Working on my Qi Gong

         When I was choosing my hand form for this year, I landed on Lung, because I knew it was something I needed in my training.  Being an internal form, it helps me focus on the technique and flow of the form, and really gets me away from trying to use any muscle.  The really nice thing about this form is my development of Qi and utilizing that Qi in a different way.

        Before I even start the form, I do a little Tai Chi.  Some warm up movements usually, hands going up and then down, like at the start.  I'll do this a few times, maybe even play with an energy ball to get the feeling in my hands.  As I have progressed, I feel the energy into my feet, and then feel it spread out into the earth.  If I'm at home, this is as far as I go.  At the Kwoon, I expand that feeling to encompass the energy of those around me, and really increase my sensitivity to the different energies around me.  This is all before the opening bow.  Once I've established this feeling, I begin my form, and try to maintain that sensitivity throughout, linking it with my breathing.  Lately, I've gone a step further in my technique.  When executing a technique, my thoughts or my intentions are less on the snap, though it is still there, but very subtle, but my intention is to push the energy outwards.  best way to describe this is the double palm strike, or the single palm strikes, I envision the energy going out my palms and penetrating my imaginary opponents solar plexus or liver or spleen and disrupting their natural flow of energy.  Then as I contract again, I bring that energy back towards my center, before releasing it on the expansion.  Again, this exercise helps me develop more sensitivity, and allows me to focus on the purity of technique without recruiting muscle.

        My hope is that with enough of this Qi Gong practice, I can help my Nei Gong practice in my other forms.  Specifically the release of my energy or transfer of power, and the purity of technique with less muscle recruitment.

P.s. I typically imagine myself airbending when practicing this form, hence the photo of Avatar Korra