| This position uses deep breathing and stretching | | | | Continue to slowly raise your hands in front of |
| techniques in order to increase blood circulation | | | | your body until you reach the level of your |
| while lowering heart rate and blood pressure. In | | | | forehead. Turn your wrists so that the palms of |
| other words, it helps to make the body's | | | | your hands are now facing away from you. |
| circulation system more efficient. The gentle | | | | Slowly press your arms away from the body and |
| stretching motion also works to slowly relax and | | | | at a slight upward angle, keeping your wrists bent |
| rejuvenate sore or stiff muscle groups, | | | | and your fingers pointing towards each other. Be |
| particularly in the back and spinal regions. In | | | | sure that you are still breathing gently and |
| Traditional Chinese Medicine, this exercise is | | | | steadily, in through the nose and out through the |
| believed to help the organs that are located in the | | | | mouth. Notice your abdomen. It should be relaxed |
| upper torso, including the heart, lungs and | | | | during this process. Now begin to reach your arms |
| stomach. This trio of organs are thought to be | | | | upwards, allowing your body to stretch upwards |
| vital in regulating the chi energy through the body | | | | as if you are trying to follow your hands to the |
| and generating the heat that the body produces. | | | | ceiling. Allow your gaze to follow the line made as |
| The deep breathing and stretching motions of the | | | | you reach skyward. |
| exercise also help to reduce stress and create an | | | | Now deepen the stretch to include your entire |
| overall sense of relaxation. | | | | body. Rise up onto your toes as much as is |
| From the starting position, move your left foot to | | | | comfortable for you, continuing to breathe |
| the side until you are standing with your feet | | | | steadily. Imagine now that your internal energy is |
| shoulder-width apart. The knees should remain | | | | moving upwards, circling from the earth into your |
| slightly bent, but the back should be kept straight | | | | body, moving upwards into your abdomen, your |
| and the pelvis tucked forward. Continue to | | | | torso, your chest and then your head. |
| breathe slowly and steadily, inhaling through the | | | | Now begin to release the stretch and move the |
| nose and exhaling from the mouth. Slowly, begin | | | | body into the reverse motion. Turn your palms so |
| to bend your elbows to bring your hands in front | | | | that they are facing away from each other and |
| of you to about waist level. Palms should be | | | | slowly bring the arms down in an arc. Exhale and |
| facing towards the ceiling with fingers slightly | | | | slowly tighten your abdominal muscles as the |
| spaced out and pointing towards each other. They | | | | arms and feet return to a natural position. As you |
| should not touch however; the hands should be | | | | return slowly to the starting position, imagine that |
| kept in a position that leaves between two and | | | | the chi energy of the universe is flowing into your |
| four inches of space between your fingertips. | | | | head and down into the rest of your body. |