Warm up
- Massaging and tapping.
- Loosening of joints.
- Rock forward/back, snap the yin, swirling the qi, ringing the temple bell, embrace the cosmos.
- Back/forward stretches from hip with healing sounds.
Slow, attentive toe and heel circles
- Hands out to side, as if patting the heads of two tigers.
- Toe on the ground, circle from knee and waist.
- Lift foot off the ground. Heel circles.
Rooster stands on one leg, 3 ways
- In a slow flowing motion, roll weight to one foot, then the other.
Alternate which tiger you are patting as weight shifts. One heavy
foot, one light foot, back and forth. One hand leans on a tiger. One
hand lifts up. Opposite foot lifts up just a little, may still touch
ground with toe.
- Light (left) hand is opposite the light (right) foot.
- Heavy (right) hand is opposite the heavy (left) foot. Reverse.
- Reverse hand motions and expand leg lift and arm lift more. Lift lighter leg from knee and hip, as high as capacity allows. Leg lift might still be just to toe, or might be quite high. And push heavy leg from hip and knee, very solid stance. Move hands, elbows and shoulders, not just hands. Lift heavy hand up, bringing it near the center line. Bring light hand to waist, near the navel.
- Continue reversed hand motions, trying different lifted heavy-hand postures: tiger claw, vajra (flat) palm, flower mudra (point one finger), tambura mudra (point two fingers). Experiment with vajra (flat) palm for light hand at center line near navel. Expand movements. Hold fully extended posture longer.
Warrior practice
- Repeat your best-effort rooster stand. Or try advanced stands: quickly, all at once; eyes closed; hold foot against opposite leg.
Pull down the heavens, or Preparing the Pestle.
Taiji walking
- Slow, deliberate free steps forward and back.
- Then around in a wide circle.
- Then do four-point turns, clockwise, counter-clockwise.
Kelp flowing and silk reeling
- Flowing like a giant piece of kelp in the waves.
- "Pulling the qi" from the palms, opening and closing them while making a large circle using all joints and spine.
Three taps
- On toe, on heel, on sole of foot. 3 left, 3 right.
Seven stars practice
- Standing post with calm, deep breaths. Then focus mind…
- …on heavy left-right opposites. Reverse.
- Palm - sole of foot; knee - elbow; hip - shoulder.
- …on light left-right opposites. Reverse.
- …on center line: top of head - spine - pelvic floor. Reverse.
- Slowly lift…
- …light palm and foot, press heavy palm and foot. Reverse.
- …light knee and elbow, press heavy knee and elbow. Reverse.
- …light hip and shoulder, press heavy hip and shoulder. Reverse.
- Alternate sides in a flowing manner. Keep attention mainly on center, then heavy side. Let the light side "do its own thing".
- Practice as a flow. Practice holding a pose. Go slow.
Mind-intention practice
- Practice the three powers (santishi) routine.