Authentic Teachings of Shaolin Qigong Methods A Complete Home Study Course

Qigong training, which is pronounced as "Chee-Gong" is a method of accumulating "life force" energy (Chi) and vitality through a unique sy stem of static postures, meditations and dy namic movements while focusing the minds intent or silencing its chatter. By practicing the Qigong methods contained within this course of instruction, the ex erciser will be able to significantly improve their health and may likely have their diseases (if any ) go into "spontaneous remission." A s y ou continue to practice and advance in y our skill level, y ou will be able to emit and project y our Chi energy to ex amine and aid in the cure of diseases or sickness in others. For those of y ou that reach a full master's level, y ou will be able to ex plore all of y our latent primordial energy along with all of its various paranormal capabilities. A t this level, y ou will find that y our spirit or soul is truly created in GOD's image. This is the level of enlightenment or self-realiz ation. Under the teachings and beliefs of true Qigong it is said that "Every one can be immortal", "Every one can become a Buddha", etc. This is ex actly what Jesus taught when he said: "Y OUR BODY IS THE TEM PLE OF THE LIV ING GOD A ND GOD IS IN HIS TEM PLE."-Luke 1:37. True Y oga literally means "Union W ith GOD", True Tai Chi means to "Unite with the Supreme Ultimate", etc. The reason that organiz ed religion has condemned these practices is for their own self-interest and preservation. Think about it! If y ou found GOD within y ourself, what need or purpose would a church, mosque, temple or ashram serve y ou? A gain it is said to Y OU: "Y our body is the temple of the Living GOD and GOD is in his temple!" That said, Qigong is not a religion and is in fact compatible with any and all of the world's religions that teach Love & Compassion as their primary core values. In other words, y ou can continue to practice whatever religion y ou believe in knowing that Qigong is simply an ancient ex ercise sy stem of internal energy cultivation and skill that has phy sical, emotional and spiritual health benefits. Chi literally means "energy " and gong means "practice or skill" so combined y ou have the definition of Qigong as energy practice and/or energy skill.

Understanding Qigong
The purpose of y our Qigong practice is to improve human life on all levels, such as improving phy sical fitness, enhancing creativity , uplifting emotion and uncovering y our hidden potentials. Qigong offers a path to liberate us from our own limitations and social conditioning allowing us to rediscover a higher state of freedom based on consciousness and wisdom. Through Qigong, we learn to cultivate chi in our daily practice to progressively sy nchroniz e the phy sical and spiritual elements of our being. Qigong is different from other ex ercises such as sports. In Qigong y ou direct y our mind inwards while in most traditional ex ercises the mind is directed ex ternally upon the task or competitors instead of the internal activity within the body . Qigong emphasiz es cultivating virtue, refining consciousness, regulating the breath, and gently moving the body , while sports are mainly focused solely on performance and bodily movement. In moving the body , dy namic Qigong uses the mind to direct chi and then chi to direct the body , the movement of the body thus to serve the spirit, mind and chi, which allows the ex perience and my stery of the body in total relax ation. In sports, one is trained to focus on phy sical form while the mind is not directed internally , instead towards the movement of the body or tools. The mind becomes the servant to facilitate and sy nchroniz e a sequence of movements, moving muscles, tendons, etc. Here the mind and body are not relax ed. In terms of regeneration within the body , sports promote the consumption of energy to accelerate this process through triggering the movement of muscles and transforming chemical energy (A denosine triphosphate or A TP) into mechanical energy . Therefore, it requires ex tra nutrition and sleep to recover from the ex pended energy . In other words, traditional sports and ex ercise are designed to amplify the quantity of life energy that comes into and flows out of the body during the phy sical performance. In contrast, Qigong training significantly reduces the consumption of energy , slowing down the process or need for regeneration. It regulates the order of internal life activity and reorganiz es the biological structure, therefore significantly increasing y our life force "chi" and vitality .

Systems & Methods

There are two main sy stems of Qigong, the closed sy stem and the open sy stem. The closed sy stem emphasiz es the elimination of ex ternal interference by isolating oneself from the environment. This practice focuses on the internal regulation of energy , mind and spirit. A ll attention is turned inwardly and all bodily senses are reduced to the minimal during the process in order to achieve greater internal focus, awareness and concentration. This ty pe of Qigong practice requires absolute isolation from outside influence. The open sy stem emphasiz es the universal connection between the individual and the environment and between the

human internal chi and the universal ex ternal chi. This ty pe of practice accumulates the universal chi to strengthen the person's individual Chi (life force), Jing (creative essence) and Shen (spirit) known as "The Three Treasures." The open sy stem also encourages the practice of Qigong throughout daily living and it stresses the importance of interaction between the human and his or her environment. Every thing is connected as ONE in the open sy stem. W ithin these two sy stems, y ou as have two primary methods of training. One is the practice of stillness, while the other method incorporates movement and allows for ex ternal awareness. The closed sy stem relies entirely on complete stillness and internal meditation, while the open sy stem utiliz es static forms or stillness as well as dy namic movement to accumulate chi. In addition, y ou also have two more schools of thought within these sy stems, one in which y ou consciously guide the chi through y our body with mind intent and one in which the chi is allowed to flow on its own accord. A ll sy stems of Qigong teaching share the common goal of enhancing the vitality of life, ex ploring potential intelligence, and improving the overall quality of life. A s a beginner, it is important to choose a suitable method according to one's own preference. Eventually , through practice of one particular form and based on a strong foundation, one will be prepared to understand and incorporate different teachings in order to progress further in Qigong.

Historical Background of Shaolin Qigong

Qigong or "Internal Practice" was a highly guarded secret of ancient martial arts training. In China, there were essentially two primary traditions, Buddhist and Taoist. Popular belief and opinion tie the arrival of the great Indian sage Bodhidharma (The Buddha) to the Shaolin monastery at Henan province and the Roy al martial arts practice of vajramukti "Clasped Hand of the Thunderbolt." In addition, he is credited with teaching the Shaolin monks two sets of ex ercises known as Y ijin Ching (sinew-changing scripture) and Xisui Ching (bone-marrow-washing scripture). It was from these two sets of ex ercises that Shaolin Kung Fu was thought to be developed.

The Taoist tradition is tied to another historical figure that bears important notice. This is Chang San Feng, an internal alchemist from China's W u Tang mountain of Great Power. W u Tang M ountain is where Chang San Feng lived in the 13th century , a my stical mountain recently made famous by the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. In his time Chang San Feng was mostly famous as a spiritual sage and adept of inner alchemy , not as a martial artist. The Emperor of China sent 30,000 men to build a temple on W u Tang M ountain, just to curry favor with him. Refusing to appear at the Imperial court, Chang San Feng instead disappeared at the age of 95 into the wild W u Tang M ountains. He then, according to written records, re-appeared regularly for hundreds of y ears afterward to teach people the secrets of the Tao. This reappearing act is how he got a reputation for being a "Tao immortal". Chang San Feng is credited by many as being the originator of internal martial arts such as Tai Chi, Baguaz hang (Pa Qua), Xing Y i Chuan, Da Cheng Chuan (Y i Chuan), etc. He is believed to have already been a master of Shaolin martial arts, but reversed the training principles to create the Internal methods of development and alchemy . The purpose of this home study course is to sy nergistically combine the various methods of Qigong sy stems (Open, Closed, Static, Dy namic, Thinking, No Thinking) to provide y ou the greatest benefit in the shortest period of time

without incurring negative side effects. M uch research has been compiled from a variety of energy sy stems (Chinese, Japanese, Tibetan, Korean, Indonesian, Indian) to put this sy nergistic Qigong method together in addition to filling in information gaps that have occurred through the passage of time. This is the real deal, so we advise y ou to follow the instructions precisely . A s with any ex ercise program y ou are advised to consult y our phy sician prior to beginning. W henever possible, we also suggest that y ou consult and meet with a trained Qigong instructor or Internal M artial (Tai Chi, Baguaz hang, Xing Y i) arts instructor to review y our practice as well as y our body alignment and posture for the ex ercises. If this is not an option, we suggest using a full-length mirror so that y ou can see y ourself and when possible along with the aid of another person who can also point out corrections in y our body posture or alignment. Daily Phy sical ex ercise for the Skin and Nerves It is important to train y our nerve fibers as well as y our entire central nervous sy stem to handle progressively larger workloads or energy currents. This will safeguard y ou from uncomfortable side effects that occur in some energetic training methods that can sometimes unpredictably awaken primordial energy (Kan & Li, also known as Kundalini) early on in the training. This awakening forces an uncomfortable re-wiring process within the body that can be prepared for in advance with the following ex ercise. 1) Obtain a soft natural bristle brush like the ty pe used for taking a bath. Each morning, immediately upon rising, brush the skin of y our entire body until it becomes slightly pinkish. This ex ercise will open up the pores of y our skin, which will allow them to breathe much better. The ex ercise also stimulates the nerve endings of y our skin and makes y our body more sensitive with daily practice. Overtime, this increased sensitivity will make it easier for y ou to mentally feel any area of y our body , which will eventually lead to autogenic abilities as well. 2) A fter y ou have finished brushing y our skin, y ou need to take a cold shower. W e advise that y ou start with a temperature that is comfortable to y ou and then gradually each day , make it cooler and cooler until y ou are accustomed to the temperature. The cooler water will help y ou build powerful nerve force and also help y ou develop what the Korean's call "ma ki" or numbness, which is the ability to control pain and perform under great strain gaining ex traordinary powers. A lso known as "iron shirt" or "iron body ". Y ou can also alternate from warm to cold several times to adjust to the temperature and allow greater blood flow and nerve stimulation. 3) A fter completing the cold shower, vigorously give y ourself a rubdown with a terry cloth towel until y ou feel comfortably warm all over. M ake this routine a daily practice and maintain it for the rest of y our life. It eliminates tiredness and has a very refreshing effect. It is a lot better than coffee! 4) In the evening after work, or a couple of hours prior to sleep, take a hot shower. The hotter, the better. Keep raising the heat level, as y ou get accustomed to the increasing temperature until it is as hot as y ou can comfortably tolerate. If y ou have any injuries or sore muscles, let the heat penetrate longer in these areas, as it will draw blood to that location. The heat from the water ex pands and brings blood to the surface of the skin. Raising y our body temperature in this manner also increases y our white blood cell count, which can dramatically improve the efficiency of y our immune sy stem. W hile taking this hot shower, smack the surface of y our skin all over with an open hand. Start with y our left shoulder, then work y our way down the left arm to the top of the hand. Then get the underside of the arm and work towards the armpit. Then with both hands, smack down y our torso, starting at the chest and working down to the abdomen. Nex t, smack down y our left shoulder and arm the same way . Quickly repeat the torso section again, and then work y our way down the left leg and then the right leg. This smacking routine really gets y our blood circulating! 5) A fter, y ou have completed the smacking routine, immediately change the water temperature to cold. This will close up y our skin pores and force the blood deeper.

