Trapped energy is like a box. So open the box! It’s not your destruction waiting inside. All you will find there is energy, which may be the one thing you are lacking. Once you realise this, the journey to healing can be fun. Like going into the attic and re-discovering little treasures from your past. There is no box you cannot open! No feeling you cannot let...
Tension comes in many forms, and is present in both our internal and external worlds. Internally, we may experience tension as a pain or trauma. But external tension can often present itself as friction within a relationship or situation. When two people have conflicting opinions, it is as if they are holding two ends of a rope. The harder they pull, they more defiant they are that they’re opinion is the right one, the more the tension increases. The rope becomes tense, taught and frayed. At some point it may even snap. But there is a simple way to avoid this… they could just let go. If you are experiencing tension with someone, let go of your end of the rope. You may only hold 50% of the problem in your hands right now, but you also hold 100% of the solution. Drop the tension. Directing your energy into these feelings of anger will only cause harm, so no matter how ‘right’ your ego tells you you are, you’re actually wrong. How can something that causes so much tension be right? It is so easy to victimise ourselves… Why is this happening to me? Why do I always have to be the one to let go? Because you can. You can handle it, maybe the other person can’t. To let go shows kindness. It shows strength. Choose to come from the point of solution rather than conflict… how can I prevent myself from being in this situation again? When viewed this way, external tensions can become an opportunity for personal growth. An exciting...
“The breath is the greatest mean of anchoring the awareness within.” – Master Daniel Li Ox Such a simple thing, to breathe. We do it about 20,000 times a day, without even thinking. And yet everything we feel is reflected in respiration. Emotions, tensions, worries. They are all there. To inhale is to take in all the messages, nourishment and energy the universe is providing at any given moment. Breathe deep and embrace it. To exhale is to give back to the universe, and let go of any tensions and toxins hiding inside the body. Breathe deep and release. Certain situations and emotions can lead us to restrain the breath. When sad, the inhalation increases and the exhalation is refrained. When angry, the inhalation is restricted and the exhale becomes much longer. But the breathe of happiness is always full. There is a balance between the in and out breaths. Both are deep and complete. When your awareness is closely following the breath, there you are, already fully immersed in the present moment. Let the breath become an anchor. If the sea gets rough, and waves of emotions start to swell, come back to the simplicity of breathing. Re-balance the inhale and the exhale. Like the tide washing the shore. When I inhale I embrace life. When I exhale I give back to life. Embrace and let go. Inhale, exhale. How are you breathing...
What does it mean to be ‘healthy’? Think about that word for a minute… what images spring to mind? Toned bodies, bronzed skin, smiling faces and green apples are all good examples, and they’re not wrong. Type the word into Google images and that’s exactly what comes up. Health has a face, and a very lovely one. But maybe it’s time we looked under the surface. After all, true beauty isn’t only skin deep. We all have these aspirations, these pictures in our head of how we look when we’re healthy… maybe if we can look like that we can finally be happy! We can finally feel good in our skin. And so we begin with the tiresome diets and trips to the gym. The expensive lotions and potions. There is a whole industry out there waiting for you to spend money trying to fix this or that ‘problem’. The cellulite. The fatigue. The knee pain. Your health. Such a problem. But for some reason, no matter how much money you throw in the pockets of these businesses who claim to make you feel better, you seem to always end up feeling worse. The diet didn’t work. The gym made you tired. The potion made you sick. You end up back where you started, except slightly older and more disheartened. Maybe health is not for you? Maybe you are just not meant to be one of the bronzed, happy people Google raves about. But the truth is that health is so much more than this exterior mould. Those potions and gym memberships are a bit like using band aids...
When the mess left behind comes to the surface… With the fast behind us, the crew here at Wandering Dao all assumed that the hard part was over and we would be able to simply bask in the golden light of health and wellness as we allowed ourselves to indulge again in fine cuisine and energizing foods. This was the case maybe for a few days, but the honeymoon ended quickly. The pain of healing and rebirth has been acute and all-present. Fortunately, qigong has provided us with many tricks to help ease the process. As Maris shares, “My true healing crisis came after the fast – my lifelong allergy popped up on my face worse than than it had ever been. It was torture. I automatically started looking for outside reasons for it and it took real effort to look from the inside. When I went deeper into my discomfort, I eventually reached the place where I recognized my rash, swelling and itchiness as healing. There is a sense of tremendous release at the other end of the pain. Realizing that healing is up to me and my self-discipline gives me a feeling of being in control of my own life and what’s more empowering than that?” Although release has tended to be unpleasant, some of our experiences have been more confounding – bordering on amazing. “I have been dreaming a lot more since the fast, and very vividly.” Jesse reflects. “Also, throughout the day, and during meditation as well, I keep having these strange memories and images of old friends… places, even just past acquaintances – many of whom...
There is a misconception in the world about healing. Our qigong and Daoist training has been teaching us that, ultimately, the only person who can heal you is yourself. What’s more, a crucial part of the healing process typically comes in the form of a surge – a healing crisis. This logic behind personal healing also seems to follow for the establishment of a healing center – in China anyway! We have each been feeling the crisis for Inner Happiness Wellness Center and Mood Food Cafe as renovation is now in full swing. Our excitement over having a new kitchen, an exciting project to work on, and an amazing cafe to share healthy food with friends and strangers has been muted by the incessant screech of power tools, endless pounding of hammers, and an extensive accumulation of debris, dust and filth in nearly every corner of our sacred living space. We have already moved and re-moved our temporary kitchen twice so that many of our essential ingredients and tools have been buried or gone missing. Even the city of Yangshuo, itself, has fallen into sync with our process as the street in front of our home has been ripped open to be replaced with a brand new sidewalk. You actually have to be careful when stepping out of the gate in order to not fall into a chasm! I suspect that any outsider visiting the Inner Happiness Wellness Center, a place that will be touted as a nurturing abode for health and relaxation, at this time, wouldn’t last more than a few minutes before losing it completely...
