The Qigong Balancing Movement is a simple and effective exercise to build physical immunity, support mental focus and maintain or regain emotional stability. Whether done at the beginning or end of your day, it is a great stand-alone exercise for helping to calm the mind and discharge stagnant energies from the body, especially when one is feeling fatigued or overwhelmed (not uncommon as we enter into the holiday season…). The slow, deep, gentle breathing synchronized with mindful intent and graceful, empowering movement facilitates the release of emotions such as worry, fear or grief and resets the neural pathways for internal balance.

Use it before and/or after activities that require concentration, as a quick pick-me-up between clients, classes, meetings, or when you’re feeling vulnerable and the “wei qi” field (protective energy field outside the body) is compromised due to ill health or an emotionally destabilizing situation. Practice the Qigong Balancing Movement a minimum of 3 repetitions and optimally 9 time for daily health maintenance and inner peace.

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, whole body relaxed. Palms face each other at the lower belly, as if holding a golden ball of healing energy.
2. Inhale deeply and gently as you slowly pull the hands apart and rise the energy up to shoulder height, expanding the energy ball between your hands until your palms face the earth. In your mind, you are magnetizing the nurturing qi of the earth through your palms and into your heart and lungs.
3. Exhale deeply and relax the whole body as you float your arms down to release any blocked energy from the lungs and out through the palms. We call this part of the movement “phoenix opens her wings and prepares to fly.” If you have been feeling heavy-hearted or sad about a situation in your life, use your intention to let go of that situation or feeling, supported by the earth’s gravitational force to draw any perceived “blocked” qi out through the palms and into the earth’s core where it is burned up and released as fresh energy.
4. With palms still facing the earth, bend down as if to embrace the earth, then criss-cross the arms to form an “X” in front of the body as if holding yourself in a loving hug. When you rise up, the palms rest on the lung points just below the clavicle. Keep your hands here as long as you need, using loving intention to melt away any blocked, stressful energy in the lungs and heart.
5. After you sense the stagnant energy has dissolved from the chest, gently draw the palms away from the body until the wrists touch and form a circle in front of the chest.
6. Turn the palms up to face the sky and exhale as you uncross your arms and let them drift down to the side, using the mind to paint a rainbow of colors around the circumference of the body to reinforce the qi field. Repeat 3-9 times or more as needed.
7. To close, shift your weight to your right leg and step back to center with your left. Cross your hands over the lower belly in the “Nourishing Qi” posture. (It does not matter whether it is right hand over left or left hand over right.) Take the time to feel the grounding, nurturing energy of the earth, and the light, revitalizing energy from the cosmos.

DAISY LEE teaches Qigong internationally and owns a healing retreat center on the Hawaiian island of Kaua’i. She takes groups of students to study in China and Asia every year and travels extensively to share this ancient self-healing art. Her award-winning DVD’s have aired on Fit TV and PBS TV and continue to be used in hospitals, clinics, schools, spas, women’s centers and prisons to help people from all walks of life find balance and inner peace. To learn more about Daisy and her specialized programs for women, visit RadiantLotusQigong.com. For retreat info, visit KahunaValley.org.