Hi Everyone,
I added 10 new documents in the "Files" section.  It's a combination of various
healing meditations, acupressure & other healing information.
I hope you enjoy them,
Inna

--- In qigongkundalini@yahoogroups.com, "Inna" <innaz@...> wrote:
>
>
> A Super Learning Technique
>
> By Chet Day
>
> Here's an interesting and powerful self-hypnosis technique you can
use
> for the most fabulous study or reading sessions you've ever had.
>
> First, sit in your most comfortable chair with the book or material
you
> want to learn in your lap. If you need a light to read with, make
sure
> it's turned on before continuing with this technique.
>
> Wiggle around until you're comfortable and relaxed. Take a long,
slow,
> deep breath and hold it for a second. Exhale gently and visualize
your
> muscles relaxing throughout your body as you slowly release the air.
>
> Repeat this deep breathing until you feel totally relaxed and at
peace.
>
> Now, here's the fun part.
>
> Visualize a stairway leading into a basement. It's a long stairway
with
> 103 steps. Visualize yourself walking down each stair. You can
mentally
> count off each step, if you want, though that's not necessary as
long as
> you visually see yourself going down each step.
>
> When you reach the bottom, you find a beautiful wooden door with
> elaborate carvings etched into it.
>
> You pause at the door for a moment to admire the carvings.
>
> Then you turn your attention to the doorknob, which is made of
beautiful
> brass. It feels cool in your hand as you turn the knob.
>
> You open the door and walk into a beautiful study, a room lined with
> books, books, and more books. This study is so lined with books,
it's
> utterly sound-proof... a perfect place to read and think deeply.
>
> You close the door. As you do so, a deep and peaceful silence falls
over
> you, an atmosphere utterly conducive to reading and thinking.
>
> In the center of the study, there's a reclining chair. You sit down
in
> the chair, adjust it to your favorite comfortable position, and
open an
> imaginary book that's resting on the mahogany table right next to
the
> recliner.
>
> Now, while still visualizing yourself in your deep basement study,
open
> your eyes and start reading the real book you have in your lap.
>
> When you finish with your work, close your book and close your eyes
and
> repeat the deep breathing exercise.
>
> Now, visualize yourself getting out of the recliner, opening the
door,
> and slowly walking back up the stairs.
>
> Once at the top of the stairs, open your eyes once again, stretch
as you
> take a few deep breaths, and then resume your normal waking
> consciousness.
>
> Done properly, this technique results in a depth of concentration
and
> degree of retention that you'll find hard to believe, at first.
>
> Keep in mind, too, that you can use variations of this technique for
> writing and memorizing, as well as reading.
>


  Namaste,
  A very useful article for me,thanks.I am a new member of this group.
  I am in need of such technique,to end my own autosuggextions,
  during my yoga/dance practices,means end of do this/don't do this,
  instead allowing body to work by its own,and only to feel it.
  whish I fend very difficult,and also end of distaractions,
  inside/outside.Hope this teaching will work for me.
  Thanks,peace,mahendra.

Economy getting you down? Need a kickstart to your day? Visit New Yoga Books' AFFIRMATION GENERATOR . With the click of a button, a positive affirmation will appear that can help lift your spirits. There is also a handy mantra generator. I know it seems random, but try it. You might like it!

by Jeanne Ricci from Yoga Buzz

How does one relax? The Chinese long ago became intrigued with this
question. They studied babies and young children to see why they are
the most relaxed - and energetic - of all people.

They also studied animals such as tigers that remain equally relaxed
whether they move slow or fast. And they studied how people can best
train to become as relaxed as babies or tigers.

As a start, try the following little exercise.

Sit down and take off your shoes and, if you wear them, your glasses.
Rest your palms in your lap, facing upward.

Gently curl your fingers and thumbs a little toward your palms and
then uncurl them. Do these actions repeatedly in a slow, rhythmical
fashion in which you never stop moving. Let the curl become the uncurl
and the uncurl become the curl. Usually the slower you move, the
better, but "pulse" at whatever speed feels most relaxing to you.

Now in unison with your fingers gently curl a little and uncurl your
toes. Do this in such a way that you don't tighten your toes, even if
this means that you barely move them.

Now gently close your eyes and and partially open them as you curl and
uncurl. Let them remain unfocused as you open and close them.

Continue to "pulse" your fingers, toes, and eyes this way for 2
minutes. If you find yourself wanting to inhale and exhale with the
movements, do this too. If other parts of your body want to let go or
move a bit as well, let them. Play with the speed of your pulsing, but
err on the side of going slower and slower. In fact, how slow can you
go and still keep moving?

When most people do this exercise, they find that all or parts of
their body naturally begin to relax. This is consistent with Chinese
findings and theory, which say that rhythmical movements relax, slow
movements relax, moderate movements relax, and continuous movements
relax the human body.

Further, the Chinese found that if you relax your hands, feet, and
face, then the whole of your body is likely to relax.

For the next two weeks, each day play with this little exercise
whenever you find that you'd like to relax. See whether and when it
works for you.

Enjoy.

Do you have trouble sleeping sometimes?

If so, then you may have too much life energy up in your head when you
try to go to sleep.

Like your blood, your life energy circulates throughout your body. The
center of your blood's circulation is your heart, of course, from which
your blood flows and to which it returns if all is in order.

