Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ Spring Forest Qigong Harvesting the Qi

I really enjoy finishing a half hour of Active exercise with Harvesting the Qi. My understanding is that it balances the Qi which has built up during the practice.
My question is concerned with when one does short practices during the day if short of time as has been suggested by Master Lin. Is it better to do Harvesting the Qi each time to make it more effective? eg harmony of the Universe followed by harvesting the Qi?
Also is Harvesting the Qi useful as a stand alone exercise?

Use a shorter form of Harvesting. Rub hands, massage face, scalp, rub ears.

If you enjoy harvesting the qi and want to do it every time you practice during the day - then that's excellent(good,better,best) otherwise use a shortened version as suggested by Jeffrey. You can do what Jeffrey has indicated or choose your own favourite bits of the exercise - like patting your body or rubbing your tummy clock-wise 9 times, or massaging and cupping the kidneys etc.

I don't see why you couldn't use harvesting the Qi as a stand alone exercise if you like it a lot - all of the individual components of the exercise have their own specific benefits - tapping the tailbone for example is very good for opening the sacrum - cupping and massaging the kidneys is a wonderful exercise for increasing the energy in our kidneys (our lifeforce) - moving the neck from left to right and right to left is amazing for stiff necks, and on it goes.

Go with your flow!

Aloha Kali,

There is some good feedback for you here.

To reiterate:

You can do any of the harvesting exercises separately throughout the day - neck circles at stop lights, massaging your ears when it's tough to follow a lecturer, heal raises if you're a bit constipated, etc. They are not of the same "ilk" as the active exercises, which are basically active meditations you will go into the emptiness with at some point.

If you are going to sleep right after you mediation or active exercises, then leave your harvesting until you wake up the next morning.

IF you just have time for a single exercise, then you can follow it up with the abbreviated harvesting as JefferyC mentioned.

and yes, you could add which ever ones you'd like to include, but start with the massaging of the hands and face. Take your ques from Chunyi - when he abbreviates them, it's usually those first three or four, to basically bring your out of the mediation (active or sitting), then add your favorites.

Much Love,

Shawn