upper lip.

Topography: in this area are located артерии верхней губы, верхний альвеолярный нерв (от второй ветви пятой пары) и верхнегубная ветвь нижнеглазничного нерва.

This point is the last energy center of the Posterior Middle Meridian. In qigong practice, the upper palate is often touched with the tongue, thus closing the extreme points of the Anterior-Middle and Back-Middle meridians, connecting them into one whole.

16. Tiantu (Sky path) - throat point (Fig. 16).

Location: about 0.7 cm above the middle of the upper edge of the jugular notch of the sternum.

The point is determined in the supine position.

Topography: the point is located between the sternocleidomastoid muscles, the sternohyoid and sternothyroid muscles are located in depth. In this area are located the inferior thyroid artery, extending from the thyroid-cervical trunk, and the cutaneous cervical nerve.

In depth is the trachea, behind the sternum is the innominate artery and the aortic arch.

The throat point is directly related to the functions of speech and communication, in addition, it is associated with the processes in the human mind during sleep.

17. Tianzhong (Middle of the chest) - Heart point (Fig. 17).

Location: on the midline of the chest, at the level of the fourth intercostal space, on the line between the nipples.

The point is determined in the supine position.

Topography: the point corresponds to the border of the junction of the body of the sternum and the xiphoid process, where the cutaneous branches of the internal mammary artery and the anterior cutaneous branches of the intercostal nerves are located.

The point is the energy storage of the meridian of the Upper heater. It is also believed that it is here that the Soul of a person is located.

18. Zhongvan (Middle gatekeeper) - the point of the Solar Plexus (Fig. 18).

Location: on the midline of the abdomen, in the middle of the distance between the navel and the junction of the body of the sternum with the xiphoid process.

The point is determined in the supine position.

Topography: in this area are located поверхностная эпигастральная артерия и передние кожные ветви межреберного нерва. At the bottom is the stomach.

This point is the center of the Middle Dan Tian (Middle Cauldron), where sexual energy and Life energy mix, transforming into Spiritual energy. It is believed that here there is a mixture of body, soul and spirit.

19. Yongquan (Boiling Spring) (Fig. 19).

Location: on the sole, 1/3 of the distance from the point between the base of the 2nd and 3rd toes to the end of the heel.

The point is determined in a sitting or lying position with bent toes (in the center of the formed fold).

Topography: the location of the point corresponds to the plantar aponeurosis, where the anterior tibial artery forms the plantar arc and branch out the internal and external metatarsal nerves.

Through this point, the energy of the Earth enters the human body. This is where the purification of this energy takes place before it enters the higher energy centers of the body.

The point belongs to the meridian of the Kidneys.

20. Laogong (Palace of Labor) (Fig. 20).

Location: In the center of the palm between the 3rd and 4th metacarpals.

The point is determined with the hand bent into a fist.

Topography: the point corresponds to the fascia of the palm, under which the ulnar and radial arteries are located, forming a superficial palmar network, where the common palmar nerve of the fingers, extending from the median nerve and ulnar nerve, and the median nerve are distributed.

This point belongs to the meridian of the Pericardium.

Chapter 3. Three Important Components of Qigong

Despite the fact that in China there are a large number of directions and schools of Qigong, there are some rules that are common to all of them. These rules are called the "Three Important Components" of Qigong. The "Three Important Components" are: "Regulation of Mind", "Regulation of Breath" and "Regulation of Body". Any exercise and any Qigong complex must be performed in strict accordance with these rules.

1. "Regulation of consciousness"

Consciousness is the mental activity of the brain, also called thinking. In China, they say that the brain is the receptacle of the "Spirit", through which people can cognize objects, study phenomena and respond to them.

During Qigong practice, you need to calm down, eliminate extraneous thoughts, fully concentrate on the exercises performed and immerse yourself in a state of peace. This state of consciousness is, as it were, on the border between sleep and wakefulness. At the same time, blood and Qi circulation improves, and favorable conditions arise for the cleansing of energy channels.

In Qigong practice, there are two main states of consciousness:

- The state of emptiness,

— The state of concentration.

The state of emptiness is a state of complete detachment and the absence of thoughts. You shouldn't think about anything. In order to learn how to enter this state, it is necessary to be indifferent to material wealth and career, to strive for moral purity and noble goals. Those who have learned this can easily enter the state of emptiness.

