Simple Guidance on How to Practice

• Audio file about the practice of Chi Kung.

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 moving strongly through its various channels and pathways 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 body’s inherent intelligence and reorganizing capacity) to kick in and begin the healing process.

The steps starting and finishing the Chi Kung State are as follows:

Activating

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 them. This will activate the stagnant energy that accumulates in the joints producing stiffness and pain. N.B. 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. Opens the rear leg channels.

b) point the toes with them gently touching the floor, lean back and breathe out down the front of the leg. Opens the front leg channels.

Cultivating and Circuling 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 of flight’, reactive (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’ 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 we call the microcosmic orbit in Chi Kung.

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 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 and hold it and let the arm scarry 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.

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 as the chi reorganises 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.

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 you 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 groundedness.

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 develop the ability to switch the body from the stressed response to the reorganising state at will.

Good luck and enjoy your Chi Kung.