Basic Chi Kung Practice

Whatever exercise we may choose to learn when practicing or

developing the discipline of Chi Kung, by far the most important
aspect in determining the efficacy of our practice, is our ability to
enter into a Chi Kung State. In this state our chi (life force
energy) is activated and moves strongly through its various
channels and pathways (known as meridians) in the body. We
also develop the attitude of being out of the way detached
from the processes but fully aware of it.
It is this attitude that allows what Burgs calls the Body
Automatic (the bodys inherent intelligence and re-organising
capacity) to kick in and begin the healing process.
The following describes a series of steps one can take to enter into
this Chi Kung State of mind:

Activating Chi
1) Bring your awareness into all of the body.
Move and open up all of the joints in the body in a systematic
way starting with the fingers and finishing with the toes. Being
sure that the mind appears in each joint as you move
through them. This will activate the stagnant energy that
accumulates in the joints producing stiffness and pain. It is not
enough to just move the joints, you have to feel the movement
with full awareness.
2) Loosen off the flesh and fascias of the body.
Shake the flesh around the bones starting with the hands and
finishing with the feet. This will release the stagnant energy in the
fascias of the body.

3) Open the meridian/nerve channels of the body.
There are four postures for arm channels. One stands upright
with arms out horizontally to the side. One pushes fingers and
palms to the horizon as you breath out with:
a) fingers straight out.
b) palms out, fingers upwards and pulled towards the ears.
c) palms out, fingers down and pulled towards the ribs.
d) wrists out and fingers towards the ribs.
There are two postures for leg channels. Standing upright with
arms by the sides, put one leg forwards at a time:
a) resting gently on the heel, lift the toes towards the shins. Lean
forward over the shins to open the back leg channels. Make sure
you feel the point in the middle of your sole as this is the
releasing point on the foot just as the palm is on the hands. This
opens the rear leg channels.
b) pointing the toes with them gently touching the floor, lean back
and breathe out down the front of the leg. This opens the front leg
channels.

Cultivating and Circulating the Chi
4) Circulate chi in the central channels
This is the most significant aspect of Chi Kung to develop the
correct circulation of chi in the spine and through the vagus nerve
in the middle of the body. This is key to switching the body from
the fight or flightreactive (sympathetic) state, into the healing,
adaptive (parasympathetic) state of the autonomic nervous
system. This modern explanation relates precisely to the ancient
Chi Kung principle when the chi sinks down hundreds of
diseases disappear.
Our goal is to get the body out of the fight or flight state that so
many people in the modern world operate in almost all of the
time. In evolutionary terms, this state is of course incredibly
useful however it is intended to be used only rarely, on
demand not with the switch constantly stuck in the on
position. Turning this switch from stress to heal is achieved by
getting the current of energy flowing in the vagus nerve (through
the middle of the body) to flow downwards.
In Chi Kung terms this reverses the tendency to accumulate chi in
the head and chest which puts pressure on the heart and brain
causing stress and sleeplessness. We can either do this by
developing the correct breathing techniques or by using a suitable
Chi Kung movement, or combining the two.
The principle is to feel the expansion of the body with the in-
breath moving upwards from the lower belly towards the upper
chest. This process causes a wave of energy to be pumped up the
spine into the head causing the cortex to expand rhythmically.
With the out-breath the contraction moves downwards through
the body as a wave through the vagus nerve from the centre of
the head past the throat, chests, solar plexus and into the lower
belly (Dan Tien). This process of breathing will initiate the
downward sinking of chi that activates the parasympathetic
(adaptive/healing) aspect of the autonomic nervous system.
This is called the microcosmic orbit in Chi Kung.
Dan Tien is known in Taosim as the bodys energetic center and
storehouse of our chi.
5) Outer physical movement as a gesture to connect to inner
energetic movement.
We can adopt a movement to stimulate and activate this
microcosmic orbit. It is important when doing Chi Kung
movement to recognise that the symbolic aspect of the gesture
connects us to the internal principle of the practice (the energetic
effect). If we fail to recognise or remember this, the movement
will be of little effect.
The simplest movement to activate the microcosmic orbit is an
exercise known as Lifting the Sky.
Arms straight down in front of you, palms facing the floor and
fingers facing inwards. As you breath in move the hands
upwards with your awareness moving upwards inside the spine
drawing the chi through the spine. When your hands come to
shoulder height stop the in-breath, hold it and let the arms carry
on up above the head. Push the palms upwards opening the
shoulders and particularly the nerves in the lower belly. Bring the
arms outwards to the side and start your out-breath as the hands
pass the level of the ears. Your awareness should float
downwards through the middle of your body passing the throat,
chest, solar plexus and end in the Dan Tien (lower belly) at the
end of the out-breath. With the next in-breath you repeat the
process. You can continue as long as you feel is suitable five
minutes is usually ample.
The head and chest should feel clear and free of pressure during
this exercise. If this is not the case then you are allowing the
breath to rise up and get stuck above the diaphragm which can
cause dizziness and put stress on the chest area.
Remember to stop drawing the breath in when arms are at
shoulder height and release the breath as they pass the ears. You
should stop if the dizziness continues, until you feel settled again,
and then move to step 7 to end your practice..
6) Spontaneous response.
Once the Chi is active in the body it is important to feel its effect
in the body. It has its own intelligence and will do a lot of positive
work for you if you allow it. At this stage we can simply stand or
move gently until we feel the tendency for the body to move
itself. At this stage just allow the body to move or shake, or do
whatever it needs to as the chi re-organises itself in your body
flushing out the blockages and stale energy. Allow this process to
run its course until the body becomes still on its own.

Gathering Your Chi
7) Ending your practice.
It is always important to end your practice in a centred and
grounded state. Stand for a couple of minutes with your wrists
crossed over Dan Tien and let your awareness come into the
lower belly until you feel the head cool and calm. Feel also the
contact between the earth and your feet maintaining a feeling of
being grounded.
Smile from your heart and making the reflection May All Beings
Be Happy.

These simple practices performed regularly will keep the chi
active in your body and guard against stagnation . It will prove
extremely valuable over time and many health parameters will
improve simple by developing the ability to switch the body from
the stressed response to its re-organising state at will.
Good luck and enjoy your Chi Kung.