This is a summary of an article published in Positive Health Magazine. If you would like to read the full article, click here to purchase a copy of the issue in which it appeared.

Hsing-I is an ancient Martial Art of fighting and healing that tunes the mind and body to a finely-honed degree. The essence of the art is the connection between the heart and the mind, as it is the heart which controls the emotions and triggers the body's responses. Combining the heart and body along with the will creates reactions that are more desirable than those earned or acquired without will. As the mind becomes less conscious of them, the techniques become more instinctive.

Figure 1

This article begins by explaining the historical background to the development of this ancient art in China and continues to explain the following aspects of Hsing-I:

• the twelve animals
• the cultivation of chi
• the connection with yin and yang
• the five elements of the five Hsing-I styles (metal, water, wood, fire and earth) and their relation to the organs, parts of the external body and the external movements of the art
• the bodily changes that a practitioner of Hsing-I will undergo.

He stresses the importance of treating external as well as internal maladies and briefly covers the connection with acupressure, acupuncture, moxibustion and herbology.

The Chinese believe that a child's mind is like a blank tape. After years of problems and troubles, the slate must be wiped clean. This is the objective of Hsing-I: returning your mind and body to what they were before birth. Returning to this condition will make you physically and mentally healthy.