Human Potentials UN-Ltd.

Becoming the loving witness allows the storm to pass. From there, we can act from calm mindful response rather than causing more wind and rain. ⛈️💨☔️

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Our health is an intricate tapestry made up of the company we keep, the thoughts we think, the nourishment we take into our bodies, how we move our bodies, and the stories we tell ourselves. Life itself is our best medicine.

Our #1 tip to easily open your heart

Summer is associated with the Fire Element, which is connected to your heart.

And want to know something interesting about the Fire Element? Your inner fire and your lungs are intimately connected.

When your heart contracts, you'll likely feel sluggish, heavy, or withdrawn from your relationships. During times of excess heat, like summer, it's helpful to focus on deep breathing exercises and movements that naturally open up your spine and lungs. These opening exercises help oxygenate the blood fueling your body with more energy.

It's like when you pump air into a fire to get it going BIG. The more air you pump in, the bigger the fire gets.

Your lungs fan the fire of your heart energy. When your lungs contract or you don't take full breaths, your energy depletes. You'll know your lungs are contracted when you take shallow breaths and your shoulders hunch forward.

However, when you breathe fully and deeply, you can open the flow of Qi in your chest and heart. Your chest area will expand. You'll likely feel more energized, light (like a bounce in your step), and confident and expressive in social situations.

So, what's our #1 tip to open your heart?

Spinal cord breathing.

Spinal cord breathing will expand and open your lungs, providing more oxygen to your entire body, especially your brain and heart.

The more oxygen you have in your bloodstream, the better your overall mood will be. You'll also be more relaxed during the natural ups and downs of the day.

Here's how to practice Spinal Cord Breathing.

1. Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Bring your arms up by your sides as if you are about to take a stretch first thing in the morning after getting out of bed.

2. Breath in through your nose and open your arms wider (elbows still bent) allowing your heart center to face up to the sky. Arch your back like you are taking a deeper stretch and let your tailbone stick out like a duck's tail.

3. Reverse the movement and bring your elbows together in front of your face as you exhale through your mouth. Tuck your tailbone under and round your upper back.

4. Go back to opening up the arms and arching the back as you breathe in through the nose, then reverse the movement as you breathe out and round the back and neck.

5. Repeat this for a few minutes and notice how it calms your mind, brings more flexibility to your spine, and expands your lungs.

Some additional tips when you practice spinal cord breathing:

You do not have to practice spinal cord breathing while standing. If you work in an office or at a desk, take two minutes every hour to breathe and move your spine in the same motion - heart open to the sky, rounding the spine forward.

With each inhale, you actively expand the capacity of your lungs. It has been shown that people who practice Qi Gong regularly intake as much as two times the amount of oxygen throughout the day as people who don't practice.

The more oxygen you have in your bloodstream, the more energy you'll feel and the more resiliency you'll have to cope with everyday stresses.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the Heart is the "king" of the organs. This means all the other organs will sacrifice their energy for the heart.

Your heart is the ruler of your emotions, which is why you must send yourself positive messages to keep yourself clear and compassionate.

In Qi Gong for a Healthy Heart, you will learn how to expand your capacity for unconditional love and compassion. The Qi Gong for a Healthy Heart program is on sale until July 31st.

Click here to learn more and get 25% OFF the recording: https://qigo.ng/healthy-heart-sale-0722

Talk soon,

The Holden QiGong Team
www.HoldenQiGong.com