Thousands of years ago, the ancients made a profound discovery.

Humans could experience a longer life with more radiant health, simply by mirroring the movements of nature Over the centuries.

They developed practices known as Qi Gong.

During my last 25 years of teaching these practices I've seen remarkable transformations as my students tap into their own life force energy.

This is the real fountain of youth Not hidden in some far away land but inside each one of us.

Each episode is a complete Qi Gong routine focused on one aspect of preventative health and wellness.

So try them all To discover which leaves you feeling the most nourished radiant and uplifted.

These routines are simple, gentle movements that don't require any special clothing or equipment.

All you need to do now is stand up, get ready to move And I'll be your guide to your very own Fountain of Youth Joints are places where bones meet with tendons and muscles over time repetitive motion stress and improper posture deplete our joints of vital life-force energy according to the wisdom of Qi Gong, without correct posture and movement energy gets stagnant in the joints stagnation is an underlying cause of this deterioration like water stale energy leads to pain and stiffness this simple effective Qi Gong routine will free up the vital life-force energy in your joints and make you feel great a growing body of research shows that Qi Gong is powerfully effective for treating arthritis and osteoporosis they also relieve common problems of overuse and stiffness once you experience the complete Qi Gong for healthy joints workout you'll understand why millions of people worldwide use these exercises to stay active and independent the workout is gentle and powerful and will help you stay strong for life join me in this beautiful Yosemite Valley as we practice the ancient art of Qi Gong enjoy Welcome to this routine on healthy joints Take a stance that's about shoulder-width feet pointing straight ahead take a nice deep breath bend your knees and open the chest exhale as you round the back and tuck your tailbone under inhale and open the chest and look up synchronize the breath with the movement exhale as you round the back inhale as you open the chest breathe into the spine feel the joints and the spine articulate and move this is called spinal cord breathing spinal cord breathing is designed to give your spine a healthy workout to promote flexibility and suppleness through all the joints and bring youthful vitality into your spine inhale open the chest exhale tuck the tailbone under chin down feel all the joints in the spine moving keep your knees slightly bent through the whole exercise bring your hands down to your sides and then turn to the side and inhale and look up exhale round the back to the center go to the other side and round the back to the center take a nice deep breath exhale as you round to the center inhale and feel that spiral twist through the spine expand open the chest round the back tuck your tailbone under inhale and open exhale as you round when you turn to the side and open your spine it'll bring energy and relaxation to the left and the right sides of the back round the back exhale inhale as you twist exhale round the back spiraling movements mirror the movements of nature they bring a natural flow of energy in and through the body exhale to the center inhale as you open feel the left and the right sides of the back nice and open now bring the hands up by the forehead and turn and look over one shoulder and then to the other side this is another spinal cord enlivening exercise that brings healthy energy into the back now come off the heel onto your toes and rotate and turn and look over the shoulder feel free to go as fast or as quickly as you'd like on this one make it comfortable feel the upper back neck shoulders nice and open off the heel onto the toes and rotate now bring the hands a little bit lower and rotate and bring healthy energy to the mid-back come off the heel and onto the toes rotate turn a little look over that shoulder feel that open feel that stretch through the spine again bring the hands a little bit lower come off the heel onto the toes and rotate spinal cord enlivening exercises bring good circulation through all the joints in the spine and helps mobility and flexibility through the back now plant the feet and go into a movement called knocking on the door of life it's the same enlivening movement of rotating and twisting but now the arms knock across the lower abdomen and knock across the lower back take a nice deep breath feel the energy stimulated through some key acupressure points across the lower abdomen and across the lower back turn from your hips and your waist on this exercise relax upper back neck and shoulders feel the movement coming from your center from the hips and the waist arms nice and relaxed again take a nice deep breath relax into the flow and then slow it down bring your hands down to your sides now step back with your right leg I'll do your mirror image here and shake your left arm shake it out and we're gonna do another shoulder exercise shift the weight and swirl energy through the shoulder shift the weight back into the right leg and circle the shoulder have the shoulder come up by the ear then drop it back and down just move your shoulder the whole rest of the arm is relaxed let your breath be natural and full shoulder coming up by the ear circles back and drops down feel as if you're moving from your center from your hips and waist so pull the hip back as the shoulder drops down shift the weight back shoulder drops lift the shoulder up by the ear and then back and around silk reeling into the shoulder these movements were also called oiling the joints it brings