In terms of “energy flows upward to your head and downward to your feet”, we must first talk about “qi” as in “qi settle in the lower abdomen”. “Qi” refers to a general energy feeling, something hazy like fog, a cloud, or like the air we breathe. And faintly we feel or hope that it’s a flow of energy. When energy settles in our lower abdomen, and feels strong, at the same time, it passes through our body and then pushes upward. As to where inside our body the qi goes, just imagine our body as a bucket. The qi doesn’t have to go through a specific channel or acupuncture point. Just follow the bucket to push upward until about three feet above the head. When we feel as if there is a plank blocking it, it’s there. No need to use a ruler because it doesn’t have a fixed length, rather, it’s just energy generated through visualization.
What about “downward”? In the same way, imagine the body as a bucket. “Qi” passes through our body and legs. A strong energy penetrates our whole body and penetrates the ground to three feet below. Once our physical body has benefited, we will know that this visualization has worked.