Qigong exercises to shake the kinks out.
Cleanse, Find and Clear Blocked Energy
- Wuji stance. Relax analytical and emotional mind. Let wisdom mind take over.
- Pull qi down from the heavens.
- Lightly tap on the head with fingertips.
- Tap with 4 flat fingers at top of spine.
- Ring the temple bell, slapping the "Letting Go" and "Elegant Mansion" points.
- Tap arms with fist: outside, fingers to back; inside, armpit to fingers.
- Tap legs with palm or side of hand: outside, glutes to feet; inside, feet to pelvis.
- Massage palms.
- Expand chest: hands over groin, raise forward, cross, look left, look right.
- Spread wings: hands behind, palms out; circle around to navel, up, push, lift, return.
- Massage abdomen.
- Ring the temple bell, tapping the lower back, "Sea of Vitality".
- Massage palms.
- Rub face.
- Comb the hair: run fingers from front to back on scalp.
- Nurture qi at the "Sea of Energy" (core, lower dantian / energy field).
Tone and Energize
- Wise owl gazes backwards.
- Bow and arrow.
- Raise single iron arm.
- Hip circles with palms on "Sea of Vitality".
- Horse stance: turn trunk and push palm (taiji punch and pull).
- Press palms on feet.
- Bow stance, squat and stretch.
Cultivate the Qi
Breath work: either standing or sitting, no particular pose required.
- 10-20 deep abdominal breaths, without strain, bringing attention to breath at nostrils.
- While continuing deep, slow, thin, comfortable, ever-quieter
breathing:
- Bring the spirit home: focus attention starting with top of head, down to toes.
- Open and close the sense gates: for each sense, reach outwards, then inwards.
- Smile inwardly: send gratitude to heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, spleen.
- Feel energy arrive, absorb via belly, top of head, perineum, soles of feet, palms, knees, elbows, shoulders and hips, via pores; expanding and contracting around you.
- Visualize breath condensing into bone marrow, strengthening immune systems. Expanding through muscles, tendons, skin and hair, warming and healing.
- With eyes open, using palms, lift natural-born "original" qi up from belly (lower "water/yin" elixir field) to heart (middle "fire/yang" elixir field), mixing with "ingested" qi to augment reserves, settling back down to lower field. Allow, but don't force, any excess yin energy to continue up to top of head/forehead (upper "spirit qi" elixir field), mixing with "original" (universal) qi to lift spirit.
- Circulation of qi and deep breathing begins to happen naturally, without intention. Just let it happen. Do it without doing anything.
- Return to normal breathing.
Train the Qi
- Belly rolls forward and back, while rocking on heels and toes.
- "Full Martha Graham" flow, left and right, then to diagonals, from the core.
- Reach for the sky, then push up to the sky from front, from back.
- New qigong therapy stepping; toes, heels, soles of feet, with long breaths.
- Seven stars concentration, then free-form seven stars standing, on right foot, on left foot.
- Bird frolic.
- Bounce the qi: springy feeling in legs, elbows in, feeling energy flows.
- Step forward: taiji push up, from shoulders and hips.
- Three body forces standing: feel the 3 powers: springing forward, turning inward, lowering pelvis and lifting head.
- Pushing and stepping: release all yang energy into a hand while taking a step forward; prepare the other hand/foot, filling them with yin energy to be transformed in the next step.
- Always keep a cool, calm mind.
- Nurture qi at core.