2. Pause at the Resting Posture between each set of repetitions. Run the energy routes with the breath alone. Keep the fingers open and still.
3. Yin route:
4. Yang route:
2. Exhale yin route - bend knees, tuck pelvis, round the back, hollow the chest, reach strenuously with the hands, pulling the shoulder blades away from the spine. Do not hinge at the waist and lean forward. Your weight should remain centered in the feet.
3. Inhale yang route - straighten knees and torso, arms relax at shoulder height - same position as #1.
4. Exhale yang route - arms float back down to Resting Posture.
1. Inhale yang route - open arms to sides like the wings of a bird.
2. Exhale yang route - fingers lead the way down and toward each other at waist height, wrists and elbows follow, rounded back, hollow chest.
3. Inhale yin route - fingernails meet, then backs of hands, then elbows touch. At nose height, hands unfold like holding a book. Then pinkies "unzip" and heels of hands and thumbs connect.
4. Exhale yin route - with thumbs and heels of hands still connected, stretch fingers back as elbows straighten the arms forward. Bend knees, tuck pelvis, round the back, hollow the chest.
Repeat or finish as in Reaching #3 and #4.
2. Exhale yin route - arms float up to hold a ball (gold on the outside and silver on the inside) at chest height. Keep fingers and hands still, shoulders relaxed, elbows below the wrist-shoulder line.
3. Inhale yang route - ball expands, pushing arms to sides, still at chest height.
4. Exhale yang route - ball contracts to the size of a grapefruit at base of the throat, elbows drop as hands ride the ball in.
5. Inhale yin route - hands draw the ball down to tantien (just below the navel) and place it inside the cauldron of the abdomen.
6. Exhale yin route - wrists relax, hands float slowly back to Resting Posture as a fountain of purified energy rises from tantien up chest, out shoulders and down arms to hands.
Repeat and the energy routes will alternate.