wudang qigong

OPENING MOVEMENTS

Start by standing strait and tall with your feet together, knees slightly bent, and your hands down by your side. Take a slow breath in and open your feet to about shoulder’s width.As you exhale, plant your feet firmly into the ground and sink your weight.On the following inhale, allow the hands to raise slowly in front of you until they reach shoulder height; as you exhale, let them drop slowly back down to your waist.On the next inhale, let the arms rise up again, but this time along your sides; once at shoulder level, exhale and slightly drop the elbows so that they point to the ground.Now, turn the hands so that the palms face outwards and the fingers point down.On the next inhale, bring your hands up over your head and join them at the wrists, all while slowly tilting your head back and turning your gaze up towards the sky.In this position, both palms should be facing the sky as if holding up a large bowl.Hold your breath in this posture for as long as you are comfortable, then exhale and bring the hands down the center line of your body with the palms together in a prayer position.

While keeping the hands in a prayer position, let them go all the way down below the naval and press the palms together to stretch the hands and the fingers; then, relax the hands as you inhale and bring the hands up to chest level.Exhale, and lower your hands down once again while pressing the fingers together just as you did before.Then, inhale as you relax and bring the palms back up to chest level.This motion is repeated for a total of three times.End this motion on the exhale with your palms pressed together just below the naval, then slowly turn your hands so that your fingers now point to the ground and drop your hands to about waist level.

This time, with your hands now in an inverted prayer position, bring the hands up to chest level with an inhale while pressing the palms together.Then, with the exhale, relax your hands and drop them down to the waist.Again, with the inhale, bring the hands back up to chest level while pressing the palms together; then relax with the exhale and let the hands fall back to the waist. This motion is also repeated for a total of three times.End this sequence on the exhale with hands still together in an inverted prayer position at waist level.To close, open the hands out and up above the head with an inhale as if to gather a large ball of air.Then exhale and bring the palms down the center line of the body as if to push the ball of air deep into your belly.This concludes the opening movements.Now stand in meditation for approximately three minutes.

Standing Meditation

There are three things to take into account during the standing meditation practice: posture, breath, and intention.

The posture should be tall and relaxed. The feet should be parallel and placed shoulder width apart with the weight evenly distributed; keep the knees soft but do not allow them to buckle inwards. Release the tension of the face, head, neck, shoulders, back, rear, thighs, and feet and allow the earth to completely support the body.

The breath should be full and comfortable. Try to keep the breath slow, soft, and even at a rate of four to six breaths per minute. The external flow of breath is a reflection of the internal flow of energy; by regulating the breath, one can regulate the heart rate and chi flow of the body inducing relaxation and ease.

The intention should be focused but gentle. Allow the eyes to lightly gaze on the floor three to six feet ahead. Keep the attention on the breath, concentrating it deep into the naval. Try to still the mind. Avoid distracting thoughts that take the mind off of the present moment of practice.

Principles for practice

Breath:

Breath is probably the most important part of the Wudang Five Animal Qigong practice. Qigong can be literally translated as "breath work" or "energy skill," and as mentioned earlier, the external flow of breath is a direct reflection of the internal flow of energy, therefore it is very important to be mindful of the breath. During practice, the breath should remain natural and comfortable; it should never be strained or stressed. In addition, the breath should also be in time with the movements; the inhale and exhale of the breath should act as the push and pull behind each motion. Proper breath is essential for effective qigong practice.

Environment:

Only a small amount of space is needed to practice the Wudang Five Animal Qigong, but it is advised to find a clean and quiet environment for practice. Areas such as a beach, forest, or mountain side where the air is fresh and clean are ideal. Spaces that are crowded or busy are not recommended for it will be far too easy to be distracted.

Time and Frequency:

The full set takes approximately thirty to forty-five minutes to do correctly. If the time needed to do the whole set is not available, than only do a portion. It is far better to do only a few movements wholeheartedly than to rush through the entire set in a half-hazard manner. Furthermore, a consistent practice is necessary in order to experience real benefit; therfore this exercise should be practiced at least once every day.

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