The center of your life energy's circulation is an energy center called
your lower tan tien (pronounced dahn dee-en), which is located in the
core of your body at a height just below your belly button. Life energy
flows from here out to your extremities and back again.

When we engage in activities involving particular parts of our bodies,
our systems naturally send more life energy to those parts. When we work
with our hands, more energy goes to our hands. When we digest food, more
energy goes to our stomachs. When we walk, more energy goes to our legs
and feet.

When we think or use our eyes, ears, or other senses more energy goes to
our heads.

Unfortunately, if one uses one part of one's body excessively, the
excess energy that goes there may not circulate back to one's lower tan
tien properly. This especially can happen with the head.

The result for many of us when this occurs is that we are not able to
sleep well or at all. When our energy becomes stuck in our heads, our
minds keep churning or our senses remain overstimulated.

A solution is to get the energy out of our heads, which can be done in a
variety of ways. Some people find that if they circle their feet and
toes a hundred times in one direction and then a hundred times in the
other direction, then their energy is drawn out of their heads and down
to their feet.

Another approach that you can try is to stand up and walk very slowly in
place. Try to continuously feel your feet or belly until your mind
starts to calm down.

Another approach is to eat or drink something to draw your energy out of
your head and into your belly.

Yet another approach is to avoid strong mental, visual, or auditory
stimulation for an hour or so before you go to bed. You also should
avoid any physical activity which will stimulate greater energy flow
through your whole system, including your head.

Another preventive approach is to massage your feet for ten or fifteen
minutes before you go to bed. Better yet, if you can, get someone else
to do it for you!

The next time you can't sleep, begin to experiment with how you can get
your life energy out of your head.

Sleep well.


by Bill Ryan from Energy Awareness Tiger Tips

Hi Tracy,

Welcome to the group.

Many Qigong exercises help to build the Kidneys.

My favorite book is "The Way of Energy: Mastering the Chinese Art of Internal Strength with Chi Kung Exercise". This is the form I practice every day and I highly recommend it.

Another form of Qigong that I heard people love and experience miraculous healings is "Spring Forest Qi Gong".

Below are some exercises I found for Kidneys:

Kidney Qigong Part 1 - Elevating the Kidneys

Newsletters - SYL Wushu Newsletter - June/July 2002

By Grandmaster Shou-Yu Liang and Master Wen-Ching Wu

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the kidneys are in charge of growth, development, reproduction, urinary functions, and store the essence-of-life (jing). The kidneys not only have a leading role in maintaining the fluid balance of the body, but are also responsible for the condition of the bone and marrow, activities of the brain, and hearing. This is based on the belief that bones are nourished by jing which is derived from the kidneys. The kidneys are the foundation of one's innate constitution and physiologically relate to one's memory and will.

Normal kidney function can also be affected by excess fear. The kidneys have their specific opening in the ears. Therefore, healthy kidneys can ensure good hearing. Kidneys also have their specific openings in the urinogenital orifice and the anus. Therefore, chronic diarrhea, urinary problems, and premature ejaculations are also related to the condition of the kidneys. A darkening of one's complexion is usually seen in severe and chronic cases of blood stasis, accompanied by chills, and lowered vital functioning of the kidneys.

TCM also states that if either the kidneys, lungs, or spleen are deficient in vital-qi, then the guardian-qi (energy field on the surface of the body) will also be deficient. The body's immunity will be reduced and begin to affect other organs. About 400 years ago, during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), medical expert Dr. Qi Shi said, "Curing a deficiency starts from the three roots: kidneys, lungs, and spleen." A deficiency in kidney-jing will affect your growth and development of your body. A deficiency in kidney-qi will also affect your hearing and cause a shortness of energy. The improper regulation of sexual activities will deplete your jing and cause eventual loss of sexual organ function and frequent urination will occur. If you are deficient in kidney-yin, your vision will deteriorate; and dizziness, ringing in the ears, weight loss, sweating during sleep, and/or nocturnal emission will occur.

If you are deficient in kidney-yang, then your life-fire will be deficient. Your vitality of spirit will be low, you'll tire easily. Your limbs may get cold and you may be afraid of cold. There may be pain and coldness in your waist area. Men may not be able to get an erection. Women may feel coldness in their womb.

Part 1. Elevating the Kidneys

This technique is especially good for curing an inflammation of the urinary bladder, kidney stones, urine containing blood, womb bleeding, frequent urination, and nocturnal emission.

Preparation and Movements:

Step 1. Sit straight with your feet touching the floor about a shoulder width apart. Sit with only one-third of your hips on the chair. Don't lean back on the chair with your back. Place your hands naturally on top of your keens (Figure 1-14).

As an alternative, you man stand with you feet shoulder width apart and with your hands overlapping on your dantian (Figure 1-15).

Step 2. Place your mind at you huiyin area. Exhale slowly, draw in and hold up your huiyin area slightly. Inhale slowly and release the huiyin area as you push your stomach out.

Key Points:

1.     The huiyin area refers to the testicles, vas deferens, penis and the anus muscles for men; the vulva, vagina, clitoris, and the anus muscles for women.

2.     This technique can be trained at any time. However, do not train more than 20 repetitions at a time. After each set, rest for a while before repeating the training. Too many repetitions at one time may cause dizziness for some people.

