Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Developing Qi Through Breathing Exercises
• Method 2 of 3: Developing Qi by Exercising
• Method 3 of 3: Focusing on Energy and Mental Qi

The Chinese word "qi" or "chi" can be translated as life force or energy, and this concept corresponds to concepts such as "prana" in Indian culture or "ki" in Japanese culture. The development of Qi can have a beneficial effect on the body, both physical and mental, in addition, increasing the level of Qi helps to reach its full potential. In order to realize your life force, you must work with breathing and physical practice, striving to increase the level of qi and your spirituality.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Developing Qi Through Breathing Exercises

1. 1 Sit back. To work properly with breathing, you need to focus on it, and not on how uncomfortable you are sitting, or that your leg is already numb. Therefore, choose a comfortable position: if it is more comfortable for you to sit on a chair, sit on a chair, if you like, you can sit on a pillow on the floor.
   • If you decide to sit on a chair, then sit with your back straight, put your feet on the floor, while your knees should be about shoulder width apart.
   • If you are sitting on the floor, then sit either on your knees or cross-legged in a Turkish fashion.
2. 2 Breathe deeply. Pay attention to inhalation and exhalation. Be sure to connect your diaphragm to your breathing, not just your chest. Breathe in with your diaphragm (the lower part of your chest, closer to your abdomen) - this will make your breathing deeper. This deep breathing is essential for the development of qi. After a few days or weeks of regularly doing this exercise, breathing like this will feel natural to you. Once you have mastered this simple breathing method, you can deepen the practice by thinking about the movement of energy through the body.
3. 3 Try to free your mind. It is very difficult not to think about anything and keep the mind neutral. But still, after 5-10 minutes of breathing practice, try to focus on freeing your mind from extraneous thoughts. Watch the inhalation and exhalation, they are like yin and yang - connected opposites.
4. 4 Try four-phase breathing. Once you have mastered basic diaphragm breathing, you can try practicing four-phase breathing. Sit in a comfortable position to start. Four-phase breathing is performed as follows:
   • Take a breath
   • Hold your breath for 5 seconds
   • Exhale
   • Hold your breath for 5 seconds

Method 2 of 3: Developing Qi by Exercising

1. 1 Practice tai chi (tai chi). The art of tai chi is designed to balance the qi energy. Although there are many movements and forms in Tai Chi, you can perform the simplest basic movements to experience their effect. Breathing in Tai Chi also plays an important role, and if you have already learned how to breathe well enough as described earlier, then try to combine breath and Tai Chi together. The practice of tai chi itself is a set of slow and fluid movements that allow you to get in touch with the earth element and connect the breath with qi. There are many schools of tai chi and there are some differences in how to perform the forms and steps. If you are interested in Tai Chi, you can look for courses in your city: often Tai Chi classes are held in various yoga studios and martial arts schools.
2. 2 Work on poses. The horse pose or wu-ji is the mainstay in tai chi. It may seem like you are just standing, but in fact, this posture allows you to feel the energy. Even just standing in the wuji position and breathing can increase your qi.
   • Place your feet parallel to each other, about shoulder-width apart.
   • Distribute the weight evenly.
   • Move your upper body as if you were sitting in a chair.
   • Bend your knees.
   • Imagine the spine being pulled upward.
   • Relax your shoulders.
   • Gently touch the tip of your tongue to the palate next to your teeth.
   • Breathe naturally.
3. 3 Practice for hands. This exercise, not part of the Tai Chi form, will also allow you to make contact with the body and develop Qi. Remember to watch your breathing while moving.
   • Raise your right hand to face level, palm down, parallel to the ground.
   • Raise your left hand to belly level, palm up and parallel to the ground.
   • Move your arms slowly in a circle.
   • Imagine holding a large ball and starting to spin it. The palms and arms will move, changing position, passing parallel to each other at chest level, and eventually finding themselves in opposite positions, the left one is at the top and the right one is at the bottom. In fact, you should not think about the position of the hands, and then the hands will move on their own.
   • Breathe and watch your breath.
4. 4 Find energy practices that you enjoy. Tai Chi is far from the only way to develop your Qi through physical training. If tai chi seems to you too slow and meditative art, then try kung fu, it also helps to develop qi, or yoga, which, generally speaking, is an Indian energy practice, but its goal is also the full realization of life force.

Method 3 of 3: Focusing on Energy and Mental Qi

1. 1 Learn chi-kung (qigong). In addition to the physical level, breathing and movements, which help to feel qi, there is another level - mental and spiritual. The art of qigong is a collection of practices that are designed to bring the mind to a higher level of awareness and to unleash all of your life force.
2. 2 Concentrate on energy. It is this simple practice that will help you move to the next level of qi. When doing breathing and physical practices, concentrate on energy, and especially in those places where it does not flow. Places like these are called energy blocks, and they require attention - you must break the blocks and allow the energy to flow freely. Some people can "break" such blocks on their own just through breathing and certain physical exercises, but most need help to understand how energy works. The easiest way to find out how energy works in the body is to undergo diagnostics and find out which elements are present in your body, and which elements are in excess. To do this, you need to contact a certified qigong master, he will help increase energy levels and get rid of blocks.
3. 3 Work on the connection between body, mind and soul. This is a step towards the highest level of qi. To work with this connection, you need to do everything that you did before - breathing, physical practices and energy flow - plus some spiritual element. Such practices should lead you to awareness and purposefulness. Similar to Buddhist practices, the spiritual development of qi lasts a lifetime. At some point it may seem to you that you have reached "that very state", but the next day this state will be very far away. To become aware of such a spiritual connection, its physical and energetic aspects, you must be completely in the present moment and maintain full awareness - and this is not at all connected with the transition to other planes of consciousness. The best way for most people to achieve the highest levels of qi is through meditation.