Lift Hands - Harmonizing Qi (18 Movements)
Audio File
Instructions
Begin with feet together and one hand resting inside the other, palms up, in front of the body. Draw a deep breath into the abdomen; as you exhale, step out to the left to shoulder-width; spread the hands apart, rotating the palms to face down.
Relax the shoulders and let the arms hang in front of the body, the hands close together and in front of the pelvis, palms facing inward. Make sure that the lower (lumbar) spine isn’t arched, but straight (imagine having a small weight suspended from the tailbone, pulling the low back into alignment).
As you inhale, lift the arms lightly (hinging from the shoulders) up to chest height, maintaining a straight line from the forearm down through the wrist and hands (but keeping elbows relaxed, not locked). When the hands are at chest height, spread them wide to each side as if you’re holding a giant ball between the palms (keep elbows relaxed).
As you exhale, draw the hands back together in front of the chest and then let the arms drift down in front of the body back to their starting point.
Repeat the exercise as much as feels good, maintaining a soft and airy feeling in the arms and coordinating with the breath.
Close the exercise by inhaling and sweeping the arms up and out from the sides of the body until the hands hover just above the head, palms down. Exhale and slowly draw both hands down and towards the Dantian (the body’s energy storehouse), located one and a half inches below the navel. Align the palms and place both hands, palms-inward, over the Dantian as you take one more deep breath into the abdomen.
Step the left foot in towards the right to finish.
Modifications
Can be performed while seated in a chair, preferably with feet firmly on the ground.
Contraindications
N/A
Parts of Body Benefited
Arms
Shoulders
Chest
Nervous System
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