10 Pieces of Silk ~ Qi Gong Basic Practice: Opening Series- can be used as a warm up to any subsequent Qi Gong Practice or as a mini practice on a day you don’t have time to do a fuller set. 1) Breathing in thru Crown of Head from Center of Heavens- anchoring in lower belly (tan tien) on exhale. 3x or 9x. 2) Breathing in thru Soles of Feet from Center of Earth- anchoring in lower belly (tan tien) on exhale. 3x or 9x. 3) Simultaneously breathing in thru Crown of Head and Soles of Feet- and anchoring in lower belly (tan tien) on exhale… gently mixing Heavenly and Earthen Energies in belly on exhale- like a yin yang swirl. 3x or 9x. 4) Inhale- looking over left shoulder, exhale looking all the way over right shoulder- super slow motion. Do 3x or 9x. Repeat: opposite side- Inhale looking over right shoulder and exhale looking over left shoulder. 3x or 9x. 5) Gentle Neck Circles- inhaling back and exhaling down, slow motion, do 3x or 9x to left and then switch to right. 6) Shoulder Circles inhaling back, exhaling down- slow motion. Reverse, inhaling front and exhaling down. 3x or 9x each 7) Washing whole self with Golden Light. 3x or 9x. 10 Pieces of Silk: repeat all exercises 3x, 9x or sets of 3 or 9 1) Holding Up Heaven- fingers gently interlocked- inhale up, reaching up with hands, palms up to sky, exhale hands lower eventually palms face belly. Opens up Lungs/ Lung Meridian, upper body. Feet are hip width apart, knees slightly bent. 2) Grasping the Peach of Immortality- same stance, arms start at your sides, open hands. Inhale, raise arms to shoulder height, bending arms, then exhale, raise hands from shoulder height, reaching overhead and grasp the fruit of immortality, and pull it down with loose fist with slight resistance in arms inhaling, and exhale as pass shoulder height. Opens up chest, breath, practice coordinating breath and movement, Heart and Lung Chest Qi. “Loose Fists” means wherever you have soft you have hard too- so fluidly includes bones, tendons, ligaments. 3) Punching to Sides- Start in same stance, with loose fists at hip height, inhale up like a bicep curl, exhale with a rolling, twisting movement fists face out and punch laterally to your sides. Inhale back in, again roll fists down into biceps curl position and exhale lower fists to hip bones. Opens up side chest, breath, meridians in arms, Harmonizes Heart and Lung Chest Qi. All breath links Heart/ Lungs and Kidney Qi function too. 4) Side Bending- Start in same stance, feet hip distance or slightly wider, knees bent slightly, weight centered over arches. Bring hands up behind head and clasp fingers behind head with elbows open. Inhale, side bending to left. Then exhale up. Inhale, side bending to right. Then exhale up. Repeat 9x or sets of 9. This exercise further opens ribs, waist, therefore includes Lung and Kidney Qi. Opens lower ribs and waist so also relaxes Pancreas, Spleen, Liver, Diaphragm. 5) Spine Roll Down and slight Flexion- slightly wider than hip width stance, place hands on hips. Inhale and roll down spine (don’t curl neck too much- mostly keep neutral). Breath into spaces between thoracic and lumbar vertebrae. Roll down only to waist height. Exhale and Roll Up starting from tail bone and then lumbar spine, then thoracic spine and neck simply follows. One all the way up, Inhale tipping head slightly back and arching back, exhale back to neutral. Repeat 9x or sets of 9. This exercise opens spine, ribs, muscles of the trunk of the body, good for bone, Kidney Qi, rib cage, spine, Lungs, all organs, etc. 6) Diagonal Punching- take a stance wider than hip distance apart, deeper bend in knees. Bring hands up in loose fist to hip bones. Inhale and raise left fist up in bicep curl motion, exhale and punch across body to the right at shoulder level. Inhale fist back, exhale it down. (or can simply raise hand and punch on long inhale, and long exhale retract arm and lower). Repeat on right side. That is one cycle. Do 9x or sets of 9. This exercise strengthens eyes/ focus. Eyes are the opening of the Liver, and so this exercise helps move and focus the Liver Qi. We are punching from side waist, which also reflects the Liver/ Gall Bladder Meridians- they rule twisting action. Many other systems are also affected- legs in lower stance, etc. 7) Squats- take a stance that is hip width. As you inhale, lift straight arms in front of you palms down to shoulder height, simultaneously, bend knees keeping back straight and feet flat (so a mild “squat” motion). As you exhale, slowly lower arms to sides and straighten knees… lifting from crown of head and dropping weight into feet. Coordinate movement of arms with depth of knee bend as much as you can. 8) Knee Circles- take a stance that heels are about a fist apart and toes slightly turned out. Lean forward and place hands on knees. Knees should not touch during exercise. Inhale and rotate knees to left, exhale down and around to right- do 9x or sets of 9 circles to left. Repeat to right. This exercise builds tendon strength in the knee and trains the musculature around the knee evenly. Proceed carefully and with smaller circles if you have knee injuries. You can take breaks between sets. 9) Kicking- take a stance wider than hip distance. Rest your hands on your hips and bend knees. Shift weight to right foot (with out raising body up- keeping height level) and kick to left across body- as you lift left foot it first comes up to height of standing leg’s knee, then kick across body- toe is in soft point, not flexed. Kick to other side. Repeat sets of 9x. This exercise strengthens legs, balance, and core. Inhale as you lift leg, exhale as you kick. Inhale retract the leg, exhale and return to stance. 10) Bow Stance Rocking Weight Front and Back- from a first position, step forward with left foot diagonally to front and out. Hands can rest on hips to your sides. Bend knees. Shift weight forward coming up on back toes on inhale. Exhale and shift weight all the way back onto rear leg and flex up toes of front foot. As you transfer weight, practice moving smoothly with the breath and keeping weight level Repeat 9x and then switch sides. Repeat sets of 9 if desired. This exercise strengthens legs and balance and is a great preparation for tai qi and moving qi gong forms. Closing Series: Facial Massage- in 9 series massage all the points of the face, nose, ears and scalp, “Shaving”- gently stroke jaw and chin in upwards motion 9x Wash the Throat- 9x Lymphatic Breast/ Chest Wash- 9x Belly Circles- 9x Seal Energy into Lower Belly Bow to the practices and fellow students : ). Smile.

