Simple chi kung / qi gong 4
Four corners
This chi kung builds on the ones from January, February and March. I have been very much delayed with editing these videos and posting them here, my apologies. So here is the one I intended for April. The next one will follow very shortly. An invitation to a live Zoom chi kung session for my paid subscribers, as well as a general chat afterwards, will arrive towards the end of June.
When you have done a few minutes each of the first three exercises, do today’s one for up to five more minutes. After you have finished, step up heel to heel and just stand with a quiet mind in what we call ‘the attention posture’ for a few moments, before moving off and doing something else.
The four corners is a gentle version of common chi kung practices where the intent and breath are used to direct soft awareness and good feeling into the ‘four corners’ of the body. Think of this as a recharge for the limbs. Our hands and feet work tirelessly and are often neglected, something we can put right with this set.
In-breaths are for drawing the energy up through the feet and out-breaths are for releasing it into the four corners in turn, and then on the fifth breath, completely letting go into the earth. By the end you should feel rejuvenated like a plant that has had sunlight and water, rather than fizzy like an overcharged battery.
The arms stay rounded right the way through, no straightening at all. The way I am teaching these movements in an understated manner, means there is no risk of overdoing it, either physically or energetically.
After the exercises, you can continue to stand for as long as you want in this simple standing meditation until you feel moved to move. There is nothing special to do with the mind, just notice what arises, and let it be, without trying to change it.
You can do these exercises up to twice a day, for up to 10 minutes, as a beginner. No need to rush things. Typically people report feeling more relaxed and aware after chi kung, but if you feel any ill effects, just cease practicing and you’ll feel like your normal self quite quickly. We are building simple foundations every month over the coming year so that you can have a daily practice that will help relax and rejuvenate you.
You can get in with me touch via the comments on the post if you have any queries, or send an email via Substack, just put ‘chi kung’ in the subject line, and I’ll answer as soon as I can. Later this year, I’ll arrange an open Zoom session for any paying subscribers to come along and do some chi kung with me. It’s lovely to do it in a group, even over Zoom, it turns out. If you want to know more about my T’ai Chi School, go to www.greatrivertaichi.com . If you want to learn T’ai Chi in person in London UK or on Zoom this spring, go to The T’ai Chi Centre or drop me a line and I will put you in touch with my teacher, as I am currently on a sabbatical from teaching regular classes.
I am grateful to Kajedo Wanderer of the Findhorn Community for teaching me my first chi kung, including this one, in 1987. I have been practising ever since.
Yay! Thank you.