In this hectic world we live in where speed and efficiency are held with utmost value, it has become a growing trend to take some time to yourself to get pampered and recharge. Spas have been popping up like mushrooms all over, offering all sorts of services - medicated baths, aromatherapy, a variety of body wraps, scrubs and of course, massages.
One can suggest that the western mentality and emphasis on progress on production has put the world out of balance, and the eastern orientation toward harmony, balance and transcendence aims to correct that. Tuina is one of those ways in which we can put a balance in our lives.
Like Cupping, Tuina is something that can be done in the comfort of one's own home - depending on which Tuina technique one is using, it can even be done in the office, car or anywhere. Sure, it may take a little more practice to master, however, it is something that anybody can learn, and I think that's where it draws much of its value. It's such practical knowledge and I believe that everyone should have a basic knowledge of it and its techniques. It's so useful in our world today.
The eastern philosophy of balance really makes us realize that if we keep pushing ourselves relentlessly, we run the risk of burning out, and it's so important for us to know when to stop and give ourselves a break.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Can Qigong exercises build lean muscle?
Q:
Is it possible for Qigong exercises to build muscle? I am limited in the amount of time I can work out in a day and I am trying to get the best of all worlds. I would like to increase health, longetivity and muscle tone. Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Re:
I don't think so. Not enough physical excercise to improve lean muscule tone. Perhaps some power building excercises from Nei Ja Chuan styles and help. Most Chinese are not concerned with looks and more concerned with eficiency in movement, alignment,all combined with breath training. Muscle mass or lean muscles are not valued much. The exception in the extensivee leg training in Internal styles such as Chen Tai Chi, Pa Kua, Hsin Yi and Liuhebafachuan. Again looks are not the issue, but a strong base and root are basic as a launching pad, along with a strong and flexible waist. In the West, upper body strength is values and in China, lower body strength is more empahsised.
Is it possible for Qigong exercises to build muscle? I am limited in the amount of time I can work out in a day and I am trying to get the best of all worlds. I would like to increase health, longetivity and muscle tone. Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Re:
I don't think so. Not enough physical excercise to improve lean muscule tone. Perhaps some power building excercises from Nei Ja Chuan styles and help. Most Chinese are not concerned with looks and more concerned with eficiency in movement, alignment,all combined with breath training. Muscle mass or lean muscles are not valued much. The exception in the extensivee leg training in Internal styles such as Chen Tai Chi, Pa Kua, Hsin Yi and Liuhebafachuan. Again looks are not the issue, but a strong base and root are basic as a launching pad, along with a strong and flexible waist. In the West, upper body strength is values and in China, lower body strength is more empahsised.
Posted by
Beacon Lee
Benefits of Qigong VS Yoga
It really depends who you talk to, different traditions say different things....
This is going to get complicated real fast, but let's start first with how Chinese often talk about "internal work"
NONE of these is cut and dry. Many martial art traditions got their internal work from religious and medical methods. Many martial art methods found their way back into religious sects...
Yoga also has different branches, different traditions and different schools
Raja or royal yoga was a life style, but yoga itself is a general term meaning "union" and is related to the English work "yoke" or to bind. Yoga is to become "one"
Various Yogi have said this means different things, one with YOURSELF, one with NATURE, many today, to appeal to westerners, say one with G'd
Similarly, Taoist Chi Gong has been said to either 1) make you literally immortal (not die) or to 2) make you "one with the Tao" (which could mean one with the Jade Emperor, ie a god, or one with teh correct path, or one with the universe/nature
Depending upon the Buddhist school, you can be doing Chi Kung to strengthen your body for meditation, or to literally make yourself a Lo Han!!!! That may mean depending upon the tradition, becoming an imortal (like the Taoist Sin Yan) or simply making yourself no longer exist!!!
Theory and religion aside, on a practical level the many techniques both share is quite astounding. They are really sort of one and the same. You have both posture and breath, movement and stillness, alll which have quantifiable physical results and benefits....
Remember, Yoga includes Asana (posture, including movement) and Pranayana (breathing), then later there is deep meditation and contemplation
This is going to get complicated real fast, but let's start first with how Chinese often talk about "internal work"
- medical
- religious
- martial art
NONE of these is cut and dry. Many martial art traditions got their internal work from religious and medical methods. Many martial art methods found their way back into religious sects...
