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Joined: Jan 2006
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OP
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 23 |
Hi,
In Forest Qigong level one course note, the instruction for "breathing of the universe exercise" is "as you inhale, move your hands to the side; exhale as you close your hands."
I think when we inhale, we are taking the air in so that it seem to be more nature to close our hands (to draw the qi in). But that's just opposite to the instruction.
Is there anyone can explain why we should inhale while moving our hands open to the sides?
Thanks for your help.
Cheers,
Little Boat
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It feels to me more like "pumping" a bellows, especially with the idea of the energy expanding in the hands (as per the visualization) on the inhale and being open to the energy coming in from every part of the universe to every part of the body (i.e. the idea of "opening" being key here), and then when exhaling the image of the energy between the hands getting compacted and the dis-ease or dis-comfort visualized as excess energy being expelled out of every part of the body to every part of the universe. There may be other qigong systems where it is the opposite. That is how I understand it. And after two years of doing it, it works for me!  But then again, it felt right to me as soon as I first did it. And this is one of the reasons I still do it. And of course, as with any system, YMMV. 
Last edited by shakurav; 01/22/08 07:57 AM.
blessings,
Steve
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Learning Strategies Member
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...and building on the "bellow" metaphor, notice what's naturally happening with your lungs as they inhale - they are expanding to bring in the air/Qi, the same thing you hands are doing.
You're perspective will come in handy for your when doing the Cloud Hands and 10,000 hands exercise in Level Two.
Much Love, Shawn
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Joined: Jan 2006
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OP
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Dear Shakurav & Shawn,
Thank you very much for your reply. Now I understand it and it works well to me.
I don't know what's YMMV in the last sentence of Shakurav's message. Is it important for my practice?
Regards,
Little Boat
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Aloha littleboat, Shakurav was just abbreviating his favorite ending "Your Millage May Vary." Not all of us are hip to the little chat/internet speak acronyms Much Love, Shawn
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Quote:
Aloha littleboat,
Shakurav was just abbreviating his favorite ending "Your Millage May Vary."
Not all of us are hip to the little chat/internet speak acronyms
Much Love,
Shawn
Yes, and I actually wrote a reply explaining that, but somehow forget to push "continue"! 
ANd how it does relate to the practice is is imply to know that, to some extent, all of our "mileages" vary. In other words, we are all unique and each one of us will have different reactions, responses, to whatever systems or tools we use.
One of the things I love about Spring Forest Qigong is it is such a forgiving and flexible system. And it seems to fit people almost wherever they are coming from.
So, for many people, the breathing may never become the most important thing, but they will still get benefit from it, because at the same time it is so simple, it is also rich and deep. Like a Spring Forest!
blessings,
Steve
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