Understand how the body naturally builds up and releases energy and you understand how to use it in qigong and Tai Chi. This also applies to the internal energy in all martial art technique.

Your morning stretch is different to your exercise stretches. This is because you build up your energy in your stretch and then release it to wake up. Notice the feeling that goes with the release.

You do the same when you sneeze, yawn, when you go to the loo, when you ejaculate and even when dealing with emotion and pain. Understand this and you go a long way to understanding the idea of fajing and fageng.

When you stretch, compress, or twist and then release for power, you can add this idea of energy by utilising the feeling that you can identify from the way the body naturally uses it. Notice the mental and emotional connections that go with it.

This will demystify a lot of complicated information that often goes with explanations of internal energy by being able to relate it to everyday bodily functions.