One of the most important healing discoveries I have made, about 12 years ago, was a then newly-published book, THE HEALER WITHIN, by a Chinese Medical Doctor, Roger Jahnke. It has become my "bible" for self healing.
The following is a quote from Dr. Jahnke:
"Awaken the medicine within, and restore the natural self-healing capacity of body, mind, and spirit."
The Chinese are far and away ahead of most of the rest of the world in recognizing our body's ability to heal itself. That ability is the origin of our immune response, the body's first line of defense against any invader. The Chinese believe our body develops dis-ease when the natural flow of our Chi (or life force) is blocked. Restoring this healthy flow of Chi is the purpose of accupuncture, and well as Qi Gong.
Dr. Jahnke provides very effective yet simple ways to activate this energy flow through the regular practice of four essential self-care methods:
* Gentle movement of the body
* Self-applied massage
* Breath practice
* Deep relaxation or meditation
These techniques are the cornerstone of Qi Gong. They are easy to learn and easy to apply, require no special knowledge or training, and can be practiced daily by all people (sick or well).
They can all be done either standing, seated or lying down. I hope you will all explore your body's own self-healing system.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
The Healing Power of Sleep
THE HEALING POWER OF SLEEP
We oft times overlook the incredible healing and restorative power of sleep. Why do we sleep? Sleep is rejuvenating. It is the state in which our body “repairs” itself.
Some of the ways sleep influences our bodies include:
* A healthy immune response
* Heart health
* Lessens risk of obesity and the ensuing challenges obesity creates
* Increases mental awareness
* Decreases the onset of age-related physical challenges
What’s not to like!! But what can we do if we experience chronic insomnia? The easiest thing we can all do is daily exercise, even if it is just walking. Start with a short walk, and gradually build up your endurance. A walk after dinner in the evening is a great way to “wind down” your day.
Another very easy way to induce healthy sleep is through manipulation of our breath. Habitually practicing deep, slow breathing, after lying in bed and preparing for sleep, is something anyone can do. Just take slow, deep breaths, then exhaling as slowly as possible. Place your hands on your lower belly and imagine you are inflating, and then deflating a balloon below your hands. Just continue that breathing pattern until you drift off to sleep.
Qi Gong teaches a breathing pattern that is also excellent for inducing sleep. As you inhale through the nose, inflate the lower half of the lungs, hesitate a couple of seconds, then inflate the upper half of the lungs, then exhale very slowly through the mouth and as you exhale quietly say “ah.”
Insomnia seems to be a challenge for many – if not most – seniors. I live in an age 55 plus community, and I have taught many of my neighbors this pattern. It works for just about everyone.
We oft times overlook the incredible healing and restorative power of sleep. Why do we sleep? Sleep is rejuvenating. It is the state in which our body “repairs” itself.
Some of the ways sleep influences our bodies include:
* A healthy immune response
* Heart health
* Lessens risk of obesity and the ensuing challenges obesity creates
* Increases mental awareness
* Decreases the onset of age-related physical challenges
What’s not to like!! But what can we do if we experience chronic insomnia? The easiest thing we can all do is daily exercise, even if it is just walking. Start with a short walk, and gradually build up your endurance. A walk after dinner in the evening is a great way to “wind down” your day.
Another very easy way to induce healthy sleep is through manipulation of our breath. Habitually practicing deep, slow breathing, after lying in bed and preparing for sleep, is something anyone can do. Just take slow, deep breaths, then exhaling as slowly as possible. Place your hands on your lower belly and imagine you are inflating, and then deflating a balloon below your hands. Just continue that breathing pattern until you drift off to sleep.
Qi Gong teaches a breathing pattern that is also excellent for inducing sleep. As you inhale through the nose, inflate the lower half of the lungs, hesitate a couple of seconds, then inflate the upper half of the lungs, then exhale very slowly through the mouth and as you exhale quietly say “ah.”
Insomnia seems to be a challenge for many – if not most – seniors. I live in an age 55 plus community, and I have taught many of my neighbors this pattern. It works for just about everyone.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
The Power of Our Breath
Our breath is probably the most powerful natural healing tool we have. It is the outward expression of our Internal life force. Many years ago when I first heard someone talk about the power of our breath, I remember thinking, "We all breathe automatically. It is a function of what we know as the autonomic nervous system." But I have come to know that "just breathing" is not enough for health.
The breath, left to its autonomic function, merely acts as a mirror of what is going on in our body. When we are stressed, our breathing pattern is quick, short and shallow breaths, and we experience the fight or flight syndrome. Our busy lives today tend to unnaturally create this "alert" state, and appears to be responsible for many physical problems we experience. Fortunately we have the ability to consciously use our breathe to reverse this pattern.
