In all Qigong practice, being rooted is very important. To be rooted means to be stable and in firm contact with the ground.
If you want to push a car, you have to be rooted; the force you apply to the car has to be constant. It is balanced by the force towards the ground. If you are not rooted, when you push the car, you are only pushing yourself and not moving the car. Your root consists of the sinking, centering and balance of your body.
Before you can develop your Root, you must first relax and allow your body to "settle." As you relax, tension in various parts of your body will release and you will be able to stand comfortably. You will stop fighting the ground to keep your body up and learn to rely on the structure of your body to support itself. This allows the muscles to relax even more. Since your body is not struggling to stand up, your Yi is not pushed upwards and your body, mind and Qi can sink. If you let the dirty water settle quietly, the impurities will gradually sink to the bottom, leaving the water above clear.
Likewise, if you relax your body enough to let it settle, your qi will sink into your dan tian and the bubbling wells (yong quan, K-1, 湧泉) in your feet, and your mind will become clear. Then you can begin to develop your root.
To root your body, you must imitate a tree and grow an invisible root under your feet. Your root must be both broad and deep. Naturally, your Yi (mind) must grow first, because it is Yi that leads the Qi (energy). Your Yi must be able to lead the Qi to your feet and communicate with the ground. Only when your Yi communicates with the ground can your Qi grow beyond your feet and enter the ground to build roots. The bubbling well space is the door through which your Qi communicates with the ground.
Once you have gained your root, you must learn how to maintain your center. A stable center will allow your qi to develop evenly and uniformly. If you lose this center, your qi will not be directed evenly. To keep your body centered, you must first center your yi, then match your body to it. Only under these conditions will the qi gong forms you practice have roots. Your mental and physical centers are the keys that enable you to take your qi beyond your body.
Balance is the product of rooting and centering. Balance involves balancing the qi and the physical body. No matter which aspect of balance you are dealing with, you must first balance your yi, and only then can you balance your qi and the physical body."
The characteristic manifestations, aspects and qualities of "Central Balance" (Zhongdingä¸å®š) to be developed through body-mind-spirit practices in Tai Chi Chuan and Qigong are:
Maintain an upright posture
Raise your head,
Tuck your chin,
Keep your back straight;
Keep the head, torso, and hips in a relatively straight "plumb" line;
Breathe easily, deeply and effortlessly through the nose;
Be calm, still, and settled in one's mind and emotions;
Allow the person's body to become rooted and settled into the ground;
In seated positions, keep the kneecaps in line with the middle of the foot;
Directly let the bodily energy ( Qi, Chi ) flow downwards into the earth;
Relax, loosen, loosen and open the joints of the body;
Avoid swaying, being out of balance or straining.