Gentle Exercises for Optimal Health

Continuing my discussion of the Three “S”s of Qigong practice: Single Exercises, Sets and Sequences:

Sequences

A Qigong sequence is a series of movements put together into an artistic form. I often call these forms, but many people use the word “form” for a single exercise or a set. I’m playing with the word “Sequence” as a more accurate, separate descriptor.

In a Sequence–or form–one exercises follows another in an arranged order. Sequences usually cover some ground with different types of steps, arm movements and torso movements. These patterned forms usually face all directions within the series of moves.

Forms are Artistic Patterns

Forms–or Sequences–can be seen as patterns performed on the ground, in time, and in the space around you.

Sequential forms are a more advanced way of practicing than Single Exercises or Sets (though not necessarily better.)

Sequences are like books or encylcopedias of skills and knowledge. Often Sets are created by taking and adapting movements from forms into successive drills. I have done this with the Primordial Qigong Sequence, creating the exercise Set I call the Delightful Dozen out of it.

Whereas the Delightful Dozen faces one direction and calls for about a dozen repetitions of each exercise; Primordial Qigong faces each of the cardinal directions eight times in a circling sequence and with varying numbers of repetitions for each sequential movement within the form.

In the formal sequence of Primordial Qigong, each exercise has it’s own number of reps to do—between 1 and 10 reps—before  flowing into the next exercise

Other examples of Sequences include much of the system of Wild Goose Qigong, including The First 64, The Second 64, Soft Palms, Spiral, etc…

Yang Style TaiJi (Tai Chi)

Every system of Tai Chi (at least 6 different major systems out there) has it’s short and long forms as a major part of their training. The Yang Style of Tai Chi Chuan, for instance, has a widely taught beginner form of 24 movements; the intermediate  20 minute (or so) long 108 movements form; and another, rarely seen, more complex, 108 move form.

New Frame Chen Style Tai Chi Form

In my Chen Style Tai Chi class with Bob Lau we practice something called the New Frame. This very long and complicated form (which I have a long way to go to really understand in a significant way) is made of 83 moves. However, most moves have several sequential components to them, so 83 is a but a method of naming. There seem to me to be about 250 separate moves. “Whew.” I’m currently learning a Sequence called Spiral Taiji from my internal arts teacher Bob Lau.

Advantage of Sequences

An advantage of working with Sequences is that they force you to be present and fully conscious as you are training. Spacing out and not paying attention leads to missing your next steps and getting lost. Sequences are a magnificent as moving meditations.

With the differing numbers done of exercises, the exact sequences, the steps being taken and directions to face, sequential forms are masterful ways of training your memory.

Sequences also encourage a the building of artful skill. Forms add a tapestry of artistic color and nuance to Qigong.

And they are fun!

Exercises Can be Done Singly, in Sets or in Patterned Sequences

There are a number of ways to look at Qigong in order to understand it better, methods of breaking down aspects of it into categories. In future posts I’ll talk about several different such ordering methods.

One way to look at Qigong in terms of how the exercises are organized: whether you are doing a single exercise repeated; a set of exercises drilled repeatedly and in order; or a sequence of exercises done in a flowing pattern.

For Simplicity, I Call These the Three “S”s

• Singles
• Sets
• Sequences

Single Exercises

Single exercises are done by themselves, repeatedly. These are usually drills of foundational movements or meditations that help you gather a particular energy or develop a particular important skill.

These drills might also be taken out of a set or sequence and practiced alone. A single exercise might be a prescription for your condition. Two examples are doing lots of Shaking the Body to release tension, or performing many reps of the Inner Qi Shower to release and descend excess heat in the head.

Another example of this is building balanced energy in your hands for healing with the exercise Charging the Qi Ball.

The Golden Ball (also called 8 Actions of Qi) is an 8-movement single exercise I learned from my Medical Qigong teacher Jerry Alan Johnson. The Golden ball is particularly good at balancing your body’s Qi field.

Swimming Dragon is a sophisticated Single Exercise that is great for the spine and other joints of the body.

Reasons to Practice Single Exercises Include

• to really deepen a skill,
• to drill and drill for a particular need, such as an exercise prescription
• to built a foundation necessary for later practice needs
• because you are short of time

Get in a Groove

The best way to practice Single Exercises is to do them for a period of time, rather than a set number of repetitions. For instance you could decide to practice the exercise over and over for 5, 10 or 20 minutes. After a few minutes you will get into a groove. You’ll be riding a wave of a rhythm that takes you with it.

In my next post I will talk about Sets.

Right Now, Do a Little Awareness Experiment

Noticing both your feet and your head, how much of your awareness is in your feet and how much in your head, percentage-wise? In other words, are you balanced, top and bottom?

Most people I’ve talked to say they have anywhere from 60 to 90 percent of their awareness in their heads. This means, they are not balanced energetically, magnetically or consciously. They have much more awareness in the moment up top. They have more energy in their upper bodies than lower.

Whole Body Balance

It is a cardinal rule of Qigong that balance is a must for healthy, whole living.

