Qigong Session 3 of 3: Ba Duan Jin (Eight Pieces of Brocade) for Strength, Power & Ease

Ba Duan Jin Qigong, Drawing the Bow to Shoot the Hawk

This is an embodied exploration of the classic Eight Pieces of Brocade, balancing effort and ease through mindful movement.
In this third and final Qigong session, we move through Ba Duan Jin as a living conversation between Yin and Yang, softness and strength, grounding and expansion, stillness and flow. Each posture is simple on the surface, yet rich in its capacity to awaken the body, steady the mind, and support the smooth circulation of Qi.

We begin with Hands Hold Up Heaven, a gentle upward stretch that lengthens the spine, opens the chest, and creates space through the torso. This movement embodies the interplay of Yin and Yang, the steady rooting of the feet into the earth paired with the light, expansive lift through the crown. Together, they create a sense of vertical alignment, setting the tone for spacious, easeful strength.

Drawing the Bow to Shoot the Hawk follows, cultivating grounded power through the legs and torso while opening the shoulders and chest. Here, Yin stability supports Yang expression. The lower body anchors while the upper body extends outward with clarity and intent, reinforcing balance, coordination, and focused strength without excess effort.

In Separating Heaven and Earth, one hand rises as the other presses downward, making the dialogue between Yin and Yang explicit. The movement supports energetic circulation and digestion while reinforcing the felt sense of opposites working together, uplift and grounding, expansion and containment.

Wise Owl Gazes Backwards with arm movement introduces gentle rotation through the spine and neck, paired with mindful arm engagement. The turning of the head invites Yang mobility, while the softness of the gaze and breath maintains Yin receptivity, encouraging awareness, patience, and ease through the upper body.

Dragon Sways Its Head and Tail brings fluidity into the hips and spine through a wave like motion. This movement emphasizes Yin yielding and Yang responsiveness, releasing accumulated tension and supporting the lower back while reminding us that vitality often arises through continuity and softness rather than force.

With Touch Toes to Strengthen Your Kidneys, we fold forward with intention, nourishing the back body and cultivating a quieter, more Yin quality. The emphasis is not on depth, but on listening inwardly, supporting the lower spine and legs while encouraging steadiness, humility, and care.

Punching Forward with Angry Eyes introduces a more pronounced Yang expression. The fists extend, the gaze sharpens, and the movement channels power with precision. Even here, Yin remains present in the rooted stance and relaxed breath, ensuring that strength stays directed, contained, and balanced rather than aggressive.

We close with Bouncing on Your Toes, a light, rhythmic movement that harmonizes Yin and Yang once more. The gentle rebound stimulates circulation and resilience, combining softness with elasticity, effort with buoyancy, and leaving the body feeling awake yet at ease.

Together, these eight movements form a complete and nourishing practice. It builds strength without rigidity, power without force, and ease without collapse. If you would like to experience the practice directly, I invite you to watch the accompanying video and move along with the full Ba Duan Jin sequence, allowing the movements, breath, and quiet attention to guide you into a felt experience of strength, power, and ease.