Warming Up

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Silk Reeling - Master Jesse Tsao

Where the mind goes, the chi follows.” Hand Silk Reeling promotes Qi (Chi) Circulation. Qi = Vital energy. Bend knees, relax, imagine roots under your feet, you are glued to the floor.
Closing the Kua – Kua has been translated as the inguinal canal and appears where the thigh joins the pelvis.

Warming up

• Calf stretching exercise.
• Try to keep your body balanced and relaxed.
• Keep your breathing deep.
• Check your posture and correct your stance.
• No strain should be felt. Stop if you feel pain.
• Correct your posture or stance.
• Less effort is better.
• Moving should be natural and easy.

Feet with shoulder-width apart:

• Feel the weight, that should be equal in both legs. Distribute the weight over the 9 points of the feet.
• The human body is like a tree: the roots are in the feet; torso and legs are the trunk, arms are the branches.
• Feet support the body and connect it to the Earth Force. Each toe has a point underneath (5), there are 2 points on each side of the front of the feet (2) and one, in the middle of them, slightly inferior that is called the “Bubbling Spring Point. (1)” The picture is copyright, but you can see it in the above site. I do not endorse any products or sites, but, I try to find sites that are secure. The last point is in the ball of your feet (K-I).
•  Stand with feet together and balanced. Relax and adjust until you feel no tension.
• Imagine you have a balloon on top of your head that keeps your back straight and your chin up.
• Sink down and feel your spine. Be aware of every cell in your body. Feel comfortable.
• Lift your left heel and shift your weight to the right leg.
• Step out with your left leg and transfer your weight until is balanced.
• Your knees should be flexed and your toes should be pointing slightly out to the corners.

Basic Forms -- Tai Chi Chuan - 24 movements.

  In 1956, China Sports Commission brought a form of simplified Tai Chi Chuan with the aim to standardize and popularize it. It is known as Tai Chi Chuan - Sequence 24 Beijing (Beijing) or Continental.

Taijiquan Simplified 24 movements

Center 3 times

• Inhale, as you lift your arms to the sides, pick up an imaginary balloon full of Chi that is high, on top of your head.
• Exhale, as you bring it slowly down.  Holding it, palms facing each other, bring it down near your face, chest, and stop just under your belly button at the Dan T’ien (approx. 2 1/2 Inches below your navel).

Close

• Separate your hands (palm down), pull them floating slightly up extending your fingers softly, sink down and press your hands down.
• Stop at the Dan T’ien.
• Follow the movement with your eyes.
• Visualize the energy flowing.
• Movement should be round.

Six Healing Sounds
True Taoists were close to nature, balance and flow. Before the teachings degenerated into a religion, meditation, slow exercise and healing sounds were used.
Concentrate in the Dan T’ien and from there, bring up the sound while moving. After you master this, you can concentrate in each corresponding organ.

• HO (Heart)
• HU (Spleen)
• Szu (Liver) – like in shoe
• Hsu (Lungs) – like in Chu
• Hsi (corresponds to the 3 “Heaters,” located below the navel, in the abdomen and between the eyes). Like She.
• Chui (Kidneys) – like in Choo-eee

Movement – Center – Commence Movement: 
Step left ft. to the side, while bringing both hands palm down, fingers relaxed. Pick both arms to the chest. Separate the hands slightly and push down, w. the palms, to the Dan T’ien.

1. Step forward with the R foot-pushing R hand (with the palm, not the fingers). Placing your foot heel first always. From the Dan T’ien breath the sound: “HO“, visualize. Bring weight back, not the leg.
2. Push both hands forward, while visualizing the D.T., breath the sound HU. Exchanging weight as you go forward.
3. Push both hands to the side, palms facing Left, while bringing the L leg to the L side (parallel feet). As if you were “cleaning your table” (house) with your palms. From the R. to the L., exchanging weight, ending with the L leg rooted (with all the weight). Do this, as you visualize and breath SZU.
4. Push L foot fw. pushing L hand. From D.T., visualize and breath the sound HSU. Exchange weight, not leg.
5. Push both hands fw. From D.T., visualize and breath sound HSI.
6. Push both hands palms facing right to the right side, while bringing R. leg forward parallel to the L. Clean your table from L to R while breathing sound CHUI, exchange weight, clean table L. to R., etc., do this total of 5 times.

