Exercise #86 – Energizing the Gateway Between Mind and Body 4

 

Welcome to

Healing T’ai Chi

…the award-winning blog of seated exercises to balance mind, body and spirit for people of all ages and levels of fitness.

~~~~~~~~~

“The greatest virtue is to follow Tao and Tao alone.
The Tao is elusive and intangible
Oh, it is intangible and elusive, and yet within is image.
Oh, it is elusive and intangible, and yet within is form.
Oh, it is dim and dark, and yet within is essence.
This essense is very real, and therein lies faith.
From the very beginning until now its name has never been forgotten.
Thus I perceive the creation.
How do I know the ways of creation?
Because of this.”

Tao Te Ching #21, translated by Gia Fu Feng and Jane English

~~~~~~~~~

In this exercise we will be loosening and relaxing our shoulders.  Don’t try to breathe in time with the movements just breathe normally.  However, it is always a good idea to take 3 to 6 slow diaphragmatic breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth before beginning each exercise. 

 Shoulder shrugs and circles:

1. Begin seated as usual with your feet flat on the floor shoulder-width apart, hips tucked under.
2. Lift your shoulders toward your ears and then let them drop, remaining completely relaxed so that they drop of their own accord.
3. Repeat the shoulder “shrugs” 6 to 12 times then circle both shoulders backward for the same number of times you “shrugged” them.
4. Reverse and repeat the same number of circles forward staying relaxed throughout.
5. Complete the exercise with 3 repetitions of Centering Ch’i as described below.

 Centering ch’i:

1. Breathe in through your nose tightening your abdomen as you do so.  (Note that this is  the opposite of the way we breathe during the other exercises.)
2. Lift your arms out to the side, slowly twisting them so that your palms will be facing the ceiling when over your head (toward the back of your head so that your hands are directly over the 3 major pressure points).
3. Your arms are twisted so that the ch’i is “locked”.  Look  upward as though you can see your hands through your head.
4. Breathe out through your mouth and release the ch’i quickly by turning your  hands so that the palms are now facing downward.
5. Lower your arms slowly as you breathe out and release just your lower abdomen, returning your arms to the position in front of the lower dan tien.  Remember – this lower ch’i storage area is about 3 finger-widths below your belly button in the center of the body. 

 Acupressure point:

  

 (illustration from Michael Reed Gach’s Acupressure’s Potent Points)

•  Gates of Consciousness (GB20) is located at the back of the head below the base of the skull.  You can find this point in the hollow between the 2 large vertical neck muscles.
• Press firmly on one point or on both points at the same time for no less than a fulll minute as often as necessary.

Benefits:  This effective pressure point will relieve a stiff neck, a headache or arthritis of the shoulders and neck.

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.

  ~~~~~~~~~

This week’s featured site/blog:

 http://freedomoftruth.wordpress.com/2009/10/28/h1n1-vaccine-dangers-in-canada-and-the-u-s/

Featured video:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kImPKVrIfKk

Find great deals on home exercise equipment at the Exercise Equipment Super Store.

http://www.joansweightloss.com

http://discoverandrecover.wordpress.com

http://mybodysite.com/Publish/index.php

http://www.reikibyrockie.com

http://rsbell.com/radio/

http://thepeopleschemist.com/blog/

Download your free e-book here:

View this document on Scribd

 

~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 #85 – Energizing the Gateway between Mind and Body 3

Welcome to

Healing T’ai Chi

…the award-winning blog of seated exercises to balance mind, body and spirit for people of all ages and levels of fitness.

~~~~~~~~~

“ It is more important
To see the simplicity,
To realize one’s true nature,
To cast off selfishness
And temper desire.”