smooth healthy energy to all the joints in your body now let's step back with the left leg again I'm doing your mirror image here shake out your right arm feel that right arm nice and relaxed and then as we shift the weight we're gonna bring that shoulder up by the ear drop it back and down shift the weight silk reeling into the shoulder smooth flexible relaxed and healthy energy through the shoulder joint synchronize the movement of the shoulder with the weight shift shift the weight back shoulder comes up back and around move from your hips as that weight shifts pull that right hip back pull that right hip back and that shoulder drops down this will create proper alignment between shoulders and upper spine feel as if you're oiling that shoulder joint bringing healthy energy into the shoulder feel that energy going between the shoulder blades relaxing and releasing tension through the muscles let the movement come from the hips and the weight shift shift the weight pull that hip back shoulder drops bring your feet parallel take your hands behind you with the fingers pointing down and then lean the head over to one side drop it down and circle it around make a slow circle of the head and feel that stretch through the back of the neck the top of the shoulders and even down through the forearms palms stay pressed together fingers pointing down this will stretch and open the whole entire upper body move the head nice and slow inhale through the nose exhale out through the mouth as a way to release tension and tightness take a nice deep breath exhale feel tension tightness release out of the neck and shoulders and this brings good healthy energy into the cervical spine and to all the joints in the neck circle the head now the other way go slow relax and breathe into it inhale through the nose and exhale out through the mouth when you exhale feel tension and tightness release out of the muscles and out of the joints we often carry stress tension and tightness in this upper part of the body this stretch clears tension and tightness through the upper body and helps those joints to find flexibility and balance again nice deep breath exhale feel that area release and open now drop the chin to the chest release the arms and head comes up take a nice deep breath feel the neck shoulders upper back nice and open circulation of energy through your spine all the way up to the head notice how your body feels take a nice deep breath now circle your hips take the hands to the hips and circle all the way around explore full range of motion through the hip joints going to the left front right and back the hips are the largest joints in the body and often Qi gets stuck or blocked through the joints there's a saying in Qi Gong flowing water doesn't get stagnant and the same is true for the energy through the joints when we move it keeps that energy flowing and circulating now go in the other direction circle the hips and feel healthy energy swirling through the hips tailbone and lower back if you'd like you can press with the thumbs into the lower back as the hips come forward get a little extra stretch breathe into it feel energy moving through the hips and lower back the hips lower abdomen lower back area is considered the center of the body in Qi Gong we want to move from the center as a way to move the body with power and energy again nice deep breath swirl the energy through the hips you feel the hips open loose and relaxed come back to standing feel the energy open through the hip joints let the arms relax down to the sides feel energy opening in the hips flowing down through your legs all the way to the feet and now let's do a movement that will swirl energy into the hip joints it's called the leg swing swing across the body and then back and up cross backing up and this opens the outside of the hip and the inside of the hip outside and inside let the leg cross and lift feel strength and balance on the leg that you're standing on swing and swing turn from your hips and your center let the leg relax move energy through the outside and inside of the hip find your balance find that relaxation in and through the hips and the legs this one takes a little practice find your rhythm feel grounded connected to the earth feel energy open through the inside and the outside of the hip on the inside of the hip are all kinds of lymph nodes and the major arteries of the body so this exercise really helps to open the energy through the legs now bring both hands over your knees and we'll swirl energy in and through the knee joints bring the knees in back and around circle and swirl the knees you can go nice and slow make sure this is comfortable for your body you can have a slow small movement or a bigger or a quicker movement listen to your body and now swirl the energy through the knee joints the joints need more blood flow more energy more circulation now go the other way knees come in out back and around circle and swirl energy through the knee joints improve the energy circulation into all those ligaments in and through the joints and feel healing nourishing energy go right through the knees you might feel the muscles in the upper legs working this will strengthen the legs and create good support for the knees now bring the feet together take your hands over the knees and swirl energy through the knees by circling both knees in the same direction go nice and slow circle around feel the energy swirl through the knee joints and go the other way circle the knees in the same direction feel healthy energy nourishing energy going in and through the knees the front the back and the sides of the knees strong healthy and open now bend the knees and straighten the legs do that a few times just bend and straighten the hands over the