Qi Gong Practiced With Reiki

Qi gong is a part of my daily practice as well as Reiki. I started to put them together honestly speaking, to save some time during my practice. I noticed that this connection empowers both practices - my qi gong as well as Reiki flow. Over this year I will share in the Reiki Sharing bio-monthly e-newsletter some movements, meditations, visualizations and breathing as practiced in Qi gong. You will find couple of movements, meditations in every e-newsletter and if you feel that this is helping you in self-healing, self-growing, I would recommend then to practice those exercises over months till you really get them at the deep level. Most teachers would recommend to learn a few exercises at a deep level than to learn all the exercises at a lower level. Also, my teacher who introduced me to qi gong, Dr. Colbey Forman, asked me not to play with Reiki energy at the begging but rather to learn more and play with my own chi and only add Reiki when I will be really ready for it.

There are many types of qi gong - some teachers would say that there are thousands of them.
I will share two styles which I practice - some movements from Ba Duan Jin and some from Yi Jin Jing.
Those exercises are much more than only physical movements.
The main purpose of them is to improve the amount of the flow of chi (the vital energy) in the body which is self-healing art by itself.
* The exercises are simple and can be practiced by anyone at any age.
* If you can not do them in the standing position, do while sitting on a chair with straight back and both feet on the floor.
* If you are a Reiki Practitioner, try for the first month or so using only your own energy, play with your chi. When you feel that your chi is flowing nicely then you might add Reiki energy to those movements. I am a qi gong student myself and I do realize that many teachers will disagree with adding Reiki energy to the qi gong practice. So if you don't feel comfortable with this new concept please stick to practicing qi gong with your own chi and you will experience wonders.
* Set aside about 10 minutes at the begging for qi gong practice.
* Choose a place when you won't have any distractions and where is nice flow of energy - outdoors will be a great place to do the practice also.
* Be mindful and aware of your own energy.
* Have some fun while doing those movements without forcing yourself. You might notice that your body, your hands will take you for a ride after some time of practicing it. Just lovingly listen to them.

This month I will start from a very simple breathing exercise and one of the movement which is called Holding the Tree and according to some teachers this exercise by itself can increase your energy flow amazingly while doing it for at least 30 minutes a day. We will start from 2-5 minutes and extend to 10 minutes after days of practice.

In many practice the breath is as essential as an exercise itself. In qi gong also you breathe in and out according to the movements you are doing. Each form or practice has got it's own method of breathing. Here we will practice the type called Abdominal Breathing. According to Chinese (where qi gong originally is coming from), the breathing energy should circulate back and forth between the nose and the abdomen.
In qi gong practice usually one does few minutes of meditation before or after the exercise/s.

ABDOMINAL BREATHING

You might practice it while lying down or sitting on the chair with your back straight.

* Bring your attention to your abdomen - you might even put your hands on it or a book to see its natural rise and fall.
* Breathe in and let that breath feel your whole chest, your abdominal, and be aware of your abdominal rising. Now slowly let the energy out when breathing out and be aware of your abdominal falling.
* After few minutes of doing that you will feel much more relaxed and peaceful.
* Let your body get used to it and after some time it might become a natural way to breath for
relaxing and recharging yourself with vital energy during the day.

COUNTING MEDITATION

After mastering the abdominal breathing you might want to go to another level.
This meditation might be practiced while lying down or sitting on the chair with your back straight.
It involves counting your inhalations and exhalations - one breath in and one breath out are counted as a one.
Start at first with counting 10 - 25 breaths, and then increase to 50, then 75 till you ultimately get to 100 breaths.
Initially, it might be a bit difficult to focus for that long on your breathing, as you might become so relaxed that you lose count of the number. But even then, you will benefit from a deep state of relaxation. When you reach that stage where you will be counting to 100 breaths, your concentration ability will have improved.

HOLDING THE TREE

It is an amazing exercise for strengthening your whole body, increasing your sensitivity and awareness to the energy movements inside and outside yourself, relaxing your mind. Even two minutes of this movement practicing daily will do wonders for your body and mind.

* Stand up with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, back straight, relaxed spine.
* Gently raise your arms in front of you, as if you were holding a good size tree.
* Hands are spread flat, with your palms toward you and your fingers gently apart, not touching the other hand.
* Look straight ahead of you, eyes could be gently closed, that might help you to feel energy movement better.
* Clear your mind, relax your body, be sensitive to the energies and emotions you feel, let go of any thoughts if they come and make your mind silence.
* Feel like a beautifully grounded tree, one with the nature, one with all positive energies.
* Stand in this position for 2 minutes at the beginning to 10 minutes if that will feel comfortable.
* Breathe naturally abdominal breathing.

HOLDING THE TREE
For REIKI PRACTITIONERS & ENERGY WORKERS

When you feel that you increased enough your sensitivity and awareness of your inner energy you might want to
Add something new to it. You might use any healing energy if you are not a Reiki Practitioner. Intention counts.

1)
* Stand in Holding the Tree movement, breathe gently, clear your mind, relax your body.
* When you breathe in - ask Reiki Energy to enter your body (Reiki is always with you, you are asking for more increased flow of it).
* Feel the energy entering your body and swirling inside you when you breathe out.
* Let Reiki cleanse all your organs, cells, tissues etc
* Do it for couple of minutes to 5 minutes or longer.

2)
* After 5 minutes - keep the same position.
* Keep breathing in Reiki and feeling it inside your body.
* When you breathe out - breathe out Reiki outside your body, breathe out Reiki to your aura.
* Fill your aura with this beautiful energy.
* Breathe out Reiki to the room and fill the room with this healing energy.
* Breathe out to anyone who needs some healing and fill that person with Reiki Energy.
* Do it for another 5 minutes or longer, if you feel comfortable and relaxed.
* This is a great posture for practicing MICROSMIC ORBIT using Reiki Energy and Symbols.

3)
Another time you might corporate a visualization with this exercise -
Connecting with the Earth and Heaven Energy
* In Holding the Tree position, relax your body and calm your mind.
* Breathe in - visualize the Earth Energy coming to your body through extended legs,
which like roots of trees are going down to the ground.
* Breathe out - swirl the Earth Energy inside your body. Do it couple of times - in and out.
That will increase your connection with Earth, with feeling one with nature, with being grounded.
* Breathe in - visualize Reiki coming to your body from above.
* Breathe out - swirl Reiki Energy inside your body. Do it couple of times - in and out.
* Breathe in - visualize Earth Energy coming to you from the Earth and Reiki coming to you from above.
* Breathe out - let them meet at your heart and allow them to expand your heart...in Love and Light.
Stay in this visualization and position for few minutes.