Barefoot walking for 45 minutes six days a week is the yin part of sun imbibing. It's essential for grounding the yang energy from the sun. It should be done slowly and in a relaxed, meditative state. I have been interested in Chi-Gung for the last couple of years. I once watched as a Chi-Gung master demonstrated a Chi-Gung walk in a graceful, fluid motion.

Chi-Gung walking should be performed in slow motion with every small step being carefully balanced - just like walking on thin ice. Your foot first touches the ground for a split second before committing any weight to it. Another helpful image, if you've ever watched McHale's Navy, is that of Ernest Borgnine "pussyfooting around." Tiptoeing is not the same as pussyfooting. Cats crouch down and take small, light steps with flat paws. I find that stepping with flat feet enables me to comfortable walk on pebbles since my weight is evenly distributed throughout the sole.

Through abdominal breathing, you sink your center of gravity into your hara center, two inches below the navel and visualize roots of energy sprouting from the soles of your feet into the earth. This develops a sense of secure balance, and gives a deep sense of being rooted. Chi-gung master, Daniel Reid wrote, "Your body weight should be shifted from one foot to the other in steps that are smooth and even, not clumsy or stiff and with no pause between the steps. This assures not only stability of the body but agility during changing of steps. Also, it reduces the possibility of muscle cramps and general tiredness in the legs. When you walk, you look forward and downward, not staring but focused and aware. The feet are parallel, not pointing out or in. Hold both arms out away from your sides for greater balance. "

Before you start walking, gently shake your arms and let them hang loosely by your sides for a few minutes. Stand with your heels together and the toes turned slightly outward. Sink your knees downward and allow your body weight to be evenly distributed through both feet. Close your eyes and breathe slowly and naturally into the lower abdomen as you feel yourself become rooted to the Earth. Feel her beneath your feet. Feel her yinness: her cool, moist, dark energy. Visualize a channel opening from your feet all the way to the core.

The following directions and Figure 1 are taken from Daniel Reid's "A Complete Guide to Chi-Gung" (Shambhala Publications, Boston). "In chi-gung walking, the knees are kept bent throughout each step, not straightened out on forward extension as in ordinary walking, and the soles of the feet are kept parallel and very close to the ground at all times, not lifted at different angles. This means that each forward step is taken by lifting the entire rear foot off the ground at once (not the heel first), bringing the foot forward while keeping the sole parallel and close to the ground, then setting the whole foot evenly and flatly down on the ground in front (not the heel down first, then the toes). The body thus moves forward slowly and smoothly, in a straight line, without the head bobbing up and down and the torso swaying from side to side on each step as in ordinary walking. The spine is held erect and aligned with the neck, the head is kept straight, the arms hang down relaxed by the sides, and the pelvis is tilted slightly forward to keep the buttocks tucked in and the lower spine straight. This style of chi-gung draws terrestrial energy from the earth into the system… It.… improves balance and coordination in the body, and cultivates concentration, clarity and focused attention in the mind."

Figure 1 - Posture for Chi-Gung Walking

To get the correct posture, pace and foot placement, it helps to imagine that you're a deep sea diver walking along the bottom of the ocean. Your tether and the water buoy you up and keep your spine straight. The water's viscosity puts you in slow motion. And your feet fall flatly with each small step.

After you become adept at chi-gung walking, you can add four other techniques to enhance its grounding and balancing effects. These are mudras or hand gestures, connected breathing, mantras and visualization.

Two mudras you can use are the Bhumisparsha or earth-touching mudra and the Surya mudra. Gautama Buddha used the Bhumisparsha mudra when he was tempted by the evil god Mara (actually Buddha's shadow self) while meditating under the Bodhi tree. Mara tried to move Buddha from his spot with an army because he was on the verge of enlightenment. But the Buddha only moved his hand to touch the ground with his fingertips, and thus bid Bhu Devi, the Earth Goddess to bear witness to his right to be sitting where he was. She did so with a hundred thousand roars, so that the Mara's elephant fell upon its knees in obeisance to the rightful owner of the spiritual throne. Buddha touched the ground with his hand in a relaxed gesture, forefinger touching the thumb (Figure 2). This mudra signifys rootedness and confidence.

Fig. 2 - Bhumisparsha mudra

While chi-gung walking , I form the Bhumisparsha mudra with both hands and massage the thumbs with the forefingers, in a clockwise direction on the right hand and in a counter-clockwise direction on the left hand.

This stimulates the three upper chakras: throat, third eye and crown, since they have focal points in the tip of the thumb. As I'm doing this, I visualize a right-hand spiral of golden light descending from the sun in ever decreasing circuits till it focuses in the center of my heart chakra. At the same time, I visualize a left-hand spiral of white light ascending from the white-fire core of the earth in ever decreasing circuits till it also focuses in my heart. Both spirals continue from the heart center, the golden light spiraling out into the earth and the white light spiraling out into the sun. I am the nexus of a figure-eight flow of energy from the sun into the earth and from the earth back to the sun. You will notice that as you do this, the arms rotate in the appropriate spirals. Alternately, while visualizing the spirals, you can form the Bhumisparsha mudra with your left hand, without massaging the thumb, while holding the right arm out and forming the Surya mudra with your right hand. In the Surya mudra, the ring finger is tucked under the thumb so that the first knuckle of the finger is bent 45 degrees and the finger tip rests at the base of the thumb (see Figure 3).

Figure 3 - Surya Mudra

Egyptian healing rods can be used in place of the mudras. (Read about Egyptian Healing Rods in the next issue of the Sun Gazette.) Hold the zinc rod in your left hand and the copper rod in the right hand.

Connected breathing and mantra go hand in hand. You want to slow your pace so that it matches the rhythm of your breathing. Your inhalation and exhalation should therefore be equal. The next issue of The Sun Gazette will have a how to article on connected breathing. But for now, go to http://www.rebirthla.com/logicchapt1.html for detailed instructions. Begin the inhalation as the right foot touches the ground. Inhale slowly as the left foot slowly moves forward. Begin the exhalation as the left foot touches the ground. Exhale slowly as the right foot slowly moves forward. As you breathe in, sound the sun mantra, "Ra" and visualize some of the golden light from the descending spiral entering your mouth, going to every cell of your body. As you breath out, sound the earth mantra, "Ma," and visualize some of the pure white light from the ascending spiral leaving your mouth and taking with it impurities from your cells.

If you prefer to walk in silence, you can mentally recite the mantras while breathing through the nose. But it's best if you engage the throat chakra.

If you find it hard to simultaneously visualize the two spirals and the light going in and out of your mouth or nose, then just practice one of the visualizations. If you can't visualize at all, then glance up at the sky with each inhalation (but don't gaze at the sun) and glance down at the ground with each exhalation.

Barefoot walking is difficult during the winter in many parts of the country. Sun imbibers who don't want to get frostbite on their toes can still do it and get benefits by wearing wool-lined moccasins, cotton Kung-Fu slippers or jazz shoes. The leather and natural fibers in these shoes will keep the feet warm and not block the upflow of earth energy and downflow of sun energy. They will also allow for good ventilation and evaporation of perspiration.

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