Opening the Joints (Warm-ups)
1. Breathing Staccato
Inhale: Fresh energy
Exhale: Stale energy and heavy emotion (3 times)
2. Four Arm Swings
3. Strengthening the Neck
Turn left and right, up and down (4 times)
4. Rolling Shoulders Forward and Back (6 times each)
5. Circling Wrists Forward and Back (9 times each)
6. Clenching Fingers
Stretch above head, heels up (2 times)
7. Shaking Out Arms (18 times)
8. Rubbing and Pummeling Lower Back (Kidneys)
9. Turn Waist Clockwise and Counterclockwise
10. Spinal Tilt
Open and close with hands up (3 times)
11. Lifting and Stretching Knee (Bicycling) (9 times each leg)
12. Stretching Ankles and Circling (6 times each leg)
13. Whole Body Swing
Hands clap above head
14. Gather Qi in Your Belly
Cross hands at belly, men, first left then right; women, first right then left
Feel the energy in your body and then bring awareness to your belly (Dantien)
and feel sensations there.
De-Tox
A. Rattling the Bones (Shaking the Body)
Start from the head and move downwards, shaking up the toxins. (3 minutes)
B. Visualize that these toxins are forming a dark, murky liquid and exhale it through your mouth. (3 times)
C. Gather Qi above your head and bring it through your head down through the body and out of your feet into the earth. (18 times)
Gathering Qi of Heaven & Earth
A. Raise and lower Qi by lifting and lowering the Qi-ball with your arms until shoulder level and down to side.
B. Raise arms (empty teacup) contact Heaven and bring it through the crown down into the Dantien (3 finger-width below belly button).
C. Arms out to the side (tree posture) contact Earth and bring it up through your feet and legs into Dantien.
D. Cross hands at Dantien, raise and circle your arms over your head and back to your belly.
Ending Sequence Healing Sounds
Ping Chi: Roll Shoulders (10 times)
Follow each of the following with Ping Chi (3 times), roll shoulders on each side, and meditate on the organ.
Lungs: “See ahhh” — color Silver Moon: releasing grief and opening to courage.
Heart: “Haw” or “Hoe” — color Royal Red: releasing hate and opening to joy.
Spleen: “Whooo” — color yellow: releasing worry and anxiety and opening to surrender, empathy and trust.
Liver: “Shu” –color green: releasing anger and opening to kindness.
Kidneys: “Chu a yee” — color indigo: releasing fear and opening to wisdom and calm.
Exhale: through tube 10 times with natural “Haa” sound in throat.
Taoist Prayer: right hand down and left hand up.
Circles on belly: 36 outward and 24 inward.
Rub kidneys and lower back
Mix ancestral and parental chi
Eyes and massage face
Marching
Staccato
Metta gesture
Based on Franz Moeckl’s workshop, May 2003
Qigong “18 Movements”
1. Waving hands by the Lake (Raising and Lowering Arms)
Inhale: Raise arms until shoulder level, wrists loose
Exhale: Relax elbows, sink down and lower arms to your sides
2. Opening the Chest on Top of the Mountain
Inhale: Raise arms until shoulder level and out to the sides, palms facing forward
Exhale: Bringing arms together until shoulder width apart, palms facing each other, turn them down and lower them to the sides while sinking slightly.
3. Swinging the Rainbow
Inhale: Raise arms above heads, palms facing each other
Exhale: Transfer weight to the right leg and bend from the waist to the left, right hand above head, left hand out to the left at shoulder level
Inhale: Transfer weight to center and as you exhale shift weight to left leg and bend to the right.
4. Parting the Clouds
Inhale: Cross hands, raise arms above head and rotate palms until they face the sky, following the arm movement with your eyes.
Exhale: Separate arms (parting the clouds); lower them sideways while squatting down as far as it is comfortable.
5. Floating Silk in the Air (Rolling Arms)
Inhale: Arms stretched out in front at shoulder height
Exhale: Turn waist to the right, right arm circles down and up until both arms stretched out, palms up.
Inhale: Continue circular movement with right arm and push forward as you turn waist to face front again.
