Dream sleep aid

The points acupressurists recommend for sleep and relaxation are found not only on the wrist but other places as well. If you can get in the habit of adapting a easy to learn but effective routine every night before bed you may find that your sleep improves. The only investment you will need to make is the time it takes to learn the routine and then apply it.

There are several reasons why a person may have trouble sleeping. A major cause is the inability to stop thinking. Overthinking makes it difficult to get in the proper mood for sleep. Another cause is food stagnation resulting from overeating or eating inappropriately. We need to finish eating in a timely manner so that our stomach has time to digest the food before we begin our sleep ritual. Lack of a proper routine is another reason why we have difficulty falling asleep. We have to train our bodies when is the appropriate time to sleep and stick to the routine.

Oddly enough, lack of circulation can make it difficult to sleep peacefully through the night. So during the day it is important to get enough exercise to encourage good circulation on a daily basis. On the other hand a heavy workout at the end of the day may rev the body system so that sleep is unattainable. Obviously, balance is important; people who tend to move little need to move more to provide good circulation people who persue an active exercise program need to tailor their activities so that they can slow down enough to sleep.

Among the over- think category are people who engage in computer activities and gaming. The mind becomes agitated so that the person is no longer sleepy enough to fall asleep. Naturally it would be better to end such activities early enough so that the body has a chance to calm down enough to sleep.

Another condition that tends to accompany sleeplessness is anxiety especially among those who can’t fall asleep. An appropriate acupressure routine would include points that encourage the heart and mind to calm down so that it can get some rest and perhaps fall asleep.

A major point of relaxation is found at the center of the inner wrist 1.5 inches from the crease toward the elbow. It has been widely researched for nausea but is also an important point for calming and relaxing. It is called Neigun or pericardium 6. It is located between two tendons and it is a wise idea to soften the wrist by flexing it a bit so access the point.

Another point on the wrist is located pericardium Daling or pericardium 7. It has an effect of calming the heart. It is also found at the center of the inner wrist at the crease between the two tendons. Another point that forms a 2 dimensional triangle with the other two is Shen Men or Heart 7. It is located directly across from Daling pericardium 7 in a depression at the end of the writst on the ulnar side of the tendon that forms on beneath the webbing of the small finger.

A quick and cheap way to apply continuous pressure to those point is to take a seed pressed onto a piece of tape. Typically a vaccria seed is used but if you have stainless steel or gold beads they work as well. Place the bead on the tape. Take an eyeliner to mark the appropriate acu-points on the wrist and then take the taped bed and apply it firmly to the wrist on the marked spots. You can increase the stimulation by pressing or rubbing on the seeds. As your wrist are stimulated close your eyes and take deep breaths.

If you are experiencing insomnia try this cost effective treatment and see if it works for you. The thing about this and other acupressure routines is establish regularity. The thing about the Dreamate is that since it is an electronic product you'll probably need to add the cost of batteries to run it. Plus the investment of 89.00 plus tax and shipping.

What is Ki?

To find out I went to an expert, Koichi Tohei the founder of Kiatsu, a therapeutic method based on Ki. In one of his earlier books he describes ki as a daily phenomenon that we experience everyday. There is personal Ki and a universal Ki which if combined means we are alive. We wouldn't exist without the support of universal ki. What is this ki? Can it be seen or felt? How can we be aware of it?

He goes on to say that we consume Ki, in the morning we have plenty but by nightfall we are depleted even if we did little but sit around all day. Ki is consumable. By this definition we, being the good little consumers we are consume our fair share of Ki without knowing that we are doing it. Since it can't be helped the least we can do is to consciously use it wisely.

There's probably no one who wouldn't agree that we all tend to be more vitalized in the a.m. than we are in the pm; unless we do something to replenish the energy we lose/use during the day. We need a way to replenish our personal ki from the vast source of universal ki if we are to be as vital in the p.m. as we are in the a.m.

