Recorded by Peter Croke

Edited by Vera Eby

 Each exercise is done 16 times.
 
 
 
 1. The shadow of the sword and the shooting star
 
 Legs are in horse stance: The legs are one
 leg's length apart.
 (The leg is measured from the inseam to the foot.)    The knees are bent but not less  than 90 degrees.  When you bend down,  the  knees move in slightly.
 The torso is slightly forward so the coccyx is sticking slightly out.
 Keep the elbows and arms close to the body.   The
 hands are brought  back to the sides of the body as far as possible.
 The elbows move back.  Palms face up.   Push the arms,  keeping them
 perpendicular to the floor and mid torso (elbows are at 90 degrees).  Push  the
 hand and arms forward while rotating the palms, so  that when the arms
 are fully extended out in front of you, the palms are facing forward.
 Palms should be rotated so they are facing up when pulled back and
 face outward when  reaching away from the body.  Breathe inward when
 the arms are pulled to the body and out when the arms are stretched away
 from the body.
 
2.  The universe and heaven and earth
 
       Legs should be shoulder width apart.   Allow the knees to relax.
 Interlace the fingers of both hands with the palms facing downward.  The
 arms are in front of the body and pushed toward the ground as far as
 they can go without bending the torso (elbows straight).  Rotate the
 arms and hands in a circular motion,  keeping the fingers interlaced, first
 counterclockwise and then clockwise.  Make a circle as big as you are
 able to stretch the back.  Imagine a big clock right in front of the
 body (facing you).  The first rotation is from 6 to  9. Breathe in.  When
 circling upward, palms will also face upward.   Next,  cut across the
 diameter of the circle to the opposite side (3). 
 Breathe out.  Then rotate the hands and arms up and around back to 9
 again.  Then reverse this exercise. The breathing is switched as the
 exercise is reversed.  Only the first rotation is at 6.  The remaining
 rotations are a half  circle between 9 and 3.
 
3.  The colorful cloud at the edge of the sky
 
       Legs are shoulder length apart.  Put one leg  behind the body and
 one leg in front of the body.    Legs are at an angle.    Arms and hands
 are at the sides.  Relax the arms and hands so they  are just dangling.
 Raise one arm over the head (in an arc motion).  Raise the arm of the leg
 that is forward.   Keep the elbow  straight. Lean  forward on the front
 leg as you raise the arm. (When raising the arm the  heel of the leg in
 back will come off the floor.)  Lower the arm;  switch the legs,  and
 repeat with the other  arm.  Breathe in as the arm moves up, and breathe out
 as the arm moves  down.
 
 4. Spreading the clouds and paying respect to the sun
 
 Feet are placed shoulder width apart.   Place  the hands in front of
 the body.  The palms are facing toward the body.   The hands are side by
 side.  The fingers are pointed downward, they are  placed in front of the
 bellybutton area and about 2 inches from the body.   Raise the hands up
 toward the throat while keeping them about 2 inches from the body.  When
 you get to the throat area, spread the hands out.    Move the hands in
 opposite directions of each other.  Keep the palms facing inward.  The
 hands are now to the side of the body but still 2 inches from the body.
 They are at forehead or above level.  Rotate the hand so the fingers
 are pointing up as you spread them at the forehead or above area.
 Bring the hands straight down and then back to the  bellybutton area.
 Repeat.  Breathe in as you go up and out as you come  down.
 
 
 
5.  The moon sinking into the Yangtze river
 
 Legs are shoulder length apart.  Put one leg
 behind the body and one leg in front of the body.  Keep toes facing forward.
 Legs are at an angle.  Arms and hands are at the sides.  Relax the
 arms and hands so  they are just dangling.  Raise the arm of the back
leg over the head  (in an arc motion).  Keep the elbow straight.
 Breathe in as the arm moves up and breathe out as  the arm moves down.
 When the arm is coming down the same leg comes  forward.  When the leg
 comes forward, the leg is then lifted off the ground in front of the
 body.  Hold the leg in this spot for several seconds  and then lower to
 the ground, switching the legs and repeat with the other arm.
 
 6. Ten piles in the sky
 Legs should be shoulder width apart.  Arm and  hands should dangle at the sides of the body.  Raise the hands over the  head and reach to the  sky. While reaching raise up on the toes and the balls of the feet.  Hold for a few seconds and then lower the feet, the  arms and hands.  Return to the starting position.  Breathe in as you
 go up and out as you  come down.  Repeat.
 

Go to Part II

last updated:  May 5, 2003

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