Waking Energy 7 Timeless Practices Designed to Reboot Your Body and Unleash Your Potential
and life-force awakening that he did. Nothing shows you the path to yourself or your place in nature and the universe as well as qigong does. It is one of the most potent outlets and vehicles for catharsis you likely have ever experienced. A treasure trove of riches, this is the practice that started it all for me, and the one that inspired the name of this book. With the Awaken and Play practice, you’ll greet yourself and say, “Hello, body!” In the process, you’ll cultivate an entirely new love for yourself as well as a newfound respect and appreciation for energy in the world around you. Awaken and Play takes you back to your innocent beginnings of boundless energy and unfettered joy. Let it be a return to the source wisdom you came into the world with as a child. With Awaken and Play, the Waking Energy Way comes to life. It begins here. In this sacred flow, qigong represents the energy of morning. The sun is now rising over the dew-covered fields of your internal landscape, and you’re about to learn how to capture and cultivate this precious nectar. Birds are singing for you as you embark on a journey filled at every turn with surprises. It is just as the ancient Chinese sage Lao Tzu said: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” Your first step will be to align your being with your breath. With the breath, a veritable river of energy will start to move inside you—and in this chapter you’ll learn how to consciously direct this flow. Your body is a miracle, a gift, a wonderland, a sacred temple. It is your soul’s temporal playground, a cosmos in miniature. Your body is a powerful vehicle for healing and empowerment that already naturally possesses the intuitive knowledge of what to do to restore your innocence and zest for life, once it is presented with the right tools. Welcome to Wonderland! the awaken and play practice TIME OF DAY: Morning or evening QUALITY: Yin and yang SUBTLE ENERGY: Opens, stimulates, and harmonizes meridians and related organ systems. BENEFITS: Activates life-force centers, optimizes all physical systems, creates smooth skin, improves endocrine and metabolic health, and strengthens the body overall. The Practice Opening the Gates Standing Meditation Opening the Energy Gates Meeting the Chi Collecting the Chi Swimming in the Sea of Chi Love Thyself Shake It Up to Wake It Up Ringing the Temple Gong Upper Torso Rounds Hip Circles Celestial Shampoo
Waking the Roots Eyebrow Press Jaw Massage Ear Love Wind-Palace Massage Arm Clap and Brush Tiger-Claws Thymus Tap True Mind Treasure Riding the Roller Coaster Making Nice Door-of-Life Love Tap Hindquarter Love Tap Hip Love Up and Down the Jing Channels Blossoming Open Wing-Tip Flex Goddess Breaths Before You Begin Before we discuss the exercises, let’s go over some essential qigong elements that will help to maximize your practice. First of all, I’d like to suggest that whenever possible, you find a beautiful spot outdoors to practice, so that you can be in direct contact with nature. I also recommend wearing comfortable shoes and loose-fitting clothing made from soft natural fibers, such as cotton or hemp, as these best conduct the flow of chi. energy centers Sea of Chi: Also called the Lower Elixir Field, the Sea of Chi is located two inches below the navel on the front of your body. It houses your prenatal chi and is the original furnace of all energy-cultivation efforts, the most vital center where all roads lead for good health and longevity. Door of Life: Also called the Gate of Destiny or ming men, the Door of life is located between the third and fourth lumbar vertebrae of the spine, just beneath and between the kidneys, directly opposite the navel center. This energy center is associated with three powerful meridian points; two connect to the Conception Vessel, which is the primary meridian that runs through the front of the body and is related to reproduction, and one connects to the Governing Vessel, the meridian that runs through the back and governs something called wei chi, or protective chi. The Door of Life is a pivotal stop along the microcosmic orbit route (the circuit through which energy encircles our torso and mimics the shape of an embryo). It’s essential in the nurturing of one of our most important energy