Practical Chi

Vital Energy and

Building a Ball Chi Kung

Marissa Newell
Illustrated by Ken Tan
 PRACTICAL CHI
VITAL ENERGY AND BUILDING A BALL CHI KUNG
 Practical Chi
Vital Energy and
Building a Ball Chi Kung

Marissa Newell
Illustrated by Ken Tan

Naga Press
Chiang Mai, Thailand
 Copyright © Marissa Newell, Ken Tan 2022

This book is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private
study, research, criticism, or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act,
no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission.
Enquiries should be made to the publisher.

First edition published 2022 by Naga Press

P O Box 215
Prasing Post
Muang, Chiang Mai
Thailand 50205

www.practicalchi.com??

For further information about our titles please visit our

website or write to the above address.

Edited by Paul Hardacre

Book design and layout by Marissa Newell
Illustrated by Ken Tan

Printed in Thailand by …
Typeset in …

CIP Data
Thanks to Sifu Mark Rasmus and Sifu Ludovic Pernot for opening the door – I am forever
grateful.
“May the path of light guide and protect.”
Contents
Contents 7

Introduction 8

Vital Energy 8
Vital Energy and its role in Internal Alchemy 10

Building a Ball Chi Kung 10

Mind 11
Breath 12
Body 13
Benefits of Vital Breathing and Building a Ball Chi Kung 13
Setting up for practice 14
Exercise 1: Begin 14
Exercise 2: Vital Breathing 15
Exercise 3: Condensing 19
Exercise 4: Stretching 20
Exercise 5: Roll the Ball 21
Exercise 6: Press up and down the arms 22
Exercise 7: Sweep up and down the arms 23
Exercise 8: Spiraling 24
Exercise 9: Come back to the Ball 25
Exercise 10: Tiger Claw 26
Exercise 11: Play with the Ball 27
Exercise 12: Opening to Vital Energy 28
Exercise 13: Body Massage 29
Illustrations for Body Massage 29
Exercise 14: Grounding 29
Illustrations for Grounding 29
Exercise 15: Gratitude 30
Illustration for Gratitude 30

Building a Ball Chi Kung Standing 30

On sharing 31

Bios 31
Introduction
My intention for this series of books is just as the title – Practical Chi – suggests: a series of
informative and easy-to-follow chi kung guides with an emphasis on feeling and working with chi
or energy, accessible to everyone – practitioner, non-practitioner and even children.

In internal arts, like chi kung and tai chi, the feeling qualities of chi are equally as important as
the breath, exercises, postures, and forms. Awakening our feeling senses to chi broadens our
understanding of energy in our practices, in ourselves and in our environment, which can bring
about profound healing, transformation and growth.

Vital Energy and Building a Ball Chi Kung guides the reader step-by-step through a set of chi
kung exercises to feel vital energy in a real and tangible way. One does not need to be
practicing chi kung for a long time or be a ‘Master’ to feel chi – in fact, you could be picking up
this book not knowing anything about energy. All one needs is an openness and a willingness to
learn.

This guide is a humble contribution to the internal arts, and greater community and it is hoped
that this knowledge, so generously passed on from my teachers, will benefit others on their own
paths. Subsequent books in this series will build upon the foundation presented here.

Vital Energy
“Qi, or chi, an active principle forming part of any living thing (translated as ‘natural
energy’, ‘life force’ or ‘energy flow’).”

Everything is energy, everything is chi.1 ‘Chi’ is an all-encompassing term for manifest energy in
the universe; energy that brings or animates life and flows through everything. There are
countless approaches and perspectives towards understanding it. Through chi kung, an energy
arts system that utilises breathing, meditation, postures, and movement, we can tune our feeling
senses to chi – but what is the feeling of chi?

We may answer that the ‘feeling’ of chi is the breath, sensations on the skin such as heat and
coolness, tingling, hairs standing up on the skin, noticeable variations in blood flowing through
the body, a connectedness with nature and the universe, or simply feeling good and ‘going with
the flow’. And these are all fine and reasonable perspectives but they only form part of the
picture. Just as you can feel a tangible object with your hands, chi can also be sensed in this
way – it has form and a multitude of feeling qualities.

1
The words chi and energy are used interchangeably throughout this book as a general reference to the
term ‘energy’. Where the term ‘Qi’ is used refers to a specific quality of energy associated with the middle
dantian / heart centre.
Where does one begin? Approaching chi in its vast universal scale may be incomprehensible or
impossible for the majority of us. How do we perceive energy so
all-encompassing, seemingly invisible and mysterious? Feeling chi
requires a practical starting point, by way of a vibrational scale of
energy, to discern frequencies or qualities of this all-encompassing
chi.

Internal arts systems utilise the three dantians in different ways and
according to various methods, in order to cultivate and work with chi.
The three dantians are energy centres inside the body consisting of:
the lower dantian, located at the belly / abdomen, which is the centre
of gravity of our physical body; the middle dantian, located at the
heart centre, which is the centre of gravity of our emotional or astral
body; and the upper dantian, located at the pineal gland, which is the
centre of gravity of our mind or mental body. Each dantian has a
quality of energy associated with it – forming the basis of our
vibrational scale of energy.

These qualities of energy are widely known by the Taoist

terms Jing, Qi and Shen (respectively). Throughout this
series of books we refer to the same energies using the Hermetic terms Vital, Astral and Mental.
Above these – working further up our vibrational scale in more advanced internal arts practices
– are Akasha or Wuji and Non-Dual Light qualities.

Non-Dual Light (essense of mind and spirit)

Akasha / Wuji (infinity)

Mind Upper dantian Pineal gland Centre of Mental Shen

gravity of our (energy) (energy)
Mental Body

Emotions Middle dantian Heart centre Centre of Astral Qi

gravity of our (energy) (energy)
Astral Body

Body Lower dantian Belly / Centre of Vital Jin / Jing

abdomen gravity of our (energy) (energy)
Physical Body

Vibrational Scale of energy

This vibrational scale of energy allows us to discern feeling qualities of chi – ranging from dense
energies at the bottom to more subtle energies working upwards. Building our foundation from
the bottom, we begin by learning to feel vital energy through building a ball chi kung.
Vital energy can be described as a dense – perhaps raw – form of life-force with a magnetic
feeling quality. When vital energy builds and condenses between our hands we get a sense of
resistance – like two magnets repelling each other – and we can feel the energy naturally
forming in the shape of a ball or sphere. Also referred to as electromagnetic energy, it is present
in everything and everywhere in our environment.

As we work with vital energy we realise its importance and versatility as a foundational quality of
chi in our practices – whether it be chi kung, tai chi, internal alchemy, martial arts, or any type of
energy art – and how it can be used in a multitude of ways for health, healing, training,
spirituality, and in our daily lives.

Vital Energy and its role in Internal Alchemy

One of the most valuable internal arts practices is internal
alchemy. Via an array of methods, internal alchemy works with
the transformation of energy and ultimately of oneself,
deepening and enriching our practices and our lives.

Vital energy plays an important role as a primary fuel in internal

alchemy, as we need energy in order to transform energy. Our
vibrational scale is an alchemical pathway by which vital energy
is transformed upwards, opening the door to the energies of the
three dantians (vital, astral and mental), releasing into Akasha
(Wuji) and connecting to Non-Dual Light.

Through prayer, Non-Dual Light is invited back down through the

three dantians, synchronising the energies of our body,
emotions, mind, and spirit to help us to evolve on our
path.

Our feeling senses allow us to perceive and discern the

whole vibrational scale and transformation of energy both internally (inside of the body) and
externally (outside of the body), saving us time and guesswork as we navigate this inner
pathway. Building a ball chi kung lays the foundation and is the first key to this internal
alchemy method.

