You can watch this fourth part of the 8 Brocades below:

If you are leading a stressful life, which most people are, then I encourage you to try the 8 brocades. I have split the practice up into 8 parts, with each part focusing on one brocade. By the end you will have learned all 8 movements, and can easily practice it every day. The whole 8 parts takes just over 20 minutes, and you can do it almost anywhere. If you have tried yoga but found it too difficult to continue, then the 8 brocades might be for you. The movements are so simple, and so gentle that almost anyone can do this. Even though Qi Gong is one of the most gentle forms, it is a powerful healer and balancer.

This 800-year old exercise, which the ancients likened to beautiful brocade, consists of eight sections, is very popular among the Chinese people. Each section can be practiced on its own and each targets a specific organ or health need. The whole set of movements are fine and delicate with moderate intensity. It is like yoga, but is performed in a standing position and does not require much space or a yoga mat. The 8 brocades are also known as the silk brocades because of the very slow and flowing movements. I have been practicing the 8 brocades regularly for several years, and have found it to be one of my great pillars that keep me physically, mentally and emotionally in balance.

TRANSCRIPTION

The fourth brocade is called looking back to eliminate 5 fatigues and 7 illnesses, or sometimes called the wise owl turns its head to eliminate fatigue.

Start with the feet apart, exhale, turn your head to one side, simultaneously open your palms and arms.

Inhale back to center with the head and the hands
Exhale turn the head the Other way and again open the arms and the hands out.

Repeating this, inhale, head turns to center, hands turn to center
Exhale palms open out, hard turns out.

I like to take a soft bend of the knees as I inhale, and also turn the palms towards the earth.
Exhaling the head turns and the palms turn out.

Continuing like this, allowing the head to turn from side to side, like an owl might. Although an owl can probably turn its head 180 or even 360 degrees. That's not quite what we're going for here.

However, the head in Daoism, is where the abode of the inner Gods is believed to exist. We want the pathways there as clear as can be. With a clear pathway to those inner Gods, our intuition may be more fine-tuned, we can appease those gods, and more importantly we can release some chronic tension. It's very common to have tension in the neck and shoulders, particular in these days and ages when we sit in front of computers a lot. This benefits the shoulders tremendously, aiding our fatigue and improving our overall ability to feel release through the neck and shoulders.

Again finishing this with a clearing with the hands, releasing and letting go.

Take a moment to breath into your dantien. When you are ready you can finish.

Did you enjoy the music?

It's called Lula by Phil Mison
Listen to more songs from this artist on shazam:
https://www.shazam.com/track/332801/lula

Credits:
With deep gratitude to Grand Master Chen Yong Fa (陳永發) for his teachings and dedication to Qi Gong.
With great thanks to Mimi Kuo-Deemer for her inspiration for this video and her kind permission to use her words.