Welcome to this guided Qigong shaking and self acupressure meditation for releasing anxiety and embracing self love and joy.
Within this practice we will explore the profound connection between the fire element within the creative cycle and the five elements and your intrinsic ability to express yourself confidently and authentically to the world.
Anxiety,
Like energy,
Needs to move through the body.
Often it gets trapped,
Causing discomfort and distress from within.
Today we use the practice of Qigong shaking,
A moving meditation,
To help to release this trapped energy.
Once we've stirred and activated it,
Then we'll use self acupressure to ground this energy and bring about a sense of tranquil stillness and calm from deep within.
The fire element governs your capacity to express yourself fully and confidently in the world.
When it is in balance,
It shines forth as self-confidence and a connection with your true personal power.
However,
When imbalanced,
It can manifest as feelings of anxiety,
Imposter syndrome,
And fluctuating or low self-worth.
As you inhale,
Let your breath reside in the space of your heart.
See and sense and connect with your heart as a beautiful flower in summer,
Awaiting to blossom.
Just like summer brings forth the full beauty of all flowers to the world,
The fire element invites us to reveal our true selves confidently and authentically.
As we begin our Qigong shaking practice,
Please now start to allow your feet to come shoulder-width apart.
As you stand,
Let your knees slightly bend and allow your arms to gently float down through the sides of your body.
As you exhale,
Feel the earth beneath your feet supporting you.
As you inhale,
Feel the back of your head,
The back of your neck,
And the crown of your head gently align with the heavens,
With the sky.
As you come into this stance that is called Limitless Stance,
Relax your jaw and allow your tongue to rest in the cavity of your mouth,
Letting the tip of your tongue touch the back of your front teeth.
From this position,
Allow your body to start to gently shake,
Shaking your legs,
Your hips,
Your chest,
Shaking your fingers,
Your wrists,
Your forearms,
Your elbows,
Your arms,
Shaking your shoulders,
Your neck,
Your head.
Begin shaking your body,
Allowing your arms,
Your legs,
And your full body to move freely.
Let this shaking be a form of a rhythmic release,
Allowing any tension,
Any anxiety,
Any energy that needs to move through you to gently move and channel itself,
To loosen and flow out.
This might be a gentle rhythmic shaking that is hardly noticeable at all,
Or it could be a big vigorous shaking,
And perhaps you allow this shaking to become more and more and more vigorous,
As you feel the energy stirring within you,
Like a warm breeze rustling through the leaves of a summer tree.
As you continue to shake,
Perhaps you flick away any tension from your arms,
From your fingertips.
Perhaps as you shake,
You visualize any anxiety,
Self-doubt,
Or worry being released from your body,
Like little flower petals gently falling and descending to the ground.
We'll continue shaking like this,
Shaking and releasing for as long as you wish.
If it feels good for you,
You may wish to,
As you inhale,
Gently allow your arms to flow all the way up,
As high as it feels good for you,
While continuing the shaking,
And as you exhale,
Allowing your arms to flow back down by the sides of your body.
If this lifting and gently releasing movement of your arms feels good,
Then feel free to repeat this for as many times as you wish.
Inhaling while you're shaking,
Letting the arms flow up,
And exhaling,
Releasing your arms down,
Letting this rhythmic shaking,
This moving meditation,
Release what needs to move through you.
You may also wish to,
As you shake,
Exhaling to gently turn your chest and look behind one shoulder,
And inhale to slowly come back through the center,
And repeat this on the other side.
Exhaling to gently turn and rotate your body,
Your chest,
While looking behind the other shoulder,
And inhale to slowly come back.
Feel free to repeat this rotating movement for as many times as you wish,
Letting the spiraling movement of your chest and your heart begin to wring out any worry,
Any anxious thoughts,
Feelings,
Sensations,
As you continue shaking and clearing,
Shaking and moving,
Shaking and flowing.
If it feels good for you,
You might gently and slowly begin to lift and land your heels,
Bouncing through the balls of your feet,
Letting your heels gently lift off the ground,
And gently come back to the earth.
As you lift and land your heels,
This might be a tiny movement,
Or it could be a vigorous and a big movement.
Whatever feels good for you,
Let this shaking spread out throughout the whole of you.
If you feel like there is still something that needs letting go of,
You might begin to flutter out your lips,
Or release any sounds that feel like they need to leave your body.
