This exercise will loosen up the entire torso. If you find that this turning exercise makes you feel dizzy or nauseated, you should reduce the number of repetitions.
Toss your body from side to side, ten times to each side.
28. Sway the Body Sideways (側躺微晃) 每邊30 次
This exercise will relax the torso and allow qi to circulate smoothly. You’ll find it can be very pleasant, like rocking yourself to sleep.
Turn your body to one side, and then rock and sway gently and lightly thirty times. Turn to the other side, and rock and sway again thirty times.
Facing Downward29. Left and Right Sway the Body (左右晃身) (面朝下平身) 每邊30 次
This exercise will loosen up the back-muscle tension caused by facing upward.
Turn your body, and lie facing downward. Swing your waist area left and right gently to loosen up the torso. Swing thirty times.
30. Sway Hips (臀左右晃) (跪式) 每邊30 次
This exercise will loosen up the lower back muscles.
Pull your legs into a kneeling posture. Gently sway your hips from side to side thirty times.
31. Stretch the Torso—Forward, Left, and Right (跪拔上身) (前、左、右拔) 30 秒
This stretching exercise will open up tight back muscles.
Extend both arms forward as far as you can so that the torso is stretched. Stay there for about thirty seconds. If you like, you may gently swing your hips from side to side while maintaining the stretch.
Next move your upper body until your head is facing left. This will focus the stretching in the right-side muscles of your back. Stay in this position for thirty seconds.
Finally, turn your head to your right to stretch the left-side back muscles. Stay in this position for thirty seconds.
32. Circle the Waist—Forward, Left, and Right (腰部繞圈) (前、左、右繞) 每邊30 次
The previous stretching exercises have opened up the tight back muscles. Now we go deeper and exercise the vertebrae.
Focusing on the lower three sections of vertebrae from L2 to L5 with gentle and slow circular movements, circle thirty times, and then reverse the circling direction for another thirty times.
Next move your upper body until your head is facing left and your torso stretches to the left. Repeat the waist circular motion thirty times. Finally, change to the other side, and repeat the circular motion thirty times. Remember, you should focus the movement in the lower back.
33. Spine Waving (Marjari Asana) (脊椎波動) 每邊30 次
Move your upper body forward again with your elbows comfortably supporting the upper body and the head facing down.
Next initiate a waving motion from the lower back upward, moving your vertebrae section by section. Repeat thirty times.
Then turn your upper body to the left and repeat the same spine-waving movement thirty times.
Finally, turn your body to your right, and repeat the same movement thirty times.
If you decide to continue your practice to the full self-massage regimen, you may skip these recovery exercises and go straight to massage. Most of these exercises will be repeated in the massage chapter.
1. Massage the Abdomen Gently with Circular Motion (圈摩腹部)
After you finish your spine-waving movement, lie facing upward. Remember, you should feel comfortable. If you feel uncomfortable, you should stop massaging.
Use both hands to gently and comfortably massage the stomach and abdominal areas with a circular motion following the direction of the bowel system. In other words, starting from just above your belly button, circle your hands to your left, then down, then to your right, and around back to above your belly button. Massaging in this direction smooths the qi circulation. If you reverse the direction, you may create stagnation in the circulation, and that may cause constipation. You should massage in circles until a warm feeling gets deeper and deeper.
2. Massage the Inner Hip Joints (搓摩胯部)
Next extend your massage to the lower abdominal area and groin area. Gently massage the entire area for a couple of minutes, and then gently slide downward to the sides of the groin and inner hips. Massage for three to five minutes.
3. Massage Testicles/Ovaries (按摩睪丸/卵巢) and Pressing Huiyin (指點會陰)
If you are a male, use your fingers to massage and rub your testicles for a few minutes. If you massage too much and feel uncomfortable, you should stop.
If you are a female, you may massage the ovary areas for a few minutes. Again, if you feel uncomfortable, you should stop.
After massaging, use your middle finger to press the perineum/huiyin (CV-1) (會陰) cavity and gently circle rub ten times in each direction to loosen the muscle. This massage allows your qi to move more freely. While you are massaging the perineum/huiyin, you should gently hold up your anus.
4. Abdominal Deep Breathing (小腹順息)
This is a relaxing “Buddhist” breath.