12 Postures & Ex ercises of the Y ijin Ching M ethod Sinew Changing Scripture or Tendon Changing Classic The "Sinew Changing Scripture" is a miraculous ex ercise sy stem that dramatically increases phy sical strength (LI), opens energy channels, builds internal power and accumulates the chi; this is one of the ex ercise sy stems credited to the Buddha (Bodhidharma). Following the guidelines of the original training, we suggest that y ou practice this method in a quiet place facing a wall (or with ey es closed) so that y ou can focus y our concentration internally with a calm peaceful disposition. It is important that y ou don't overstrain y our phy sical body tension as this sy stem of ex ercise causes a significant inflow of Chi into the arms and overt muscle strain & tension hinders the flow of chi-energy . Therefore, if y ou are overly tense, y our arms will not fill up properly with the chi, which defeats the purpose of y our training. A lso in accord with the original teachings, it is important to abstain from alcohol and sex for the entire initial Gong period of 100 consecutive day s. A fter this period, these restrictions are lifted and y ou can return to these

indulgences without hindering y our practice. Understand that y ou can indulge but y ou must know that this will prolong the result and therefore require a longer Gong period. A good rule of thumb is to add 4 day s for every violation to achieve the end result of this ex ercise. This ty pe of training is intended to fill y our entire body with Chi while making y our muscular sy stem quite strong, super-charging the tendons and ligaments with tremendous internal force. If y ou ex ercise this method 3 to 4 times daily each and every day for 100 consecutive day s, y ou will achieve profound and miraculous results in terms of strength, health and vitality . It is truly bey ond understanding how miraculous and wonderful the positive effects are from this sy stem of training!

Training the System Correctly

There are 12 ex ercises in this method, which only takes less than 10-minutes to perform once y ou have become proficient in y our memory of the sy stem. A t the completion of each ex ercise y ou immediately move into the nex t position and ex ercise without interruption until all 12 have been completed. For the first 3-day s, perform a count of 7 on each ex ercise. For the 2nd 3-day s, increase to a count of 14 for each position. W eek 2, add another count of 7 bringing each ex ercise up to a count of 21. Continue to add counting increments of 7 every 3-day s until y ou are performing each ex ercise with a full count of 49. M ost practitioners can complete all 12 ex ercises with the full 49 count in 6 to 8 minutes. Y ou can practice this method any time and any where since only y our body is needed.

For each ex ercise, it is important to inhale fully through the nose until the stomach ex pands and ex hale fully through the mouth until it contracts. Ex ercise #1 Stand with y our feet shoulder width apart, toes facing straight forward so that y our feet are parallel to one another. Legs are straight, but the knees are not locked, they should have a small bend. Face east and look forward at a wall or close y our ey es. A rms are lowered, with elbows bent and palms facing down so that they are flat and parallel to the earth. Fingers are stretching out forward and arc a little upwards, making them long while also squeez ing them gently together so they are all butted against one another similar to a karate chop. Now, while keeping the butt end of y our

palm (or wrist) pushing down towards the earth, raise y our fingers upwards to affect the tendons and muscles of the forearm. Each time y ou raise and then relax the fingers counts as 1 repetition. Y our goal is to work up to 49 for each ex ercise. Start with 7 and add more as previously described to insure that y ou can perform each ex ercise equally .

Ex ercise #2 Immediately after completing the 1st ex ercise, without changing body position, clench and roll y our fingers into a fist ex cluding y our thumbs. Now turn the back of y our fists forward and straighten y our thumbs pointing inward almost touching the y our hip sockets. Clench y our fist tightly and try to raise y our thumbs upwards. Each time y ou raise and then relax counts as one repetition with the final goal being 49. A s y ou continue to practice, try to squeez e y our fists tighter and tighter and also try to raise y our thumbs higher and higher to charge the muscles and tendons. Note: only y our thumbs move, every thing else remains stationary .

Ex ercise #3 Immediately after completing ex ercise 2 without changing y our position, bend y our thumbs towards the center of y our palms and squeez e the other fingers into a fist so that y our thumbs are wrapped on the outside of the fingers clenching inwards towards the center of the palm. Straighten y our arms and turn y our hands so that the top of y our hands are facing away from y our body . W ith every count, clench y our fist and relax working towards the goal of 49 repetitions. Try to squeez e and clench the fist tighter and harder each time.

Ex ercise #4 W ithout changing the position of y our legs and torso, move into position # 4 without interruption, holding y our clenched fist. Raise y our arms forward in front of y our chest in horiz ontal position with the knuckles of each hand pointing at one another. Elbows are a little lower than the hands. Clench the fist tight leaving y our elbows bent while y ou push y our fists forward and away from y our body then relax . This movement is very small, but y ou will feel some elongation in the tendons all the way into the shoulders from this movement. Press forward stronger and stronger and fists tighter and tighter with every count working towards the goal of 49.

Ex ercise #5 A gain without changing the position of y our legs or torso, immediately move into position #5 by stretching y our arms upwards and over y our head with the butt of y our palms facing inwards towards one another. Elbows are still slightly bent; y ou simply raised y our arms from the prior position without changing the angle of y our elbows. Now as before, clench y our fists and relax for each count working towards 49 repetitions. Each time, try to contract the fist tighter and stronger.

Ex ercise #6 W ithout interruption and without changing the position of y our legs and torso, lower y our arms in front of y ou at shoulder level. Bend y ou elbows and turn them so they are pointing out and away from y our sides. Rotate y our palms so they are facing out and away from y ou with the thumb side of the hand down. Y our fists must be directly over y our shoulder socket or a minimum of 12 inches apart. A s y ou clench y our fists tightly , push y our elbows out and away from y our core. This elbow movement is very small and can hardly be seen but has a great effect internally . A gain with each repetition clench tighter and push out further, working towards 49 reps.

Ex ercise # 7 W ithout interruption or change in the position of y our legs and core, push out and lower y our forearms out to y our sides with the thumb side of the hand up and the palms out or forward. Tilt y our head back slightly and shift the weight of y our body so that more of y our weight is on y our heels. Y our toes will still have light contact with the ground. Clench y our fists with force and push outward horiz ontally and slightly upward. Relax y our fists and allow y our body weight to rebalance onto y our entire foot before shifting back to the heels and repeating. Clench tighter and stretch further with each repetition working towards the final goal of a 49 count. A nother technique that works well with this position is to twist as far as y ou can to y our left, hold for 3-full seconds while clenching y our fists and then repeat by twisting to y our right.

Ex ercise # 8 A fter finishing the 7th ex ercise immediately move into the 8th position without changing y our legs or core. Stretch y our arms out forward at shoulder level similar to position # 4 ex cept now the arms are completely straightened and pressed forward. The thumb side of the hand is up and the knuckles are facing towards each other. The fists should be 6 to 8 inches apart. Now, clench y our fists, push slightly forward and then relax for each repetition working towards the goal of 49.

Ex ercise # 9 Immediately after finishing # 8, bend the forearms towards y our neck so that the elbows are pointing forward. Draw the fists in with the knuckle of y our pinky finger pointing at y our nose and palms facing in to each other. Elbows are lower than shoulder height and are at the level of the lower part of the chest. Clench and relax fists tightly while slightly pushing elbows forward for each repetition. A gain, working towards 49 as the final goal for the ex ercise.

Ex ercise #10 A fter finishing ex ercise #9, rotate y our shoulders and arms out to y our sides at shoulder level. Palms are facing outwards with fists at approx imately ear level. The forearms are pointing straight up, but there is a slight angle from the shoulders to the elbows making the arm posture something like the letter "W ". Clench the fists tightly and push them upwards. A t the same time, push the elbows slightly forward. This movement is very subtle and would appear unseen to an observer, but the effect is powerful. Repeat for y our current level of repetitions working towards a count of 49. A nother technique that works well with this position is to twist as far as y ou can to y our left, hold for 3-full seconds while clenching y our fists and then repeat by twisting to y our right.

Ex ercise # 11 Once again, immediately flow into the nex t ex ercise without interruption. Legs and torso remain stationary . Now lower y our fists with palms turned inward towards y our navel. Thumb side of the hand or fist is facing up. Y our index and middle finger must be at the ex act height level of y our navel (belly button) no more than 3 to 4 inches apart. Knuckles of the fist are facing each other. Clench and relax fists as before for y our current level of repetitions, working towards 49.

A fter finishing this ex ercise, relax all muscles with y our arms & hands hanging relax ed at y our sides and breathe deeply and fully 3 times. Inhale through the nose and ex hale through the mouth. It is important that the lower abdomen or stomach area ex pands from the inhalation and contracts from the ex halation. This is Chi Gung breathing or abdominal breathing. Ex ercise # 12 A fter finishing y our 3 deep breaths, open y our hands and straighten y our fingers with palms facing out towards something in front of y ou. Now, rise up on y our tiptoes 3 times and pause for a second at the top. Y ou should imagine that y ou have heavy weight on y our shoulders as y ou perform this task. Now, raise y our arms in front of y ou allowing the palms to raise face up towards the heavens at approx imately shoulder level shifting y our weight forward to the balls of the feet and toes. Lower y our arms back down to y our sides rebalance y our body weight across the entire foot surface and then repeat 2 more times for a total count of 3 repetitions. These are the closing ex ercises and only require 3 repetitions each, not 49.

