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 The goal of this program is to encourage the circulation of flow through the upper body relieving pain stiffness and tension Qi Gong teaches basic stretches and exercises to compensate for habitual movements muscular tension and repetitive motion Qi Gong combines three key components for clearing tension and pain one is slow fluid movements to improve the body's posture flexibility and balance the next is deep breathing the breath should be rhythmic slow and full this brings oxygen to the body also the third one is a meditative state of mind a meditative state of mind coupled with these movements and breathing dissipates stress and anxiety may the beauty of this beautiful Yosemite Valley help you relax unwind and become more fluid through your upper back neck and shoulders thanks for joining me Welcome to Qi Gong for the Upper Back and Neck let's get ready to begin take a nice deep breath have a stance that's about shoulder width now interlock the fingers and begin a little spiraling movement through the elbows and the shoulders this will warm up the upper back and the neck bring good circulation to the shoulders and open the chest and lungs take some nice deep breaths as you're circling the arms lift elbow towards the sky circle forward and around feel your hips and your center participating in the movement elbow lifts and we circle and swirl the energy through the upper back and the neck and the shoulders taking some nice deep breaths feel how the whole entire spine moves with the arms stay loose make this movement comfortable and easy breathe into it slow it down a little bit and then inhale to the chest and exhale as you push forward and you're gonna cleanse and clear old energy out of the lungs out of the upper back between the shoulder blades is an area where we hold lots of stress and tension so as you press round the back and open the space between the shoulder blades exhale as you press forward inhale as you come in exhale sink the chest inhale and expand the chest when you press the hands out make some space between the shoulder blades bring some good energy to the lungs when you can exhale all the way out it's easy to let go of the past to let go of old emotional energy and now rotate the shoulders and the elbows in the opposite direction lifting the elbow up and circling back and around the breath here is just natural and full lift elbow up towards the sky circle around feel the movement in the shoulders feel the movement in the shoulder blades and spine and connect the upper body to the hips and the waist take one more deep breath and then relax hands down to the sides and now do some shoulder shrugs lift shoulders up towards the ears circle back and around up towards the ears circle back and around and let's just find that place where the shoulders are in alignment with the rest of the spine pull the shoulders up and then back relax them down take a nice deep breath get that blood and Qi to circulate through the shoulders and shoulder blades and upper back circle up and down and just slow it down a little bit make the movement smaller we're gonna do a similar movement by stepping back with your right foot left foot and left arm are forward shake out that left arm remember here I'm gonna do your mirror image so left shoulder up towards the ear back and around up towards the ear back and around now on this one we're gonna do a weight shift it's forward here and then shift the weight back as the arm circles shift the weight back lift the shoulder and circle it around so this movement comes from the weight shift keep your shoulder and your elbow relaxed feel as if you're reeling silk into the shoulder joint and the upper back these movements were called silk reeling helping to make the joints silky smooth open and flexible let's try the other side step back with your left foot shake out the right arm and then we're gonna lift the right shoulder up towards the ear back and around up towards the ear back and around with the weight shift shift back as you circle the shoulder bring mindfulness into the movement and feel the way the shoulder rotates through the joint feel the shoulder blades sliding up and down the back Qi Gong is an exercise form that integrates mind and body pay attention to what the body is doing and the Qi will flow swirl the energy through the shoulder up towards the ear back and around move from the hips and the waist take one more deep breath relax feel it circle and then we'll come back to the center with the feet together now take your hands up by the face and do a little rotation this will open all the joints through the spine turn slightly and look over the shoulder now listen to the body see how much movement you want to bring into this you can go as slow or as quickly as you'd like and you very gently just turn look over the shoulder and rotate through the upper back bring your hands just a little bit lower and rotate through the middle spine anytime you want to can come off the heel and onto the toes as you rotate it gives you a little more rotation a little bit more range of motion take some nice deep breaths come off the heel onto the toes rotate and turn and look over the shoulder feel the way those joints in the spine move when you come off the heel onto the toes you get more rotation more twist feel the movement through the spine feel the movement through the body spinal twist is a way to bring healthy energy to invigorate the back to create flexibility and suppleness through the