Liuzijue Qigong (LQG)- usually known as Six Healing Sounds (六字诀) is a 1,500 Year old Chinese Qigong practiced for health benefits and longevity. LQG consists of coordinated movement and exhalation while vocalizing 6 specific sounds (xu, he, hu, si, chui, and xi). This blog is a supplement to my March 6, 2022 blog on Six Healing Sounds and provides additional information.
It is beyond the scope of this blog to discuss the optional movements associated with the sounds. I say “optional” because there are many variations of LQG (as you would expect in 1,500 years) and some practitioners believe that chanting the sounds and shaking the body (rather than specific movements) calms and restores balance in the body.
The aim of the LQG practice is to help move and remove “congested Qi” by causing different internal vibrations and pressures throughout parts of the body. What some practitioners consider a method of massaging the internal organs!
No matter which method or order you choose to practice, always inhale slowly through your nose and exhale evenly from your mouth. Sounds should be verbalized out loud, especially for beginners. All sounds should be repeated three to six times at least three times each day. When you breathe deeply while practicing, your parasympathetic nervous system relays the message to your body that you are safe which causes your body to release tension and stress. Negative emotions are also transformed into positive!
Until 2003, a standard way to transcribe the sound of Chinese characters and to clear up confusion regarding the pronunciation of the words/sounds didn’t exist. The Chinese Administration of Sport of China gathered all records that existed and studied the differences. They released this “revised version” of LQG and promoted it as a “health promotion Qigong practice in China. The information below is based on this version. Do keep in mind that there are many different versions still in existence.
For health maintenance, the LQG should be practiced in the following order:
Wood - Xu - Liver - Spring
Fire - He - Heart - Summer
Earth - Hu - Spleen - All Seasons
Metal - Si - Lung - Autumn/Fall
Water - Chui - Kidney - Winter
Wood - Xi - Triple Energizer/Gallbladder - All Seasons
To promote healing, the six sounds should be practiced in the following order:
Fire - He
Metal - Si
Wood - Xu
Earth - Hu
Water - Chui
Wood - Xi
If you don’t have enough time to go through all the sounds and movements, you can verbalize the sound based on the season of the year. Xi and Hu are all season sounds! When you practice LQG in the order of the seasons, it is believed that you are brought into “synchrony with your body” and surroundings. Another option is to practice the sound related to a specific body part. See the list above.
Research
LQG has been recommended for use in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) rehabilitation. However, there is controversy as to it’s efficacy for COPD patients. Several clinical trials indicated that LOG practice by individuals with COPD results in better functional capacity and quality of life.
The 2018 Liuzijue Qigong study systematically reviewed of the existing studies in order to assess effectiveness and safety for the prevention or treatment of COPD. Patients showed improvement “in pulmonary function, immunologic function, respiratory muscle strength, peripheral skeletal muscle function, exercise capacity, mental health, and quality of life in patients with COPD, especially the older adults”. It was safe and patients enjoyed the practice. Unfortunately, because of the small samples and diverse styles, etc. made the comparison difficult.
A 2020 study was undertaken to assess whether or not LQG had any effect on anxiety of COPD patients during the Covid-19 outbreak. The study indicated that LQG could effectively reduce anxiety among COPD patients. The researchers felt that management and intervention of “psychological factors should be reinforced during the epidemic”.
A research article published in August 2021 looked at the effects of LQG on lung function as patients were recovering from Covid-19. Several clinical trials have shown evidence that LQG can improve respiratory muscles strength as well as overall quality of life. At this time, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine recommends traditional LQG training to help restore normal pulmonary function in patients who are recovering from Covid-19.
A meta-analysis and review of the efficacy of LQG for patients with COPD was published in May 2022. This meta-analysis showed that LQG resulted in the following improvements: “lung function, exercise capacity, health status, mental status and quality of life”. The researchers agreed that comprehensive,high-quality analyses using large sample sizes are required in order to confirm the efficacy as an adjuvant intervention for COPD patients.
Videos, etc. Check out some of the differences in practitioners and versions. Note: this list is not exhaustive!
Dr. Jun Wang demonstrates sound and movement in this video: https://www.themusicalbreath.com/2021/05/14/the-six-healing-sounds-of-liuzijue-qigong/
YouTube videos - Beijing Version- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dB9FidOEVng
David Wong: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWjF6gCIt54
Taoist version - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UZa_zhOg9A
Video for purchase as well as YouTube Video - Six Healing Sounds by Master Jesse Tsao, PhD - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFqotaIc3Dw
Bottom line: LQG aka Six Healing Sounds is a great way to breathe and/or sing your way to better mental and physical health!
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