State of concentration - this is a state when the mind, being at rest, produces a thought directed to some part of the body, an object, or to the process of performing some exercise.

2. Regulation of breathing

Regulation of breathing means controlling the respiratory cycle by consciousness and transferring breathing from normal to breathing - Qigong. There are different types of breathing that create different circulations of Qi.

There are several dozen such types of breathing in Qigong, but by their type they all come down to the main eight:

1. Natural breathing

Natural breathing is ordinary breathing, when a person breathes the way he is used to doing it always.

When practicing qigong, this type of breathing should be combined with the adoption of the correct body positions and performed gently and naturally.

2. Deep, long breathing

Deep, long breathing is performed on the basis of natural breathing due to the gradual lengthening of exhalation and inhalation. The method lies in the fact that each subsequent respiratory movement becomes longer. However, this should happen naturally. Therefore, it is impossible to deliberately hold back the breath, simulating its deepening.

3. Abdominal breathing (Belly breathing)

Abdominal breathing (belly breathing) is performed by consciously pushing and pulling in the abdomen with each inhalation and exhalation.

This type of breathing significantly affects the functioning of internal organs.

4. Direct abdominal breathing

Direct abdominal breathing is performed in such a way that during inhalation the abdomen smoothly protrudes, and with exhalation it retracts (Fig. 1–3).

5. Reverse abdominal breathing

Reverse abdominal breathing is performed in such a way that during inhalation the abdomen smoothly retracts, and with exhalation it smoothly protrudes (Fig. 4–6).

6. Abdominal breathing with a delay

Abdominal breathing with a delay is performed in several stages. The respiratory cycle consists of the following phases: inhalation - delay - exhalation - delay.

A distinctive feature of this type of breathing is that the pause after exhalation is more pronounced and slightly longer.

7. Latent abdominal breathing

Hidden breathing is very gentle breathing with a slight rise and fall of the lower abdomen.

8. Internal uterine (preheavenly) abdominal breathing.

Uterine (pre-heavenly) breathing differs from Hidden breathing in even greater softness. Two or three respiratory cycles are performed per minute. This type of breathing is the highest level of mastery in "Breath Regulation".

3. Body regulation

The correct position is the first and main stage in mastering Qigong. By adopting the correct position, the circulation of Qi through the channels and blood through the vessels improves. The main requirements for taking the position are: "Relaxation", "Peace" and "Natural".

At the first stage of qigong practice, the main task is to achieve relaxation, which allows you to enter a state of complete concentration. In the future, even one position, provided that it is correctly adopted, can ensure the free circulation of Qi.

Especially for beginners, a method of relaxation "on three surfaces" was developed. In the beginning, you must mentally divide the body into three parts: the front, two side and back. Relaxation is performed in the same sequence. Take a deep breath through your mouth. As you exhale, relax the corresponding part of the body, as it were from the inside out and from top to bottom. Relax each part three times in a row, then relax the whole body three times from top to bottom.

After a qigong practitioner has learned to “relax”, he must become familiar with the basic requirements for the position of various parts of the body.

1. Head

Keep your head straight. It is, as it were, suspended on a thread by the Baihui point located at the top of the head.

The chin is slightly tucked up.

2. Look

Eyelids should be loosely closed. It is believed that since the "Seed", Qi and "Spirit" of the five "dense" and six "hollow" internal organs are concentrated in the eyes, closed eyes prevent these substances from coming out and "scattering".

3. Language

The tip of the tongue should easily rest against the palate.

The teeth are loosely closed. It is believed that at the point of contact between the tongue and the palate, the anterior-middle and posterior-middle meridians are connected (Fig. 7).

4. Chest and back

The chest should be slightly drawn in. The area around the Dazhui point, located between the last cervical and first thoracic vertebrae, is slightly raised.

5. Shoulders and elbows

Shoulders should be down and relaxed. Elbows needed "hanging", the tips of the elbows are, as it were, pulled down. Arms from shoulder to elbow should be completely relaxed.

6. Armpits.

The armpits should be rounded, as if there were cotton balls placed there.

7. Wrists, hands and fingers.

Wrists, hands and fingers should be relaxed and not enslaved.

8. Loin, hips and groin area.

The loin should be relaxed and slightly lowered. To do this, you need to feed it back and down a little.

The hips relax in sync