GO TAISO
(The Five Exercises)
Copyright © 2002 James Deacon

The art of Tenchi Seiki Te-Ate utilises several specific physical exercises as part of the hara / seiki developmental process.

The following is a short elementary set, known simply as 'the five exercises'.

This set is practiced whilst standing.

Choose a time and place where you are unlikely to be disturbed.
Ideally this exercise should be carried out wearing loose clothing. Remove your shoes, and wherever you are doing this exercise - indoors or out, make sure the floor/ground is both comfortable and warm. Do not practice this on cold floors/ground, do not practice in the cold, generally.

Stand with your feet about shoulder-with apart, toes pointing straight ahead. Now, keeping your heels in the same spot, turn your left foot out to the left by about 15-20 degrees and your right foot out to the right, to mirror the left foot.

Bend your knees - lowering your body down by about 2-3 inches.

Sink your weight down into your hips & thighs; centre yourself - 'watching the breath': loosely focussing on the natural rhythms of your breathing. There is no interference with the natural process - no seeking to consciously breathe - merely to be aware that you are breathing effortlessly.

(You will maintain this posture throughout this exercise set)

1.
Reach around behind you, placing both hands on your back - your left hand over your left kidney, right hand over your right kidney.

Now, keeping your hips perfectly still, your back straight (but not rigid), bend slowly from the lower waist so that your torso is leaning forward at an angle of approximately 10 degrees.
Return to the upright position, then bend slowly from the waist so that your torso is leaning backwards at an angle of approximately 10 degrees.
Return to the upright position, then bend from the waist to your right, to an angle of approximately 10 degrees.
Return to the upright position again, then bend 10 degrees to the left - and back to the upright position once more.

Next, ensuring you keep your hips perfectly still at all times, with your weight resting in your hips and thighs, lean forward again, but this time, slowly begin to circle out to the right, keeping the same degree of lean, and continue on round to the back, then to the left side, and on round to the front again. Pause a moment, then circle back in the opposite direction. (It is vital that you keep your hips in the same place at all times.)

Repeat this circling action slowly, alternating right and left, until you have completed 5 circles in each direction. Return to the upright position once more, relax for a moment or two.

2.
Still in the bent-knee posture - feet turned out to the sides at a slight angle - focuss on the awareness of your weight centred in your hips and thighs.

Make a loose fist with each hand.

Bend your knees a little more, lowering your torso even further (- by another 2-3 inches or so), at the same time, bending from the hip (- keeping back straight yet relaxed) to reach down towards the floor. Exhale easily as you reach down.
If you can touch the floor with your clenched fists, do so (do not strain), then return to the upright position again, inhaling easily as you do so.

Repeat this action briskly a further eight times, focussing on achieving smoothness of movement. Relax for a moment or two.

3.
Still in the bent-knee posture - feet turned out to the sides at a slight angle - focuss on the awareness of your weight centred in your hips and thighs.

Hold your hands out in front of you and begin rubbing them together as if washing them under running water: rubbing the palms, then over the back of each hand, and between the fingers. Do this briskly for about a minute or so.

Continuing the 'washing' analogy, bring your open palms up to your face and 'wash' vigourously for a moment, also including the ears; before moving on to the throat and sides and back of the neck. Rub briskly, with moderate pressure.

Work on out across the shoulders - left hand rubbing right shoulder, right hand on left shoulder - and on down the arms, ensuring you cover the entire surface area until you reach the wrists.

Moving to your torso, continue with the same brisk 'washing' process down across your chest, diaphragm, abdomen - then upper back, lumbar region, buttocks, hips thighs, etc. - again ensuring you cover the entire surface area - and on down the legs to the ankles, and individually raising each foot in turn to rub heels, soles, and toes.

It is important that the whole 'washing' process utilise brisk rubbing, with moderate pressure.

4.
Continuing in the bent-knee posture, (with your focuss on the awareness of your weight centred in your hips and thighs,) let your hands hang heavily by your sides for a moment.

Swing your arms out in front of you, allowing them to rise up to about eye level (- elbows very slightly bent, hands relaxed ) - then allow them to drop back down naturally, and as they fall, with a large, loose movement, flick your wrists - as if shaking some water or some other liquid off your hands.

Let your arms continue to swing back a little way behind you, before smoothly swinging them back up out in front of you again to repeat the process.

Do this a total of 18 times, focussing on achieving smoothness of movement.

Relax for a moment or two.

5.
Still in the bent-knee posture - continue to focuss on the awareness of your weight centred in your hips and thighs.

Hold your hands out in front of you as you did in the 'washing' process, only this time, rather than rubbing, clap your hands together - but with a gentle 'patting' motion; then continue patting over the back of each hand, gently, yet with a firm or 'heavy handed' attitude. It is important that the action remains one of 'patting' and does not become 'slapping'.

After about a minute or so, just as with the 'washing' process, bring your open palms up to your face and pat cheeks, chin and brow for a moment, also including the ears; before moving on to the throat and sides and back of the neck. Remember - firmly but gently.

Work on out across the shoulders - left hand patting right shoulder, right hand on left shoulder - and on down the arms, ensuring you cover the entire surface area until you reach the wrists.

Moving to your torso, continue with the same firm, gentle patting process down across your chest, diaphragm, abdomen - then upper back, lumbar region, buttocks, hips thighs, etc. - again ensuring you cover the entire surface area - and on down the legs to the ankles, and individually raising each foot in turn to pat heels and soles.

Relax for a moment or two. This completes this particular five-part taiso set.

[It is most important that the whole body-patting process be carried out with a gentle yet firm action, and that it does not deteriorate into slapping.]