EXPANSION, CONTRACTION, COMPRESSION

BECOMING UNSTUCK: Expand, Contract, Compress, Repeat

One of the first Qigong forms I learned, and one that I practice with students regularly is "Compress Pearl." 

Palms face each other, okay, the Laogong points on the palms face each other, as though we're holding a ball, or an energetic pearl in front of the lower Dan Tian. As we inhale, the arms lift to the sides creating more space. The arms lower on an exhalation, letting the palms organically draw back to the pearl. Open, close, open, close. 

Eventually one might feel some sort of sensation between the palms, energy, electricity... Sometimes I feel as though two magnets are being pushed towards each other, they create some sort of a energetic resistance. 

Compression = Reduced volume created by external pressure or squeezing. An object is made smaller due to an external force or applied pressure.

Contraction = Becoming smaller, shorter, or tighter. This action generates force and causes movement. Contraction is a inward expression, due to internal changes rather than an outside squeeze.

Expansion = Our ability to create space. We make room for inspiration. 

We've also been practicing "Shake the Back Seven Times to Eliminate the 100 Illnesses" or "Drop the Heels" or "Drop the Post."

Brace yourselves. As we contract, squeezing our muscles, lifting onto our tiptoes, we inhale. As we release, we drop our heels and exhale. Contract on the inhale, expand on the exhale; the opposite of compress pearl.  

I teach a variation of "Drop the Heels" as it is practiced by the Shaolin Monks. We raise up onto the balls of our feet, onto our tiptoes, lifting the heels, inhale, and then drop onto the heels exhaling as we create a vibration throughout the body. 

The variation I teach also involves raising the shoulder up to the ears, making fists, bending the wrists, even the eyebrows instinctively rise, we've inhaled, we hold the breath for a moment, squeeze, squeeze, squeeze. And then we drop onto our heels with a mighty exhalation. We release. Our arms swings out in front of our bodies. It's as though a spring has been released.  

What have we done here? We've contracted our muscles, drawing inwards, compressing. We've created an isometric compression by holding for even just one second. The real lesson comes with the release. 

Release = Relief 

"Six Directional Breathing" is an excellent practice focusing on breath, expansion and contraction. 

Begin by focusing on the lower abdomen and the lower back, the Dan Tian and the Ming Men. Place one palm just below the belly button, the other hand, palm facing out at your lower back. Breathe. See if you can feel your hand at the lower Dan Tian gently move forward on the inhalation. The back hand? I feel as though I’m creating space between my rib cage and my sacrum. 

Now we grow wings. Bring your arms to your sides. We are going to breathe into the sides of the body, expanding the rib cage. Feel space in the arm pits. The inhalation encourages a gentle lift of the arms. The exhalation allows the "wings" (yes, you've grown wings) to settle back down towards the sides. Your wings are attached to your spine. Feel that connection. After awhile, the lift of the arms feels effortless. The breath is creating the lift. Wu wei, effortless action. 

I introduce the next direction, UP, by imagining that as you lower your wings you are gracefully generating lift, like a bird. On the downstroke, wings are cupped compressing air beneath them This generates the upward lift needed to raise the bird’s body against gravity. 

Breathe and feel a lift at the crown, the Bai Hui. Feel space all the way down the torso, down to the perineum, the Huiyin point. Maybe we can imagine the breath traveling all the way down to the feet. 

Another application: next time you practice "Compress Pearl" see if you can feel the expansion in six directions. 

All together now: front and back, side to side, top to bottom. 

Space, expansiveness, lightness; fly like a bird. 

I spend a great deal of time thinking about Qigong's effect on the psyche. 

Expansion creates feelings of openness, receptivity, growth, and connection. We may feel aligned with our desires and values. We feel energized, inspired, and ready to reach beyond our current limitations. Think like a tree. Feel drawn to the ethereal realms, Shen and Hun; being in awe while being inspired by dreams. The expansiveness of the heavens create the sense of awe. Shen spirits are tethered to the heart, fire element. Fire: expansion, the draw to move upwards.

Contraction in contrast signals a need to pause, reflect, ground ourselves, sometimes emerging from fear or uncertainty. How does your body feel when you're nervous, anxious, frightened, sad? While contraction may feel restrictive, it serves as a necessary process for introspection, focus, or recalibration before we can expand again. 

This compressed state is a statement of the realm of the Po Soul of the corporeal realm. The Po Soul is connected to the lungs. The lungs express shades of grief. How does your body express grief? 

Wuji, emptiness creating space for potential. Let go, make room. 

Visit FAQ about the Wu Shen, the Five Spirits to learn more about the Shen, Hun, Po Yi, and Zhi Spirits; metaphors of the human psyche. 

Both expansion and contraction contribute to a well-rounded psyche.

Is one good, the other bad? No. 

Compression is sometimes given a bad rap. It’s paired with suppression, or repression. Play with this idea: think of compression as a zip-drive, creating space. Rather than storing raw memories, we can compress “data” into images, archetypes, and dreams. The expansion may help us retrieve "data," let go, move on. Or, perhaps we'll keep the "data" safe until we're ready to process. Read my blogpost: Descending Into Awareness

Expansion and compression are two halves of a single whole. These expressions are present in the natural world, the seasons, day and night, growth and decay... All living things express expansion and contraction. The universe is thought to be expanding. 

Yin and Yang.

Expansion comes with great relief. While it may feel like the grand finale, it’s not the penultimate since the process repeats and repeats in our daily lives, in our practices. I end practices by practicing expansion. Then we ground ourselves. And then we bow three times, expressing gratitude. The bows feel like a compressed hug. 

Qigong forms expressing expansion, compression, and contraction:

• Six Directional Breathing
• Green Dragon from the East
• Compress Pearl
• Rise Owl Turns Its Head
• Dragon Transforms Qi
• Drop the Heels
• Monkey Lifts Paws

May you experience expansiveness, safety and balance.

One more thought, life begins with an inhalation. 

Expansion. 

Life ends with an exhalation. 

Contraction. 

In the meantime? BREATHE! 

I love you all. 

Brian

A hug, compressed love