Healing
I did not go to China with the intention of “healing.” I did not “have” anything that I needed to be healed of. Then I went on this China journey. I had many experiences. There was healing involved.
Dictionary.com provides these definitions of “heal:”
- to make healthy, whole, or sound; restore to health; free from ailment.
- to bring to an end or conclusion, as conflicts between people or groups, usually with the strong implication of restoring former amity; settle; reconcile:
- to free from evil; cleanse; purify: -to heal the soul.
Last week, I talked about my first healing “aha!”: water.
Today, let’s think about my second “aha!”
Second “aha!” - Qigong. Celebrate being with the San Bao or Three Treasures of posture, breath and mind focus.
Dr. Roger Jahnke expressed the sentiment of one of his favorite teachers, Master Zhu Hui from Tian Tai Mountain in eastern China: “A person who makes wise use of the Three Mindful Adjustments a few times a day will resolve their pains, cure their diseases, and achieve longevity.”
In the Qigong state, rather than the usual fight or flight reaction of our sympathetic nervous system, the para-sympathetic nervous system responds with a message of relax and restore.This relaxation response can resolve or neutralize the negative effects of stress on the body and heal disease.
Adjusting the posture, breathing and relaxing the mind are the foundation of Qigong and Tai Chi. In our business or busy-ness, we often do not notice our posture, breath and focus, or if we do notice, we choose to power through and ignore the signs that our body and mind are seeking attention. We react, rather than respond.
Reaction is quick. Response takes time.
Reaction is emotion-filled. Response removes all emotion.
Reaction is often aggressive. Response allows for assertiveness without aggression.
Reaction snowballs into unnecessary and prolonged periods of discontent and disagreement. Response resolves conflict quickly. (ACACIA HR Solutions)
So, how do I change my reaction to response?
As we focus on our posture, relaxing and sinking into the earth, we feel supported. As we focus on dropping the shoulders and opening the heart, we become more compassionate and forgiving. As we raise our head, growing to the heavens through the crown, we call upon our strength and mindfulness. With each breath, becoming more aware of our body and calming our systems down.
By focusing on our breathing, we cool our hot heads and bring our thinking under control. We exhale fully and completely, releasing frustration and negative thoughts and regain our concentration. We let go and become more centered in who we really are and want to be.
As we focus on our mind, we notice and release tension and return to our principles and calmer ways of interacting.
Finding inner calmness and strength, we listen to what is being said more intently, noticing how it is being said. We become more aware of both ourself and the other person as we formulate our response. Our increased focus and attentiveness allows us to respond more calmly and thoughtfully.
During our China journey, when we were confronted with challenges, changes in plans, delays, I made use of the Three Treasures. In doing so, I was able to re-lax and re-cognize the fact that these things were out of my control. I was able to respond by allowing things to flow as they were, without reacting negatively to the situation. It reminds me of my Jamaican friend whose perspective is “It is not a problem, mon, it is just a situation.”
By practicing Tai Chi and Qigong, we improve our response-ability (get it?!) Shifù Zhou began each Qigong and Tai Chi training session with the Three Mindful Adjustments. He incorporated them throughout the sessions. He paused in between movements to allow us to focus on the Three Treasures. He allowed us to feel the importance of this foundation through repeatedly “tuning in” to our body and mind and “dropping stress out” of the body and mind.
What did I learn and take away? The importance of “taking the lesson off the mat.” In yoga, we often end with a moment of reflection on how we will take our intention and lessons learned in our practice off the mat and incorporate them in daily life. I now incorporate lots of time in my practice and classes to “tuning in and dropping (stress) out” and end my Qigong and Tai Chi practices by reflecting on how to be part of the ripple effect, and bring my newfound calm with me into the world of daily challenges.
Ah, the healing power of Qigong!
(To be continued. In the meantime, enjoy these photos and this practice which will help you discover qi.)
PRACTICE: San Bao or Three Treasures of the Three Mindful Adjustments of posture, breath and mind focus.
The Three Mindful Adjustments are the foundation of all forms of Qigong and Tai Chi, and can be done standing, sitting, or lying down. Attention to these Three Mindful Adjustments will help you attain the Qigong State.
- First Mindful Adjustment — Posture: Adjust and regulate your body posture or movement (optimizes inner flow of blood and lymph)
- Engage your entire foot with the earth
- Relax your knees with a slight bend
- Slightly engage the pelvic floor and abdominal muscles just enough to slightly tip the tailbone toward the earth
- Slide your shoulders down
- Adjust your head to be on top of the spine
- Grow through your crown toward the heaven
- Second Mindful Adjustment — Breath: Adjust and deepen your breath (gather Qi and relax)
- Notice your breathing
- Inhale deeply filling your entire body top to bottom, front to back and side to side
- Exhale fully, allowing the diaphragm to rise and press against the lower lungs
- Third Mindful Adjustment — Mind Focus: (relaxation cannot occur without the willingness of the mind - production of healing neurotransmitters)
- Clear your mind, focus on your breath
- With each inhalation expand, float
- With each exhalation relax and sink