Tao Te Ching #19, translated by Gia Fu Feng and Jane English
~~~~~~~~~ 

This exercise is a continuation of movements from the previous 2 posts.  We are striving to energize the neck and shoulders to relieve discomfort and loosen the muscles that often become stiff from tension or because we spend a lot of time hunched over a computer.

1. When you complete your last head rotation, breathe in and then turn your head to look over your shoulder as you breathe out.
2. Return to the center and allow your eyes to focus forward.  Breathe in again and then turn your head to look over your other shoulder.
3. Continue to alternate head turns for at least 6 times over each shoulder.
4. Now, begin turning your head again from side to side but this time, look to the side and up toward the ceiling.  Always follow the movements of your head with your eyes so that you also benefit from exercising your eyes.
5. Return to the center after each look to the side and up.  As  you return, look at the wall opposite you and focus on that spot as you breathe in again.  This will prevent you from getting dizzy from turning from side to side.
6. Repeat head turns and looking up from side to side for at least 12 times.   When finished, sit with your eyes closed while you breathe slowly in and out, concentrating on the movement of your breath and energy.

Use the pressure point  Heavenly Pillar (B10) to complete your exercise session.

(illustration from Acupressure’s Potent Points)

• You will find this effective presure point on the back of your neck on the 2 large ropy muscles.
• Press on both muscles with your fingers about1/2 inch below the base of the skull.

Benefits:  Heavenly Pillar will help relieve stress and exhaustion as well as a stiff neck or a sore throat.

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.

~~~~~~~~~

 This week’s featured blog/site:

http://drkellysennholz.wordpress.com/2009/10/19/dr-kelly-sennholz-does-vitamin-e-prevent-lung-cancer/

Featured video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QduOZS33reo

Find great deals on home exercise equipment at the Exercise Equipment Super Store.

http://www.joansweightloss.com

http://discoverandrecover.wordpress.com

http://mybodysite.com/Publish/index.php

http://www.reikibyrockie.com

Download your free e-book here:

View this document on Scribd

~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 #84 – Energize the Gateway Between Mind and Body 2

 

Welcome to

Healing T’ai Chi

…the award-winning blog of seated exercises to balance mind, body and spirit for people of all ages and levels of fitness.

~~~~~~~~~

“ In dwelling, be close to the land.
In meditation, go deep in the heart.
In dealing with others, be gentle and
kind.
In speech, be true.
In ruling, be just.
In daily life, be competent.”

Tao Te Ching #8, translated by Gia Fu Feng and Jane English

~~~~~~~~~

We are continuing with our exercises to relax and energize the neck and shoulders.  Traditional Chinese Medicine considers this area of the body to be the gateway between the mind and the body and, as such, to be an area where tension and negative emotions tend to settle.   

1. Sit as usual with your feet flat on the floor shoulder-width apart.
2. When you complete the last head bend from the previous exercise, drop your head to one shoulder (no straining, please) and then the other.
3. Count 6 complete head drops alternating sides.  On the 6th head lean, circle your head down toward your chest and then back up to the center position 6 times. 
4. When you complete the last circle, lean or drop your head to your shoulder 6 times alternating sides. 
5. On the 6th head lean, circle your head again down to your chest and back to upright position 6 times.   These circles are really half circles in that you don’t drop your head backwards when rotating it.
6. When you complete the head leans and circles, sit quietly for a few moment while you breathe in and out slowly and with concentration.

 Try the pressure point Wind Mansion (GV 16) to complement your exercise session.

(illustration from Michael Reed Gach’s Acupressure’s Potent Points)

• You will find this point in the center of the back of your head in the large hollow directly beneath your skull.
• Press firmly on this point for a full minute.

Benefits: This point is good for your eyes, ears, nose and throat.  It will relieve headaches vertigo or a stiff neck and neck.

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.

~~~~~~~~~

This week’s featured blog/site:

http://sadaaf.wordpress.com/2009/10/16/vinegar/

Featured video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QjCmnQdoHA

Don’t forget…you can find great deals on home exercise equipment at the Exercise Equipment Super Store.

http://www.joansweightloss.com

http://mybodysite.com/Publish/index.php

http://www.reikibyrockie.com

http://www.normshealy.com/

http://www.rsbell.com/radio/index.php

http://www.thepeopleschemist.com/

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~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 #82 – Clearing Head Congestion 2

 

 Welcome to

Healing T’ai Chi

…the award-winning blog of seated exercises to balance mind, body and spirit for people of all ages and levels of fitness.

(sponsored by Exerciseline.com)

~~~~~~~~~

“Empty yourself of everything.
Let the mind become still.
The ten thousand things rise and fall
while the Self watches their return.
They grow and flourish and then
return to the source.
Returning to the source is stillness,
which is the way of nature.
The way of nature is unchanging.
Knowing constancy is insight.
Not knowing constancy leads to
disaster.”

