I have always, since I can remember, followed my dreams and my heart. My passion for life and inspiring others has fueled me to do many wonderful things. I’ve gone on adventures in the wilderness, taken leaps with my music, and I have challenged myself physically. Amidst the study and practise of QiGong, I have attained a stillness that is quite new for me. I used to never be able to stand still. My adventure has turned inward. I can stand still for 25 minutes in a pose, very still, with my belly rising and drawing towards my spine, breathing. Before I started practising this work, I would get overwhelmed, but I would remind myself- “All you have to do is breathe.” It is my birthright that I had forgotten.
With QiGong breathing is deeper and athletic. It’s an awesome workout too. All the muscles in the body are engaged. It’s totally hooked into the core. When standing in QiGong, there are subtle micro-movements going on all the time, small settling shifts throughout the body, because we are alive. In QiGong postures act as a catalyst to make life more manageable. By standing still, physical and mental injuries are very apparent, they are however, more manageable. My enemies are right there, and distractions are for the moment, limited. They face me straight on and I have nowhere to run, because I’m standing still. I must face them.
My Internal Enemies:
Procrastination-just do it, I know I’ll feel awesome when I do.
Thinking I don’t have enough time, this is a combination of lassitude and overwhelm, this is a habit I created somewhere down the line that shuts down all activity and creates anxiety. QiGong is great for this, because you can just get up and take a pose.
Fear or False Evidence That Appears Real: such as waking up injuries as I stand and trusting that my energy is healing them. By being grounded in reality I can trust my process, leaving illusion behind.
Integration of Dualities-Enemies and Allies
Standing still gives me the courage to face these things with stillness, and the time and fortitude to forge a new path of wellness, awareness, self regard, true empathy, power and fun. I know life for my family and I can be this way, because I’ve experienced it. When one stands in their own power, their is no room for excuses. There is no time to engage with inferior influences. Enemies help us grow, you heard the saying “keep your friends close and your enemies closer”. It’s true. They challenge you to wake up to yourself.
Adventure and Delight
Try throwing off your shoes and socks today at the park. And stand in the grass, face North (remember moss grows in the north on trees). Have your feet directly under your hips, bend your knees only to where it’s comfortable, engage your feet-draw up your arch while engaging your toes-toes slightly grip the earth. Make sure your knees are over you second toe, stack your spine so your back is straight, chin in down and towards your spine, arms out in front of you-looks like you are embracing a tree (see photo above), index finger should be at eye height, palms toward you, pinkie to thumb extended and engaged, eyes soft gazing out, breath from your belly and exhale all the breath from the naval to the spine. Smile deep and internal, know that very powerful happy people have challenged themselves in this way before.
Try it for a couple minutes. Focus your attention on something simple around you and regard it lightly, like the drone of a bee, or the sound of a child laughing , the wind, take in the colors around you. Breathe deeply and stand in stillness.
