九霄太極
EnergyCultivation
SelfRefinement
Meditation
Lifting & Sinking Exercise
Level 1 – Release and Align
Prepare
Stand with heels together. Bend the legs, sink the body about 2 inches (5cm), concentrate in the soles of the feet.
Lift and sink 3 times (inhale while lifting, exhale while sinking) refining the sinking each time as follows.
Lift
Push the feet against the ground, muscles gently contract, body lifts smoothly, breathe in, Mind rises, listen deeply in the knees, hip-joints, chest, neck and top of the head.
Sink
1.1 Breathe out, Mind sinks deeper, body loosens and falls, Mind descends, listen deeply to the muscles releasing in the face, neck, chest, waist, thighs, calves, feet.
1.2 Breathe out, Mind sinks deeper, body loosens and falls, Mind descends, as muscles release align the spine by opening the back of the neck, chest and lower-back, Mind connects spine down through sacrum to feet, foot pressure appears.
1.3 Breathe out, Mind sinks deeper, body loosens and falls, Mind descends, muscles release, spine aligns, sacrum connects to feet, foot pressure appears, Mind continues into the ground, shoulderblades sink, pelvis rotates under, foot pressure increases.
Reconnect
Gently loosen the legs, return the Mind to the feet, reconnect to the ground.
Level 2 – Pressure and Stretch
Prepare
Concentrate in the soles of the feet.
Lift and sink 3 times (inhale while lifting, exhale while sinking) refining the sinking each time as follows.
Lift
Push the feet against the ground, muscles gently contract, body lifts smoothly, breathe in, Mind rises, listen deeply in the knees, hip-joints, chest, neck and top of the head.
Sink
2.1 Breathe out, Mind sinks deeper, upper-body floats, loosens, aligns, Mind descends to waist, centre begins to fall, Mind continues down to listen for light foot pressure. Centre continues to fall, Mind rises, listen deeply in and around the centre for fullness and pressure. Centre rotates under and presses into ground, listen for pressure increase in lower body.
2.2 Breathe out, Mind sinks deeper, upper-body floats, loosens, aligns, Mind descends to waist, centre begins to fall, Mind continues down to listen for light foot pressure. Centre continues to fall, Mind rises, listen deeply in and around the centre for fullness and pressure. Centre rotates, presses down, shoulderblades sink, listen for pressure increase down to feet and up to head.
2.3 Breathe out, Mind sinks deeper, upper-body floats, loosens, aligns, Mind descends to waist, centre begins to fall, Mind continues down to listen for light foot pressure. Centre continues to fall, Mind rises, listen deeply in and around the centre for fullness and pressure. Centre rotates, presses down, shoulderblades sink, listen for pressure and fullness in and around the body.
Reconnect
Gently loosen the legs, return the Mind to the feet, reconnect to the ground.
Level 3 – Energy Field
Prepare
Body sinks slightly, concentrate on a cloud of light deep in the Earth.
Lift and sink 3 times as follows
Lift
Breathe in, with a strong intention draw light up through the feet to fill the body as it rises.
Release
Breathe out, intention withdraws, Mind releases its hold on the body which floats, loosens, aligns and falls.
Sink
Mind sinks deeper, body falls freely and is forgotten, the light grows stronger inside the body. Mind and light spread to fill the sphere out to arm’s length in all directions
Empty
Listen deeply within the sphere of light, warmth and elastic pressure. In the background the body presses gently onto the ground
Conclusion
Return the body to its normal height, concentrate in the sphere of light, warmth and awareness.
Condensing Breath
Concentrate in the sphere of light, warmth and awareness that surrounds the body out to arms-length.
Breath in, pull in all points of the sphere, condense it 10cm towards the chest, listen for pressure and fullness.
Breathe out, re-expand the sphere, listen for increased warmth and light.
Repeat twice, then rest quietly in the sphere of light.
Patrick A Kelly, © 9Clouds, Shanghai 2017