• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

Rest and feel the chi entering your joints.

Fig. 6.1. Shake all the joints loose and feel them open.

Foot and Hand Kicking

Draw out one leg and the opposite arm and kick out your leg, letting go of any tension, pain, and stress (fig. 6.2). Repeat 30 to 60 times.

Repeat 30 to 60 times with the opposite leg and arm.

Fig. 6.2. Foot and Hand Kicking

Knee Rotations

Stand comfortably upright with your feet together. Bend your knees and place your palms lightly on your kneecaps (fig. 6.3).

Slowly and gently rotate your knees to the left.

Rotate your knees to the back.

Rotate your knees to the right.

Repeat steps 2 to 4 additional times.

Now reverse direction and repeat 9 times.

Fig. 6.3. Knee Rotations

Hip Rotations

Stand with your feet parallel and slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Place your hands on the sides of your waist (fig. 6.4). As you perform these hip rotations, keep your head still and above your feet. Move slowly and easily, breathing deeply and continuously.

Bring your hips forward and swing them in a large clockwise circle.

Now tilt your hips backward and swing them in a large counterclockwise circle.

Repeat steps 1 and 2 an additional 8 times.

Now bring your hips forward and swing them in a large counterclockwise circle.

Bring your hips backward and swing them in a large clockwise circle.

Repeat steps 4 and 5 an additional 8 times.

Fig. 6.4. Hip Rotations

Rotating the Sacrum

Rotating the sacrum is an excellent exercise to open the lower back and activate the spinal cord.

Place both hands over the sacrum.

Rotate the sacrum in a circle, 36 times in each direction (fig. 6.5). This movement activates the sacral pump.

Fig. 6.5. Rotating the Sacrum

Waist Loosening

Stand with the feet parallel, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Allow the arms to dangle loosely at your sides (fig. 6.6).

Begin to turn the hips from side to side. Let the arms swing naturally and easily with the momentum of the hips turning. Explore your natural and comfortable range of hip motion. Don’t go to extremes; just stay within your free and easy comfort zone.

After turning just the hips 10 or 12 times, allow the lumbar vertebrae to relax and loosen and gently twist with the hips. You should still begin the movement from the hips, but now allow the lumbar vertebrae to respond as well.

Next allow the middle spine, upper back, and neck to twist gently with the movement.

Keep the shoulders loose and let the arms swing with the movement. Don’t use effort to move the arms; let them be totally limp and just let the body swing them. At the same time, be aware of the gentle twisting of the knee and ankle joints as you twist the whole body. Do this at least 36 times to each side.

Fig. 6.6. Waist Loosening

Standing Crane and Turtle

Standing Crane

Stand with your feet apart and your knees slightly bent. Place your hands on your thighs.

Keeping your back straight, extend your chin forward (fig. 6.7).

Bring your chin down toward your chest as you hinge forward from the hips and waist. Tuck your tailbone under, gently press your hips forward, and roll up from the lower back. This should feel like a wave flowing from the lower body and moving up the spine through the upper back and neck.

Then begin again by extending the chin forward and repeat the exercise 9 to 18 times. Your head leads with the chin, tracing a big circle in the air. It’s important to relax and flow with this exercise, moving the spine like water.

Fig. 6.7. Standing Crane

Turtle

Turtle is the reverse movement of Standing Crane.

Stand with your feet apart and your knees slightly bent. Place your hands on your thighs and tuck your chin into your chest (see fig. 6.8 on page 72).

Keep your chin tucked into the chest as you bend your knees and roll your upper body forward and down. Roll the movement and energy down the back to the tailbone.

Then extend the chin like a turtle’s head coming out of its shell, and come up. Look up and keep the neck extended