I’ve been paying more attention to the times I feel fine Vs when I actually feel fab.  I have noticed, for example, when I eat prepared and packaged food, I tend to be more sluggish and have less energy.  I am also not as mentally sharp and even get more easily distracted.  And when I eat sweets or have Girls Night Out, there is an immediate moment of feeling good, but then after an hour or so, I can start to feel things change and my energy plummets. My mind also start to feel like growing cobwebs.  On the flip side, I noticed if I eat brussel sprouts for breakfast, for example, I actually feel better at work and am also mentally sharper than when I have prepared cereal.    

I attribute this ability to tune in to what is going on inside my body to Qigong. After about three weeks of doing those simple Qigong daily exercises of nourishing the organs, I noticed not only how much better I felt, but also how much more aware I was of how my body was feeling and reacted to things.  It was as if this Qigong exercise helped me tune into the ability to understand my body's messages.

I then started to connect the dots between how I was feeling to what I was eating. This awareness of how I was feeling helped me realize the impact of fresh foods from packaged foods as well as fast foods from home cooked meals.  With this new awareness I've started on a new path.  Since I want to feel good all the time (or as much as possible) it means I need to give up convenience but in return I will get that feeling of wellness.

Old habits are hard to give up, but the awareness of how much these little daily choices can impact how I feel is rather motivating.  I like the probability of moving from feeling “fine” to feeling “fab.”

I attended a Medical Qigong workshop to learn a new treatment protocol called Da Bei Qigong, created by Dr. Suzanne Friedman.  In this medical qigong treatment, the healing is very much focused on the patient’s ability to take in the energy and have it automatically go to where and how the patient needs it.  It is a very “self-regulating” treatment.  

Most treatment modalities required the practitioner to DO something TO the patient, but in this treatment protocol, the patient participates and helps in their healing process.

During the treatment, the practitioner begins by taking the patients pulses and from that assessment, will determine which acupuncture points to use in the next assessment.  The practitioner then locates certain acupuncture points on the torso, abdomen, and back while the patient shares what she/he is feeling or experiencing when that acupoint is stimulated.  This can provide additional information to the practitioner to identify which acupoints should be included in the patient's treatment.  

The Qigong practitioner then begins the treatment and gently holds her hand over certain acupoints and follows a very specific sequence in using and stimulating different acupoints.  The patient then may be directed to take deep breaths or even mentally direct their attention to certain areas in the body during this treatment sequence. 

I provided this new treatment protocol to one of my regular clients and she reported how it was one of the best treatments she had ever received.  She said the treatment was more physical than usual and she also had much deeper sensations during this Qigong treatment.  She even sent a follow-up email with this additional feedback:

“I noted some other responses to yesterday's 'self-regulating' treatment. Right off I sensed that my body felt more limber and agile -  I felt physically vigorous with less shoulder and low back creaky-ness and my ankle actually felt stronger. This was noticeable and most remarkable as soon as I got home. But more interesting to me was that even driving home, I noted that I was feeling a huge surge in positive emotions and creativity - I had thoughts that brought laughter to my lips, tears to my eyes and a great feeling of peace. You have to know that these are things that I have not experienced for a while. Double wow!”

I attended a workshop called “Da Bei Qiong; the Way of Compassion” and during the workshop we had the chance to practice these techniques on each other.  During one of the practice sessions we would partner up and go through some of the major acupuncture points.  The demonstration included using just one finger over some of the strategic acupuncture points or using a “clawed hand” over the points.  

One of the practitioners I worked with was unique and very different from some of the other attendees.  When I practiced with him, there was such a difference in his style.  He was so focused and so “present” even in these practice sessions, you could feel the difference in what he was doing, immediately.

At the end of the practice session with this practitioner, I suddenly felt a “thump,” like I had suddenly been released from this energy or Qi connection.  I said, “what did you just do?”  He said, “I released my mental connection with you was all.”  This was so startling to actually feel an abrupt change of energy along with that connection just by the change of focus. 

This experience helped me realize how much more powerful an acupuncture or Qigong treatment can be if the practitioner is fully present and focused during the treatment.  The treatment and the effects are much more powerful!  

I admit it.  I sometimes have these thoughts of being tired of the journey through life and just want to give up.  There are times when I get tired of the hurt, or the rejection, or whatever, and just want to pull out the old white flag of surrender and say “I give up.  I can’t do it. I can’t take any more.”  

Well, the other day I had an experience where I felt I was in a coma and my spiritual self was walking around the halls of a hospital and even chatting with other spiritual beings while my physical body was lying in a hospital bed comatose.  It was as if I was “free” at one level, but not free on another.  One part of me was just breathing in and out completing my physical life journey and being fed with a feeding tube. I couldn’t work.  I couldn’t write.  I couldn’t read.  I didn’t do anything except lay in a coma in that hospital bed.  I could hear and could tell when a caregiver was kind and compassionate, as well as breathe in and out.  That was about it. I was physically immobile, but my spiritual self  was free to wander.   

In that moment of awareness, I had the realization I had the choice of just breathing in and out until the job was done, or I could stop complaining and enjoy the ride.

Since that experience I have made some changes in my life.  I released some of the things that made me feel that constant source of hurt and pain.  I’m also taking more pleasure in those little daily events, you know, like being able to get out of bed, being able to eat food, being able to flip the station on the TV to what I want to see.   Those little choices  now seem to give me more pleasure, and with this, I seem to be enjoying the journey more.

Sure, there are still those things that trigger feelings of sadness or despair in my life, but even that seems different in contrast to being in a coma. My perspective has now changed.

