Here we want to show some simple, practical methods that are a kind of qigong self-massage as another effective way to regulate the Qi and protect your health.
Kerry and I had originally learned these 10 years ago from one of our teachers in Beijing, Jia Laoshi 贾老师, as part of a set of self-healing methods for qigong practitioners. In the meantime, we have seen that these methods, and other types of self-massage, are being taught to patients in the coronavirus wards of many Chinese hospitals to help activate their immune systems, improve their recovery, and protect their health from further mitigation of the disease.
There is no need for much theoretical understanding - one simply practices these massages in a very casual way. No special preparation is required, you can sit or stand or walk. Of course, it is better to have good posture, not slouching or leaning back if you are sitting. The main thing, as always, is to be completely relaxed.
Ba Xie Acupoint Massage Method.
The first method we show here involves a type of massage that involves knocking, or lightly hitting, eight special acupuncture points called Ba Xie 八 邪 ( which translates literally as the “Eight Evils“. In TCM theory, the term Evil stands for Xieqi 邪气 pathogenic Qi that invades the body from the outside, like a virus). In practicing this massage, you stimulate the acupoints to help clear the Xieqi from the body.
In general TCM terms, the medical effect is to Clear Heat and Toxic Qi, Eliminate Wind and external pathogenic Qi, and to alleviate pain. As we teach the methods here, they are also a preventative strategy to protect your health, and enliven your circulation. Practitioners of qigong have many such methods they use as an adjunct to support the effect of their regular practice.
The Ba Xie acupoints are located between the knuckles on the back of the hand. When you make a loose fist, you find them just above the crease in the finger webs, at the top of the knuckles as you look at the fist (see photos).
To do the massage, first spread your fingers, then knock your hands together with your fingers intertwined, so that the area of the acupoints are stimulated. You don’t knock very hard, but also not too gently. Do it just in a way that you can clearly and firmly feel the stimulus.
This type of knocking massage with the fingers interlocked only reaches 6 of the eight Ba-Xie points. The remaining two, (between the thumb and forefinger on both hands), are separately massaged by using the same method, interlocking the thumb and forefinger only.
You can do the knocking of the points either 36, 50 or 100 times. This are traditional instructions, but the exact number of times is not that important…you can do it casually.
That's it! Very simple, very effective, do it once a day or more - whenever you think of it. As always, the more regularly you do it, the better the effect!
