Consider Qigong to Calm Your Mind and Increase Your Energy

A few weeks ago I attended a weekend class on Qigong (Chi Kung) in the hopes of learning exercises that could compliment my yoga instruction. I had some past experience with Qigong, and was interested in learning more about this ancient healing practice and its therapeutic benefits for health and wellness.

What I enjoyed most about the class was the use of mindful movements which helped shift my own state of consciousness from a sluggish and preoccupied mind to a more clear and focused state of present moment awareness. After many hours of learning these ancient forms of meditative movements, I felt both still and calm inwardly, yet fueled throughout like a powerhouse of energy. There was a unique sense of Aliveness that came from this practice that left my body humming. I was no longer functioning from a state of separation between mind and body (with my thoughts acting as the leader and my body slowly trying to follow directions). Instead, I was now moving through the world feeling more embodied, whole and integrated.

From the Traditional Chinese Medicine approach, Qigong uses slow, graceful, repeated movements to balance the bioelectrical energy flow in the body and thus improve health. In my studies of yoga, another ancient movement discipline, I know the same to be true of its benefits. Both Qigong and yoga use movement to balance internal energy (known as “qi” in qigong or “prana” in yoga) and aim to enhance the flow of energy, blood and body fluid for optimal wellness (only one of the many benefits of these practices). I can see how the more gentle, fluid movements of qigong may compliment a yoga practice or be used in place of some yoga postures if there are movement limitations. And for anyone looking for stress reduction, Qigong is a natural stress reducer!

Other mindful movement practices can vary in technique yet they ultimately aim to reduce stress and bring balance to both mind and body. Some examples are running, dancing or walking. What is your favorite mindful movement practice?

In health and Qi,

Lori

To learn more about Qigong or to find a Qigong practitioner near you, visit:

The National Qigong Association

http://nqa.org/

The Qigong Institute

http://www.qigonginstitute.org/listing/directory.php

For articles and research on the efficacy of Qigong read:

http://nqa.org/category/articles/

My favorite Qigong teacher in the Bay area:

(Try his 5 Element Qigong Utube video!)

Kaleo Ching

http://www.kaleoching.com/classes.html

*As with any physical activity, people who perform tai chi or qi gong may experience muscle strains or sprains. Gentle stretching before a tai chi or qi gong session can prevent most injuries. In most cases, you can safely use tai chi or qi gong alongside conventional medical treatments. Always tell your doctor if you are using an alternative therapy or if you are thinking about combining an alternative therapy with your conventional medical treatment. It may not be safe to forgo your conventional medical treatment and rely only on an alternative therapy.

Busy medical practice finds holistic health helpful for stress reduction!

Earlier this month I found myself providing stress management counseling for a very busy physician’s office. What was interesting about this experience is that it was not meant for their patients, but rather their medical staff. Within minutes of observing the environment I could tell this group of hardworking, dedicated professionals were operating on what seemed like adrenaline. The support they needed in the immediate moment was to rediscover why stress management is important for their own self-care. In the healthcare profession it's easy to become wrapped up in a cycle of taking care of everyone else without replenishing one’s own resources of energy and wellness.

Knowing they were busy and had very little time for a stress reduction presentation, I narrowed my focus down to one or two tools I could teach them; I hoped they would be successful at incorporating these short yet effective changes into their lives, even if it meant only taking one minute away from work to practice self-care. With 30 minutes on the clock and phones ringing off the hook, we managed to have an assistant answer the phones while the rest of the staff was allowed this rare opportunity to be gathered in a separate room, with the door closed, to learn a few techniques.

My lesson focused on diaphragmatic breathing and guided imagery. We practiced 2-5 minutes of this highly effective breathing technique followed by a 15-20 minute guided imagery focused on releasing muscle tension and visualizing ourselves in a relaxing, restorative environment. The end result was truly amazing for the office staff as they each felt not only more relaxed, but grounded. They felt they could function within the busyness of their office, but this time they agreed it would come from feeling calm, alert and refreshed.

Since the staff at this medical practice were open to the idea of help, and welcomed the invitation to learn new tools for rebalancing during a busy workday, they are truly on the road to success. In order for them to make the change a habit, I suggested they practice regularly and with the help of tools such as CD’s or podcasts that offer instruction and guidance on the deeper breathing technique and visualizations.

To learn more about how guided imagery and diaphragmatic breathing can help you with reducing stress, check out these resources:

Free downloadable podcasts:

• Hill Physicians Medical Group (available for members and non-members)

http://www.hillphysicians.com/Podcasts

• Kaiser Permanente (available for members and non-members)

https://members.kaiserpermanente.org/redirects/listen/

For a fee: CD’s and Podcasts on a variety of health topics:

• Health Journeys

http://www.healthjourneys.com

• Golden Transformation

www.GoldenTransformation.com

Yours in Health,

Lori Golden

Welcome

Around the world there are people looking for stress relief. Many are searching for ways to ease a worried mind, reduce anxiety, or cope with wellness issues such as insomnia, headaches, muscle tension, indigestion and a host of other stress-related health concerns. I have been actively researching and studying holistic pathways to reducing stress and rebalancing the body naturally for the last 15 years. My experience has led me down the road of studying different forms of bodywork, various styles of yoga and countless avenues for self-care, all with a focus on bringing balance to the whole body: mentally, physically and emotionally. My intention for creating this blog is to pass on information to a much wider audience than I have been able to support locally.

Many of my clients over the years have expressed positive feedback from the knowledge they have gained through my classes, workshops and mind-body products for stress reduction. Others have found support in these services for their pain management. My hope is that the tools, tips, resources and reflections I can share here will reach a broader community of those who seek insight into living a more harmonious and vibrant life.

You may want to pass along the updates to friends, family, co-workers or others you know that are struggling with stress and who may benefit from the information. See if together, you can build a toolkit of resources for self-care. I look forward to sharing my professional experiences here and highlighting different holistic practices for wellness to help you build that toolkit.

What’s Next: Stay tuned for upcoming tips on staying well through the holistic practices of self-acupressure, yoga, guided imagery and more.

In health and wellness,

Lori Golden