Yoga also has different branches, different traditions and different schools
Raja or royal yoga was a life style, but yoga itself is a general term meaning "union" and is related to the English work "yoke" or to bind. Yoga is to become "one"
Various Yogi have said this means different things, one with YOURSELF, one with NATURE, many today, to appeal to westerners, say one with G'd
Similarly, Taoist Chi Gong has been said to either 1) make you literally immortal (not die) or to 2) make you "one with the Tao" (which could mean one with the Jade Emperor, ie a god, or one with teh correct path, or one with the universe/nature
Depending upon the Buddhist school, you can be doing Chi Kung to strengthen your body for meditation, or to literally make yourself a Lo Han!!!! That may mean depending upon the tradition, becoming an imortal (like the Taoist Sin Yan) or simply making yourself no longer exist!!!
Theory and religion aside, on a practical level the many techniques both share is quite astounding. They are really sort of one and the same. You have both posture and breath, movement and stillness, alll which have quantifiable physical results and benefits....
Remember, Yoga includes Asana (posture, including movement) and Pranayana (breathing), then later there is deep meditation and contemplation
Posted by
Beacon Lee
Yoga and multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis symptoms can take a toll, but staying on a regular exercise regimen may help. Join a live Web chat on the benefits of exercise for people with MS on May 2 at 11 a.m. PDT (1 p.m. CDT, 2 p.m. EDT). Our chat guest, Dr. Barbara Giesser, clinical professor of neurology at the David Geffen UCLA School of Medicine and medical director of the Marilyn Hilton MS Achievement Center at UCLA, will be on hand to take questions on fitness and MS. Giesser has been treating patients with MS since 1989
We asked her if certain types of exercises, such as yoga or aquatics, are generally better for people with MS.
"Many people with MS report benefits from yoga," she said, "including increased flexibility and decreased spasticity, and decreased fatigue. Swimming in a cool (not more than 85 degrees) pool is excellent exercise and provides an aerobic workout without someone becoming overheated. A pool also allows people with weak muscles to exercise those muscles in a gravity-free environment and perform motions they would not be able to do on land. Some who have MS also report that they derive benefit from Pilates-type workouts for core strength and flexibility."
Becoming too hot is a concern for those with MS, she added: "If a person with MS becomes overheated, it may temporarily make their symptoms worse. While they are exercising, it is important for them to try to keep cool. They can do that by drinking cold water or ice chips, placing cooling cloths on their head and neck or by wearing special cooling garments. They can also have a fan on during exercise."
We asked her if certain types of exercises, such as yoga or aquatics, are generally better for people with MS.
"Many people with MS report benefits from yoga," she said, "including increased flexibility and decreased spasticity, and decreased fatigue. Swimming in a cool (not more than 85 degrees) pool is excellent exercise and provides an aerobic workout without someone becoming overheated. A pool also allows people with weak muscles to exercise those muscles in a gravity-free environment and perform motions they would not be able to do on land. Some who have MS also report that they derive benefit from Pilates-type workouts for core strength and flexibility."
Becoming too hot is a concern for those with MS, she added: "If a person with MS becomes overheated, it may temporarily make their symptoms worse. While they are exercising, it is important for them to try to keep cool. They can do that by drinking cold water or ice chips, placing cooling cloths on their head and neck or by wearing special cooling garments. They can also have a fan on during exercise."
Posted by
Beacon Lee
How a yoga teacher say。。。
Some time ago, I was in a chiropractor’s office with acute low back pain. Years of running long distance outdoors was wearing on my spine. Along the course of treatment, more than one doctor suggested I consider yoga as a path to healing.
Out of sheer desperation for relief of pain, I made my way to a studio. While I began my yoga practice seeking relief from physical pain, I quickly learned that it offered value far beyond the physical.
Yoga is an ancient physical and spiritual practice that reportedly originated in India more than 5,000 years ago. The word yoga means to unite, yoke or join. A physical yoga practice is a safe, non-competitive, non-judgmental way to integrate body with mind and mind with soul. Practicing physical yoga regularly did heal my body, but the unexpected surprise was how it reached all areas of my life.