Building a Ball Chi Kung

Building a ball chi kung engages our body, mind and breath through a range of exercises
designed to build a chi ball between our hands using vital energy. It is an essential foundational
practice that opens the door to the vital energy field within and around us.
Building a ball chi kung awakens our feeling senses to energy, and feeling energy is what
makes chi kung (in its simplest translation meaning 'energy work’) the art that it is. The
mainstream entry point into chi kung is generally encountered as a type of physical exercise,
simply learning forms or movement patterns, with chi viewed at a superficial level or as a
side-note where, if we practice long enough, we may ‘experience’ chi. This attitude to energy
may be informed by our culture telling us that energy is just a concept, or tradition may dictate
that only Masters can feel chi, and we may even ask ourselves: why feel chi?

Regardless of our experience or what culture and tradition tells us, anyone can feel chi – it
comes down to our own beliefs. If we believe that we can’t feel energy or need to be practicing
for a certain number of years before we can feel chi, then that will most likely be the case. Like
anything we set out to achieve, having the right attitude and undertaking the process correctly
will better likely bring the desired results (i.e. success).

Building a ball chi kung teaches us how to discern energy, develop energy sensitivity and apply
energy to any type of exercise, form, movement, or posture. If you were to take a chi kung
exercise and perform it simply as a mechanical physical movement, and then repeat that same
exercise integrating the feeling of chi, you will find a notable qualitative difference.

Awakening our feeling senses to energy also awakens our spirit. It changes our perceptions.
This enables new depths to be explored within our practices, and our awareness and
understanding of energy grows. We become more open to looking inward at ourselves and how
we interact within our environment and with those around us, giving us the opportunity to
transform our own energy for the better.

Feeling chi begins by synchronising our mind, breath and body by placing our “will on the
breath, and the breath on the stretch.”2

Mind
For the mind to perceive energy, it needs to be felt outside of the body. In building a ball chi
kung we focus our mind and apply our will on our breath in the space between our hands to feel
vital energy. Without this external perception it is difficult to understand and work with
frequencies or qualities of chi.

When we become aware of the vital energy – the electromagnetic fluid – in the space between
our hands, we pay attention to that feeling to increase our sensitivity and build the feeling
(alongside correct breath and body mechanics). If our mind is wandering and our attention is
elsewhere then the feeling of vital energy lessens or disappears. So, what our mind is paying
attention to during the practice is important.

Another aspect is our mind's mental space. How closed or open is your mental space? Does it
feel contracted and stuck to your physicality, in a state of emotional stress, worry or anxiety? Or

2
Sifu Mark Rasmus
is it relaxed and open to your environment? To be open to energy, our mind also needs to be
open, relaxed and occupying a large space. This can be done by moving your awareness from
your physical body out to the edges of the room that you are in and relaxing your mind into the
space of the room. Maintaining a large mental space with an openness to learning helps us to
feel chi. Being too serious or worrying if you’re doing the exercises perfectly only contracts the
mind and hinders progress.

Naturally, thoughts will arise during our practice. This phenomenon is commonly referred to as
the ‘monkey mind’. While we want to reduce mental chatter, we don’t need to get stressed about
it. Our practice gives us an opportunity to simply observe: observing the thoughts as they arise,
and observing letting the thoughts fall away – not touching or clinging to any particular thought.
Practicing observing creates space between ourselves and the thoughts. Over time we become
less affected by them, our mind becomes more calm and quiet, and we are better able to
concentrate and go deeper into our practice.

Building a ball chi kung helps us to understand the role of the mind in our practice. It trains our
mind – building focus and concentration, developing mental flexibility, and getting to know our
mind better through observation.

Breath
Central as it is to our life, the breath is similarly important for our practice. Building a ball chi
kung utlises a technique of breathing with the whole body, through the pores of the skin, called
vital breathing.

When we breathe our natural focus is placed on the lungs and/or diaphragm. When we engage
in vital breathing our awareness moves from the lungs and/or diaphragm over our whole body,
over the surface of the skin – the largest organ of our body containing millions of pores. With
each vital breath a sensation of energy moving in and out through the pores of the skin arises
and our whole body inflates like a balloon with the fullness of energy.

