STRETCHING QI (CHEN QI)

The Chen Qi method is a method to stimulate and mobilize the internal qi and unify qi in the entire body. The sequence of steps is summarized below:

1. Place feet together, body upright. Relax hands at sides. Look straight ahead. Pull in vision slowly and gently close eyes. Relax the whole body, starting from head down to toes. Curl the tip of tongue so that it touches the upper palate. Keep it there throughout the practice.
2. Recite silently the following eight verses while visualising simultaneously:

   	Ding Tian Li Di - Head reaching the sky, feet plunge deep into the earth
   	Xing Song Yi Chong - Relax and imagine body expanding and merging with the universe
   	Wai Jing Nei Jing - Be respectful externally and quiet internally
   	Xin Cheng Mao Gong - Our heart is calm and our appearance reverent
   	Yi Nian Bu Qi - Clear mind of stray thoughts
   	Shen Zhu Tai Kong - Focus on the vast emptiness of the universe
   	Shen Yi Zhao Ti - Reflect back on body
   	Zhou Shen Rong Rong - Body is filled with the warm glow of univeral qi

3. Raise arms sideways until hands are at waist height. Keep arms straight at all times. Flex hands to form right angle with forearms. Keep fingers straight and flexed backwards, and palms pushed out.
4. Pull the shoulder blades in and up, the arms and hands moving diagonally up with the movement of the shoulder blades. Then down, with the palms pressing down and the shoulder blades returning to original position. Continue doing this up and down movement for at least 20 minutes. The rate of movements should be about 60 to 70 strokes per minute.
5. Maintain mental focus on the hunyuan qiao (qi reservoir inside upper abdomen) while performing the movements.
6. When ending the practice, relax hands and turn palms to the front. Gather the qi from all around the body and close arms and palms to the front until palms are at shoulder width and elbows touching sides of body.
7. Do Ro Qi, i.e. roll/massage the qi ball between palms with hands alternately moving up-in-down-out. Enjoy the sensation of qi between the palms. Do about 10 times.
8. After Ro Qi, do La Qi. In this case La Qi is slightly different from the normal La Qi. Here we keep elbows touching sides of body while opening and closing the palms and forearms. Again enjoy the sensation of qi between the palms. Do at least ten times.
9. At the last La Qi movement, collect qi and visualize the hunyuan qiao while closing the palms onto the hunyuan qiao. Rest palms on upper abdomen, imagining palms resting on hunyuan qiao. Nourish qi for a minute.
10. Return arms to the sides and open eyes slowly.