In this practice we will use our hands to trace the meridians. This should harmonize and stimulate the flow of Qi. We will move upward along the Yin Meridians (insides of the body and limbs) as we inhale, and we will move our hands downward along the Yang Meridians (outsides of the body and limbs), exhaling. Use a flat hand, palm facing the body. You may actually touch the body, or you may keep the hand just above the surface of the body. Clothes don’t matter. Move at a speed consistent with your breath.
Preliminary
- Start with the Three Regulations: Steady breath, relaxed mind, Wu Ji posture (feet shoulder width, shoulders relaxed, tailbone tucked, Crown Point rising).
- Pull Down the Heavens three times. You may lightly bounce to relax and loosen the body.
Upper body
- Begin with arms out to the side in a “T” position.
- As you inhale, bring hands together in front of the body, and draw the hands up the opposite arm. That is, the right hand moves up the outside of the left arm while the left hand moves up the outside of the right arm.
- At the shoulder, continue moving the hands up the sides of the head (arms will be crossed).
- At the top of the head, the hands uncross.
- Exhale as you let your hands flow naturally down the front of the body, then down the outsides of the legs.
- Roll up on the balls of your feet as you flick your hands outward and say “SHUU” releasing your breath with a sharp exhalation. Imagine that you are throwing any bad energy you have collected on your hands into the earth.
Lower body
- Now lean over, and put your hands on your ankles, left hand on left instep and right hand on right instep. As you inhale, move your hands up the inside of your legs to the groin.
- Cross your hands, then move up into the armpits.
- As you do so, draw each hand down the opposite arm, down the inside of the forearms, until you pull your hands apart, palms facing each other.
- Repeat from Step 1.
- To end the practice, Pull Down the Heavens three times.
NOTES
- Chinese texts recommend repeating this exercise 9-36 times (i.e., multiples of 9, which is a harmonic number).
- You can perform the same practice using cupped hands and slapping the body, rather than brushing. In this case, slap the body firmly, with conviction, to stimulate the flow of energy.
- You can do this on other people, either brushing or tapping. Either way, it should be an enjoyable and invigorating experience.
- This is a good practice for anyone when they are physically “tight” or tense because it will stimulate the nerves and improve blood circulation.
- This is also a good practice to do when you feel a cold or flu coming on, or when you sense any other imbalance in your energy. It should restore harmony quickly.
Here is a short video clip describing how to Brush the Medians: