Do Less. Focus More. Care Carefully.
It’s easy for us to get stuck in our work—physically, mentally, emotionally. Let’s look beyond the usual self-care routines to find better ways to get unstuck and back to the work you love.
Basic Qigong: Clearing Exercises
In this sequence, we present five-minute qigong exercises you can do between client sessions or anytime you need to revitalize your energy.
Standing/Clearing Position
This is your neutral position. Begin by planting your feet firmly on the ground. Put equal pressure between your feet, with your tailbone slightly tucked and your core engaged. Hold your hands in front of your navel core. This is your lower dantien, your power center. Hold your hands in the shape of a ball. With soft eyes, breathe fully from the belly. Feel the pulsating energy force between your hands as you breathe in and breathe out. This stimulates the vagus nerve.
Now bring your hands to your heart center—your middle dantien—holding your hands in the shape of a ball. Feel the energy pulsating again between your hands, expanding and contracting with every inhale and exhale. Take a moment
here to set your intention for this practice. Energy flows where intention goes.
Release your hands down to your lower center. Bring your hands up to your heart again with an inhale. Wash or clear away any disharmonized energy from your personal energy field, exhaling and releasing. Do this again, bringing earth energy up and washing away disharmonized energy.
Sun/Moon Circles
Begin in standing pose. Inhale and bring your arms up to the sky, drawing in the energy of the sun to warm or the moon to cool. Exhale, cross your hands, and then move your arms in front of you, drawing in the soothing, calming energy.
Continue to move your arms in these circles. Make your movements fluid, like water flowing over you. See if you can keep the movements even and unbroken, exhaling down and inhaling up.
Water Swings
This is a good practice to allow the body to detoxify with a spiral or a twist of the upper spine. In standing pose, with your lower body stabilized, allow your body to rotate back and forth. Twist your upper body as your arms follow. Move slowly and gently like you're moving through water. Practice brings more strength and flexibility in the spine and helps lubricate the joints.
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