Ending Closing of qigong practice

[Sascha]

Hello

I've looked at Qi Gong material from various authors.

Most of the ones I've seen make the point that Qi Gong practice should be closed/ended by putting one hand over the other at the Lower Dan Tien, and then circling the hand in concentric circles first 36 times outward in one direction (eg clockwise) and then 24 times inward in the opposite direction (eg counterclockwise). Directions and hand placements are subject to your gender.

The purpose of this is said to be: to collect excess Qi at the Lower Dan Tien where it can be stored without causing harm.

While Dr Yang acknowledges many times in his books that excess qi can harm the organs, he has not -to my knowledge- spoken about this closing technique.

Questions:
1. Does Dr Yang infact mention this technique in any of his books ? Which one(s) ? In Association with what techniques (eg. Grand Circulation, Tai Chi ...)? If not, how does Dr Yang fine tune/ballance the Yin and Yang ?
2. Can anyone practicing this technique cast any more light on what the components do exactly (eg. my assumption is: circling outward gathers qi; circling inward concentrates it).
3. What do people who practice this feel ? ie. anything other than hands rubbing the belly
4. Has anyone tried this technique internally (ie. via moving qi by mind) around the Real Lower Dan Tien (RLDT) (for more info on the RLDT, see "Embryonic Breathing" by Dr Yang).

Thank you very muchly in advance for any insights you can offer.

Sascha

[yeniseri]

Sascha,

Shougong (endong routine) is basic to all qigong methods.

One generally rubs hands together, then put at qihai for a certain time period. After that time, dry wash face, neck, etc.
Some do include guanqi (stomach circles) as part of closing routine.

[Dvivid]

One note: if ever circling on the belly at YMAA, we generally move the hands in a clockwise circle. This is the direction of the digestive system. Reversing it can cause stagnation.

Usually at the end of a qigong set, we cool down and return the Qi to the lower dan tian. Putting the mind in the dan tian and keeping it there for a few minutes (or all day ideally*) is the way to bring Qi there and keep it there.

Where ever the mind stops within the body, Qi stagnates.

*Ideally, all YMAA students are doing reverse abdominal breathing all day, every day, with the mind residing in both the upper and lower dan tian simultaneously. Right?! Right??!

Except at bedtime, then you can switch to Buddhist breathing to relax.

Until midnight, that is! And then all YMAA students are back to reverse abdominal embryonic breathing for their midnight meditation session, when the hormones are at their most active! Right everyone??!

Unless you're not yet seeking enlightenment, and then you'd BEST be sleeping several hours before midnight to make the most of the activity in your glands.

[scramasax57]

i actually do reverse abdominal breathing pretty much constantly. i started trying to do it all the time to get comfortable with it a few years ago, now i just do it naturally. although my mind does wander from the dan tien...