The vital breath moves through the skin into the fascia and the stretch of our whole body (see
below), moving and releasing static energy. It increases awareness of our whole body
connectivity – feeling the skin, fascia, joints, and structure of our physical body and that of our
emotional and mental states. If we are feeling overwhelmed, stressed or ungrounded, vital
breathing brings us back to our physical body and stabilises our energy. It nourishes and heals,
gives us power, and supports and works in so many unique ways, matching the needs of the
individual.

This conscious vital breathing is a versatile and powerful way to connect with the vital life-force
that is all around us, and is of importance and benefit to our practice and daily life.
Body
The stretch of our body determines how energy conducts through the body and how much
energy we feel. Engaging in our stretch tunes the body and activates the fascia. This fascial
network of connective tissue supports and surrounds the inner structure of our body (bones,
muscles and organs) and can be viewed as our meridian system (energy pathways) throughout
which energy flows.

We tune our body by gently stretching open and upwards our spine, and gently stretching open
the joints of our fingers and toes. When we vital breathe into our stretch, energy conducts
through the fascia, supporting the body and allowing the muscles to relax. There is no exact
stretch – it is up to you to find the right, active stretch for your body where you can feel the
energy flow / conduct.

If our posture is floppy (or too tense) it is difficult for energy to move and it becomes static. How
different do you feel when you consciously sit or stand tall, as opposed to slumping? Our stretch
and posture makes all the difference to our practice and general wellbeing.

To begin building a ball chi kung we synchronise the stretch of our spine, fingers and toes and
maintain this stretch throughout the practice. As you become familiar with the exercises and the
feeling of vital energy, you can explore tuning your entire body by gently stretching open all of
your major joints (ankles, knees, hips, shoulders, elbows, and wrists) to deepen your practice in
energy.

Initially, building a ball chi kung is practiced sitting, as opposed to standing. Sitting on a chair we
can comfortably stretch – from our feet (firmly planted on the ground), through the spine, all the
way to our head. There is less pressure on the body which allows our mind to pay more
attention to the energy, rather than to the physical body. Once we have mastered our seated
posture and the feeling of vital energy, we can practice the exercises standing.

Benefits of Vital Breathing and Building a Ball Chi Kung

(small boxed section in text)
● Connects you to vital life-force energy
● Develops feeling senses
● Increases energy sensitivity
● Awakens your spirit
● Understanding body, emotions and mind connection
● Awareness of energy, ourselves and our environment
● Builds energy for healing, health and practice / training
● Moves static energy
● Releases tension
● Calms emotions and mind
● Grounding
● Better concentration
 ● Improves posture
● Initiates a process of self healing and investigation inwards
● Helps you to grow and evolve on your path

Setting up for practice

Find a comfortable and quiet space that allows you to focus and concentrate upon the practice.
Seasons and weather permitting, access to an outdoor space – a garden, beneath a tree or
elsewhere in nature – is also beneficial as nature provides a natural reservoir of vital energy that
we can tap into. Do your best with where you are and what you have – the main thing is to do
the practice.

As a seated practice, use a chair that allows for an upright posture – you don’t want to be
leaning into the back of your chair. However, if you require back support, use pillows or posture
aids that keep your spine upright.

Exercise 1: Begin

1. Seated posture.
Sit on your two sit / sitz bones. Rock slowly backwards and forwards in your chair in
order to check that you are sitting on your sit bones and not leaning back on your
tailbone or leaning too far forwards. Sink your weight into the chair and relax your lower
back so that it is not tense or arched. Gently stretch your spine upwards and tuck your
chin in slightly so that the back of your neck is open and your head is aligned above the
spine. Rest your hands comfortably on your thighs, with elbows and shoulders relaxed.
2. Observe your natural breath.
With each inhalation and exhalation, relax your mind and set your intention for the
practice – to feel vital energy.
3. Place your hands on your diaphragm (just below the rib cage).
Breathe into your belly with your diaphragm, feeling your rib cage expand and
diaphragm push down with each inhalation, and with each exhalation the rib cage
contract / relax and the diaphragm move back up. Mentally note the movement of your
rib cage expanding and contracting with each breath.

