Beginning position:
Begin with your feet in a wide stance.
Point your knees and toes somewhat out and keep your back straight.
Both arms are forward (90-degree shoulder flexion), palms down (pronated) with thumbs touching each other.
Bend your knees until the water is at shoulder level and your arms are resting easily at the water surface.
Your weight is evenly balanced.
Chin is relaxed and slightly down.
This is the beginning position.
Contemplating
Step 1:
inhale - You will get a little "taller" in the water, your chin will come up and back slightly, your diaphragm will fill, and your rib cage will "open."
Step 2:
Exhale easily through your mouth and turn your palms down while returning to beginning position. You will get lower in the water, your chin will relax, your rib cage will "close," and your diaphragm will empty.
Step 3:
Repeat 5 to 10 times.
Step 1: Inhale through your nose and turn your palms up.
Step 2: Exhale through your mouth, turn your palms down, and let your arms lower in front of your body (shoulder extension).
Step 3: Inhale easily through your nose while turning your palms up and lifting your arms (shoulder flexion) slowly back to the water surface.
Step 4: Repeat steps two and three 5 to 10 times.
Step 5: Exhale through your mouth, turn your palms down, and let your arms lower in front of your body (shoulder extension).
Enclosing
Step 1: Exhale easily through your mouth while turning your palms down and bring your hands together in front of you until your thumbs touch each other (horizontal adduction).
Step 2: Inhale through your nose while turning your palms up and opening your arms to the sides (horizontal abduction). You will get a little "taller" in the water, your chin will come up and back slightly, and your rib cage will "open."
Step 3: Repeat steps one and two 5-10 times.
Folding
Step 1: Exhale easily through your mouth, turn your palms down, and bring your right arm over to the left so the thumbs of both hands touch each other, while shifting your weight to your left leg. Stay facing forward.
Step 2: While keeping your weight on your left leg, inhale through your nose, turn your palms up, and watch your right hand as you return your right arm to your right side.
Step 3: Exhale easily through your mouth, turn your palms down, and bring your left arm over to the right so the thumbs of both hands touch each other, while shifting your weight to the right leg.
Step 4: While keeping your weight on your right leg, inhale through your nose, turn your palms up, and watch your left hand as you return your left arm to your left side.
Step 5: Repeat steps one through four 5 to 10 times.
Accepting
Step 1: Exhale easily through your mouth, turn your palms down, and bring your right arm over to the left so the thumbs of both hands touch each other, while pivoting both feet 90 degrees left so you're facing the left side. Your weight is evenly balanced between both legs.
Step 2: While still facing left, inhale through your nose, turn your palms up, and pull both arms back so that your rib cage feels fully opened. At the same time, shift your weight back on the right leg so that you're leaning back slightly. The trunk must be stable.
Step 3: While still facing left, exhale through your mouth, turn your palms down, and bring both arms together so the thumbs of both hands touch each other. At the same time, shift your weight forward onto the left leg so you're leaning forward slightly.
Step 4: Repeat steps two and three flowing smoothly 5 to 10 times.
Step5: Inhale through your nose, turn your palms up, bring your right arm back to the right side, while pivoting both feet 90 degrees right so you're facing front.
Step 6: Exhale easily through your mouth, turn your palms down, and bring your left arm over to the right so the thumbs of both hands touch each other, while pivoting both feet 90 degrees right so you're facing the right side. Your weight is evenly balanced between both legs.
Step 7: While still facing right, inhale through your nose, turn your palms up, and pull both arms back so that your rib cage feels fully opened. At the same time, shift your weight back on the left leg so that you're leaning back slightly.
Step 8: While still facing right, exhale through your mouth, turn your palms down, and bring both arms together so the thumbs of both hands touch each other. At the same time, shift your weight forward onto the right leg so you're leaning forward slightly.
Step 9: Repeat steps seven and eight flowing smoothly 5 to 10 times.
Step 10: Inhale through your nose, turn your palms up, and bring the left arm back to the left side, while pivoting both feet 90 degrees left so you're facing front
Accepting with Grace
Step 1: Exhale easily through your mouth, turn your palms down, and bring your right arm over to the left so the thumbs of both hands touch each other, while pivoting both feet 90 degrees left so you're facing the left side. Your weight is evenly balanced between both legs.
Step 2: While still facing left, inhale through your nose, turn your palms up, and pull both arms back so your rib cage feels fully opened. At the same time, shift your weight back completely onto the right leg, lean back slightly, and lift your left leg straight in front of you.