While I was healing my physical body on the mat, I learned things that I carried into my day. I learned that I felt more alive and vibrant when I breathed deeply. I learned where I held tension in my body and how I could use that awareness to unclench in my daily life.
I learned that sometimes the stories running in my head were causing me to get in my own way and that I had the power to create new story lines. I learned that I wasn’t always kind to my body and that I deserved to change that. I learned that I was complete and okay exactly as I was on any given day. I learned that the new, improved ways I was treating myself positioned me to treat others even better. I learned that yoga has magical, transformational powers.
Studies of the benefits of yoga have shown it to improve strength, flexibility, balance, energy, mood, digestion, weight, sleep, sexuality and body awareness and acceptance.
A 2008 study by Yoga Journal indicated that of the 15.8 million people who practice yoga, roughly 72% are women and 28% are men. The somewhat high number of male yogis may be surprising to those who view yoga as a “feminine” pursuit. The study also showed that the majority of participants are between 18-54 years old, but nearly 20% of those studied were older than 55.
These numbers prove that men and women of all ages and physical abilities practice yoga. The Browns do it. The Cavs do it. Celebrities do it. Moms do it. Dads do it. Grandparents do it. Children do it. People with disabilities do it. Turns out, 16 million Americans do it.
Yoga really is for every-body.
Out of sheer desperation for relief of pain, I made my way to a studio. While I began my yoga practice seeking relief from physical pain, I quickly learned that it offered value far beyond the physical.
Yoga is an ancient physical and spiritual practice that reportedly originated in India more than 5,000 years ago. The word yoga means to unite, yoke or join. A physical yoga practice is a safe, non-competitive, non-judgmental way to integrate body with mind and mind with soul. Practicing physical yoga regularly did heal my body, but the unexpected surprise was how it reached all areas of my life.
While I was healing my physical body on the mat, I learned things that I carried into my day. I learned that I felt more alive and vibrant when I breathed deeply. I learned where I held tension in my body and how I could use that awareness to unclench in my daily life.
I learned that sometimes the stories running in my head were causing me to get in my own way and that I had the power to create new story lines. I learned that I wasn’t always kind to my body and that I deserved to change that. I learned that I was complete and okay exactly as I was on any given day. I learned that the new, improved ways I was treating myself positioned me to treat others even better. I learned that yoga has magical, transformational powers.
Studies of the benefits of yoga have shown it to improve strength, flexibility, balance, energy, mood, digestion, weight, sleep, sexuality and body awareness and acceptance.
A 2008 study by Yoga Journal indicated that of the 15.8 million people who practice yoga, roughly 72% are women and 28% are men. The somewhat high number of male yogis may be surprising to those who view yoga as a “feminine” pursuit. The study also showed that the majority of participants are between 18-54 years old, but nearly 20% of those studied were older than 55.
These numbers prove that men and women of all ages and physical abilities practice yoga. The Browns do it. The Cavs do it. Celebrities do it. Moms do it. Dads do it. Grandparents do it. Children do it. People with disabilities do it. Turns out, 16 million Americans do it.
Yoga really is for every-body.
Posted by
Beacon Lee
Yoga is proving to have great benefits for children on the autism spectrum
The ancient art of yoga is proving to have great benefits for children on the autism spectrum. Yoga comprehensively addresses their heightened anxiety, poor motor coordination and weak self-regulation, something that otherwise is very difficult to do.
Yoga is particularly instrumental in helping kids with autism learn self-regulation. By becoming aware of their bodies and aware of their breathing, yoga provides them with the ability to cope when they start to feel anxious or upset.
Many yoga for autism classes teach yoga poses or breathing techniques specifically intended to help children contend with their escalating emotions. Since these children are visually oriented, savvy instructors add a visual element so that the child has a colored picture of each pose near his or her mat. Parents are also given pictures of the poses so that they can do them at home with their child.
Often, classes incorporate other experiences known to benefit a child on the autism spectrum, such as massage, music, dance, rhymes and stories. Music engages the brain and promotes communication. Massage aids in relaxation and facilitates the giving and receiving of affection. Being able to dance about in contrast to the stationary poses of yoga and the addition of the language element of rhymes and stories complete what amounts to amazing and fun intervention.