sources in our body, prenatal chi. Middle Earth: Also known as the Middle Elixir Field or the Crimson Palace, Middle Earth is located at the level of the heart and corresponds to the solar plexus and thymus gland. Roof of the Mouth: Located just behind the two top front teeth (the que qiao point), the Roof of the Mouth is also called the Switching Point. Touching the tip of the tongue to this spot completes the circuit of energy between the two main meridian channels in the body, the Conception Vessel and the Governing Vessel. When you become more practiced in the movements, you can apply this as an extra challenge and means of cultivating energy. Crystal Palace: The Crystal Palace, or Upper Elixir Field, is the region of the brain in the middle of the skull that holds the pineal gland
- Page 7 and 8: away any last trace of the pain. In
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<strong>Waking</strong> the Roots<br />
Eyebrow Press<br />
Jaw Massage<br />
Ear Love<br />
Wind-Palace Massage<br />
Arm Clap <strong>and</strong> Brush<br />
Tiger-Claws Thymus Tap<br />
True Mind Treasure<br />
Riding the Roller Coaster<br />
Making Nice<br />
Door-of-Life Love Tap<br />
Hindquarter Love Tap<br />
Hip Love<br />
Up <strong>and</strong> Down the Jing Channels<br />
Blossoming Open<br />
Wing-Tip Flex<br />
Goddess Breaths<br />
Before You Begin<br />
Before we discuss the exercises, let’s go over some essential qigong elements that will help <strong>to</strong><br />
maximize your practice. First of all, I’d like <strong>to</strong> suggest that whenever possible, you find a beautiful<br />
spot outdoors <strong>to</strong> practice, so that you can be in direct contact with nature. I also recommend wearing<br />
comfortable shoes <strong>and</strong> loose-fitting clothing made from soft natural fibers, such as cot<strong>to</strong>n or hemp, as<br />
these best conduct the flow of chi.<br />
energy centers<br />
Sea of Chi: Also called the Lower Elixir Field, the Sea of Chi is located two inches below the navel on the front of your body. It houses<br />
your prenatal chi <strong>and</strong> is the original furnace of all energy-cultivation efforts, the most vital center where all roads lead for good health <strong>and</strong><br />
longevity.<br />
Door of Life: Also called the Gate of Destiny or ming men, the Door of life is located between the third <strong>and</strong> fourth lumbar vertebrae of<br />
the spine, just beneath <strong>and</strong> between the kidneys, directly opposite the navel center. This energy center is associated with three powerful<br />
meridian points; two connect <strong>to</strong> the Conception Vessel, which is the primary meridian that runs through the front of the body <strong>and</strong> is<br />
related <strong>to</strong> reproduction, <strong>and</strong> one connects <strong>to</strong> the Governing Vessel, the meridian that runs through the back <strong>and</strong> governs something called<br />
wei chi, or protective chi. The Door of Life is a pivotal s<strong>to</strong>p along the microcosmic orbit route (the circuit through which energy encircles<br />
our <strong>to</strong>rso <strong>and</strong> mimics the shape of an embryo). It’s essential in the nurturing of one of our most important energy sources in our body,<br />
prenatal chi.<br />
Middle Earth: Also known as the Middle Elixir Field or the Crimson Palace, Middle Earth is located at the level of the heart <strong>and</strong><br />
corresponds <strong>to</strong> the solar plexus <strong>and</strong> thymus gl<strong>and</strong>.<br />
Roof of the Mouth: Located just behind the two <strong>to</strong>p front teeth (the que qiao point), the Roof of the Mouth is also called the Switching<br />
Point. Touching the tip of the <strong>to</strong>ngue <strong>to</strong> this spot completes the circuit of energy between the two main meridian channels in the body, the<br />
Conception Vessel <strong>and</strong> the Governing Vessel. When you become more practiced in the movements, you can apply this as an extra<br />
challenge <strong>and</strong> means of cultivating energy.<br />
Crystal Palace: The Crystal Palace, or Upper Elixir Field, is the region of the brain in the middle of the skull that holds the pineal gl<strong>and</strong>
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