So far a connection can be drawn between what we commonly refer to as energy to help define what ki is. Still the definition is not complete. If Ki is energy then why hasn't the discovery of 'Ki' been a universal phenomenon? Maybe there is more to it than just energy. In the next few post I hope to build on the definition of what ki is and how it manifests. In the meantime, I'm going to be checking what the masters and other writers have to say about ki to find a more balanced definition of it.

Capitalism in America

In America, all you have to do is name it, claim it and then you can reap the benefit of ownership. This is especially true in the world of aesthetics and therapeutic body work. Look at all the trade marked names of techniques that have resulted from someones vacation in Asia.

They look at or experience what is offered locally and come up with some snappy name; and then call it their own original idea or invention. On the plane ride home they make preparations to trademark their borrowed "idea" so that no one else can steal it. These borrowed ideas may get obligatory mention of the place and the people where initially found but never enough information is given for others to discover the true origin of this "original" trademarked idea. The consumer who finds the "idea" novel...since they don't get out much and have no clue what women do in Asia for health and beauty, pay exorbitantly high prices for what in Asia is a simple thing. What a crock and a tribute to American ingenuity and sense of capitalism! See it, claim it and then capitalize on it has become the American way.

Now that I've gotten that out of my system. I have a new technique I'd like to share with you based on my travels of numerous web pages of the Orient...

Really, I've reinstituted my bodywork practice and have decided to focus on the feet. The feet are the instrument of stability. Their orientation is the earth. Their position when a person is standing put them in direct contact with powerful forces emanating from the earth. Those who feet are planted firmly on the earth have few problems with the health of their incomes, relationships or other areas of the life. Those who are working with issues of stability have problems with dry crusted feet, sore achy feet, smelly feet, etc. indicating an imbalance of a very base order. When ones feet hurt, the whole body is out of sorts.

Many illnesses are reflected in the feet. This is not to say that you can cure those illnesses through the feet alone but when your feet feel good, you tend to feel better. A foot rub when you are stressed can be quite refreshing. A skillful practitioner can smooth out tense areas on the feet, thus making life more pleasant.

I have a higher regard for my feet as during a recent period of economic down turn I witnessed the changes which occurred in my own feet. My bare feet had been in such an embarrassing state that I refused to remove my shoes to go to the pool and wore my water aerobic shoes while at the health club at all times. Needless to say this put quite a bit of additional stress on me and made me uncomfortable. But as things began to pick up...(long story about how I used what I know about health and healing to change my life) my feet automatically began to look better. I was impressed to assist by rubbing them, bathing them and working my points.

I vowed to make the humble and often overused feet the subject of my current inquiry into heath and health modalities. I am looking into simple but effective methods of dealing with the feet from beauty techniques, to acupressure and point work and just about everything connected with feet.

I know, I started with a rant but have no fear, I'm looking for organic methods and not someones "borrowed" method they stole from Asia or any other place.

What will I do with the information I gather? Compile it giving credit where credit is due. I will capitalize on what I compile but not for profit but for health so that others may learn simple techniques that may help reduce their reliance on the medical profession and pharmaceutical industry.

E- Dao

Interpretations of Chinese thought is difficult for one who does not speak or read Chinese. Most works important to ABT's are old, written in ancient dialects no longer spoken or taught in China or Chinese language classes.

Luckily, I can glean a reasonable understanding of various works from scholars like Cleary, Wilhelm and Dreher. TCM methods are derived from centuries of Chinese thought and research, some of which can be gleaned by reading the works of great Chinese Masters. Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching also known as: The book of meaning and life is a great book to read. Not only for it's relation to Asian bodywork but also because it offers good advice to modern day situations.

I just discovered that many of the thing I've purchased in the past could have been bought on Ebay saving me lots of money and time that I could have used elsewhere. Once I found a new word processor for a fraction of it's original cost. The next day I bought the same thing because it was much cheaper than the first one I bought. A big problem for me is that I'm often outbidded. So, I try to create strategies on bidding. One day it had become evident that bidding had become quite an obsession that keep me at my computer long hours. I had been on Ebay nearly all day watching or checking on my bids. One of which was a copy of the Tao de Ching.