3.     People with high blood pressure should rest after every 5 repetitions, before resuming the training again.

4.     People that have a hard time falling asleep should avoid training this technique at night.  

Kidney Qigong Part 2 - Strengthening the Kidneys

Newsletters - SYL Wushu Newsletter - August/September 2002

By Grandmaster Shou-Yu Liang and Master Wen-Ching Wu

This technique takes in the pure essence of the universe; and supplements the innate essence in your kidneys. This solidifies the foundation of life and strengthens your jing.

Movements and Intention:

Step 1.
Sit straight with your feed touching the floor about a shoulder width apart. Sit with only one-third of your hips on the chair. Don't lean back on the chair. Place your hands naturally on top of your knees as in Figure 1-14.

Step 2.
Breathe naturally until your dantian is full of qi. Exhale slowly, draw in your abdomen and hold up the huiyin area slightly. At the same time, lead the qi from your dantian</I< mingmen point, then separate into tow paths around your waist and meet at your navel.

Inhale slowly and release the huiyin area as you push your stomach out. At the same time, lead the qi from your navel to your dantian.

Key Points:

1.     The huiyin area refers to the testicles, vas deferens, penis and the anus muscles for men; the vulva, vagina, clitoris, and the anus muscles for women.

2.     This technique can be trained at any time. However, do not train more than 20 repetitions at a time. After each set, rest for a while before repeating the training. Too many repetitions at one time may cause dizziness for some people.

3.     People with high blood pressure should rest after every 5 repetitions, before resuming the training again.

(you can view the pictures in the file section or click on the newsletter link in the email)

Hi all,

I am new to the group, so first of all, let me say a warm hello to
everyone. :-)

I am new to Qigong and am reading and watching all I can to understand
it and put it into practice in my life.

I have a friend who is facing complete dual kidney failure within
about a year's time.  She has had kidney issues since she was a child.
  She is undertandably upset about what this means for her.  Does
anyone have any experience with or knowledge of what particular Qigong
routines she can practice to avoid, and even help reverse the failure?
  I've read that it's possible, so any input and advice would be
greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

Tracy

Hi,

According to Chinese calendar, on August 7th starts the season
"BEGINNING OF AUTUMN". The Sun's position on ecliptic is 135°. This is
one of the most powerful energetic days in the year. In qigong this is
known as an important time for more meditation and accumulation of qi
from Nature.

The power of Nature's energy usually starts to increase 2-3 days
before August 7th and lasts about 1 week. This is an important time
for qigong meditation. The energy in the body is activated naturally
and it flows faster.

Energy greetings,

Annie Pecheva
Hanlin Academy

http://www.hanlin.hit.bg

How long do the benefits of your yoga practice last? Until you walk
into that first business meeting of the day, during the commute to
work just as you hit a traffic snag, the moment before your child has
his/her first tantrum of the day, right before your teacher announces
that you have a very big assignment due tomorrow? Let's face it --
life can be challenging. And habits can be hard to break. Sometimes
the peace and bliss of that 20, 30, 60, or 90 minutes of yoga just
doesn't get us through the day. My question is -- who says that you
have to relegate your yoga to one specific time slot during the day?

I use my yoga constantly throughout my day -- it doesn't end when I
step off the mat. Just before writing this I was engaging in some
deep yogic breathing to calm my rising ire towards my slow as
molasses computer. If you've lost that yoga feeling (can you hear the
strains of "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" playing in your head?)
and you want to get it back, try incorporating one -- or all -- of
these yoga breaks into your daily routine.

Traffic jam kirtan/pranayama -- whose blood pressure doesn't rise
when he/she gets stuck in traffic? How about you look at things like
red lights and traffic snarls as opportunities for kirtan fun and/or
pranayama practice? Try chanting OM or doing multiple rounds of
humming breaths (regular inhale, make humming sound on exhale [mouth
closed while making sound]). Feel the vibrations and notice what
happens to the tension in your body. When you're frustrated there's
nothing like making loud sounds to release pent up anger.
The yoga alternative to the afternoon "power nap" -- the average
person views a nap as a luxury. Often, however, it's a necessity.
Recharging in the middle of the day can renew your energy and your
focus. Rather than a power nap, why not try the
detox/restorative/energizing alternative instead -- Viparitta Karani?
Legs Up the Wall pose for 5-10 minutes can turn your attitude -- and
your day -- around. Try covering your eyes with a scented pillow for
an even deeper rest. If you're worried about falling asleep, set an
alarm (preferably a non-jarring one -- try Tibetan bells).
The mindfulness habit-buster -- it's so easy to breeze through your
day on autopilot. Have you ever been in the middle of doing something
only to realize that you really have to go to the bathroom or that
you haven't eaten in well over 4 hours? When you go unconscious like
this, it's easy to fall into bad habits like overeating, negative
self-talk, gossip, etc. Try setting an alarm to go off every hour on
the hour so that you stop what you're doing. Once you stop ask
yourself one simple question -- How am I feeling? Tune into your
body, your emotions, your thoughts and notice what's going on.
Instead of judging or trying to change what you notice, simply
accept. Then ask yourself what you need -- what you really need. Does
your body need a stretch, do you need a hug, do you need a drink of
water, do you need to call a friend? Do one thing that will nourish
your body, mind, and soul. Taking 5-10 minutes each hour to check-in
can have a profound effect on your life.
Take a breath break -- rather than take a coffee break or check your
email for the millionth time, why not take a 3-minute breath break?
Sit quietly and do a balancing breath -- inhale for 5 counts, hold
the inhale for 5 counts, exhale for 5 counts, hold the exhale for 5
counts. Do this pattern 5 times. Notice the difference that oxygen
makes.
Just because you've rolled up your mat for the day doesn't mean that
you can't continue to practice. Recently I noticed that I was getting
downright impatient in traffic and at red lights. Then I started
practicing pranayama anytime I had to stop my car. I went from road
rage to road engage. And when my computer gets cranky -- I let loose
with a very loud Lion roar. Not only does it release any tension I've
stored in my jaw but it makes me feel wonderful -- it even makes me
laugh (which prevents me from throwing my computer out the window).
We've all heard the inspiring expression -- take your yoga off the
mat. Don't just say it -- do it!

