Chinese medicine practitioners have used QI Gong, which means “Qi cultivation”, for centuries to boost the immune system, regulate Qi flow, balance energy and emit energy for healing others. It is a simple effective system that when done consistently can offer great benefit over time. The following exercise, known as “Standing like a Tree” or “Bear” has been a favorite of mine for preventing illness during the winter months, as well as bolstering the immune system when you are feeling under the weather.
INSTRUCTION:
Posture: Stand with your legs shoulder width apart. Knees should be slightly bent. Tuck your pelvis and your chin so that your spine becomes straight (imagine a straight line from the top of your head traveling down through the spine, through the anus, down the medial aspect of your legs to the sole of your feet). Shoulders are back and down. Most of your weight is on the balls of your feet, but the whole foot rests on the floor. Lightly grip the floor with your toes. Imagine you are hugging a tree and lift your arms to the level of your navel. Middle fingers are pointed toward each other and your gaze can focus between the space of the fingers toward the floor.
Breath-work: Place the tip of the tongue on the roof of the mouth just behind the teeth. Breathe in and out naturally, filling the space between your navel and pubic bone. Slowly begin filling up this space on the inhale, hold for a quick beat at the top of the inhale and slowly, release the tongue, part the lips and gently release the breath out of the mouth. Repeat 5- 10 times and then come back to your normal breathing. Your goal is to stand like this for 10-20 minutes. Begin with 1-2 minutes and build from there. You may notice that you sweat or your body shakes, all of which are normal reactions. Doing this practice daily can boost your immune system and keep you healthy all year round.
Advanced Breath-work: The breath can be a resource and it can be a source of anxiety for many. The way I teach my clients how to breath is through somatic relationship to areas that can be sourced as fe, good or neutral sensations. While standing like a tree, start at the top of your head, placing the tip of the tongue to the roof of the mouth, begin by scanning the body from the top of the head and moving through the sense organs and then down the body part by part until you can connect with an are that is ready more positive. It can be as small as a pinpoint on the tip of your pinky, there are no rules, just to focus on a sensation that is neutral, good or pleasurable. Once you have found something to focus on, spend about 10 breaths there, getting curious and potentially experiencing the heightening or dulling of the sensation, let the breath stay slow and even throughout.