chi Archives – Page 2 of 6

Being happy: why we should choose to flick the switch

November 29, 2019 by Andrew Marshall 2 Comments

Being happy is really rather good. Have you noticed (well, of course you have) that when we are happy, life seems so much lighter? It is also really rather good to be in the company of people who are lighter in spirit. Lightness can be catching. Unlike winter lurgies, happiness is a wonderful infection to pass on. Feel free to pass on your lightness! Indeed, let’s lift the cloak of gravitas that hangs heavily over so much of life today! We need inspiration, not gloom; but what can we do about it?

Being happy: is it a matter of choice or fortune?

We cannot solve the problems of the world, nor can we necessarily change many of the things that affect us, such as health and living conditions. What we do have control over is how we respond internally . When we are feeling down or serious about life, our internal energy takes a bit of a nosedive. Our emotions are very much affected by our energy or Qi; in turn, our Qi is influenced by our state of mind and our consciousness. This is where choice comes in.

Choose to look on the bright side and sow seeds of happiness

Looking on the bright side is not to be unrealistically optimistic but to realise that good can come out of anything. It really is like turning the light on. I sometimes imagine that there is a switch in the heart energy centre. To throw it from dark mode to light relies simply on intention. The significance of this little mental step is that our energy immediately becomes lighter. Energy follows intent. There is a very deep truth in this. We don’t need to analyse, though; just do it. And who knows? Make it a habit and we could well start off an epidemic.

The Great Little Book of Happiness is filled with tips on what we can do to improve our happiness and sense of wellbeing.

Energy circulation meditation

Qi power – secrets of internal energy for health and stability

March 30, 2019 by Andrew Marshall Leave a Comment

Qi power, the product of cultivating internal energy, is the stuff of martial arts fantasy films. Flying onto and across rooftops, walking up walls and performing endless miraculous feats are as normal as a stroll down the road. It could be fun, couldn’t it? As wildly imaginative as such stories may be, tales of fiction are often inspired by something that has its basis in reality. Qi power is one such example, or rather catalogue of examples, of the extraordinary having its roots in truth. Sadly, it is extremely unlikely that we will fly through the air without props of some kind. However, we can learn to harness this amazing energy to better our health.

Qi power for health – it’s free!

Qi is vital energy. It pervades the universe, our bodies and the environment. Qi power is what comes from optimising the flow of qi. Just as diffused light can be focused, and water can be channelled or allowed to dissipate, it is possible to cultivate this marvellous energy for our own health. Wonderfully, it costs nothing, just a little time. There are three key things to its cultivation: posture, breath and, most importantly, mental focus. There are many qigong practices – sets of exercises (or stances) with co-ordinated breathing to develop qi power – but we may not be able or willing to commit to those. Even so, we can do something that is quite simple and very effective.

Standing like a mountain

With just a little practice, this simple exercise can build up a feeling of both inner and outer strength. Qi or vital energy becomes more stable and stronger in the lower part of the body. It connects us mentally and energetically to the Earth and our surroundings, calming the mind and pacifying the nervous system. This is the amazing effect of qi power.

The posture

Stand with the feet shoulder width apart or even a couple of inches wider. Adjust the feet so that the toes point straight ahead of you and the feet are parallel to each other. Relax the knees so they are not “locked” straight. The weight should be evenly balanced.
Straighten the back and then relax the shoulders so that they drop. Tuck the chin in a little so that the neck is straight and feel as though you are suspended by a thread from the top of the head. Turn the hands so that the palms face backwards and are slightly out from the side of the body. Bring them forwards an inch or two.

The technique

Now for the inner position. Place the tip of the tongue just behind the front teeth. Relax the abdomen. The gaze should be horizontal, as if you were looking out to a distant horizon.
Breathe so that as you inhale the diaphragm comes down and pushes the abdomen out slightly and when you exhale the abdomen relaxes inwards a little.
Allow the energy in the body to settle, rooting you to the Earth. Let the mind empty.
Sometimes feel the feet or the hands, but always come back to the lower abdomen as it moves with the breath.
Feel as though you are very tall, very strong, and unshakeable. Remain standing in this way for 2, 3 or even 4 minutes.

You can find more on this in The Great Little Book of Happiness, available in paperback and ebook.

Energy circulation: why it is better for health than jogging

October 27, 2018 by Andrew Marshall Leave a Comment

Energy circulation in the body is probably the most important factor in maintaining good health. When illness strikes, it is usually the result of an imbalance in the body that has been going on for some time. Inflammation and congestion are known causes of many modern ailments and are the result of poor energy circulation. Cardiovascular health is a top priority in fitness regimens, as is body mass index, but the slimmest, fittest person I know was recently found dead in a ditch, following a massive coronary attack whilst on a bicycle ride. Intense aerobic exercise is not always the best option and often ignores body types and constitutions. Energy circulation acknowledges the importance of overall health and fitness but approaches it with a different emphasis – nurturing the body rather than seeing it as a challenge to be overcome.

How can I use energy circulation?

There are many techniques and practices that help to circulate energy through the body. Most involve physical movement of some kind and, essentially, all employ the mind. There is a very close correlation between mind and energy. Borrowing from Taoist thought, yi (mind) leads the qi (energy). If the mind is tense, so too is the body. The natural state of the mind is openness but past conditioning and innumerable emotions create tension in most of us. Letting go of these is a gradual process and is a key component in allowing qi to flow through us, so promoting health and vitality. Meditation is one very useful practice; qigong is another. Tai chi (taiji) can be thought of as combining the two in a system of slow martial arts moves.