spine slow the movement down when we go into a movement called water waves where you're just swirling the hands through the air in front and behind you swirl the energy in front and behind you still turning from the hips and the waist and feel here that you can just wash away and clear any stress any worries that are weighing heavy in the mind let's push them away wash them away with this movement water waves helps to bring us into the present moment it gathers energy connects us to our center turn from the hips and the waist hands gliding through the air feel your feet on the ground feel the air move through your fingers take a nice deep breath feel strong in the space right where you are cleanse and clear old energy away take one more deep breath slow the movement down and just notice how you feel feel that nice sense of openness of energy moving and circulating down the arms to the hands now bring your hands up arms out to the sides palms face forward and now we're going to do a movement called spreading the feathers hands come in and then just extend your fingers towards the earth palms face forward circle around and reach the fingers towards the earth inhale and exhale stand tall as the fingers reach towards the earth stretch top of the head towards the sky fingers towards the earth shoulders press down and lengthen use the breath and now lean ear towards the shoulder fingers extended down towards the earth feel that opening in the line of tension from the neck all the way down the arm into the fingers roll the head back now and feel it stretch in a different line take a deep breath then roll the head forward chin down towards the chest and feel that stretch the back line take a nice deep breath here and then come down and across to the other side ear to the shoulder this is the middle line keep reaching the fingertips away from you down towards the earth roll the head back stretching the front line of the neck take a nice deep breath here roll the head forward chin to the chest and stretching the back line of the neck deep breath lengthen and release chin comes down to the chest to the other side and then slowly roll the head back and forth across the shoulder nice and slow roll the head back and forth and again just working out any tension and tightness like a deep tissue massage this movement of the head releases those muscle fibers that have been tangled up in a knot gets them to lengthen out and improves the circulation of energy there go to the other side ear to the shoulder and roll the head slowly back and forth across the shoulder take a nice deep breath lengthen and release back and forth feel the stretch feel that lengthening and opening through the meridians of the arms take one more deep breath bring the hands down notice how your body feels feel the energy open through the neck shoulders upper back feel the flow of Qi down on the arms to the fingertips now let's do the other side lengthen and reach towards the earth back of the hands forward gather from behind you and stretch back of the hands forward inhale gather energy exhale extend down towards the earth as you reach towards the earth top of the head lifts towards the sky inhale reach towards the earth lengthen the spine now lean ear towards the shoulder and feel the length the areas in the neck shoulders and down through the arms are called lines of tension try rolling the head to the back of the shoulder and here what we want to do is clear the lines of tension in the upper body drop chin to the chest and feel that clearing through the upper back and neck deep breath feel the stretch let that lengthen let that open roll the head to the back of the shoulder feel the stretch through the neck roll the head forward towards the front of the shoulders take a nice deep breath clear tension and tightness through the neck area and between the shoulder blades drop down and across to the other side ear goes towards the shoulder and we're clearing the lines of tension through the upper back and neck take the chin now down towards the chest and feel that stretch through the neck area roll the head all the way back feel the stretch through the front of the neck when you stretch you free up energy and get it to move back into circulation Now come down and across to the other side and just roll the head back and forth across the shoulder let it release let it open movement stretch and breath improve the circulation of energy in the body roll the head slowly back and forth roll the head back and forth across the shoulder and then do the other side slowly roll the head back and forth across the other shoulder stretch and lengthen gently roll the head back and forth across the shoulder stretch and lengthen inhale through the nose exhale out through the mouth when we free up tension in the neck and shoulders we reclaim that as energy and power for the rest of the body hands down to the sides and notice how your body feels next we're gonna bring your arms up to the left side push the palms away from you turn your head over the right shoulder and stretch again I'm going to do your mirror image here press the hands to the left turn the head right this is called dragon stretches its tail inhale as you look at the hands and exhale press the hands away from you and stretch inhale look at the hands exhale press turn and rotate feel that length and that stretch through the upper body through the neck shoulders and upper back this releases another line of tension through the neck and shoulders it's a wonderful stretch to clear tension