These guidelines are meant to enhance your practice. Don’t let them enslave you. Gradually add them to your practice. If you can’t follow all of the guidelines, don’t worry. That’s why they’re called guidelines, not commandments.
Note that these guidelines are specific to our particular style of Qigong, which is called Cosmos Qigong. Other schools may have different guidelines. Nevertheless, it’s my opinion that these guidelines will help practitioners of all different styles to get more mileage out of their practice.
Don’t:
- Don’t worry.
You will make mistakes, especially with the postures. Don’t worry about these mistakes. In fact, don’t worry about anything at all. - Don’t intellectualize.
This often overlaps with worry. If you are thinking, “Do I breathe in 50%, or 65%?” then you are intellectualizing. Don’t let yourself get stuck in the “Monkey Mind”. - Don’t breathe forcefully.
Breathe in gently through the nose, and out gently through the mouth. You don’t need to breathe deeply. - Don’t over-practice.
Don’t practice for too long, and don’t practice too often. Less is more. - Don’t practice during a thunderstorm.
The energy is too charged, and it may keep you up at night. - Don’t practice in strong winds.
A gentle breeze is fine, but if the wind is too strong, it may disturb your energy. - Don’t practice near noontime.
The energy is too yang. It’s okay to practice at noon now and then, but don’t make it a regular thing. Also, try to avoid practicing in direct sunlight (also too “yang”). Partial shade is fine. - Don’t practice somewhere unsafe.
Don’t practice near a balcony, near sharp objects, or in an unsafe environment. This is self explanatory for those who’ve learned Flowing Breeze Swaying Willows or Five Animal Play. - Don’t practice barefoot outdoors.
Indoors is fine barefoot, but outdoors, we run the risk of absorbing “damp” ground energy. Practicing barefoot on the beach once in a while is fine. - Don’t practice in a bathroom, near a cemetary, or near a garbage dump.
The energy in all of these places is unclean or too yin.
Do:
- Enjoy your practice!
This is the most important guideline. Enjoy your breathing, your movement, and your practice. - Favor quality over quantity.
A relaxed, enjoyable, and focused 15-Minute session is far better than a distracted, unfocused 30-minute session. - Practice 1-3 times daily.
If you are healthy, once daily is enough (15 minutes total). If you are in pain, practice twice daily. If you are very sick, then practice three times daily. - Keep your mouth gently open.
Relaxing the jaw relaxes the entire nervous system, and allows for negative energy to gently flow out. - Practice somewhere with good air circulation.
Indoors is fine, but the room shouldn’t be stuffy. Outdoors is better. - Try to practice before 10:00AM or after 4:00PM.
The best time to practice is at dawn, and midnight is 2nd best. Ideally, get as close to one or the other.
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Sir,
My question has to do with the practice of Be Duan Jin (or any chi kung, for that matter) outdoors in breezy conditions….
I moved from cool/semi-arid San Diego to windy /humid Jensen Beach, (which is the windiest place I’ve ever lived…)
I’ve read that there is actual danger involved in practicing chi kung in a strong breeze…True, or no?
I love it outside, especially this time of year…but the wind seems to always be blowing fairly hard.
Thank you,
Lowell Hein
Hi Lowell,
Generally speaking, it’s okay to practice in a gentle breeze, but you should do your best to avoid practicing in a strong wind.
This is because “wind” is a pathogen according to Chinese medicine. When we practice Qigong, whether it is Ba Duan Jin or another form, we open up our energy system and even our pores to the cosmos. Because of this, we are more vulnerable to pathogens like wind while we practicing.
Outside of our practice, it’s fine to be in the wind as long as you’re comfortable.
All the best,
Sifu Anthony
Sifu,
Thank you for the info. Your site is really informative, and I look forward to more stuff to help me improve my practice.
Lowell