What is Static Exercise?

Static exercise refers to the Kungfu practiced in a meditating style, including breathing exercises, internal qigong, the trance of convalescence, and meditation. As the first step for Taoism practice, the static exercise emphasizes strengthening people’s physical fitness, preventing and curing diseases, and developing potentials by adjusting their breath, physical activity, consciousness, and mind. It is essential in every Chinese martial art.  

How to Practice Static Exercise?

The Taoist practice stresses the cultivation of the Jing (energy), Qi (breath), and Shen (mind). Rather than restricting a specific posture, it only requires the head and spine to be upright and comfortable. One can either sit, stand, or lie down. 

How to Prepare for Static Exercise?

1.Choose a quiet, clean, and refreshing place. The best site for static exercise is the mountainous areas where no one or no outside human sound can disturb you. Meanwhile, it should be as simple and refreshing as possible.
2.Keep a light diet, and avoid smoking and drinking. When practicing the static exercise, keep a simple and light diet and, if possible, avoid drinking and smoking can clear your tongue and help you focus better.
3.Quit the snacks and have more healthy food.
4.Choose a suitable temperature and avoid extreme weather like storms, rain, hotness, and coldness.
5.Be focused. Free your mind with some relaxing reading materials and avoid the books that require a lot of thinking
6.Keep a relaxed posture. The core of the static exercise is to relax and rest. It's not about the poses you use, but the mental state when you practice it.

What to do During the Static Exercise?

Slightly Close Eyes

Opening eyes widely may introduce some distracting thoughts, and closing eyes can make people fall asleep, which is not suitable for static exercise. Therefore, when practicing static exercise, one's eyes must be naturally drooped.

Listen Inside

Eliminate all the disturbances from the outside world and focus on your internal voice. It's not to listen to the actual inner sound, but to pay attention to your inside and calm your mind.

Close Mouth

To practice static exercise, one must close their mouth and keep silent. 

Press Against Your Upper Palate with Tongue

There are two small recesses on your plate that may leak energy and breath. Therefore, when you practice static exercise, make sure your tongue is pressed against these recesses tightly. 

Breathe Naturally

Your breath should be deep, long, even, thin, and subtle with the deepening of your practice. When you meet the above requirements, you can begin to listen to your breathing. In the beginning, you need to listen with your ears without intentions. There is no need to control your breathing forcefully; everything needs to be natural. After a long time of practice, you will discover that your mind and your breathing are at the same pace, and you won't even realize that you are breathing. 

How to Practice Static Exercise?

1.Count respiratory rate.
2.Listen to your breath.
3.Retrieve your views to a specific spot of your nose.
4.Concentrate your thoughts on your pubic region.
5.Imagine things like oceans, trees, flowers, and other natural landscapes when you can’t focus.
6.Concentrate your thoughts on the dysfunctional parts of your body.
7.Listen to bell sounds or murmur incantations during the practice. 

When and How Often Should You Practice the Static Exercise？

Generally speaking, hours of 11-1 a.m, 11-1 p.m, 5-7 a.m, and 5-7 p.m. are the best times for static exercise. It’s best to practice 1-2 times every day and keep every practice within 30-60 min. 

Tips on Practicing Static Exercise

1.Practice under the guidance of a Qigong practitioner, and don’t start on your own if you are a beginner.
2.The exercise is not recommended for people with mental disorders, hemorrhagic disorder, or dysfunctional heart, lung, or kidney.
3.Avoid being tired out by the exercise.
4.Clear your body before the exercise.
5.Don’t practice right after the meal or when you are hungry.
6.Avoid practicing the static exercise during spermatorrhea, menstruation, stress, or exhaustion.  

Three Levels of the Static Exercise

Physical Immobility

The basic level for the static exercise is to keep your body unmoved. Therefore, when performing the static exercise, you must wear something loose and keep your body and mind relaxed. Even if the exercise took a long time, one must remain calm and comfortable. If you can sit for a long time and still feel comfortable enough to keep the same posture, you have achieved the necessary static exercise level. 

Peace of Mind

After completing the physical immobility, you should pursue the second level of mind peacefulness. At this period, you should listen to their breath, as mentioned before, and unite your mind and breath. There should be nothing to disturb your mind until the brain nerves are entirely in a state of nothingness. 

Thoughtless Awareness

The last level, also the highest level, of the static exercise is thoughtless awareness. When you reached the second level, you still remember your being practicing the static exercise. Therefore, you have to forget about the current world and enter a trance world to reach the final level of the exercise. 

Benefits of Static Exercise

1. Improve the functions of the internal organs and strengthen your health.

When practicing the static exercise, you will be highly focused, and your breath becomes even and smooth, which will adjust your blood pressure. Meanwhile, physical immobility will lower your oxygen consumption and improve your blood circulation. Therefore, your internal organs will be invigorated. 

2.Release stress, anxiety, and pressure.

People often ignore the relationship between body and mind and talk about psychological status without thinking about physical conditions. The fact is every psychological problem has its root in our body. To thoroughly solve the mental issues, one must start with his physical issues. By practicing the static exercise, you will feel relaxed, and your pressure, stress, and anxiety will be released; thus, your psychological conditions will be improved as well. 

3. Inspire your inner wisdom and make you reflect on yourselves.

When practicing the static exercise, nothing will disturb your mind, and your mental activity will lower too, which will often clear your mind and give you some new inspirations about your life and work. 

4. Shape a more healthy and beautiful body.

Your inner mind will be calmed by practicing the static exercise, and your elegant, tranquil, and soft grace will be brought out. The soft your manner is, the stabler your mood is, and the better your disposition becomes. 

What Else Can You Do to Keep Healthy?

1. Enjoy a Comfortable Chinese Massage

2. Travel with Lilysun China Tours to have a Tai Chi Experience