“What if I told you, you could stay healthy and live longer, simply by doing 10 minutes of easy Chinese energy exercises a day?  Would you do it?”

                                                                                                  —Cathy

These exercises are so simple, it seems impossible to believe their power to change your life and health in just 10 minutes a day.  A legendary Martial Artist taught them to me, and believed firmly, that daily practice could keep a person healthy, balanced and strong into extreme old age.  I watched him, while in his 80’s, fight (and win!) against several young, strong, well-trained Black Belts in simultaneous hand to hand combat, so I decided to follow his lead.  Preserving strength and vigor into old age sounds just great to me, and… so far, so good!  It’s really all about circulating energy (Qi).

The Energy Workout

1.  Using the back of your thumbs, massage the eyelids by stroking from the center outwards.  This will refresh the heart and cool the heart’s fire.

2.  Using the back of the thumbs, massage the nose, stroking downwards on either side from the bridge to the base of the nostrils with enough pressure to close the nostrils.  This will refresh the lungs.

3.  Massage all parts of your ears with your fingers from top to bottom.  This will tonify the kidneys.

4.  Rub your palms together until they warm, then massage your face, rubbing all over, in outward circular movements.  This will strengthen the spleen and pancreas.

5.  With the heel of your palms, cover your ears and tap the back of your head gently.  This will stimulate arteries and refresh your brain.

6.  Rub the Jade Pillow points (by striking the muscles) on either side of your neck.  Using the hand to stroke the muscles on the opposite side of the neck (reach across your throat to do this), begin from the back of the neck, stroke downwards diagonally to the front base of the neck.  Repeat using the other hand to do the other side.  This will help quell nervous agitation.

7.  Make fists, then using the back of your fists, rub your kidneys, (found on either side of the spine just above the waist).  Rub in a circular pattern, first in one direction, then repeat in other direction.  This will help alleviate pain at the waist, and will tonify the kidneys to empower the rest of your body.

8.  Make sure your feet are squeaky clean.  Sit, bending one leg; place one palm on the knee; place the other palm on the Bubbling Spring Point on the bottom of the foot (kidney 1 pt. in the center of the widest portion of your foot).  Rub gently (no pressure) in small circles:  clockwise to tonify; counter clockwise to get rid of toxins.  Do both directions.  Repeat, to do the other leg.  This will relieve high blood pressure, insomnia and high fever.

9.  Rotate your body.  Place both arms across the chest, with the hands on their opposite shoulder.  Turn the body back and forth, rotating all the way down to the ankles.  Allow the eyes to ride with the turning body (do not force the focus to stay in the middle).  Change the hands around and repeat.  This will release the blood and energy to flood the whole body with needed life-force.

10.  Stand with feet shoulder width apart and relax.  Raise both hands above your head (reach high but don’t strain) then swing your hands all the way up and back down (to wherever they seem to swing naturally) 20 times like a child having fun.  This will tonify your lungs and allow you to breathe easier. It also makes you feel playful and energized.

© Cathy Cash Spellman/The Wild Harp & Co. Inc 2012

Tags: alternative healing, alternative medicine, body, energy, Living Well

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