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This is a chi kung excersise, and we know it as
'tai chi ruler'. You may know a variation under a different
name. The 'ruler' part refers to an invisible ruler (or pen,
whatever) approximately 6-8 inches long, which is 'held' between
the palms of both hands. You envisage holding this ruler throughout
the excersise. It helps concentration, keeps the palms at the
correct width apart and keeps their correct posture. |
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The hand movements and breathing during this excersise are
all circular in motion. As you push the hands outwards in
the circle, you breathe out - yang. As the hands reach the
bottom of the circle and return to the body, you breathe in
- yin.
The visualisation of the circle should include the hara,
spine, shoulders and head as it journeys, and the breathing
should be deep - 'suck, your breath in, and 'throw' your breath
out.
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Your hands are always held with the 'ruler' keeping them
apart at all times.
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Start off in a relaxed stance with your arms at
your side. Bring your right leg into a cat stance, and sweep
your hands up the centre of your body, with the palms facing
each other about 6-8 inches apart as if you were holding a ruler
between them. Suck your breath in as you do this. |
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Begin to step from the cat stance diagonally to
the right, into a right forward stance, breathing in and 'scooping
up' your hands to shoulder height as you do so. |
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As you transfer your weight into the right leg,
breathe deeply out and 'throw' your hands outwards (still holding
the ruler!) in an arc. Try to envisage this idea of 'throwing'
both your hands and your breath away from you. |
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As you finish the breath, arc the hands down to
waist height, stepping forward into a left cat stance, and then
pivoting so that you are now facing diagonally left. |
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Now repeat in the new diagonal left direction,
pivoting diagonally right as you finish, ready to repeat again
on the right (then left, then right, etc.). You can do this
as many times as you like, moving diagonally forward first in
one direction, and then the other. Always 'hold the ruler',
throw the arms in a large circle, and suck the breath in as
the arms come to your your body and up, and throw the breath
out as the arms are thrown out and away from the body. |
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However many times you go forward, end your run facing diagonally
right, with your left leg in a cat stance. To turn round and
go back, this time do not pivot to the left, but step with
the left leg diagonally back behind you, and turn and pivot
first the right leg and then the left, so that you are now
facing in the diagonally opposite position. Repeat the excersise
now going back.
You can carry on going backwards and forwards for as long
as you want. It's a wonderful breathing and relaxing excersise,
with a little bit of tai chi moving thrown in. When you are
ready to stop, come back into a relaxed pose, and 'close down'
with the hands (bring them down to your sides) and relax for
a couple of moments.
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| A variation on this excersise might be that when you finish
going forward, don't pivot so that you are facing in the opposite
direction, but instead do the excersise by moving backwards.
You may also want to try it with your eyes closed - its quite
a bit different!. |
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