It's best to practise in clothing that allows you to move easily, but it's possible to carry out the movements pretty much whatever you're wearing. The only exception might be your feet; if you've got high heels or particularly tight or chunky footwear, you might be happier to take off your shoes.

It can be lovely to practise outdoors, particularly in nature, but if it's cold make sure you wrap up warmly. Practising in a chilly wind without sufficient clothing can lead to you losing Wei Chi ("defensive Chi") which defends you against illness and disease. You don't want that!

You'll get the most benefit if you can wholeheartedly carry out all seven movements in sequence every day -- but I'd add a a proviso to that. Sometimes practice can feel like a real struggle if you're weary, unwell, angry or emotional, if you're just not in the mood or are short of time. That's OK. We all have 'bad Chi' days. If you can manage to run through the movements very gently and compassionately, even if it's not as accurately or devotedly as you know you can do it at other times, you'll still get some benefit. Psychologically, you may also feel that you've achieved something. Nevertheless, if you're really 'down' it's perfectly reasonable to give it a miss for a day, or even for a few days. It's important for all sorts of reasons to enjoy your practice, and if it's too much of a struggle that's not going to happen. Give yourself a break! Respect yourself. Balance is all-important in Chi Kung, and deciding when it's just not worth the effort is part of finding that balance for yourself.

If you really can't face practising, you might find it useful to just sit silently for a while, to listen to some suitable music, to watch the flame of a candle ... or to do whatever you feel drawn to doing that will nourish you (even if that's coffee and chocolate cake!).

When you go back to you practice after a break, expect to feel a difference. Don't expect to fall back in where you left off; it might feel stiff, clumsy, unfamiliar. This is OK. It'll all come back again if you just keep going and get back into your regular rhythm.

Be gentle with yourself when you practice. Relax. Breathe. Notice whether you're over-exerting yourself. Sometimes you might sweat a lot if you're releasing a lot of stagant Chi from your system, but be mindful that you might also just be over-doing it. Keep the 70% rule: don't overstretch. Remember that Chi Kung is about relaxing, opening and softening ... not tensing, forcing or winning some kind of race. If you feel pain when you practice, question whether it's 'good pain' (indicating movement and release) or indicative of injury.

Occasionally, come back to class for a refresher and for pointers to refine and deepen your practice. You can always contact me to book a one-to-one session: call 01353-624284 or email vicki@morealive.co.uk.