Baoding Balls Benefits: Energy and Agility in the Palm of Your Hand

Baoding Balls are Chinese massage balls for your hands. Spin them in your palm to boost your Qi. You too can learn this healing trick!

Baoding Balls, or Meridian Balls, are two identical balls that you can spin in the palm of your hand with your fingers. This may sound like a mindless game, but it certainly isn’t! This technique can have a positive effect on your life energy. In this blog we’ll tell you about the theory behind these Baoding Balls and teach you to use them through a number of simple beginner exercises.

Origins of Baoding Balls

Meridian Balls originate from Baoding in China and date way back in the Ming dynasty. Before the balls were invented, the practice started out as a hand massage with two walnuts! The spherical shape was not perfected until much later. People practiced this hand massage extensively for its supposed healing powers. Emperor Jia Jing apparently found this very interesting and in the 16th century, he ordered an investigation asking the question “Do Baoding Balls really work?” The positive result cemented Baoding Balls into Chinese culture.

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Healing Effect of Baoding Balls

Spinning two spheres in your hand may seem like a mindless game, but it certainly isn’t. According to many, these massage balls from China, often with small bells in them, have a healing effect. How Baoding Balls work relates to two parts of classical Chinese medicine:

• Meridian Orbits and Points
• Qi or Prana

Baoding Balls and the Meridians

Spinning two metal balls in the hands has an effect on the body’s Meridians. According to the Jing Luo theory, these are invisible energy channels that run through your body. Jing is Chinese for “broad lines” and Luo means “branches” of those lines. Each energy path is in contact with a crucial part of your body, for example your neck vertebrae and other vital organs. The ends of the meridians, better known as pressure points, are located in your hands and feet and you can therefore stimulate them with meridian balls.

Stimulating Qi with Baoding Balls

The meridians in your body regulate the distribution of energy over the most important organs. This life energy of a person is also called Qi or Prana. Using massage balls for the pressure points of your hand can therefore have an effect on the flow of the meridians. These energy channels then regulate the distribution of Qi over your organs. The healing effect of meridian balls can, for example, result in the removal of energy blockages.

Positive Effects of Using Baoding Balls

Your palm is, in reality, a kind of playing field full of pressure points. If you regularly stimulate these in the right way, it could have positive effects on your energy flow. The effect of good flowing Qi via the meridians also has some other positive consequences, both physically and mentally. Examples of the positive effects could be:

• maintaining and restoring the Qi
• distributing life energy over the vital organs
• promoting circulation in your body as a result of relaxation
• relaxing your muscles, including in your hands and fingers
• possible increased strength due to the weight of the balls
• increasing or improving concentration and coordination
• training both hemispheres of the brain by practicing both left and right hands

Different Types of Baoding Balls

Since the Chinese Ming dynasty, the appearance of the Baoding Balls has, of course, changed somewhat. What started with two walnuts has turned into a large assortment with different types of Meridian balls. Nowadays you can buy all kinds in different sizes, weights, and materials. The most popular varieties and their characteristics are:

Metal Balls: These are hollow spheres with a bell or spiral mini bullet inside that makes noise. Often decorated with colorful enamel and symbols such as the yin-yang sign, they are some of the most eye-catching Baoding Balls. You can buy these yin-yang decorated balls in different colors at Spiru.

Chrome Balls: Chrome balls are solid and therefore extra heavy. Advanced practitioners often enjoy challenging themselves with these heavier balls.

Stone Balls: These balls can be made of different types of stone, such as Jade massage balls for example. The roughness of the stone can provide more grip in your hand. Look into the added effect of the gemstone’s energy when practicing with these balls.

Hardwood Balls: These are generally very light and are made of woods such as wenge.

Baoding Ball Exercises to Start With

Have you chosen your perfect Baoding Balls and are ready to get started? Then now is the time to practice! Keep in mind that beginners often start with smaller balls; the advanced use the larger or even three or four spheres. If you practice for about 10 to 15 minutes every day, you will soon notice that it gets easier and easier. At least your Qi will get a daily boost! To get you started, below are some meridian ball exercises for beginners.

1. The first exercise is simple; rest the light Chinese yin-yang balls on your fingers and then squeeze your hand together every now and then. In this way you start to stimulate the meridian points.
2. Then place them both in your palm and try to spin them around. You do this by moving your fingers. Do this in both hands.
3. If the spin succeeds, spinning the balls alternately left and right in each hand. The next step is not to let the bullets touch each other. This is a tricky one! Therefore, make use of the space that your hand offers, so both your palm and your fingers.
4. If these exercises start to go smoothly, then you can switch to larger balls, extra weight, another material, or try adding a ball!

If you’re interested in other practices to improve your energy flow, you could also try Gua Sha Massage. Or improve your energy from the inside with Gemstone Water. You’re environment can effect you energy too, so you can also explore improving your Qi with Gemstones in Your Home or even some Anti-Electrosmog Orgonite.

What’s your favorite way to unlock your energy flow?