”When you stand with your two feet on the ground,
you will always keep your balance.”
Tao Te Ching, #13, Translated by S. Mitchell
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Healing T’ai Chi Exercise #36
Remember to always take a few slow, relaxing breaths before you begin any exercise session.
The exercise below stretches and loosens your shoulder, chest and back muscles. If you’ve been hunched over a desk or computer all day, use this exercise to release the tension.
Exercise #36 – Draw the Bow to Shoot the Eagle
Benefits – So many of us spend our days seated at a desk in front of a computer. It’s no wonder we suffer from stiff necks and shoulders. This exercise will loosen up all those tense painful muscles.
Posture – Sit with your hips tucked slightly under so your back is completely supported by the back of your chair. Feet should be shoulder-width apart. Remember to sit upright but relaxed.
-
Breathe in slowly as you form your hands into fists with your thumbs tucked inside your fingers. Exhale.
-
As you inhale again, stretch your left arm out to the side until your elbow is almost straight. At the same time, pull your right arm back with the elbow completely bent.
-
Imagine that you are touching your shoulder blades together as you open your chest to its fullest extension.
-
Exhale and return your fists in front of your chest.
-
Repeat, alternating sides for at least 12 complete repetitions. Always remain relaxed and concentrate on the movement of the air in and out of your lungs.
Use the pressure point, Gates of Consciousness (GB 20), to relieve any remaining stiffness after your exercise session. Once again I’m indebted to Michael Reed Gach for his excellent and very clear acupressure illustrations.
-
Gates of Consciousness is located between the two large muscles of your neck immediately below the base of your skull.
-
Press a finger on each side of your neck for at least 60 seconds while you take slow, relaxing breaths in through your nose and then exhaling equally slowly through your mouth.
Benefits: This effective acupressure point will relieve headaches, a stiff neck and arthritis in your shoulders if used regularly.
Don’t forget to drink water at the end of your exercise session or any time you begin to feel thirsty. A Word of Caution…If you have or have had problems with your kidneys, please consult your physician regarding the amount of water appropriate for your condition.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This week’s featured article: http://healthinmotion.wordpress.com/2008/07/23/14-myths-about-fitness-exercise-and-working-out/
- Find great deals on home exercise equipment at the Exercise Equipment Super Store.
- T’ai Chi in a Chair: Easy 15-Minute Routines for Beginners is now available exclusively at Barnes and Noble.
- Click on this link for great fitness ideas: Health Tips.
- More great fitness and health ideas: The Health Shack.
- Thinking of going on a diet? Try this link: Best Diets.
- For information on Reiki and other alternative/holistic health issues, click on this link: Phylameana lila Desy.
- How is your posture? Check it out at Posture Exercises.
- For all things T’ai Chi click on this link: American Society of Internal Arts.
- Best bookmarking and blog search site on the web: Technorati.
- For information on child and adult Attention Deficit Disorder, click on this link: http://www.attention-deficit-disorder.net/
- For many articles on general healthful practices, click on http://healthpromotiontips.com/
- http://www.health-risk-assessments.com/
- http://createathrivingbusiness.com/balance-healer-and-business-owner-marketing/2008/07/11/
- http://www.nursingschoolsearch.com/blog/2008/07/100-networks-and-resources-for-male-nurses/
- http://www.x-raytechnicianschools.org/arkansas/top-100-diet-and-fitness-blogs/
- http://realfitnesstx.com/
Other Informative Sites and Blogs:
· http://callierlibrary.wordpress.com
· http://discoverandrecover.wordpress.com
· http://www.bottomlinehealth.com
· http://www.americanheart.org
· http://www.msassociation.org
~The exercises in this blog are intended for educational purposes only. Always consult with your health care provider before beginning a new exercise program.~
Exercise #35 – Trunk Rotations
10/22/2008
”Know the personal,
yet keep to the impersonal:
accept the world as it is.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Healing T’ai Chi Exercise #35
Now that we’ve stretched the trunk, we will loosen our hip joints and tighten our abdominal muscles. During this exercise, concentrate on the energy moving upward from your lower dan tien.
Exercise #35 – Trunk Rotations
Benefits – This exercise will loosen your hip joints, stretch the muscles of the back while reducing your waistline and tightening your abdomen.
Posture – Sit upright. feet flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart. Tuck your hips slightly under so that your back is flat against the back of your chair.
Illustration by Jane Ramsey
- Begin with your hands resting on your thighs.
- Breathe in slowly, expanding your diaphragm.
- Begin breathing out slowly as you bend toward your thighs and tighten your abdomen.
