Start with 70% abdominal breathing: front of belly, to sides (lateral breath), lower back, upper back. Avoid moving upper chest. Relax. Slow.
Do all movements slowly and gracefully. Avoid excessive effort. Use wave-like motions.
Opening
In Buddhist prayer position, raise hands to forehead, then do taiji opening, then step to left to wuji position, then push down, relax fingers, rotating palms inward, down (x3), then standing post, eyes open, focused on palms.
Presenting the Pestle 1, 2, 3
- Pull arms in to open prayer position, separate, push forward, then:
- Push the horizon; look forward and down.
- Lift arms circularly to side of head, relax.
- Push up to the heavens, tuck in buttocks, raise heels, looking straight or down, not up.
- Repeat 3x.
Plucking Stars on Each Side
- Turn waist, swinging arms around.
- Press left arm back on mingmen.
- Right arm stretches up to pluck a star,
- then stretches it down along the center line.
- Lower heels to ground.
- Smooth circular motion, keeping shoulders level, not one higher than the other.
- Eyes follow moving hand.
- Focus mind on waist and kidneys.
- Repeat 3x.
Pulling Nine Cows by Their Tails
- Cross arms, then slowly move into
- deep diagonal bow, left foot and hand back,
- one hand back, the other forward.
- Both hands close finger by finger, to a fist.
- With fists, pull/close, big reach/extend, both hands, turning spine and waist without stepping.
- Open hands at full extent when reaching, close fists when pulling.
- Move body weight forward and back 3x.
- Eyes follow the forward fist.
- Repeat 1x each side.
Showing Talons and Spreading Wings
- Raise arms to side, then circle to front.
- Relax shoulders.
- Forward push, palms forward, spreading fingers in tiger claw, bending forward from waist, exhale.
- Focus on heels of palms, heels of feet; eyes slowly begin to glare.
- Withdraw to armpits or above head, around sides in a circle, inhale; eyes relax; stretching chest.
- Forward: as if opening a window, then crushing a mountain.
- Pulling: as if retreating with the tide.
- Repeat 3x.
Nine Ghosts Drawing Sabers
- Palms tucked in near shoulders.
- Turn whole body right, qi ball, then open, circling both hands across,
- then curving arms in different directions.
- One arm on back of head, touching ear, covering back of head.
- Other arm on back, pushing up as far as possible.
- Open elbows when bending up, close elbows when squatting down.
- Turn head when bending.
- Keep looking up.
- Big bends down and up 3x.
- Twisting up to side with arm behind head; down to side with arm at back,
- with slightly bent knees, but maintain a slight horse stance with knees forward.
- Big windmill to change direction.
- End by unwinding arms, pushing to horizon.
- Reverse, 1x in each direction.
Sinking the Three Bodily Zones
- Very wide stance, arms wide, toes forward.
- Palms rotating up, then pressing down.
- Exhale saying "hai".
- Don't lift too high, work on lowering the squat.
- Lift arms wide as if lifting a heavy weight.
- Mind focused on full squat, actual squat according to mobility.
- Squat more deeply each time (3x), focus on the 3 energy reservoirs.
Black Dragon Displays Its Claws
- Very wide stance.
- Arms wide, or one arm reaching out, closing fingers one by one into a fist, lower both fists.
- Reach right, then across torso with tiger claw or flat/vajra posture, palm up.
- Then withdraw palms, reach down to toes, knees straight, reach across.
- Back up the other side, making a fist when pulling up.
- Other arm remains a fist at middle, by waist.
- Keep waist straight while turning the body.
- Eyes follow moving hand and palm.
- Repeat each direction 3x.
Tiger Springing on Its Prey
- Start with a mild "wing chun" stance.
- Turn left foot in more.
- Step forward with right foot to a very wide stance.
- Similar to the cat frolic, with arms grabbing/rotating.
- Then squat all the way down onto one knee and/or long back-leg stretch.
- Push claws (fingers) to floor if possible, or to knees according to mobility.
- Eyes glare, spinal and leg stretches 3x.
- Repeat each direction 1x.
Bowing Down in Salutation
- Turn toes inward, then step out slightly with right foot to balanced stance.
- Reach palms over ears, behind head.
- Lower head first, then cervical spine, then thoracic spine, then lumbar spine.
- Tap nape of the neck 7 times.
- Stretch forward 3x or 1x, deeper each time, according to mobility.
- Keep knees straight, body and mind relaxed.
- If hypertension, do not lower the head.
- Sharp release of arms to side when done with the last bend.
Swinging the Tail
- Press on ears and then release suddenly.
- Push forward, with palms pressed together, then
- hands interlocked, turn palms out or palms pressed, stretch forward.
- Pull elbows in, then stretch down to ground.
- Keep knees straight; reach down as far as mobility allows.
- Then look side to side, tucking in buttocks, as if looking back at buttocks, raising the head.
- 3x each direction.
- At end, lift up in a big arching movement, arms above, and lower them slowly to abdomen into the closing form.
Closing form
- Lower arms, thumbs tracing the conception vessel (along front of body).
- Pause at the abdomen.
- Push palms down gently into wuji posture.
- Repeat 3x.
- Withdraw left foot to closed stance.