Our nervous system, which evolved to make sure we survived long enough to raise young thus ensuring the survival of the species, can detect zero point zero zero three five percent of the electromagnetic spectrum. If we were able to experience “reality” right now, most of us would go into shock, if it didn’t kill us outright. I truly believe this practice will rebuild your body and nervous system and restore it to a state that was evolutionarily intended, to before modern civilization imprinted us with its autocratic, technological programs, giving you the freedom to evolve naturally, in line with love, tao, god, whatever you want to call the enormous intelligence that is the root of all things.
What is qigong – qi can be thought of as energy, gong is persistent and patient work over time. So Qigong can be thought of as slowly and persistently working with energy over time. Taichi, in my opinion, is the pinnacle of energy work, and puts all the elements that you’ve learned about in Qigong, to work in varying prescriptive methods.
How is it done – we use three of our faculties to perform the prescribed exercises: our breath, our mind and our body. These arts will slowly align your body: limbs, trunk, head, neck, fascia, muscles and internal organs into the easiest expression causing the least possible stress, thereby allowing qi to flow. Your mind needs to be taught (or perhaps you already have this) how to focus. The easiest way to see a demonstration of focus is by watching the attention of a pet as it waits for its food. My first breath coach, once said the breath is like a TV remote, the breath is the action, the mind is the effect. In general, at least to begin with, make the breath as gentle and quiet as possible while you practice. If inhalation and exhalation are specific to the movement, instruction is in the directions.
Simply follow the movements a few times and see how it feels. It’s useful to check the body before and after and see if you notice any changes. If you find yourself at the limit of your ability to move in a particular way, try testing the edge of the range.
McCloud Taiji 