Shake your body up and down.
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Empowering Movement
Qi Flow and Physical Movement
One of the characteristics of Qigong is the importance it places on dynamic movement exercises. Practitioners are often seen in public parks in China, and more recently in Western countries, waving their arms and bending their legs in gentle, repetitive motions. These exercises are beautiful to watch, but one may wonder what benefit they have. After all, one could go to the gym and lift weights or go to the beach and jog or swim to become stronger, faster, and fitter instead of merely standing in one place moving in slow motion.
The physical health benefits of Qigong movement exercises are numerous and they have been soundly documented in medical studies performed in China and abroad, but the foremost reason for practicing Qigong movement exercises is spiritual. Even an Olympic-level athlete with superb physical conditioning would benefit from practicing these low-impact Qigong movement exercises.
In what way does moving in slow motion improve your energetic condition? The key to answering this question lies in understanding the connection that exists between various parts of your body and the Four Golden Wheels. It boils down to this: the crown of your head is connected to Heaven; your eyes, ears, and mouth are connected to your Upper Dantian; your arms are connected to your Middle Dantian; your legs are connected to your Lower Dantian; the soles of your feet are connected to the Earth; and your palms are unique in their ability to absorb both Heaven Qi and Earth Qi.
Indeed, your crown, eyes, ears, mouth, arms, palms, legs, and the soles of your feet are like waterways that regulate Qi flow between the Four Golden Wheels and the environment. If you squatted repeatedly, for example, your legs would circulate Earth Qi to your Lower Dantian like a hydraulic pump, and in the process, you would become more vital and grounded. Or if you directed your palms up toward the sky during a moment of silent contemplation, you would absorb Heaven Qi and, in the process, become more inspired.
In fact, each of the Four Golden Wheels can be exercised through specific body movements and gestures. That is the notion that underlies all Qigong movement practice. So by repeating slow, gentle movements over and over, you can develop your body’s capacity to draw in Qi from the universe that can then be stored in your Three Dantians and later channeled back through your body to empower your daily activities.
The second Essential Practice—the Four Golden Wheels Exercise—is designed to help you accomplish that goal, and soon I will guide you through it step by step. But if you hope to make rapid progress, it is essential to first understand the connection between your physical body and the Four Golden Wheels more precisely.
Heaven and the Crown of the Head
The crown: The crown of your head is energetically connected both to Heaven above it and to the Upper Dantian below it. The more awakened and empowered the top of your head is, the more Heaven Qi you will be able to channel into activities related to the Upper Dantian. During a Qigong movement exercise, you awaken and empower your crown with Heaven Qi by paying attention to the top of your head whenever you move it. Then, when you interact with other people, you will be able to channel more inspiration and meaning into your activities with them.
The Upper Dantian and the Sensory Organs
The eyes, ears, and mouth are energetically connected to the Upper Dantian. In effect, the perceptions gathered by these sense organs act as the video and audio input and output that link our awareness to the outer world. The more awakened and empowered those senses, the clearer the incoming “signals” generated by an external event, and the more discerning our response to it will be. Let’s consider each of these three sense organs independently.
The eyes: Your eyes are situated directly in front of your Upper Dantian, and whenever you gaze at something attentively, your Upper Dantian is automatically activated. By becoming aware of your eyes during a Qigong movement exercise, you train your eyes to become a channel for your Wisdom Qi, even if they are closed. Then, whenever you make eye contact with someone, that person will instinctively feel refined wisdom shining through your gaze.
The ears: Your ears are situated on both sides of your Upper Dantian, and whenever you listen to something attentively, your Upper Dantian is automatically activated. By becoming aware of your ears during a Qigong movement exercise, you train your ears to become a channel for your Wisdom Qi. Then, when you are interacting with someone, you’ll be able to more wisely discern the quality of their words.
The mouth: Your mouth is situated directly below your Upper Dantian, and whenever you smile, your Upper Dantian is automatically activated. By becoming aware of your smile during a Qigong movement exercise, you train your mouth to become a channel for your Wisdom Qi. Then, when you’re interacting with someone, you’ll be able to speak more wisely.
The Middle Dantian and the Arms
The arms are energetically connected to the Middle Dantian, and their movements regulate the flow of your emotional energy. In effect, your upper limbs act as the weathervane of your psyche, moving around as the winds of your temperament change. Meanwhile, your palms are like shovels that you can use to scoop up both Heaven Qi and Earth Qi.
The arms: Your arms extend like branches from both sides of your chest, and whenever you move them in a soft, gentle manner, as though you were going to hug another person, you automatically activate the Middle Dantian. By becoming aware of your arms during a Qigong movement exercise, you train them to become channels for your Love Qi. Then, when you are shaking hands with another person, or gesturing while speaking, you will be able to convey more love.
