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"The Chinese character for qi (ch'i) is usually translated into English as "vital energy"
or "life force," although its literal meaning is "breath."
"Today,
I want you to notice how you're breathing throughout the day. This simple activity can tell you the state of your nervous
system -- and by learning to control your breathing, you can influence the regulation of your heart rate, blood pressure,
circulation, and digestion. Since you have more control over exhalations, focusing on this part of your breathing is one good way
of learning how to breathe deeper. Use the muscles between your ribs to squeeze air out of your lungs -- when you move
more air out, you will automatically take more air in. As you breathe in and out, think of the cycle as having no beginning
or end. Practice this exercise as often as you like, but I recommend doing it at least once each day."
-
Andrew Weil, M.D., On-line Newsletter, 6/9/2003
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| Double King Pagoda of Longevity |
"Breathing in, I calm body and mind,
Breathing
out, I smile.
Dwelling in the present moment,
I
know this is the only moment."
- Thich Nhat Hanh
Tapping Into Relaxation
Tapping
Touch Technique
We usually tap someone on the back because we want their attention. But, there is a way you
can "give" attention to someone by tapping them on the back.
Tapping Touch was conceived and developed by Dr. Ichiro
Nakagawa, a clinical psychologist, who is the director of the Institute of Holistic Psychology and Education in Kumano, Japan.
The technique simply involves light tapping with the fingertips on another person or oneself that results in many benefits.
Tapping Touch has been found to encourage relaxation, reduce stress and anxiety, renew energy, and enhance creativity, among
other things.
For "Mutual Tapping," find a partner who agrees to take turns doing Tapping Touch with you. Have them
sit comfortably with their back to you and lightly rest both your hands between their shoulder blades. Encourage your partner
to relax and round his or her back a bit. Then begin tapping gently with the soft tips of your fingers. Tap rhythmically,
alternating your left and right hands. Relax your arms, keeping your hands about a fist-width apart.
Tap the shoulder
blade area for about 30 to 60 seconds and then move to other areas of the back. Check in with your partner on what feels good
and where they might want additional tapping. Ten to 15 minutes is a good amount of tapping time for both giver and receiver.
After you've finished tapping, take a moment and rest your hands on your partner's shoulders for about 15 to 30 seconds to
bring closure to the session. Finally, brush your hands down your partner's back and arms two or three times. Feel free to
share the experience with your partner.
You can also give yourself the benefits of Tapping Touch. First, tap alternately
on the left and right sides of your jaw. Feel free to open your mouth and move your jaw around to help relax your facial muscles.
Next tap your cheeks, then your temples spending a bit more time on this area since it contains many acupressure points. Then,
tap your forehead, just above the middle of your eyebrows on both sides of your face.
Continue tapping anywhere that
feels good on your head, moving down the back of your head to the hairline, neck, and shoulders. Tap your chest, in the hollows
below your collarbone, then gradually move down to your lower abdomen. After you finish there, rest your hands on your stomach
and finish by rubbing your hands in a circle.
Since Tapping Touch is so easy to do and only takes a few minutes, you
can do it almost anywhere. So, the next time someone needs some attention, tap them on the back. For more information visit Tappingtouch.org
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