Relax with arms at y our sides. Lift y our left foot slightly off the ground with y our leg still relax ed and shake it 3 times, then repeat this process with the right leg after y ou finish. M ake sure to place y our feet back at shoulder level width when y ou set it back down. This completes the Y iJing Ching method. A fter finishing y our ex ercise, it is highly recommended that y ou walk freely for several minutes (5-min is suffice) to distribute the chi and relax the body . For the 1st 100-day s, this is y our primary Qigong ex ercise, which y ou must try to perform 3 to 5 times per day . A fter the 100-day period is over, y ou will only do this sy stem of ex ercise 1 or 2 times per day . Remember if y ou indulge in alcohol or sex during this period that y ou must add 4 additional training day s for each violation to achieve the desired result of this Qigong. This sy stem will make y ou strong, cheerful, vigorous, robust and healthy in just a few months if y ou follow these instructions. It is truly a marvelous method of transforming and energiz ing the body . Y ijin Ching Qigong training W orksheet

This represents the 100-day s of consecutive training. Simply check of or "X" out each day y ou perform y our full day s ex ercise. Understanding The 3 Basic Phases of Qigong 1) A ccumulating / Storing the Chi 2) Circulating the Chi 3) Transmitting the Chi Storing the Chi Proper breathing is an integral part of Qigong training as incorrect breathing is very unhealthy . Consider that the first phy sical thing that is changed when a person is upset or disturbed ty pically is their breathing. Proper diaphragmic breathing helps us to stay calm, gives us tremendous endurance and pared with proper mental training and correct deep breathing techniques can even control pain to a high degree. Just like fanning air makes a flame greater because of the increase of ox y gen, we also gain additional strength and power with proper deep breathing. Qigong begins by breathing in fully to y our max imum capacity , causing the stomach to ex pand. The ox y gen and Chi element separate in the lungs and the Chi or electro-magnetic energy travels down to the Dan Tien (2-inches below the navel) and we ex pel the waste gas Co2. Breathing should not be forced but should be gently and naturally brought from full capacity to ex halation. The most important part of the breathing process concerning Qigong is the brief pause in between the inhalation and ex halation. By pausing our breath, the diaphragm resets pressing the accumulated Chi in a downward motion into the Dan Tien. This brief 1 or 2 second pausing or locking in of the breath allows for the optimum amount of Chi to be sent to the Dan Tien ("The elix ir field or Sea of Chi). The longer, deeper and fuller the person's breath along with the pause or retention of the breath, the more Chi is sent into the Dan Tien. Circulation or the Chi Chi circulates through our bodies whether we are aware of it or not. Circulating our Chi through our will (Y i) or intention for our health and for self-defense is a vital part of Qigong training. The first phase deals with gathering and storing Chi, while the second with circulating the Chi through the body through the use of concentration and energy awareness ex ercises. Transmitting the Chi Phy sically we use our hands or other body parts and then focus our intent on transmitting the energy through them with our mental concentration and proper breathing and technique. Ty pically energy projection or transmition is coordinated

with the ex halation in our breathing. A s we inhale, we gather more Chi from the universe to emit or project on the nex t ex hale to prevent us from becoming energetically depleted. Chi (life force) and Y i (intent) Chi is lead by the mind therefore if the mind is unbalanced so to will the Chi in the body . Negative emotions tend to use up our Chi like a parasite and disturb our delicate health balance. For ex ample thinking about a past ex perience that made y ou very angry can get y ou angry again. The relived emotion can make the blood pressure rise, the heartbeat and breathing irregular etc. Just by concentrating on a past ex perience we can almost immediately change our internal and ex ternal state. W e can actually affect our body 's chemistry and phy siology by this ty pe of concentrating. So a healthy mental attitude is highly beneficial to the body , too much negative emotions can have an adverse effect on the health of the entire person. Through Y i (intention/will) the Chi can be transmitted throughout the body for offense, defense martially and healing as in acupuncture, massage, acupressure or simply keeping the body healthy , strong and the mind peaceful and calm. Phase II of our Sy nergistic Qigong M ethod During the 2nd phase of this training y ou will continue to perform the Y ijin Ching sy stem but y ou are only required to do it once per day . Y ou can do more and most people will do one set in the morning and another set later in the day , which seems to be the most effective method of practice. In this 2nd phase, we are going to introduce two different methods of energy practice, "The Eight Brocade" mentioned earlier in the historical background section and the "Five Tibetan Rites", which is known as M i Zong practice. Both practices are relatively short and can be easily completed in 15-minutes once y ou are accustomed to the practices. W e recommend that y ou perform the 5 Tibetan Rites in the morning and the Eight Brocade later on in the evening during this nex t 100-day Gong period. Y ou can do the Y ijin Ching ex ercises before or after any of these methods, but before is the most beneficial and is the preferred choice as a result. Eight Brocade The Eight Brocade or "Ba Duan Jin" is an ancient sy stem of body perfection and overall health improvement. The ex ercises are not complicated and are easy to acquire and put into practice. It is possible to obtain quick tangible results through this simple method of training. M any energy sy stems have been lost due to the passage of time, but the Ba Duan Jin has been preserved throughout time. In the following pages, we present this method of practice. In addition to health benefits, the method also improves motive skills and is an ex cellent practice for martial arts practice as well. 1) Preparation Form (W u Ji). Stand comfortably with hands hanging by the thighs and feet at one-shoulder width apart. Draw in y our chin, belly , and buttocks to keep the torso straight. Relax totally and breathe naturally through y our nose. Look ahead and close y our mouth and teeth lightly with the tongue resting on the palate. Focus the mind and pay attention to y our Dan Tien as y ou breathe. Picture an orange ball (about the siz e of an orange) glowing inside y our Dan Tien. Return to this position & visualiz ation after each ex ercise and focus y our breathing to y our Dan Tien.

2) Propping up the Sky . Raise the hands overhead in front of y our body with palms facing upward. V isualiz e energy moving up y our legs from the earth as y ou lift upwards. Turn the palms outward when they pass by y our face. Look upward and lift y our heels while "propping up the sky ." Try to feel gravity pulling down. Return to the starting W u Ji pose by lowering the arms out (palms out) sideway s like a "Y " then lowers making the letter "T" (palms down) with y our heels dropping back to the ground. Inhale while lifting hands visualiz ing earth energy rising and ex hale while lowering them visualiz ing y our entire body being washed by the blue energy of the sky . Repeat for 10 repetitions. This form can relieve fatigue and eliminate weariness. It also helps to rebuild an erect posture of chest and back. W ith the help of propping upward, y ou can breathe in more fresh air. Stretch y our muscles, ligaments and bones at the same time it also stimulate the internal organs in the trunk

. 3) Drawing The Bow. Take a big side step with feet at two-shoulders' width. Lift y our hands, forearms crossed. Stretch out the left arm with the index and the middle fingers erect and other fingers bent. Bend the right arm while making a fist and draw the elbow to the right side. Bend y our knees as if riding on a horse and drawing a bow. Repeat this movement to the other side. Inhale when drawing the bow and ex hale when returning to the starting pose. Remember to keep y our weight centered on the middle and withdraw the buttocks while drawing the bow. Try to imagine and feel the tension of a real bow! This form can enhance the functions of the respiratory and circulatory sy stems. Practicing this form can strengthen the muscles of the hands, arms, chest, and thighs.

Hold each "Bow & A rrow" pose for a count of 10 breath cy cles (count only the ex hale). 4) Raising One Hand. Start with a small step sideway s, standing straight in a relax ed way . Lift y our hands to the stomach with palms facing upward. Continue the movement by propping the left hand up and pressing the right hand down. Return to the starting pose by lowering the left hand in front of y our body . Reverse the action by lifting the right hand. Inhale while lifting the arm and ex hale while lowering the arm. Remember to keep the arms vertical, left hand pointing to the right and right hand pointing ahead while stretching the arms. Torque y our tendons by pushing the butt end of the palm out and bending y our fingers back just like ex ercise #1 of Y ijin Ching. Repeat for 10 reps. By pulling y our two arms in opposite way s, the internal organs and muscles are stretched. This ex ercise can strengthen the digestive sy stem as well as the muscles in the arms and shoulders.

5) Looking Over Shoulders. Start with a small step sideway s. Look ahead with body relax ed. Lift y our left arm around the front of y our face and hug the back of y our head. Lift the right hand to touch y our back at the same time. Turn the waist to the right and look at the left heel. Pause in this position for 1 full second. Return to the starting pose, lowering the left hand around y our neck. Reverse this movement. Inhale while lifting y our arms and turning y our waist. Ex hale while returning to the starting pose. Keep the body up straight while looking back. Repeat a total of 6 times (3 left & 3

Right). This form is believed to relieve fatigue caused by holding a particular position or being overcome by a certain mood for a long period of time. The ex ercise helps to strengthen the muscles of the neck and around the ey e sockets. It also stimulates the central nervous sy stem and prevents cervical-vertebral fatigue.

6) Clenching Fists. Take a big step sideway s, feet parallel and at two-shoulders' width apart. Drop the torso with fists beside the waist. Punch a fist slowly forward using internal force not ex ternal. Turn the hand and then withdraw the punched out fist. Punch the two fists in turn. Inhale when withdrawing the fist and ex hale when punching. Teeth are clenched tightly and ey es opened wide as if y ou were angry . Toes should squeez e and grip the ground firmly . Do not protrude the buttocks and pull in the lower back. Repeat 10 times (5 left hand, 5 right hand). This form helps to improve muscular strength and stamina. It also promotes blood circulation and stimulates the central nervous sy stem. The angry ey es and the tightly clenched fists are very important for this form.

7) Pulling The Toes. Stand at ease. Lift y our arms overhead and lean backward. Bend forward and try to grasp y our toes with y our hands. Pull y our toes and keep y our legs straight. Inhale while leaning backward pulling up earth energy and rise up and arc backwards like leaning over a large imaginary ball. Keep y our arms ex tended and return to an upright position. Ex hale and lower y our arms, just like y ou did in propping up the sky ("Y " "T" with palms down). Continue to ex hale and relax while bending down to y our toes again. If y ou are not limber enough to reach y our toes, just stretch the arms toward ground as far as y ou can. Repeat 10 times. This practice helps to reduce a big stomach, strengthen the back, and adjust the spine. By stretching the front and the back of y our body cy clically , it is also good for the organs in y our midsection.

