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Then tuck the chin back into the chest and roll down again, repeating the entire sequence 9 to 18 times.

Fig. 6.8. Turtle

Spinal Cord Breathing

Stand with your feet a little more than shoulder-width apart, arms at your sides.

Inhale and expand your chest, bending your arms at the elbows.

Exhale, tucking your tailbone in and rounding your back. At the same time, bring your elbows toward one another in front of your chest (fig. 6.9).

Inhale, expanding your chest. Tuck your chin in toward the throat, raise the crown of your head, and bring your arms back to your sides, elbows still bent.

Repeat this back and forth movement 36 times. This movement activates the cranial and sacral pumps and loosens all the joints in the spine.

Fig. 6.9. Spinal Cord Breathing

Empty Force in the Lower, Middle, and Upper Tan Tiens

Breathe in to the three abdominal areas (lower, middle, and upper), and exhale deeply with your mouth open (fig. 6.10).

Breathe in deeply to the lower abdominal area and exhale, sticking your tongue out and curling it under as you empty the air from your lower abdominal area.

Optional practice for men: Pull your genitals down at the same time as you breathe out (fig. 6.11).

Optional practice for women: Use a string and jade egg.1

Repeat step 2 for the middle abdominal area, then repeat again for the upper abdominal area.

Move the tongue and abdomen in a circular motion to the right, then reverse direction and circle to the left, continually emptying the body of any air.

Fig. 6.10. The Empty Force practice

Fig. 6.11. The Empty Force practice showing optional genital pulling for men

Upward Stretching and Twisting to Four Sides

Raise your hands above your head and stretch as far as you can reach, moving up onto your toes (fig. 6.12).

Grab your elbows, lower your feet, and lean to each side several times.

Raise your hands again, and twist your spine to the right and then to the left.

Fig. 6.12. Upward Stretching and Twisting to Four Sides

Windmill Exercise: Opening the Spinal Joints

Do each phase of this practice very slowly and mindfully.

Outer Front Extension

Begin in the same stance as for Waist Loosening. Bring both hands together and hook the two thumbs together.

Keeping your hands close to your torso, inhale and raise your arms until they are extended straight above your head, with the fingers pointing upward (fig. 6.13).

Gently stretch up in this position, extending your spine slightly backward. You can even say “Ahhhhhh” as you would when you stretch first thing in the morning.

Begin to exhale slowly and bend forward, reaching as far out in front as you can, keeping your head between your arms. Try to feel each joint of the spine releasing one by one in a wavelike motion. Bend first from the lumbar vertebrae, then from the thoracic vertebrae, and finally from the cervical vertebrae. At this point you should be completely bent over.

Slowly straighten your back, once again feeling each joint of the spine as it opens, from the sacrum to the lumbar vertebrae, then to the thoracic and cervical vertebrae. Allow your arms and head to hang heavily until you are back in the starting position.

Repeat 3 to 5 times. Finish with your arms over your head as at the end of step 1.

Fig. 6.13. Windmill: Outer Front Extension

Inner Front Extension

Now do the same movements, but move from downward to upward. Begin in a comfortable standing position. Point your fingertips downward and slowly lower your arms, keeping your hands close to your torso (fig. 6.14).

When the arms are completely lowered, begin to bend forward. Release your head, cervical vertebrae, thoracic vertebrae, and lumbar vertebrae, until you are bent all the way forward as at the end of step 4 of the Outer Front Extension. Feel each joint become open.

Keeping your head between your arms, start to straighten back up. Your arms should extend in front as you slowly move back to an erect position.

When you finish straightening up, your arms