The palms: Your palms are also linked to the Middle Dantian, but due to their versatility, they can also be used to “scoop up” Heaven Qi and Earth Qi. By becoming aware of your palms during a Qigong movement exercise, you train them to become a channel for inspiration and productivity. Then you can convey those qualities in your interactions with another person through your hand gestures.
The Lower Dantian and the Legs
The legs: Your thighs, calves, and feet are energetically connected to the Lower Dantian, and whenever you bend or straighten them you automatically activate the Lower Dantian. By becoming aware of your legs during a Qigong movement exercise, you train them to become a channel for your Vitality Qi. Then, when a situation calls for decisive action, your legs will support you.
Earth and the Soles of the Feet
The soles: The soles of your feet are directly connected to the Earth below them and to the Lower Dantian above them. The more awakened and empowered the feet are, the more Earth Qi you are able to absorb into the Lower Dantian. During a Qigong movement exercise, you can awaken and empower the soles of your feet with Earth Qi by paying attention to them whenever you move or bend your legs. Then you can channel more groundedness and stability into your daily life.
Keeping track of all these different body-Dantian connections can be overwhelming at first, and that is why Qigong movement sets are practiced slowly. It is best to move at the speed of awareness. If you move any faster, then the exercise merely becomes a physical activity. Keep this in mind as you practice the second Essential Practice—the Four Golden Wheels Exercise. And just as importantly, assume an easygoing attitude and have childlike fun doing it. Think of the exercise as play, and as you move around with this lightheartedness, remember to smile. Be xiao yao.
ESSENTIAL PRACTICE 2 Four Golden Wheels Exercise
The Four Golden Wheels Exercise is divided into four parts:
Part 1: Shaking
Part 2: Swinging
Part 3: Blessing
Part 4: Channeling
Part 1: Shaking
1. Stand with your feet pointing forward and slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Close your eyes. Relax, smile, and start shaking your body up and down in a steady, comfortable rhythm. Imagine that your arms are swinging like ropes and that your body is soft and pliant like a water balloon. Allow tension to melt away as you shake.
Shake your body up and down.
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2. Breathe naturally. As you shake, visualize a golden beam of Heaven Qi traveling down from the sky into your crown and flooding your head with golden light. Then direct that light into your chest and arms, down to your waist, to your legs, and then “sink” the light of Heaven Qi through both soles of your feet and down deep into the Earth. Repeat this visualization as you continue to shake for three minutes.
Draw down the golden light from head to toe.
3. Finish by placing your hands over your Lower Dantian with one hand on top of the other. Either hand can be on top. “Hook” the thumb and index finger of the hand on top around the other hand’s wrist and relax your shoulders. Become aware of your Four Golden Wheels tingling with energy. Hold this position for ten seconds or longer to nourish your Qi before moving on.
Hook your hands together over your Lower Dantian.
Part 2: Swinging
4. Keep your eyes closed. Imagine that you are standing on a large swing, and begin to swing your arms back and forth in a steady, comfortable rhythm. Feel your whole body swinging through space. As you swing your hands, feel your palms collecting Qi like magnets. Keep your palms facing toward you and guide the energy you collect back up toward your face.
Swing your arms back and forth.
5. Imagine that the swing you are on is hooked to the moon and that you are swinging thousands of miles from one end of the Earth to the other. If you feel cold, swing from Florida to Tahiti; if you feel hot, swing from Alaska to Antarctica. Then swing to visit a friend in a faraway country, swing through meadows of blooming flowers, or swing above the deep blue sea. You may also wish to swing through the solar system and even to the edge of the universe. Be creative and playful as you “Travel Swing” for three minutes.
“Travel Swing”: If you are cold, swing from Tahiti to Florida; if you are hot, swing from Alaska to Antarctica.
6. When you finish swinging, your hands will be pulsating with Qi. Bring them up just a few inches away from the front of your face and rotate them in a circular motion three to nine times in both directions. Feel the radiating energy “washing” away impurities and cleansing your skin. Feel your face glowing with Qi. Then project the energy from your palms deeper inside your head and empower your Upper Dantian. You may also direct this healing energy to any other part of your body that requires attention.
“Wash” your face with the Qi radiating from your palms.
7. Complete this part of the exercise by raising your elbows up to head level and then direct any extra energy you collected down to your Lower Dantian with your hands. Place your hands over the Lower Dantian with one hand on top of the other as you did before. Hold this position for ten seconds or longer to nourish your Qi before moving on.
Raise your elbows, and then bring your hands down over the Lower Dantian.
Part 3: Blessing
8. Keep your eyes closed and extend your arms out to your sides until they are level with the ground. Then bring them into a “prayer position” in one large, circular, sweeping motion. Be sure that both thumbs make full contact with your chest when your hands are in prayer position. Feel blessed as your Middle Dantian expands with love and gratitude.
Extend your arms, bring your hands together in prayer position, and feel blessed.
