Shibashi and the Point of Precision

I often talk about the overall Qi and Physical benefits of practicing Shibashi. The benefits are many and layered, and the origins of the movements and deeper purpose are embedded in the concepts of the Qi flow, the meridians and the Qi points that are all around our bodies.

As we practice each move there are some obvious physical benefits, which can be strengthening, mobility, balance, stability and so on. And then from a Qi activation perspective we have the understanding of how the Qi is being activated, which meridians are impacted by the movements, such as the movements of arms benefiting the Heart and Lungs due to the location of the Heart and Lung meridians in the arms.

In addition, we are often specifically yet unknowingly positioning our bodies to connect and interact major Qi points and meridians. For example, the Meridians along the arms terminate at the fingertips, and have key points along the arms and into the hands such as the elbow crease, wrist and palm. The interaction of these points can be in themselves beneficial for manipulating our Qi.

Shibashi moves that relate to the Pericardium Meridian include Brushing the Horses Tail (Set 3) and Swinging Arms and Twisting Waist (Set 1) where in both cases we guide the Zhong Chong (Central Hub or Terminus) of the Pericardium Meridian which is located on the middle finger passes along the Pericardium Meridian including key points such as Nei Guan (on the upper part of the wrist) and Lao Gong (in the palm). IN Circling Arms (Set 1) we align the Nei Guan by placing them over each other.

From thinking about these and learning more about the placement of the Merdians and their associated Qi points we can start considering more about the benefits of the interactions of the meridians and points during the various movements.

To learn more and explore this topic in more depth I recommend taking a look at the blog by Senior Shibashi Instructor Mabli from Tai Chi for Better Health. Her blog is informative and easy to absorb, with a focus on the Pericardium Meridian as her example, which I have drawn from for my learning and understanding. https://taichiqigong.org.uk/the-point-of-precision/