kneecaps send energy and circulation and the movement strengthens the muscles strengthens the energy through the tendons and the ligaments now slap the sides of the knees again slapping on the joints activates the pressure points now slap the back of the knees awaken the energy through the knees and all the acupressure points around the knees now slap the inside of the knees the slapping can be done with firm pressure coming all the way up take a nice deep breath and feel energy swirling in and through the knees now we'll bring energy through the wrists and the hands take one hand over the other and circle and swirl energy through the wrists and the hands try to explore full range of motion through the arms circle all the way around with both hands extend the energy through the fingertips take a deep breath swirl that energy through the wrists and hands and go the other way bring the energy back and through from the fingers through the wrists again nice deep breath we hold a lot of tension and tightness in the wrists and the hands this exercise improves energy and circulation through the hands it's wonderful for prevention of arthritis and now shake it out palms face up shake the inside of the wrists back and forth vigorously relax the hands relax the wrists get that energy to open through those wrist now palms face down do the same thing shake it out shake out the wrists and the hands this little series is preventative for arthritis and tendonitis helps energy blood flow go through the lower parts of the arms and down to the hands hands down to the sides now and shake now shake out the whole entire body relax all the joints feel the wrist relax elbows and shoulders relax anywhere you're holding tension or tightness in the spine relax and release into that inhale through the nose exhale with a long sigh out through the mouth anywhere you're holding tension or tightness in the body let it release shaking is a wonderful way to open all the joints in the body feel the lower spine hips waist knees all opening again nice deep breath in through the nose out through the mouth let anywhere you're holding tension let it release release the base of the skull the jaw and then slow it down stand with your arms at your sides and notice how your body feels get in touch with that circulation of energy feel healthy energy flowing through all the joints in your body now tingling lightness buzzing and we'll go into flowing movements now just relax and lift the arms up relax and float the arms down flowing movements are designed to link the energy between all the joints to create improved circulation and energy this strengthens and tonifies the Qi within the body this one is called open the flow inhale arms come down and exhale soften the muscles in the upper back neck and shoulders relax in and around your spine feel the flow of energy going up through the spine out through the shoulders elbows and wrists open the flow feel this nice relaxed energy moving through the whole system flowing movements are designed to relax into it should feel effortless as if the movement is happening to you through you like a river flowing down the mountain feel this current of energy moving through you with intrinsic power inhale and exhale with effortless ease bring your hands down to your sides feel the flow of energy going down the arms to the hands take a nice deep breath relax and feel that energy open through the meridians Qi is the foundation of the body and these movements were working with that internal energy extend the arms out in front of you and spiral in towards the chest exhale float the arms out inhale as you come in float the arms out and feel the spiraling movement going through all the joints in the upper body when the arms go out the chest sinks and then the arms come in the chest expands feel like you're swimming through water relax into the flow exhale arms go out and inhale spiral in exhale out inhale spiraling in feel as if you're gathering healthy energy in and through the heart center in and through the chest and then that energy extends out through the arms there's a saying in Qi Gong let your joints be like a string of pearls connected but not rigidly attached feel the flow of energy moving through your body and come the other direction one hand on top of the other and then let it flow through you send send energy from the hands down through the head and through all the joints and then let the arms come down and repeat hands come up one hand on top of the other connect to the energy above you send it down and through the top of the head fill up the joints with bright white light with healing energy and allow the hands to come down inhale hands come up one hand on top of the other let yourself be filled up exhale that energy down through the joints into the bones through the meridians and let the hands float down and expand connect to the energy of the universe pour healing energy down through the top of the head in and through all the joints in the body so the bones and the joints are filled with bright white light hands come up one hand on top of the other and then one continues flow down inhale up and exhale as you come down washing the joints with healing energy inhale gather energy from the universe let that white radiant energy fill up the joints and the bones inhale and exhale and bring your feet a little closer together hands down to the sides take some nice deep breaths feel all the joints in your body filled with bright radiant white light healing energy swirling through you feel your body healthy revitalized rejuvenated feel that combination of being relaxed and energized circulating through you take a nice deep breath and bring that feeling of relaxation and energy in through the rest of your day