The 8 Silken Movements

About This Class

This approachable Qigong class leads students through the classical Eight Silken Movements (Ba Duan Jin / Eight Brocade), beginning with a thorough warm-up of neck circles, hip circles, and knee circles before moving into the full sequence. The instructor places strong emphasis on foundational alignment — soft knees, a relaxed spine, a lifted crown, dropped shoulders, and a slightly concaved chest — and introduces the concept of the Dantian (the energy center below the navel) as an anchor for awareness throughout. The eight movements include interlocked overhead pressing, bow-drawing with focused gaze, single-arm lifting, chest-opening with forward fold, the Bear Rolling its Head lateral stretch, a flowing forward bend brushing down the back of the legs, squatting side punches, and heel drops to shake out stagnant energy. The pace is deliberately slow and repetitive, with an emphasis on relaxation over precision, making it ideal for those new to Qigong, recovering from physical wear, or seeking a gentle morning or midday energy reset. The class closes with a grounding breath sequence to seal in the circulated energy.