When it was time to deepen my Qigong practice, I enrolled in an immersive teacher training program with Nick Loffree. My intent was to dedicate myself to a structured daily practice, thereby committing to supporting my health. And like I do, I started leading Qigong practices.
The first set of forms we learned was Ji Ben Qi Gong. A good place to start, Fundamental Energy Exercises. The Ji Ben forms move the body in the most efficient way and circulate Qi along the meridian system of the body. Not only are we feeling the energy, Qi, but we are also effortlessly moving the joints, lengthening muscles and tendons, and directing the flow of Qi. Wu Wei, effortless action.
As with most of Qigong forms, the names of the eight forms of Ji Ben Qi Gong evoke images of nature, mythical creatures, archers, moving clouds...
Chinese Jade Stone Sitting Buddha
Compressing the Pearl
We begin by letting the arms and hands "empty" in Wuji, emptiness stance. In this set of forms, our palms face down to the earth while in Wuji.
The hands raise to the level of the lower Dan Tian with the palms facing each other, about six inches apart.
We are hooking up the two Laogong points of the palms.
Pulling the hands and arms away from each other we begin to feel the Qi between our palms. As one teacher said, if you don't feel anything, pretend that you do. It will come. As one student said, it's like we're pulling taffy between our hands and then squishing it back into a ball. Whatever works.
By opening the arms we are creating space for the lungs and the heart. Our arms and hands are creating bellows which can encourage movement of Qi from the lower Dan Tian to the middle Dan Tian and also down to the feet.
Flying Hands
Starting again at the lower Dan Tian, we slowly raise cooling Qi from the water center up to the fire center at the heart.
Our wrists and hands are relaxed. We create space in the joints.
By then moving the hands forward we are purging excess or stagnant Qi away from the diaphragm and heart center.
I like to think of moving clouds away from my heart and dispersing them out to the horizon.
Our bodies raise along with the arms as we inhale. The body sinks slightly on the exhale. We are feeling Qi rise and Qi sink.
Opening the Chest
The name of the form pretty much says it all. Expansion, openness. It's almost as if we're showing off our hearts to the world. Look at me!
We're creating space in the thoracic region, encouraging deep breathing.
Deep breathing is brought to you by a relaxed diaphragm sinking down in the inhale, massaging the lower abdomen, and the digestive system.
Upholding the Moon
This form creates space in the spine by inhaling as we curl forward and down, and connects many heart points.
We stack our hands at the Laogong points without letting the hands touch. As we curl up we direct Qi to our heart center.
The hands are raised overhead until we separate the clouds and place the moon in the sky.
The raising hands scan the body, moving stagnant Qi along the Triple Heater Meridian.
Taoism regards the moon as a source of intuition. Ancient Taoist sages looked to the moon for inspiration. Who doesn't?
Swimming Dragon
If you've practiced Swimming Dragon forms with me, or watched videos, this form is slightly different. Brace yourself.
One hand facing up, the other down. Focus again is on the Laogong points in the palms. The palm up hands rises, the palm down hand lowers. Exhale as they separate, inhale as they come back together.
We feel a diagonal push and pull. Just as with the other Swimming Dragon forms we can be playful, tossing a ball up, bouncing a ball down, although in slow motion. With practice we may even feel movement along the Dai Mai, the Belt Meridian around the waist.
Diagonal Flying
Once again we're flying, once again we're playing with diagonals.
We're playing frisbee, or okay disc golf people, we're throwing a disc.
We start with both hands in front of the body, one hand above with the fingers pointing up, one hand below with the fingers pointed down. We’re standing as though we’re holding a pane of glass between the hands.
Movement is initiated by the lower body, the Kua. We turn from the Kua while standing in horse stance. We throw the disc one direction, return to center and then the other direction. One hand is stretched out to the side, the other hand faces down at our side towards the earth, as if in Wuji.
As with many forms, we're compressing and opening the chest encouraging deep breathing while creating space. But, in this form, one side of the chest is in compression while the other is lengthened and open.
Cow Turns Its Head to Gaze at the Moon
Whimsical names deserve whimsical pictures.
We begin as tree huggers. Our arms are rounded in front of the chest as though we’re, yes, hugging a tree. Again, we turn to one side but this time raise the arms and hold the hands as though we’re framing a photo.