4. Bring your awareness over your whole body.

Feel how your whole body is connected to your breath, and the subtle movement of your
whole body – expanding and contracting – with each breath. Explore for a few minutes,
then rest your hands back on your thighs.
5. Observe your thoughts rise and fall.
As you continue with your natural breath, observe the thoughts that arise and let those
thoughts simply fall away, doing your best to not attach to or follow any particular
thought. Do this for as long as it is comfortable to come into a still, relaxed and receptive
state for the practice.
Exercise 2: Vital Breathing
Continuing from the last section:

1. Vital breathing posture.

In your seated posture, bring your hands up, palms facing each other, and slightly above
elbow height. Keep your shoulders down and relaxed with elbows hanging comfortably
by your side.

2. Stretch open your joints.

Gently stretch open the joints of your fingers, toes and spine, synchronising the stretch
of all three. Our aim is for an active stretch that engages the fascia – not too extreme
that it causes tension, and not too relaxed or floppy that energy doesn’t flow. Play with
your stretch and find the right stretch for you.

3. Breathe through the pores of your skin.

Move your awareness from your diaphragm and rib cage to the surface of your skin, over
 your whole body. Expand your mind to the edges of the room or out into the space that
you are in.
a. Inhale through the pores of your skin.
Inhale from the edges of your room / space you are in with your whole body,
through the pores of your skin. At the same time, move your hands outwards in
time with your breath and the expansion of your rib cage. Feel your whole body
inflate like a balloon as you draw in vital energy on the inhalation.
b. Exhale through the pores of your skin.
Place the centre of your awareness in the space between your hands. Exhale
with your whole body, through the pores of your skin into the space between your
hands. At the same time, move your hands inwards in time with your breath and
the contraction of the rib cage. The movement of your hands inwards is pressing
upon, or condensing, vital energy in the space between your hands.

4. Feeling quality of vital energy.

Continue with step 3 and pay attention to the feeling that arises in the space between
your hands. The feeling of vital energy that we are looking for has a magnetic quality
with a resistance between the hands, likened to two magnets repelling each other. We
are ignoring all other sensations like heat and tingling for now. This magnetic feeling
quality is the building of vital energy between the hands into a natural ball / sphere
shape – building a ball.
For each of the following building a ball chi kung exercises continue to:
● Maintain your seated posture
● Maintain the stretch of the fingers, toes and spine
● Vital breathe throughout the practice, inhaling and exhaling with your whole body
through the pores of your skin
● Place your centre of awareness in the space between your hands, paying attention to
the magnetic feeling quality of vital energy
● Enjoy exploring each of the exercises in your own time
Exercise 3: Condensing
1. Continue vital breathing, maintaining the movement of your hands and the magnetic
feeling quality between them. Begin slowly tilting your hands so that your fingers are
pointing upwards.
2. With each exhalation gradually bring your hands closer together – condensing the vital
energy – and with each inhalation lessen the outward movement of your hands.
3. When your hands are around 1-2 inches apart, begin to circle the vital energy forwards
and backwards. Start with slow, small circles, then increase to larger circles and play
with the speed while maintaining the feeling of vital energy.
Exercise 4: Stretching
1. With your hands remaining 1-2 inches apart, turn the hands slightly with one palm on top
of the other.
2. Slowly circle the top palm over the bottom palm, feeling and condensing the vital energy
between them.
3. Stop the circling motion and slowly move your hands away from each other, stretching
and maintaining the feeling of the vital energy between each palm.
4. Move your hands back again, condensing the vital energy.
5. Rotate the palms and repeat the steps above.
Exercise 5: Roll the Ball
1. Come back to the ball. Continue with vital breathing, maintaining the movement of your
hands and the magnetic feeling quality between them.
2. On your next exhalation, press upon the vital energy and keep your hands where they
are – holding the ball.
3. Slowly roll the ball in your hands and feel the surface of it.

