Without the first – relaxation – our Qigong won’t develop. Then, using correct posture, moving from the Dantian and connecting one’s movement to the acupuncture points and channels will eventually lead to the achievement of the fifth principle whereby we are able to move internally, from the inside out.
Sifu explained that some of the principles of moving Qigong also apply to meditation, namely relaxation and posture. Meditation is practised while remaining still or as still as possible in either standing or sitting position and therefore further principles are different from those for moving Qigong. Calming down the mind is the third and a very important principle and not one that is easily achieved. Our mind tends to keep busy with thoughts and we need to calm it down by letting our qi sink to the Dantian. Gradually we will be able to let quietness develop and eventually we become able to let go.
The fifth principle of meditation is emptiness. However, emptiness does not exist without something. Wuji, emptiness, creates Taiji, something as there is also energy. Therefore, when we meditate and have achieved the state of emptiness many different experiences can develop. Physiologically, our breath may slow down and become close to unnoticeable. We may see colours or images and even different sceneries and landscapes. We may have dreams and experience various feelings and memories. Our memory improves as well as our ability to find solutions and even have inklings of future events. Sifu has given many examples in various lectures of how the development of our intuition will help us avoid accidents, which company and habits are healthy and how we can have a strong sense of what we should be doing and when.
Our modern lives are very busy and many of us do not pay sufficient attention to meditation. The yang of movement always needs to be balanced by the yin of stillness. Practising more meditation will develop our health and ability to live well just as much as does moving Qigong.
During the lesson of 9 Colour Rotating Qi Ball, Sifu emphasised internal movement. The new movements we learned in this as well as the previous session focused on using the whole body from the inside out, supported by the breath.
Sifu also let us know that he is writing several articles about this form in the recent Qigong Dao blogs. They explain in depth how our qi and health can develop through practising Qigong in general and 9 Colour Rotating Qi Ball in particular.
by Vera Externest
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