6 Postures of Qi Cultivation: Awaken Your Human Potential With Qigong Exercises

Harmonize Your Body, Mind, and Spirit with Qigong

In the Body & Brain Yoga Tai Chi practice, we aim to help you tap into your body’s innate wisdom to experience holistic well-being. One of the most powerful ways to harmonize your body, mind, and spirit is through Qigong, a gentle meditative practice that cultivates Qi—your vital life energy.

What is Qigong?

Qigong (氣功) (spelled Kigong when transliterated from Korean) is an ancient East Asian practice that combines mindful breathing, gentle movement, and focused awareness to cultivate and balance the body’s vital energy. The word “Qi” means energy, and “Gong” means work or cultivation. So, Qigong quite literally means “energy work” or “energy cultivation.”

Practicing Qigong helps you restore balance your energy, calm your mind, and strengthen your physical body—making it a beautiful complement to our Body & Brain principles, including the healthy Water Up, Fire Down energy flow.

A Brief History of Qigong

Qigong has roots in traditional Chinese medicine, East Asian martial arts, and Tao philosophy. Its origins trace back over 4,000 years, where it was used for spiritual cultivation, healing, and energy development. Modern research has begun to support what practitioners have known for centuries: that Qigong may help reduce stress, improve balance, and enhance immune function.

Today, Qigong is recognized as a physical activity and a holistic self-healing tool that integrates movement, stillness, awareness, and intention.

Why Practice Qigong?

Qigong is accessible for all ages and abilities. It’s gentle on the joints, easy to modify, and can be beneficial for:

• Those recovering from illness or injury
• People with limited mobility
• Anyone seeking a slower, more meditative form of movement

It’s like the energetic counterpart to aerobics: rather than working up a sweat, Qigong helps activate and circulate your life energy to support clarity, peace, and inner strength.

6 Foundational Postures of Qi Cultivation

The following six postures and descriptions are based on the book Dahnhak Kigong by Ilchi Lee and are designed to help warm up your energy system, center your focus, and prepare you for deeper Qigong or meditation practice.

Use these as a morning ritual, a daily energy reset, or to begin your Qigong journey.

1. One Beginning Pose

Purpose: Aligns your body and breathing to focus energy in the lower abdomen (Dahnjon).

How to:

• Stand with feet hip-width apart, arms relaxed at your sides.
• Slightly bend your knees.
• Place hands in a prayer position at your throat.
• Relax your jaw and lightly press your tongue to the roof of your mouth.
• Gently engage the lower body by pulling the perineum inward and upward to align energy from your sacrum to the crown.

2. One Origin Pose

Purpose: Builds stability and helps center your Qi energy.

How to:

• From One Beginning, move your left foot so your stance is shoulder-width apart.
• Keep your knees bent slightly and tilt your tailbone forward.
• Hold several breaths while focusing on your breath and energy descending to your core.

3. One Heaven Pose (Horse Stance)

Purpose: Strengthens lower body and develops grounded energy.

How to:

• Place feet 1.5–2 shoulder-widths apart, toes turned slightly outward.
• Bend your knees and lower your body into a squat, keeping your spine upright.
• Bring hands into prayer pose at your throat.
• Relax your shoulders and hold for 30 seconds to 2 minutes.

This pose helps build endurance and confidence, especially when practiced consistently.

4. One Mind Pose

Purpose: Enhances mind-body connection and concentration.

How to:

• From One Origin, step one foot behind you.
• Bend your front knee and lift your back heel.
• Extend one arm forward (palm out), and the other upward with your palm facing outward.
• Your torso will gently twist toward the extended arm.
• Hold for several breaths, then switch sides.

This posture helps develop mental clarity and emotional resilience.

5. One Humanity Pose

Purpose: Opens energy channels in the legs and arms, builds coordination.

How to:

• From One Heaven, shift your weight to one leg, bending that knee.
• Extend the opposite leg straight.
• Block upward with one hand and press outward with the other at mid-torso.
• Deepen your stance and hold for several breaths. Repeat on the other side.

6. One Earth Pose (Front Stance)

Purpose: Grounds your energy and cultivates inner strength.

How to:

• From One Heaven, turn your body to the right (or left).
• Step forward with one foot, bending the front knee.
• Straighten the back leg and keep the heel grounded.
• Hold your hands in front of your chest in a prayer pose, centered with your front knee.
• Hold for several breaths, then switch sides.

This pose brings awareness to your core energy center (lower Dahnjon) to promote balance and vitality.

Experience Qi Cultivation with Body & Brain

In Body & Brain Yoga Tai Chi classes and workshops, we don’t just teach movement—we guide you to experience your energy. Qi cultivation is a foundational part of our practice, offering a way to reconnect with your body, calm your mind, and awaken your spirit. Whether you’re a beginner or experienced in mind-body exercises, our classes are designed to help you feel and strengthen your life energy from the inside out.

Learn more about the Body & Brain Yoga Tai Chi approach in this video:

With classes at over 70 locations across the U.S. as well as online class options, it’s easy to get started. Certified Body & Brain instructors are trained to meet you where you are, guide you at your pace, and create a safe, supportive space for your growth.