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Daily Tai Chi: – : 8-minute sample (Tai Chi for Beginners – Daily Routine for Strength and Balance) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6L43P1MY2KA                                                          

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Text guide to complement the Easy Tai Chi-Qigong DVD 

Welcome to easy Tai Chi Movements. I will be facing you and mirroring the movements.

I) Feet Positions
– The first thing I want to show you are the feet positions:
– Imagine you are a clock and straight ahead is 12 o’clock
– so bend your knees
– place your left foot at 10 o’clock
– from the Dantien area or hip area, place one hand over stomach palm towards stomach and the other hand at the back
– shift the weight forward and back, the foot can either come up or stay flat so you can do it either way with the front foot coming either up or down but make sure to keep the back foot down
– let’s bring the foot back in now, bend the knees, and define the natural gate (the natural gate is the distance between your front and back foot)
– now on the right side place your heel out 2 o’clock
– from the Dantien area again place hand in front of the stomach and the other hand on back and shift the weight forward and back
– notice that I am not leaning forward my body is straight up and down and the hips are shifting the weight
– also notice that when my front knee is bent the back leg is almost straight and when I come back the front leg now is almost straight and the back knee is bent
– so now bring your foot into a closed position now.

II) Stepping to the Side
– We will also be stepping to the side:
– we are going to bend our knees
– Place the foot to the left and now again from the Dantien area, place hand front and back shift the weight one way and then the other
– what I say is to imagine that your hips are sitting on a piano stool that has wheels and then you roll it one way and then the other while keeping your head level
– so now let’s close to the right

The first movement we are going to do is:

1) Calming the Waters of the Heart (5X)
– allow the hands to flow up to the heart area relaxing the wrist
– relax the knees and place the left foot out (natural gate)
– as you shift the weight forward the hands will glide/extend forward
– right here, where the knee is positioned over the foot, the hands will circle back to the heart again
– shift the weight forward and make two circles back to the heart
– relax the shoulders, soften the hands
– and sense as though you’re standing in water, calming the water
– let’s do one more
– now bring your feet in and your hands will come back and lower the ands into a close position which is like resting on a cloud in front of you
– then we do it on the right side (step out 2 o’clock)
– the hands float up to the heart and we shift the weight forward and back
– now breathe naturally one way and then the other
– for example breathing out and in relaxing
– and now one more
– and bring the hands into the heart and come down to a close (lowering hands onto cloud)

2) Over the drum
– over the drum begins at the waist area, your hands come up from the cloud to the stomach area and palms facing each other
– we’re going to trace the outer rim of a big brass drum (demonstrate as doing)
– we will begin again from the left side
– so the left foot will go forward, shift the weight forward and go halfway around the drum
– as you shift the weight back come back to the waist area
– breathe out over the drum
– breathe in as you’re coming back from the bottom of the drum
– relaxing the shoulders, soften the hands,
– and remember not to bend forward, your head is straight up and down
– repeat
– we’re going to do one more
– bring the hands in and close, bring the hands down onto the cloud
– now we are going to do it on the right side
– hands begin at the waist and shift the weight forward and back breathing out and in relaxing
– repeat
– repeat
– now we will do one more on this side
– and now bring the hands in, the foot in and relax to a close position

3) Push the Water to the side
– both palms will face forward towards the left (one palm at lower chest level and the other palm at waist level)
– bend your knees and step out to the left
– then as you shift the weight to the left we push the water
– slowly turn the palms forward to the right again and shift the weight to the right
– breathing in one way and then breath out the other way
– everything is soft and fluid like water
– slowing down a little bit
– repeat 4 times
– and now were going to close to the right by bringing the hands to the chest area in the lower and place the palms on the cloud

4) Ball to the Mountain
– The hands with opened palms begin down at the hip area
– we’re going to bend the knees and place the left foot forward
– now circling up creating a Ball about shoulder height
– then we will come back and the hands will come to the hips
– we rock forward creating a ball and then rock back
– again, soften and relax,
– breathe in one way and out the other for, example out, and in.
– Repeat
– and we will do one more
– the hands will come down, the foot in and we relax
– place the hands in close position on the desk/cloud
– and for the other side the hands begin at the hip area
– Place the right foot out, shift the weight forward creating a ball and then shift it back
– breathing out and breathing in
– relaxing any part of the body where there’s tension, everything is soft and slow
– repeat 3 times
– and this will be on the last one on the side
– now bring the hands in, the foot in and relax

5) Ball in the Valley
– Hands begin at shoulder height, palms facing forward (like “hands up”)
– bend the knees, place the left foot out
– circling out create a Ball down towards your knee
– and then floats up to shoulder height and expands open
– shift the weight forward creating a ball, then let it float up and open
– again, breathing in and breathing out (slowly breathe out when making the ball and breathe in as you bring the ball to the chest)
– for example out and in
– relaxing
– with this one we are going to close and relax
– the hands begin at the shoulder
– the right foot out, shift the weight forward and back
– circling down allowing the ball to float up
– breathing out and in slowly
– slowing down as you relax
– and this will be our final one on this side and we will close.

