Standing Post

Stand still, knees soft, arms rounded as if holding a balloon. Hold and breathe.

8 minVataKapha

How to do it

Stand with the feet hip-width, knees very slightly bent, and hold the arms in a wide circle in front of the chest as if lightly holding a balloon. Stay there and breathe. Shaking, warmth and aching arms are all normal — come down before it becomes grim.

SeatedSeated with the same rounded arms — the stillness is the practice, not the standing.

The sequence

4 steps

1Set the feetHip-width, parallel, weight even across both soles.
2Soften the kneesBend just enough to unlock them — far less than looks like anything.
3Round the armsLift to chest height as if lightly holding a large balloon.
4StayBreathe and hold. Shaking and warmth are normal; sharp pain is not.

What it does

Builds real leg strength and steadiness while barely moving at all.

When you'll be given it

Vata grounding, and Kapha sessions where a low-impact strength block is wanted.

Where it comes from

The standing practice underlying both qigong and the internal martial arts.

Another traditionChinese qigong — not Ayurvedic.

Take care

Start at two or three minutes, not eight. Come out at any knee pain, and sit down promptly if you feel light-headed.

Not sure whether it suits you? Ask a Vaidya.

There's no button here to start this. Your practice is prescribed each morning — that's what keeps the dose honest.