What’s the single best health exercise ever invented? The award undoubtedly goes to Lifting the Sky. This amazing Qigong exercise has changed countless lives, including my own.
Lifting the Sky is the first exercise in two of the most famous Qigong sets in the world: The 18 Lohan Hands, taught by the great Bodhidharma, and The 8 Pieces of Brocade taught by General Yue Fe. It’s safe to say that it is the most widely practiced Qigong exercise in the world. And for good reason. It’s awesome.
Eventually, you need to learn this exercise face-to-face from a teacher. That’s because the real secrets are not in the movement, or even the breathing. For example, the secret of energy flow really needs to be learned face-to-face. But in the meantime, it’s safe to try this on your own by following the instructions below.
Practicing Lifting the Sky for about 2 minutes a day is a great habit, and I highly recommend that you implement it. Start by trying to do it every morning for 30 days. You’ll feel great, and you’ll unwind a lot of stress, which is the start of self-healing. To let go of even more stress, make sure to try my free audio lesson.
Just don’t expect to get the same, amazing results that my students get. To get results like that, you need to learn the full 15-minute routine from me face-to-face, or you need to find an instructor. Not what you wanted to hear? Sorry, but it’s the truth, and you’d better get used to that kind of honesty if you’re going to be spending time on my site!
Lifting The Sky – Posture 1
- Your feet are close together.
- Your mouth is gently open.
- Your toes are pointing forward.
- Your hands are relaxed by your sides.
- Your posture is upright but relaxed.
- Your chest is soft and open.
- Your nose is pointing forward.
Lifting The Sky – Posture 2
- Your palms face down toward the ground.
- Your fingers point toward each other.
- Your fingers have some space between them.
- Your arms are as straight as comfortably possible.
- Your neck tilts down, as if looking at the hands.
- Your body remains upright.
- Your shoulders remain relaxed.
- Your jaw is still relaxed.
Lifting The Sky – Posture 3
- Your arms arc up smoothly to the top.
- Your nose follows the movement of the hands.
- Your head ends tilting back comfortably.
- At the top, you lift up gently from your heels to your hands.
- Your arms remain comfortably straight.
- Breathe in gently through the nose as you arc upward.
Lifting The Sky – Posture 4
- Your arms drop smoothly down, like a bird slowly flapping its wings.
- Your wrists are no longer bent.
- Breathe out gently through the mouth as your arms are dropping.
- The neck gradually returns to normal with the nose pointing forward.
- Finish in Posture 1.
- Repeat.
The four postures are not static, of course. There are some slight pauses, but they should flow from one to another. They big secret is to make the exercise as comfortable as possible. If it’s not comfortable, if you’re not enjoying yourself, then you’re not doing it correctly. If you have any questions, then post them in the comments sections below and I’ll get you some answers.
Go ahead and share this page with friends and family. Hopefully, you’ll pique their interest in Qigong and self-healing. Who knows, maybe they’ll get serious about Qigong and make major changes in their health. If so, then it will all trace back to the moment when you shared this page with them! For me, it all traces back to the moment when I found my teacher’s book, so I know it’s totally possible!
Zenfully yours,
Sifu Anthony
Sifu Anthony Korahais used Qigong to overcome clinical depression, aching low-back pain, chronic bronchitis, and a heart murmur. He is the founder and director of the Flowing Zen Center in Gainesville, Florida, and an internationally recognized teacher in the world of energy arts. To contact Sifu Anthony directly, click here.
I don’t know if others appreciate this, but this and your 15-minute routine are invaluable “secrets” that you are sharing and we’re all blessed to have the access you are providing to help us in our own wellness journeys.
Thanks, John!
My question is about “Lifting The Sky”…
I want to embark upon a thirty day commitment, as you’ve suggested, but have a technical question: I was taught to draw my hands (palms facing up) up the front of my body ..with elbows out to each side, and little fingers nearly touching the torso, rather than arcing the hands up with fully extended arms.
The palm turn occurs at the forehead, as in Master Wong’s version, but I was taught a definite “push” at the fully extended point…What do you think? Am I eliminating or reducing the benefits by doing it this way?
Thank you so much for your informative articles and advice.
Lowell Hein
Jensen Beach, FL.
Hi Lowell,
Lifting The Sky is one of the oldest and most widely practiced Qigong exercises out there. So it’s no surprise that there are many different versions of Lifting the Sky.
I have practiced many different versions over the years. Obviously, I believe that our version is the best, which is why I practice it and teach it. But other versions are also good.
If you enjoy the way you were taught, then do that. If you enjoy the way it is described in this article, then do it that. In other words, choose the version that you enjoy best.
Warmly,
Sifu Anthony
Sifu,
Could you touch a little bit on what the purpose of the exercise actually is, and how the benefits are derived?
