Tomorrow is a special day!
We are crossing the midpoint of the Path.
Day 11. The Flow of Calm
Theme of the Day
I stop fighting tension and allow it to gradually fade away.
Over the previous days, you learned to notice sensations, recognize emotions, and transfer accumulated experiences onto paper.
Today we will turn to qigong—a traditional Chinese system combining body position, gentle movement, breathing, and focused attention.
A recent systematic review found that qigong practice may help reduce perceived stress. However, the studies vary considerably in quality and methodology, so it is too early to draw definitive conclusions. Qigong is best used as a gentle complementary practice, not as a substitute for medical treatment or psychotherapy.
There will be no complicated routine today.
We will take one simple movement and repeat it slowly until the body, breath, and attention settle into one calm rhythm.
The Task of Day Eleven
Today you will learn to:
- move slowly and continuously;
- connect movement with natural breathing;
- let go of unnecessary muscular effort;
- keep your attention in the present moment;
- use the image of an energy flow for inner calming;
- end the practice in a state of composure and stillness.
Preparation
The practice will take about 10–15 minutes.
Wear loose clothing.
Stand where there is enough space around you to move your arms.
If standing is difficult, practice sitting on a stable chair.
Before beginning, assess:
My tension right now: ___ out of 10.
For a few seconds, feel your:
- feet;
- knees;
- shoulders;
- palms;
- breathing.
Do not try to relax deliberately.
Simply notice your starting state.
Starting Position
Place your feet approximately shoulder-width apart.
Keep your knees slightly soft.
Do not squat or tense your legs.
Keep your back straight, but do not forcefully stretch it upward.
Lower your chin slightly.
Keep your shoulders relaxed.
Let your arms rest naturally at your sides.
Imagine that the crown of your head is gently reaching upward while your feet rest calmly on the ground.
You are both stable and free.
Main Practice “Raising and Lowering the Flow”
This is one movement repeated many times.
You do not need to memorize a routine.
Raising the Arms
Slowly turn your palms forward or slightly upward.
Begin smoothly raising your arms in front of you.
Keep your elbows soft.
Do not lift your shoulders along with your arms.
Raise your arms only to chest or shoulder height—as feels comfortable.
At the same time, take a calm breath in.
Imagine that, together with the movement of your palms, a gentle, pure energy rises from the space around you.
It does not burst into the body; it calmly fills it with freshness and vitality.
Lowering the Arms
Turn your palms downward.
Slowly lower your arms in front of you.
At the same time, breathe out calmly.
Imagine that all unnecessary tension moves downward:
- from your head;
- from your face;
- from your shoulders;
- from your chest;
- from your abdomen;
- from your arms.
It leaves through your body and enters the earth, dissolving there.
The earth knows how to receive fallen leaves, rainwater, and everything that has outlived its time. In your imagination, you can allow it to receive your excess tension as well.
Continuing the Movement
Repeat:
arms rise—inhaling;
arms lower—exhaling.
Do not make your breathing excessively deep.
Do not hold your breath.
If the movement and breathing stop matching, that is perfectly fine.
Continue moving smoothly and breathe naturally.
In qigong, gentleness matters more than perfect synchronization.
Perform the movement for 5 to 10 minutes.
What to Focus On
During the movement, observe:
- how your feet touch the ground;
- how the air touches your palms;
- how your arms become lighter;
- how your shoulders drop;
- how your exhalation accompanies the downward movement;
- how your body gradually finds its own rhythm.
If thoughts arise, do not stop or drive them away.
Continue moving.
Let thoughts come and go while your arms continue to rise and lower slowly.
The movement becomes a thread that brings your attention back to the present moment.
Inner Words
As you raise your arms, you can silently say:
“I accept calm.”
As you lower them:
“I release tension.”
You can use another version:
Raising:
“I am filling up.”
Lowering:
“I am freeing myself.”
Or use no words at all.
You do not need to count your breathing, repeat long affirmations, and imagine ten energy channels all at once.
One image and one movement are quite enough.
If You Sense Qi
In the qigong tradition, calm movement, breathing, and attention are believed to help organize the flow of vital energy—qi.
As you raise your arms, you can imagine gathering pure energy from the space around you.
As you lower them, imagine it passing through your body, harmonizing it, and carrying excess tension downward.
You may feel:
- warmth in your palms;
- tingling;
- pulsation;
- heaviness;
- lightness;
- a sensation of space between your palms.
But you may not experience any special sensations at all.
There is no need to create them by force.
The esoteric image here helps direct attention and give the practice inner meaning. Science does not yet have reliable ways to confirm the existence of qi as a distinct physical energy.
Ending the Practice
After the final lowering of your arms, do not immediately move on.
Place both palms on your lower abdomen—slightly below the navel.
In the qigong tradition, this area is called the lower dantian and is regarded as an inner center of stability and vitality.
Hold your palms there for about one minute.
Breathe naturally.
Imagine that the energy gathered during the practice does not disperse but calmly collects in the center of your body.
Silently say:
“I return to my center.”