Tao Te Ching #16, translated by Gia Fu Feng & Jane English

~~~~~~~~~

These exercises provide an effective method to relieve migraines and headaches or to clear head congestion caused by allergies, sinusitis or a cold.

1. Sit up in bed or in a comfortable chair in a quiet area of your house. 
2. Rub your head all over as though you were shampooing your hair for at least a full minute.
3. Then, using your thumb and index finger press upward against the hollows of the eye socket closest to the bridge of your nose.
4. At the same time, press the thumb of your other hand in the center hollow of your neck directly underneath your skull.
5. Hold your fingers at these two areas while you breathe in and out slowly through your nose for a full minute.
6. Return your hands to your lap and breathe in and out through your nose again for a few seconds.

Complete your head clearing session with the pressure point Bigger Rushing (LV 3).

 

• If you are sitting in a chair, use the heel of one foot to press on this point on your other foot.  If you are sitting on your bed, cross one leg over the other and press on this point with the thumb of your hand.  Press firmly for a full minute on each foot.
• Reverse hands and feet and press firmly on this spot for another full minute.

Benefits: This particular point will relieve headaches, eye fatigue, allergies and arthritis.

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.

~~~~~~~~~

This week’s featured blog/site:

http://baptistplanet.wordpress.com/2009/09/29/lie-to-me-my-parents-did/

Featured video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvwi6MMXCnU&feature=PlayList&p=2B92CD16CCAFE11E&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=8

Don’t forget…you can find great deals on home exercise equipment at the Exercise Equipment Super Store.

http://www.joansweightloss.com

http://mybodysite.com/Publish/index.php

http://www.reikibyrockie.com

Download your free e-book here:

 

View this document on Scribd

~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 #80 – Relieving Nasal Congestion 2

  

 Welcome to

Healing T’ai Chi

…the award-winning blog of seated exercises based on Qigong and Yang style T’ai Chi for people of all ages and levels of fitness.

(sponsored by Exerciseline.com)

~~~~~~~~~

The highest good is like water.

Water gives life to the ten thousand

things and does not strive.

It flows in places men reject and so is

like the Tao.

Tao Te Ching # 8, translated by Gia Fu Feng & Jane English

~~~~~~~~~

Relieving Nasal Congestion #2

 

This is a very effective way to relieve pressure and stuffiness in your sinuses.  

1. Breathe through your nose only during this exercise.  Sit back in your chair as usual or rest your elbows on a tabletop to give yourself more leverage.
2. Press your middle fingers or thumbs firmly on the indentations of the inner eye socket where the bridge of the nose meets the bony ridge of your eyebrows.
3. Continue to press on these spots for at least a full minute.  Then, pinch your eyebrows lightly between your thumbs and index fingers and slide your fingers from the inner edge (the area closest to your nose)to the outer edge of your eyebrows.  Continue to slide your fingers from the spot closest to your nose to the end of your eyebrows at least 12 times. 

 Try the pressure point Penetrate Heaven (B 7) to supplement the exercise above.

(from Acupressure’s Potent Points by Michael Reed Gach)

• To find this point, slide your fingers from the backs of your ears to the top of your skull.
• About 1 thumb width below the center of your skull is the pressure point, Penetrate Heaven (B 7).
• Press firmly on one or both sides for at least a full minute.  You can use this effective point as often as you wish.

Benefits: This is an effective point to relieve headaches, a stuffy nose, a weak sense of smell or nasal and head congestion.

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.

~~~~~~~~~

This week’s featured site/blog:

http://maximumwellness.wordpress.com/2009/09/13/an-environmentally-safe-wellness-program-part-ii/

Featured video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTgVDjffxns

Don’t forget…You can find great deals on home exercise equipment at the Exercise Equipment Super Store.

 

http://www.joansweightloss.com

http://mybodysite.com/Publish/index.php

http://www.reikibyrockie.com

Download your free e-book here:

View this document on Scribd

~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 #79 – Relieving Nasal Congestion 1

 

Welcome to

Healing T’ai Chi

…the award-winning blog of seated exercises based on Qigong and Yang style T’ai Chi for people of all ages and levels of fitness.

~~~~~~~~~

“The Master has no possessions.
The more he does for others,
the happier he is.
The more he gives to others,
the wealthier he is.”

