Don't Tell Me to Relax, I'm Already Relaxed!

In order to enjoy the full benefit of Qigong (Chi Kung), one's body (and mind) must be fully relaxed. You can accomplish this through a series of steps.

The first step is to assume the Still Mountain pose: feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, pelvis tucked under, elbows out, head suspended, etc. Secondly, you must concentrate on the body mechanics of breathing from the lower dan tien (lower belly). Thirdly, relax the major muscles of the body starting from the head down. This includes the neck and shoulder muscles, back, buttocks and legs.

Then scan the body for any tenseness or blockages and release those areas that are still tense. Most people carry their stress in the neck and shoulders, so rub the back of your neck and do a few easy shoulder rolls to remove any stiffness in these areas. Turning the head gently from side to side may also help relieve tension.

Many people also hold their tension in their jaw muscles and even grind their teeth at night. It's alright to gently massage your jaw and facial muscles and to drop the jaw slightly keeping the lips gently together.

Now do what every tiger does to relax, allow yourself a large jaw-dropping yawn. If your neighbors don't mind, it's even OK to let out your biggest roar. I do. And it 's quite a kick!

I will blog more about relaxing later, but if you follow the tips I have shared above, you will be ready to experience a great qigong session.

Namaste

Tingling Fingers--what is that?

The subject of qi or chi energy has popped up in several of my studio classes this past week. It seems that more and more students are feeling the effects of the universal energy generated through tai chi and meditative practices. What is exciting to me is that the students feeling these sensations are interpreting this ability as positive and enjoyable. They are, in fact, loving these feelings and coming back to learn how to make them more intense. So why am I excited? This will take some explaining, so let me tell you.

If a student is unprepared to experience qi energy, they may be taken off guard by the intense vibrations that this energy can produce in the hands, arms, back, or feet. And although it may take some time for some people to feel their qi, these intense feelings may manifest themselves within the first few lessons or even immediately in some cases.

I have seen a few students (not in my classes) become quite concerned about qi energy and mistakenly think that practicing tai chi, meditation, or qigong may be harmful. When in fact, enhancing your awareness of qi energy helps your circulation and brings healthful benefits to the whole body.

This is why I talk about the health benefits of qi energy in my beginning classes and continue to define and explain it to my continuing students. It's something to experience and enjoy. It's your connection to the universe.

Namaste

Scalding Cauldron Meditaion

This morning's meditation proved to be a hot topic that took me back a few years to the Kung Fu television series of the 70's. If you were a fan, you might remember Chang Cain as he branded dragons onto his forearms by lifting a red hot cauldron in some kind of kung fu rite of passage. Branding has always seemed a little extreme for me, much like walking on a bed of hot coals. But I was reminded of this display of mental iron this morning.

These days I generally meditate for about 20 minutes, which is what I recommend for most people. For the first ten minutes I focus of breath and progressive relaxation. It takes about that long to get fully relaxed and to begin to move the qi energy (chi). Today I was feeling rather joyful and grateful so it was hard to start focusing on energy movement, but I knuckled down and made it work.

This is when I began to imagine my arms wrapped around a large iron cauldron filled with smoldering hot coals that exuded tons of qi energy. The cauldron grew hotter and hotter and the energy began to flow into my arms and through my body. It was intense! I began to feel warm. Sweat poured down my pits and back, but I kept my concentration.

I ended the meditation feeling re-energized with a sense that I had passed my rite of passage--although I didn't get a dragon tatoo (bummer).

Namaste