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Body Through Art

This practice consists of moving energy through the whole body – not through specific channels but rather through the body as an entire field. There are two parts: the first is to draw energy in through the crown center at the top of the head, bring it down into the torso, and then down through the legs and out into the earth. The second part brings the energy up through the feet, through the legs into the torso and then up into the head and shoulders. Then down through the arms and out through the palms. You can practice one part and then the other or on alternate days – doesn't really matter but try to give time for practice of both forms.

Posture: Both practices are best done in a chair – choose a chair that is high enough so that your legs form a right angle at the knee. Sit forward on the chair using just the front third or so. Keep your spine straight and your chin pointed downward a bit. Place your hands on your thighs with the palms facing up. Place your feet on the ground. Close your eyes. Breathing should be deep and slow – each breath in or out should take around 3 seconds at least. Generally stay relaxed but with focused attention. With both exercises keep strong attention on directing the energy in a slow sweeping movement. When moving the energy through the body – I find it helps to imagine it as a wave front that sweeps up and fills the body, or like water filling up or pouring down through a vessel. Maintain as strong an attention on feeling the energy as you can. In the beginning it will often be felt as cold, warm, tingly, or fuzzy sensations. Just go with what ever sensations there are.

Points (as in acupuncture points referenced): yongquan

Part 1 – active phase Imagine that your feet are deep in the ground and that your head is up in the sky. Keep an open awareness where you allow yourself, the earth, and the sky to melt together. As you breath in, imagine the chi of the universe flowing down through the top of your head and into your torso. As you breath out, direct the chi down through your legs, feet, and out through the yongquan points in the feet and out into the earth.

Part 2 – active phase As you breath in, imagine earth chi coming up through the yongquan points in your feet and up through your legs, torso and into your shoulders and head. As you breath out, allow the energy to flow down through the shoulders, arms, hands and out through the palms.

Both forms - passive phase After practicing for 20 minutes or so, just sit keeping your attention on the over all sense of energy flowing through the body. Allow it to flow on its own. Maintain this for as long as you like but try for at least 10 minutes. The body energy can be quite pleasurable in this phase so just enjoy if that comes up for you.

If you have any questions or suggestions with this excercise just send me a message. -Chuck

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