What’s different about this form? When we raise the arms, we push back through the mid-back. By doing this we are opening the thoracic vertebrae towards the back while we reach forward with the hands. Being at an angle, we are lengthening one side by creating space between the shoulder blade and the spine.
And then there’s the frame created by our hands, focusing our vision. Towards what? Towards the moon. Remember what the moon represents? Intuition.
Drawing the Heavenly Bow
You're drawing a bow. Your eye is fixed on a target. Taking aim. We're calling on Intention, Yi, and Will-Power, Zhi. We're balancing Jing, our essence, with our intellect.
We're twisting, we're pulling, we're in a deep horse stance, strengthening the lower body.
With our "arrow hand" we're making what's called the Secret Sword Mudra, pointing two fingers in the direction of our target. This Mudra is used in Qigong Healing practices, using the focus of Qi drawn from the fingers to a small concentrated area of our clients body.
We end the practice of Ji Ben Qi Gong with Shao Gong, settling the Qi by drawing our arms up to the level of the forehead and then down in front of the torso back to the Lower Dan Tian.
Glossary of Italicized Terms:
Italics: Crooked words
Wuji: Emptiness Stance. Our feet are grounded. Our knees are unlocked. Our tailbone is relaxed down. We’re lifting from the crown of our heads. Our shoulders are rotated up and back. We’re breathing. We’re allowing our energy to sink down to our and and down to the earth.
Laogong: An acupressure/puncture point in the palm of the hand. It’s a point on the Heart Protector or Pericardium Meridian. Translation: Palace of Labor. This point clears heart-fire. We focus healing energy from this point.
Dan Tian: Power stations. The elixir fields of energy. We have three primary Dan Tians. Lower, below the belly button. Middle, at the heart. And upper, at the third eye.
Triple Heater Meridian: This line is related with the fight or flight instinct. The triple heater also refers to the three Dan Tians in the core of the body.
Swimming Dragon: Qigong forms that spiral the energy in a coiling way up the spine.
Kua: The inguinal crease at the top of the legs. This is a key area as we coordinate movements of the upper and lower body.
JI BEN QI GONG
MOUNTAIN PATHWAYS QIGONG
He ends with a little spontaneous purging Qigong, don't be afraid.
The first set of forms we learned was Ji Ben Qi Gong. A good place to start, Fundamental Energy Exercises. The Ji Ben forms move the body in the most efficient way and circulate Qi along the meridian system of the body. Not only are we feeling the energy, Qi, but we are also effortlessly moving the joints, lengthening muscles and tendons, and directing the flow of Qi. Wu Wei, effortless action.
As with most of Qigong forms, the names of the eight forms of Ji Ben Qi Gong evoke images of nature, mythical creatures, archers, moving clouds...
- Compressing the Pearl
- Flying Hands
- Opening the Chest
- Upholding the Moon
- Swimming Dragon
- Diagonal Flying
- Cow Turns its Head to Gaze at the Moon
- Drawing the Heavenly Bow
Chinese Jade Stone Sitting Buddha
Compressing the Pearl
We begin by letting the arms and hands "empty" in Wuji, emptiness stance. In this set of forms, our palms face down to the earth while in Wuji.
The hands raise to the level of the lower Dan Tian with the palms facing each other, about six inches apart.
We are hooking up the two Laogong points of the palms.
Pulling the hands and arms away from each other we begin to feel the Qi between our palms. As one teacher said, if you don't feel anything, pretend that you do. It will come. As one student said, it's like we're pulling taffy between our hands and then squishing it back into a ball. Whatever works.
By opening the arms we are creating space for the lungs and the heart. Our arms and hands are creating bellows which can encourage movement of Qi from the lower Dan Tian to the middle Dan Tian and also down to the feet.
Flying Hands
Starting again at the lower Dan Tian, we slowly raise cooling Qi from the water center up to the fire center at the heart.
Our wrists and hands are relaxed. We create space in the joints.
By then moving the hands forward we are purging excess or stagnant Qi away from the diaphragm and heart center.
I like to think of moving clouds away from my heart and dispersing them out to the horizon.
Our bodies raise along with the arms as we inhale. The body sinks slightly on the exhale. We are feeling Qi rise and Qi sink.
Opening the Chest
The name of the form pretty much says it all. Expansion, openness. It's almost as if we're showing off our hearts to the world. Look at me!
We're creating space in the thoracic region, encouraging deep breathing.