Side exercise:
Our point of focus affects how we feel energy.
● If we focus on the vital energy and relax into that feeling we release static energy
and tension in our mind and physical body.
● If we focus on our hands, rather than the energy, we will notice the tension in our
physical body – our mind contracts and sticks to that tension, and the feeling of vital
energy lessens or dissipates.
Shift between each point of focus as you roll the ball and note the differences in energy
feeling qualities and how your mind and body feel.
Exercise 6: Press up and down the arms
1. Feeling the ball between your hands, turn your palms slightly and as you exhale, press
the vital energy into the palm of your opposite hand. As you inhale, release your hand
slightly, maintaining the feeling of the ball. Repeat a few times.
2. Continue with the same movement as you slowly move up the inside of your arm to the
front of your shoulder, feeling the vital energy between your palm and arm. Then move
back down the arm in the same way, finishing at your palm.
3. Come back to the ball, then roll the ball over, and repeat the steps above with the
opposite hand and arm.
Exercise 7: Sweep up and down the arms
1. Slowly cup your hands in a gesture as if scooping water, and turn the hands with one on
top of the other.
2. Begin to circle and condense the vital energy between your palms into a small ball.
3. Using the cupped top hand, slowly sweep the ball from the bottom palm, up the inside of
the arm, maintaining the feeling of the ball. Then move back down in the same way,
finishing at your palm.
4. Turn your cupped hands over and repeat the steps above with the opposite hand and
arm.

Note: Cupped hands collect and accumulate magnetic energy, increasing our awareness and
sensitivity to the magnetic qualities of vital energy.
Exercise 8: Spiraling
1. Continuing from exercise 7, keep your hands cupped with one hand on top of the other,
and position them in front of your navel / belly – an area also known as the water region.
2. Begin to circle the vital energy between your palms, condensing it into a small ball, and
as you are doing so, keep your body and joints loose.
The circling movement of your hands will initially be mechanical. However, as you
continue to pay attention to the vital energy a magnetic, spiraling force emanates from
the water region and your hands will begin to move in an effortless circular pattern /
motion with the energy. Keep your hands and body loose and let the energy move
through you. Feel it spiral outwards from the belly, through the hands, arms, legs, and
feet and up through the torso and head – loosening all of your joints. The whole body
spins in a spiraling circular motion allowing you to release, relax and let go of any
tension.

Note: Useful exercise for releasing tension in the body and accumulating magnetic energy.
Exercise 9: Come back to the Ball
1. Come back to the ball. Continue with vital breathing, maintaining the movement of your
hands, and the magnetic feeling quality between them.
2. Take a moment to check and adjust your posture and stretch.
3. Feel the ball and relax your mind into the feeling of the vital energy, using the ball as
your meditation object.
Exercise 10: Tiger Claw
1. Bring your hands up in front of you and make a tiger claw with your fingers, hollowing the
palms.
2. In the same way as feeling the ball: inhale, move your hands apart; exhale, move your
hands together, condensing the vital energy between all of the fingertips.
3. Next, explore the feeling of vital energy between each finger. Beginning with the thumbs,
slowly push and pull at the vital energy between both thumbs, then circle the energy
forwards and backwards. Do the same for the index, middle, ring, and pinky fingers and
then work backwards through each finger, finishing with the thumbs.
4. Come back to the tiger claw, repeating step 2. Slowly push and pull at the energy
between all of the fingers and hollow of the palm, then circle the energy forwards and
backwards.

Note: Being densely packed with nerve endings, the fingertips are one of the most sensitive
parts of the body, making it easier to feel vital energy between the fingertips.
Exercise 11: Play with the Ball
1. Come back to the ball. Continue with vital breathing, maintaining the movement of your
hands, and the magnetic feeling quality between them.
2. Holding the ball in front of you, begin to slowly roll the ball in a flowing movement.
3. Move the ball to your left side, rolling the ball.
4. Move back to the centre / in front of you, rolling the ball.
5. Move to the right side, rolling the ball.
6. Play with the flowing movement of the ball and explore your own movement patterns
with the ball in vital energy.