- Rotate your trunk from right to left, breathing in again as you reach the end of the arc.
- Continue circling to your right at least 6 times.
- Reverse the direction of your rotation from left to right again for at least 6 rotations.
Use this illustration from Michael Reed Gach’s wonderful book, Acupressure’s Potent Points, to find the pressure point described below. This point is useful for many back problems.
- Find this useful pressure point 2 finger widths below your belly button.
- Press firmly on this point for a full minute. Use as often as necessary.
Don’t forget to drink water at the end of your exercise session or any time you begin to feel thirsty. A Word of Caution…If you have or have had problems with your kidneys, please consult your physician regarding the amount of water appropriate for your condition.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This week’s featured site: http://howtogetarthritisrelief.com/ Other Related Health Topics and Fitness Products:- Find great deals on home exercise equipment at the Exercise Equipment Super Store.
- T’ai Chi in a Chair: Easy 15-Minute Routines for Beginners is now available exclusively at Barnes and Noble.
- Click on this link for great fitness ideas: Health Tips.
- More great fitness and health ideas: The Health Shack.
- Thinking of going on a diet? Try this link: Best Diets.
- For information on Reiki and other alternative/holistic health issues, click on this link: Phylameana lila Desy.
- How is your posture? Check it out at Posture Exercises.
- For all things T’ai Chi click on this link: American Society of Internal Arts.
- Best bookmarking and blog search site on the web: Technorati.
- For information on child and adult Attention Deficit Disorder, click on this link: http://www.attention-deficit-disorder.net/
- For many articles on general healthful practices, click on http://healthpromotiontips.com/
- http://www.health-risk-assessments.com/
- http://createathrivingbusiness.com/balance-healer-and-business-owner-marketing/2008/07/11/
- http://www.nursingschoolsearch.com/blog/2008/07/100-networks-and-resources-for-male-nurses/
- http://www.x-raytechnicianschools.org/arkansas/top-100-diet-and-fitness-blogs/
- http://realfitnesstx.com/
Other Informative Sites and Blogs:
· http://callierlibrary.wordpress.com
· http://discoverandrecover.wordpress.com
· http://www.bottomlinehealth.com
· http://www.americanheart.org
· http://www.msassociation.org
~The exercises in this blog are intended for educational purposes only. Always consult with your health care provider before beginning a new exercise program.~
Exercise #34 – Stretching the Torso III
10/15/2008
“Being and non-being create each other.
Difficult and easy support each other.
Long and short define each other.
High and low depend on each other.
Before and after follow each other.”
Tao Te Ching #2, Translated by S. Mitchell
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HEALING T’AI CHI Exercise #34
This is the third exercise in the torso stretch series. Remember to move slowly and gently when performing any of these exercises. Always match your breathing to the movements as well. When moving from side to side or side to center, always make each of these changes on an exhalation not while inhaling. Don’t forget…if you have any questions about these exercises, type the question in the comment section below. I’ll do my best to answer you on the next posting.
Exercise #34 – Stretching the Torso #34
Benefits – This exercise will loosen the muscles of your torso, stretching the muscles along your sides and in your arms.
Posture – Sit with your hips tucked under, back supported by the back of your chair. Make sure your legs are shoulder-width apart, feet flat on the floor.
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Begin by taking in a slow breath as you interlace your fingers. Breathe out and raise your hands above your head, palms to the ceiling.
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Breathe in again and then, as you exhale, lean to your left side. Breathe in and out again and lean further to the side. On the 3rd set of breaths, lean still further to the side.
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Breathe in one more time. On the exhalation, return to the center and lean to your right.
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Repeat the above steps to the right.
-
Repeat all of the above from side to side for a total of 4 leans, 2 to each side alternating.
At this time of the year it is especially important to guard against colds and the flu. The pressure point, Outer Gate, described below will build up your resistance to these illnesses.
-
Locate this potent point 21/2 finger widths above the outer wrist crease between the two forearm bones. On the illustration to your left, this point is labeled TW5.
-
Hold your finger at this point on each arm for at least 60 second. Repeat as often as necessary throughout the day.
Don’t forget to drink water at the end of your exercise session or any time you begin to feel thirsty. A Word of Caution…If you have or have had problems with your kidneys, please consult your physician regarding the amount of water appropriate for your condition.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This week’s featured article: http://drbenkim.com/blood-circulation-arms-hands.html
· http://www.bottomlinehealth.com
- Find great deals on home exercise equipment at the Exercise Equipment Super Store.
- T’ai Chi in a Chair: Easy 15-Minute Routines for Beginners is now available exclusively at Barnes and Noble.
