Bronze Heron Stirs Dawn Wind

Conjuring the ethers with my form,

I draw with my breath and sword

a motion to render the invisible visible.


Element: air
Direction: east
Color: yellow
Season: spring

Facing sunrise, ascribed to air, stand with feet shoulder width apart, knees bent, toes forward to slightly in, pelvis cocked forward. Hold hilt of sword at waist level, tip of sword at eyelevel staring at the point in line with east.

Mind Technique:

Draw energy up from the earth with the breath from the lower right side, across to the left upper side, loop in the center over the head clockwise, and then push back to earth with strong exhalation from top right to lower left. Repeat from left to right.

Hand Technique:

Whip sword (if in right hand) from right to left while turning wrist over with a snap. Arch hand over from left to right to return to original side while turning palm over. Move sword from right to left while turning hand over with a snap. Repeat from opposite direction.

Body Technique:

Draw sword palm up from lower right side across to left upper side while turning wrist over, then lift arm up so hilt is over the head, point with opposite hand to where sword is pointing. Keep point of sword stationary. Withdraw free hand to behind back, move body to right, bring sword elbow down, to cause hilt to follow a circle with sword as radius around tip as long as possible, then suddenly snap wrist making sword whip smartly around to the left while following through with swordhand. Quickly whip sword back to original side up to top, arch over to left, whip down to right.

Transition:

Return to center, transition to next form by shifting weight to left leg, turning entire torsoe forty-five degrees to the right, and drawing right leg back and to the right by forty-five degreess. Return to balanced weight...
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