Static Chi Gong Exercises 

Static Chi gong is a passive or quiescent mode of Chi gong exercises. It includes all the exercises that do not involve motion of the body and limbs. This implies that all postures other than the walking styles fall under this mode.  Let us compare the static exercises with the popular understanding of meditation. Although both modes achieve a calm state of mind, there's more to the static qigong version. There is in fact internal motion, where Chi traverses the meridians and its massaging of the internal organs, especially when accompanied by proper breathing.  The attention given to Chi makes all the difference, and it's not just "staring at the navel" either. Moving Chi, guiding it and letting it flow in the channels and collaterals is one of the main goals of the exercise. While it may appear from the outside that the practitioner is still, inside, Chi is active, in motion. The techniques of posture, breathing, and focusing the mind are all employed to get the desired stillness. This has a restorative effect which allows especially the weak or sick body, to repair and regenerate - one of the ways Chi gong heals.

GROUNDING 

Being in the present moment thus feeling the relationship between one’s body posture and energetic disposition; non-judgmentally, develops grounding.  This activates the reptilian or lower brain, which in turn stimulates the limbic and front rational brain complexes, to promote a felt sense of aliveness and vitality.   This in turn affects one’s perception of reality in a positive way; this feeling is also known as feeling grounded.
The postures and exercises also promote a body posture that creates positive feedback to the brain that creates positive feelings about the self.  This aspect of self relates to how one’s bodily posture affects one’s reality.  The straightness of a healthy body results from a strong flow of excitation or energy or feeling along the spinal column.

---

TYPES OF GROUNDING

Physical Grounding happens through our legs and feet connection to the ground (no shoe is best!!!), through which vital forces is passed up into the body and excess is discharged downward into the ground.  The whole body feels one with the ground and nature,  this brings an awareness into the body which is essential before developing the oneness which is experienced during mediation or Chi Gong practice.  When a person does not have both feet on the ground he does not see clearly what is going on around him – he is blinded by his/her illusions.  Check out:- https://www.groundology.co.uk/.

Sexual Grounding is essential as we lose a tremendous amount of energy through our perception and sexual desire; a person who has their dignity has their sexual identity intact is grounded.

Emotional Grounding  Just as a tree can be uprooted, so can a person be uprooted.  After one connects the movements of the emotions through the body, the inner reality can be re-established.
The release of negative emotions – anger, rage, hostility – results in crying and pain. The release of the pain restores the natural movement of the life energy. Any release of pain provides relief to any chronic contraction and leads one into expansion.  When emotions are grounded, feelings simply flow and one can see the difference between emotions that are in truth and emotions that are distorted and based on the past.

---

Postures in Static Qigong

In the standing posture, the practitioner could adopt one of stance below:

• the natural stance or standing a tree stance, feet about shoulder-width apart
• the horse stance, feet about double the width of the shoulders (not for the health-challenged learners)
• as if pushing down a large imaginary balloon (roughly three feet in diameter)
• as if embracing a large imaginary balloon

In the sitting posture, one of the following could be employed:

• ordinary sitting, the usual way a normal person sits on a chair; the upper legs must be parallel to the ground
• crossing the legs, as you've probably seen yoga practitioners do in some books, magazines or television

In the lying down posture, choose either:

• lying down flat on the back, hands on the side, also known as the corpse posture in yoga
• lying down on the side

---

Respiration or Regulating the Breath in Static Qigong

Breathing may also done in a variety of ways:

• quiescent or calming
• abdominal
• mentally-regulated
• with words, prayers or mantras

---

Mental Activity in Static Qigong

 The mind or attention is pre-occupied with the day-to-day chores or in worrisome issues and problems, it is better not to proceed with the exercise. However, there are ways to divert the mind away from troubling thoughts. Among them are focusing your attention to:

• dantian points - these are the upper dantian (Yingtang), front dantian (Qizhong), rear dantian (Mingmein), middle dantian (behind Qizhong), and lower dantian (Guanyuan)
• other points - Qihai, Yongquan and Channels and those along the meridians themselves; indeed, as a complete static system, by following the points of the microscosmic and macrocosmic circuits
• unhealthy areas of the body - but note that there are special precautions and instructions to do them
• objects or abstract subjects - thinking about flowers, staring at a flame of a candle, meditating on positive qualities or virtues, the meaning of words; there must always be accompanying focus on "ingesting" fresh Chi and "expelling" turbid (unclean) Chi.

---