Some of you may wonder, what is the best way to start a QiGong practice at home?
My best advice is to first determine how much time you can reasonably devote to actually practice. If you can commit to at least 15 minutes each day that’s fine. And of course a bit more time would be better, but it is important to be realistic. You should not put too much pressure on and set yourself up for failure. A consistent 15 minutes spent efficiently should produce results after the first week or so and that positive feedback will self motivate you to continue your practice.
Which exercises should I do daily?
This question has an easy answer. The ones that your remember and the ones that feel good. I start each class stimulating the acupuncture points and meridians either by tapping, patting and self massage, to get the Qi flowing and circulating. Or by the shaking, and twisting movements. You can determine what might feel best at your practice time and then listen to your intuition.
What is the best time of day to practice?
Some of us are morning people and can awaken fifteen minutes earlier than usual to practice. This is good for several reasons. One is that you don’t have to worry about fitting it in later in the day and the awakened life force energy will affect you positively throughout the day. Another reason is that if you are rushed one morning, you can still practice at another time that day and keep your daily consistency.
Others of us are afternoon or evening people. Perhaps if you fit into this category you can do it before dinner or even before going to bed. This may help your sleep patterns by the meditative affect of letting the day’s problems and worries fade away.
So it’s up to you. You can experiment with both and decide which feels better for you.
How can I best remember some of the exercises, forms, or movements that are taught in class?
When I personally go to classes or workshops to learn from Masters or other teachers, I keep a notebook and pen handy so that I can make notes of things that I learn. It’s not always convenient to write or draw pictures during the class, but then I will record my notes as soon after class as possible while my memory is fresh.
I have also always have found that my teachers and Masters are quite willing to answer my questions when I email them. Even the most famous (and busy) of my mentors have been generous with their time and get back to me with detailed answers within one week. I promise to keep that tradition alive by being available to answer questions after all classes and by email.
We are all teaching Qi Gong to disseminate the knowledge, keep the ancient traditions alive and to benefit our students. So feel free to send me any questions. If I don’t readily have an answer, I will consult one of my teachers and do research to assist you.
Keep playing and enjoying the Qi.
Repeat after me, “I am in Qi, and Qi is in me!”
Allen
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