Namaste!

From Everything Yoga Blog

Spring time is the season of Liver. Now is the time to focus attention on the Liver for regeneration.

Sit on the front 1/4th of your chair. Straighten spine and keep head level. Relax shoulders and breathe into the lowest part of your abdomen first maintaining slow abdominal breathing. Keep hands rested on your thighs with palms facing up to the sky. Relax more and close your eyes.

Visualize your liver on the lower right. See it surrounded by flashing green lights. Green is the color that enhances liver.

Next visualize yourself sitting on the chair. See the flashing green lights are all around your body. Visualize the PORES on your skin open when you inhale and pores close during exhale.

Breathe in the flashing green lights with your mind through the pores on your skin. Breathe the light into through your face, chest, back, legs, feet and your entire skin. As you breathe in this green light send it to the liver - wrap it around the liver. During exhale see the pores close and your liver FLASHES super bright green. Repeat this process for 5-10 minutes. You may notice that your liver likes the attention.

an yang hasimeeka, Mina!

thank you, Mina, in the Year of the Mouse.

Year 2007 was the year our collective consciousness
exercised Self Will.

Year 2008 will be the Year we, the Maitreyah, Maadi
Shakti, Blue Star, learns self-determination, and
expresses self determinism, self decision-making!

Year 2003 is the year, I identified, marking the
awakening, our awareness of, this Global Consciousness.

Year 2011, or 2012, I identify as the year of Self-
Realization -- kind of an adulthood, first completion
of our mind and body, intelligence and capabilities.

Year 2008 is the year of global enlightenment, where
every individual wakes to, from, the matrix programming
of disinformation, counter-intelligence, dumbing-down
into serfdom -- each, and all, awake to freedom AND
knowledge AND responsibility. (the only true 'love' which
is RESPECT.)

for all our sacred relations,
all Mother Earth, Celestial GrandMothers ...


Millennium Twain

2008 is more than a year. It is our cosmic turning
point. It is the exact apex in time when the balance
of ages, suspended, tips away from the separation
and ignorance defining the last 2,000 years.  We now
incline with ever increasing direction, towards the
connectivity and understanding thats mark this new
2,000-year era.

2008. You are the real dawning of the Age of Aquarius,
this Aquarian Feeling, Experience, Life ... we call a
Calendar, of Thirteen 'Epoch-Moons'.

You are the age of universal enlightenment, where every
of our seven billions is conscious of and articulates
the collective wisdom of all ancestry, this Omni-Now.

Year 2008 indicates the midpoint in the transition from
the Piscean Boat submerging into the Aquarian Ocean. The
filth of the provincial/patriarchal ages is now to be
washed away. The Year 2011/2012 -- when it is said the
Mayan Calendar of the Ancient MesoAmerican time keepers
transitions its 63 million year long count -- it is then
WE realize the potential of our return to natural harmonies.
We become a collective 'adult'.

When do we reach collective 'maturity'? Self-fulfillment?

WE shall LIVE to tell that (Her-) Story!

~~
~~~

--- mina <chomina37> wrote:

Dear Millennium,

How nice this message is:

"thus, globally and collectively, we will make the decision this
Year,
this 2008, to go 'into reverse' with our 'auto-motives' ... our
matrix
programming ...

we will return to a life of harmony with all cultures, all life, all
creation.

all, in the whole-sum-ness, divine ..."

I pray that 2008 is special one, too.

In Light,
Mina

Millennium Twain <yonibluestar@ yahoo.co. uk> ¾²±â:
--- In Seven-Seven, "Millennium Twain" wrote:

this article by Alasdair Coyne is WHOLE Dogma-nure ...

http://www.ojaipost.com/2008/04/guest-editorial-alasdair-coyne.shtml

pure government-media disinformation, aka counterintelligence . [thus
perfect for the Ojai 'audience' ... which never listened to the talk,
at the founding symposium of the Ojai Green Coalition, the talk by
Hunter Lovins, where she repeated over and over that the solution is
not more technology, more shopping, more work and consumption ... it
is REDUCING the consumption, the waste, the consumerism 90 percent.]

Coyne obviously never had a thought about nature, the environment,
life, the earth, the sacred ... even once in his life.

global warming, the death of the biosphere -- ALREADY achieved past
95
percent -- is not about government/science bs propaganda re:
'greenhouse gases' and 'carbon dioxide'.

it is not about a decision which has to be made decades in the
future,
as all these idiots proclaim.

the decision -- to return our oceans, return our rainforests, return
our wetlands and rivers ...

cease 90 percent of energy and materials waste ...

end the war against Women, Children, the Indigenous, and Mother Earth
...

will be made THIS YEAR, THIS YEAR 2008 ...

for the Sheep and Alasdair Coynes in Ojai 'WorldWide' -- who are and
have been the victims of the Patriarchal- Corporate- State-Death-
Machine
for the last five thousand years.

divine creation, rainbow world of the living, the GrandMothers
(Elders, Lightworkers, Spiritual Healers) will return for ALL the
Children ...

all our beloved relations.

and a global economy ten times stronger ... because we ended the war
against the sacred, the divine, immortal spirit,

we ended the violence and brutality, abuse, disrespect,

in returning to the global song, of seven billion planetwide voices,

each different,

each an essential harmony,

of this, YEAR 2008, our Real-ized epiphany ...