A simple qigong exercise

Stand with the feet apart and back straight. (Alternatively, sit upright.) Lift the head slightly, as though you are lengthening the neck. Place the tip of the tongue lightly on the hard palate, just behind the teeth. Breathe slowly.
Bring the hands to a few inches in front of the chest, as though holding an orb of light, with the fingers pointing upwards.
Breathe in and imagine the orb expanding, pushing the hands apart a little. As you exhale, close the hands, shrinking the orb to its original size.
Continue doing this for at least a couple of minutes and then lower the hands and rest them on the lower abdomen, just below the navel, for about half a minute.

This is a wonderful start to the practice of energy circulation.

For a free guided meditation on circulating energy, go here.

Other free meditations.

More information on health and energy in my book on happiness.

Be rooted again: how a simple trick enhances life and wellbeing

August 10, 2018 by Andrew Marshall Leave a Comment

Be rooted and you can become almost unshakeable. This is a common principle in martial arts, especially taiji (tai chi), where we can become so firmly grounded through the legs and feet that another person finds it impossible to push or pull us over. It gives an illusion of enormous strength but there is little muscular force in it, in fact quite the opposite. To be rooted, we have to learn to become centred and to relax. Although this technique, if we call it that, we express through the body, it is a mental approach that we can apply throughout life.

Be rooted: find your centre

When we are anxious – and we are living in an age where there is much anxiety – whatever we think or do plays out on a background of instability. Our energy is unsettled and our minds are too active, too yang. As a result, events in life and even what people say can pull us this way and that. Our stress responses go up and quality of life goes down. We have forgotten how to be rooted.

The first step in coming back is to find our own centre. Instead of letting our energy go up through the chest and into our head, creating chaos on the way, we bring it to the centre of the body and down into the belly. Just focus. Let the energy build. Focus at the navel or slightly below and slow the breath down. The energy will come home to its centre. It’s a good feeling and is entirely natural.

Relax: keep your head up but let your feet sink

Letting the energy come home to the centre is the first stage. To be rooted well, we also need to let go of everything and relax. Relax your legs and feet, too. Your feet are designed to be in contact with the ground, so let them enjoy that. Let them sink. Really feel the earth through your feet. Thich Nhat Hanh used to say, “kiss the Earth with your feet”. Or we may like to feel as though we are breathing through the soles, drawing in nourishment from the ground beneath us. Once we have learnt to be rooted like this, there is no cause for anxiety. Centred and relaxed, we belong to the Earth and wherever we are, we are at home. Life is so much better like that. And it’s easy.

There is more like this in The Great Little Book of Happiness and my other books, available here.

Strength: 3 reasons why balance is better than muscle

July 21, 2018 by Andrew Marshall Leave a Comment

Strength is wonderful. When we are strong, whether in body or mind, and preferably both, we feel great and can achieve many good things. Cultivating strength seems very worthwhile. It often results from dedication, application and discipline – from gong fu. A strong character is developed through life’s experiences and, if we are lucky, sound education. Daily, we see the actions of those who have used strength in order to become powerful and perhaps wonder if it is such a good quality after all. In taiji (tai chi), we emphasise balance as the way to become strong. Being powerful should be of no interest whatsoever. Here’s why this is essential, not just in taiji, but to leading a happy life.

Strength lies in the beauty of the play of yin and yang

Life is a continual play of opposites. Once we accept and understand this, we don’t need to cling onto what is good, nor fear the bad. When we cling, we become very yin. When we fight, we become very yang. Both are states of weakness and imbalance that are detrimental to health and wellbeing. They can also cause problems and unhappiness for those around us. No good points there, then. But all we need to do is let go. In taiji, we learn to relax in our movements so that the blood and qi can flow through the body unimpeded. Good upright posture but relaxed and open. Strength is in grace and poise, not power. The principle in life is the same. Balance yin with yang, and yang with yin. No forcing – just play.

Head points to Heaven, feet to Earth – don’t forget the feet

There is a very valuable principle in taiji of being rooted. When we begin learning the movements, the placing of the feet in the correct position is drummed into us. Only much later can we understand why this is so important. When we know how to relax the body, including the feet, and to open the joints, which takes a long while to develop, the experience of being rooted comes. It’s a wonderful feeling. There is enormous strength in being connected to the Earth in this way. It is very difficult for others to push or pull us off balance. In modern life we tend to focus in the head and forget the feet. The world is more than a little crazy because we have become very clever but in the process have lost our stability.

The Goldilocks effect

Muscles are better than porridge. Even if you are a porridge fan, you can’t eat porridge without muscles. Some people like to build up their muscle bulk to acquire an impressive physique. Oddly, you don’t see animals going to the gym or lifting weights, but you do see them stretching. Strength isn’t about having big muscles but having a body that is fit for purpose. Too little muscle, and we are weak; too much and we become tight and lose some of our flexibility. Like Goldilocks’s choice of porridge, there is a midpoint that is just right. In taiji, there are moves that involve standing on one leg. Most people wobble a bit at first. Gradually, through doing relaxed movements, strength builds up. A stiff leg isn’t strong, we discover. We learn, too, that a taut abdomen makes us weaker, paradoxical though that may seem. In life, too, there is a midpoint in everything. The Middle Way. Now, that’s strength.

For an exploration of finding the middle way in life, read my book The Art of Not Doing available here.

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Being happy: why we should choose to flick the switch

Being happy: is it a matter of choice or fortune?

Choose to look on the bright side and sow seeds of happiness

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