How to Store Prana Chi

A subtle life-supporting force flows throughout and charges all of creation. In India this force is referred to as "prana." In China it's called "chi" or "qi." It's everywhere--in the air, food and water; it pours down from the heavens and rises up from the earth. In simply going about living, we gather and store this force to an extent. But through exercises designed to focus our intent to draw chi in to our inner repositories called Dan-tians, we enhance our capacity to collect and store chi.

Instructions

Bathing in Chi

• 1

  Stand erect with the knees slightly bent, facing east. Hold your hands out in front of your heart as if hugging a barrel of energy.

• 2

  Stretch your arms out, holding the palms facing up, as if preparing to scoop up a large bundle of light in the space around you. Pull the light towards your upper Dan-tian (the middle of your forehead) as if splashing yourself with cool, revitalizing energy. Feel the force penetrate your pores. Repeat.

• 3

  Gather the energy around you and pull it toward your middle Dan-tian (heart). Repeat.

• 4

  Draw the energy around you toward your lower Dan-tain (just below the navel). Repeat.

• 5

  Repeat the sequence facing south, west, then north. With each turn, imagine yourself bathing in the energy offered by the different seasons--spring, summer, fall and winter.

Accumulating Chi through Focused Visualization

• 6

  Stand erect with the knees slightly bent, or you can sit erect with your legs uncrossed.

• 7

  Hold your palms on your lower Dan-tian (just below your navel).
  Men: Press your left palm directly on your lower Dan-tian, and cover the back of your left hand with your right palm.
  Women: Press your right palm directly on your lower Dan-tian and cover the back of your right hand with your left palm.

• 8

  Breathe deeply, slowly and deliberately, visualizing a stream of energy flowing around you from all directions, penetrating your entire body. Imagine all this energy collecting in your lower Dan-tian, filling it with white light.

Storing Chi through Breathing

• 9

  Press your palms together firmly, holding your fingers together. Make sure your fingers do not spread out as you bend your index fingers at the knuckles so only the tips of those fingers are touching. Bend your thumb fingers at the knuckles so they touch only at the top. Maintain this hand position.

• 10

  Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose, bringing in fresh, revitalizing chi. A deep breath should cause both your abdomin and chest to expand.

• 11

  Exhale slowly through the mouth while keeping the lower abdomin expanded.

• 12

  Repeat this breath, maintaining your hands' "lightning rod" gesture.