8) Sway ing Head & Hips. Take a big step sideway s and bend down. Leave y our arms hanging naturally . The first movement is raising and lowering the two shoulders in turn to swivel the vertebrae of the spine. The second movement

is swinging the two hands back and forth while sway ing the head and hips right and left in opposite way s. The spine weaves like a snake at the same time. Breathe naturally . A ll the movements should be done in a comfortable relax ed easy way without strain. The objective is to relax and loosen the spine. Perform this ex ercise for 1 minute.This is a relax ation ex ercise for relieving tension in the central nervous sy stem and for adjusting the spine. Finish by returning to the beginning (W u Ji) and remain in this posture for a minute while deep breathing to the Dan Tien visualiz ing the orange glowing ball inside:

9) Jolting. Stand at ease (W u Ji). Lift y our heels and rise up y our body . Lower the heels suddenly to give y our entire body a little shockwave. Inhale while lifting the heels up. Imagine sucking up earth energy to the top of y our head as y ou rise. Ex hale while lowering them. W hen y ou fell the jolt, imagine a firework ex plosion inside y our Dan Tien, distributing energy all over y our body . For those who are not very strong, lower the heels gently instead of suddenly . The head should be kept erect to prevent too much shock to the cervical vertebrae. Repeat for 3 repetitions.This form serves as the closing form by apply ing some light vibration to the spine and internal organs. It also helps to strengthen the ligaments along the spine and has certain therapeutic effects for flat feet

This is the last form of the Eight Brocade routine. Return to the preparation form (W u Ji) close y our ey es and relax in silent meditation (visualiz ing the orange ball) for a while (3-minutes) before ending the training routine; then hold y our hands with palms facing towards y ou over y our Dan Tien. M en should have the right palm touching the body , women should have the left hand touching, with the opposite hand stacked on top of the other. Hold this position for another minute to store the Chi in the Dan Tien, this concludes and closes the Eight Brocade or "Ba Duan Jin" method.

M i Zong Practice For Daily Fitness The Five Tibetan Rites The Five Tibetan Rites and the Eight Brocade are very important practices to insure that all of y our energy pathway s are opened and Chi is flowing correctly internally before moving on to other methods of Qigong practice. The Five Rites also gets y our chakras (also known as Dan Tiens, energy centers and vortex es) spinning properly at a common speed to prevent emotional side effects and create internal balance. In addition, these ex ercises restore the health of y our organs. It is important to practice these two methods to prepare y our body to handle higher and more powerful energy vibrations. Every thing in this material is designed to work sy nergistically like building blocks and the foundation is the most important element to Qigong success so don't rush ahead without building the proper foundation. Even if y ou already have energy training ex perience, y ou should start this course at square one and progress from there. It is impossible to know what y ou may be missing if y ou don't develop y our energy in an orderly progression.

Rite 1
(1) (2) (3) Stand erect with arms outstretched, horiz ontal to the floor. Spin around clockwise until y ou become slightly diz z y . Gradually increase practicing from 3 up to 21 repetitions per day for each rite.

Rite 2
" First lie flat on the floor, face up. " Fully ex tend y our arms along y our sides, and place the palms of y our hands against the floor, keeping the fingers close together. " Then, raise y our head off the floor, tucking the chin against the chest. A s y ou do this, lift y our legs, knees straight, into a vertical position. If possible, let the legs ex tend back over the body , toward the head; but do not let the knees bend. " Then slowly lower both the head and the legs, knees straight, to the floor. " A llow all the muscles to relax , continue breathing in the same rhy thm.

"

Breathe in deeply as y ou lift y our legs and breathe out as y ou lower y our legs Kneel on the floor with the body erect. The hands should be placed against the thigh muscles. Incline the head and neck forward, tucking the chin against the chest. Then, throw the head and neck backward, arching the spine. A s y ou arch, y ou will brace y our arms and hands the thighs for support. A fter the arching, return to the original position, and start the rite all over again. Breathe in deeply as y ou arch the spine, breathe out as y ou return to an erect position

Rite 3
" " " against " "

Rite 4
" Sit down on the floor with y our legs straight out in front of y ou and y our feet about 12 inches apart. W ith the trunk of the body erect, place the palms of y our hands on the floor alongside the buttocks. " Then, tuck the chin forward against the chest. " Now, drop the head backward as far as it will go. A t the same time, raise y our body so that the knees bend while the arms remain straight. The trunk of the body will be in a straight line with the upper legs, horiz ontal to the floor. " Then, tense every muscle in the body . " Finally , relax y our muscles as y ou return to the original sitting position, and rest before repeating the procedure. " Breathe in as y ou rise up, hold y our breath as y ou tense the muscles, and breathe out completely as y ou come down. Continue breathing in the same rhy thm as long as y ou rest between repetitions

Rite 5
" W hen y ou perform the fifth rite, y our body will be facedown to the floor. The hands, palms down against the floor, and the toes in a flex ed position, will support it.

" Throughout this rite, the hands and feet should be kept straight. Start with y our arms perpendicular to the floor, and the spine arched, so that the body is in a sagging position. " Now, throw the head back as far as possible. " Then, bending at the hips, bring the body up into an inverted 'V '. A t the same time, bring the chin forward, tucking it against the chest. " Breathe in deeply as y ou raise the body ; breathe out fully as y ou lower it. Perform the Rites and the 8 Brocade for 100-day s

Phase II training Qigong W orksheet for Phase II "Eight Brocade & Five Rites" M ark off each consecutive day with an "X"

Note: Y ou must add 2-day s for every one day y ou miss to this Gong to achieve the desired result. A lso remember to continue y our Y ijin Ching practice during this phase of the training. Finishing this Gong concludes y our first 6-months of Qigong training. A fter this Gong period, y ou will only perform one of these ex ercises per day in alteration in an every other day rotation. For ex ample, if on M onday y ou perform the Eight Brocade, then on Tuesday y ou will perform the Five Rites. W ednesday will be the Eight Brocade again followed by the Five Rites on Thursday and so on. Continue y our daily practice of the Y ijin Ching throughout y our Qigong training.

Understanding the Qigong Breath

Proper Breath Rhy thm- A ccumulation of Chi or "vital life force energy " has alway s been associated with the act of deep diaphragm breathing by all of the ancient schools of initiation. The first thing to understand is that proper breath rhy thm is something unique to each individual just like a fingerprint. Nature provides us with this tool to revitaliz e our minds and bodies. The Oriental philosophy teaches that each mental and phy sical state of the individual is represented by a special rhy thm of breath, the rhy thm of breath and the phy sical or emotional condition alway s being found together. In other words, the mental, emotional or phy sical condition will invariably manifest the particular rhy thm of breath, which belongs to it; and, likewise (and this is one of the greatest internal secrets) the deliberate assumption of a particular breath rhy thm will speedily result in the manifestation of the appropriate emotional, phy sical or mental condition. Y ou naturally ask, at this point: "W hat is this particular breath-rhy thm which nature uses to aid us in our recuperating powers, which fills us with Chi energy , and which may be assumed intentionally with such wonderful result?" V ery well, let me answer y ou by asking y ou a simple question, namely : "How do y ou breathe when y ou begin to recuperate just after a sever emotional, mental or phy sical strain, when the characteristic of panting or hy perventilating quiets down?" If y ou will consider this very carefully , y ou will answer that y ou generally begin by taking one or two long drawn out sighing breaths, followed by a period of calm, deliberate, slow, deep breaths. Y ou may not have noticed it, but these last calm, deep breaths are marked by a slow but regular rhy thm - as regular, indeed, as the slow swing of the pendulum of a large grandfather clock, or the accompany ing "tick" thereof. Y ou will find that this slow, deep regular rhy thmic breath continues for a little time, until y ou feel refreshed and rejuvenated, when the breath will drop back into the normal "every day " shallow upper chest rhy thm, and the task is over. W ell, this is ex actly the breath-rhy thm, which, if properly assumed and well "acted-out," will result in the accumulation of a greatly increased supply of Chi energy from the atmosphere around y ou. Chi energy is every where! Life itself creates it and makes it grow. This energy surrounds each one of us and binds us to all of nature. W e are separate but all connected by this ever-present life force.

Shaolin Nei Jing Yi Zhi Chan Standing Meditation Method

Shaolin "Nei Jing Y i Zhi Chan", which means "Internal essence no intent Zen" and emitting y our inner chi energy through one's ten fingers is an advanced Qigong from the Buddhist tradition. Chan means Zen in Chinese and refers to the "No Thinking" sty le of this standing meditation practice known as Zhuang Zhuang (Jan Jong). The ex ercise methods are simple and produce truly marvelous effects. Due to the Chan (Zen) nature of the method, it is not required to concentrate y our attention while practicing. Y ou can even watch TV while performing this sy stem of Qigong. Through this training, all of the body 's energy channels will be automatically cleared and opened from the Zhuang Zhuang ex ercises. This will allow y ou to accumulate outer chi or universal life force and also emit y our own chi. These ex ercises will dramatically improve y our health which can cause the effect of having diseases spontaneously enter remission. By continued practice and skill, y ou will be able to emit y our Chi into others to ex amine and aid in their healing of illness or diseases. Reaching a M aster's level will fully awaken the Greater Kan & Li (Fire & W ater) also known as Kundalini energy allowing y ou to ex plore y our dormant primordial energy with all of its various paranormal or my stical capabilities. This energy is also known as "Spirit", "The A dvocate". "The Key to Knowledge", "The Holy Spirit", "The Dragon or Serpent", "The M ustard Seed", "The Breath of God", "Lightning or Lightning Bolt", etc. in various religions and traditions. A wakening this dormant energy is doorway to enlightenment and finding God, the divine or universe within y ou. Shaolin Nei Jing Y i Zhi Chan originated from the Shaolin M onastery under the strong influence of Chinese martial arts "W u Shu" and internal body ex ercises "Shaolin Nei Gong." W hile most Buddhist meditations methods have their emphasis on "mind cultivation" this particular method focuses on the body cultivation instead as a result of the martial arts influence. In many respects, it is really a hy brid combination that most likely was the result of the arrival of the sage Bodhidharma at the monastery . Shaolin One Finger Qigong's intention is to build y our body 's chi on 10 levels. Unlike most sty les of Qigong, this sty le requires the student to NOT think about or guide chi but rather to generate chi and allow it to flow naturally . The emphasis is that chi is smart in itself and understands the natural flow in the channels. In Chinese M edicine disease or pain derives from chi deficiency and stuck or blocked chi in the body . So as the student fills up with chi, the chi flows it's natural pattern and timing. In today 's fast paced lifesty les we use our minds way too much. This training is an opportunity to move away from that cy cle. The basic motto of this Qigong is "RELA X, KEEP DOW N, A ND NO THINKING." The standing practice is based on the postures of A rhats, which are somewhat like saints or perfected men. There are

500 postures based on this method but only a few are needed to achieve desired results. M any people falsely believe that no-mind or intent means complete mental silence, which can and does occur at times, but the real objective is to simply stay in the present moment not allowing y our mind to drift off into memories of the past or projections into the future. Keep y our awareness in the Here and Now and the rest will automatically take care of itself. Y ou can watch TV ; listen to music and even talk with others while practicing so it is not like a deep state of meditation. It also means that y ou are not allowed to intentionally guide the chi through the body 's channels. W hen y ou feel the chi, just let it do what it is going to do naturally . Begin this practice by acquiring the ability to hold each posture individually for 20-minutes. Start with position #1 "W u Ji" or standing in the void. Begin with may be a stand of 5-minutes and then add a one minute each day until y ou reach a 20-minute practice. Then add the nex t position and so on in a similar fashion. Immediately upon finishing y our standing practice, perform the Eight Brocade then walk for several minutes to loosen up y our leg muscles and circulate the blood and chi. It is best to practice Zhang Zhuang 1to 2 hours after eating. A lso, when y ou finish, drink a glass of warm water (room temperature is fine) and do not shower or bathe for at least 1-hour.