~~~
~~~~~

repeat:

the murder of Mother Earth, her IMMINENT Death ...

is NOT years or decades in the future.

it HAS ALREADY BEEN ACHIEVED ... past 95 percent of ocean,
rainforest, forest, wetlands, life ... already dead, gone,
sayanara!

we, humanity -- is ALREADY brain-dead and spirit-dead -- lab-rats in
corporate-feedstock cages.

thus NOW that we are aware of it globally -- that is the gift of
consciousness which Year 2007 gave us --

NOW that we are aware of it ... we can and must and will change it.
(knowledge/consciou sness creates response, whether we wish it or
not.)

thus, globally and collectively, we will make the decision this Year,
this 2008, to go 'into reverse' with our 'auto-motives' ... our
matrix
programming ...

we will return to a life of harmony with all cultures, all life, all
creation.

all, in the whole-sum-ness, divine ...

Millennium Twain

..

1. Give your eyes a break.
Are your eyes bugging out from staring at the computer screen? While you're waiting for a reply to your email or IM, try this soothing quick fix: Rub your hands together briskly to create heat, then gently press the heels of your hands into your eyes, letting the fingers rest on your forehead. It only takes a few seconds, so try it anytime your hands are free.

2. Tame shoulder tension.
Hunching over a desk all day is certain to tighten your shoulders. Here's a simple antidote you can do while waiting by the printer, fax or copy machine: Put your right hand on your left shoulder, pressing the heel of the palm into your clavicle and wrapping the fingers over your shoulder onto your upper back. Knead the muscles with long firm squeezes to release tension in your shoulders. Make sure to leave time to do the other side, too.
 
3. Loosen tight hamstrings.
Sitting makes your hamstrings shorten, so take a minute when nobody is looking to elongate the muscles in the backs of your legs. Stand facing your desk and put one heel on the desk, toes pointing up. With a straight back lengthen over your leg and take three to five deep breaths. Repeat with the other leg.
                                

4. Release your hips.
Your hips tense up from sitting all day, but you can cure that without even getting out of your seat: Place your right ankle on your left thigh, just above the knee. Let the right knee fall open to the side. Hold for three to five deep breaths. For a deeper stretch, lean your torso forward without bending your back. Switch sides and repeat the stretch to stay balanced on both sides.
 
5. Open your shoulders.
To release stress, especially before a meeting, try this shoulder-opening pose: Reach your right arm straight overhead, then bend at the elbow and reach down with the hand, palm facing your back. Reach down with your left arm, bend the elbow, palm facing out, fingertips up.  If your fingertips don't touch, press your hands into your back for resistance. Hold for three deep breaths, then repeat on the other side.
 
6. Ease the crick in your neck.
Instead of typing while you talk, put phone time to good use: Holding the phone in your right hand, (or better yet, use a headset or speakerphone), tilt your left ear toward your left shoulder. Reach up with your left hand, placing your fingertips just above your right ear, and pull down gently to increase the stretch. Breathe (as deeply as you can during your conversation). Then switch the phone to your left ear and repeat.
 
7. Stretch your wrists
The next time you're stuck in a never-ending meeting, put the time to good use by stretching out your wrists. With your hands in your lap, place your left fingertips on your right palm and gently press your right hand to stretch your left inner wrist open. Repeat on the other side. Then place your right fingertips on the back of your left hand and press your left wrist in to stretch the outer wrist. Repeat on the other side.

8. Be open to great ideas.
What better way to brainstorm than with an open attitude? Try a new perspective to get the creative juices flowing. Sitting in your chair, lean into the back, then arch your upper back to open your heart toward the ceiling. Be sure to keep your head in line with your spine, and press your shoulders down and back. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths.
 
9. Take a twist break.
When you need to reset your mind and body, try this twist: Sit cross-legged in your chair (if you're in a skirt, place both feet on the floor, knees together). Stretch your left arm up, reach for your left knee with your right hand, and twist to your left until you're looking over the back of your chair. Take three to five breaths, twisting a little deeper with each breath. Release and repeat on the other side.
 
10. Squeeze in a quick breather.
The next time you're waiting for a download, resist the urge to check email or complete another task and take a quick break. Close your eyes and pay attention to your breath, letting your thoughts fade. Even if its only for a few seconds, the rewards will be much greater than what you would have gotten done in that time. And now you're ready to read the downloaded file with more focus.

Chi within the body is like power in a rechargeable battery. Occasionally it needs to be replenished. The chi of the universe is inexhaustible, yet the body needs fresh chi to maintain its vitality. You take in food, water, and air and convert them to energy within your body. During sleep, while your veins are relaxed and open and your brain is calm, you are able to take in a fresh supply of chi. If you are stressed or nervous, you become rigid and circulation is blocked, you have difficulty sleeping, and your reserves of chi dwindle. When you are exchanging the chi within you with the chi of the universe, you feel healthy and vigorous. By energizing the body with chi it is revitalized naturally, enabling it to fight off illness and maintain good health. The vitality chi gives to the physical body is generally obvious, but it also gives vitality to your mind. Chi is not only physical energy, it is also mental energy. Realization of this is a key to becoming aware of chi in your life.

