28 PRACTICAL QIGONG FOR HOME HEALTH CARE

force. (2) Concentrate the mind on Dantian, thus lowering the centre of gravity of
the body, forming the state of emptiness above and fullness below. The movements
should be done lightly, dextrously and steadily. (3) Even respiration is required.
Breathe deeply several times before exercise, but respiration should be natural and
even during exercise.
Although there are many schools of Ba Duan Jin, they have only minor
differences. Among them the "Standing Ba Duan Jin" and "Sitting Ba Duan Jin"
are the most popular ones.
1. Standing Ba Duan Jin
1) Supporting the heaven with two hands and regulate the three visceral
cavities. Stand with feet a shoulder width apart. Slightly bend both knees, relax the
shoulders and elbows, and hang the hands naturally by the sides. Pull in the chest,
contract the belly, relax the waist and back bone. Keep the head upright, with the
eyes looking forward. Soothe the mind and regulate breathing. Inhale through the
nose and exhale through the mouth. Sink the qi down to Dantian and let the tongue
touch the upper palate lightly. These are all preparatory movements. Then lift both
hands from the lower belly slowly to the front of face with the palms facing the
body and the fingers pointing upward. Then turn the palms toward the sky and
slowly lift both hands above the head, with the palms up and the eyes looking at
the backs of the hands. After a while turn the hands again with palms toward the
face and bring down the hands slowly to the front of the lower belly again. One
raising and one lowering is considered as one sequence. Exercise altogether six
times. Inhale during raising and exhale while lowering the hands. (Figs. 23-1, 2,
3, 4)
2) Shooting first to one side, then to the other as though hunting vultures.
Stand with the previous posture. Move the left foot a step horizontally to the left
to form a horse-riding stance with the knees turning a little inward, the feet firmly
on the ground and thighs almost level. Cross the hands in front of the chest, with
the left hand outside, right hand inside and the palms facing the shoulders. Hold
the fingers like the form of a sword and rotate the arms outwards. Push the left
hand to the left side with its palm facing outside and the tiger's mouth (between
the thumb and the index finger) up. Stretch the left arm as in the posture of
shooting while turning the head to the left, with the eyes looking at the left fingers.
At the same time, hold the right hand as if pulling a bowstring to the right side.
Stop a while and then cross the hands again in front of the chest with the right
hand outside and left hand inside. This is the left posture. The right posture is just
the opposite, i.e., do the same movements with the opposite hands. One left and
one right movement is considered as one sequence. Exercise six times. Finally
droop both hands at the sides of the body, inhaling as you turn the head to the left
and exhaling while turning it to the right (Figs. 24-1, 2, 3).
3) Regulate the function of the spleen and stomach with one arm lifting. Stand