Note: Keep your mind expanded and relaxed to move in energy, maintaining the feeling of
vital energy between your hands and all around you.
Exercise 12: Opening to Vital Energy
1. Come back to the ball. Continue with vital breathing, maintaining the movement of your
hands, and the magnetic (vital energy) feeling between them.
2. Go deeper into the vital breath and vital energy: inhaling through the pores of your skin,
into the fascia and into your bones and marrow; and exhaling from your bones and
marrow, fascia and out through the skin. Expand your mind – creating more space – and
relax and release into that space and stillness with each breath.
3. Lower your hands to rest comfortably on your thighs and bring your awareness back to
your physical body and natural breath for 10 seconds or so.
4. Bring your hands up, coming back to the ball – open your stretch, expand your mind and
vital breathe with your whole body through the pores of your skin. Feel the vital energy
between your hands and tap on the ball three times. Then go deeper into vital breathing
as per step 2.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 three times, creating a ritual for the opening or ‘switching on’ of
vital energy.

Note: Note the differences between your natural breath and when you are consciously vital
breathing, and how these two states affect you.
Exercise 13: Body Massage
1. Gently rub your fingertips together and feel the silky quality between them. A natural
byproduct of vital breathing is the release of chemicals and oils on the skin, which is
beneficial for the physical body.
2. Gently rub your hands together and follow the natural contours of your body, massaging
your face, neck, chest, arms, and other areas of your body that you intuitively feel need
attention.

Note: Massage your scalp and hair last as the hair absorbs oils quickly.

Illustrations for Body Massage

Exercise 14: Grounding

1. Scan your body and as you inhale, gently squeeze your body and bones; as you exhale,
relax the body and release excess energy outwards. Focus on returning back to your
body and feeling your physical form. Repeat three times.
2. If you still feel as though you are ‘floating’ or too light, take a shower and/or eat
grounding foods such as root vegetables and bananas.

Illustrations for Grounding

Exercise 15: Gratitude
1. Give thanks for your practice.
By building gratitude from the heart towards our practice and our teachers, we leave the
door open for more energy, insight and understanding the next time we practice.

Illustration for Gratitude

Building a Ball Chi Kung Standing

Once you have practiced building a ball seated and developed feeling qualities for each of the
exercises, begin to practice them standing. Stand with your feet at a comfortable angle and
approximately hip width apart, with your knees slightly bent. Relax your lower back and tailbone.
Stretch your fingers, toes and spine, tuck your chin in slightly, and work through each of the
building a ball exercises as per the seated practice.
On sharing
Once you have practiced the building a ball chi kung exercises and can feel the vital energy,
consider sharing this practice with family and friends. While it is essential to practice on our own,
it is also beneficial to share our knowledge with others. Sharing increases our learning, and our
understanding and appreciation of the practice. We learn a lot through others and sharing in this
way brings joy into our lives, our energy grows and we all evolve on our paths.

Bios
Marissa Newell began her journey in Chi Kung and Tai Chi Chuan in 2007.
She studied Practical Wudang Tai Chi Chuan, before delving deeper into her
practice through the study of Internal Alchemy and Chi Kung under Sifu
Mark Rasmus and Sifu Ludovic Pernot. Marissa currently resides and
teaches in Thailand. www.qigongwithmarissa.com

Ken Tan has trained in various martial arts (including Taekwondo, Chanbara and Wushu) since
kindergarten, but it was his study of Wing Chun under Sifu Ken Lau in Singapore that opened
the door to the internal arts. He later moved to San Francisco and trained in Yi Quan, Yang
Style Taiji Quan, Systema, and the Neigong methods of Sifu Mark Rasmus. In his free time he
practices with a small group of friends in the park. He is a professional concept artist, illustrator
and digital artist for the video games industry. www.artstation.com/tanmken