            Chi inside the body needs to be continuously connected with the chi flow of the universe. If it is unable to connect, it may become stagnant. This stagnation is usually due to insufficient circulation. If the blood cannot flow smoothly, then the chi will also be unable to flow smoothly. The most common place for this chi stagnation is in the extremities. The toes and fingers are at the furthest point from the heart and the first to be cut off when there is insufficient flow.

            The heart pumps oxygen - and nutrient-rich blood into blood vessels that carry it throughout the body. After circulating and delivering oxygen to all the cells and tissues, the blood returns to the heart through the veins, flushing out the old stagnated blood and removing toxins and poisons that have built up. The lungs add oxygen to the blood and remove the carbon dioxide. Then the blood starts through the circuit again. Physical movement assists this vital blood flow. Feeling this flow is the first step.

Shake

Stand up with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold your hands straight out in front of you. Relax the shoulders. Now imagine that your hands are wet and you are going to shake the water off them. Begin slowly and shake both hands loosely without tension. Continue to shake, increasing the speed as you get used to the feeling. The aim is to drain them of tension. Hold them loose and relaxed. Shake harder. Change to a side-to-side movement, as if clapping thin air. Next, switch to an up-and-down movement as if you were dog paddling. Shake them around in a circle. Let your elbows join in and flap about wildly. Next wiggle your forearms as if they were made of spaghetti. Continue for two minutes, alternating the kinds of shakes. Stop and let your arms hang down at your side, and rest for a moment. Do you feel anything? The tingling sensation in your fingers is the fresh and clean oxygenated blood circulating through your hands. Now, imagine what it would be like to have your whole body feeling that way.

Next we need to ensure fresh chi is getting to the area. Perform the Shake exercise for two minutes. At the end of the two minutes begin to massage the left hand with the right hand. Start with the left index finger and give it a thorough massage. Rub it up and down, back and forth. Lightly scrape it with your fingernail and then gently twist and pull it. Repeat this with each finger and then switch and do the same for the other hand. Concentrate on your breathing and imagine as you massage that you are breaking up any old, stagnant chi and letting it be washed away by the blood circulating through you. Feel the new chi entering the area, bringing a fresh vibrant feeling. Finish the exercise with another session of Shake. You can also perform a similar exercise with your feet and toes.

            It is important to be concentrating on your breathing while doing this exercise. Deep breathing exercises bring an abundance of chi needed to replace the chi being shaken out and massaged from your extremities. Visualize the chi entering your body and energizing your fingers and toes. Experience the feeling of chi.

Since chi exists in the air we breathe and the blood that flows inside us, deep breathing brings chi and oxygen into the body, increasing blood flow, and thus chi flow, within the body. Once we are breathing properly we can try to touch the energy.

Beginning the Descent

To followers of the Dao the seasons can be powerful teachers and through them we learn to flow better with the circumstances of our lives. In the autumn, as we see the leaves drift down from the trees and the nights grow longer, we feel sadness for the loss of summer and can be reminded of other, more personal losses. This is a time of letting go, of withdrawal to conserve for the winter. Late summer, season of the Earth element, has already prepared us to some extent for this drawing in towards the cold, dark yin energy of the winter. Now we begin the descent in earnest as we experience, through autumn, a heavier, more contracting energy and so embark on learning the lessons of the Metal element.

Autumn can be a melancholic time as we finally let go of the happy vibrancy of summer and turn inwards towards the darkness of winter. One of the functions of the model of the Chinese 5 Elements is to show us how energy moves within us in its natural, primal state. This is a harmonious state of being that gives us a sense of wellness. The flow of autumnal/Metal energy teaches us that things come and things go in a natural cycle – it is no surprise to find that, on a physical level, the Metal element is associated with the lungs and colon – through the first we take in air and through the latter we let go of waste. Thus, emotionally, this is the season for accepting the deepest and darkest parts of our being – letting our feelings come up to the surface and then letting them go. Introspection and elimination are the tasks of the autumn and we can assist this process and go with the flow, letting things come and go physically, emotionally and spiritually, in any or all of the following ways.

Exploring Sadness

Energy flows inwards during the autumn and so the energy channels contract around the heart. Emotionally we might feel melancholic and, physically, the chest tends to sink in and the shoulders become more rounded. Interestingly, the Chinese character for sadness reflects this as it is a hand pressing on the heart. Because of this inward flow we need, at autumn time, to go within to explore and accept the reality of our situation and any sadness inherent in our lives. If you have lost a loved one, autumn is the time to make space to remember and grieve for him/her. Our culture does not often give us time to deal with death thoroughly. We either sweep our grief under the carpet and carry on with a stoical air or, in the modern way, we publicly display our loss with wrapped bouquets of flowers left at death scenes – announcing to the world the 'depth' of our grief. Grieving is a very private act – it is a time to withdraw so that we may weep and mourn – fully lose ourselves.

