Today we're exploring a beautiful full moon Qigong practice.
Before we begin,
I invite you to find a space where you can extend your arms fully without obstruction.
You'll need room to move in a small circular pattern.
It's advisable to wear comfortable clothing that allows free movement and if possible you may wish to practice outside where you can see the full moon but if that's not possible as you are practicing you can bring the image of the full moon into your awareness.
Let's begin by finding our centered standing position that's called wuji,
Limitless stance.
Let your feet be about hip distance apart and soften your knees so that they are not locked,
Allowing a gentle sensation of yielding the weight of your body down to the earth.
Let your spine drop down like a plumb line to the earth and let the back of your head align with the sky.
You can imagine a thread gently connecting the crown of your head all the way towards the sky,
Lengthening your spine while relaxing your shoulders down away from your ears and letting your hands and arms hang naturally by your sides with your fingers relaxed.
Let your chin tuck in very slightly creating length in the back of your neck.
I invite you to take a moment to feel your connection to the earth beneath your feet while maintaining awareness of the space above and around you.
Feel that you are the bridge between heaven and earth just as the full moon itself represents a bridge between the heavens and our earthly experience.
Guide your awareness to your breath,
Soften your jaw and let the tip of your tongue rest behind the back of your front teeth.
With each inhale feel that you are drawing in clear moonlit energy and with each exhale allow yourself to release any tension or scattered energy you've been holding.
Continue to let your breath follow its natural unhurried rhythm.
We'll now begin looking for moon and sea.
I'll guide you through the practice.
Begin by floating your palms towards each other in front of your lower elixir field,
Tantian,
Which is about three fingers below your navel.
You might imagine you are holding the moon between your hands and connect with its cool luminous energy.
As you inhale gently lift this moon upward placing it in the sky above your head and slightly in front of you.
Allow your shoulders and elbows to be relaxed through this movement and let your thumbs point towards the inner corners of your eyebrows as if guiding your awareness upwards.
As you exhale as if you're spreading the moonlight across the sky turn your palms outwards away from each other and spread the light of the moon as you lower your arms to shoulder height.
Keep your elbows soft letting this lunar energy flow freely through your arms and hands as they move apart.
Then with your next inhale turn your palms upwards.
Your arms are now at the height of your shoulders and they are apart.
Begin moving your elbows and the little finger side of your palms towards each other towards your midline.
This movement culminates with your elbows in front of your chest at your middle tantian elixir field or your heart chakra.
Then slowly bend your elbows and let your palms move towards your third eye at your higher tantian.
Feel the gathering of the energy at these key centers.
Now as you exhale begin by curling your fingers inwards one by one from in front of your third eye towards your face tracing a path down from in front of your third eye to your nose,
Your lips,
Your throat,
Down to your heart while you simultaneously bend both knees and sit back into your pelvis as if you are in a wide chair stance.
When your palms reach your heart the back of your hands will face each other.
From here rotate the palms and extend your hands and arms forward and away from you.
Your back remains flat arms extending by the sides of your ears and the backs of your palms touching as you sit low and grounded in your pelvis.
With your next inhale imagine you're swimming forward through moonlit waters as you move your arms outward and away from each other in a graceful flowing motion.
Exhale fold from your hips and lower your palms beneath the symbolic sea to once again retrieve the moon that has been reflected into the water below.
Feel the beautiful circular nature of this exchange between the sky and the sea and with your next inhale once again hold the moon from underneath the water the sea and rise back to your starting position with your palms holding your full moon in front of your lower elixir field.
The moon has completed its journey from the sky to the sea back to you.
Now let's practice this complete sequence together flowing with your breath.
We'll move through this three more times allowing the rhythm to feel more natural and meditative.
With your next breath in place the moon in the sky in front of you.
With the next breath out rotate the palms outwards and spread the moonlight and open your heart.
With your next inhale turn the palms face upwards with your arms away from each other then move your inner sides of your arms and your palms towards each other in the midline then softly begin to bend the elbows and curl the fingers in towards your third eye and as your palms reach in front of your third eye exhaling let them curl down in front of your face your neck your throat and your heart then as they reach the front of your heart your elbows open outwards away from each other the backs of the palms face each other and with the next breath in you extend once again the arms forward in front of your heart and move the arms away from each other with the backs of the arms and palms facing each other as if you are swimming through the currents of this luminous sea reflected by the light of the full moon.
Dive back down and let your hands reach down underneath the sea holding the full moon with your hands as you sit low and bend forward and then with your next inhale once again reach for that moon and place it in the sky.
Exhale spread the moonlight towards your third eye inhale gather this moonlight inwards towards you towards your third eye exhale from your third eye dive down into your throat into your heart and from the front of your heart swim forward with a great big stroke open up to fluidity and the possibility of clarity and alignment then let your palms reach back down underneath the sea to hold the moon once again.
We'll do this one last time holding the moon with your next breath in rise as you place the moon in the sky in front of you exhale spread the moonlight inhale gather the moonlight inwards towards you exhale from your third eye let the fingers curl inwards and let them symbolize this inward reflection as you dive them down in front of your face your throat to the front of your heart then rotate the fingers down forward and away from you as you take an inhale and let this inhale guide you to swim forward through the currents of life opening your arms outwards and then exhale once again dive down towards the sea holding the reflection of the moon from underneath the water and then raise it up to the starting position where we began about three fingers below your belly button take a moment as you hold the light of the moon in your hands in front of your lower belly then raise it to the front of your heart center and with your next exhale gently begin to let this moon move into the space of your heart see and feel that the moonlight you've gathered is now concentrated here creating a gentle glow at the center of your being a light you can return to whenever you need clarity or calm during intense full moon periods or any other times during your life you're welcome to stay here for as long as it feels good for you if and when you feel ready then gently and slowly if your eyes are closed let them blink open looking for moon and sea offers many benefits beyond its energetic balancing it takes your spine and hips through gentle flexion and extension opening your shoulders and chest the energy lines of your arms and both stretches and strengthens your thighs this practice can be done daily during the full moon period ideally for at least 5 to 10 minutes each day for the three days before and three days after the peak of the full moon you might notice that regular practice during full moon periods helps to reduce insomnia emotional reactivity or mental restlessness thank you for joining me for this practice