Step 3: While still facing left, exhale through your mouth, turn your palms down, and bring both arms together so the thumbs of both hands touch each other. At the same time, lower your left leg so your torso is upright again.
Step 4: Repeat steps two and three flowing smoothly 5 to 10 times.
Step 5: Inhale through your nose, turn your palms up, and bring your right arm back to the right side, while pivoting both feet 90 degrees right so you're facing front.
Step 6: Exhale easily through your mouth, turn your palms down, and bring your left arm over to the right so the thumbs of both hands touch each other, while pivoting both feet 90 degrees right so you're facing the right side. Your weight is evenly balanced between both legs.
Step 7: While still facing right, inhale through your nose, turn your palms up, and pull both arms back so that your rib cage feels fully opened. At the same time, shift your weight back completely onto the left leg, lean back slightly, and lift your right leg straight in front of you.
Step 8: While still facing right, exhale through your mouth, turn your palms down, and bring both arms together so the thumbs of both hands touch each other. At the same time, lower your right leg so your torso is upright and tall.
Step 9: Repeat steps seven and eight flowing smoothly 5 to 10 times.
Step 10: Inhale through your nose, turn your palms up, and bring your left arm back to the left side, while pivoting both feet 90 degrees left so you're facing front.
Rounding
Step 1: Exhale easily through your mouth, turn your palms down, bring your right arm over to the left so the thumbs of both hands touch each other, while pivoting both feet 90 degrees left so you're facing the left side. Your weight is evenly balanced between both legs.
Step 2: While still facing left, inhale through your nose, turn your palms up, pull your arms back so that your rib cage feels fully opened. At the same time step your right leg back and shift your weight back so you're leaning back slightly.
Step 3: While still facing left, exhale through your mouth, turn your palms down, and bring both arms together so the thumbs of both hands touch each other. At the same time, lift your right leg straight in front of you and lean forward slightly. Bring toes to fingertips.
Step 4: Repeat steps two and three flowing smoothly 5 to 10 times.
Step 5: Inhale through your nose, turn your palms up, bring your right arm back to the right side, while pivoting both feet 90 degrees right so you're facing front.
Step 6: Exhale easily through your mouth, turn your palms down, bring your left arm over to the right so the thumbs of both hands touch each other, while pivoting both feet 90 degrees right so you're facing the right side. Your weight is evenly balanced between both legs.
Step 7: While still facing right, inhale through your nose, turn your palms up, and pull your arms back so that your rib cage feels fully opened. At the same time, step your left leg back and shift your weight back so you're leaning back slightly.
Step 8: While still facing right, exhale through your mouth, turn your palms down, and bring both arms together so the thumbs of both hands touch each other. At the same time, lift your left leg straight in front of you and lean forward slightly. Bring toes and fingertips together.
Step 9: Repeat steps seven and eight flowing smoothly 5 to 10 times.
Step 10: Inhale through your nose, turn your palms up, bring your left arm back to the left side, while pivoting both feet 90 degrees left so you're facing front.
Flowing
Step 1: Exhale easily through your mouth and turn your palms down while letting your arms lower and cross in front of your body. Knees and toes are pointed out and your back is straight.
Step 2: Inhale through your nose, keep your elbows in at your waist, turn your palms up, and open your forearms to the side. Simultaneously cross your right foot over the left and bend your knees slightly. Shoulders are relaxed.
Step 3: Exhale easily through your mouth, turn your palms down, and lower and cross your arms in front of your body. At the same time step your left foot to the left side so you have returned to the position in step one.
Step 4: Repeat steps two and three moving smoothly 5 to 10 times to the right.
Step 5: Inhale through your nose, keep your elbows in at your waist, turn your palms up, and open your forearms to the side. At the same time, cross your left foot over the right and bend your knees slightly.
Step 6: Exhale easily through your mouth, turn your palms down, and lower and cross your arms in front of your body. At the same time step your right foot to the right side.
Step 7: Repeat steps five and six moving smoothly 5 to 10 times to the left.
Step 8: Inhale through your nose, keep your elbows in at the waist, turn your palms up, and open your forearms to the side.
Enoy Ai Chi
No two Ai Chi sessions will be the same, and that’s as it should be. Every movement will have variations according to what you, your body, and your psyche want that day. It’s fine to eliminate movements, put them in a different order, and change the tempo or the number of repetitions. Because we’re all different and Ai Chi serves each of us differently, we will all perform Ai Chi differently. Experiment with Ai Chi, be free and non-judgmental with yourself, and remember, "However your progression turns out is exactly how it was meant to be."
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