Deep breathing is brought to you by a relaxed diaphragm sinking down in the inhale, massaging the lower abdomen, and the digestive system.
Upholding the Moon
This form creates space in the spine by inhaling as we curl forward and down, and connects many heart points.
We stack our hands at the Laogong points without letting the hands touch. As we curl up we direct Qi to our heart center.
The hands are raised overhead until we separate the clouds and place the moon in the sky.
The raising hands scan the body, moving stagnant Qi along the Triple Heater Meridian.
Taoism regards the moon as a source of intuition. Ancient Taoist sages looked to the moon for inspiration. Who doesn't?
Swimming Dragon
If you've practiced Swimming Dragon forms with me, or watched videos, this form is slightly different. Brace yourself.
One hand facing up, the other down. Focus again is on the Laogong points in the palms. The palm up hands rises, the palm down hand lowers. Exhale as they separate, inhale as they come back together.
We feel a diagonal push and pull. Just as with the other Swimming Dragon forms we can be playful, tossing a ball up, bouncing a ball down, although in slow motion. With practice we may even feel movement along the Dai Mai, the Belt Meridian around the waist.
Diagonal Flying
Once again we're flying, once again we're playing with diagonals.
We're playing frisbee, or okay disc golf people, we're throwing a disc.
We start with both hands in front of the body, one hand above with the fingers pointing up, one hand below with the fingers pointed down. We’re standing as though we’re holding a pane of glass between the hands.
Movement is initiated by the lower body, the Kua. We turn from the Kua while standing in horse stance. We throw the disc one direction, return to center and then the other direction. One hand is stretched out to the side, the other hand faces down at our side towards the earth, as if in Wuji.
As with many forms, we're compressing and opening the chest encouraging deep breathing while creating space. But, in this form, one side of the chest is in compression while the other is lengthened and open.
Cow Jumped Over the Moon by
Wingdomain Art and Photography
Cow Turns Its Head to Gaze at the Moon
Whimsical names deserve whimsical pictures.
We begin as tree huggers. Our arms are rounded in front of the chest as though we’re, yes, hugging a tree. Again, we turn to one side but this time raise the arms and hold the hands as though we’re framing a photo.
What’s different about this form? When we raise the arms, we push back through the mid-back. By doing this we are opening the thoracic vertebrae towards the back while we reach forward with the hands. Being at an angle, we are lengthening one side by creating space between the shoulder blade and the spine.
And then there’s the frame created by our hands, focusing our vision. Towards what? Towards the moon. Remember what the moon represents? Intuition.
Drawing the Heavenly BowYou're drawing a bow. Your eye is fixed on a target. Taking aim. We're calling on Intention, Yi, and Will-Power, Zhi. We're balancing Jing, our essence, with our intellect.
We're twisting, we're pulling, we're in a deep horse stance, strengthening the lower body.
With our "arrow hand" we're making what's called the Secret Sword Mudra, pointing two fingers in the direction of our target. This Mudra is used in Qigong Healing practices, using the focus of Qi drawn from the fingers to a small concentrated area of our clients body.
We end the practice of Ji Ben Qi Gong with Shao Gong, settling the Qi by drawing our arms up to the level of the forehead and then down in front of the torso back to the Lower Dan Tian.
Glossary of Italicized Terms:
Italics: Crooked words
Wuji: Emptiness Stance. Our feet are grounded. Our knees are unlocked. Our tailbone is relaxed down. We’re lifting from the crown of our heads. Our shoulders are rotated up and back. We’re breathing. We’re allowing our energy to sink down to our and and down to the earth.
Laogong: An acupressure/puncture point in the palm of the hand. It’s a point on the Heart Protector or Pericardium Meridian. Translation: Palace of Labor. This point clears heart-fire. We focus healing energy from this point.
Dan Tian: Power stations. The elixir fields of energy. We have three primary Dan Tians. Lower, below the belly button. Middle, at the heart. And upper, at the third eye.
Triple Heater Meridian: This line is related with the fight or flight instinct. The triple heater also refers to the three Dan Tians in the core of the body.
Swimming Dragon: Qigong forms that spiral the energy in a coiling way up the spine.
Kua: The inguinal crease at the top of the legs. This is a key area as we coordinate movements of the upper and lower body.
JI BEN QI GONG
MOUNTAIN PATHWAYS QIGONG
He ends with a little spontaneous purging Qigong, don't be afraid.
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