10 Pieces of Silk ~ Qi Gong Basic Practice:

Opening Series- can be used as a warm up to any subsequent Qi Gong Practice or as a mini practice on a day you don’t have time to do a fuller set.

1)Breathing in thru Crown of Head from Center of Heavens- anchoring in lower belly (tan tien) on exhale. 3x or 9x.

2)Breathing in thru Soles of Feet from Center of Earth- anchoring in lower belly (tan tien) on exhale. 3x or 9x.

3)Simultaneously breathing in thru Crown of Head and Soles of Feet- and anchoring in lower belly (tan tien) on exhale…

gently mixing Heavenly and Earthen Energies in belly on exhale- like a yin yang swirl. 3x or 9x.

4)Inhale- looking over left shoulder, exhale looking all the way over right shoulder- super slow motion. Do 3x or 9x.

Repeat: opposite side- Inhale looking over right shoulder and

exhale looking over left shoulder. 3x or 9x.

5) Gentle Neck Circles- inhaling back and exhaling down, slow motion, do 3x or 9x to left and then switch to right.

6)Shoulder Circles inhaling back, exhaling down- slow motion. Reverse, inhaling front and exhaling down. 3x or 9x each

7)Washing whole self with Golden Light. 3x or 9x.

10 Pieces of Silk: repeat all exercises 3x, 9x or sets of 3 or 9

1) Holding Up Heaven- fingers gently interlocked- inhale up, reaching up with hands, palms up to sky, exhale hands lower eventually palms face belly. Opens up Lungs/ Lung Meridian, upper body. Feet are hip width apart, knees slightly bent.

2) Grasping the Peach of Immortality- same stance, arms start at your sides, open hands. Inhale, raise arms to shoulder height, bending arms, then exhale, raise hands from shoulder height, reaching overhead and grasp the fruit of immortality, and pull it down with loose fist with slight resistance in arms inhaling, and exhale as pass shoulder height. Opens up chest, breath, practice coordinating breath and movement, Heart and Lung Chest Qi. “Loose Fists” means wherever you have soft you have hard too- so fluidly includes bones, tendons, ligaments.

