Gateway Practice Series

Celestial Smile Practice (Tian Xiao Gong)

Tian Gong infuses humanity with smiles. Our smile is love, and serves as a gateway to opening our hearts. An open heart is the gateway to a happy soul and overall physical health. This simple and very profound practice is an essential step to releaving stress, healing our hearts, as well as recieving and sending universal energy. Practice Method Posture Sit comfortably with your legs crossed naturally. Men lift the left leg to an upright folded position, making an upright triangle, while the right foot remains flat on the floor. Women lift the right leg to an upright folded position making an upright triangle while the left foot remains flat on the floor. Hold the palms of your hands together in front of your chest with fingers pointing upward. Gently place the left hand, palm down, on the left knee or leg, and gently place the right hand, palm down on the right knee or leg. You may lean your upper body gently backward (support behind the back is allowed) and lift your face slightly upward. You may also choose to keep the upper body straight but relaxed and the chin slightly tucked in. The entire body is naturally relaxed and comfortable. Close your eyes slightly. Then engender a smile from deep within your heart, letting it gradually emanate and spread to reach every cell of your body and every pore of your skin. Let the ripples of the smile continuously radiate and expand towards outer dimensions of time/space until the human body as a microcosm and the Universe as a macrocosm smile together as one. Closing: First end the practice with the gentle thought,I am now closing the practice. Change to sit in lotus position with legs naturally crossed. Bring your hands over your navel, overlapping them with your palms facing you. Women, place your right hand underneath and your left hand on top. Men, place your left hand underneath and your right hand on top. Gently rub your lower abdomen (lower dan tian) 9 times in a clockwise circle at a moderate to slow speed (imagine you are the clock) and then reverse direction and rub 9 times counter-clockwise.

Tian Gong International Foundation 830 Bancroft Way Berkeley, CA 94587 510-883-1920 www.tiangong.org

Celestial Smile Practice

Next, rub your hands together quickly until they are warm anddry washyour face by rubbing your palms on your face vigorously in concentric circles. This stimulates and sends positive energy to the various acupuncture points in this area. Beginbyrubbingtheoutsideedges of your face and moving your hands upwards towards your forehead, then move both hands towards the middle of your face and down the midline over your nose. Once you reach your chin, complete the circle by rubbing towards the respective outer edges of your face again. Perform the complete rotation 18 times.

Next, rub along the center line of the soles of your feet 36 times. Using either side of your palm, rub the sole of your foot along the center line to stimulate your Yong-Quan Acupressure Point. Men rub the left foot first with the right hand, while women rub the right side first with the left hand. Then change to the other foot. Rub each foot eighteen times. Finally, bring the palms of your hands together in front of your chest in prayer position and send out the intention that all living beings may recieve the benefits of this practice. Suggestion: This practice is most suitable for those with excess worries, depression, sadness, anxiety, extreme introversion and difficulty in opening up or letting go.

Tian Gong International Foundation 830 Bancroft Way Berkeley, CA 94587 510-883-1920 www.tiangong.org