The Full Circle

Cy cle Runs Counter Clockwise Starting at The Top Position Hold each posture for at least 5-minutes before moving to the nex t position. Start and finish in position #1 Before moving on to the Full Circle routine, y ou should be able to hold each position individually for 20-minutes. Y ou should start from position #1 and work on adding a minute each day , until y ou can remain in the position comfortably for a full 20-minutes. W hen this has been achieved, start working on position 2 and so on, until y ou can do each one for a full 20-minutes. A lway s start y our workouts with at least 2 or 3 minutes in the W u Ji (poison # 1) regardless of which posture y ou are working on.

Position 1 "standing in the void, 'Wu Ji'"

Stand with y our feet shoulder width apart, toes facing forward. Let y our arms rest naturally , dropping y our shoulders and elbows. Relax y our hips and tummy ; tuck y our bottom in, with y our knees slightly bent.

Position 2 "Holding The Ball or Hugging the Tree"

Stand as the first position raising y our arms slowly as if holding a large beach ball. Let y our elbows sink down to relax the shoulders. The arms should remain relax ed and held at shoulder height.

Position 3 "Holding The Ball in front of the Face, or Pressing the Ball"
Raise y our hands in front of y our face as if holding a large beach ball. Palms facing outwards sink down slightly ; remember to relax y our arms and shoulders.

Position 4 "Standing in The Stream"

Lower y our arms slowly , imagine that y ou are standing in a stream, up to y our waist, letting the water run through y our fingers. Or imagine y ou are holding down two large helium balloons under y our hands. The stance is the same as the previous two positions.

Position 5 "Holding The Ball at The Belly"

Bring y our hands around the front of y our body ; imagine y ou are holding a large beach ball to y our body .

Finish
Upon finishing position #5, immediately perform the Eight Brocade. Return to position 1 "Standing in the V oid" for several minutes and then relax sealing in the energy over y our Dan Tien with y our hands. W alk around for a few minutes after to circulate the accumulated energy and relax the legs. The most common errors of ex ercising the standing method is throwing out one's chest or protruding one's abdomen or sticking up one's hip. A ll these cause one in the posture to be leaning backwards. To keep one's upper body erect, one must curve one's chest a bit inward and "uplift" one's backbone or tailbone. Y ou must also draw in y our abdomen and withdraw one's hip. This basic rule should be followed in all the standing methods. Y ou should feel y our whole foot in contact with the ground but y our upper body weight will feel like y ou are leaning slightly forward. A fter y ou have acquired the ability to comfortably perform the Full Circle with enjoy ment and pleasure, y ou are ready to proceed further in y our Shaolin Nei Jing Y i Zhi Chan training. The nex t posture is the main fundamental pose of the entire sy stem and y ou will need to achieve the ability to stand in this pose for 20-minutes just like the others. This should not be difficult since y our legs are already conditioned to the training.

Fundamental Arhat Posture of Shaolin Nei Jing Yi Chan Qigong.

Preparing posture: Relax completely in W u Ji #1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Point the toes straight forward but also slightly inward. Y our arms hanging naturally with palms touching the thighs. Keep the head and neck erect with ey es looking straight ahead. Just breathe naturally .

Standing posture:

Squat down a little allowing the knees to come inwards toward one another. Then flex both knees outward like riding a horse. This adds torque to the tendon lines of the legs (This stance should also be used in y our Y ijin Ching practice). M eanwhile, slowly raise and stretch forth y our upper arms slowly , and have the armpits "opened" (with enough space to hold an egg in it). Slowly raise forearms, which should be parallel to each other, to the ground-paralleling level with palms facing downward and fingers straightening naturally . Keep the backs of the hands and the forearms at the same height (See photo above & Fig.1and Fig. 2).

M ain Points Stand with soles in full contact with ground surface and with toes gently grasping the ground. (Refer to Fig. 3) Point knees to insteps, but do not ex ceed the perpendicular of the toes. Shrink & gently contract anus, withdraw hip and draw in the abdomen a little. Relax the torso completely with shoulders and elbows, twisting free without stiffening. Keep lower limbs standing freely . Relax thighs and calves and erect y our torso by raising y our core upwards. Curve the chest a bit inward and, imagine as if y ou were uplifting y our tailbone. Look straight ahead with regular Qigong breathing. Inhale through the nose and ex hale through the mouth. 1st hold up all fingers naturally . Do not put forth any strength nor stiffen. Hold up thumb naturally beside forefinger. Keep forefinger in line with the back of the hand. Lower the positions of forefinger, middle finger, ring finger and little finger naturally and sequentially , shaped like staircase. If y ou imagine that y ou are try ing to hold a small bowl in each hand by palming it as gently as possible, y ou will have the correct hand position. If y ou fully open and stretch y our hand and fingers out as far as possible and then just let the entire hand relax it will naturally achieve the correct hand position. To correctly practice this method, begin by standing in the void (W u Ji) for a few minutes to relax and calm the mind. Count backwards (10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1) a few times to help quiet the mind. Perform 3 repetitions of "propping up the sky " from the Eight Brocade. A fter the 3rd repetition relax y our arms back into W u Ji and then squat down a little deeper and move into the fundamental A rhat posture just illustrated and discussed above by slowly raising y our forearms upwards and elbows slightly forward and out away from y our body . The goal is to eventually hold this posture for 20-minutes and then continue with the remainder of the "Full Circle" (positions 2 through 5) for 5-minutes each bringing y our standing meditation up to a solid 40-minutes in length. A fter finishing position 5, immediately begin performing the Eight Brocade. Finish by walking around for several minutes to relax the legs and circulate the accumulated chi and blood flow. In the early stages of Zhang Zhuang training, y ou may shake or vibrate uncontrollably , sweat intensely , feel itchy or tingly , various sensations of heat or cold, y our feet may bother y ou, y our muscles may feel sore, especially the thighs, calves and shoulders. Y ou may ex perience numbness or some ty pe of asy mmetry in terms of phy sical balance or even asy mmetry of the sensations described. For ex ample, one side of y our body could feel warm and the other side could feel cold. However, with continued practice, usually by the 6th week, this will become a very pleasant ex ercise that y ou will look forward to doing each day . Persevere it is well worth the effort. A s y our chi gets stronger, the ex ercise becomes pleasant and effortless. The author has personally stood in the fundamental A rhat for 3 hours straight in a state of pure bliss. Every internal sty le of martial arts that focuses on chi development and internal strength utiliz es Zhang Zhuang as the primary chi building ex ercise. This is truly a remarkable method of Qigong training with a history going back 1000's of y ears. W ith consistent practice, it should only take approx imately 4-months on average to become fully proficient in this method. Spontaneous Dy namic Qigong "W u W ei" In the process of performing the fundamental posture and others, y ou may ex perience spontaneous body movement. If y ou are listening to music, y our body may spontaneously sway or bounce to the musical rhy thm. If y ou are a martial arts practitioner y ou may spontaneously begin movements that resemble "W u Shu". It has been said that all internal martial arts evolved from the spontaneous movements that have occurred while practicing the stillness of Zhang Zhuang. The movements were simply observed and recorded for later use. The most important elements in achieving W u W ei or spontaneous dy namic Qigong are: (1) Body alignment, (2) Qigong Breathing or Full Belly Breath and (3) a desire or want to ex perience W u W ei without resistance or fear. Basically if it begins to happen, y ou should smile and just go along for the ride. Never has the say ing "Go with The Flow" been more appropriate than with the ex perience of W u W ei. Y ou alway s have the ability to stop or override the spontaneous movement at will, so there is nothing to fear.

Body alignment needs to be straight from the crown of the head or "Bai Hui" to the perineum. The crown or Bai Hui absorbs Y ang energy from the Sun and Stars. The perineum or "Hui Y in" absorbs Y in energy from the earth. W ith correct alignment, these Y in & Y ang forces build up inside the lower Dan Tien and activate it. Basically , if y ou imagine that there is a solid but hollow tube that runs down from the center of y our head where the soft spot was when y ou were a baby , through y our neck and torso, down between y our genitals and anus (perineum) and into the earth y our posture alignment should be correct. This allows y ou to feel like y our center of gravity is located inside the Dan Tien (2-inches below y our navel). The Chinese ex pression is "The Dan Tien kisses the Earth" which makes it possible for the body to connect to the earth force causing the body to ex perience strong phy sical reactions. The earth has a powerful force that can influence the Dan Tien through the legs and perineum. Deep Qigong breathing as previously discussed further activates the Dan Tien contributing to the effect. If y ou stand in front of a mirror that allows y ou to see y our entire body this can be helpful for aligning y our posture. A lso, in the early stages try balancing a heavy book on top of y our head like they do in charm school to get the proper feeling of gravity alignment through y our center into y our feet. This little

trick works really well especially for those who are training on their own. A lthough this dy namic state is not a requirement to y our success, ex perience has shown that those who can achieve W u W ei (Spontaneous Qigong) tend to achieve effects more quickly than those who cannot. During W u W ei, the chi is in control and is flowing intelligently throughout y our entire body correcting imbalances and injuries (phy sical & emotional). Being afraid of W u W ei Qigong and seemingly uncontrollable body movement is the greatest barrier to the ex perience. Please note that the dy namic state in this method is 100% controllable. If y our body movement is too strong and y ou want to stop or slow down the moving, y ou simply focus y our attention on the M ingmen accupoint, which is on y our spine directly behind y our navel. A dditionally , the desire or will to stop will cause y ou to stop as well. This sty le of Zhang Zhuang requires y ou to train with y our ey es open so y ou are alway s fully aware of y our surroundings.