Exhale: Continue pushing forward with right arm while left arm moving back past hips.
Inhale: Turn waist to left as left arm circles up to shoulder heights, palms up and continue.
6. Rowing Across the Big Lake
Inhale: Raise arms in a circular motion back and upwards above shoulder.
Exhale: Sink or squat down and lower arms to the front as if “rowing a boat”.
7. Raising the Sun
Inhale: Raise left arm diagonal in front of right shoulder, palm up, while shifting weight on right leg, left heel comes up and turns slightly in.
Exhale:Turn palm down, lower left arm, shift weight back and repeat with right arm.
8. Gazing at the Moon
Inhale: Shift weight on left leg, turn waist to left and raise arms up and back over your shoulder and look through hands (gazing at the moon).
Exhale: Return to the front by lowering arms, weight evenly distributed and sinking slightly inhale and continue to the other side.
9. The Wind Rustles Lotus Leaves (Turn Waist and Push with Palms)
Inhale: Arms at hips, palms up
Exhale: Turn waist to the left, right palm pushes out, left palm down.
Inhale: Bring right and left palm back to the hips and continue with left palm pushing out.
10. Wave Hands Like Clouds
Inhale: Raise left hand in front of your face palm facing you.
Exhale: Turn waist to left while left hand is following the turning of the waist at eye level until left arm floats out to the side.
Inhale: Right arm, palm up, is rising towards the left shoulder, while left arm is dropping.
Exhale: Turn waist and right arm to the right and continue.
11. Scooping the Ocean and Look at the Sky
Inhale: Step forward with left leg.
Exhale: Shift weight onto left leg while bending down, hands crossing at left knee.
Inhale: Shift weight onto rear leg, lift left toes and bring up arms (scooping the ocean) above your head, follow the arm movement with eyes and open
the arms to the sides (look at the sky).
Exhale: Turn palms down, bring arms down to the side and bring back your left leg; continue with the other leg.
12. Pushing the Waves
Inhale: Step out with left leg, raise arms to shoulder level, elbows down, wrists loose.
Exhale: Shift weight on left leg and push out arms in a wave-like motion.
Inhale: Shift weight back on right leg and bring arms back to body.
(Do this six times, then switch legs)
13. Flying Dove Spreads its Wing
Inhale: Raise arms to the side, palms forward and step out with left foot.
Exhale: Shift weight on left leg and bring arms together until shoulder width apart.
Inhale: Shift weight back on right foot and bring in arms towards the chest and continue.
14. Dragon Emerging from the Sea (Punching with Fists)
Inhale: Bring fists up to hips, fists facing upwards.
Exhale: Punch forward with right fist while turning it down.
Inhale: Draw fist in towards the hip, facing upward again.
Exhale: Punch forward with left fist.
15. Flying Wild Goose
Inhale: Raise arms sideways above head, palms outside, lift heels if you don’t wobble.
Exhale: Lower arms and heels and squat down as far as you feel comfortable, palms down.
16. Windmill Turning in the Breeze
Inhale: Raise arms towards the left and above your head in a circular motion
Exhale: Continue circling the arms towards the right and downwards while bending the waist forward and sink in the knees.
Inhale: Continue circling 3-5 times then switch direction.
17. Stepping and Bouncing the Ball
Inhale: Raise left knee and right arm simultaneously.
Exhale: Lower them gently.
Inhale: Raise right knee and left arm simultaneously; lower them and continue.
(Do this at least twelve times or as much as you feel comfortable)
18. Gathering the Fragrance of the Earth (Balancing the Qi to Close)
Inhale: Squat down and come up while raising arms with palms up until shoulder level.
Exhale: Turn palms down, lower arms to belly and sink deeply.
After finishing the movements, place your palms on your belly (Dantien); men, first left hand then right hand, women, first right hand then left hand. Stand still for two or three minutes or as long as you feel comfortable and sense the energy in your belly.The movements should be done at least six times or four times on each side or preferably eight times and six times on each side. And remember: The movements should be done slowly and gently in harmony with the breathing and with the awareness of it, then the Qi will flow freely.