and tightness out of the arms wrists and hands inhale exhale press the palms away from you that left arm is straight fingers spread keep the head now turned over that right shoulder nice deep breath and turn the head even further bring the hands down other side palms press away turn the head over the shoulder and inhale and look at the right hand exhale press and turn the head over the left shoulder and stretch use the breath use the movement open the flow of energy through the body inhale look at the hand exhale press turn and stretch inhale look at the hand exhale press turn and stretch keep those lines of tension clear this will create a smooth flow of energy through the upper body through the neck shoulders and all the way down through the hands hold the stretch now turn the head over the left shoulder spread the fingers breathe into it keep pressing palms away and then relax hands down to the sides and notice how you feel feel the improved circulation going down the arms to the hands one more deep breath arms to the sides and shake it out shake out the wrists the elbows and the shoulders shaking is a wonderful way to release stress tension and tightness in the body now bounce into the heels and shake the neck loose relax the chin the base of the skull relax through the cervical spine and upper back take a deep breath in through the nose exhale out through the mouth shaking clears tension tightness and stress let it release inhale through the nose exhale out through the mouth slow it down stand with the arms at your sides breathe into it feel the energy flowing through the body down through the arms into the fingertips take a nice deep breath now bring the hands up in front of you circle around behind you and extend the arms in front this is called bear swimming in the ocean it's a wonderful flowing movement to open the upper back the neck and take that energy right out through the arms and the hands exhale as you extend inhale and open the chest exhale extend the arms inhale as you open the chest let it flow this exercise strengthens the lung capacity opens the lung meridians feel the energy flowing through the chest out through the arms inhale as you open exhale sink the chest spiral the energy through the arms let it flow feel this movement like you're swimming in water feel your body light relaxed fluid and flowing slow graceful movements enhance the circulation of Qi hands down to your sides take a nice deep breath feel that relaxation permeating the whole upper body now float your arms up float your arms down this movement is called opening the flow this will help to train your upper body to move without tension inhale float the arms up and exhale float the arms down these flows are like moving meditations let your mind relax into the movement let your body relax into the flow glide the energy up and down through the spine and out through the arms let your spine move like a wave in the ocean it's soft gentle it's fluid and powerful energy flows like water out through the arms just pay attention to the air moving through the fingers your feet on the ground your breath let your mind relax into the flow into the present moment and open the hands to the sides and exhale float the hands together inhale and open exhale float the hands together this movement is called soaring crane open the chest and then hands go together make space in the upper back feel the energy pumped through the front of the lungs and the back of the lungs freeing up the energy through the neck shoulders and the space between the shoulder blades let your hands come down a little lower and inhale as the hands open exhale as the hands come towards each other feel free to bring the hands even lower like your fingers are gliding through the surface of water relax into the flow breath a little bit deeper inhale open the hands exhale hands come towards each other the breath the movement and the flow all working together to enhance the circulation of Qi take a nice deep breath feel the energy pouring down through the arms into your hands and let's continue cultivating that lightness with an exercise called flying inhale and float your arms up exhale float the arms down keep the shoulders and the neck area nice and light and open inhale float the arms up exhale float the arms down feel the flow of energy go up the spine and out through the arms feel your body like a regal bird soaring through the air your heart is light and free the energy circulating and flowing through the body let it flow without any tension without any tightness Qi Gong is called the art of effortless power and it mirrors the movements of nature so here feel that lightness that flow that relaxation that effortless power moving through you the breath pumping the energy through the body your arms lights open and free you can even slow the movement down a little bit and then bring your hands down to your sides again notice how your body feels feel the free flow of energy circulating through you take a nice deep breath take both hands over the lower abdomen bring the feet a little closer together and we finish the workout the same way we started with the hands at the belly the breath in the lower abdomen and just feel the Qi circulating inside you here let your body rock and sway like bamboo in the wind let your body just gently rock and sway breath is relaxed and let that energy that we just cultivated settle in wherever you might need it relax your hands down to the sides take that feeling of relaxation with you into the rest of your day