Secret Finger Bending Method

The fingers (and corresponding toes) of the hand are associated with the various organs and meridian sy stems of the body . Bending the finger of each hand down at the knuckle where it meets the top of the hand during the Fundamental A rhat posture causes chi to flow through different pathway s inside the body . The method of bending is illustrated below. It is important to keep the other fingers in their proper position, while bending or pushing down the selected finger. A lso, do not bend down more than 30 to 45 degrees as over bending cuts off the flow of chi.

The middle finger is associated with the Heart, but it will affect the entire circulatory sy stem as well as the central nervous sy stem. The ring finger is associated with the Liver, but will also affect the ey es and gallbladder. The index finger is associated with the Stomach, but will affect the entire digestive sy stem including the spleen. The pinky finger is associated with the Kidney s, but will affect the Urinary sy stem, bones, ears and sex organs as well. The Thumbs are associated with the Lungs, and will effect the entire respiratory sy stem including the skin, nails and hair. A note on the "organs". W hen we discuss the concept of organ (say , the "kidney s") as is referred to in "Traditional Chinese M edicine", this is most often not a reference to just that one specific organ, but a reference to the whole element (in the kidney 's case, "W ater") - to the entire energetic stratum of the body (including specific organs, tissue, dy namic) to which that element refers - according to Traditional Chinese M edicine. For instance, "kidney s" could be used to refer to all of following: the kidney s, urinary bladder, constitutional & sex ual energy , bones, marrow, and the dy namic of that whole lay er of the human body . A ll of those, as one thing: the water element, which is simplified by just say ing "Kidney s". In other words, we are working not only the specific organ, but also every thing else in the body that is associated with the same "element". 1) W hile bending the middle finger, Chi goes to the Heart sy stem 2) W hile bending the ring finger, Chi goes to the Liver sy stem 3) W hile bending the index finger, Chi goes to the Stomach sy stem 4) W hile bending the pinky finger, Chi goes to the Kidney sy stem 5) W hile bending the thumbs, Chi goes to the Lung sy stem. Chi will also rise to the head from this practice. 6) Bending the thumb, ring & index fingers together causes chi to flow through the Triple Burner and will effect the entire torso. To induce W u W ei, bend the ring finger down once, then bend the middle finger down once. Nex t, simultaneously bend the index , middle and ring finger several times.

The Fire element rules the Heart and is associated with Joy , Happiness, Pleasure, Ex citement & Love. The M etal element rules the Lungs and is associated with Grief, Sorrow, A nguish, Distress & Heartache. The W ood element rules the Liver and is associated with A nger, Irritation, Rage & Frustration. The Earth element rules the Spleen as is associated with W orry , Sy mpathy , A nx iety , Stress, Contemplative M editation. The W ater Element rules the Kidney s and is associated with Fear, Terror, Panic, Shock & Horror. Study ing the element chart on the prior page, we can see both the creative cy cle shown by the clockwise circle and the destructive cy cle shown by the 5-pointed star. In the circular clockwise cy cle, known as the "Creative Cy cle" we see that W ater (Fear) leads to W ood (A nger), W ood (A nger) leads to Fire (Joy ), Fire (Joy ) leads to Earth (W orry ), Earth (W orry ) leads to M etal (Grief), M etal (Grief) leads back to W ater (Fear). The Destructive Cy cle shown by the star is similar to the game "rock, paper, scissors." Y ou simply follow the direction of the arrows to find out that W ater (Fear) neutraliz es Fire (Joy ), Fire (Joy ) neutraliz es M etal (Grief), M etal (Grief) neutraliz es W ood (A nger), etc. Promoting wood promotes fire fire promotes earth earth promotes metal metal promotes water water promotes wood Controlling wood controls earth earth controls water water controls fire fire controls metal metal controls wood

The Five Elements, or Five Phases, are all aspects of chi. These are W ood, Fire, Earth, M etal, and W ater. In the poetic language of the Five Elements, health is a harmonious balance of all the elements. The chi of the elements wax es and wanes in daily and seasonal cy cles. Each one of us is a unique and characteristic blend of the influences of all the elements.

W ood- M eridians: Liver/Gallbladder People who have strong energy of the W ood element have a clear vision and goals, and know how to bring them into being. They ex cel at planning and decision-making. They can be forceful in disagreements and can strongly argue their opinions. Their piercing, penetrating ey es may attract y ou, but avoid their wrath. W ood Imbalance W hen the wood chi is weak, people can be indecisive, without strong direction in life, and stuck. They may be constrained emotionally , unable to ex press anger. W hen the Liver chi is congested or stagnant, people can be arrogant, over controlling, and have angry dispositions. They may have a tendency to be workaholics or have addictive personalities, including the possibility of abusing drugs and alcohol. They may have digestive problems like bloating, gas, alternating constipation and diarrhea. W hen Liver chi is imbalanced, hot and spicy foods may cause too much heat. Sour and bitter flavors are said to benefit the Liver meridian. Ex cessive frustration and irritation can be especially difficult when the Liver meridian is out of balance. Phy sical ex ercise and reading can help restore balance. The fall is a vulnerable time, as well as the winds of M arch, and ex tremely hot weather. Common signs of Liver meridian stress include dry , brittle, thickened nails and pain just below the ribs. Common illnesses include migraines, ey e problems, and sinus problems. The Liver meridian circles the genitals, and rashes and discharges are associated with its imbalance, as well as hernias. For women, menstrual problems are common including PM S, painful periods, and heavy bleeding. Uterine fibroids may be related to imbalance of the Liver meridian as well. The Liver and Gallbladder meridian pathway s traverse the top and sides of the head, the most common sites for migraine headaches. The chi of the W ood element flourishes in the spring when plants are sprouting new growth; and the color of this element is green. Fire - M eridians: Heart, Small Intestines, Pericardium, Triple W armer People with strong Fire energy may be quite charismatic. They ex cel at commanding others to action. They may love talking and socializ ing. Fire Imbalance W hen the Fire chi is weak, a person may be lackluster or bland. They may suffer from anx iety , restlessness, and insomnia. They may stutter, talk too much and too rapidly , or laugh nervously . They may be too ex citable, easily stimulated to ex cesses, or they may be emotionally cold and unfeeling. Common illnesses include palpitations, hy pertension, heart problems, and sores on the mouth and tongue. People strongly influenced by the Fire element may be vulnerable in very hot weather, and may be calmed and centered by walking. The bitter flavor favors the Fire chi. Coffee is a bitter flavor, but its effects may aggravate the Heart chi. The healthy bitter flavors include dark, green leafy vegetables. Earth - M eridians: Stomach/Spleen Someone with well-developed Earth energy is a well-grounded, nurturing, compassionate person, sometimes depicted as the archety pical "earth mother". Earth people like to bring others together and make good mediators or peacemakers and reliable friends. They often enjoy both preparing food and eating. Their generous mouth and full, sensuous lips may attract y ou. Earth Imbalance W hen people have weak Earth chi, they can be worriers and meddlers. They are prone to pensiveness. They may overwork, especially in study ing or other intellectual work. They are vulnerable to digestive problems and diarrhea. They may gain weight easily and lose it with difficulty . Their bodies have a tendency to make ex cessive mucus, and they may suffer from cloudy thinking, muz z y -headedness, and a lack of clarity . Those with weak Earth chi often feel better when they limit cold, raw foods and dairy products. They should eat warming foods and grains to stay well grounded. They may crave sweets. The sweet taste can be satisfied by eating sweet grains, vegetables, and fruits rather than processed sugars. Common illnesses include: fatigue, diarrhea, gas & bloating, food allergies & sensitivities, eating disorders, heartburn, and canker sores. Ex cessive mucus may collect in the lungs or in the sinuses. In women, menstrual problems may include either ex cessively light or heavy periods. The chi of the earth element flourishes in Indian Summer, those golden moments of fullness before the waning of the light. The earth color is y ellow, like the sun, and the ripened crops, and the root vegetables. Sitting meditation is said to strengthen the earth element. M etal - M eridians: Lungs/Large Intestines

A person with well-balanced M etal energy is well organiz ed, self-disciplined, and conscientious. They like structure in their life. They are most comfortable in situations when they know the rules and can succeed by following them. M etal chi bestows a deep inner strength, like ore mined from the mountains. M etal Imbalance A person with M etal chi imbalance may be grief-stricken, steeped in sadness. They may be overly critical. They may have trouble letting go. W hen the M etal energy is weak, there can be illnesses of the lungs - asthma, allergies, and frequent colds. The Lung meridian rules the skin, so rashes, ecz ema, and problems with sweating can be related to M etal imbalance. Chronic constipation or diarrhea, or other bowel diseases can affect the Large Intestine meridian. The M etal energy peaks in the fall. In the cool, crisp, clean air of autumn, metal people feel they can accomplish any thing. The color of M etal is white, and people strongly influenced by the M etal chi may have pale complex ions. W ater - M eridians: Kidneys, Bladder The W ater energy is a strong generative force centered in the lower belly . W hen the Kidney chi is strong, a person is fearless, determined, and can endure many hardships in pursuit of their goals. Persevering by will power is characteristic of those with strong Kidney chi. Longevity is also considered to be associated with healthy Kidney chi, signified by large, elongated ear lobes, like those of the Buddha.

W ater Imbalance W hen the Kidney chi is weak, there can be problems with water metabolism, urination, fertility , or sex uality . This person could be anx ious, fearful, and withdrawn, and in more severe cases, phobic. Kidney chi declines with aging. There may be diminished hearing or ringing in the ears. In menopause, the Kidney y in declines, which is associated with classic signs of heat and dry ness - hot flashes, night sweats, dry skin and mucous membranes. Kidney y ang weakness is associated with cold - cold ex tremities, cold back and belly , declining sex ual vigor, urinary frequency or incontinence. The color of the Kidney is black, like the night, or like black ice. W hen the Kidney chi starts to weaken, dark circles or pouches appear under the ey es. The Kidney chi rules in the winter, a time when living things are contracted with cold. Like a seed deep in the cold ground, chi is dormant, waiting for the time to sprout. This was the "elemental" knowledge that the ancient Taoists understood and utiliz ed to develop internal ex ercises using direction, color visualiz ations and healing sounds to balance the body 's energies and transmute negative qualities into positive or neutral chi. W hen y our chi is strong, y ou can also use the healing sounds to help others with their illnesses or emot ional problems.

