Part 1: Relaxing Neck and Shoulder Movement (detailed description)

Part 1 : Relaxing Neck and Shoulder Movement (Basic Foundation : 6 movements)

Possible health benefits include : Can help with headaches and migraines, feeling pain in the brain, nerve pain, neck pain, stiff neck, tight shoulders and shoulder pain, difficulty in raising the arms.

Possible causes of illness : Headaches can be caused by brain capillaries and blood vessels being blocked. If prolonged, more pain will result and if serious, capillaries and blood vessels will rupture and cause stroke and difficulty in walking. Practicing chi kung helps prevent this type of illness from happening. Shoulder pain is also a result of the blood flow not flowing smoothly or becoming stagnant. By relaxing and softening all the muscles and tendons above the shoulders relieves pressure from the neck and shoulders. Once circulation is back to normal, many health concerns are resolved.

Start : Place the feet shoulder width apart and relax the hands so that the arms rest by the sides and point the fingers downward. 

Breathe in, abdomen (tummy) tucks in gradually and gently, chest expands.

Breathe out, relax chest, abdomen (tummy) expands out gradually and gently.

Repeat all movements minimum 3 times, preferable 6 times or 9 times.

1.   Head

Breathe in through relax nose while standing in the center position, tummy tucks in, chest expands.

Breathe out (through the mouth gently from the lips) and bend the head forward & downward until the head touches the chest softly stretching the back of the neck.

Breathe in (through the nose) and lift the head back to the center upright vertical position.

Breathe out and bend the head backward as far as you can, being mindful of your limit.

Breathe in and bring the head back to the center upright position.

Breathe out and drop the head sideways towards the left shoulder until the ear resting onto the shoulder or as far as you can stretch your neck.

Breathe in and bring the head back to the center.

Breathe out and drop the head sideways towards the right shoulder until the ear resting onto the shoulder or as far as you can.

Breathe in and bring the head back to the center (Repeat the whole set 3/6/9 times).

2.   Neck - stand in the center position and turn the neck horizontally

Breathe in (through the nose) while standing in the center position.

Breathe out (through the mouth) and turn the neck to the far left side as the transition.

Breathe in (through the nose) all the way horizontally 180 degrees to the far right.

Breathe out and all the way 180 degrees to the left side and go as far as you can reach, be mindful of your limit.

Repeat this left-out, right-in cycle 3/6/9 times.

After 3 times, when the head is left side, then do the transition to the opposite side.

Breathe in (through the nose) back to the center position from left.

Breathe out (through the mouth) from center and turn the neck to the right side as the transition.

Breathe in (through the nose) all the way 180 degrees to the far left.

Breathe out and all the way 180 degrees to the right side and go as far as you can reach, be mindful of your limit (Repeat 3/6/9 times).

3.   Shoulder drop - Drop the shoulder to both sides slowly

Breathe in (through the nose) while standing in the center position.

Breathe out (through the mouth) and bend the body, keeping the hips still, to the left and let the palms slide along the legs, count as the transition.

Take on ful breath in (through the nose) and bend the body to the right and let the palms slide along the legs.

Take one full breath out (through the mouth) and bend the body to the left and let the palms slide along the legs (Repeat 3 times).

After 3 times, do a transition by bringing oneself to the center position by breathing in (through the nose), then breathing out and drop the shoulder to the right side.

Take one full breath in (through the nose) and bend the body to the left side and let the palms slide along the legs.

Take one full breath out (through the mouth) and bend the body to the right side and let the palms slide along the legs (Repeat 3/6/9 times).

4. Neck and Upper Body Turn

Keep the head still and keep the eyes looking in the center looking far ahead.

Breathe in (through the nose) while standing in the center position.

Breathe out (through the mouth) and turn the waist and upper body all the way to left as far as one can reach and when you reach the far left continue to turn the neck (transition).

Breathe in and turn the waist and upper body all the way to right, turn as far as you can and continue to turn the neck (Repeat 3/6/9 times).

Breathe out to the left.

Breathe in from the left to the center.

Breathe out and turn the waist and upper body from the center to the right as far as you can turn and when you reach the far right continue to turn the neck (transition).

Breathe in while turning the waist and upper body all the way to left and turn as far as you can reach and when you reach the far left continue to turn the neck.

Breathe out turning the waist and upper body all the way to right as far as you can reach and when you reach the far right continue to turn the neck (Repeat 3/6/9 times).

 

5. Rotate upper body and shoulder gently

Slowly turn your body to the left side and bend the upper body slightly downward - increase the bending depending on one’s flexibility.

Breathe out (through the mouth) and turn your upper body from the left to the right side when you are in the downward position.

When the head is on the way up at the right side, bend the knees slightly to the front, bring the upper body arching to the back with the support of the waist and let the shoulders rotate while the head and neck follow the movement.

Breathe in (through the nose) while completing the upper rotation from the right shoulder to the left shoulder

(Repeat 3 /6 / 9 times).

Breathe out (through the mouth) while turning the upper body from the right to left. While at the left side, bring the knees to the front and upper body arching to the back and let the upper body turn from left to right and let the arms and palms follow.

Breathe in (through the nose) and bend the upper body to the left and let the arms & palms follow (Repeat 3 /6 / 9 times) .

Variation: If there is difficulty in arching the back, just turn the head around the base of the neck for the rotation. Do it slowly to avoid dizziness - usually dizziness will disappear after a few practice sessions.

 

6. Whole body stretch– stretch like the bird with wings extended out

With the legs shoulder width apart and the hands hanging down by your sides.

Open the palms facing front, breathe in (through the nose) and bring the arms straight back, lift them up and bring the shoulder blades gently close together, open the chest and bring both arms up all the way up over the head and beside your ears, eyes looking far. Raise the spine and synchronize the movements with the breath.

Breathe out (through the mouth) bending at the waist as the arms drop down in front of you and when in the downward position, eyes look between the legs.

Breathe in (through the nose) tummy tucks in while bringing the waist, back, upper body, neck, head and arms up

Breathe out drop the arms to the sides until you reach an iron-cross position (shoulder level).

Breathe in by grasping all the fingertips tightly and drop them downward softly into a circle with wrists tightened up at the end  with elbows and tummy tuck in.

[NB The end of this movements requires grasping the fingertips and the bending of your wrists inwards to stretch your arm muscles into a circular shape beside the body]

Breathe out and relax all the fingers, wrists while droping the elbows, arms and shoulders and relaxing the fingers and hands so that they rest on the side of the legs and totally relax by bringing the chi down through your arms and fingers and through your body down into the feet and into the ground (Repeat 3/6 /9 times).

 

Variation of breathing style in the whole body stretch movement (Repeat 3/6 /9 times)

Breathe out while rotating the arms rearward and tilting the head backward.

Breathe in as the arms reach the same vertical plane as the head, rotate the arms and head forward while bending at the waist.

Breathe out while bringing the arms and head upward and return your torso to the vertical position.

Breathe in and bring the arms to an iron cross position.

Breathe out while pointing the fingers in a grasping position and drop the hands to rest on the side of the legs.