Tao Te Ching #81, translated by S. Mitchell

~~~~~~~~~~

Relieving Nasal Congestion

Now that we’ve arrived at the flu season and incidents of H1N1 are on the rise, I thought this would be a good time to review massage and pressure points that target nasal congestion, coughing, colds, headaches, and ear infections.  So, the subject matter for the next several posts will concentrate on what we can all do to stimulate our immune systems and relieve the miseries of flu and cold symptoms.

 Benefits – The following facial massage relieves nasal congestion by opening the sinus cavities alongside the nose and under the eyes.

Posture – Sit as usual with your back flat against the back of your chair by tucking your hips.  Make sure your feet remain shoulder-width apart and flat on the floor.

1. Sit quietly and take the time to breathe in and out slowly at least 3 times.
2. Place your hands alongside your nose and rub your fingers from the middle of your nose down and across your cheeks underneath your eyes.
3. Repeat at least 12 times and then take 3 breaths slowly in and out to finish your session.  Use as often throughout the day as necessary.

Use a combination of 2 pressure points to further relieve the pressure on your sinuses.

 

• Look carefully at the wonderful illustration above by artist, Jane Ramsey from my book  T’ai Chi in a Chair.  You will notice the figure has one hand at the Third Eye Point (GV 24.5) and the other at the Posterior Summit (GV 19).
• Press firmly on these 2 points at the same time for at least one full minute while breathing slowly in through your nose and out through your mouth.  use throughout the day as often as necessary.

Benefits:  These 2 effective pressure points will open your facial sinus cavities, unblocking the congestion that accompanies colds, flu, allergies and sinusitis.

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.

~~~~~~~~~

This week’s featured blog/site:

http://www.ehow.com/how_4937550_avoid-getting-hn-flu-virus.html

Featured video:

http://www.youtube.com/user/livingsomatics

Find great deals on home exercise equipment at the Exercise Equipment Super Store.

http://www.joansweightloss.com

http://discoverandrecover.wordpress.com

http://mybodysite.com/Publish/index.php

http://www.reikibyrockie.com

Download your free e-book here:

View this document on Scribd

~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 #78 – Touching Heaven and Earth with Both Hands

Welcome to

Healing T’ai Chi 

 

…the award-winning blog of seated exericses based on Qigong and Yang style T’ai Chi for pople of all ages and levels of fitness. 

~~~~~~~~~

 ”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

~~~~~~~~~
Touching Heaven and Earth with Both Hands

 

Benefits – This exercise is similar to Washing the Marrow with Both Hands.   The small difference is significant, however,  in that the purpose of this exercise is to pull the stale energy out through the top of your head not bring ch’i to the marrow of your bones.  Whether you use one or both hands to release the used-up energy is not important.  Either method may be used.   It is a matter of personal preference and results.  Try both methods and see which you like better.

Posture - Sit as usual with your feet shoulder-width apart.  Tuck your hips under and press down on your shoulders (even when your arms are overhead).

1. Begin with your hands in front of your lower abdomen, palms facing upward, fingers almost touching.
2. Breathe in slowly.  Then, as you breathe out, lift your arms overhead within 1 or 2 inches of the top of your head, turning the palms so that they are lifted to the ceiling.
3. Breathe in again and then breathe out as you slowly press your arms upward pulling the stale ch’i out through the top of your head.
4. Breath in once again, then breathe out and lower your hands, turning your arms quickly so that your palms face downward again. 
5. Stop at the lower abdomen and breathe in again.  Then press your hands downward to your sides as you breathe out. 
6. Repeat for at least 6 times.

Now that you’ve released your used-up energy, try the pressure point Elegant Mansion (K 27) to boost your immunity.

(illustration from Acupressure’s Potent Points)

• You will find these points directly below your collarbone 1 to 2 inches on both sides of your breastbone.
• Close your hands into fists and press firmly on these point with your thumbs for a full minute.

Benefits:  Use this pressure point frequently to boost your immune system, clear chest congestion, and relieve anxiety and depression.

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.

~~~~~~~~~

This week’s featured site/blog:

http://www.webmd.com/balance/health-benefits-tai-chi-qigong

Featured video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGGMG4FcwAE

Find great deals on home exercise equipment at the Exercise Equipment Super Store.

http://www.joansweightloss.com

http://discoverandrecover.wordpress.com

http://mybodysite.com/Publish/index.php

http://www.reikibyrockie.com

Download your free e-book:

View this document on Scribd

~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 #77 – Touch Heaven and Earth with One Hand

 

Welcome to

Healing T’ai Chi

…the award-winning blog of seated exercises based on Qigong and Yang style T’ai Chi for people of all ages and levels of fitness.