Stirring The Waters & Cleansing the Body

This is a 50% Dy namic Qigong ex ercise that has a powerful charging effect on the palms of the hands as well as the entire body . A fter y ou are fully comfortable standing in the Fundamental A rhat posture for 20-minutes and can continue on to perform the remainder of the Full Circle (postures 2 - 5) y ou will add "Stirring The W aters & Cleansing the Body " to y our routine. This is a short ex ercise that is very pleasant to perform and has powerful energiz ing effects on the entire body . It is important to point out that y our legs remain stationary in their stance, which is why this is only a 50% Dy namic Qigong ex ercise. A fter standing for 20-min in the Fundamental A rhat and completing the Full Circle at position #5 (Holding the Ball at the Belly ), return y our hands back to the Fundamental A rhat posture. Now, with y our palms facing down at the earth, y ou are going to perform circular movements while imagining that y our hands are floating on top of a pool of water, thus stirring it as y ou move.

Push y our hands forward away from y our body and then out and around to y our sides. The left hand rotates in a circle that rotates in a leftward motion or counter clockwise and the right hand rotates in a rightward motion or clockwise. Both hands approach each other at y our midsection, but never touch. Y ou should feel a magnetic pull or attraction in y our hands as if they really wanted to come together as this particular motion produces a Y in polarity in the palms. Complete 36 rotations and then raise y our hands above y our head with y our palms facing inwards (see position #1 below). Imagine that y ou are holding a large dark blue hula-hoop over y our head, which y ou are going to pull down encircling y our entire body (positions 2) and then push it down into the earth (position 3).

1 2 3 Raise y our hands back over y our head and repeat until y ou have completed a total of 5 repetitions of this cleansing ex ercise with the dark blue hula-hoop rings. Nex t, return the Fundamental A rhat posture and rotate y our hands in the opposite direction for 36-cy cles. Now, both hands come inward towards y our center first then out to the sides. The left hand is making clockwise rotations turning to the right and the right hand is making counter clockwise rotations turning to the left. A s they come together out in front of y our chest, the palms should feel like they want to repel one another. This motion produces a Y ang polarity in the palms so y ou may feel a sensation similar to two magnets wanting to repel each other on y our palms as they approach one another. A fter the 36-cy cles, raise y our hands above y our head just as before and imagine a larger ruby red hula-hoop. Pull it down and push it into the earth for 5-repetitions. Finish y our routine with the Eight Brocade immediately after finishing the "Stirring the W aters & Cleansing the Body " ex ercise.

M any students really enjoy this ex ercise and y ou can perform it longer if y ou choose to do so. However, it is important to perform this ex ercise in continuous alteration of the Y in Palm polarity followed by the Y ang Palm polarity to insure correct energetic balance of these primary natural forces. M oving the hands in circles near the abdominal area with palms facing the earth produces some strange magnetic resonance effect, making this a powerful ex ercise in and of itself.

If you want to practice "Stirring the Waters & Cleansing the Body" as an individual yet compete Taoist Qigong practice do the following:

1) Begin in the Fundamental A rhat facing East. Stand for 15-20-minutes. 2) Charge y our hands with Y ang polarity (36-cy cles) and pull down green hula-hoops for 5 reps. M entally repeat the mantra "I Love Y ou and A lway s W ill Love Y ou" or " I Care Deeply For Y ou and A lway s W ill" as y ou pull down the green energy hoops. 3) Rotate clockwise 45-degrees on y our right heel, now facing South East in the Fundamental A rhat posture. Charge y our hands with Y ang polarity (36-cy cles) and pull down metallic gold hula-hoops for 5 reps. M entally repeat the mantra "Thank Y ou So M uch" or "I am Grateful for Every thing in M y Life" as y ou pull down the gold hoops. 4) Rotate to y our right 45-degrees again, now facing South in the A rhat posture. Charge palms with Y ang polarity again and pull down ruby red hoops for 5-reps. The mantra is "I am so Happy " or " I Feel So Good". 5) Rotate clockwise another 45-degrees facing South W est. Charge palms with Y ang polarity for the last time. Pull down canary y ellow hula-hoops for 5-reps. The mantra is "I am Sorry , I Forgive Y ou and A lway s W ill Forgive Y ou." 6) Rotate clockwise now facing W est. Charge the palms with Y in polarity . Pull down bright white hoops for 5-reps. The mantra is based on ex citement so mentally recite "Hurray " or any thing thing similar that puts y ou in this ty pe of mood. 7) Rotate clockwise 45-deg now facing North W est. Charge palms with Y in polarity and pull down metallic silver hula-hoops for 5-reps. The mantra is "I Fully A ccept my self and A ll without Judgment" or "Every thing is ex actly as it should be or else it would be different" 8) Rotate clockwise now facing North. Charge palms with Y in polarity and pull down dark blue hoops for 5-reps. The mantra is "I am Fearless and Completely at Peace W ith Every thing" or "I am Calm and Content, Satisfied and Fulfilled" 9) Rotate 45-deg facing North East. Charge palms with Y in polarity and pull down Sky Blue hoops for 5-reps. The mantra is "I am Confident, and Carefree, I have no worries" 10) Rotate 45-degrees so that y ou complete the circle and are now facing East again. Close y our ey es and hold y our palms over y our lower Dan Tien for a few minutes to seal in the energy .

Bonus Tips for this Exercise

Prior to charging the hands, take in 3-deep Qigong breaths visualiz ing y our body filling up with the associated color. For ex ample, when facing East, inhale green energy . Imagine that y our clothes are green and y ou are standing in a large green grassy field with green trees all around. W hen y ou turn to face South East, take in 3-deep breaths and accumulate the color gold. Imagine y ou are a metallic gold statue inside a solid gold room. Picture y our clothes being metallic gold as well. In terms of the mental mantras, it is important to get into the emotional state to the best of y our ability . W hen y ou mentally say "I Love Y ou & A lway s W ill" try to think of someone y ou really care about or imagine

that GOD or the Universe is say ing this directly to y ou. The colors and emotions add density to the Chi, making it more powerful so these are important techniques (usually kept secret) to become proficient in. W hen y ou finish all 8 directions, y ou can either seal the energy as described or continue on with the Full Circle and/or the Eight Brocade to further accumulate, circulate and refine the energy . This is an advanced routine, which should not be initiated until y ou have had at least a full y ear of standing practice under y our belt. This would be 1 y ears from the date y ou started this course. Y ou should continue y our practice of Y ijin Ching and skin brushing throughout y our training. On the directional chart, y ou will also find the healing sounds associated with the direction and color. For ex ample East is green and the healing sound is "Shuuuuuuu" (Sounds like the word Shoe as in those are a nice pair of shoes). The ending sound is ex tended in the chanting process. The chant is monotone and is used primarily to cause an internal vibration that effects specific meridians and organ sy stems. The sounds are used to transform negative emotional energy into neutral or positive energy . W hen y ou perform the "Stirring The W aters & Cleansing The Body " as previously described, y ou are accumulating the positive emotional elements of the direction and color. For ex ample, when facing east, y ou are accumulating "Love & Compassion." However, when using the healing sounds y ou are transforming the negative emotions, which would be "A nger and Frustration" for this same direction and color.

Here is a summary of the sacred healing sounds, (-) emotions and colors. Emotion A nger Joy Sy mpathy Grief Element W ood Fire Earth M eridian Liver Heart Stomach Color Green Red Y ellow Sound

Shuuuuuuu Haaahhhh W hooooooooo

M etal Lungs W hite Zz z z z z z z z z z (This sound is like imitating a buz z ing bee)

Fear

W ater Kidney s Dark Blue ChuuuW ay (Ex tend both the "uuu" and "A " sounds) sky blue Sheeeeeeeeee (W ill effect the entire torso, especially the midsec t ion)

W orry /Stress Universal

Triple Burner

The two remaining sacred sounds that complete the Baugua or octagon are Ome as in "Home" and M ore where the ending sounds are chanted and ex tended. Colors are metallic Gold (Ome) and metallic Silver (M ore). These are universal sounds and effect the entire body and open the "Small Universe or M icrocosmic Orbit". If y ou choose to perform the healing sounds y ou would repeat each sound or chant for 3-minutes for every direction ex cept South W est, which only gets 1-minute of practice. This is because of the earth element, which is continuously accumulated through the feet during the entire practice. Simply rotate y our posture clockwise by pivoting on the heel and thus turning to the right to face each new direction to chant the corresponding sound. If y ou are feeling any of the negative emotions described above, y ou can perform this ex ercise for only the specific need. For ex ample if y ou only want to transmute Stress or W orry , y ou would just face North East and do the "She" sound and sky blue visualiz ation for 3-minutes and that should initiate the transformation process making y ou feel more at ease. If y ou perform the entire set, it will take 22-minutes to complete, which is a good practice to perform once or twice per week to keep y ou in emotional balance.

Yin Lying Down Meditation

In order to develop y our spiritual vision or 3rd ey e and keep y our energy balanced and cool, y ou must include a ly ing down meditation in y our Qigong practice. This is a very simple ex ercise that only requires y ou to lay down comfortably on y our back with palms facing down. The object is to be as relax ed as possible without falling asleep. A great way to begin the ex ercise is to lie down take in a deep breath and then stretch y our arms and legs out as far as possible prior to relax ing them. Ex hale with a smile and a sigh of relief making the "A hhhh" sound. This brief stretch and tension allows y our body to relax more quickly and deeply . For this ex ercise, a timer is very useful. Begin with short sessions of 7-minutes and eventually work up to 21-minutes to balance out y our standing practice. W ith y our ey es closed, try to visualiz e that y ou are ly ing down on a raft floating on a large lake of dark blue water. The lake is calm at first, but as the meditation deepens, y ou may ex perience wave like sensations, which is called the "water effect' as a result of the Y in energy being accumulated. Keep y our attention focused on the 3rd ey e, which is in the center of y our forehead just above the bridge of y our nose. Y ou may ex perience lights or visions in this particular energy center or Dan Tien. Y our body temperature is also likely to drop from this ex ercise, which is another phy sical sign that y ou are doing the ex ercise correctly . A s y our practice deepens and the wave sensations increase, y ou can amplify the rising and falling feelings of the waves with y our intent. Eventually , y ou may have an "Out of Body " ex perience from this ex ercise, so don't be alarmed if y ou find y ourself looking down at y ourself completely free to move about. If y ou find y ourself in this ex citing situation, begin by ex ploring areas of y our home that are familiar. A lway s stick with places and areas that y ou are familiar with at first before ex ploring unknown places. It is important to develop this skill in "baby steps" so that y ou don't have an ex perience that may cause fear or any other negative emotion, which will make it ex tremely difficult to enter this ex perience again. This is an important practice that can be started early in y our Qigong training. Once y ou start practicing Zhang Zhuang, and are standing for 20-minutes or longer, y ou should schedule time to include this ly ing down ex ercise in y our daily routine. The Standing Zhang Zhuang is Y ang, while the ly ing down Zhang Zhuang is Y in. A lthough the term Zhang Zhuang is generally associated with "Standing like a tree or Standing on Stake" it is in reality a stillness Qigong, which includes standing meditation, seated meditation and ly ing down meditation.

