From the Bible to Tai Chi (7) Visualization

‘… the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.’

Genesis 1:2

There's a saying in Tai Chi Classics: “Navigate Qi with the heart, move the body with Qi.”

This involves high level of mind-body coordination.  An effective strategy to accomplish this is through visualization.

For example, in performing the first movement of Tai Chi Chun,

imagine you were a piece of cloud, floating

and stretching leisurely, freely in the sky.

Fill the space created after stretching with Qi.

Song your shoulder and back, let your Qi flow down to your waist like water,

then Song your waist and let Qi flow down from your waist to your feet.

Then spread your Qi on the ground like ripples across the lake.

Song your feet, as if your were standing on two pieces of still floating wood.

Feel the floating power and let your Qi ascend naturally.

Your spirit commands Qi through visualization.  When you visualize your spirit sinking onto the ground, your Qi follows.  And in your perception, spirit and Qi seem to go hand in hand and co-exist.  There is your spirit, there is your Qi.  How magnificent it is to visualize ‘the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters’.

Through visualization, your spirit directs stream of Qi to flow forward, backward, to ascend, descend, expand or fall in.

There are no definite images suitable for visualization.  You should find your own.  It is personal.