The base and starting position for Qigong practice is also a powerful meditative position, which helps to unblock our tensions and discover our inner world.

“Standing like a tree” (zhan zhuang) is very similar to the “Mountain pose” (tadasana) practiced in Yoga.

“Zhan Zhuang” is also a Qigong practice that consists of remaining still for a certain period of time (5 minutes to 1 hour).
This apparently simple practice is one of the most demanding in the world of Qigong, but one of the most rewarding.

When we stand still in the position, with the correct alignment, we begin to attract energy (Chi) from the earth and the sky (universe), and gently accelerate the blood flow, releasing tensions and possible blockages.

The practice of sitting still is an ancient discipline (and something quite common in the animal kingdom).
The first known reference goes back to the oldest and most influential book in the history of world medicine, The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine (Huang Ti Nei Ching), written around 5,000 years ago.

The benefits of practicing Zhan Zhuang result in exponential inner growth and transformation.
Fundamental changes begin to occur in the internal organs and nervous system.

With training you will begin to strengthen your natural immunity and speed up recovery from possible illnesses.
The simple practice of standing like a tree is used to treat many physiological and psychological conditions.

Zhan Zhuang’s healing power is partly due to its impact on the cardiovascular system.
In the relaxation phase, electrocardiographic measurements show that the heart beats more slowly, but much more strongly.

Getting into position – “Wu Chi”

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.

Slightly relax your knees, stomach and hips.

Let your shoulders relax naturally downwards.

The arms are loose.

Fingers slightly separated, naturally curved.

Lower your chin a little and relax your neck.

Look straight ahead and slightly down.

Breathe calmly through your nose.

As already mentioned, this practice is a powerful self-treatment.
As you become stable in the Wu Chi posture, your internal energy will naturally seek out any accumulated tension and underlying imbalances throughout your system to get rid of them.

This standing position is known as the primary energy position.

Whatever level of training or achievement you have already reached, qigong practice should always begin with Wu Chi.
This will ensure that you are properly aligned, inwardly relaxed and connected to the great power sources of heaven and earth.

Note that there is an inner and outer aspect to the practice.

Work carefully through your body to release any tension in your muscles.

As your practice deepens, you will develop greater sensitivity and awareness.

You’ll be connecting with the natural environment and the constant play of energy around you and gradually you’ll begin to feel the immensity of the earth beneath your feet and the limitless cosmos above.

All fields of human activity – physical, mental and spiritual – depend on the power of our energy.

Some tips to strengthen the practice.

Invisible wire

Imagine you are hanging from an invisible rope that lifts your body and straightens your spine.

The idea here is to feel like you’re floating and that gravity is pulling your body weight down.

The rope is attached to the top of the head, directly above the spine.

All the other parts of your body are hanging down.

Having the sensation of the Invisible Thread is very healthy for the body, as it aligns posture and allows energy to flow unrestrictedly.

Shoulders hanging and relaxed

Just lift your shoulders as high as you can to feel the effort of supporting them.

Then let your shoulders drop and relax as much as possible as you exhale to help them hang completely and relax without tension.

Tension to relax

A simple way to achieve the right position is to stand up straight and rigid, then relax and relax everywhere, relax, just enough so that excess tension is not held anywhere in the body.

In other words, it feels like you’ve simply relaxed every part of your body.

Relax and loosen your lower back

Ideally, the lumbar region should not be curved between the middle of the back and the bottom of the buttocks.

This usually requires some work for the beginner to achieve and may require the help of another person.

You can help develop your posture by stepping back against a wall so that the back of your heels is against the wall and your back is straight against the wall.

Then move away from the wall and keep your back straight.

The spine is pulled by gravity

Strive to keep your body weight under you and keep your head pulled upwards as if you were being pulled by an elastic rope.