- Click on this link for great fitness ideas: Health Tips.
- More great fitness and health ideas: The Health Shack.
- Thinking of going on a diet? Try this link: Best Diets.
- For information on Reiki and other alternative/holistic health issues, click on this link: Phylameana lila Desy.
- How is your posture? Check it out at Posture Exercises.
- For all things T’ai Chi click on this link: American Society of Internal Arts.
- Best bookmarking and blog search site on the web: Technorati.
- For information on child and adult Attention Deficit Disorder, click on this link: http://www.attention-deficit-disorder.net/
- For many articles on general healthful practices, click on http://healthpromotiontips.com/
- http://www.health-risk-assessments.com/
- http://createathrivingbusiness.com/balance-healer-and-business-owner-marketing/2008/07/11/
- http://www.nursingschoolsearch.com/blog/2008/07/100-networks-and-resources-for-male-nurses/
- http://www.x-raytechnicianschools.org/arkansas/top-100-diet-and-fitness-blogs/
- http://realfitnesstx.com/
Other Informative Sites and Blogs:
· http://callierlibrary.wordpress.com
· http://discoverandrecover.wordpress.com
· http://www.americanheart.org
· http://www.msassociation.org
~The exercises in this blog are intended for educational purposes only. Always consult with your health care provider before beginning a new exercise program.~
Exercise #33 – Stretching the Torso II
10/08/2008
“Be like the forces of nature:
when it blows, there is only wind;
when it rains, there is only rain;
when the clouds pass, the sun shines through.”
Tao Te Ching, #23, Translated by S. Mitchell
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Healing T’ai Chi Exercise #33
This is the second in the series of torso stretches. This time we will be loosening lateral muscles by twisting to each side. Remember to always do your exercises in a relaxed way. Twist slowly and gently, increasing the stretch with each breath.
Benefits - This exercise will stretch the muscles of your torso and waist, trimming your waistline and upper abdominal area.
Posture – Your posture remains the same as in the previous exercises. Sit upright, hips tucked under with your feet flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart.
- Begin with your hands resting on your thighs. Take a slow breath in and out.
- Lace your hands and breathe in again. As you breathe out, lace your hands and lift your arms above your head.
- Breathe in again and as you breathe out, twist to your left side.
- Breathe slowly in and out in that position. Take another breath and twist a little further to your left on the exhalation.
- Repeat the step above twisting still further to your left for two more times. In other words, you will be twisting gradually further to the left in conjunction with three inhalation/exhalations.
- After the last in-and-out breath, breathe in once again and twist to your right on the exhalation.
- Repeat the steps above to the right side. When you finish, turn back to the center and slowly lower your arms as you exhale.
Try the pressure point, Jumping Circle (GB30), in conjunction with the exercise above. The illustration on the left is taken from the wonderful book, Acupressure’s Potent Points by Michael Reed Gach.
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1. Locate this pressure point in the center of your buttocks behind the prominent part of your upper thigh bone.
2. Apply firm and steady pressure on this point for at least 60 seconds on both sides as often as necessary.
Benefits: Use this point whenever you are feeling frustrated or irritable. This point is also beneficial for relieving sciatica, lower back pain and rheumatism.
~Don’t forget to drink water at the end of your exercise session or any time you begin to feel thirsty. A Word of Caution…If you have or have had problems with your kidneys, please consult your physician regarding the amount of water appropriate for your condition.~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This week’s featured blog: http://leisureguy.wordpress.com/2008/09/30/eating-animal-fat-is-good-for-you/
Other Related Health Topics and Fitness Products:
- Find great deals on home exercise equipment at the Exercise Equipment Super Store.
- T’ai Chi in a Chair: Easy 15-Minute Routines for Beginners is now available exclusively at Barnes and Noble.
- Click on this link for great fitness ideas: Health Tips.
- More great fitness and health ideas: The Health Shack.
- Thinking of going on a diet? Try this link: Best Diets.
- For information on Reiki and other alternative/holistic health issues, click on this link: Phylameana lila Desy.
- How is your posture? Check it out at Posture Exercises.
- For all things T’ai Chi click on this link: American Society of Internal Arts.
- Best bookmarking and blog search site on the web: Technorati.
