How to Do Qigong Tai-Chi Exercises
Qigong is the practice of raising, controlling, storing and increasing the flow of qi, or life energy, in one's body. It comprises the use of breath and movement, and is used primarily as a health benefit. Qigong is often associated and incorporated into Chinese martial arts such as tai chi. In terms of tai chi, Qigong can be used along with the movement forms or still meditation. This is done by accumulating qi in the Dan Tian, an energy center located two inches below the navel, and guiding the qi to the muscle or area of the body being used in practice. A basic exercise to assist in this goal is the Qi Permeating Technique.
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Instructions
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How to Do the Qi Permeating Techinique for Tai Chi
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Familiarize yourself with seven areas of the body that will be necessary to imagine during this exercise. The first is a small point at the exact top part of your skull called the Baihui Cavity. The next location is the Dan Tian Cavity, sometimes called the Lower Dan Tian; this spot is located 2 inches below your belly button. The third location is the perineum, which is located in front of the anus; it is called the Huiyan Cavity. The fourth spot, the Yongquan Cavity, is located on the bottom of the foot; it is 3/4 of the way forward from the heel, closer to the toes, under the middle toe. The fifth spot is at the small of the back in about the same location as the 14th vertebra; it is called the Mingmen Cavity. The Huantiao Cavity is the sixth location, and it is found near the middle of each side of the buttocks. The last location is the Laogong Cavity, and it is on the palm of your hand. If you make a fist, the spot where your middle finger touches your palm is the location of the Laogong Cavity.
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First, stand upright with your arms relaxed to your sides, knees slightly bent and breathing naturally. Your feet should be about shoulder-width apart. Raise your arms overhead with your palms (Laogong) facing down toward the top of your head (Baihui).
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Slowly lower your palms in front of your body, fingertips pointing toward each other and palms parallel to the floor. The arms should return to your sides. As you do this, imagine qi moving into your Baihuim, then spliting to flow over your ears, and then combining again at your throat. From there, the qi will split again and flow down the center of your collar bones and past your nipples, and come together at the belly button. The qi will now go down through your Dan Tian and your Huiyin. The flow of energy will break apart once more to travel down your inner thighs as it moves toward the Yongquan points in your feet. Let the energy collect all your stress as it moves and take it into the ground, exiting through your feet. Repeat this path two more times, each time imagining pure qi flowing through you and cleansing your body of tension.
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Bring your arms back over your head and lower them again like in the first part of the exercise, but this time simply imagine the pure qi flowing into your Baihui and going straight down the center of your body to the Huiyin. Let it continue through the bones of your legs to the Yongquan and into the ground. You may also repeat this part twice.
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Raise your arms overhead and down the front of your body. This time, however, the energy will flow from the Baihui down the back of your head, down your spine and to the Mingmen. The energy will split along the backs of the legs, through the two Huantiao cavities, past the Yongquan points in the feet and into the ground. Repeat twice.
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Tips & Warnings
Your eyes may be open, closed or partially open during the exercise. All are correct.