Some schools go so far as to offer their students with autism yoga in the classroom, which is very smart on their part and helps create a successful classroom experience for autism spectrum students. My son had a teacher in middle school who let him lead the class in yoga and it bolstered his self-esteem and helped him go the last half of the school year with nary a meltdown.
Early on, I realized that managing my sons’ autism was energetic rather than disciplinary. Good teachers know this as well. Parents find that the quality of their child’s life improves through practicing yoga, that they become more communicative, calmer and sleep through the night. Teachers greet children who demonstrate more focus and less volatility and the child experiences the pride and self confidence that comes with gaining new skills.
Yoga is particularly instrumental in helping kids with autism learn self-regulation. By becoming aware of their bodies and aware of their breathing, yoga provides them with the ability to cope when they start to feel anxious or upset.
Many yoga for autism classes teach yoga poses or breathing techniques specifically intended to help children contend with their escalating emotions. Since these children are visually oriented, savvy instructors add a visual element so that the child has a colored picture of each pose near his or her mat. Parents are also given pictures of the poses so that they can do them at home with their child.
Often, classes incorporate other experiences known to benefit a child on the autism spectrum, such as massage, music, dance, rhymes and stories. Music engages the brain and promotes communication. Massage aids in relaxation and facilitates the giving and receiving of affection. Being able to dance about in contrast to the stationary poses of yoga and the addition of the language element of rhymes and stories complete what amounts to amazing and fun intervention.
Some schools go so far as to offer their students with autism yoga in the classroom, which is very smart on their part and helps create a successful classroom experience for autism spectrum students. My son had a teacher in middle school who let him lead the class in yoga and it bolstered his self-esteem and helped him go the last half of the school year with nary a meltdown.
Early on, I realized that managing my sons’ autism was energetic rather than disciplinary. Good teachers know this as well. Parents find that the quality of their child’s life improves through practicing yoga, that they become more communicative, calmer and sleep through the night. Teachers greet children who demonstrate more focus and less volatility and the child experiences the pride and self confidence that comes with gaining new skills.
Posted by
Beacon Lee
inner self and total fitness
To exercise your inner self, take the time to step off the treadmill and concentrate on the here and now, says Michelle Bridges.
Try this for a moment: for the next five minutes, concentrate on your breathing, and nothing else. Take long, deep breaths, relax your body and don't let your mind wander. The only thing that there is in the world is you and your breathing.
In this calm state, you are stimulating your parasympathetic nervous system, which lowers your blood pressure and slows the pace of your breath.
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And why is this good? Because when your blood is no longer being frantically pumped to your muscles, it can properly flow to your organs - your immune, reproductive and digestive systems - and in doing so carry all the nutrients required for their good health.
And that is the difference between dancing and practising yoga. On the face of it, they both involve at some level the performance of similar movements, stretches and bends. But a dance routine stimulates the sympathetic nervous system - the nervous system that increases the heart rate and accelerates the breathing. A dancer's attention is focused on everything that is happening around them, while a yogi's attention is focused on everything within them.
Regular dance classes will stretch and tone, as will regular yoga classes.
But yoga has additional mental benefits, because it teaches its practitioners to focus purely on the present, on the now. Think back to the breathing exercise I asked you to do earlier. If you did it correctly, there was no room in your mind to be worrying about work tomorrow or forgetting to put the garbage bins out.
Yoga uniquely connects its practitioners' minds and bodies. It also has the additional benefit of not just stretching and toning, but stretching and toning while deep breathing and being in a calm, meditative state.
Concentrating on your breathing, and only your breathing, means that you are focusing on the most fundamental task your body performs, and one it performs every moment of the day. This connects your mind and your body without the clutter of physical and mental distractions.
Importantly, it does it in the present. There's no fretting about the past or anxiety about the future, only a state of calmness in the "now".
Thanks to the frenetic pace of modern life, this "existing in the moment" is a way of being that often proves elusive. How often have you felt your concentration wander to other things when in conversation with friends or while reading a book?
It's time to enjoy the freedom of being fully present and aware of what's happening around us.
Posted by
Beacon Lee
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