Fall Qigong Lesson 6
4m 34s
This is lesson 6 in the 10 part Fall Qigong Series. In this lesson you will learn the standing version of the movement from Fall Qigong Lesson 1.
PART 1: Qigong meditation
1) Begin standing with the feet together.
2) Feel the body relax as much as possible.
3) Bend at the knees while letting the weight settle into the right side.
4) Lift the left leg and open it to the left until you are standing with feet shoulder width apart.
5) Settle your body weight evenly on both legs now.
6) Make sure you are breathing into the Dan Tian. You should feel the area below your navel expand broadly in a comfortable, full feeling. If you feel you are straining, most likely you are too tense. Let the body relax until you feel you can achieve a full, expansive breath into the Dan Tian.
7) Make sure to take as much time meditating, focusing on the Dan Tian breathing. Once you have achieved this baseline relaxation, you are ready to proceed.
PART 2: Qigong preparation
1) Let your arms rise up at the sides, and feel the qi sensation through the whole body. Remember: having to tense up any part of the body is a blockage of qi. Therefore only use only the minimum amount of force to follow the movements; this is using qi to move the body.
2) Let the hands and qi feeling sink back down to the Dan Tian.
PART 3: Fall Qigong, Movement #1
1) Raise the arms up by your side.
2) At the top, let the hands meet in the middle and interlock the fingers together.
3) Placed your linked hands behind your head.
4) Lower the head as though facing the floor.
5) Press on the back of your head with a slight pressure. Using your head, press back against the pressure of your hands so that you have a mutual resist from both your hands and head.
6) Beginning on the right side, lead with the right elbow and create a "rolling" motion forward. Make sure to let the whole trunk roll forward whilst maintaining the light mutual pressure between the hands and head.
7) Let the right side of the body roll back.
8) As the right side rolls back, simultaneously let the left side roll forward, leading with the left elbow.
9) Repeat steps 6 - 8 again, HOWEVER, as you repeat the steps incrementally bend at the waist forward so as to increase how far bent over your body rolls forward. You should feel each vertebrae in the back slowly and gently curl forward.
10) Orient the body in central position again and continue curling the body forward and downward as though you are trying to look at your thighs.
11) Because there has been a slight invigoration of qi and blood in the trunk, you are now able to increase the pressure of the hand on the head and the resisting pressure of the head slightly. Remember: this is only a SLIGHT increase.
12) Hold this posture for a few moments.
13) Unlink the hands, let the upper body straighten up again and let the hands position in front of the Dan Tian.
14) Repeat these motions as many times as desired.
KEY POINTS:
Bear in mind that you should only use enough pressure for your head to push back against in order to feel qi activate in the neck. Do *NOT* use a large amount of force; it is unnecessary.
When you hold the forward curled up position, make sure to feel qi activate along the channels of the back, not just the neck.
Because you in a standing position, you should feel a slight qi sensation reach even to the sacral area. Bear in mind this only needs to be a slight sensation: do not make this a particular strong sensation as this can lead to injury.
PART 4: Qigong Closing
1) Raise the arms to the sides as you breathe in.
2) Breathe out as you lower the arms to the Dan Tian.
3) Let the hands settle onto the Dan Tian itself and to once again relax the entire body. Meditate and feel where the body might have tightened up again and allow yourself a moment to let yourself relax those areas in order to allow qi to flow once more.
4) Let the hands fall to the sides naturally.
5) Take a few breaths to ensure once more you are performing Dan Tian breathing.