Quotes like ‘sinking the Chi’ can be obscure so the following is a a practical example to help you understand and feel the concept.

I regularly practice a Chi Kung technique which  I call ‘Shaky’.

I stand in the ‘embrace the tree’ posture.

Then I shake my entire body for 60 seconds.

This sounds easy but it is very demanding. After about 30 seconds it’s normal to breathe heavily and feel tension in the arms and the shoulders.

When I start to feel these sensations I ‘sink the chi’ so I can remain calm for the entire 60 seconds and get a proper work out.

Here’s how Ido it.

I focus on visualising, dissolving the chi down to my tan tien and keeping it there.

If the chi rises I repeat the process until I reach my target of 60 seconds.

This simple technique is important in any cardiovascula Tai Chi workouts such as weapons, self defence and general repetitive movements.

So if you are on shaky grounds, don’t forget to sink the chi.

I’ve trained with Western doctors who believed in Chi.

And I’ve read about a Tai Chi master who doesn’t believe in Chi.

Is Chi real?

Well, I can’t prove it exist. And it doesn’t matter if Chi exists, technically anyway.

To me the concept of Chi is more valuable rather than proving its existence.

And the way to understand the concept of Chi is to reflect on the philosophy of Tai Chi and practice the movements.

When this is done over a period of time you will then be able to ‘feel’ the Chi ‘regardless of whether it exists or not’.

One of the Chi Kung techniques I use occassionally to energise my body and calm my mind is what I call  ’360 degree breathing’.

You can do this skill either lying down, sitting or standing.

Here’s how it works;

• Take a deep breathe and imagine you are breathing in good Chi inside every cell of your body
• Breathe out slowly and imagine you are breathing out negative Chi (toxins or negative thoughts or feelings)
• Do at least 8 repetitions to start with and build to whatever is comfortable for you
• relax your breathing – make it natural – don’t force it

A very simple technique that with practice will give you a quick way of feeling good and staying focused when you need to.

As part of my overall training I do about ten minutes of sitting meditation each day.

I do it for two reasons;

1. it enables me to calm my mind
2. it gives my wonky knees a rest from the more physical training I do

When I do this meditation I spend two minutes on the ‘inner smile’, three minutes on ‘dissolving’ and five minutes on focusing on my tan tien.

Here’s how to do it;

1. sit on the edge of the chair
2. relax the shoulders
3. Imagine a string attached to your head, gently pulling you straight up
4. feet shoulder width apart and flat on the flloor
5. Hands resting on the knees
6. Breathe slowly, deeply and comfortably

Although I combine my sitting meditation with other techniques,  it is okay to sit there and just meditate.

Have a go and let me know how you feel afterwards.

The inner smile is an effective way of reducing tension in the body and the face.

I use a simplified version of the  ‘inner smile’ technique as part of my training.

It can be done either sitting or standing.

Here’s how to to do it;

• align your body correctly
• breathe slowly and deeply
• slightly raise the corners of your mouth to form a smile
• guide the chi (energy) from the smile to any tense areas of the body or face
• Feel the chi dissolve any tension

The benefits of the inner smile are;

• in training – stops you from grimacing which can lead to tension and poor performance of your skills
• in general – makes you feel good and sends out good chi to people you commincate with

So don’t forget, put a smile on your dial with your inner smile!

Source: Tai Chi tip #9

Many years ago I attended a Chi Kung workshop and the teacher did a move which was similar to the opening posture of my Wu Style Tai Chi form.

He said, ‘It took me twenty years to understand this move.’

I thought, ‘You have got to be joking! What’s so hard about lifting your arms up and down?’

What I didn’t realise at the time was that my mind was wading in shallow depths.

I did not understand that  a simple move in Tai Chi often requires a depth of understanding which can be only achieved through years of thought, discussion and practice.

This understanding is like going on a journey of;

• simplicity
• complication
• new found simplicity

So if your mind is wading in shallow depths when learning ‘simple’ movements allow yourself to go on this journey without any preconceived ideas.

Then you will be able to discover the depth and essence of a particular movement.

Heel breathing is a good energiser.

It can be done either sitting down or standing up.

I normally practice it sitting down as part of a series of chi kung exercises I do.

Sometimes I do it standing, whenever I need an energy boost.

Here’s how to do heel breathing.

1. Imagine you are drawing breath from your bubbling wells, acupuncture points located in the soles of your feet.
2. Keep inhaling and draw the breath/chi up through your body until it reaches to the top of your head.
3. Then exhale and guide the breath/chi down through the body to the bottom of your feet.

Footnote: Expanded from Tai Chi Tip #35 – I discovered this technique several years ago while reading ‘Complete Tai Chi’ by Master Alfred Huang.

Just had an insightful lesson in Tai Chi from Hershey.

A lesson in how to sink your Chi effortlessly (how to become more grounded).

There were no words spoken. I simply lifted Hershey up of the ground and she demonstrated how ‘to sink the chi.’

Hershey the cat (pictured) is a Tonkinese.

You see, when I try and pick Hershey up, she automatically sinks her body to the ground. But she only sinks according to how much effort I put into lifting her. If I pause she pauses, if I lift she sinks.

Her movements and stillness are similar to the the feelings I get when I do Push Hands with a human. Only with Hershey those feelings are somehow more sensitive and alive.

Maybe I should Push Paws with Hershey and learn even more.

I’m sure she will teach me (because I feed her).