Monday, November 16, 2015

Learning Wild Goose Qigong

Down where the creek meets the Little, on new sand from the big rain in October, I went through the wild goose set Robin gave us at the qigong retreat this weekend.  I did not rouse any of the Canadian Geese who I often see, but I remembered the sequence, inspired by place. First gazing at the expanse of sky, arms raised turning right than left keeping feet facing forward. Flying over the mountains next, breathing in as arms rise, out as they fall - several great arm wings to one side and then to the other. Then patting the water, hands flapping up to make a good stretch, as if preening to the tip of each wing. Over the pines for the fourth movement, flight as one hand stretches out and up, the other hand stretches down, then the palms pass each other as they stretch to the other side. 
The 5th and 6th flow into one another as the geese fly over a lake. I step out to the right, hands flapping over right knee and rising up over head until palms face up, then arms move to the sides still flapping. Pause, breathing in the arms move behind, flapping as the body stretches out over the lake, the neck stretching to get  a good look. Arms move back to the knees and repeat. After several flaps to the right side, move to the left. The seventh movement takes the geese into a glide: hands crossed in front of chest, step out to the right as arms move to the side and back, stretching forward. From one side to the other, the same smooth movement. Now the geese fly over the moon: prayer hands, step out to the right and stretch forward as hands lead, then hands pull back and body tucks down and inward (a slow rocking). The geese fly home: turning from one side to the other, arms undulate. To end the set, gaze at the sky with arms raised as in the beginning.
Look forward to doing this in class tomorrow! 

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