Autumn presents us with the opportunity to face and accept feelings of loss and sorrow that may resurface at this time. Set aside a quiet space, light candles and surround yourself with photos and objects that remind you of your loved one. Absorb and feel deeply all the memories you shared with him/her. Allow yourself time to cry, to grieve again the loss of this dearly beloved being. When you are able to, sit quietly and breathe steadily from the abdomen or practise the breathing meditation described below. Now visualize a light coming down through the top of your head into your heart. Imagine your loved one sitting opposite you and beam this light of love from you to him/her. Now free, filled with light and love, he/she is able to be released. In this way, through fully letting go of our sadness, we come to sense the openness that is the core of our being. As we become more aware of this place of clear, open energy, so we feel more fully accepting and at peace.

Letting the Breath Come and Go

According to the Daoist view, we produce our energy through breathing in chi from the air – if we don't breathe fully our energy will be diminished. When we are stressed with tense shoulders we will be breathing shallowly from the upper chest and at times of severe stress we may even unconsciously hold our breath as a protective mechanism. In this way we can become fatigued easily. Autumn is a particularly good time to remind yourself to breathe deeply – it is the time for letting things come and go. If you create time to inhale and exhale consciously and fully you will find your energy levels increase quite dramatically. During the autumn, cultivate the habit of starting each morning with several deep cleansing breaths and so energize your being.

As we have seen, emotionally autumn is a time to be aware of and release our sadness and grief. Physically, it is a time to explore opening the lungs, the organs associated with the Metal element, and so learn to breathe more fully. In this way we may also assist the process of releasing these emotions and so help to let things come and let things go. Calmly practising the breathing meditation below, coupled with gentle stimulation of the acupuncture points, will help the lungs to open and may connect you with any feelings of sorrow that you may be holding onto. As you release these feelings you will start to feel the chi energy rising within you and so feel re-energized.

Firstly adjust your posture – by sitting in a hunched up position you will weaken the lungs by blocking the energy in the lung meridians. Sit straight, supported in a straight back chair if necessary. Start this exercise by gently rubbing the following Lung points known as 'Narrow Defile' and points on the Colon meridian known as 'Joining the Valleys'. Both of these will help with the process of opening and letting go. Then follow this with the Breath Counting Meditation.

Acupressure Points and Breath Counting Meditation

• Lung 7 'Narrow Defile': from the crease at the inside of the wrist in the depression below the thumb, measure approximately two finger widths above the wrist. Press lightly and rub in an anti-clockwise movement for a couple of minutes each side.

• Colon 4 'Joining the Valleys': in the webbing between the thumb and index finger, find the sensitive spot and press in a downward movement for a couple of minutes. This point is not advised for pregnant women.

As you massage these points you will connect with the energy of the Metal element and can affirm that, during this season, you will focus on letting things come and letting them go. If you feel any sense of sadness, allow it to surface and acknowledge its presence. Now place your hands in your lap and, whilst continuing to sit upright with a straight back, start to focus on the breathing meditation.

Breathe in through your nose and, as you do so, count one silently to yourself. Then exhale counting two. Concentrate on the air going in and out of your nostrils and on your counting. Inhale counting three, then exhale counting four. Inhale counting five and exhale counting six. Keep doing this all the way up to ten. When your attention wanders and you lose track of counting, simply start again at one. When you have counted to ten start again at one. Do this for twenty minutes. You will find as the mind calms down, the breath and heart will become quieter and calmer. Now you will feel more relaxed and at ease with yourself as you let the breath come and go.

Strengthening the Lungs

This exercise strengthens the muscles of the chest and increases lung capacity. It also stimulates the whole length of the Lung meridian. Try to practise this daily throughout the autumn and so give your lungs a gentle and regular workout.

Opening the Bow

• Stand straight and then take one step to the left. Bend your knee to assume a 'horse riding position'.

• Cross your arms in front of your chest at the wrists, left arm in front of the right. Clench your fists, now extend the index finger of the left hand.

• As though holding a bow in your left hand and the bow string in your right, push out the left arm until it is straight. At the same time, pull the right hand out to the side as though you are pulling a bow string. Inhale deeply during this movement. Concentrate your attention on the tip of your left index finger whilst following its
movement with your eyes.

• Exhale whilst you relax the arms, crossing them in front of your chest again – this time with the right arm in front of the left and the right index finger extended.

• Open the bow again, this time to the right side.

• Repeat twice more.

Autumnal Diet

As the weather becomes more yin so we need to start eating warmer dishes again. Now is the time to eat more meat and less of the yin fruits – cut out melons, grapefruits and oranges, whilst introducing more seasonal fruits such as apples and pears. Build the lung energy by eating cooked food and including lots of onions and garlic. Exclude dairy foods – milk and cheese are possible irritants to the lungs as they produce large amounts of mucus. These factors are not mentioned in traditional Chinese medical texts as Chinese and Japanese diets contain very little dairy food. Use this time of year to build the immune system up in preparation for the winter months ahead. Traditionally now is the time to take herbal tonics, but for this I suggest you see a qualified Chinese Herbalist.