Along with the rebirth of the physical center, a new training, the Work/Study Program, has also just begun here at Wandering Dao. The four participants – Aixing (Vietnam), Jesse (USA), Nils (Germany) and Maris (Estonia) – have begun a six month training to prepare themselves and the center for six weeks of retreats beginning in the end of October. In the process, they are all experiencing a sort of personal rebirth as well, as they have just completed ten-days on a detox diet and a seven-day fasting protocol. Catch a glimpse of the team in full detox mode in this video shot by Nils. It also features an in depth interview with Daniel about detox. Holistic Detox 1: Why We Need It and How To Do It from wanderingdao on Vimeo. There are more videos on the Vimeo channel too! Even now, with the fast behind them, the purification continues as the students become more and more immersed in the deep practices of the Self Healing Empowerment Essentials Program. “It seems we are all standing on the rubble of our old life and discovering that there’s now room for something new,” Maris reflects. But this space hasn’t been left empty for long as everyone is busy with their own “work” aspect of the Work/Study Program. “It is a good balance of knowledge flowing in and productivity coming out. The practices allow me to be present and work more effectively, and the work helps to solidify the practice in my mind,” remarks Jesse. Each participant is looking forward to having a very successful retreat in October and learning how to put their new skills...
Qigong is an ancient Chinese system of exercise and meditation that makes the mind and spirit tranquil, improves performance in sports, and cultivates health, well-being, and long life. Thus, there are three major kinds of qigong: spiritual, sports, and healing. It is a spiritual discipline, inspired by ancient Chinese shamans, Taoists, and Buddhists, all of who sought harmony and peace in the solitude of nature. Evidence demonstrates that qigong may be an effect adjunct in the treatment of many illnesses including cancer and heart disease. Learn about the remarkable 12 benefits of qigong, here: 1. Well-being and improved health. Qigong emphasizes the whole body, whole system health. While it is true that qigong will often cure specific ills, this is not the primary reason for practice. It is not only a matter of adding years to your life, but life to your years. 2. Clear and tranquil mind. When the mind is at peace, the whole universe seems at peace. World peace begins with you; it is your responsibility to find a peaceful heart and mind. Then you can heal and transform others just through your presence. If you have a tranquil mind, you will make better decisions and have the skill to know when act and when to be still. 3. Deeper, more restorative sleep. Qigong will help you find the deep relaxation and mental quiet necessary for sleep. 4. Increased energy, including sexual vitality and fertility. Qigong people have more energy; it can reverse energy and restore youthfulness. 5. Comfortable warmth. Qigong is great for cold hands and feet. Circulation improves, and the body generates more internal...
Introduction In the early 1980’s, scientists in China began to study the medical benefits claimed for qigong. Since then, research on hundreds of medical applications of qigong have been reported in the Chinese literature. Of special interest for the present article are clinical reports of the medical benefits of qigong that claim to retard or reverse some diseases associated with aging. Most of the original research was reported in Chinese, but access in English to most of this material is possible by reference to the proceedings of international conferences of qigong. Since 1986, ten such proceedings contain about 840 abstracts of talks given at the conferences, more than half of which are in English. These abstracts, along with about 160 abstracts of articles in the scientific literature, have been organized as a computerized database. The database enables searches and development of bibliographies across this entire body of information by using any key word. The clinical outcomes reported in this article are partly based on material in the database and partly on the author’s person contacts with researchers. The word qigong is a combination of two ideas: qi the vital energy of the body, and gong the skill of working of the qi. Medical qigong for health and healing consists primarily of meditation, physical movements, and breathing exercises. Qigong practitioners develop an awareness of qi sensations in their bodies and use their mind, i.e., intention, to guide the qi in the body. The benefits of qigong are said to extend beyond health and healing to enhance spiritual life and even special abilities, such as psychic powers. Medical qigong is divided...
Experimental evidence suggests the following healing effects of qigong exercises and meditations. Cardiovascular lower resting heart rate; normalized EKG, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels Respiratory slower respiratory rate, improves gaseous exchange, significant benefits for asthma & bronchitis Immune System better targeting of antigens, significant anti-cancer effect Circulation improves microcirculation, prevents vascular spasms, very helpful for angina, migraine, and Reynaud’s Syndrome (cold hands & feet) Brain improves cerebral blood flow, less incidence of stroke; reduction in frequency and intensity of seizure disorders; slow, high amplitude brainwaves suggest relaxed and integrated state of consciousness Musculoskeletal improves posture, balance, strength, stamina, flexibility Chronic Pain significant pain reduction from all causes, including injury, surgery, arthritis, fibromyalgia Mental Health decreases: stress response, Type A, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, depression. Improves memory and interpersonal sensitivity Longevity improves: blood pressure, vital capacity, cholesterol and hormone levels, kidney function, mental acuity, vision and hearing, skin elasticity, bone density, immune function, digestion, balance, flexibility, strength, libido. Destroys free radicals (major cause of tissue degeneration) by stimulating activity of superoxide dismutase Source: Qi Gong Research...