9. From prayer position, lower your hands to your Lower Dantian, and then slowly move your arms out to your sides until they are level with the ground, keeping your palms facing the Earth. Absorb Earth Qi through your downward-facing palms and arms, and feel a mountainous amount of grounding energy rise up to your chest as you raise your arms up to chest level.
10. Rotate your downward-facing palms until they face upward, toward the sky. Through this action you are reversing Earth Qi and Heaven Qi. As you do this simple movement, feel that you are standing at the center of the universe “flipping” the elemental forces of creation. Feel the awesome tidal force of spiraling galaxies swirling around you as you rotate your arms.
Reverse Earth Qi and Heaven Qi by rotating your arms.
11. With this sense of awesome power, raise your arms over your head and gather Heaven Qi, and then guide that energy through your crown and right into your Central Meridian by bringing your hands together above your head. Move your hands down the centerline in front of your body with your palms facing down, and feel the rush as the energy follows them down the Central Meridian like a pillar of brilliant light. When you reach your Lower Dantian, place your palms on your abdomen and then slide your palms and the energy down toward your inner thighs.
Gather Heaven Qi, and then empower the Central Meridian and the Three Dantians.
12. To continue to spread the energy, slide both your palms down the insides of your legs, then around your feet to the backs of your ankles, and then begin to slide them all around your heels and calves.
Slide down the insides of your legs and around your ankles.
13. Continue to slide your palms up the back of your legs, buttocks, lower back, kidneys, and all the way up to your shoulder blades. Then return your hands to prayer position at the Midchest Point. Pause for a moment. Allow the Qi you collected to fill your heart with love and compassion. Smile and feel blessed. Repeat this movement sequence three to nine times. Then place your hands over your Lower Dantian with one hand on top of the other as you did before. Hold this position for ten seconds or longer to nourish your Qi before moving on.
Slide up the back of your body and return to prayer position.
14. With your eyes still closed, step into a wider stance, about one and a half to two shoulder-widths apart. Raise your arms and hands slowly upward until your arms are outstretched and your palms are facing your head. Imagine that the light of the sun and the moon is shining through your palms into your Upper Dantian. Feel the warm, radiant light of the sun and the cool, silvery light of the moon shining down and empowering your Upper Dantian. Hold this position for about thirty seconds.
Raise your hands and shine the light of the sun and the moon toward your Upper Dantian.
15. Now stretch your arms farther outward and face your palms up toward the sky as you tilt your head upward. Inhale and absorb Heaven Qi. As you exhale, direct that energy down through your crown right into your head, and move your hands down along the center in front of your body, “channeling” the Heaven Qi through your Central Meridian, through your Three Dantians, and down toward the Earth.
Inhale and absorb Heaven Qi, then exhale, spreading it through the Central Meridian.
16. When you reach your Lower Dantian, begin to bend your knees and spread your arms out to your sides with your palms facing down. Feel your Central Meridian plummet like a heavy weight falling toward the center of the Earth as the Heaven Qi you gathered sinks deep into the ground.
Bend the body and sink the Heaven Qi into the Earth.
17. Inhale as you reverse the motion and raise yourself back up, easy and relaxed. Concentrate the nourishing Earth Qi between your palms and channel it up the soles of your feet, your legs, and up along your Central Meridian. Allow the Earth Qi you gathered to flow up above your crown and rise high up into the sky as you stretch your arms outward above your head again. If you get tired, you may rest for one or two breaths while your hands are raised toward the sky. Otherwise, continue this upward and downward swinging motion for at least one minute, ending with your arms stretched outward above your head with your palms facing up.
As you inhale, bring Earth Qi through your Central Meridian and out into the sky.
18. Now turn your palms inward and imagine that the light of the sun and the moon is shining through your palms into your Upper Dantian once again. Feel their light flowing down through you, nourishing your whole body. Continue doing this for thirty seconds.
Shine the light of the sun and the moon toward your Upper Dantian.
19. Create a Qi Ball between your palms. Then bring your palms closer together and lower your hands, guiding the Qi Ball in front of your body until it reaches the level of your Lower Dantian.
Create a Qi Ball of sun and moon energy and lower it to your Lower Dantian.
20. As you inhale, pull your palms slightly farther apart and then move them closer together as you exhale. Become aware of the energy field being refined and empowered as you squeeze and release the Qi Ball in front of your Lower Dantian. Continue doing this for thirty seconds.
Compress the Qi Ball and restore it to your Lower Dantian, and then nourish your Qi.
21. Compress the Qi Ball and place your hands over your Lower Dantian as you did before to restore the energy. Shorten your stance to shoulder-width and seal the energy by rubbing your hands in a circular motion over your Lower Dantian area, at first clockwise and then counterclockwise. Do this in each direction nine times, visualizing a violet light from your palms penetrating deep inside your body. Direct this energy wherever you need healing. When you finish, nourish your Qi.
Seal the energy by rubbing your hands in a circular motion over your Lower Dantian.