6) Focus the Arrow
– Place your left hand perpendicular to the body and touch the right hand fingers in the center of the left hand. This is what it looks like (show hand formation)
– bend your knees, step out to the left pushing the left hand out
– turn the left hand/palm facing out, the left hand becomes the bow
– create a fist with the right hand
– as you shift your weight pull the string slowly back straight across the body, in front of your face
– open the right hand, palm facing out and then relax
– now bring the right hand down, as you shift weight to the left, and then up towards the left shoulder,
– touch the left hand fingers to the right hand and push it out
– turn the right hand/palm facing out – it becomes the bow
– pull the string back slowly and relax
– again to the left. Push the hand out, pull the string back and relax
– and then again to the right
– breathe in one way and then breathe out the other
– let’s do it one more time to the left and to the right
– breathe in and breathe out and relax
– we’re going to close to the right and place our hands on the desk/cloud

7) Push from the Shoulders
– Both hands will come up to the shoulders (hands up)
– bend your knees, the left foot will go forward
– now shift the weight forward to the left as the left hand goes forward
– as you rock back the right hand goes forward. Breathing out and in
– notice I’m gently turning at the waist which is turning the spine sending energy up through the spine
– you can breathe one way and then the other
– with this one the left hand goes out, as it comes in the foot comes in and we close.
– Then on the right side, hands come up to the shoulders,
– the right foot goes out while shifting the weight forward and back, breathing out and breathing in
– repeat 3 times
– with this one will bring the right hand in and the right foot in and close

8) Circle the Ball
– You are going to put your left hand on top of what is like a big beach ball
– the right hand will be placed down here at the bottom of the beach ball
– notice that my elbow is below the wrist and there’s a softness in the wrist
– bend the knees, step out to the left
– slowly bring the ball to the left and then turn it over slowly
– bring the ball to the right and then turn it over, breathe in one way then breathe out the other
– for example out and in
– repeat 2 times
– now we are going to close to the right and come back to the resting position bringing the beach ball to the center of body, placing hands softly down on the cloud/table

9) Parting the Horses Mane
– We will walk forward but will do it like this – the left hand is up with the palm facing heaven
– the right hand is over it and the palms are facing each other
o (remember I am mirror imaging you)
– bend your knees, step out, you’ll glide the open hand out to the left then you’ll rock back
– as you rock forward both Palms come together, step out to the right gliding up with the right hand rock back, as you rock forward both palms come together, glide out to the left and rock back
– rocking forward the Palms come together
– in the final one the back foot will come forward and we will close
o (Parting the Horse’s Mane can also be done from the standing position without walking forward and back)

10) Waves of the Universe
– Starting from the closed position with hands on the cloud
– the hands float up, with wrist relaxed and bent, to begin at the heart level
– place the left foot out
– using your palms push down and out as you shift your weight forward
– then roll the hands back as the wrist softly move outward in a circle back to the heart area as you shift your weight back
– repeat, go slower now breathing out and breathing in
– repeat
– feel as though you are the wave
– and here’s our final one
– we will come into the resting position.
– Then on the right side, the right foot out, press the wrist out, roll them back
– pushing down and out, slowly coming back, becoming the wave and breathing out and in
– repeat 3 times
– and here is our final one on this side
– and will come into a close

11) Brush Knee
• This movement is good for helping the left and right hemisphere of the brain and crossing the body
– keeping your knees bent
– Place your left hand across your body at knee level, it is going to brush across the body like this
– Place the right hand shoulder height palm facing forward
– place the left foot forward and as you shift your weight forward you’ll brush the left knee while pushing forward with the right on an angle
– shift the weight forward and back breathing out and in
– repeat
– and we will do one more
– bring the hands back to the heart and then they come down into a close position.
– Now the right hand comes across the body, at knee level, left hand up to the shoulder
– stepping out with the right, brush the right knee as you push forward with the left hand breathing out and breathing in
– slowly we move and breathe, relax
– repeat 3 times
– and here is the final one
– the hands come back to the heart and close

12) Push and Pull
– The hands float up to the heart, palms facing forward
– left foot forward while gently push out while breathing out
– turn the hands over, facing back to you and bring them back to the heart while breathing in
– there is always a bend in the elbow so even when arms are extended there is a gentle bend in the elbow while relaxing the shoulder
– repeat
– let’s do one more
– and we will come into a close, hands come into the heart and gently placed on a cloud.
– Then on the right side, shift the weight forward and back breathing out and in, relax and soften
– repeat 2 times
– now one more
– and come into a close

13) Clouds
• Clouds is probably one of the most popular the most recognized Tai Chi movements
• there are many ways to do the cloud, let me show you one hand at a time that will make it easier
– place your left hand up and out to the side, bend your knees and step to the side
– now you’re going to push some water at about hip level
– use your wrist to lift the hand, notice your wrist is higher than the elbow
– the wrist will pull the hand across shoulder height
– then it will circle down and you’ll push water
– it’s like rain evaporating, becomes clouds, down as rain again, becomes a river
– when we get to this side were going to relax the hand and the right hand will come up
– the elbow is below the wrist
– gently pull the wrist across and circle it down to hip level
– push the water at the hip level, circling it up and across and down
– repeat
– repeat
– Now were going to use both hands
– the right hands on top, left hand is down at the hip level
– shift the weight to the right
– change hands, shift the weight to the left
– change hands, shift as you breathe out one way and breathe in the other
– repeat 3 times
– let’s close to the left placing hands on the cloud

13b) Lotus Flower Closing
– We are going to breathe in as we raise our hands out and come up over the head placing the palms together to a prayerful pose
– as prayerful pose comes down to the heart we breathe out,
– breathe in as the hands open bending at fingers to become like Lotus pedals
– breathing out the pedals close
– breathing in as we extend our gifts of kindest, openness and trust
– breath out as the hands open
– breath in as the hands come into the heart
– and our Namaste bow.
– The hands will close down to the sides
– let’s place the left foot slightly to the side shoulder width
– and we usually end with a standing meditation

14) Standing Meditation
– Just close your eyes, open your heart to gratitude and breath.

 

Easy Tai Chi-Qigong DVD   

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