- For information on child and adult Attention Deficit Disorder, click on this link: http://www.attention-deficit-disorder.net/
- For many articles on general healthful practices, click on http://healthpromotiontips.com/
- http://www.health-risk-assessments.com/
- http://createathrivingbusiness.com/balance-healer-and-business-owner-marketing/2008/07/11/
- http://www.nursingschoolsearch.com/blog/2008/07/100-networks-and-resources-for-male-nurses/
- http://www.x-raytechnicianschools.org/arkansas/top-100-diet-and-fitness-blogs/
- http://realfitnesstx.com/
Other Informative Sites and Blogs:
· http://callierlibrary.wordpress.com
· http://discoverandrecover.wordpress.com
· http://www.bottomlinehealth.com
· http://www.americanheart.org
· http://www.msassociation.org
~The exercises in this blog are intended for educational purposes only. Always consult with your health care provider before beginning a new exercise program.~
Exercise #32 – Stretching the Torso
10/01/2008
“When the ancient Masters said,
‘If you want to be given everything,
give everything up,’ they weren’t using empty phrases.
Only in living by the Tao can you be truly yourself.
Tao Te Ching, #22 Translated by S. Mitchell
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Healing T’ai Chi Exercise #32
Because the trunk is the center of the body, it is critical to stretch the muscles in that area every day, particularly before practicing your other T’ai Chi exercises. Otherwise your trunk muscles will be tense and compressed throughout all the exercises. Unlike the previous exercise, you will be using standard breathing rather than reverse breathing. That is, when you inhale, you are stretching your diaphragm. When you exhale, tighten your abdominal muscles. Though somewhat similar, each exercise has a different target area and purpose.
Start each exercise session with the previously posted breathing and relaxing exercises such as Clearing the Mind and Clearing the Emotions. Also include the Stimulating Ch’i and Lifting Ch’i movements from previous postings. And, finally, stretch your torso as described below. Now, you’re ready to gain the maximum benefit from the rest of your session.
This is the first in a series of Torso Stretches. We will continue this series in subsequent postings.
Benefits – This exercise will stretch the muscles in the center of your body and will open up your pathways for the ch’i to flow freely and effectively throughout your system.
Posture - Sit as usual with your feet flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart. Tuck your hips under you to allow the energy to move up and down your spine.
-
Breathe in slowly as you interlace your hands and lift them above your head, palms facing the ceiling.
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Breathe out, leaving your hands in place. Take at least 3 breaths while your hands remain above your head.
-
Return your hands to your lap and repeat again stretching upward (without straining) a little more on each breathing set. Repeat for 6 sets if you can manage without overstraining your arms or trunk.
Use the acupressure point, Sea of Tranquility, to regulate your immune system.
-
Sit in your usual position. Close your eyes and concentrate on your breath as you hold your finger on the Sea of Tranquility point.
-
Locate this pressure point by measuring 3 thumb widths up from the base of your breastbone.
-
Hold your finger at this point for at least 60 seconds, breathing slowly and deeply.
Benefits: This point is very effective for stimulating your immune system, regulating your thymus gland and relieving anxiety and depression. Use as often as necessary.
Don’t forget to drink water at the end of your exercise session or any time you begin to feel thirsty. A Word of Caution…If you have or have had problems with your kidneys, please consult your physician regarding the amount of water appropriate for your condition.
~The exercises in this blog are intended for educational purposes only. Always consult with your health care provider before beginning a new exercise program.~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This week’s featured blog: http://doctor2008.wordpress.com/
Other Related Health Topics and Fitness Products:
- Find great deals on home exercise equipment at the Exercise Equipment Super Store.
- T’ai Chi in a Chair: Easy 15-Minute Routines for Beginners is now available exclusively at Barnes and Noble.
- Click on this link for great fitness ideas: Health Tips.
- More great fitness and health ideas: The Health Shack.
- Thinking of going on a diet? Try this link: Best Diets.
- For information on Reiki and other alternative/holistic health issues, click on this link: Phylameana lila Desy.
- How is your posture? Check it out at Posture Exercises.
- For all things T’ai Chi click on this link: American Society of Internal Arts.
- Best bookmarking and blog search site on the web: Technorati.
- For information on child and adult Attention Deficit Disorder, click on this link: http://www.attention-deficit-disorder.net/
- For many articles on general healthful practices, click on http://healthpromotiontips.com/
- http://www.health-risk-assessments.com/
- http://createathrivingbusiness.com/balance-healer-and-business-owner-marketing/2008/07/11/
- http://www.nursingschoolsearch.com/blog/2008/07/100-networks-and-resources-for-male-nurses/
- http://www.x-raytechnicianschools.org/arkansas/top-100-diet-and-fitness-blogs/
- http://realfitnesstx.com/
Other Informative Sites and Blogs:
· http://callierlibrary.wordpress.com
· http://discoverandrecover.wordpress.com
· http://www.bottomlinehealth.com
· http://www.americanheart.org
· http://www.msassociation.org