Any sounds,
Any movement,
Any vibrations that need letting go of,
Allow them to spread,
To move,
And to flow through you for the next five breaths.
If and when you feel ready to gently allow this shaking to come to a pause,
Let the shaking become more and more and more gentle,
Letting the rhythm slow down,
Slow down,
Slow down,
Until you arrive in complete stillness.
And as you arrive in complete stillness,
Feel your feet grounded,
Connected to the earth.
Feel your knees soft,
The last part of your tailbone like a plumb line dropping down to the earth.
Feel your arms float down by the sides of your body.
Feel your jaw relaxed and unclenched.
Feel the energy you are made of.
Feel this energy pulsating within you.
Now,
To ground this energy,
We'll transition to some self-acupressure.
The self-acupressure point we are exploring for today's practice is pericardium number six,
Also known as Nei Guan,
The inner crossing.
This point is located on the inside of your forearm,
About two and a half fingers width,
Below the wrist crease on your forearm,
Between your tendons,
Right in the middle of your forearm.
Begin to locate this point with your thumb or your index finger of one hand.
And as you place your thumb or index finger on Nei Guan of your other forearm,
Apply a little gentle pressure.
The pericardium is a protective cloak,
Like a sheath or blanket that wraps around your heart.
It guards your heart.
It keeps it safe.
And this is why the pericardium is also often known as the heart protector.
By activating this point,
We can invite a sense of calm and tranquility into our hearts and release anxiety and a feeling of imposter syndrome or self-doubt.
Gently apply pressure on your Nei Guan point,
Pericardium number six,
As you breathe in.
See yourself as a summer blossom,
Opening and expanding,
Revealing your petals,
Unfurling them,
Showing your beauty to the world.
This is your essence,
Your self-love,
Your self-confidence,
Shining forth.
And with each exhale,
Gently soften the pressure,
Releasing it.
And along with this release,
Let go of any lingering anxiety,
Self-doubt,
Or any comparison with others.
Visualize these negative energies dissipating and dissolving under the energy of the summer sun,
Leaving you feeling lighter and at ease.
Every inhale,
Gently applying a pressure on this point,
Feeling your petals blossom open in the center of your heart,
The blossom that you are,
Shining and revealing your beauty to the world.
Exhaling,
Releasing any lingering anxiety,
Self-doubt,
Or worry.
And see these energies dissipating under the healing energy of the summer sun,
Leaving you feeling light and at ease.
Continue like this for the next five breaths.
And now we'll repeat this sequence on the other side.
Using your other hand,
Now begin to locate your pericardium 6 naegwan point on the inside of your forearm,
Two and a half fingers width below the wrist crease between your tendons.
Once you locate this point,
Gently inhale to apply a pressure.
And as you do so,
Inhaling,
Seeing yourself blossom open and fully,
Expressing your full authentic beauty into the world.
And as you exhale,
Releasing lingering worry,
Anxious thoughts,
Feelings,
Sensations.
Feel them gently leave your body into the atmosphere around you.
See and feel them dissipate and dissolve under the healing light of the summer sun.
Inhaling to apply a gentle pressure and massage your heart protector,
Using this to energize your heart.
And exhaling to let go of any lingering anxiety,
Any looping or circling anxious thoughts,
Feelings,
Sensations.
Feel them gently begin to leave your body,
Move into the atmosphere and begin to be dissolved by the healing energy of the summer sun.
Continue like this for the next five breaths,
Slowly and gently wherever you are,
Completing your last round on this side.
With your next inhale,
Gently turn both palms up and gently extend both arms outwards,
Feeling them as if they are like petals in full bloom,
An extension of your heart,
An expression of your true beautiful radiant self.
With your next exhale,
Release any lingering worry.
And with your next inhale,
Embrace this energy and season of summer,
Of self-expression,
Confidence and self-love within you.
You are a beautiful and radiant blossom and your presence is a gift.
Rest one palm on top of the other,
On top of your heart and slowly let your head bow slightly down towards your heart,
Acknowledging this blossom,
This beauty that is you.
Embrace the joy of expressing yourself fully and authentically.
Bring the self-love and self-confidence that the fire element represents as you move through the rest of your day.
Thank you for joining me for this guided Qigong shaking and self-acupressure meditation.