“Cleaning Table” is a movement from side to side, palms facing to the side you are going. Feet pointing corners, shoulders w. apart or more, bending knees and pushing the coxis or tail bone. Exchange weight at the end of each side. Exhale as you go L, inhale as you go R. The table represents your house, your life. Each time you push your hands you are getting rid of those things you don’t need in your life. Let go and “clean your table.”

The rest of the movements: exhale as you push fw., inhale as you bring the movement back.

Eight Pieces of Brocade video by taichitsao
Slk/like movements to move the energy and improve health.

• Shuang Shou Tuo Tian – Hold up the Heavens – Stimulates the Sanjiao Meridian, also called the “Triple Warmer.” Pay special attention to your breathing. Inhale as you lift your arms slowly, exhale as you go down. The movement is similar as the Two Full Moons, except that the hands are next to each other.
• Drawing the Bow to Shoot the Hawk – Exercises the waist area, kidneys and spleen. Special attention to the arm next to your body; turn the palm and “brush” the arm, then extend it. Follow the movement with your eyes. Breath; inhale as you cross your arms.
• Separate Heaven and Earth – Stimulates the stomach. Special attention to the palm; it goes underneath the elbow before it goes down. Breath. Don’t lock the elbows.
• Wise Owl Gazes Backwards – Stretches the neck and presses lymph nodes. Don’t lock the knees.
• Sway the Head – Regulates function of the heart and lungs by removing excess xin huo or heat. Look from side to side, moving your head.
• Two Hands Hold the Feet – Strengthens kidneys. Inhale as you go up; exhale as you go down. Start with a triangle at the Dan T’ien.
• Clench the Fists and Glare Fiercely – Punching movement, increases strength and drains lymph nodes. Important: exagerate opening the eyes when you see to the front. You shouldn’t see your knuckles.
• Bouncing on the Toes – Moves the Qi or Chi.

Cleaning Table - The table represents your life. Past life, going one way and present as you clean to the other side. When you “swipe” your table, mentally get rid of all the things that bother you; excess baggage, sickness, bad habits, bad choices, etc. Visualize, let go and forgive yourself of the things you have done in the past and the present. Letting go is very important. Don’t complicate your life or the life of anyone else; and don’t let others complicate it.
Moving Clouds - The hand that is in front of your face is a mirror. You are looking at your palm; at a mirror. You are looking at the inside of you, not your face, but your inside. While the opposite hand is “cleaning the table” and getting rid of all those things that are holding you back in your life.

Pay attention in both exercises to your breathing, changing of the weight and palm or palms facing to the side. These exercises are great for flexibility, visualization and strength. Follow the movements with your eyes.

• Try to have a stress-free life, if possible. Imagine what you want to be and then strive to get it.
• Live today, in the moment, here and now.
• Let go of the past;
• Forgive yourself for what you did or said or what you didn’t do or said.

09.14. Class – Mudrās, the ritual gestures, sometimes involve the entire body. Most of them are performed with the hands and fingers. Used in several disciplines and rituals, in QiGong we use them as an energetic seals, together with visualization and breathing to move the flow of Qi (Chi). In China, the name changes to Yin. There are more than 100 mudrās.

Exercise with or without the ball

• Exercise with ball – Chair – Sit at the edge, hold ball in front of you, place one hand on top and one at the bottom, make an eight (horizontal) turning the ball on the sides, as your hands turn. Coil arms, back straight, breath.
• Ball on the back – Standing straight, place ball between wall and your back, bend knees and exhale as you go down; inhale as you stand up straight.
• Place ball between your hands while your back is pressing the wall. Lift ball on top of your head. Inhale as you lift your arms, exhale as you go down. Stand straight. Hold the ball high on top of your head for a moment.

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