I understand it’s to “regulate the triple burner”, but that’s Cantonese to me. : )
Thank you, sir.
Lowell
Lifting The Sky is one of the most holistic of all Qigong exercises. The “Triple Burner”, or “San Jiao”, is a complex (and invisible) system in Chinese medical theory. The simple answer is that Lifting The Sky regulates the flow of Qi through the upper, middle, and lower body.
The purpose of Lifting The Sky is to get the energy flowing. Similarly, the benefits are derived from letting the energy flow. My students will know exactly what I’m talking about, but those who have not learned “Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow” from me or my teacher will be a bit confused. This is why it’s so important to learn from a living teacher.
After you finish practicing Lifting The Sky, what do you do, Lowell?
Hi Sifu,
I follow with “Draw The Bow and Release Arrow”, “Separating Heaven And Earth”, “Wise Owl Gazes Backward”, “Punch with Fiery Eyes”,”Big Bear Twists From Side to Side, then ” Hold Feet”, I finish with a few minutes of “holding the urn”, or embrace tree” then seal the dan tien for a minute or two.
Regards,
Lowell
HI Lowell,
That’s a fairly standard approach, but our approach is different. The various exercises, like Lifting The Sky or Separating Heaven and Earth (which we call Plucking Stars) get the energy flowing in different ways. But getting the energy flowing is only the first step. Once the energy is flowing, you have to let it flow!
This is the secret that most Qigong students miss. Because the secret was so well kept, your approach has actually become the norm, especially in China. Although the results can be good, your results would improve dramatically if you learned how to let the energy flow.
I teach the secret of energy flow, Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow, in my beginner classes. Unfortunately, the secret can only be learned face-to-face
Until then, I recommend that you take 1 or 2 minutes towards the end of your session (before you seal dantian) to enjoy the flowing stillness. That’s the best that you can do for now, and your results should still be good.
All the best,
Sifu Anthony
Sifu,
I appreciate your input…and will incorporate (my interpretation of) your suggestion into my 8 Pieces of Brocade practice. Perhaps one day our paths will cross in person. I look forward to it.
Thanks again,
Lowell Hein
Jensen Beach FL
Sifu Anthony,
My mom is in some physical pain from stress, and she has a hard time relaxing. Is it safe to teach her this without any energy flow?
Thanks.
Yep. Just show her this page, or teach it to her like this. You can also give her my free downloads.
I’ll be in NYC in December, and I’ve got a few slots open for private lessons if you want one for your mother.
Thank you.
Great page.
Thanks to these tips I now enjoy this exercise more than at any time in the years since I learnt it.
Thank you.
Thanks for the article, Sifu,
As someone who has recently received Reiki training, your articles are a great source of extra information and practice. Very happy that I have found my way here. As they say, some things were meant to be found!
Best wishes,
Jeremy
Dear Sifu,
I have two questions on this exercise:
- is there any special reason why the feet should be close together? I prefer doing it with feet quite apart (more than shoulder-width) as keeping them close together usually causes me lower-back pain/tension… Keeping them wider apart is more soothing for me and I tend to do most of my exercises that way (especially the ones where there is some kind of stretching of the back involved – e.g. “carrying the moon”)
- is it ok to do this exercise (or qigong in general) in the morning immediatelly after getting up? (once I read in an ayurvedic book that one shouldn’t do any ‘subtle’ practises, like pranayama or qigong, before emptying the bowels first as otherwise the flow of qi/prana can be blocked or obstructed in the abdominal region which can cause too much pressure of qi in the chest of head)
Thank you!
Hi Igor,
Yes, there is a good reason why the feet should be apart. When my book is finished, it will explain this. (It’s easier to teach you the reason than to explain it, which is what my book will do.)
Yes, it’s okay to do qigong immediately after getting up. Don’t worry about moving your bowels first. The qigong will help you to do that more easily!
Esteemed Sifu, I just found this Website yesterday (May 6, 2013) and started to do Lifting the Sky this morning. I have two questions:
1. Can this exercise be done various times during the day, or is it recommended that it be done only once? I ask cause I have a desk job where I typically sit 6 to 7 hours a day and this exercise seems like the perfect way to get up and stretch. I would try to do this 3 or 4 times while at work.
2. I noticed that some of the comments were written in 2011 and the publish date of this article is Sep 2012. Is there a time machine involved?
Thank you. Kind regards, Salvador
Hi Salvador,
Some answers:
1. Yes, you can do Lifting The Sky several times during the day. The 2-Minute Drill is designed exactly for that.
2. The article was re-published and updated in 2012. That’s why some of the comments are older. But I also have a time machine. It’s called Qigong, and it makes me look 10 years younger than I am.
Esteemed Sifu, Thank you!
This is my favourite lohan yoga move ever. I do it every day