Most if not all natural healing disciplines teach learning to control our breath in order to create and maintain health. Good examples are Yoga and Qi Gong. Yoga teaches that prana (our life force) enters the body through the breath, and Qi Gong teaches that we manipulate the Qi (life force) in our body to maintain a healthy relaxed state, and to release blockages in the flow of our Qi to maintain health.
Begin a practice of conscious breathing merely by taking "breathing breaks" for about two minutes several times during your day. Place your hands, one on top of the other, on your lower abdomen, and breathe deeply into the abdomen. Just imagine a balloon in your lower belly, and that as you breath it expands, and as you exhale bring your abdomen as close to the spine as possible.
Make your inhale through the nose, long, slow and deep, and then exhale very slowly, also through the nose. This is the basic relaxing breath. For a cleansing, detoxifying breath, inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth, being careful to exhale all breath from the lungs.
More breathing tips soon.
The breath, left to its autonomic function, merely acts as a mirror of what is going on in our body. When we are stressed, our breathing pattern is quick, short and shallow breaths, and we experience the fight or flight syndrome. Our busy lives today tend to unnaturally create this "alert" state, and appears to be responsible for many physical problems we experience. Fortunately we have the ability to consciously use our breathe to reverse this pattern.
Most if not all natural healing disciplines teach learning to control our breath in order to create and maintain health. Good examples are Yoga and Qi Gong. Yoga teaches that prana (our life force) enters the body through the breath, and Qi Gong teaches that we manipulate the Qi (life force) in our body to maintain a healthy relaxed state, and to release blockages in the flow of our Qi to maintain health.
Begin a practice of conscious breathing merely by taking "breathing breaks" for about two minutes several times during your day. Place your hands, one on top of the other, on your lower abdomen, and breathe deeply into the abdomen. Just imagine a balloon in your lower belly, and that as you breath it expands, and as you exhale bring your abdomen as close to the spine as possible.
Make your inhale through the nose, long, slow and deep, and then exhale very slowly, also through the nose. This is the basic relaxing breath. For a cleansing, detoxifying breath, inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth, being careful to exhale all breath from the lungs.
More breathing tips soon.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
QI GONG - One of the most important natural healing tools I have found is Qi Gong (pronounced chee kung). Qi Gong is deceptively simple and easy to master, but its effectiveness is awesome.
In Chinese Qi is energy, and Gong is work. So Qi Gong translates in English to “Energy Work”
Our body’s Qi is our life force. It becomes independent of our mother with the first breath when we are born, and ceases with our last breath when we pass on to our next experience. The “tools” Qi Gong utilizes include breathing patterns coordinated with specific slow movements and self-massage.
Qi Gong originated in the oriental martial arts discipline. Ancient Chinese medical men developed the Qi Gong self-healing form of Tai Chi. It has been practiced for thousands of years, by millions of people.
The theory upon which Qi Gong is based includes:
* The human body is designed to be self-healing
* There are a series of energy (electrical) meridians running through our body
* These energy pathways are the foundation for acupuncture and acupressure
* Dis-ease in the body is created by blockages in the flow of that energy
* We can learn to manipulate that flow of energy
* Our body draws energy from the earth primarily through our extremities
Qi Gong is a system of simple, easy to learn movements correlated with the breath to promote healthy movement of our body’s energy. Its simplicity makes it perfect for people of all ages and fitness levels, including seniors. Many Qi Gong routines may be done entirely seated, and all are simple and easy to learn.
Qi Gong’s gentle, rhythmic exercises mirror many movements found in nature, especially the fluidity of water. When combined with simple breathing techniques, health-promoting Qi Gong boosts and normalizes our immune system, relieves stress, promotes healthy digestion and sleep, helps promote longevity, etc., by supporting our body’s own innate healing ability.
Qi Gong not only is designed to remove blockages in the flow of our body’s energy, but also to promote health maintenance by sustaining the smooth flow of that energy.
In many parts of the world, millions of people practice Qi Gong and Tai Chi every day. In the orient it is most often done in the outdoors, where thousands gather in public parks to begin their day with this form of exercise.
There are reportedly about 250-300 different movements credited to Qi Gong, but most Masters build their routine(s) around 15-20 specific movements. These routines are commonly called a “form.”
I have been practicing Qi Gong daily for about 12-13 years. Over the years I have learned to experience Qi Gong as a moving meditation.
In future posts I’ll analyze some of the popular DVD Qi Gong programs.
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