People often ask me what inspired me to create and teach the Dao Yin Movement (DYM, 導引功).   Well, I did not create DYM. I developed it by drawing and upgrading some essential elements from meditations, martial arts, and mostly Tai-Chi, in order to meet the medical needs for the health.

 

I received medical training in both western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine, and have been on clinical practice for nearly forty years in China and USA. Through my practice, I realized the growing concerns of mind-body disorders in a large population, and the reality that the current conventional medicine may not satisfy what they need on many aspects. For these reasons, and after many years of exploration, I opened my vision to a different angle. I looked for a form of exercise that can integrate both mind and physical trainings that are accessible and practical to people of all ages. I explored the answer from Tai-Chi, Qi-Gong, and several forms of martial arts, of which I have been practicing since I was a young boy. I compared their advantages and limitations, tried to understand the soul for each of them, and then integrated them together using my knowledge in medical science. The final answer is the Dao Yin Movement. 

 

DYM consist of two parts, the energy (Qi) exercise and soft body movement, characterized by stretching. The basic principle of DYM is the mind guided diaphragm breath or so called abdominal breath. The breathing technique is the foundation of the Dao Yin body movements. The deep up-and-down movements of the diaphragm muscles may bring several health benefits, including increasing oxygen supply, balancing the autonomic nerve control, reducing stress, plus the inner abdominal organ massage with the waves of the air pressure.

 

The dynamic spiral stretching is the essence of DYM, which differs from the stationary stretching in Yoga, and is more medically oriented than that in Tai-Chi. Circle and curvature are the most natural shape in the universe, from the earth to a single cell in our body. Circle, curvature or spiral is also abundant in many healthy and beautiful movements, such as Tai-Chi and dancing, because such movements are best to relax or to strengthen the joints and muscles. Amazingly in consonant, the manual adjustments for the joints or muscle dysfunction in Chinese medicine practice are often performed in the tract of the circle or curvatures. Another way to understand this phenomenon is to think how we drying a wet towel. one will twist the towel instead of pulling it to extract the water out quickly. In a similar manner, the spiral stretching while movement is the best to circulate our energy, blood and lymph flows. Such movements are emphasized on the spinal cord, hips and shoulders, particularly on spine--the bridge connecting brain and body, which plays a major role in controlling the inner organs’ functions through autonomic nerve system. 

 

DYM also emphasizes on the Yin and Yang movements. Here, Yin is relaxing body while inspiration, and Yang is stretching the body while expiration. The power of the focus in brain can be extensively trained in such alternating relaxing-stretching movements. Such Yin and Yang contracting movements exist throughout every set of movement of DYM. What should you feel during DYM practice? “flow”is the answer.

 

Dao Yin is the ancient term of Qi-Gong, back to two thousands years ago. The original definition of Dao Yin is a technique which is for homogenizing the breath and Qi (energy), and soften the body by integrating the mind and body (導氣令和，引體令柔). We know that our DYM is still very young compared with many other well-known mind-body exercises. We hope that DYM may bring you some unique health benefits and become another friend in your life.

I feel very proud of my team. The head coach Annie Liu, CEO Dr. Lon Chen and Coach Yuquan Chen, coach assistant Sophie, Nadine and web team members, Dr. Wei Xu and Wendy Kang, and many others. Without the team efforts, especially the contributions of Annie Liu and Dr. Chen in the leadership, DYM would not has an opportunity to be presented in front of you. Finally, our best wish is that you will bring good news back to us through the DYM practices in the near future.

 

Jing Liu, PhD, Lic.Ac.

Dao Yin Movement Society