There is a Qigong meditation called “The Micro-Cosmic Orbit.”  This Qigong meditation is designed to bring energy to your spiritual self and through this process, you nourish life.

This is an ancient meditation. The history of the Micro-Cosmic Orbit dates back to prehistoric times in China approximately five thousand years ago and can be found in the I-Ching.  

The focus of this meditation is to guide the Qi up or down the Governing Channel (along your back) and Conception Channel (along your front).  It is also designed to nourish certain acupuncture points along this path that are major points associated with the major organs in the body.  Because you are connecting to certain places that are acupuncture points that connect to your major organs, and you are focusing your thoughts to nourish those points, you also end up nourishing your vital organs with Qi.

PREPARATION
You can sit or stand in this meditation.

• You can have your eyes open or closed.
• Your hands may be relaxed at your side.

GROUND AND CONNECT WITH THE EARTH
You begin with grounding and connecting yourself to the earth.
After you feel the connection with the earth, take a deep breath so your abdomen rises.

DEEP BREATH
You can take several of these breaths to signal your mind you are beginning your meditation.

VISUALIZE MOVING OF ENERGY AROUND THE ORBIT OF YOUR BODY
(This meditation is from a workshop by Dr. Suzanne Friedman)

1. Visualize energy coming from the earth into you’re the middle of your perineum (between where you pee and poop). This is where yin convergence occurs. This point calms the spirit. (Ren 1)
   
2. Visualize this energy of the earth moving up from your perineum to the sacrum pump and then up to the narrow of the back and nourish the area here (Du 4). Allow the energy to nourish this point. It will nourish the blood, channels, and also regulate qi.
   
3. Now move the energy up to the middle of your back and focus on sending the energy to this area of the body. This will help energize the adrenals and the solar plexus.
   
4. Next, move up to the middle of the shoulders, along the spine (Du 14). This point will help energize the heart, lungs, and the whole body. It will also help to quiet and calm, as well as nourish, the spirit.
   
5. Now visualize moving the energy up to where the the back of the head and neck meet (Du 15). Visualize energy nourishing this point. This point helps the joints and vessels and clears the spirit.
   
6. Continue moving the energy up your head (Cranial Pump) and allow energy to be distributed to help calm and relax your mind.
   
7. When ready, continue to visualize the moving of energy up and around to the top of your head. Pause and allow the subtle energy to fill your head (at DU20). This will help nourish your mind, spirit, and heart.
   
8. Now, direct your thoughts and attention to move the Qi down the front of your face, pausing at your forehead, between your eyes (Yin Tang).  This area quiets and nourishes your spirit and your mind, as well as helps with insomnia.  
   
9. Now, move the energy to your lower lip, and then your throat. Nourishing this area will help your communication. This will also allow the energy to flow into the “window of the sky” your spiritual center (Ren 22).
   
10. When ready, visualize the qi now flowing to the middle of your chest and heart center, pausing a moment to nourish the point between your nipples (Ren 17).  This point benefits the chest, breasts, and heart. This point also helps asthma.
    
11. Now, send the energy down to your solar plexus and then down below your belly button. Nourishing this area will help with depression, exhaustion, and relieving pain. 
    
12. Now, move down to the area between your tailbone and your anus (Du 1).  Visualize the energy balancing the energies within your body, mind, and spirit.
    
13. You have now completed one orbit around the body, nourishing the main acupuncture points that can nourish all parts of your body, mind, and spirit.
    
14. You can repeat the process for another orbit if you choose.  You can speed or slow down your visualization based on what you sense you need.

ENERGY FROM THE HEAVENS
Another option is to visualize the energy coming from the heavens into your head rather than up from the base of your body.  In this meditation, visualize the energy coming from the heavens and nourishing each of those same points but with the energy from the heavens.

REVERSE CYCLE
You can also visualize the energy in a reverse fashion from the earth or the heavens.  Notice the different results and sensations you have when you go in a different direction.

SUMMARY
This is a great meditation to use each day, especially if you have a chronic illness, including cancer.  This is also a great meditation to help you clear your mind and help you focus on resolving a problem that is troubling you.  You can often get the answer you are looking for in the meditation, or shortly after the meditation.  In addition, this meditation helps nourish your spiritual energy reserves.  So if you are looking to have spiritual experiences, this meditation is for you. 

A client came into the clinic for a Qigong treatment with a sprained ankle and before her treatment began I could sense an Old Chinese Master in the room who was here to assist me.   I let her know what I was sensing the presence of an old Chinese Master and asked if it was OK to have him participate with her treatment.  She agreed.

I began her treatment like I normally begin a Qigong treatment, but soon I could feel my hands being guided to direct Qi at specific acupuncture points; CV 8, KI4, ST43, SP6.  I also felt prompted to visualize and directing her energy to take the swelling and stagnant energy away from her feet and ankles and to clear it out, replacing it with clean and vibrant energy. Near the end of her treatment I was clearing out the kidneys to wash away the stagnation. I also was prompted to massage her thumb, then her pinkies, which corresponds with LU11 and Ht9. Finally, I re-energize energy in her heart to work in sync with her kidneys to better regulate and move her interstitial fluids. 

At the end of the treatment she expressed how she felt another pair of hands treating her.  For example, she knew I was physically at her head, but she could feel someone working on her feet at the same time.  She also noticed how the swelling in her ankles and feet had remarkably reduced since the beginning of her treatment.   She even called me from home to let me know she had expected her foot to be swollen again after driving in a car with her foot not being elevated, but when she got home, her foot still looked normal!  This was good news!

It was fun giving a Qigong treatment and having her be open to being guided by another presence who probably knew more of her needs than I.