~~~~~~~~~

“The great Way is easy,
yet people prefer the side paths.
Be aware when things are out of balance.
Stay centered within the Tao.”

Tao Te Ching #53, translated by S. Mitchell

~~~~~~~~~

Touch Heaven and Earth with One Hand

 

Benefits – You have an important acupuncture cavity on the top of your head called the Baihui.  It is associated with the Governing Vessel so called because so many of the meridians meet together at this point.  Sending ch’i from this point will energize much of your body.  Pulling used or “waste” ch’i from this point clears the body quickly and effectively.

Posture – Sit as usual, feet flat on the floor, hips tucked under, head held high.

1. Begin with your hands in front of your lower abdomen, palms up, fingertips not quite touching
2. Breathe in slowly as you bring your right arm upward.  Drop your left to your left side, palm parallel with the floor.
3. As you move your arm up over your head, begin to slowly twist your forearm so that your palm will be turned toward the ceiling.  Make sure your hand is directly above the center of your head.
4. Breathe out and “pull” the stale ch’i through the top of your head.   Move your hand slowly and visualize being “pulled” by the upward movement of your right hand.
5. Breathe out slowly but twist your arm quickly so that your palm is now facing downward and slowly bring your right arm down to your lower abdomen bringing your left hand to meet it.  Your hands will now be close together palms facing upward.
6. Repeat the steps above with your left arm moving overhead and your right arm dropping to your right side, palm facing downward.  Continue to alternate arms for at least a total of 3 repetitions with each arm.

Use the presure point One Hundred Meeting Point (GV 20) to complete your session.

(illustration from Acupressure’s Potent Points)

• To find this point, place your right hand behind your right ear and your left behind your left ear.  Move your hands in a straight line to the top of your head.  In the middle of your skull is GV19.  Move your hand about 1 inch forward to find GV 20, the One Hundred Meeting Point.
• Press firmly on this point for at least one full minute.

Benefits:  This point is very good for relieving headaches, improving concentration and memory.  Use this point frequently to increase its effectiveness.

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.

~~~~~~~~~

This week’s featured site/blog:

http://healthandsurvival.com/2009/08/29/children-are-at-high-risk-for-swine-flu/

Featured video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOS1DdE6DfE

Find great deals on home exercise equipment at the Exercise Equipment Super Store.

http://www.joansweightloss.com

http://discoverandrecover.wordpress.com

http://mybodysite.com/Publish/index.php

http://www.reikibyrockie.com

Download your free e-book:

 

View this document on Scribd

~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 #76 – Healing the Kidneys, Part 2

Welcome to

Healing T’ai Chi

…the award-winning blog of seated exercises based on Qigong and Yang style T’ai Chi for people of all ages and levels of fitness.

~~~~~~~~~

“When you have names and forms,
know that they are provisional.
When you have institutions,
know where their functions should end.
Knowing when to stop,
you can avoid any danger.”

Tao Te Ching #32, translated by S. Mitchell

~~~~~~~~~

 Wash the Marrow with Both Hands

® Logo designed by Aaron Kueffler, artist at the Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art

Benefits - This exercise connects the lao gong points on both hands with the bai hui point on the top of the head thereby moving the chi throughout the entire body.  At the end of the exercise, the impure energy is released through the soles of your feet.

Posture – Sit as usual with your feet shoulder-width apart flat on the floor.  Tuck your hips underneath you so that your back is flat against the back of your chair.

1. Breathe in slowly through your nose as you lift your hands to mid-chest.
2. Breathe out as you lift your hands overhead with the palms facing upward.  Hold that position for a few seconds.
3. As you breathe in again, reverse your palms so that they are facing the top of your head, separated by a few inches.  Lower your hands to about 6 inches above the crown of your head.
4. Hold this position for a few seconds while visualizing the energy of your crown.
5. Breathe out slowly and lower your arms down in front of your body while imagining the healing ch’i washing through the marrow of your bones removing the stale energy and pushing it out through the soles of your feet.
6. Do this sequence once only and then relax, breathing slowly in and out for a few minutes with your eyes closed.

 Use the pressure point Shady Side of the Mountain (Sp 9), to complement your exercise session.

