Pai da 拍打 (pat) the Heart and Lung Meridians in Winter
Pai da 拍打, which we could translate as “patting”, “slapping”, or “tapping,” when done along the body’s meridians, is a widespread traditional Chinese health modality. It is commonly done before and/or after practice (qigong, neigong, etc), but it is also very beneficial as a daily, stand-alone practice.
Pai da is performed along the meridians (and acupoints) to keep the meridians unobstructed and the qi and blood flow vigorous. By smoothing the flow of qi and stamping out the turbid qi (zhuo qi 濁气) the functions of the internal organs are regulated and the body’s immunity is enhanced.
Here we will focus on patting the meridians of the arm which is a great addition to a closing routine of self-massage after qigong practice. It is also particularly beneficial as a stand-alone daily yangsheng practice during the winter time, as it benefits the heart and lung meridians in the arm. The heart is at its weakest during the winter and yang qi has just begun to make a comeback after the winter solstice, so this is a great time to give the heart meridian some extra care. The lung meridian is also in the arm and is another good reason to especially pat down the arms during winter as the dry conditions and an extra susceptible immune system can make nourishing the lungs a good idea in winter.
Basic Pai Da
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To pat down the arms, starting with the left arm, hold one arm out in front and pat with the hand of the other arm keeping the hand loose and slightly cupped. Pat the arm like stamping the dust out of an old rug.
Always start from the top (near the shoulder) and pat from top to bottom (near the hand).
You can pat both the inside and outside of the arm.
If part of a closing routine after practice, get in at least a good 3-6 sets of top-to-bottom patting on both sides of the arm. If as a stand alone practice, you may want to double that or more.
It is also good to pay particular attention to patting the inside of the elbow area. The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine (Huangdi Neijing 《黄帝内经》) says:
“If there is xie qi (pathological qi) in the lungs and heart, the qi will stay in the elbows.”
肺心有邪其气留于两肘
Patting here can will stimulate the Chize 尺泽穴, Quze 曲泽穴, and Shaohai 少海穴 acupoints, and can nourish the heart, calm the mind, and clear the heart fire.