Understanding Chi Cycles

Chi follows a ty pe of cy clic rhy thm just like the 4 seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, W inter. The time period from M arch to October is when chi is really on the rise (ex pansive & Y ang) as the plant kingdom awakes from its winter sleep. This is particularly strong from the middle of M ay to A ugust. If possible, y ou should try to take advantage of this period by practicing y our standing Qigong ex ercises outdoors by large trees, rivers & streams, waterfalls, lakes or ponds, oceans, etc. It is a good time to connect with the life force of nature during these months. A void ex cessively windy

day s or bad weather conditions, but try to make the effort when possible. On the lunar side of the cy cle, y ou will find that chi is stronger 3-day s prior to the Full M oon all the way into the full lunation and weakest near the New M oon. This is true for approx imately 70% of all students. The other 30% will find the ex act opposite effect in other words the 3-day s prior to the New M oon is the strongest for them while the period near the Full M oon is weakest. Logically , this lunation effect is strongest from the M iddle of M ay to A ugust when plant & tree life is most active and thriving. From M iddle October through January , chi is drawn inward and is contractive or Y in and is actually a good time for y our skeletal sy stem, bone marrow and blood as the chi is naturally compressed into these areas of the body . Therefore, it is easy to see that chi itself has a natural rhy thm that can be used to y our advantage as y ou train throughout the moons and seasons. The ex ercises remain unchanged, but the effect or benefit of the ex ercise automatically changes with the energy of the seasons and the tidal effect of the moon.

Dynamic Qigong
For those that have a difficult time with "W u W ei", it is suggested that they practice a moving Qigong Practice such as Tai Chi. The authors personal favorite would be the practice of Primordial Qigong also known as "W u Ji Qigong" and "Enlightenment Tai Chi". Healing Tao USA (no compensation is being received for this endorsement) has a DV D illustrating this particular Qigong, which is highly recommended. It is important to note that many of the inner alchemy secrets are not disclosed on this DV D, but don't let that discourage y ou as they will be disclosed below. Just learn the form from the DV D ($45) and after y ou have memoriz ed it and have performed the ex ercise for a few weeks add the following lay ers to y our practice: The first secret is to add the colors associated with the directions. Once y ou can visualiz e the colors as y ou do the form, y ou can add the nex t lay er. The second secret is to accumulate the positive emotions using the same positive affirmations described earlier (Stirring the W aters & Cleansing The Body ) along with the color visualiz ations. The 3rd secret is that this form is coordinated with Sun time and can be performed several times per day based on its apparent position to the earth. A t Sunrise, y ou want to face east and finish east. A t high noon, when the sun is directly overhead, y ou want to start south and finish south. A t sunset, y ou would face west and finish west and late at night, y ou would start and finish facing north. Obviously the way points would correspond with the other 4-directions or posts. In other words, if y ou practice between the time period of High-Noon and Sunrise, y ou would begin facing South East and finish facing South East. Please note that the times correspond to the apparent position of the Sun and not to a fix ed clock time. High noon for ex ample can be late in the afternoon or early evening in the summer months. A s the seasons change, so do the sunrise, high noon and sunset times. The day s are longer in the summer and shorter in the winter and y ou would ideally adjust accordingly . A ll Qigong practice is beneficial so don't get obsessive about these details. They are presented so that y ou can optimiz e y our training if schedules permit. This dy namic form takes about 15-min from start to finish and ideally , y ou would want to perform it twice/day . Once beginning and ending with one of the cardinal posts (East, South, W est or North) and once again beginning and ending with one of the corner posts (SE, SW , NW , NE) thus covering all 8 posts within the day . The period of Sunrise is considered to be the best time for practice as this sy mboliz es new birth or beginnings whereas sunset sy mboliz es endings. If this is not an option, just alternate the East & South East starting posts every other day . The final secret concerns the practice of swallowing saliva during Qigong training. This secret can be applied to every ex ercise. A s y ou practice Qigong y our mind relax es and y our intent changes to a more positive state of being. The ancients described this practice as "swallowing ectoplasm and rinsing marrow." A lso known as "Xi Sui Jing" or the marrow rinsing scripture, which is credited to the sage Bodhidharma. Basically , y our saliva becomes positively charged with energy and it is highly beneficial to y our biological sy stem to ingest this liquid. The water cry stal research of Dr. Emoto (www.Hado.net ) further collaborates this ancient belief about the "Xi Sui Jing" practice. The specific practice of Xi Sui Jing requires y ou to begin meditating (traditionally crossed leg or lotus position) facing east at least a hour prior to sunrise. Y our attention is fix ed internally , focusing on internal sensations like y our heart beat, feeling y our pulse, y our lower Dan Tien, chi flow, etc. Y ou are so transfix ed internally , that the sounds and sensations of the ex ternal world fades away . This meditation combined with the swallowing of saliva are the fundamentals of Xi Sui Jing practice. The final secret or visualiz ation technique is that of scale or multiple perspective. If every thing originated from a primordial original source energy then logic concludes that every thing is therefore made of the same stuff. Call it whatever y ou choose, but this is the only logical conclusion. A lbert Einstein believed that energy and phy sical matter were the same; the only difference was their vibrational state. Just like water is chemically alway s water even though it can present itself as a solid, liquid or gas depending upon the molecular rate of vibration. W hen practicing y our Dy namic Qigong try to add the "Russian Doll" visualiz ation. This secret will eventually

connect y ou to both the macro cosmic universe and micro cosmic universe within leading to the realiz ation that every thing is all simply one thing. W hen y ou practice, imagine that y ou are inside a much larger being or giant version of y ourself that is simultaneously performing the ex act same ex ercise. Y our thoughts are the same thoughts, y our motions are the same motions, etc. A fter this visualiz ation becomes easy , try to simultaneously imagine that there is also a smaller y ou, inside y our body that is also performing this ex ercise. Continue to ex pand this concept so that y ou have a "Y ou" that is as large as the entire universe and a "Y ou" that is as small as the smallest particle. This is the final secret, which cal be applied to the Xi Sui Jing practice as well.

Dao Ying Shu or Chi Directing Methods

This method uses the mind's intent (Y i) to consciously guide the chi energy throughout the body and energy channels. The most popular ex ercise is the small universe or microcosmic orbit. This ex ercise is ty pically performed as a seated meditation either cross legged (Full Lotus, lotus, Indian or Sage seat) or kneeling in Japanese Seiz a. It can also be practiced simply sitting upright on the end of a chair. The common theme is to keep the spine straight and erect.

Begin this practice by simply relax ing with y our ey es closed with y our tongue touching the roof of y our mouth just behind the front teeth. Inhale through the nose on a count of 7, hold it in for a count of 3 and then ex hale through nose on a count of 7 pause for a count of 3 again and then repeat. A s y ou inhale, imagine chi pouring into y our crown like a waterfall falling from the heavens. Continue inhaling and guide the chi down from the crown of y our head down to the perineum. A s y ou ex hale guide the chi from the perineum up the spine to the crown of y our head and out above y ou like a rising fire.

A fter this becomes easy and y ou can actually feel the internal movement of chi through this orbit y ou can add the nex t lay er, which is the Russian Doll visual. In the very beginning y ou should just keep the orbit contained inside y our body until y ou have strong sensations of its presence and can control its flow. Once this is achieved, then add the waterfall and fire rising visuals, ex panding the orbit outside y our body . Then add the Russian Doll visualiz ations. Swallowing the saliva is (Xi Sui) also a significant part of this meditation practice. Occasionally , y ou should reverse the flow of the orbit so that it runs down y our spine on the inhale and up y our front side on the ex hale. This is a very good method of closing the ex ercise to prevent ex cess chi from accumulating in the head. Run the reverse orbit for 3 to 5 minutes and then hold y our hands over y our lower Dan Tien to seal in the energy closing the Dao Y ing Shu ex ercise.

Body Breathing
A nother ex cellent Chi Directing ex ercise or "Dao Y ing Shu" method is that of selective breathing. If y ou have been practicing y our skin brushing on a regular basis, this skill should be easy to acquire. Start by breathing chi in and out y our hands, as this is one of the easiest areas to feel. Focus y our awareness on the palms of y our hands. A s y ou inhale, feel the palms of y our hands accumulating chi. A s y ou ex hale, feel y our hands radiate chi. Once y ou have a feel for this, y ou can isolate y our feet and breathe through them individually . Then do y our calves and shins, followed by y our thighs. Nex t do y our buttocks and sex ual organs, then y our midsection and back followed by y our chest area and upper back. Then breathe in and out y our forearms followed by the upper arm and shoulders. Nex t breathe in the neck (front & back) followed by the head. Finally , hold y our arms out like position 4 of the Full circle and breathe in and out y our entire body all at once for 10 breaths. Take chi in from all directions: front, back, left, right, above and below on the inhale and ex hale in all directions as well. Compress it into y our bones. W ith regular practice of this method, y ou will eventually be able to isolate and breathe through the individual organs of the body as well as the Dan Tiens (a.k.a. chakras), which is a tremendous skill for healing abilities if y ou choose the path of an energetic healer. This ty pe of internal sensitivity becomes priceless as y ou advance in y our Qigong abilities. Don't underestimate the value of this simple practice. Note y ou can do this any time at home, work, watching TV , etc. It does not have to be a long practice, but y ou should make it a daily habit.

This concludes the course on Shaolin Qigong training. If y ou follow the instructions, y ou will develop a relatively high level of Qigong ability in just 3 to 5 y ears. In fact, y ou could probably compare y ourself with someone who has been practicing for 10-y ears or longer due to the sy nergistic effect of the practices outlined and the full discloser of the alchemical secrets that have been presented. Before closing, it should be mentioned that due to the natural cy cles of chi, that the microcosmic orbit practice is best practiced during the more active Y ang period from M arch through September and the Xi Sui Jing practice (listening within) is best during the contractive Y in period from October through February .