This week, I am adding some more depth by adding in more of
the core principles of tai chi. Add these principles to what you practiced at
the previous level.
This if the last of 4 articles. They are intended to be read
in order. To go to the beginning of this series, click here.
Wu Ji
Stand for a moment in wu ji before you begin. You can read
more here. The first step is to relax into the posture. Stand as still as a tree and pay
attention to any sensations you feel. Do not try to change anything. Just pay
attention to the sensations. Visualize a string connecting the top of your head
with the heavens, lifting you and stretching your spine.
Let your mind travel throughout your body. Use your
breathing as a point of focus. If your mind wanders, bring it back to your
breathing. Let your mind calm down and empty out. A calm mind can better sense
the flow of qi. The goal is to develop your ability to sense what is happening
in your body. Awareness of your body develops your self-awareness.
Now start to adjust your posture. One area to focus on it
the pelvis and buttocks. We often tighten the muscles in this area in order to
help maintain balance. We need to adjust our posture so that we can relax these
muscles.
Moving Your Qi
Last week, I wrote about open and closing movements. The
next phase of understanding open and close is to start moving your qi as you
open and close. The Conception and Governing Vessels are the main
"rivers" for your qi to flow. The Conception Vessel runs down the
front and center (yin side) of our torso. The Governing Vessel runs up our back
(yang side) along the spine. During your practice, keep your mouth gently
closed with your tongue touching your upper palate. This connects the
Conception and Governing vessels.
When you open
(inhale), visualize moving your qi from your dan tian, through your perineum,
and up your spine toward the bai hui point at the crown of your head. When you
close (exhale), visualize moving your qi down the front center of your body to
the lower dan tian.
It takes practice to
accomplish this. Learn it in small sections of the movement. Inhale as you
start raising your hands during the opening movement. Visualize your qi moving
from the dan tian, up the back, and over the top of your head. Exhale as you
lower your hands. Visualize your qi moving down the front of your body to the
dan tien. Repeat this several times until you start to become comfortable with
it.
It is important that
you do not force your breathing here. If you are not sure where to be inhaling
and exhaling or you get tired, just breathe naturally.
Dan Tien Breathing
The muscles closest to the spine work different than other
muscles in terms of function and neuromuscular properties. Their function is to
protect and strengthen the spine. In Western medicine and anatomy, these
muscles are called the deep stabilizers. Dr. Paul Lam uses the term dan tien
breathing to describe a way to strengthen these muscles as well as develop
proper posture and alignment.
To learn how to breathe with this method, place one hand
over your upper abdomen, above your belly button. Place your other hand over
your lower abdomen, below your belly button. When you inhale, imagine that the
air fills your lungs, bypasses your upper abdomen, and fills your lower abdomen
and gently expands it like a balloon.
When you exhale, gently contract your lower abdomen as if
the air is leaving the balloon. During both in hales and exhales, try to keep
your top hand from moving. When you are comfortable with dan tien breathing,
remove your hands and stand in dan tien. In addition, the dan tien breathing
method can be practiced while doing the Open and Close Hands form of Sun style
tai chi. Dr. Lam describes it like this:
“The dan tien breathing method is especially effective for relaxation and for healing. Whenever you feel stressed or nervous, take a gentle breath. Start doing open and close. Breathe in and out and you most likely will find your mind clears up and the stress eases off.”
Another way to think about this is to gently contract the
muscles of the pelvic floor located at the midpoint of the perineum, at the hui
yin point. Visualize that you are contracting those muscles toward your belly
button as you inhale. Allow those muscles to relax as you exhale. The total
movement should only be about 1/4 inch or about 1/2 cm. If you get tired, just
relax and go back to breathing naturally.
This type of breathing uses your diaphragm to expand your
lungs. As we get older, we tend to breathe shallower. This change is primarily
due to sitting and hunching over. This exercise greatly expands your lung
capacity and counteracts the bad influence of hunching over. This is very
relaxing and improves your qi.
Description of the Movement
Keep working on relaxing your body, especially your
shoulders, waist, and pelvis. As you extend your hands out during the initial
movement, inhale and visualize your qi moving up your spine. Just let your
mental focus move up the spine and over the top of your head. At the same time,
gently contract the muscles of the pelvic floor.
As your hands start to come back down, visualize your qi
moving down the front of your body. Just let your mental focus move down the
front of your body. At the same time, gently release the muscles of the pelvic
floor.
As you bring your hands back in toward your waist and up
along your abdomen, inhale and visualize your qi moving up your spine. Just let
your mental focus move up the spine and over the top of your head. At the same
time, gently contract the muscles of the pelvic floor.
As you start to extend your hands and step forward,
visualize your qi moving down the front of your body. Just let your mental
focus move down the front of your body. At the same time, gently release the
muscles of the pelvic floor.
Final Thoughts
This writing project grew so much bigger than I expected.
There is so much more to talk about. I will add to this some time in the
future.
This is a lot to learn. It's too difficult to do it all at
once. Have a point of focus every time you practice. Take some time to focus on
relaxing any tension. Develop song in all your movements. Focus on the
principles I have written about.
To read the first article in this series, click here.
© 2013 Eric Borreson
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