Phoenix Spreads Its Wings
This Qi Gong posture comes from a form called the Shaolin Neigong, which was developed by monks in China at around 65 A.D. It was originally developed as part of a fighting technique, but it was subsequently realised that such postures brought internal health to particular organs and systems in the body. Many of these postures activate specific acupuncture points.
STARTING POSTURE
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Toes are turned inward and the foot grips the floor as the knees twist outward (think of a bird perched securely on a branch). At the same time, the inner thighs grip inward as if holding a beach ball between them and the perineum (the area between the anus and the testicles) is tensed upwards. The intention of this is that you feel deeply rooted to the ground.
The palms of the hands face downwards and are parallel with the floor, behind the body with the elbows slightly bent. The hands should form an equilateral triangle with a point on the lower abdomen three finger-widths below the umbilicus.
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Begin from the starting posture. Inhaling, move hands upwards to form a cross in front of the chest so that the fingers are pointing upwards and the back of the hands facing each other.
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Exhaling, push outwards from a point in the middle of each palm (so that the arms move in a sideways arc), fingers still pointing upwards.
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Inhaling, bring both arms back to again form the cross in front of the chest
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Exhaling, let palms return downwards to the original starting posture
This Qi Gong posture opens up the chest to keep everything flowing in that area and prevent any blockages. It also strengthens both the lungs and the heart on an energetic level.
Try to do this for 3-4 minutes twice a day.
It is important that you simply breath normal – i.e. don’t take big exaggerated breaths. Match the speed of the movements to the speed of your breaths, not the other way.
