AN ENERGY PRACTICE
"......I am not in any callous shell;
I am cased with supple conductors, all over,
They take every object by the hand, and lead it within me;
They are thousands, each one with his entry to himself;
They are always watching with their little eyes, from my head to my feet;
One no more than a point lets in and out of me such bliss and magnitude,
I think I could lift the girder of the house away if it lay between me and whatever I wanted."
~ Walt Whitman
You cannot survive and thrive in this world without some form of energy practice, anything that will nourish and balance the human energy system. Later in this article I will share my favorite energy practice with you, it is the single most important healing tool (along with prayer) I used when I was battling a mystery illness for 6 months. The human energy system is multi-layered and encompasses a variety of energy spectrums that embody the physical, mental/emotional and spiritual. Modern science uses tests like the EKG - which measures the electrical activity of the heart, or EEG which measure the electrical activity of you brain. Acupuncture utilizes a meridian based approach and speaks of lines of energy which connect to different regions of the body - namely organs and organs systems. Many other healing modalities speak of similar lines of energy. As you go deeper, many of these healing modalities also talk of spinning wheels of energy located at various points from the base of the spine up to the top of the head. These are most commonly referred to as chakras. And there are various healing techniques which can harness and balance these wheels of energy.
The world that we live in is designed to screw with your energy. The healthiest lifestyle in the world cannot fully combat what the human being is exposed to on a daily basis. I don’t really like that I used the word “combat” to talk about this world, but quite frankly a warrior mentality is necessary here. We have receptors all over our being that are interfacing with this reality. Of course all of us are hooked up differently. We have a different constitution so to speak and some people can stay balanced easier than others. So, how can you balance your energy?
ADDRESS THE BASICS
One of my mentors Paul Chek taught me the 6 foundation principles of health - Nutrition, Hydration, Sleep, Breathing, Thinking, Movement. Of course an energy practice may offset imbalances in any of these areas but then you are using your energy practice to survive rather than thrive. This may be helpful for some people but in the end I want to teach you how to thrive.
AWARENESS IS KEY
Become aware of your energy. Become aware of the energy in your environment - people, places, etc. Most people are not in touch with how they feel. My favorite thing to ask people when I was advising them on nutrition was - “How does that food make you feel?” Very often people would not really know. This awareness extends to the mental/emotional/ spiritual layers as well, but if you are not in touch with the basics I would not even venture to extrapolate meaning from those deeper layers. As you begin to engage in a regular energy practice you will start to become more AWARE on all levels.
CHOOSE YOUR PRACTICE
There are various types of energy practice, some can be done by a trained practitioner, others can be done on your own. While I love the idea of seeing energy practitioners, I very often find that people use them as a crutch and so I think they should be used less frequently, but coupled with a daily practice that you can do alone. You should also find a practice that resonates with you.
I am not going to list all of the types of energy practice, but some I have experimented with over the years include - yoga, breathing, various types of meditation, sound healing, Tai chi and most recently a specialized form of Qigong.
WAYS TO USE AN ENERGY PRACTICE
Energy Practice to SURVIVE
Many people are engaging in energy practices just to get through life. While this can be helpful for some, it is sub-optimal and will often end in some form of sickness or illness or injury or disease.
Energy Practice to THRIVE - Once you meet the basics, when you add an overlay in the form of an energy practice, you can move through the world in a more unshakeable state and you can have the energy to do what you want to do in this world. And this doing will come from a more balanced place.
Energy Practice to HEAL - If there is something specifically wrong with you an energy practice can help you heal it. Once you heal, then you can thrive.
MY TYPE OF ENERGY PRACTICE
Qi means ENERGY and Gong is often translated as PRACTICE. For me, Qigong and more specifically the type of Qigong I have learned (there are many types of Qigong) has changed my life. So much so that everyone I work with will be learning this form of energy practice. Why is it so powerful?
It allows me to ensure the optimal flow of energy through all of my energy systems (organs, glands, meridians, chakras, etc.)
it allows me the ability to be very precise. I can focus on a single organ that may be stressed. For instance, if I feel my liver is a little sluggish I can do a specific movement coupled with a specific sound, designed to nourish and balance my liver energy.
It allows me the ability to focus on the relationship between organs. Remember the body is a system of systems. I can go through a series of movements and sounds to harmonize let’s say the liver and heart energy.
It allows me to relieve pain in specific parts of the body. If my lower back hurts I can do a movement to get my spinal cord and the surrounding tissues moving properly.
It allows me to relieve tension in specific parts of the body and the body as a whole. Most people are aware of how it can be a challenge to quiet the mind but I don’t think we are really aware of the tension we are holding in the body. The body stores everything. In a matter of minutes the correct Qigong pose will show you where you are holding tension. Wherever there is tension there is a blockage in energy. Qigong will help remove the tension so that the energy can flow normally. Of course if you do not get to the root cause it may come back - this is where you may need to perform deeper psychological and spiritual healing work.
If I am dealing with a specific emotion (i.e. fear or anger) there are Qigong movements that will help transmute the emotion, literally in minutes. Of course if you do not get to the root cause it may come back - this is where you may need to perform deeper psychological and spiritual healing work
It allows me to get into my body and out of my head. Many energy practices can take you away from the body. The body is the gateway to ALL.
It will calm the nervous system. The human nervous system is under attack and as such humans are in a perpetual state of fight or flight. A practice such as this can relax the nervous system.
It allows me to boost my energy if I am going to be in a particularly stressful environment and/or before a healing session I can do a form of Qigong to put on an energetic shield of sorts.
In summary I would say that you need an energy practice in your life and the one I have found has changed my life. If your energy practice doesn’t feel like that, then you haven’t found the right one. Anyone who is working with me will learn the techniques I describe above. In time I will begin to provide more guidance via video and in person.