Wednesday, June 24, 2015

                                Blog #40: Qi Gong for Lungs and Kidneys

Today’s blog will give step by step instructions about how to practice a short Qi Gong exercise that frequently can help improve vitality and health on several levels.  The steps of this practice are listed below:

1      Wear comfortable, supportive shoes and fairly loose, comfortable clothing.  Stand on a flat surface, indoors or outside.  If practicing out of doors, the temperature should be comfortable, and not windy or rainy.  The air should be relatively clean and it would be ideal to do this exercise standing on earth or grass, near trees.

2     Feet are shoulder width apart, with toes pointing forward or slightly outward.  Knees are slightly bent.  Initially, arms hand loosely at the sides, and shoulders are relaxed and slightly rounded.  Posture is straight, yet relaxed.  Pelvis is slightly tilted forward.  Eyes are slightly open, either gazing straight ahead, or down at your abdomen.  If a line were drawn through the top of your head, down through your body, ideally, it would exit through your perineum and touch the ground midway between the feet.

3     Breathing is from the abdomen, and very relaxed.  Mind is also relaxed, aware solely of practicing this exercise and expectant that it will help support health and vitality.

4     Jaw and tongue are relaxed.  Shoulders, elbows, wrists are relaxed, arms dangle at sides. 

5     Keeping feet in their same location and knees still bent, smoothly twist hips, torso and head to one side and then to the other side a total of twelve times to each side, first to the left, then to the right.

      The smooth twisting motion will also propel the arms and hands forward.  It will not be necessary to use muscles to move the arms and hands – relaxation and momentum will do this, as well as an intention about when and where the arms will move and the hands will land.

7     When twisting to the left, the right palm lightly slaps the front of chest, by the left shoulder.  At the same time, the left hand swings behind the back and the back of the left hand lightly slaps on or above the location of the right kidney.  When twisting to the right, the left palm lightly slaps the front of chest, by the right shoulder, and the right hand swings behind the back and lightly slaps on or above the location of the left kidney.

8     Continue in relaxed, perpetual motion until the body has twisted to the left, then to the right a total of twelve times each side. 

9     Afterward, the body stays centered; the hands are brought up just under the navel, one palm flat against the abdomen and the other hand covering the first placed hand.  Both palms face toward the body.

10  Count slowly to twelve, with eyes closed.  Then open the eyes and slowly enter back into the rest of life.  Practicing this every day will gradually lead to proficiency and noticeable benefits.  It can take up to three months before one or more benefits appear.  Urinary and/or respiratory systems may start functioning better, more ease may be found when handling stressful situations, the body may be more relaxed and comfortable, and the energy level may increase. 


This month’s offer: contact me free of charge with questions about this exercise.  Additionally, for a small fee, I will teach this and possibly other qi gong exercises in person, if the exercises are suitable for the individuals present.