Qigong Standing Posture

Qigong Standing Posture

This video from Dr Janice Tucker at Space To Relax explains the correct Qigong standing posture. To get the most benefit from Qigong practice you need to stand such that the Qi flows in an unimpeded and unobstructed way around the body.

Janice Tucker is a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Medical Qigong, and the founder of the Space To Relax online programme of Qigong video lessons.

Please don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking the red “Subscribe” button above so you don’t miss my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. Also please give this video a “Like” if you found it informative.

By making small adjustments in your Qigong standing posture you can make a world of difference to the flow of Qi around your body. When your Qi is flowing freely your health has the potential to skyrocket!

The following extract is taken from Lesson 2 of the Space To Relax Programme of online Qigong video lessons. This is a shortened version of the lesson explaining the correct Qigong stance.

Exercise – The Correct Qigong Standing Posture

1. The Position Of Your Feet

Your feet are important in giving you a stable grounding for Qigong practice. Look down and your feet and check that they are parallel and shoulder width distance apart. Your toes should not be pointing outwards or inwards.

2. The Knees

Your knees should be very slightly bent. There should be softness in your knees so that the knee joints are not locked.

3. Hips and Lower Back Area

To check this place one hand in the small of your back and one on your lower abdomen. Then make a hollow in your lower back so that it is curved by sticking the buttocks out. Feel how the vertebrae in the lower back feel squashed or compressed. Your lower back will feel tight.
Next tilt your pelvis forward by tucking the buttocks under. You will feel the lower back flatten and the whole area open up. You will feel as though there is space in this area. This openness allows the Qi to flow up and down the spine much more freely.

4. Shoulders and Arms

Your shoulders should be loose and relaxed. Your hands hang down from the shoulders by the sides of the body.

5. Head and Neck

Your neck, like your lower back, is an important area in which to maintain space and openness in order to allow for the free flow of Qi. Make sure that your head is not tilted too far forwards or too far back. Imagine the top of your head is being pulled up by a string. This creates length in the back of the neck. At the same time tuck the chin in very slightly. As you do this you will feel the back of your neck extending and opening up.

Summary

These adjustments will promote the free flow of Qi up and down your spine and in to your head.

The Qigong standing posture should be relaxed. Once you are in this position practice Abdominal Breathing in order to allow your Qi to begin to flow freely around your body.

Your Qigong standing posture is the basis of many standing Qigong exercises. Once you can stand correctly you will notice huge differences in the Qi flow around your body. Your energy will quickly feel as though it is supercharged as the Qi zooms around your body in an unimpeded way! 🙂 This is turn leads you to gain much more energy, clarity, calmness and focus.

More Information

If you’d like to learn more about the Qigong standing posture and and learn some more exercises that you can practice from this Qigong standing posture then head over to my Space To Relax homepage. Here you can sign up to receive three free video lessons which will be delivered to you by e-mail. By practising these simple 5 minute lessons you will get a flavour of the Qigong benefits of feeling much calmer and at the same time more energetic.

If you head over to my free group on Facebook, “Space To Relax Free Group” you can leave any questions for me there and I’ll be happy to answer them. Also you can leave a comment in the comments box next to this video.

Please don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking the red “Subscribe” button above so you don’t miss my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. Also please give this video a “Like” if you learned much more about the Qigong standing posture by reading this article.

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Best Time To Practice Qigong Exercise

When practising Qigong exercise there are optimal conditions which make it easier for the Qi to flow smoothly throughout the body. The tips below explain the best time to practice Qigong exercise along with some other tips on the ideal conditions for your practice. The video below shows you an example of when NOT to practice Qigong! 🙂

Daily Practice
Do Qigong exercise every day – like brushing your teeth. If you do this regularly you can imprint a new order into your Qi. Don’t be too ambitious by thinking you should do 10 hours one day and none the next! This is not effective. A little each day is better. Then suddenly your energy will be freed up.

 

The Benefit of Practising in a Group
The Qi field in a room has a certain pattern (see the previous blog post: “What is a Qi Field“). This is very obvious if you have been practising Qigong for some time. In a group there can be profound changes in the Qi field during the day – group practice creates a stronger wave pattern.

At the beginning of the day the Qi has peaks and troughs but we are aiming for long, soft waves of Qi. This is perceived as a less disturbed atmosphere. Eventually you feel that you are resonating with the people around you and your surroundings. Once you feel this Qi field you can use it to enhance the potential in yourself. This is why, in China, Qigong is often done in groups. It is not that the Qi from everyone is added together; rather it is multiplied because of the synergy between the Qi fields of each person.

Swaying and Shaking Feelings
If you are standing for a while and not used to it you may feel shaking as a result of the strong movement of Qi. This is like water trying to get through a blocked pipe. Eventually the Qi will break through, like clearing out the dirty pipes. This sensation can come and go depending on the day. Do not be afraid of this. There is nothing wrong. If you tell yourself you don’t want to shake anymore then you can stop yourself. It only shows that a certain channel of Qi flow needs some help.

 

Timing of Practice
Wait for 1-1½ hours after eating to do moving Qigong exercise and 2-3 hours after eating for meditative Qigong exercise. Qigong is best done before breakfast.

Qigong is beneficial when practised at night. See how you react. Some people greatly benefit from night time practice once the stresses of the day are over. This may be a good time to align the Qi if you have problems sleeping. Some people become too awake from Qigong so night practice would not be the best for them.

Qigong exercises can be incorporated into daily life but as you start to reap the benefits you will want to put aside some time for “proper” practice in a calm environment.

Duration of Practice
At first 10 minutes seems a lot but after a while 30 minutes practice will feel like no time at all. Gradually build up your practice as your strength increases.

 

Place to Practice
Qigong exercise is best practised outdoors. It is OK if it is raining, as long are you are protected. Wear lots of layers as Qigong opens you up to exposure and can result in joint pain, back pain or catching a cold if you are not protected.

Wind is the worst thing for Qigong. A little wind is OK but never let it be behind you, always face it because the areas vulnerable to wind are on the back.

If you’d like to learn more Qigong breathing and meditation techniques then click on my website homepage. There you can download a free Qigong meditation which will calm your mind in only 8 minutes. Also you can sign up for a FREE three part Qigong video series.

Please don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking here so you don’t miss my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. Also please give this video a “Like” if you found it informative.

I’d love to hear from you so please leave a comment below or head over to my free group on Facebook, “Space To Relax Free Group” and leave a comment for me there.