Waking the Qi

Book excerpt: Qi is the energy of life. Where qi flows there is health, vitality, strength, and wellbeing. Unfortunately, for various reasons this 'qi' can become inactive in people, like going to sleep. This can be due to stress, injury, ill health, long periods of inactivity and other factors. When this happens, the energy withdraws to the centre and it is much harder to identify and feel its flow. Weakness, sickness, injury, general illness, and low energy results. Waking the Qi presents a series of twenty qigong exercises designed to activate your life force energy and get it flowing through your body again. When the qi is flowing, not only are you healthier, stronger and feel better, but you can also actually feel your living energy more easily. This makes it easier for you to get the benefits fromTaiji (Tai Chi), Qigong, and other energy arts you may practice, as when you can actually feel your energy you are more able to assess whether your practice is achieving its intended results, and make changes as necessary. In Waking the Qi, the role of the Mind, Body, and Breath is explained for each exercise so that students can gain a practical understanding of what they are doing and how it works. The practices in this book are particularly useful for anyone who has become weak and debilitated from prolonged illness, has a stiff or sore back and neck, weak legs, suffers from stress and anxiety, wants a stronger immune system, better digestion, improved circulation, easier breathing, or simply to have more energy. Whatever your circumstances waking your qi is sure to enhance your health, vitality, and awarenes of your own energy.