50/50 is Nifty

It might sound obvious to pay attention to your feet, yet I find it common for people to be doing the opposite. Often people are so much in their heads, that their feet are afterthoughts, follow-alongs. They trip along on them, bidding them to get them from one place to another with hardly a parcel of awareness devoted to them. They become top-heavy energetically, emotionally, and physically. Read the rest of this entry »

Build Energy and Heal Back Pain

One of the most important concepts of that one learns in the Chinese movement arts is a central area called the Gate of Life or Door of Life. Learning how to work with the Gate of Life can bring more energy to your Kidneys, meridians and brain.

It can help you have more oomph for expressing yourself in the world and often will even eliminate lower back stiffness or pain.

Finding the Gate of Life

The Gate of Life is a small circular area found in the center of your lower back, just behind and at the height of the belly. The Gate of Life is exactly opposite where your belly button is. To me, the active area of the Gate of Life seems to be about the size of an American dime.

Gate of Life (in the lower spine)

locatation of the Gate of Life

Move from the Central Pivot

Read the rest of this entry »

Applied Knowledge Leads to Health and Power

Over my years of practicing, observing and reading about Qigong I have often observed that Qigong and Tai Chi are difficult for beginners to understand. Many forms are simply too advanced or unusual for the average Westerner to grok.

The underlying methodologies are often hidden to the uninitiated, and often not even spoken of.

Knowing what you are doing, what you are trying to accomplish, why you are doing that and how to go about it are crucial to getting the greatest benefit from your practice.

Cracking the Qigong Code

I want to crack open the secretiveness and confusing-ness; to make the subtle motions and sublime notions of Qigong come to the light of easy awareness. Read the rest of this entry »

“The Three Intentional Corrections” is the name of a simple and valuable health practice that you can apply throughout the day. It is a method of shifting yourself into a higher and more healthful state of being. It is a quick, mini-practice that you can use for getting back on track at any time.

All you do is ask yourself three questions, then respond with the appropriate shift.

You ask:

• How is my posture?
• How is my breathing?
• How is my consciousness? Read the rest of this entry »

There is a famous (in China) Wild Goose Qigong form called the First 64. It takes 5 to 6 minutes to go through this long form-not much time out of any given day. I wanted to practice it everyday to deepen my connection to it, memorize it my muscles and bones, and refine my performance of it. I also wanted the benefits that comes with practicing it- the flexibility, back strength, thigh strength, energization, etc., etc.

Commit to Qigong

I decided to commit to a daily practice for 100 days. This is called a 100-day discipline. It is astonishing how difficult it can be to just do something everyday. Read the rest of this entry »

Yesterday, in the “8-Pulling Waist” Qigong workshop, the topic of practicing came up. It almost always does come up, and should. Qigong, for all it’s barrels-full of benefits, isn’t much good to you if you don’t practice. Over and over I have heard from students how difficult it is for them to keep up a practice, despite their initial enthusiasms.

Practice is the First Principle

The first principle of qigong, as I see it, is to practice. More fully, the principle is: Read the rest of this entry »

Remember to Shake

A client of mine–Peg–told me this story recently. Upon hearing that it was 5 degrees below zero in the town they were planning on vacationing in, Peggy began getting worried. She and her husband were traveling there in just a couple of days.

But then she caught herself. “Wait a minute. I don’t have to go into fear and tension. I don’t have to repeat my worry pattern.” She remembered hearing on the Fun With Qigong DVD, that “If you can’t remember anything else about Qigong, remember to shake.”

Think Clearly

So she went in to the other room and started bouncing up and down. The Shaking the Body exercise soon released the tension and broke the fearful train of thought. Soon she felt calmer and more at ease in her body. She begin to think about the upcoming trip more clearly, and with her solution skills enabled. She was able to think up several ways to deal with cold weather she had not thought of and realized that the cold weather was probably about to break anyway.

Improve Your Day

Qigong can be used in these simple ways, everyday to improve your day. Sometimes taking one exercise and using it in a key moment can shift your whole day for the better. Sometimes, it may make an entire week of your life more fun, livable, and memorable. I’m going to shake right now; I could use it.

Breathe When You Type

Notice how you breathe when you are typing. Years ago, when I was first struggling with the confounding intricacies of computers (mostly with learning MS Word), I noticed I tended to stop breathing at the keyboard. This got me tense and frustrated and tired. I resolved to consciously breathe when working at the computer. I began to remind myself over and over and over to breathe. I would say, “I breathe when I type, I breathe when I think, I breathe when I write.” It took me two years to build the habit where I did breathe well at the keyboard. I still must remind myself now and then. Good breathing takes a conscious effort, an involvement of awareness and a desire. These days, I’m lot happier on the keyboard and I get my breath practice at the same time as I type.

Free Medicine

There is no reason not to breathe while looking at a computer screen. Just utilize a small portion of your awareness toward keeping your breath deep, easy, full, slow, and constant. You will have more energy, be more relaxed, and heal all kinds of little ills. You will feel better.