The mind and the moving speed in exercise

[Anonymous]

Hi Paul,
I heard your radio discussion with Dan kleiman and read the Tao Journal for new students. I can safely say most of us know enough about qigong to be interested but it is very hard to get a practical knowledge. It is the most mysterious and secretive of the various arts, although the qi concept permeates the whole Chinese culture and is the basis of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The Journal not only shows us how to go about learning qigong in general but also explains clearly the system Bruce had created for us to follow safely and effectively. I really appreciate it and will go through it every so often.
I hope you could clarify my questions below:
1) I understand that the exercise should be done as slowly as possibly but it is quite a struggle to constantly remind myself to slow down. The mind and body simply don’t have this slow speed. Sometimes I remind myself to slow down to the speed of qi, which is quiet and still. Sometimes I simply go about the whole session in slow motion. Is there another way to go about it?
2) In this slow motion, the mind is too free and I will be either conscious of the alignment, feeling the qi if any, thinking of the moving mechanics or thinking I am establishing qi pathway in the body. Is there some general advice for this? There are common qigong instructions like being conscious of the luo-gong of the two hands or being conscious of yong-qjang of the two feet or to pour qi down the bai hui on the head. Do we have such practice?
3) I come across the words ‘rooting of qi’ regularly but nobody seems to have mentioned how to root the qi. Do we practise rooting? What is the benefit of rooting? Is it rooting when we dissolve below the feet, when we stand in cloud hand, in circling or in dragon and tiger stepping?
Regards,

[Anonymous]

Yes, the mind can be quite impatient and wants to race
ahead. Ongoing training will slowly lull the mind into a relaxed state. Just do
your best. In reference to the speed of your practice, no, there isn’t any
other way to do it. You simply spend the whole session in slow motion.

Try to keep your mind on one specific focus during each
practice or progress through a series of principles while going through your
10-20 reps–one focus at a time. For example, focus on your alignments for the
first few reps, the quality of your motion for the next few and achieving
relaxation for the rest of the set. And, yes, we do have presence practices
about certain points or channels, but they are not relevant yet. Build your foundation as taught
in the course.

Rooting is initially developed in standing and eventually
applied in all other practices. Sinking qi through your whole body to below
your feet is where you start and remain for some time. Patience and
perseverance is what pays off in the long run.

[Author]

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