Longfei Taijiquan Association of Great Britain

A Brief Guide to Qigong Practice
Longfei News Letters - Volume 3, Issue 1

Part 4 by Professor Zhao Bao Feng

In the past three issues of the Newsletter we have looked at the background and theory of Qigong. In this issue and future issues we will be looking at the general rules and principles of Qigong practice and later (and in particular), the methods of Daoyin Yangsheng Gong. These notes will have a variety of authors and they will be accredited in each issue. I would like to thank Mark Atkinson who supplied much of this material and gave his approval for the reproduction. Unlike many books on the subject this material is quite uncomplicated and eminently practical and comes from reliable sources. To make progress in Qigong regular practice (daily) is the first priority as is familiarty with the system practised.

1. The student knows the method/procedure/postures.
   Correct body position is very important for breath regulation
   - the student must be natural and relaxed
   - the student must have a good teacher

2. Regulation of the breath
   - which must be deep and regular.

3. Mind training/concentration
   - most methods require this.

If you can fulfil these three elements, you can be confident that you are practising Qi Gong well.

Similarly:

• the whole body should be relaxed and breathing regular. The individual may feel the Qi in some way.

• after practice, the body should feel full of energy, with the mind relaxed, happy and positive.

• there should be positive change, which is the aim of Qi Gong practice, i.e. improvement in body condition, cure or prevention of disease.

How to Practice Qi Gong Well

At the heart of good Qi Gong practice is:

SONG (RELAXATION)
- the whole process should be natural and relaxed.
(This can be better achieved in still Qi Gong).
-only concentrate on the exercises.

What is relaxed?

In Qi Gong terms this refers to muscles, joints and the mind.

How to reach SONG

• eyes half closed, muscles relaxed

• breathe in and out through the nose, which makes it easier to regulate the breath

• lightly close your mouth

• tongue touching the roof of the mouth (on the soft palate just behind the top front teeth)

• your facial expression should also be relaxed

• sink the chin slightly, helping you to relax the neck muscles

• keep the head straight, not tilted to one side or the other

• sink/hollow the chest

• keep a straight back

• keep the stomach in

• keep the hips relaxed

• feel your centre of gravity as being in the centre of the body between the Dantian and the back

• relax all the joints, especially the armpits, elbows, wrists and knees

• keep the feet parallel.

When practising (especially Still Qi Gong), you should check all of the above.

In Movement Qi Gong:

• the movement should be round and also soft, smooth and continuous

• the body should be straight, even during the movement.

In Movement Qi Gong you must still check the body for all the elements above. Obviously some muscles need to work during the exercise.

How to produce SONG in breathing

The breathing must be natural, not forced. Try:
- firstly with the mind, to bring the breath deeper. Then try physically - but only a little - to deepen it further.

The mind

• feel free, happy, quiet and without pressure

• don't try to achieve everything at oncedon't

• try to fulfil the requirements of the teacher

• don't pressure your body/mind to feel something in particular. It will come

Jing (Quiet)

• try to find a quiet environment

• become quiet within yourself:

  • clear your mind

  • concentration should be relatively stable

    • reduce reactions to internal and external stimulation.

If you can reach this level, we can say that you are entering into Jing.

Entering into Jing can be divided into three levels:

1. After several weeks, one can reach the lower level
   - body relaxed
   - breathing smooth
   - mind relatively clear.

2. After continued practice, you may reach the middle level.
   - you are able to feel the Qi, perhaps as a feeling of warmth.

3. After long practice, one may reach the higher level.
   - you forget your body and environment. Everything has ceased to exist
   - your mind is so clear that you no longer feel the existence of the world. The higher level can be reached, but if you can reach the middle level, your Qi Gong will be very beneficial. Song and Jing need to be combined. Only when the body and mind are relaxed (Song) can you go into quiet (Jing). At the same time, when you go into quiet, your body will become even more relaxed.

Some tips

• nervous people should be encouraged to breathe out for longer than their inspiration

• use the principle of "one thought to prevent a thousand thoughts", i.e. by thinking for example about your breath, you can prevent extraneous thoughts from distracting you.

Up = Empty / Down = Stable

Both halves work together. (This will be fulfilled through Song and Jing). Therefore the waist is the axis of movement. Power comes from the waist. The arms are passive. The legs are the base. Abdominal breathing assists in this.

Concentrate on Dantian. In practice we can use these principles to cure some diseases, e.g. hypertension, when the relationship between the top and the bottom is reversed.

This can be altered through Qi Gong which will reduce the blood pressure.

Progress slowly
by following the procedures

Don't try to achieve too much too quickly.

1. First learn the method
   - movements
   - breathing
   - concentration
   - the techniques as described above.

This will take a very long time. Positive effects come after time. Without this investment in time, the aims will not be reached. "You water the grass every day, but it doesn't change. Then one day it becomes green - it grows."

Quantity and Quality

Controlling the rate and type of practice will provide the best progress.

How Do You Regulate?

• Pay attention to the basic principles outlined above
  - movements, breathing, concentration

• Try not to be too stressed, but also not too relaxed

• Regulate your breath step by step. Never try to strengthen the inspiration. The breath frequency will be reduced naturally (from 16 per minute to <10 per minute). Try to lengthen your expiration

• Concentration/Mind Training. Keep your mind between concentrate and not concentrate, i.e. return again and again rather than force the mind to stay in one place.

To control your own practice you must gather your own experiences.

Training/Practice and
Nourishment Combined

You need to combine practice with breaks. For example, Qi Gong for 20 minutes, then a complete break, then Qi Gong, then break, etc. Gradually the practice time becomes longer. It is also necessary to build a healthy lifestyle. This means taking care of diet, regular exercise and adequate sleep.

Movement and Stillness together

Practice Still and Moving Qi Gong to achieve the best effect. Moving benefits the external, Still benefits the internal.

Moving benefits the internal organs, still helps the mind training and the control of Qi. The best effects can be achieved by combining both. A good programme would be 30-60 minutes of Movement Qigong followed by 30 minutes of Still Qi Gong, then bed.

Before Qi Gong Practice

• prepare a good, quiet environment

• don't do any hard work immediately prior to practice. Feel happy and quiet, without stress

• don't drink any stimulants

• wear suitable clothing

During Practice

• regulate your posture

• regulate your breathing

• begin to train your mind

• accept unwanted thoughts and images as inevitable

• if you find you are uncomfortable, change positions or stop for a while

• pay attention to the natural conditions. For example, if there is a storm or other violent weather, do not practise, even indoors.

After Practice

• if you have been practising Still Qi Gong, regulate your breath. "Wash" your hands and then "wash" your face slowly

• if you have been practising Moving Qi Gong, use your mind to bring your Qi back to Dantian, and then remain a short while.

Side Effects of Qi Gong

Bear in mind that if we practice badly, we cannot maintain our health or cure illness.

Unusual but possible side effects include:

1. The inability to stop practising Qi Gong breathing.

2. The inability to stop concentrating on the Dantian.

3. A variety of mental disorders which might include:
   - imagining you have met the Devil
   - hearing voices
   - delusions
   - hallucinations.

Some of the main causes of bad side effects are:
- a desire on the part of the student to get the benefits too quickly
- practising the in-breath too strongly
- concentrating too hard
- trying to make yourself feel a particular way.

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