Progressing from Standing to Cloud Hands

Thank you for your reply, Dan.

I have already started practicing the various seperate component exercises building up to the complete exercise.

I will start to build up practice slowly and get back to you.

I will mention in passing, that there is a tendency for the body to want to exhale on the downward movement and when it causes the other side to rise, then the body wants to inhale. I do not intentionally coordinate breathing with movements, although it does sometimes happen on its own. Either way, I do not interfere.

Thanks again.

Ian

Hi Dan,

Well, trying to practice cloud hands has proved to be a challenge for the breathing: it immediately becomes start-stop, and tenses up.

This body was damaged many years ago by forced, yogic breathing practices (don't try these at home, kids :) amd there is still a lot of tension in the breathing apparatus despite spending many months now practicing relaxing the breathing and letting it return to a calm, circular mode, i.e. natural breathing.

Have tried the Dragon and Tiger Movements also, and find the breathing tenses up and becomes a strain (but doesn't hold as much), and, while it causes strong energy flows, there is an unbalanced excess upward energy movement (anxiety, spaced out, irritable, chest breathing), and physical tension in the breathing and lower abdomen, and less groundedness, stillness, openness and relaxation that comes from standing and letting go.

Only a hunch, but perhaps I should continue working with standing-grounding and breathing for a while before trying to work with the "upward current" or trying to coordinate movements and breathing. I think doing so breaks the 70% rule, i.e. not straining.

Any opinions?

Kind regards,
Ian