Hands on the Belly to Relax the Brain.

This is another very simple technique that I use often in order to calm and reduce conceptual activity and center myself fully in my body. I use it most frequently when my mind is whizzing when I lie down to go to sleep at night, or if I want to take a quick nap during the day and want to move into a state of relaxed non-conceptuality relatively fast. It can be done sitting, standing or lying down:
Simply place your hands one on top of the other on your belly, just beneath your belly button. Close your eyes, relax the brain and simply focus on the feeling of warmth that the resting hands create on the lower belly. If you like you can imagine that the lower belly area is like a magnet, and that energy from the brain is gently being attracted down into the torso by the pull of this magnet. However, to be honest I find that this is not necessary, the natural sensation of the hand on the belly does the work for you, without you having to do a lot else!

© Toby Ouvry 2009 please do not reproduce without permission.

Free Form Breathing - Allowing your Body Conscousness to Decide

One very simple technique that can be used in order both to prepare for Qi Gong exercise and also as a general calming and grounding meditation exercise is as follows:
Simply ask your body how it wants to breathe in order to find its point of balance, relaxation and calm. Then simply allow your bodies consciousness to guide the pace, depth and manner of your breathing for a few minutes.

In this exercise rather than imposing a technique or form upon our breathing and body, we allow our body consciousness to guide us in the breathing pattern IT needs to do most in order to find centered-ness, relaxation and calm. It may decide that we need to breathe in short bursts with an emphasis on the outbreath, it may guide us toward long, evenly spaced breathing or whatever (you may be a little surprised!). The point is that we are allowing our body consciousness to do it, rather than dictating to our body what the rhythm should be.
Once you have done this for a short while you may find that your mind and body are calmer and more centered, and you can go onto engage in whatever activity you then wish with a greater sense of poise and presence of mind.

© Toby Ouvry 2009 please do not reproduce without permission.

Solar Qi Gong Meditation

This is a meditation that is designed to connect to and move energy from three solar sources through our body and energy system, and in particular though our middle, upper and lower dan tiens. The three solar sources are the sun that is the center of our solar system, the molten solar core of the earth and our own solar center located in the center of the chest (middle dan tien).
Once you are familiar with it you will find that solar energy is a particularly powerful form of Qi which can be used to great healing, clearing and regenerating effect within our physical, energetic, soul and spiritual bodies.

Begin by sitting in a comfortable meditation posture in a chair with your feet comfortably on the floor, or standing in the Qi Gong standing posture. Settle your mind and body with a few relaxed deep breaths.

Be aware of the Sun that is the center of our solar system, see it as being directly above your head in the sky.
Now send your awareness down into the center of the earth, feel the sun within the center of the earth.
Now feel into the center of your chest, somewhere between the level of your heart and the level of your solar plexus (it varies slightly for different people, go with what you feel regarding precise location), see a beautiful ball of solar light/fire there, the sun within the center of your being.

Focusing on the sun above you in the sky. See a line of light now descending to the point above the crown of your head. See being formed there a powerful and bright miniature sun.
Now see a line of light from the sun within the earth extending up to the point immediately beneath your feet. See a bright and powerful miniature sun
being formed immediately beneath the soles of your feet.

Now see the miniature sun above the crown of your head descend and locate itself in the center of your brain and head area (upper dan tien), so that it is almost like a halo surrounding your head and neck.
Focusing on the miniature sun beneath the soles of your feet, see it rising up your legs and locating itself in the center of your sacral area, just above the hips (lower dan tien).
You now have three suns locates in your lower abdomen, heart and head respectively.

See the lower sun in your abdomen rising and merging with the sun at your heart. Now see the sun in your head descending and merging with the sun at your heart.
See the lower sun continuing to rise from the heart and coming to rest in the head. See the upper sun continuing down from the heart into the lower abdomen.
Now the ''sun in the lower abdomen'' and the ''sun in the head'' have exchanged places.

After holding this visualization for a while, see the both suns gradually descending and/or ascending from where they now are back to their original positions in the head and the lower abdomen, so that the three suns are now back in their original positions.

Now see the three suns merging and forming a unified column of light from your pelvis all the way up to the crown of your head. Hold this visualization for a short while, then see the light expanding out into your whole body and energy field, until eventually you feel as if you have a very bright sun surrounding and interpenetrating your entire body and being, the center of which is in the middle of your chest. You can either hold this visualization for a while, or if you like direct the solar energy/light to any areas of your body that may need it for healing purposes. You can also send it to people or places that you may want to assist in any kind of healing process.

Finnish in your own time, ensuring that you have connected and grounded yourself fully back in your physical body before getting up and moving on.

© Text Toby Ouvry 2009, please do not reproduce without permission.