To my dismay, that old familiar shy monster had an unexpected grip on me again when I was suddenly asked to speak publicly about my show, What’s Wrong with a Mouse?
I love that the etymological root of courage actually traces back to the Latin word for heart. I believe it is so critical that when I (or you) start to hide, it is time go back to the heart of the matter, your deepest motivation. Well, that…and a little intentional break-through energy…
Where do you need to break out your voice and deliver your message this week?
Vicki Dello Joio, founder ofThe Way of Joy: A Spiritual Fitness Program, is a teacher, speaker and performing artist. Integrating over 40 years of Chi Kung practice with other martial arts as well as her work in Yoga, Feldenkreis, physical fitness and theater, Vicki has developed a dynamic set of tools to increase awareness, transform obstacles into opportunities and enhance creative potential. Book: The Way of Joy, CD: Short Meditations for a Busy Life. On-line videos you can use to supercharge your energy in less than 4 minutes a day: From Muck to Mastery.
As we move towards Winter Solstice and the days grow shorter, there tends to be a social pressure to be Out and About, get things done, shop and socialize. In some ways these two states can feel out-of-sync or contradictory, thus producing tension in our minds and bodies.
In past vlogs I’ve talked about different natural stress relievers: bringing your focus to your breath or taking a moment to slow down to align your body and become present like a baby Buddha.
Today I’d like to offer a short easy qigong practice to help stay grounded during times of stress or tension during accelerated times.
Do you notice anything different in how you feel after you’ve tried this out or do you feel about the same?
Maybe taking a deep breath isn't such a bad idea...
Do you get annoyed when someone reminds you to breathe? Does it sometimes feel like your stress is the only thing that is keeping you together? Sometimes, I think that our lives are so hectic that we end up panting even when we are not running.
Much has been written about the health benefits of meditation, particularly in the area of stress reduction. I believe that, on an energetic level, any practices that create an internal opening—whether they be sitting meditation or automatic writing, moving Chi Kung, yoga, or prayer—create a sense of space, both in the psychological sense of “taking space” and physically inside of the very cells of our bodies, because as we breathe deeply, we oxygenate our blood. We can then open up the energy bound up in stress and transform it into something that can serve us instead of drain us.
Do you ever find that with a single mindful breath, you find life begins to flow again, regardless of how fast things seem to be going?
Vicki Dello Joio, founder of The Way of Joy: A Spiritual Fitness program, is a teacher, speaker and performing artist. Integrating over 40 years of Chi Kung practice with other martial arts as well as her work in Yoga, Feldenkreis, physical fitness and theater, Vicki has developed a dynamic set of tools to increase awareness, transform obstacles into opportunities and enhance creative potential. Book: The Way of Joy: An Evolutionary Process to Awaken Inspiration, Focus Intention and Manifest Fulfillment, CD: Short Meditations for a Busy Life.
