Qigong Tips for Busy Women - Try Our Stack-It Bites

Life is short, keep it simple.

Welcome to Good Energy Qigong, where we share "all things good." Recognizing that we all have busy lives and could use some qigong tips, we wanted to introduce the idea of "Stack-It" bites so you may pick and choose what strikes your fancy. Each of us has unique goals when it comes to our wellness routines. This may shift from time to time, and you can pick and choose what's important in the moment, day, how you're feeling, and so on.

This concept of adding small bouts of 1-2 minutes of movement, or 'Stack-It' bites, every hour is inspired by the book Good Energy. Studies suggest that these small bites of low impact movement have as much, or even greater benefit for metabolic health than one hour of focused exercise. "Spouts of focused physical activity are certainly great for health. But optimal metabolism results from regular low-level physical activity, which continuously stimulates cellular pathways that promote Good Energy physiology." - Casey Means, MD.

Our recommendations are to keep it simple - which is what we do. Some days, an hour of qigong fits, and sometimes it's difficult to dedicate time to take care of oneself. Feeling unmotivated or even overwhelmed with the thought of finding time to practice can be too much. Try "stacking" and still enjoy the benefits of balance, rejuvenation, and feeling better. Qigong is many things . . . meditation, self-massage, slow flowing movement, breathwork, stillness, grounding, and more.

Try integrating 5 or 10 minutes "here and there" into your daily routine. They key is to begin "stacking" these movements with things you already do. I enjoy incorporating small movements into my routine, such as when I make coffee in the morning. The time it takes for the water to heat is perfect for incorporating spinal breathing, forward fold and gathering qi. This is a great start to my day! Getting dressed I do great bear swims and knocking on the door of life. You get the idea...once you start looking for opportunities to move, you'll start to notice them everywhere!

Below are three super beneficial movements that are worth doing "on the fly."

Tapping:  

(1) Sit on the floor, legs outstretched, and tap your toes together 50-100 times. (2) In the same position, bounce legs on the floor gently 50-100 times. (3) Bend your knees and tap 50-100 times. (4) Lay down and tap tailbone 50-100 times. Then rest and feel the qi (energy) flowing in your feet, legs, spine, and more.

Benefits: Grounding, removes inflammation, boosts immunity, and helps all systems work efficiently.

Meditation:

Stand tall with heels together and toes pointed out in a "V." Place hands

on belly. Imagine your energy sinking into sacred ground from soles of feet and energy also rising to the sky from the crown. Relax eyes, mouth, torso, pelvis, and legs. Breathe in and out slowly through the nose and just be.

Benefits: Calms and centers the nervous system and relieves stress and tension.

Movement:

Spinal Cord Breathing movement opens the spine and back. (1) Make a loose fist with your hands and bring your arms up above shoulders as you inhale. (2) Arch your back and look up. (3) Next, exhale and round your back, tuck your tailbone under, and look down. (4) Do this 7 times slowly each way.

Benefits: Synchronizing the breath with movement helps release tension in the nervous system, reverses the effects of "tech neck" and sitting, and creates flexibility in the spine.

Use your own creativity and pick your favorite qigong movements and let it be fun instead of stressful. Always, always, always notice how you feel before and after. Stacking is fun and motivating, so give it a try - look for more Stack-It bites soon. See you in class - on-line or in-person.

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