Qigong for a Clear Mind

A routine to help clear the mind and bring you more fully into the present moment.
KNOCKING ON THE GATE OF LIFE
Opens the spine, gently relaxes all the joints and brings a flash of energy to the whole system. Keep the arms loose and relaxed so that they naturally swing out with the turn of the waist.
The fists are loose, knocking on the belly and the Gate of Life point on the lower back, and then on the lung points on the front of the shoulders.
SWINGING ARMS SIDEWAYS
A medical qigong exercise that expels stagnant energy and brings in fresh new life. Inhale as the arms rise and exhale sharply as they drop down. Again, try to stay relaxed.
TRIPLE WARMER SMOOTHIE
Here we sedate a portion of the triple warmer meridian, which governs our fight-or-flight reflexes and the immune response. It's hard to clear the mind when we're on permanently high alert!
If you find this relaxing, you will probably benefit from doing it daily.
Start with the fingertips on the temples.
Inhale as you draw the fingertips up to the top of the ears, and exhale as you drag them down behind the ears and down the side of the neck to rest on the shoulders.
Inhale, pressing in to the shoulder muscles. Then exhale and release, relaxing your muscles and imagining any stress falling away and into the ground.
CONNECTING HEAVEN AND EARTH
This exercise from the Eight Pieces of Brocade works with the stomach, spleen and pancreas, and clears worry and over-thinking.
Inhale as your hands cross in front of the chest.
Exhale as they separate, palms connecting to the earth and the sky. The head turns as the hands separate. You may want to use the healing sound 'Hoooo' - a gentle sigh, like blowing out a candle.
EXPANDING THE CHI
Here we focus on the energy in the dantien at the belly, becoming more centred.
PUSHING THE CHI - FORWARDS, SIDEWAYS AND ACROSS
A great exercise for anxious or racing thoughts, clearing anger as well as worry. It's a yin breath exercise - we breathe in, breathe out and then hold the breath at the bottom of the exhale.
Inhale as the palms come up to the front of the shoulders.
Exhale as they push away. Imagine you are pushing tension and stress out of your system, to dissipate into nature.
Hold the breath at the bottom of the exhale as the hands fall back to the sides.
EXPANDING THE CHI
Again returning to our central store of chi.
EMBRACE TIGER, RETURN TO MOUNTAIN
This move symbolises our chi reaching out into the world to create, and then coming back to stillness and rest. The balance of action and rest is central to qigong.
Exhale, clearing out old or stagnant energy as your palms separate.
Inhale, bringing energy up from the earth to the heart.
Exhale, giving that energy out at the heart.
Inhale as the hands come up, bringing the energy out into the world.
Exhale as the hands fall back to stillness at your side, returning to the mountain.
BRINGING DOWN THE HEAVENS
The downward flow of chi is stabilising and grounding.
Inhale as the hands rise, bringing earth energy to the heart.
Exhale, releasing anything you do not need as the palms turn over.
Inhale, lifting the hands and gathering energy from the sky.
Exhale and bring that heavenly energy flowing down through every cell.
COMPLETION
One hand over the other on the belly as we absorb the benefits of our practice.
Thanks for practising with me. Wishing you a great day or evening ahead :)
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ABOUT AMANDA
I've been practising tai chi, qigong and meditation for 25 years now. I love to share these techniques. They are truly awesome.