The fifth lunar month of the year belongs to wu, seventh in the twelve earthly branches, and in addition corresponds to the Heart Channel of Hand-Shaoyin in the jingluo system and gou in the sixty-four hexagrams. Gou stands for the union of fin and yang, the gentle and the strong. What you have to bear in mind in this month is that with fire growing and water declining you can nourish the lungs and replenish the kidneys. Another thing you have to remember is that qi arises at 7 a. m. and you'd better face southeast in practice.
(1) Mangzhong (Grain in Ear)
The time between 3 and 7 a.m. every day in this month is good for the following exercise. Stand upright 'with legs slightly apart and arms hanging at sides. Lean .backward and raise hands overhead before twisting body to the left and right as much as possible with eyes looking up. Repeat the twisting movement 35 times on each side. Then, sitting upright with legs crossed, breathe evenly and click teeth 36 times before inhaling and exhaling several times and swallowing saliva.
This exercise may be effective for consumption in the kidneys, pain in the heart and hypochondrium, eclampsia, amnesia, coughing, vomiting, headache and flushed face.
(2) Xiazhi (Summer Solstice)
The time between 3 and 7 a.m. every day in this month is also good for the following exercise. Sit at ease with left leg bent and right leg straightened. Hold right leg with fingers of both hands interlocked and kick it forward. Return to the starting position and repeat the whole pro-cess 35 times on each side. Then, sitting upright with legs crossed, click teeth and inhale and exhale slowly before swallowing saliva.
This Qigong exercise may help cure diseases caused by wind-dampness pathogens, pain in the wrist and knee, kidneys, back and loin and heavi-ness in the body.
