THE FIRST COURSE
In Universal Chi Kung the word "universal" means: It pertains to the universe, it "unifies" all beings and things of the universe, and it’s "versatile" to all universal beings and things.
"Chi" originally means life force or vital energy. Now and here, it is the base element of a new science: the Chi Science. "Kung" means intensive training or studious practice. This word tells us that, in order to reach high attainment, we must practice it devoutly and diligently.
Universal Chi Kung consists of three courses. The first course is very simple; it’s the foundation and essence of Chi Kung. The second course is a little complicated; it adds some complementary processes to ensure the success of Chi Kung. The third course returns to simplicity, but it can explore a higher realm and experience a deeper bliss. If you have the time and intention, you can pursue to learn the whole course; otherwise, you can simply learn and practice the first course, it is good enough to increase your health and happiness, achieve a successful high-level life -- create a personal paradise.
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Process One
Relaxation and Enlivenment
The first course of Universal Chi Kung can be described with six simple words. They are connected to be three mantra-like pairs. They are: Relaxation - Enlivenment, Purification - Enlightenment, and Benefaction - Attainment.
You can practice the course with any position, at any place, at any time. That is: you can practice it while you are moving, standing, sitting or lying; indoor or outdoor, in the day or at night. Actually, once you start to practice it, with a little mindfulness, it will automatically practice all day and night.
Let us first learn the Standing Position Process. Please follow my words and practice this process with me.
Stand upright. Open your feet shoulder-wide apart and parallel. Slightly flex the legs. Rest your hands comfortably against the lower abdomen. (With palms facing up, fingers overlapping, thumbs joining at the tips.*) Lower your chin. Curl up the tongue. Slowly and lightly close the eyes. Straighten and stretch the neck and back. Gently breathe to calm and relax your body and mind.
First, deeply inhale and naturally exhale, mentally recite the mantra "relaxation" while exhale, for three times.
Relaxation …
Then gently inhale, naturally exhale, and mentally recite "Relax" while you exhale, for six times.
Relax …
Presently you will feel your whole body and mind are relaxed. Gently breathe and enjoy the relaxed condition for a while.
Deeply inhale and naturally exhale, mentally recite the mantra "enlivenment" while inhale, for three times.
Enlivenment …
Now, think:
I am standing at the center of the universe. My body, as if a powerful magnet, draws the universe chi (universe energy) down from heaven, through the head, into my body.
Continue thinking: "the universal chi fully fills me," by mentally and vaguely reciting, "fully (while inhale) fill me (while exhale)",
Repeat, "Fully fill me" … and feel the chi fills you, from head to foot, fill the whole body.
Think, "I am comfortably cultivated with chi," by mentally and vaguely recite "cultivate" while exhale.
Repeat, "Cultivate" ... and feel the cultivation: Feel the chi is unifying and harmonizing with all the parts of your body.
Think, "I am lively enlivened with chi," by mentally and vaguely recite "enliven (while inhale) me (while exhale)"
Repeat "Enliven me" ... and feel the enlivenment: Feel you are very healthy, full of energy.
Stop thinking. Just feeling. Stop feeling. Just breathing and enjoy being enlivened.
Stop thinking and feeling. Slowly open your eyes. Drop the hands. Gratefully smile. Rest a little while. Exuberantly resume your daily life.
If you are relaxing and concentrating enough, you may feel the chi at the first practice. If you cannot feel the chi at first, take it easy. Continue to practice, gradually you will feel the chi. Actually, no matter whether you feel it or not, the chi is filling you and enlivening you, degree by degree.
* In case your are practicing outdoor, in order avoiding to be conspicuous to the public, you can hold the hands in a Taoist fasion. (This one is a Budhist fasion) That is: close your left hand’s thumb and index finger to form a circle. Stick the right hand’s thumb into the circle, then close the right thumb and right middle finger at the joining place of the left ring finger and little finger.
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The first proccess consists of three steps. After practicing the afore first step for some times, after you are familiar with it, can enjoy it, you may proceed to practice the next step:
Inhale the chi to the lower abdomen (the center of your body) through the nose, to form a static yet dynamic Chi Field there. This Chi Field can keep on absorbing the chi from the universe, and keep on supply you with static yet dynamic chi or vital energy, automatically and unceasingly, twenty four hours and seven days. However, you’d better often refresh it with some casual thinking, and deeper breathing.
Let’s practice it:
Inhale and concentrate the chi into your lower belly, with deeper inhalation and natural exhalation, and mentally recite "concentrate" while you inhale.
Vaguely and repeatingly recite, "Concentrate" …
At the same time think your chi field in your lower abdomen is like a powerful magnet, it draws chi from the whole universe while you inhale, and discharge the chi (life energy) to all part of your body while you exhale. Quietly feel the enlivenment of your body.
Stop thinking, feel your Chi Field. Stop feeling, enjoy being enlivened.
Stop thinking and feeling. Slowly open your eyes. Drop the hands. Gratefully smile. Rest a little while. Exuberantly resume your daily life.
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Now, let us practice the third step of this process. At this step, we combine the thinking of body-chi-filling and belly-chi-filling into one practice. That is, do the two kind of fillings simultaneously.
Simply and simultaneously inhale the chi through both the head and nose to fill your lower abdomen and whole body.
Silently feel the enlivenment of both your abdomen and body.
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You can practice this process several times in a day. All day long you will feel you are full of energy. If you feel your energy is not strong enough, once more inhale the chi into your belly and body, individually and/or simultaneously. Within a minute, again you will be full of energy.
You must practice this process at least for several days, by practicing each step at least for one day; then you can continue to learn and practice the next process. Do not try to learn all the three steps within one day. When you eat a nut, swallowing it without chewing it, you cannot know its sweet taste. When you are a child, you cannot learn to sit up, stand up, walk and run, all together in a single day.
In order to raise a high construction, reap a great achievement; first, you must have a little patience, spend some more time, build a solid foundation.
Before you accomplish the first course, you’d better not read other literatures of this practice. They talk about a wide, complex range of Chi Kung knowledge and theories. Do not mess up your brain with complexity. Keep you head empty and mind clear, you can get and produce more power; thus, proceed with higher gear.
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*To be continued at First Course - 2