Quiet Qi Gong--getting the energy flowing

In the last post, I mentioned how the simple act of walking can stimulate the flow of Qi through the body.  That's pretty simple stuff.  Here's another simple way to get things rolling, from what I've read: sitting quietly.

Well, it's not exactly all that easy, but it's not much more complicated than that.

The steps for this are simple:

1.  Sit on the edge of a chair with your knees about shoulder-width apart with your feet flat on the floor

2.  Put your left hand on your lap facing upwards and your right hand on top of it facing downward, with the center of your palms opposite each other.  Let your clasped hands rest on your lap.  This seals in the qi. 

The goal here is to focus your qi on a single spot in your body: your navel.  In a sense, you're bringing your energy to the center of your body.

3.  Close your eyes, quiet your mind, think calm thoughts, breathe deeply, count your breathing in and out, and simply allow yourself to slow down.  Place your attention on your navel and this should draw your energy there.

Then, mentally visualize three concentric circles that radiate from your navel.  This is called the "ba gua."  (Actually, it supposed to be concentric octagons, but do what you can.)  Imagine that you are taking a pen and tracing around these circles/octagons, one at a time.

Finally, "seal" the energy by placing the center of one palm over your navel with the other palm resting atop it--left hand first for men, right hand first for women.  Concentrate on this area and breathe into it.

If all goes well, this exercise should help you feel calm, grounded and relaxed.

I'm going to try this for the week and see how it goes.  I'm trying really, really hard not to be skeptical!  It all sounds a little hokey, but what do I have to lose?