A "silk reeling exercise, practicing this kind of movement gently mobilizes the upper body while standing stationary, or moving forward. In a furthered structured practice the art uses 45 degree forward stepping / whole body smooth circular joint mobilization.
Points to remember: The palms continually face one another, traversing from palm up to palm down at oblique angles.
Engaging the movement, hands, arms and shoulders all move in synchrony, waist turns, torques slighlty. The body is slightly lowered down as in a "modified cat stance while stepping in a three hands circling per step pattern. Stepping out at 45 % angles with 35% / 65% in the back stance, then transferring weight fully onto one leg while the other steps out. The back, or "cat" stance helps facilitate energy flow throughout the whole body, circulating energy through the upper middle and lower dantien, or energy loci of the human bio-electric anatomy.
Emerging from indigenous expressions like dance, healing chi kung presents a long and illustrious history. Cave paintings from 4500 years ago for example, show people moving in soft flowing motions exactly like people practicing the art today. Owing to a rich and expanding record of use, Chi kung offers rewarding benefits for those who regularly partake of its nourishing elements. Reflecting nature, the art evokes those qualities in its presentation, when properly executed. Chi kung borrows from nature as "water type movement" for example, aspecting the way the flexible natural element wends its way around objects instead of directly attacking.An interfacing of mind,body and universe, seemingly non linear body motion is consciously nourishing (something that didnt escape early Taoists wanting to become more like nature itself). During times of great flooding for example, people were told to; "move with the mind of their oppressor", directing attention towards soft flowing water like movements. Thus a prescription for rheumatism emerged from early indigenous medicine via the precepts of non contention and perserverance in the face of adversity. Stategies like this are now recognized as intelligent self programming.
