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 Purpose: Happiness, longevity and self-attunement
Center: The whole body
Goal: No physical trouble
Dao-In (pronounced dow-een) is a series of movements that have traditionally been called "exercises for conducting physical energy." It is a collection of exercises, resembling hatha yoga, from achieved masters who practiced indoors on a mat. Wise people tried to find a practical way to improve the stagnation of physical energy. For example, if you lie down too long, when you get up you will be stiff, or part of your body will be sore. If you walk, stand, sit or do physical work for too long, certain muscles, or the muscles of the entire body, will react. This includes tendons, cartilage and bones. The principle of Dao-In is to make adjustments to your body as necessary. When you get up and do a few movements, the internal flow of energy is affected and stagnation can be prevented. Once people began doing this physical energy conducting, they discovered that it not only prevented stagnation, but it also improved their health and lengthened their life. Externally, it helps the muscles, tendons and bones. Internally, it helps different systems of the body function better, including the circulation, secretions and so forth. Its pure purpose is to nurture and attune your internal energy. When you do Dao-In, the most important thing is relaxation. Some postures require more training of some of your muscles, so follow the principle of building your practice up slowly. While it adjusts and attunes, Dao-In also generates, strengthens and invigorates your energy. There are five major parts to the whole system, three of which are the physical foundation. Another part is a meditation, and the concluding part is primarily focused on the face and head. It takes about 30 minutes to perform the entire sequence of movements, but it is not necessary to do the entire set. For additional information please see Master Ni's book Attune Your Body with Dao-In and its companion DVD/videotape (available at www.sevenstarcom.com). |
Dao-In Chinese Yoga 
