Sunday, May 10, 2009
More on chi gong
Yesterday, I said a bit about chi gong and the inner energies. Here is another site that offers fine instruction on the various postures and moves:
Below is an excerpt from the text presented on this site, but the site itself also includes illustrations that are very helpful. A total of 18 exercises are presented on the site, but even a few of these would be quite helpful for many of us.
Some further reflection:
Sometimes when we do chi gong, the sweet energies flow easily. At other times we feel as though we are simply "doing exercises" for the physical body (also good for us). Today a friend and I discussed why our responses vary so much from day to day. Our conclusion was that we simply do not know--many factors are involved, some of which we can guess at (tiredness, weather conditions, illness, distraction, and others), but ultimately all is mystery with no tangible cause.
Patricia (my friend I have often mentioned) is a lap swimmer. Recently she swam half a mile in pool laps, an outstanding achievement for anyone, I think. Yet, she pointed out, on other days for some reason swimming was more difficult and she could not swim nearly that far. So, physical energy, like spiritual energy, has its own variations, due to unknown causes.
As one speaker said in "Awakening Osiris" (by Normandi Ellis): "Some days it is harder to communicate with the gods than others."
The following material was excerpted from the site listed above:
The Eighteen Tai Chi Chi Kung Moves were extracted from traditional Tai Chi Chi Kung exercises and reformulated into these simplified movements by Master Lim in China. They are an internal breathing exercise and work with specific meridians of the body to improve circulation and the flow of chi, cardiovascular strength, and the general health of the body’s internal systems. For maximum benefit, it is important to maintain proper body alignment, focus on the breath, and keep a slow and even pace.
Begin standing straight with feet shoulder width apart. The feet should be parallel to each other, with the toes pointed forward. It is important to maintain this foot position throughout the exercises, except when the left foot is moved with one step forward in moves 11-13 and again when the feet are lifted in move 17. Also, arms should move from the shoulder, not from the elbow or wrist. Move fluidly from one move to the next, never changing abruptly, pausing, or stopping in between. [Click on images to see larger view. Hit back button to return.]
Keeping wrists soft and palms facing downward, inhale and move from the shoulders as you slowly raise both arms in front of you to shoulder height. Exhale as you lower your arms back down to the front of your thighs, bending the knees slightly as you go.
Inhale, raising arms as in move 1, then extending them out to the sides as you reach shoulder height. Exhale as you return arms to center then lower back down to the front of the thighs, bending the knees as in move 1.
like a tree . . . Inhale and raise arms simultaneously, moving your right arm out to the side at shoulder height, palm upward, while the left arm bends over the head, palm positioned over the crown. At the same time, the feet remain planted while the body shifts left, left leg bending while the right leg remains straight. The bent leg will be fully loaded as the straight leg is empty. Hold the position as you exhale, looking at the outward palm. Inhale as you shift from one side to the other, bending the right leg and straightening the left, moving your arms simultaneously over your head to the left, right arm bending over the head and left arm extending out from the shoulder. Exhale as you look at your left palm.Keeping the flow continuous, move back to center and . . .
Moves 4 Through 7 Return to Intro
(picture from Wikipedia)
