Lifting a Single Hand

Video Transcript

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. 

  • Turn palms up and bring hands closer together so that they rest a few inches in front of the pelvis, palms turned upward. 

  • Keeping the left hand still, draw the right hand up the center of the body as you inhale until the inner palm floats in front of the face.

  • Rotate the hand toward the body via the wrist as if drinking a glass of water.

  • When the palm faces away from the face, exhale and press it out to the right side of the body until the arm is almost fully extended (do not lock elbow). Then let the hand drop in a slow circle down the side until it comes back under to its starting position next to the left hand.

  • Inhale and begin again with the left hand, drawing it up towards the face. Then turn the hand, exhale, and sweep to the side, then down, and finally back to its starting position, as before,

  • Always keep your eyes on the hand that’s moving. 

  • Try not to hold tension in the body as the arms move up and out at a consistent, uniform pace; try to sense how they float on the breath. Never pause the motion or your breathing, but keep them flowing together.

  • Repeat as many cycles as feels good.

  • 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

  • Arm motions can be performed while seated in a chair with feet flat on the ground.

Contraindications

  • N/A

Parts of Body Benefited

  • Shoulders

  • Arms

Other strategies for emotional support:

Anxiety

Other strategies from:

Qigong