A Simple Qi Gong Practice for Relaxation and Well-Being

Qi Gong is a form of gentle movement that works with Qi, or vital energy, according to the Traditional Chinese Medicine understanding of how the body functions and maintains balance.

One of the beautiful things about Qi Gong is that it can be practiced by almost anyone, almost anywhere, and you don’t need any previous experience. There are many different forms and styles of Qi Gong, with practices designed to support relaxation, movement, breathing, circulation, and overall well-being.

The exercises below are a simple series of Qi Gong movements that focus on relaxation, mindful breathing, gentle movement, and awareness of the nervous, lymphatic, and digestive systems.

Move slowly, breathe comfortably, and most importantly, don’t worry about doing everything perfectly. Qi Gong is about experiencing the movement and noticing how your body feels.

Breathing Into the Abdomen

Place your hands gently on your abdomen.

Give yourself a cheesy grin and take a few slow, deep breaths.

Feel your abdomen expand as you inhale and soften as you exhale.

Let your shoulders relax and allow your breath to become comfortable and easy.

Qi Shower

Inhale as you slowly float your arms upward.

As your arms rise, spiral your hands so that your palms face the sky.

Then exhale as you slowly bring your arms down the front of your body.

Imagine that you are showering your entire body with Qi.

Repeat several times, moving slowly and allowing your breath to guide the movement.

Shake the Tree

Start by gently shaking out your hands.

Then shake out your shoulders and gradually begin bouncing gently into your heels, allowing the movement to travel through your whole body.

Relax your shoulders and keep your neck comfortable and straight.

The more you relax into the shaking, the longer you may be able to sustain the movement.

This is a wonderful movement for releasing tension and bringing awareness to the body. In Qi Gong practice, shaking is also traditionally used to encourage movement through the body and support lymphatic circulation.

And remember: shaking and smiling are two of the fastest ways to let go of stress!

Feel the Qi

At any point during your practice, stop and simply notice how you feel.

Close your eyes if that feels comfortable and slowly scan your body from head to toe.

Notice your breathing.

Notice where you feel tension.

Notice where you feel warmth, tingling, movement, or simply a sense of stillness.

You don’t have to change anything. Just notice.

Spinal Cord Breathing

Make a light fist with your hands.

Inhale: Look gently upward and arch your back.

Exhale: Round your back and draw your elbows toward one another.

As you move, gently squeeze and tilt your pelvis, imagining that you are moving Qi up and down the spine.

The gentle flexion and extension of the spine encourages movement and awareness throughout the body. Focus on creating a smooth, comfortable movement rather than trying to stretch as far as possible.

Qi Massage

Using your hands, gently tap or knock on different areas of the body.

Begin around the kidney area and work your way down toward the sacrum and tailbone.

Then:

• Tap gently over the hips and down the outside of the legs to the outside of the feet.
• Wrap around and come back up the inside of the legs.
• Move around to the sit bones and gently tap down the backs of the legs and calves.
• Continue around the feet and back up the inside of the legs.
• Gently tap the abdomen.
• Tap the right side of the body around the liver area.
• Tap the left side around the spleen area.
• Gently tap over the chest around the heart and lungs.
• Tap down the inside of the arms.
• Then move back up the outside of the arms.

Keep the tapping gentle and comfortable. This is less about creating a strong physical sensation and more about bringing awareness and movement to the body.

The Fountain

Disperse your hands out to the sides.

Then draw the backs of your hands upward along the midline of your body and circle them around.

Inhale as your hands move upward.

Exhale as they circle back around.

As you draw the energy upward, notice the subtle movement of your spine. Bend your knees gently as your hands move downward.

This movement is about gentleness.

Move your body like water.

The slower you move, the easier it can be to notice the subtle sensations within your body.

With each breath, see if you can relax just a little more.

Feel the fluid movement of your body, flowing as though everything is moving together as one smooth unit.

Let yourself feel that life-force energy moving through you.

Qi Ball

Bring your hands together with your palms facing each other in front of you.

Pretend you have a ball between your hands.

Inhale as your hands slowly move apart.

Exhale as your hands slowly come together.

Notice how your palms feel.

Can you feel the space between your hands?

Imagine that your palms are gently being drawn toward and away from one another like magnets.

Use your elbows to guide the movement and your hands to sense the energy.

Imagine that your hands are coming together around a ball of energy that you are holding in front of you.

Softly pulse the ball three times, as though you are gently compressing and expanding a sphere.

Rotate the ball and pulse three more times.

Rotate it again and repeat.

Imagine that the energy between your hands is becoming brighter and brighter.

Now bring the ball back to the center of your body and imagine that its light is expanding through your arms.

Take a few slow breaths and enjoy the sensation.

Centering

Drop your hands down in front of your lower abdomen.

Circle your right arm up over your head and then bring it down along the midline of your body toward your center.

Then circle your left hand upward as you inhale and bring it down the midline as you exhale.

This movement is called centering, and it is a wonderful way to finish a Qi Gong practice.

Bring your attention back to your breath.

Feel your feet on the ground.

Notice your body.

Take one final deep breath and allow yourself to settle into stillness.

There is no need to rush.

Qi Gong is a practice of slowing down, listening to your body, and becoming more aware of the connection between your breath, movement, and mind.