' You know the old adage: 'When the Student is Ready the Teacher Appears'? Well, you will know when you have found the right teacher. Although you may feel completely healthy and ask why you would ever need a diagnosis, there are levels of sensitivity in our bodies that many of us are simply unaware of and unable to "tune into" due to our own misuse of attention and consciousness. Most of us (myself included) overuse our intellect and our mental attention simply because we have been patterned to do so. To begin to train sinking into a deep internal awareness requires dramatic shifts in mental attention and one that must be facilitated by a master. It is extremely unlikely that a beginner could easily enter into an ability to 'read' the energetic structure of their internal organs, flows of Qi through the meridians, the pulses, the tongue, the blood, and other diagnostic components of the mind/body system. For example, if you happen to have a propensity for anger and would be diagnosed as someone who has 'Liver Yang Rising', then it would be in your best interest to not practice movements that increased the Yang energy in the body, and you would never know to stay away from running the Fire Cycle (up the back of the spine and down the front of the body). Find a little piece of nature, nature, and more nature. Having a set place for your practice is really important and will help you to discipline your practice when just starting out. If you are struggling to get out of bed and go to your local park, or that piece of beautiful grass by the beach, or the clearing in the canyon behind your home, it is your connection to the space that will help you be more disciplined in your approach. You will begin to create your own vortex of energy in 'your spot' and you will begin to be called and drawn back to that spot - almost like you have a second home. Having your own indoor studio space is definitely a luxury and will come in handy in extreme weather, but there is something really special about being outdoors and practicing in such close contact to the elements of nature, the universe, heaven and earth, the cosmos and all that universal Qi force surrounding you. We all know the importance of a schedule but few of us actually hold to one. Having a weekly schedule is extremely important - especially when it comes to running your own home business. It is very easy to find yourself getting off track and wasting time surfing around the internet or idling in the mud of the social media jungle. Remember we are running a BUSINESS, and all successful businesses run on a schedule in hopes of accomplishing a set amount of daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly goals. Some business owners simply use more sophisticated resources when it comes to planning, running, and scheduling their business. It is no different when if comes to going to the gym, rehearsing a song, or practicing your Qigong. Scheduling an exact time may have more benefits than you could foresee at this given time. People in your community may begin to take notice of you and you will become a fixture at your particular outdoor space. This may ultimately help you grow your own practice if this is your goal for the future. It will demonstrate to those in your community that you are a dedicated and disciplined practitioner who is totally committed to your practice, and if you are correcting Qi deviations they may even begin to experience some healing while watching you do your forms in the park. If they aren't that sensitive, then they may just enjoy being around you and wouldn't be consciously aware as to why. Staying hydrated is so important when doing any sort of movement or exercise. A large percentage of our physical make-up is water and sipping water during your breaks in practice will go a long way for your longevity and stamina while practicing. The practice of Qigong opens the body, and allows you to absorb universal energies that will begin to hit deeper levels of our bodies: blood, nerves, organs, bones, marrow, and the entire cellular matrix. Because your body opens up, and the Qi begins to seep into all physical levels, your cells get activated (partly through your mind's attention), and they become more receptive to the input of Gu Qi, or the life force essence absorbed by the body from water and grain. You may never know when you will have those moments of inspiration and will truly experience shifts in your practice. Moments where you truly connected to the CORE ENERGY OF EARTH, or moments when you felt deeper movements of Qi in your Belt Vessel, or times when you felt deep ancestral sadness in your Lungs finding a voice and clear expression through your Po. You will wish you had a notebook handy when you begin to chart the growth and development of your practice, and you will definitely want to dictate material and knowledge from the time that you have with your master. Keep a record of your development and discoveries and add them to the great body of knowledge that already exists in the field of Qigong and energetic medicine. Chinese medicine is didactic because of this very reason - we are all thankful for other students and masters having kept detailed notes on their own discoveries, methods, experiences, and universal truths. One of my favorite quotes from the Huang Di Nei Jing (The Yellow Emperor's Canon of Internal Medicine) states: "When the spiritual powers are passed on and transmitted they can no longer turn back; and when they turn back they cannot be transmitted, and then their moving powers are lost to the universe. In oder to fulfill destiny man should go beyond that which is near at hand and consider it as trifling. One should make public upon tablets of jade that which was hidden and concealed in treasuries and storehouses, to study it from early dawn until night, and thus make known the precious mechanism of the universe. Having the right pair of shoes is pivotal for your practice. You definitely want to avoid sandals, flip flops, hard-soled shoes, and anything else that is going to restrict your movement. Safety and mobility are our primary concerns here. I suppose you could also go barefoot if you are outdoors and feel like you could move without getting stabbed by the odd placed pine needle. Just be careful to inspect your practice zone for any sharp objects, metal, dog s**t, or other such hazardous material. It is definitely nice to feel the earth under our feet but sometimes the movement of particular forms requires more dexterity of movement when walking, spiraling, or circling the energy in Bagua Circles. Shoe #1: What I use and have been using for years is a slip on martial arts shoe made by Mooto. They have a pair made from pine tree which looks really interesting. For under $50 you can get this pine tree pair with a leather exterior to reduce weight, and a mesh interior with reinforced tongue. For details on the product visit the Mooto site. Shoe #2: Another option to try is a type of low-top boxing shoe. These shoes have a much tighter restriction and a flat surface that are fantastic for traction and for gripping surfaces. You will definitely not slip in these shoes. Buying this pair is going to put you to around $70. If you are doing more external martial training as well as your healing Qigong, and you are on a budget - then you might want to consider getting this type of shoe. You will be able to use this pair in both training situations. This is not an ideal Qigong shoe but will definitely hook you into the earth. You want the Qi to flow through your feet and into the earth and vice/versa. A tight fitting boxing shoe may cut off your body's ability to do so. Check this site out for more detail on the Adidas Attaak and other brands of low-cut boxing shoes. Shoe #3: Now for the true sports enthusiast who isn't on a budget we can go one rung up the foot ladder with a Vibram FiveFingers shoe. I'm sure many of you have seen this new breed of footwear roaming around and wondered if they really felt good. I have yet to try one of these on but these shoes seem like the most ideal for your Qigong practice. You can check out all the product details at their site as there are many varieties to choose from. Before deciding on which one to buy make sure you try a few on first - find a store that sells them locally and ask questions when shopping. These shoes use the actual size of your feet in inches so don't go by what size shoe you wear. These shoes are contoured to fit exactly to your feet and are advertised as being a 'second skin. I have been taught by my teacher that learning how to heal the body, diagnose, and begin to study your own internal system - can be equated to being a good weatherman. The Chinese study the harmony and disharmony of the body in terms of weather. Hot, cold, wind, warm, dryness, dampness, etc. We talked earlier about how our cells open up during practice due to the increased flow of Qi, blood, and all the extra intake of oxygen going into our system. Another consideration is that the pores on our skin will most likely expand as well, which could open the practitioner up to contracting some environmental Qi in the form of toxins in the air, pollution, and e-smog radiation. I have heard other practitioners say that it is good to wear long-sleeved clothing, even in warmer weather, in order to prevent unwanted Qi from entering your system through the pores of your skin. Protect yourself form external extremes such as cold, wind, damp, and heat. Wear appropriate clothing and wear what makes you feel good and comfortable. Basically clothes that fall off your body to allow for a freer flow of Qi.