leader.

In this session, you’ll learn:

• The Tiger form, including hand and stance work
• The associated element, season, and organ that the Tiger represents in Chinese cosmology — fire, summer, and the heart
• How to balance work and play like a wise Tiger
• When you need clarity and ferocity to survive or thrive

Observing from behind the trees, the Deer’s quiet demeanor belies its remarkable power and speed.

Don’t underestimate the Deer’s shy and gentle countenance! Like the water element it represents, it can either move through the world like a life-giving stream — or like a rushing river breaking through the banks when speed, power, and agility are required.

The Deer’s movements help bring energy to the spine while regenerating the kidneys and adrenals.

In this module, you’ll:

• Practice the Deer Qigong form to boost your physical, mental, and emotional health
• Learn the element, season, and organ that the Deer represents
• Discover how to listen and observe with deeper awareness, like the Deer
• Understand how your self-limiting thoughts hurt you — and follow the Deer’s lead to experience freedom from fear and anxiety
• Allow the Deer to show you a gentle way of being that leaves the faintest footprint on the earth

You’ll learn to embody the steadfast, stable energy of the Bear.

It lumbers leisurely through the forest floor, foraging for berries and sweets, yet makes it clear that it will face conflict head-on when it needs to.

The Bear is in the middle of the five animals as it represents stability and groundedness, yet it will rise up to become larger than life to meet threats and danger.

In this session, you’ll embody the energy of the Bear as you explore:

• The Bear Qigong form to draw stability and power from the Earth
• The element, season, and organ represented by the Bear
• How the Bear prefers to avoid conflict, but when it must engage, it will stand up and fight
• How the Bear knows how to conserve what it needs, whether it’s energy or resources — showing you how to prepare for the future without squandering valuable life force on unimportant things

The Monkey is curious, playful, and light-hearted, grasping at the new and letting go of the old.

The inquisitive Monkey is always on the move — observing, thinking, scratching its head, underarm, or back, and swinging from tree to tree, often getting into mischief.

When you play like a Monkey, you’re sure to discover new ways of looking at the world. The Monkey is a bringer of light and humor, representing the joys of summer.

However, as Daisy will explain, even monkeys need to rest or else they’ll burn up their seemingly inexhaustible energy — as we might too!

In this module, you’ll take on the energy of the Monkey as you:

• Learn the Monkey Qigong form, full of quick, mindful movements that inspire light and laughter
• Discover the element, season, and organ represented by the Monkey
• Explore how the Monkey is endowed with a brilliant mind and infinite curiosity, yet its greatest gift is its heart and humor
• Perfect the art of Iaughing at yourself and with the world
• Calm your “monkey mind” so you can derive more from life

The Crane pushes off from the solidity of the earth, then lifts up and flies above and beyond the mundane.

Emulating the Crane improves the range of motion and flexibility of the shoulders, and imbues you with greater strength, balance, and poise.

With its elegant movements that open the heart and lungs, this worldly traveler sees life from a higher perspective.

In this session, you’ll embody the Crane’s energy as you:

• Practice the Crane Qigong form to create litheness, grace, and calm in your body
• Discover the element, season, and organ represented by the Crane
• Appreciate how the elegant Crane form is an antidote for overcoming sadness and melancholy
• Understand how the Crane’s gift of flight allows it to stand apart from the chaos and turmoil below, teaching us to rise above pettiness
• Learn how to shake off stress like a Crane and return to harmonious balance
• Explore how sometimes it’s okay to have your head in the clouds if you know what direction you’re headed in (Daisy will explain how to apply this to your daily life)

As this course comes to a close, you’ll reflect on what you’ve learned: when you emulate animals in form and character, you learn that we humans can also have the same power and gentleness, agility and strength, resilience and resourcefulness, playfulness, and focus as these dynamic teachers.

As human animals, we can co-exist and support each other in living an abundant life — giving and taking in balance, and offering our unique gifts back to the wheel of life.

No one animal is lesser or greater than the other, as each has its special gifts. This classic form can be just the beginning of your personal connection to the more-than-human world.

In this closing module, Daisy will guide you to:

• Review and practice the full 5-Animal Qigong form
• Engage in a group discussion of the human animal — are we superior or inferior to other animals? Are we evolving or devolving?
• Reflect on what the animal frolics have taught you — perhaps you’re feeling more observant and discerning, you’ve started listening more deeply, you keep your ears and eyes more open to truth, or you act with courage and awareness when you’re faced with conflict or stress
• Recognize that when you embody the wisdom of the Tiger, Deer, Bear, Monkey, and Crane, you can better support all of life in our interconnected Universe