This sequence looks at a few special movements from a sequence known as The Five Animals. It includes three movements from one of the sequences – The Deer.
The deer has a special place in China. It’s said to have a lot of energy that nourishes the deep structures of the body, deep into the bones. This energy is so strong in the deer that the bones are said to extend beyond the animal into the antlers.
Doing the deer movements is meant to direct the qi into the bones and strengthen the bones. This is relevant to the winter, because throughout the year the energy tends to fluctuate. In the summer, energy tends to expand outward to the surface, and in the winter, it draws into the core of the body, into the bones. These movements support this direction inward.