QIGONG Baduanjin
Warm-ups are to be done in silence to practice noticing the breath, the mind, the emotions and the physical body.
All of this awareness is to be done while standing in one’s essence.
Warm-ups:
1. Massage the hands
Begin by massaging the left palm with the right hand, paying particular attention to the Laogong point. Do the same with the right palm. Then turn the palm over and massage the back of the hand, running the fingers between the bones of the hand. Then, massage each finger individually starting with the left thumb and ending with the pinky. Massage from the base to the tip and gently squeeze the sides of the nail bed when you get there. Do the same to the fingers of the right hand again starting with the thumb and ending with the pinky. Bend each finger back (within comfort). Repeat on the other side. When finished, gently shake the hands from the wrists, relaxing wrists, palms and fingers. When finished, pause. Take a breath and simply notice.
2. Massage the lips
Right to left with right fingers first. Index and middle finger (one above the top lip, one below the bottom). Repeat with the opposite hand. When finished, pause. Take a breath and simply notice.
3. Massage the ears
Massage in front and behind the ear with the middle and index fingers. Massage upward only. When finished, pause. Take a breath and simply notice.
4. Beating the Heavenly Drum
Place both palms gently over your ears, fingers toward the back of the head. Breathe and close your eyes to focus on the sound. Your middle and index fingers are placed over the base of skull (Jade Pillow). Place the tips of your index fingers on the top of the middle fingers. Ring and pinky fingers don’t touching the head. Snap your index fingers off the middle fingers down to the head. Try to “drum” in a steady rhythm. Start with twelve repetitions and in time you can increase the number of repetitions to twenty-four. When finished, pause. Take a breath and simply notice.
5. Wash and Comb
Begin with prayer hands in front of the heart. Take a few breaths. Begin to float the hands upward toward the front of the face. Open the palms to face your head. Imagine splashing cool or warm water on the face and let the hands scan upward over the top of the head and down the back as if you were washing your face and head. Repeat several times. When finished, pause. Take a breath and simply notice.
6. Brushing Arms
Begin at the tip of the fingers and brush the back of the arm toward the shoulders to stimulate the yang meridians to flow in the proper direction. When finished turn the palm over and brush the inside ( or YIN side) of the arm from the shoulders to the fingers to stimulate the yin meridians on the arm. When finished, pause. Take a breath and simply notice.
7. Brushing Legs
From the back of the pelvis brush down the back of the legs, circle to the outside of the foot to the front of the leg, and brush upward on the front of the leg, stimulating the proper flow of energy in the bottom half of the body. When finished, move be in your moment the palms to the sides of the hips and brush down the outside of the legs, brushing up on the inside of the legs. When finished, pause. Take a breath and simply notice.
8. Dantien Circles
Men place left hand on lower dantien, right hand above. Women place right hand on lower dantien, left hand on top. Circle clockwise first, 9 times, and then counterclockwise 9 times. At times you may want to do more, or less. When finished, pause. Breathe…notice whatever there is to notice. This is the practice of building pauses into your life. If you can do it here, you will be able to do it elsewhere.
