Lifting hands    (1 through 20)

     At the conclusion of Single whip (1), your feet and arms are pointed to the corners (right = NE; left = NW), with your left palm pointing away from you, fingertips up, and your face turned in the same direction (NW).  Your right fingers are still folded downward into a 'beak' shape; knees and arms are slightly bent [W= even].
     Lifting hands begins as you start to shift your weight over [W= 70L] to your left side (2-6), turning so that you now face North.  Next, raise your right heel [W= 90L], then toe (5) [W= 100L]¹, and move your right foot in a slight arc back to the centerin front of you (North), and set your right heel down (8)[W= 90L]; simultaneous to centering your right leg/foot, bring your right arm up in an arc, in toward the center (9), until it is chest high and horizontal with the floor, with elbow slightly bent, relaxing the right hand as you do, slowly turning the right palm from facing West to facing you (South) (9-10), as your right arm is moving toward the center (North). 
     SIMULTANEOUS to all of this(!), bend your lower left arm at the elbow², rotating your left hand in toward your head (7-10), with your left palm still facing away, fingertips vertical, several inches before your nose.
     Next (11-14), as you begin to shift your weight forward (North) onto your right leg [W= 70L], directing the energy of your movement from your center (as always!), the toe of your right foot rests down [W= even], pointing forward in line with the heel (12,13).  Hold your right arm still allowing the bodies chi to move your vertical left palm (facing out) (North) to a near proximity (15) with the now stationary and horizontally held right palm (facing in) (South).[W= 70R]
     Continuing from here, further shift the weight forward on the right leg [W= 90R], unbending your knees some, and lift your right hand up (16), slowly rotating your right palm away from you (North) (17,18) as you rotate your right forearm away also (19). Your right hand rests near your forehead, palm facing away (North) (with pinky³ up).  While you lift the right hand, lower your left hand to your left side, with your left palm facing backward (South) (18-20).  At the same time that you do all of this (!), lift your left heel (13) [W= 90R], then toe [W= 100R], off of the floor¹ (14) and shift your left leg forward (14-16), bringing it even with your right leg.  Rest your left foot down, landing on the ball of your foot, with both feet about shoulder distance apart, pointing forward (North). (17) [W= even]

White crane preening wings    (21 through 36)

     White crane preening wings begins at this point, as you bow the upper torso only, slightly forward (21) (keep that behind tucked in) while bending knees slightly more; then, in that position, rotate your upper torso at the waist to the left, holding your (lower) trunk still, and moving your entire upper torso (only) as one body, from facing North around to facing West (22-25).   As you do, slowly lower your right arm, and slowly raise your left arm, palms away from you, with elbows bent and arms moving in a slight curved shape. (23-27)  Your upper body then faces West while your lower body faces North still; your hands lower/rise respectively until they are both at eye level and shoulder width apart.  Your elbows are bent out at shoulder level. (28) [W= even] 
     Then draw the left and right hand toward each other until fingers nearly touch, palms away, forming a place between fingers and thumbs to hold a small imaginary ball or globe.(28)  Raise your entire self as one by unbending your knees (29-30) (but not completely, of course), then rotate your waist back forward again (31), facing your upper torso to the North once more. (31-36) [W= even]

         ~   ~   ~   ~   ~

(Remember to keep your knees and elbows at least slightly bent and your pelvis tucked in throughout the set.)

(If at all possible, it is suggested that someone read the text to you - or record it on a tape and play it back - while you slowly practice the form...and slowlyis the best way to practice.)
 

notes:

¹   Here you are completelyweighted on the left side; the only way to lift one legup off of the ground is to have all of your weight balanced on the other leg. _go back_

²   Your upper left arm remains stationary as you rotate your lower left arm. _go back_

³  Your pinky is your little finger. _go back_

                        The links back to the above footnote numbers will only return you to 
                                       the very first use of that number in the above text, 
                   not to the subsequent references on this page to the same footnote number.