My modest bid for the Tao was beaten by another bidder. It all seemed wrong to compete for the Tao so I stopped altogether but not with my other bids. I justified my behavior as the thrill of bidding and allowed an aggressive and anxious spirit to take over me. I reasoned that it was worth it when when I won. In later reflections on that day I pondered why didn't I try a little harder to win the Tao book? Was I observing some taboo that prevents the sale or barter of the Tao? The answer was more simple than that. I already owned two different translations of it. Why would I need another when I don't make use of the ones I have? I hadn't stopped bidding out of respect for the book, the other bidder or anything else. It was out of respect for myself.

My copy of the Dao is a translation by Wilhelm. Randomly I selected a passage to read. The line from passage #44:

Whosoever amasses things inevitabley loses the important things.

Stuck a chord with me. Ebaying, as I had been was a major source of negative expressions. Not only does ebaying bring up an agressive spirit in me but it also comes with anxiety. I could hardly wait to get in the fray and make my bids. Then I check and recheck to make sure I'm the highest bidder. I didn't need the stuff I bidded on that badly.

That passage was a reminder that I needed to make changes if I was to remain an Ebayer. As I said before I was obsessed. For the chance of acquiring merchandise on Ebay I was giving up my peace of mind in exchange for chaos. Now, I think about strategies to allow me to use restraint, and bid conscientiously. One way is to first reconsider the value and utility of what I'm bidding on and then decide the maximun price I'm willing to pay, make it and walk away. I accept that if I am outbidded maybe I didn't need the item as much as I thought and let it go. This way I conserve my power for more important things like finding a use for the Tao in my everyday life.

A New Belly Book

I got a really good suggestion for a book on the belly. It is:
"Healing from Within With Chi Nei Tsang: Applied Chi Kung in Internal Organs Treatment by Gilles Marin". Gilles and company are students of Mantak Chia who is the originator of the Chi Nei Tsang method. As soon as I can get my hands on a copy I'm going to find out more.

I was looking on the internet for information on the abdomen and all I could find was excercises to strenghten stomach via sit-ups and curls, a la western style. There was no mention of internal strength nor did I see anything where people actually placed their hands on their abdomem. Why was there no mention of anything but physical strength in relation to the abdomen? What a myopic (new word for today) thought! That is why I love Asian bodywork, it is a complete wholistic system that considers inner and outer strength.

I'm working on organizing my notes on a Qi gong style I learned from Jeffrey Yuen. In preparation for the actual movements you warm up by doing abdominal breathing. The movements are powerful on their own, alone, that working the abdominal from the breathings is a total movement. If I continue my qi gong practice and never set foot in a gym again, I will be o.k. But I find the combination of Qi gong and excercise perfect companions for health and weightloss

Jeffrey Yuen Qigong

Last year, I had the opportunity to take a qigong meditation course with Daoist Master Jeffrey Yuen. It was held at the classrooms at Daoist Healing Arts in Asheville, North Carolina. Parts of the state had been hit hard by hurricanes but things were pretty much back to normal while I was there. Perhaps, the weather had something to do with the packed class. But, there was space for all and it was a particularly learning time for me. I'm not new to qigong, several of my Asian bodywork teachers have taught me the various styles they have learned. My experience in Asheville was special, and one that I may not forget for a while. I learned about an amazingly simple yet complex method to stay balanced when all about may be confusion.

We often have these ideas about what we think qigong is, based on our practice of yoga, or other disciplines. Jeffrey stated out by telling us what Daoist Meditation was. Here are some things he had to say:

Daoist Meditation is different than other meditations; also involved is healing.

It focus's on the physical body. The body is the vehicle to redeem the spirit.

It is not about achieving a particular state. That becomes an obstacle of itself.

It is not necessarily exhilarating. There is difficulty looking at oneself; pain comes to term.

You relax, concentrate and if you are able to maintain concentration, you meditate.

In meditation you are doing nothing and becoming one with silence.

