Cleaning and Protecting Your Practice Area

While it is generally preferred to practice Qigong outdoors, it is not always practical. We all know that practicing during stormy weather is contraindicated, but it is also a good idea to avoid practicing outside during extreme weather; i.e.  when it is too hot, too cold, too sunny (standing in the direct sun with no shade available) or too rainy. Sometimes, particularly in urban areas, there may be no natural area nearby. And let’s face it, even practicing in a public park can be a little uncomfortable. While someone standing perfectly still outdoors for up to an hour may not seem strange in China, here in the US it can raise a few eyebrows. Sometimes it is just more convenient and practical to practice indoors, in your own home. So, how do you create a practice area and keep it clean and safe?

If possible, it’s best to establish a dedicated Qigong practice area in your house. It doesn’t have to be large; a corner will do as long as you have room to sit, stand or move, depending on the type of Qigong you are practicing.  It’s important to have a quiet space so try to find a place where you won’t be disturbed,(if that’s not possible, you may have to practice at a time when everything is quiet). Speaking of being disturbed, if you use an alarm of some sort to signal the end of your practice session, make sure it has a quiet and pleasant-sounding tone. Being jarred out of meditation by a loud noise can destroy the peaceful feeling you just worked so hard to achieve and, if it happens often enough, could cause a Qi deviation. Needless to say, make sure you turn off all electronic communication devices while practicing.

If you have room, it’s nice to have an “altar”in your area. It doesn’t have to be an actual piece of furniture- a small space on the floor or a small shelf on the wall will do. In your altar space you can place meditation objects. These can be, but are not limited to, a statue of a deity you hold sacred, a picture of a respected person or loved one, flowers, plants, or even rocks or crystals. A Qigong altar is not about worship. An altar helps focus your intention and can help energize and purify the space.

After you’ve established your practice area, you need to maintain it. You want to make sure that the physical space is clean and orderly. Your practice space is a reflection of your Shen or spirit/mind so it is important to keep it tidy. Vacuum or sweep the floor and dust your altar regularly. If Qi is not able to circulate freely, it can become turbid. Turbid Qi can quickly become stagnant and accumulate just like dust. Turbid Qi tends to accumulate in corners so it important to keep those areas free of dust and cobwebs. This is the premise of Fengshui; making sure that beneficial Qi flows freely and that evil or turbid Qi does not accumulate. Following the basic rules of good Fengshui will help you to create a positive practice environment.

Light and airflow can keep Qi from stagnating. Opening the shades and allowing bright Yang sunlight into your space can keep Yin Qi from accumulating. Opening the windows to allow a warm breeze to flow can keep Qi fresh and circulating. Of course, if you live in an cold Northern climate, this may not be possible most of the time. In that case, you may want to concentrate on energetically cleaning your practice area.

Practicing Qigong in your space is the best way to fill it with positive Qi and good intentions. I’m reminded of a story told to me by an acupuncturist colleague of mine who was working as a volunteer in Nepal. She and her roommate would practice Qigong in their tiny room every morning. After about a week or so, the landlady approached her. “What have you two been doing in here? The rooms seems so much more bright and cheerful”. The results of their practice was so strong that even a casual observer was able to notice the change in the environment. Practicing Qigong, or receiving Medical Qigong treatments from a practitioner, can markedly refresh and energize your living space.

Incense can be burned regularly to maintain a peaceful and pleasant atmosphere in your space. I prefer pure sandalwood over the strong perfume types but that’s just me. Tibetan incense is less sweet smelling and is made with a variety of herbs to promote meditation, relaxation and to cleanse the environment. Sage has been used by many cultures to ritually cleanse areas as well.  In the end, it’s really just a matter of taste.  Any scent that makes you feel peaceful and calm is probably suitable.

A bell can also be used to clean the Qi in an area. The vibrations emitted by ringing the bell can help break up clusters of stagnant Qi much like how a jeweler uses an ultrasound bath to clean dirty jewelry. A small hand bell or Tibetan tingsha cymbals will work well. Start in the middle of the room and ring the bell at least three times, letting the sound die out naturally each time.  Pay attention to the corners and ring the bell at least three times in each corner of the room. Finish in the center of the room, ringing the bell until you feel that the vibrations have sufficiently cleansed the space. Tibetan “singing” bowls also work well for most rooms, though you may want to use a hand bell in the corners. I’d recommend striking the bowl rather than running the striker around the edges as striking creates a stronger vibration.

Speaking of sound vibration, the human voice can also be used to break up stasis just like a bell. The Six Healing Sounds are effective in breaking up stasis both inside the body as well as the surrounding area. Sacred chanting is also very effective. A modern day shortcut is to broadcast recorded chants through speakers via a CD or from your phone or computer. Sometimes I’ll play a recording of Tibetan monks chanting directly from the internet (thanks, YouTube). You can leave it running for several hours, and, if there are no neighbors near by, you can crank it up to really break up that stagnant Qi.

Mirrors are another useful Fengshui tool that can be used to keep Qi circulating in your practice space. Ordinary mirrors of any size and shape will work, but of course not black mirrors which are normally used for scrying. Traditional Chinese bagua mirrors usually have a mirror in the center with the eight trigrams forming a circle around it and are considered powerful talismans. These are usually quite colorful and can brighten up your practice area. Place mirrors in corners to keep Qi from stagnating. It’s also useful to have a mirror on the wall facing the opening to the room. This helps keep turbid Qi from entering. It’s also said that malevolent beings hate seeing their reflections, which couldn’t hurt either. Consult a Fengshui guide for more info on using mirrors.

If you are practicing regulatory Daoyin exercises like the Five Elements, this should be all you need. However, if you are practicing the  meditative Tu Na,  Shen Gong, or internal alchemy types of Qigong, please be cautious. These practices aim to refine or transmute Qi.  As your Qi becomes more purified, it can often attract negative or turbid Qi, or even malevolent energetic beings. Of course, you should not attempt these more advanced practices without the guidance of a teacher who will show you how to protect yourself with exercises like Ren Wu Zang. Overall, practicing Qigong is very safe and if you follow the above suggestions, it is doubtful that you will ever have any problems. However, if you start to notice that you are uncomfortable or  have feelings of dread or fear while in your practice space, or are having nightmares, you should immediately take steps to purify you space. If the above are not sufficient, contact your teacher, a Qigong practitioner, or Fengshui master for help.

Having a clean and peaceful Qigong practice space is like having an oasis of light and tranquillity in your home. Practice often and keep your space clean and tidy and it benefit you, your living space, and all those who enter it.