Dragon & Tiger Qigong: Developing Your Qi (Phase 3)
By Paul Cavel
With the first two phases of softness and precision embodied, at least to some degree, Dragon and Tiger Medical Qigong becomes an excellent vehicle for delving into the subtle layers of qi development. Before this, you can gain a general sense of the qi that powers your body, but the layers and specific qualities of qi development will remain elusive.
That said, accurate movement — while remaining very relaxed — is what allows you to tune into the two major techniques that mobilise qi:
Brushing qi, and
Pulling and pushing qi.
Brushing Qi
Brushing qi must be developed first in order to effectively pull and push qi. Often times, students rush on to pulling and pushing qi without properly developing brushing, and therefore, lose a lot of the potential to develop their qi. The depth and quality of the previous level determines what you can achieve from the next.
Brushing qi is the foundation of the movements in six out of the seven exercises of Dragon and Tiger Qigong. Only one exercise, number four, is done purely through pulling and pushing. Brushing requires that your hand is exactly the right distance from your body, at all times, in order to remain in contact with the first layer or boundary of your etheric field. It is when you have a constant connection to this boundary throughout the set that you begin to stimulate and mobilise qi.
Without sensitivity, you cannot feel this contact point; without softness, you will not become very sensitive. This is why the first phase of developing softness is so important, as that is where you shed tension, generate deep relaxation and, in so doing, develop sensitivity. Then the precision comes in without losing the softness and, voilà, you connect to the boundary of the first layer of your etheric field. And so the magic begins.
Pulling & Pushing Qi
Once brushing has been developed to a certain degree and remains pretty consistent throughout your practice — which might take some time — you can bring in the second method, pulling and pushing qi.
Again, you don't want to lose the brushing of qi when implementing pulling and pushing, so your awareness and sensitivity need to develop further or you will simply change one method for another. If you take your time and develop each layer one at a time, then you will maintain brushing when you introduce pulling and pushing. When you do, you will gain a massive jump in the quantity of qi you can mobilise.
The Slow Road (Still) Leads to Success
Once these two primary methods for developing qi within Dragon and Tiger Qigong are both active and integrated, you are ready to work through the layers of your qi, which can take your practice to a whole new level. Most practitioners never put in the time or have the patience to unlock these more profound techniques, but all you have to do is: go slowly, don’t be in a hurry and be satisfied with the many benefits that brushing and pushing and pulling qi bring to your life while you develop your skill set.
In the part 4, I’ll cover the layers of the body’s qi…
DRAGON & TIGER QIGONG ENERGETICS
Online course opens 5 October 2024
All students welcome — this is an excellent introduction to qigong and qi-based movement arts