3) Punching to Sides- Start in same stance, with loose fists at hip height, inhale up like a bicep curl, exhale with a rolling, twisting movement fists face out and punch laterally to your sides. Inhale back in, again roll fists down into biceps curl position and exhale lower fists to hip bones. Opens up side chest, breath, meridians in arms, Harmonizes Heart and Lung Chest Qi. All breath links Heart/ Lungs and Kidney Qi function too.

4) Side Bending- Start in same stance, feet hip distance or slightly wider, knees bent slightly, weight centered over arches.

Bring hands up behind head and clasp fingers behind head with elbows open. Inhale, side bending to left. Then exhale up. Inhale, side bending to right. Then exhale up. Repeat 9x or sets of 9. This exercise further opens ribs, waist, therefore includes Lung and Kidney Qi. Opens lower ribs and waist so also relaxes Pancreas, Spleen, Liver, Diaphragm.

5) Spine Roll Down and slight Flexion- slightly wider than hip width stance, place hands on hips. Inhale and roll down spine (don’t curl neck too much- mostly keep neutral). Breath into spaces between thoracic and lumbar vertebrae. Roll down only to waist height. Exhale and Roll Up starting from tail bone and then lumbar spine, then thoracic spine and neck simply follows. One all the way up, Inhale tipping head slightly back and arching back, exhale back to neutral. Repeat 9x or sets of 9. This exercise opens spine, ribs, muscles of the trunk of the body, good for bone, Kidney Qi, rib cage, spine, Lungs, all organs, etc.

6) Diagonal Punching- take a stance wider than hip distance apart, deeper bend in knees. Bring hands up in loose fist to hip bones. Inhale and raise left fist up in bicep curl motion, exhale and punch across body to the right at shoulder level. Inhale fist back, exhale it down. (or can simply raise hand and punch on long inhale, and long exhale retract arm and lower). Repeat on right side. That is one cycle. Do 9x or sets of 9.

This exercise strengthens eyes/ focus. Eyes are the opening of the Liver, and so this exercise helps move and focus the Liver Qi.

We are punching from side waist, which also reflects the Liver/ Gall Bladder Meridians- they rule twisting action. Many other systems are also affected- legs in lower stance, etc.

7) Squats- take a stance that is hip width. As you inhale, lift straight arms in front of you palms down to shoulder height, simultaneously, bend knees keeping back straight and feet flat (so a mild “squat” motion). As you exhale, slowly lower arms to sides and straighten knees… lifting from crown of head and dropping weight into feet. Coordinate movement of arms with depth of knee bend as much as you can.

8) Knee Circles- take a stance that heels are about a fist apart and toes slightly turned out. Lean forward and place hands on knees. Knees should not touch during exercise. Inhale and rotate knees to left, exhale down and around to right- do 9x or sets of 9 circles to left. Repeat to right. This exercise builds tendon strength in the knee and trains the musculature around the knee evenly. Proceed carefully and with smaller circles if you have knee injuries. You can take breaks between sets.

9) Kicking- take a stance wider than hip distance. Rest your hands on your hips and bend knees. Shift weight to right foot (with out raising body up- keeping height level) and kick to left across body- as you lift left foot it first comes up to height of standing leg’s knee, then kick across body- toe is in soft point, not flexed. Kick to other side. Repeat sets of 9x. This exercise strengthens legs, balance, and core. Inhale as you lift leg, exhale as you kick. Inhale retract the leg, exhale and return to stance.

10) Bow Stance Rocking Weight Front and Back- from a first position, step forward with left foot diagonally to front and out.

Hands can rest on hips to your sides. Bend knees. Shift weight forward coming up on back toes on inhale. Exhale and shift weight all the way back onto rear leg and flex up toes of front foot. As you transfer weight, practice moving smoothly with the breath and keeping weight level Repeat 9x and then switch sides. Repeat sets of 9 if desired. This exercise strengthens legs and balance and is a great preparation for tai qi and moving qi gong forms.

Closing Series:

Facial Massage- in 9 series massage all the points of the face, nose, ears and scalp,

“Shaving”- gently stroke jaw and chin in upwards motion 9x

Wash the Throat- 9x

Lymphatic Breast/ Chest Wash- 9x

Belly Circles- 9x

Seal Energy into Lower Belly

Bow to the practices and fellow students : ). Smile.