“Inside me, it is becoming quieter.”
“I am steady and calm.”
Then lower your arms.
Feel your feet and look around you.
Observation After the Practice
Assess again:
My tension after the practice: ___ out of 10.
Notice:
- whether your breathing has changed;
- whether your shoulders feel freer;
- whether your palms feel warmer;
- whether your thoughts have slowed down;
- whether a sense of stability has appeared;
- whether you feel like sitting in silence.
You do not have to feel an energy flow or an unusual state.
The result may be a very small change:
your breathing became steadier, and your body a little calmer.
Modern research links the possible effects of qigong to a combination of gentle physical activity, active relaxation, focused attention, and mindful breathing.
A Short Version During the Day
When you feel tense, stand or sit in a stable position.
Perform five slow movements:
raise your arms—lower your arms.
As you raise them, silently say:
“Calm.”
As you lower them:
“I release.”
Five repetitions will take one or two minutes.
That is enough to pause and change your inner rhythm.
Practicing in Nature
If possible, practice qigong outdoors:
- in a garden;
- in a park;
- near an open window;
- on a balcony;
- in a quiet courtyard.
Feel the air, the ground beneath your feet, and the space around you.
There is no need to seek a special “place of power.”
Any place where you can move calmly for a few minutes without worrying that passing neighbors will urgently call a spirit-exorcism expert will do.
Finding a Practice on YouTube
You can choose a short beginner session lasting 10 to 20 minutes.
Search YouTube for: “Qigong for Stress and Tension Relief for Beginners”
Search YouTube for: “Qigong Raising and Lowering the Arms with Breathing”
Search YouTube for: “Qigong to Calm the Nervous System in 10 Minutes”
Search YouTube for: “Evening Qigong for Relaxation in Russian”
Choose videos:
- for beginners;
- with gentle movements;
- without a complicated routine;
- without deep squats;
- without intensive breathing;
- without requiring you to stand in a strenuous position for a long time;
- without promises to cure all illnesses through energy movement.
On this day, learning one movement is enough. You do not need to master a complete qigong routine.
Image for Day Eleven
An image suitable for this day would show:
A person standing in nature in a calm, stable posture. Their arms are smoothly rising in front of their body. A soft golden flow of light is visible between the palms and around the body. The feet are connected to the earth, the shoulders lowered, and the face calm. The image conveys smoothness, balance, and inner stillness.
Another option:
Two successive positions of the same person: the arms smoothly rise, receiving light, then lower, releasing the body from a gray cloud of tension.
The main idea:
“As I rise, I fill with energy. As I lower, I free myself.”
Affirmation of the Day
I move calmly and freely. I accept the pure energy of life and release the tension I no longer need.
Repeat it after completing the practice, with your palms on your lower abdomen.
Evening Completion
In the evening, perform the movement 5–10 times.
Do not turn it into a complicated workout.
Simply raise and lower your arms slowly.
As you raise them, say:
“I accept calm.”
As you lower them:
“I release this day.”
After the final movement, place your palms on your lower abdomen.
Stand or sit like this for about a minute.
Say:
“That is enough for today. I return to my center.”
The Result of Day Eleven
After today’s practice, a person may say:
“I felt smooth movement, breathing, and attention come together in one calm state.”
Before this, we used:
- observation;
- breathing;
- relaxation;
- walking;
- silence;
- writing;
- yoga nidra.
Today, another path appeared:
calm through continuous mindful movement.
In qigong, a person does not try to defeat tension by force.
They create a different rhythm within—a slower, smoother, more integrated one.
And the old tension gradually begins to lose its power.
Important Note
The practice can be performed sitting down.
Do not raise your arms high if this causes shoulder pain.
Stop if you experience:
- dizziness;
- darkening vision;
- pain;
- pronounced shortness of breath;
- loss of balance;
- sudden weakness.
Do not practice prolonged breath retention.
If you have joint conditions, significant balance problems, or are recovering from surgery or injury, move only within a comfortable range and consult a doctor if necessary.
Qigong should make movement gentler.
When someone starts trying with all their might to relax correctly, ancient Chinese masters somewhere quietly sigh.
, such a provocative person), she loves arguing, especially with management, and they still put up with her for now—but that may not last… I tell her: Be like Mohini, Vishnu gave us a wonderful lesson in stalking: victory was achieved not with a sword, but with a glance; not with the thunder of weapons, but with a whisper. He didn’t clench his fists or shout threats; he didn’t speak from a position of strength, but from a position of mystery. He tossed out words like light petals—they fell beautifully, but revealed nothing essential. You don’t break through obstacles head-on; you go around them as if in a dance, where every movement 
is precise. Sometimes the strongest action is knowing how not to act directly, but to win while remaining invisible and achieve your goal without destroying the world—especially your own. It’s a shame she doesn’t listen to me—a strong Mars in her horoscope, but I haven’t lost hope of getting through to her someday. The main thing is that it isn’t too late. Oh, I’ve gotten a little too philosophical; I’ll breathe now, as it says above 