Anywhere you wait you are given the opportunity to meditate.

Meditation is a form of qigong. Qigong is not necessarily a form of meditation.

It was a day long session and the entire morning was filled with a detailed explanation of the basics: breathing, postures and awareness or the preliminaries in preparation to meditate. One discipline of meditation is perseverance, where if you faithfully practice you will "reach sensation". He says that pain in the body is its way of saying to give it more attention. Meditation is the arousal of yang qi to move obstacles. The best time to practice is the dawn when the suns energy is about to rise. It is a good time to develop psychic energies.

Focusing to the point of exhausting our sense organs we reach pure sound etc., where there is noting left to see, hear or feel. That is called the surrender to nothingness or Wu way or Tai Qi (not the Tai ji you do in the gym). He shared with us special breathing techniques and ways of sealing organs. He says it is important to discover the microcosmic and to relax the points associated with it. You can meditate sitting as it is the most popular but you could stand which strengthens the kidneys or lying down which affects the lungs or you could walk which affects the liver.

The experience of Qigong meditation with Jeffrey Yuen was most enlightening and refreshing. There is a set of preparation excercises that we did to prepare for meditation in the afternoon. I'm was impressed that just doing the preparation I saw immediate improvement in my health. I have a tendency toward lung problems and wheeze at times. but not as I walked the steep walkways of the city when I went to get my lunch. My lungs were as clear as if I'd gotten a shot of something to open them and No wheezing! This was an unexpected benefit which made me look forward to the afternoon session even more. I was not disappointed and would highly recommend Daoist Meditation to anyone who askes me which method I think is best. In terms of which is best depends on what the person is looking for. As complicated as life can be I prefer simplicity in all things. In Daoist Meditation I found a system that is as easy as breathing and sitting down. It can't get any more simple than that.

Belly Books

I'm just hung up on my belly and want to unravel its' mysteries. I'm checking my personal library for all references to the belly that I can find. Doesn't matter whether it's TCM or not. My goal is to compile a reference list of books about the belly. Tops on my list is Mantak Chia's, Chi Nei Tsang.

Last night I reviewed the wind releasing technique from chapter 4 entitled: Opening the Gates and Chasing the Wind. It is amazing how my perspective on Asian Bodywork has changed since I bought that book over ten years ago. Then I wasn't too impressed, last night, it was the bomb! It really works! My result was very, very releasing. I supplemented my session by applying a warm pack over my navel as I rested. Mr. Chia teaches you the location of the pulses surrounding the navel and how to feel for them. Amazing to actually place you finger on the pulse to get a sense of the associated organ and how it is functioning.

I could not feel the femoral pulse at the inquinal groove, that bother's me a lot. It is located roughly on the medial side of the front of the thigh. To locate it measure halfway between the iliac crest and the pubic symphysys on the crease of the IG. I tried sitting, lying down. standing up and standing with my foot on a chair but could not feel the pulse. Actually, I did feel something but it was indistinct, then there was nothing. That point opens the pelvis and leg area. From reading a medical site on the internet, I learned that the femoral artery if blocked can affect the carotid, and be a factor in strokes. Gives me a clue that I have aa lot of work to do. To ABT's any blockage is a potential problem which we deal with accordingly.

A good thing about Chi Nei Tsang book one, is that you don't have to memorize names or characteristics of acu-points as you would with Jin Shin Do or acupuncture. That makes it look easy but make no mistake, it uses powerful points. The book is excellent for someone starting out because it gives you the preliminaries, 3 Chapters worth of Taoist tradition and TCM theory. Giving you a good grounding and it includes Taoist meditations. The meditations help prepare your mind and body to do this type of work. This is one of my favorite books. I don't understand it all but I like it for what it reveals about me and my body.

The belly is known by many names. I try not to say stomach because people seem to be so confused as to what it is and where it is. Another name for the belly is Hara. Today I say belly, next time I may be working with the hara, its all the same. Any difference is personal and subjective. If you know of a particular belly book that I might be interested in, email me. I'd love to hear about it.