The Second Component:

“Shake Out Hands in Four Directions”

The multiple benefits of this practice include:

1. Strengthening the legs
2. Loosening the joints of the arms, neck, spine, and hips,
3. Enhancing circulation of blood and lymph.
4. It is an excellent and comprehensive practice for distribution of energy to all parts of the body quickly, and with a minimum of musculo-skeletal stress.

• First, stand tall with crown of head suspended, feet under the pelvis and parallel, with the arms relaxed at the sides. Relax the breathing.

• Continue to suspend from the crown as you begin “bouncing” into knees and throw hands down toward the earth. As you throw, twist the wrists, shaking the hands as if you were flicking water off. Continuebouncing throughout this practice, as you also continue to relax the breathing.

• Next (as you continue bouncing), shake out hands toward heaven.

• Next, shake out hands in the front, then in the back. Be sure to continue to “suspend from the crown” as you shake out.

• Next, shake out , one hand up, one hand down, and then reverse hands.

• Next, shake out , one hand to the front, one hand to the rear, then reverse hands. Swivel hips as you practice this step, continuing to suspend from the crown, and remembering continued relaxation of the breath.

• Next, shake out hands one at a time in the down position, then in the up position.

• Next, shake out hands one at a time, first in the front, then in the back. Swivel hips as you practice this step, continuing to suspend from the crown, relaxing the breath as the lungs “breathe themselves.”

• To conclude, relax hands in the down position and let them dangle as you gradually slow down the bouncing, then shake out the feet, one at a time.

* As a beginner, be sure to shake out at least 8 times in each direction, gradually working up to 24 times or more, as suits you.