(illustration from Michael Reed Gach’s Acupressure’s Potent Points)

• You will find this pressure point on the inside of the leg under the large bulge of the knee bone.
• Press firmly on this point for a full minute, breathing slowly in and out.
• You may change legs and repeat the acupressure on  your opposite leg.

Benefits:  This point will relieve various knee problems, swelling of the legs, varicose veins, edema and water retention.

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.

~~~~~~~~~

This week’s featured blog/site:

http://cheesepirate.wordpress.com/2009/08/18/hip/

Featured video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSIraGWywXE&feature=PlayList&p=9700BD123ADC0AF2&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=22

Find great deals on home exercise equipment at the Exercise Equipment Super Store.

http://www.joansweightloss.com

http://discoverandrecover.wordpress.com

http://mybodysite.com/Publish/index.php

http://www.reikibyrockie.com

View this document on Scribd

~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 #75 – Healing the Kidneys, Part 1

  

Welcome to

Healing T’ai Chi

…the award-winning blog of seated exercises based on Qigong and Yang style T’ai Chi for people of all ages and levels of fitness.

~~~~~~~~~

 ”Some say that my teaching is nonsense.
Others call it lofty but impractical.
But to those who have looked inside themselves,
this nonsense makes perfect sense.
And to those who put it into practice,
this loftiness has roots that go deep.”

Tao Te Ching #67, translated by S. Mitchell

~~~~~~~~~

Healing the Kidneys, Part 1

® (logo designed by Aaron Kueffler, Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art, Great Falls, MT)

One of my students has recently been dealing with kidney disease.   So we’ve been working on exercises and pressure points designed to strengthen the kidneys and relieve the symptoms.

This exercise is called “Wash the Marrow with One Hand”.  You will be lining up your lao gong acupoint on your hand with the ming men or “gate of life” on your back.  The crown point on your head is known as bai hui and is the place at which the yang energy of the back meets the yin energy of the front of the body.  Bai hui is where multiple forms of energy converge.

Whether or not you suffer from kidney or kidney-related illness, this exercise will benefit your overall health because it balances all yang and yin energy in the body.  As always, consult with your health provider before using any new exercises.

Benefits -  Not only is this exercise beneficial for your adrenals and kidneys but it is also healing for your whole body because it balances your yin and yang.

Posture – You will need to move away from the back of your chair to do this exercise however, your feet should remain flat on the floor shoulder-width apart.

1. Breathe in slowly as you move your left hand behind your lower back palm facing outward.
2. Place your right hand over your head about 6 inches above the crown point.  Breath slowly out and then in again.
3. Very slowly move your right hand down the front of your body as you continue to breathe slowly and thoughfully in and out.  Imagine the healing energy moving from the top of your head, through the marrow of your bones from your skull down to the bottom of your feet.
4. Allow your right hand to gently drift to your side while you move your left hand gradually away from your back and down to your side.
5. Bring both hands back to rest on top of your thighs and breathe slowly in and out.
6. Then change hands so that your left hand is above the crown of your head and the right is resting against your lower back.  Repeat the exercise alternating hands for a total of 6 times.

In traditional Chinese medicine, water retention and edema are considered to be the result of weakness in the kidneys or the spleen.  Try the following acupressure point, Sea of Energy,  to complement your marrow washing exercise session.

 

(illustration from Acupresure’s Potent points by Michael Reed Gach)

• You will find this pressure point 2 finger-widths directly below your belly button.  Press firmly on this point for a full minute. 

Benefits:  This pressure point will relieve water retention, constipation, gas and chronic diarrhea.

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.

~~~~~~~~~

This week’s featured site/blog:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x9mh9f

Featured video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoAJ_FA_vpk&feature=related

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.

http://www.joansweightloss.com

http://discoverandrecover.wordpress.com

http://mybodysite.com/Publish/index.php

http://www.reikibyrockie.com

 

View this document on Scribd

~The exercises in this blog are intended for educational purposes only.  Always consult with your health care provider before beginning a new exercise program.~

 

 

 

 

 

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.

~~~~~~~~~

This week’s featured blog/site:

Featured video:

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.

http://www.joansweightloss.com

http://discoverandrecover.wordpress.com

http://mybodysite.com/Publish/index.php

http://www.reikibyrockie.com

View this document on Scribd

 

~The exercises in this blog are intended for educational purposes only.  Always consult with your health care provider before beginning a new exercise program.~