Autumn is a time when the natural flow of energy is towards awareness, receptivity of our deeper feelings. It is a time when we are reminded through nature of the brevity of our lives and so may feel a sense of melancholy, of sorrow. As we acknowledge and align with these feelings we need to accept and allow our grief whether it is related to recent or long past loss. This is a time of letting go and, through the use of breathing and relaxation techniques, acupressure points and Chi Gung exercises, we may find a deep sense of release and thus experience an openness within ourselves in which we may safely rest as we journey towards the winter.

Resources

Hill S. Reclaiming the Wisdom of the Body. Constable and Company. 1997.
Ody P. Practical Chinese Medicine. Godsfield Press Ltd. 2000.
Teeguarden I. The Joy of Feeling. Japan Publications Inc. 1984.

Often we look for happiness outside of ourselves – through material things or by wishing that our lives were different in some way. Daoist philosophy teaches us that the path of happiness lies within, and certainly one of the defining traits of Daoists Masters is the way they exude a state of happiness, a sense of light-heartedness and fun. Much of Traditional Chinese Medicine theory is derived from Daoist philosophy and tells us that happiness depends on cultivating the chi (energy) of the Heart whose corresponding element is Fire, and this balance of Fire energy in the Heart will increase our sense of inner joy and happiness. Thus when the Heart chi is deficient or in excess and Fire is out of balance we may find ourselves experiencing unhappiness and feel agitated and off-centre.  Furthermore there is an aspect of the Heart that is the wellspring of all our happiness.  

The ancient Chinese text the Nei Jing, `The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine' tells us that the Heart is the spiritual and emotional centre of the body and on its deepest level is residence to the Shen – the eternal spirit and source of joyful serenity. Most of us identify with the habitual self – that heavy collection of habits, likes and dislikes that we call `self' and take far too seriously. Instead we need to align ourselves with the joyful lightness and radiance that is the natural state of the Heart Shen and in this way come to view ourselves and others with good humour and compassion.

Let go of the burden of the habitual and serious self with its rigid opinions, its likes and dislikes; relax and find contentment in all that life brings. Daoists tell us to lighten up by embracing without resistance all the events of our lives and all of our reactions towards those events – both pleasurable and painful. As we open our hearts to embrace life, we connect and align with the Shen, balance the Heart Fire and return to our innate state of happiness.

Daoists' created practices that translated their spiritual insights to the physical body, and these exercises help us to cultivate a sense of being whole in all of body, mind and spirit. Daoist exercises traditionally use breathing, visualizations and meditation to quieten and open the heart, and so connect with its natural sense of happiness.

Although there is a Chinese saying "laughter is the best medicine" and research shows that laughing lowers the blood pressure and keeps the heart healthy, Daoists might say that smiling – particularly the practice of the Inner Smile goes deeper to cultivate a lasting happiness. It is this  exercise that can align the practitioner with the Shen and so connect him with his true source of inner happiness.

The Inner Smile 

•    Sit on a chair with straightened spine and closed eyes. Inhale slowly through your nose and gently exhale through your mouth. Do this several times;
•    As you inhale, feel a movement all the way down to the Dan Tien – the energy centre just below the naval. Allow your abdomen to expand as your diaphragm moves down in a full breath, then let your abdomen relax as you exhale completely. Breathe continuously, with no pauses between the exhalation and the inhalation;
•    As you breathe, smile into your naval and Dan Tien and then bring your awareness into your heart area;
•    Feel the flame of love deep within your heart – a  warm light that is your deepest, most real Self. Smile into your Heart Centre and feel the healing light of the Shen radiating out to all the cells of your heart;
•    Now turn your awareness to each of your organs in turn – stomach and spleen, lungs and intestines, kidneys and bladder, gall bladder and liver, and smile into each organ whilst breathing deeply and feeling calm and peaceful;
•    Come back to the heart and rest there feeling the Inner Smile harmonizing and balancing your energy and be aware of the serene happiness of the Shen – your eternal spirit.
*    Affirm "With a smile in my Heart I embrace my life."

Sources

Reid, Daniel. Chi Gung, Simon and Shuster 1998
Hill, S. Reclaiming the Wisdom of the Body. Constable and Company 1997

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By Dr. Ben Kim on August 19, 2007 Healthy Beverages


A freshly pressed vegetable juice that is meant to stimulate the
elimination of toxins from your body should have the following
properties:

1. The ability to encourage movement of waste products through your
intestines.

2. The ability to encourage your digestive organs to release
digestive juices that can help to optimally break down recently
ingested food.

3. The ability to draw toxins out of your tissues.

With these properties in mind, here is one of the most effective
detox juice recipes that I know of:

Artichoke, Cilantro, and Radish Detox Juice Recipe

Ingredients:

4 Jerusalem artichokes
2 handfuls of fresh cilantro
4 radishes
3 carrots
1 tablespoon of green food powder that contains chlorella

Directions:

Use a juicer to press all ingredients except green food powder into
a vegetable juice.

Combine juice and green food powder in a bottle with a secure lid
and shake well for 10 or more seconds. Enjoy within an hour of
making this effective detox juice.

Notes:

Jerusalem artichokes are rich in the soluble fiber inulin, which is
known to encourage healthy bowel function.
Cilantro and chlorella are regularly recommended by many health
practitioners, myself included, for purposes of detoxification.
Radishes are known to stimulate the release of bile from the gall
bladder. Bile is needed for optimal digestion of fat.