Teacher’s Words | Dao: On Winter Storage

Chinese Tai Chi· Promote the Dao and cultivate righteousness

“Wuji leads to Taiji, Taiji moves and generates Yang, movement reaches its peak and becomes still, stillness gives rise to Yin, and stillness reaches its peak and then moves again.” Movement and stillness are the roots of each other, separate Yin and Yang, and the two forms stand firm. The transformation of Yang and the combination of Yin give rise to water, fire, wood, metal and earth. The five elements are arranged in harmony, and the four seasons follow each other.

Spring gives birth, summer grows, autumn harvests and winter stores.

The alternation of the four seasons and the waxing and waning of Yin and Yang are the eternal laws of nature. Taoism and traditional Chinese medicine advocate that as a complete microcosm, human beings should conform to the vast universe of nature. Only in this way can humans and nature complement each other in harmony and achieve the unity of heaven and man.

The so-called winter storage refers toDuring the Three Nines period, extremely precious “cold energy” for health preservation descends from the universe. By practicing Tai Chi, people can store this intangible “cold energy” within their bodies. Therefore, “藏” does not mean “hiding”, but “storing”, which is the true meaning of the Taoist concept of “winter storage”.

On the Winter Solstice, the first Yang energy begins to rise, and the weather changes, making the days longer.

At the time of the Winter Solstice, Yin and Yang alternate. The Yin energy of nature reaches its peak, and the Yang energy begins to stir and grow.

Extreme Yin is extreme Yang, and extreme Yang is extreme Yin.

In the extremely cloudy days of winter, the human body can obtain extremely Yang energy from between heaven and earth.

Xiaohan is the sixth day of the second Nine days and also the coldest day of the Third Nine days. The Major Cold actually marks the beginning of the transition to spring.

Therefore, Minor Cold is Major Cold, and Major Cold is Minor Cold.

“Cold” is different from “cold”. “Minor Cold” and “Major Cold” are not minor cold and major cold respectively. Instead, they are the most precious “cold energy” that heaven rewards all living beings, and they are the secrets of Taoism that cannot be revealed.

The saying “Train in the coldest days of winter and the hottest days of summer” truly reflects the ancient wisdom of health preservation.

In the face of life, there is no superiority or inferiority.

Human beings enjoy superior living conditions, but they do not have a longer lifespan as a result. Various diseases have increased explosively. On the contrary, animals and plants in nature have stronger vitality and self-healing ability than humans.

Why is that? There’s no other reason; just follow the four seasons.The ancients said:It’s not too hot when it should be, and the five bones are not formed. It’s not cold when it should be, and the five bones are not in harmony.

Humans turn on the heating in winter and the air conditioning in summer, “enjoying” the comfort brought by various technologies. Little do they know that this behavior runs counter to the laws of nature and is the root cause of many modern diseases.

In the depth of winter, let’s take a look at how animals and plants in nature enjoy the precious “cold energy” and how they are full of vitality!

The eagle is soaring in the icy sky

The cheetah is moving forward in the snow

The pine and cypress trees, having endured the baptism of wind and snow, remain green all year round and stand firm for a thousand years

Sugar heart apples from Xinjiang

Growing in a place with an extremely large temperature difference, it receives the intangible nutrients of the extreme sun and shade in nature, forming a unique transparent “sugar heart”.

Ice wine

Made from frozen grapes grown in extremely cold regions, it is rare and precious, truly a delicious product generated by “cold energy”

Children play in the snow, and the “cold energy” refines their strong bodies and hearts

Laozi said, “Man follows the earth, the earth follows heaven, heaven follows the Dao, and the Dao follows nature.”

If one does not hide in winter, one will surely suffer from warm illness in spring. Even animals and plants are like this. Humans should also adapt to the changes of the four seasons in order to obtain the precious source of life and reach the realm of health preservation in harmony with nature.

Winter storage is by no means “hiding” in a greenhouse during winter.Nor is it physical exercise at will.Its true meaning is that the gifts of heaven and earth should be “stored” within the body in a reasonable and proper way through the correct methods.Practicing traditional Chen-style Tai Chi is an excellent choice。

In the coldest months of winter, Tai Chi for health preservation is just the right time. I wish everyone could go into nature to receive the true gifts of “winter storage” and store up the most precious “cold energy” for the spring of the coming year.

Among all the flowers that wither in frost, I stand alone in beauty; with great ambition, I can withstand the cold wind

The picture shows that during the Winter Solstice and Minor Cold, the master, along with his disciples, led many students to practice boxing at the Nine Dragon Wall in Beihai Park

[Oral account by Master Yang Songquan, compiled by apprentices Zhang Xin, Liu Yiling and Xie Yingying]