Wu Chi means formless and can also mean empty or alone. It is depicted as a circle with a dot in the centre. One interpretation of this is that the circle is the circumference of your personal energy space and you are the dot in the middle of your own world.
As you stand in Wu Chi you are practising a standing meditation. Not allowing the thoughts to take form, but to remain formless and flow through as though on a slowly moving river of awareness, acknowledging their existence yet not choosing to focus on them, so allowing each thought form to dissolve away. You are choosing what to allow into your personal space. So letting the thoughts, worries, distractions, problems, other peoples expectations to just flow by, creating an empty space within, a place of being alone if you so choose. This takes a bit of practise, but is well worth doing for the sense of calm and peace and inner happiness that it brings.
The photo shows the standing position. Start by standing with your feet at shoulder width with the feet facing forward. Hands loosely at the side, a slight gap under the arms. Allow your body to sink downwards as though you are perching your bottom on a bar stool. This creates a small pelvic tilt and you will feel the small pull in the pelvis. There is a slight bend in the knees, but the weight is supported in the upper legs and pelvic area, so no pressure on the knees. Close your eyes and place the tongue on the roof of the mouth. This creates a circuit for the Chi energy to circulate around the body. Place your attention at Dantien, which is just below the navel. Imagine you have a golden elastic or ribbon pulling down between the legs into the earth and pulling up towards the heavens. You will notice a slight adjustment to your posture as your spine adjusts into correct alignment.
Imagine you have roots growing from the soles of your feet into the earth and from your fingers stretching towards the earth. Feel yourself rooted to the ground. Take some time to note how you are feeling. To begin with hold the posture for just a couple of minutes, you can build up towards a longer time as your body gets used to standing this way and grows fitter and stronger. This position practised for just a couple of minutes two to three times a day will be beneficial for your all round physical, mental and emotional health and wellbeing. When you are ready open your eyes and let in the light. Place your hands lightly over dantien, ladies left hand on top, men right hand on top and take a moment to store the Chi that you have gathered through the practise. This is the basic Wu Chi posture from which we begin our Tai Chi or Qigong practice.
Anyone who cannot do this as a standing position can practice a seated variation of this exercise. Sit in an upright straight backed chair, feet firmly planted on the ground with the legs apart at hip width, so as though you are standing in Wu Chi in front of the chair and then instead of dropping on to the bar stool you allow your bottom to rest on to the seat.
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