Sensing Your Energy Right Now

Are you aware of you energy yet? Can you feel the prana or chi (or whatever you call it)? Here are two really easy ways to begin to sense it. One you can do while you are sitting here reading this blog entry (although, admittedly, if your workmates can see you they may wonder…)

Put your arms straight out in front of you, chest-height. Turn one palm up and one palm down. Quickly open and close your fists twenty times. Then turn your palms in the opposite direction and repeat opening and closing your palms twenty times. When you finish, you may already feel the *activity* in the palms of your hands. It feels a bit like feathers are touching your hands. That is your energy. To enhance the feel of the energy, bring your elbows to your side with your hands out in front still. Relax your hands so your fingers curl gently (like you are holding a ball). Turn them to face each other and gently move them together (without touching) and further apart. This exercise from Chi Kung is called “Holding an Energy Ball” and it is precisely what you are doing. You will feel the energy between your hands. Pay attention to your hands now. Do you feel even more activity on the surface of your palms? You may even feel many swirls. You have awakened Chakras in your palms. Chakras are intersections of energy channels.

Doing Yoga with the Kids

Yep! I really do yoga with my kids climbing on me – literally. Here are the photos to prove it.

I also want to add that my husband told me Zack (3 years) did his own yoga practice tonight while his sister took a bath. (I was out teaching yoga). He said, “Daddy, can I do yoga?” Then he got out is mat and proceeded to do about 5 minutes of his own yoga (many variations of down dog.) That’s my yoga boy! ☺

Reversing the Cycle of the Breath

Here is a wonderful exercise for letting go. In our culture, we view the cycle of the breath as beginning with an inhalation and ending with an exhalation. There are cultures in which they view it going the other way, beginning with an exhalation and ending with an inhalation. When I need to let go, I use this image of the breath. I first exhale, releasing whatever I am holding on to, creating space in my body, mind, and heart from something new. And then I inhale and bring in wonderful new energy to fill those spaces.

Use this idea in your breathing exercises or during Savasana. I find it particularly helpful when I am feeling stressed and in need of a deep surrender.

Staying Motivated to Practice

How do I stay motivated with my practice? Doing my practice leaves me feeling wonderful! Calm, relaxed, peaceful, kind, loving feelings I crave. If I stray too far from my practice, I begin to feel fears and negativity creep back into my life. I see myself becoming irritable with my children, less grounded and centered. I also find it feeds other negative habits, such as choosing foods that aren’t good for my system, reading books that don’t serve me, watching television. Whereas when I am doing my practice, it feeds wonderful habits, like doing more of my practice!