Hi Donia
crying or many tears flowing is a normal reaction while practicing. If you feel sadness, Chunyi says that this reaction means that your soul energy has awaken and that this is very powerful healing energy.
I too avoided the seven steps in the beginning - now it's one of my favourites and also the one that I personally probably needed most in helping to release blockages in my lower back which had been very painful for a long time.
I bend my knees for pretty much all of the exercises except when I'm stretching during the Harmony of the Universe and when I'm doing the 7 steps of new life
