by janicetucker | 5 Jun 2018 | Qigong, Qigong Practice Guidelines & General Information
Are you a yoga or Tai Chi enthusiast? Would you like to enhance your practice so that you will benefit even more from your practice? One way you can do this is to use Qigong for yoga and Tai Chi to amplify their benefits. This is what I’ll be discussing in the video on this page.
Janice Tucker is a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Medical Qigong. She is also the founder of the Space To Relax online programme of Qigong video lessons.
Please don’t forget to go to YouTube to subscribe to my channel by clicking the red “Subscribe” button. That way you won’t miss my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. These videos will help you to enhance your health and prevent illness from arising in the first place. Also please give this video a “Like” if you found it informative.
How Can You Use Qigong For Yoga and Tai Chi?
For those of you practising yoga and Tai Chi you understand that each practice involves much more than physical body movement. Your practice can be drastically enhanced by combining this movement with your breathing and the use of your mind.
This is where Qigong comes in! Qigong is the underlying foundation of Tai Chi and Kung Fu. If you are not using your breath and your mind then you are not fully utilising your Qi. Any physical movement without the breath and the mind is “empty”, lacking in purpose and power. The same applies to yoga. If you practice yoga asanas (postures) without being mindful and having awareness of the breath it does not provide you with the same benefit as when all three factors are combined.
Qigong combines movement, mind and breath very simply but powerfully. Awareness of these three elements can significantly enhance the movement of Qi (energy) throughout your body. Using Qigong for yoga and Tai Chi practice in this way can enhance and amplify the benefits and enjoyment of your practice.
Where Do I Start?
1. The simplest Qigong practice to get you started is Abdominal Breathing which will bring awareness to your breath. At the same time you will learn how to set up a “link” or connection between the breath and the mind. Once you have done this then you use this to direct you Qi into the movements of yoga and Tai Chi.
The effect will be that you can stretch further and perform more powerful movements with focus and intention. At the same time you will enjoy a greater calmness and clarity of mind during and after your practice. And that has to be a good thing!
2. Another practice to develop is that of Qigong meditation which is explained in a previous video. Developing a calm mind and using meditative Qigong for yoga and Tai Chi practice will allow you to develop more focus in your practice.
What Do I Do Next?
If you would like to get started with Qigong then:
1. Head over to my Space To Relax homepage. There you can sign up for a free 3 part video series of Qigong lessons. These three lessons will show you just how easy it is to get started with Qigong. Once you’ve completed the free series you’ll have the opportunity to join my Space To Relax online membership programme of Qigong video lessons. This will allow you to take your practice to a whole new level where you will learn many exercises to eliminate health issues before they become a major problem. I’ll guide you step by step through many more effective methods of Qigong for yoga or Tai Chi practice.
2. Subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking the red “Subscribe” button. That way you won’t miss my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. Also please give this video a “Like” and share with me in the comments box and questions of helpful tips for everyone.
3. Join my free Facebook group, “Space To Relax Free Qigong Group” and leave any comments or questions for me there. I’ll be happy to answer them. Also, by joining this group, you will receive regular posts of Qigong articles and videos with really useful tips about how to use Qigong to improve your state of health.
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by janicetucker | 19 Apr 2018 | Qigong, Qigong & Emotional Issues, Qigong Meditations & Breathing, Qigong Routines, Qigong To Help Manage Specific Health Conditions
Do you ever wake up feeling as though you’ve been run over by a bus? I do, but thankfully not very often. We all know the feeling of having suffered a terrible night’s sleep. We feel exhausted both physically and mentally. We may also feel anxious that we won’t be able to function to the best of our ability at work. We may also be fearful of this happening night after night, and wonder how we are going to manage our lives if the exhaustion gets worse. In the video today you’ll learn how to use Qigong for sleep problems.
Janice Tucker is a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Medical Qigong. She is also the founder of the Space To Relax online programme of Qigong video lessons.
Please don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking the red “Subscribe” button on the page. That way you won’t miss my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. These videos will help you to enhance your health and prevent illness from arising in the first place. Also please give this video a “Like” if you found it informative.
Types of Sleep Problems
There are a number of different sleep problems which can all affect the quality and quantity of the sleep we get. The result is that they can also have a negative effect on our energy levels and our mental health. The following sleep problems are listed on the Mental Health Ireland Factsheet on Sleep where you can find more information.
- Insomnia. This affects an estimated 20% of people and is the most common sleep disorder. This is the one we will be focusing on in this video.
- Narcolepsy. This is excessive sleepiness.
- Sleep Apnoea. The person may stop breathing at intervals in the night which then wakes them so their sleep is constantly being interrupted.
- Sleep Disorders in Children. This can be distressing and exhausting for both children and parents. Sleep problems can impact on the physical and emotional health of a child so are important to address as early as possible.
The Solution – Qigong For Sleep Problems
In order to be able to sleep soundly we need to have a calm mind. Often we find that our minds are too busy when we go to bed. This over-excitement in the brain can prevent us from getting off to sleep quickly and easily.
There are many practical steps you can take to ensure that your mind is calm before bed, e.g. taking regular exercise, establishing a regular time for going to bed, turning off screens at least an hour before bed, taking a bath, avoiding coffee and alcohol a few hours before going to bed.
Qigong is also the perfect practice to help you improve the quality of your sleep because every Qigong method helps to calm your mind, the essential ingredient for good sleep.
Below are a few specific tips using Qigong for sleep problems.
- Practice Abdominal Breathing as you are lying in bed at night. Refer to my previous video called “How to Do Qigong Abdominal Breathing or Diaphragmatic Breathing“.
- Watch my previous video called “How to Calm Down with Qigong” so that your mind is in a calm state before going to bed.
- Relaxation is very important as it gets you into the state where you can easily go to sleep. Watch the video “Qigong Relaxation Techniques” for some effective Qigong tips on how to do this.
- Watch another video from me called “Qigong for Sleep Difficulties” which will give you more information and useful methods of Qigong for sleep problems.
What Do I Do Next?
If you would like to start using Qigong for sleep problems then:
- Head over to my Space To Relax homepage. There you can sign up for a free 3 part video series of Qigong lessons. These three lessons will you to help to improve the quality and quantity of your sleep. Once you’ve completed the free series you’ll have the opportunity to join my Space To Relax online membership programme of Qigong video lessons. This will allow you to take your practice to a whole new level where you will learn many exercises to eliminate health issues before they become a major problem. I’ll guide you step by step through many more effective Qigong methods which work to calm and clear your mind; essential factors in enabling you to sleep soundly.
- Subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking the red “Subscribe” button. That way you won’t miss my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. Also please give this video a “Like” and share with me in the comments box any tips you might have to improve the quality of your sleep.
- Join my free Facebook group, “Space To Relax Free Qigong Group” and leave any comments or questions for me there. I’ll be happy to answer them. Also, by joining this group, you will receive regular posts of Qigong articles and videos with really useful tips about how to use Qigong to improve your state of health.
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by janicetucker | 12 Apr 2018 | Qigong, Qigong Routines, Qigong To Help Manage Specific Health Conditions
Have you ever suffered with eye problems? If you have you’ll know just how uncomfortable and depressing this can be. This is because your eyes are one of the most sensitive organs in your body. Any interference with healthy functioning of your eyes can make you feel anxious, irritable and depressed. Even simple long or short-sightedness, teary eyes or dry, gritty eyes can cause us worry and misery. In the video today you’ll learn some simple Qigong eye exercises to help you keep your eyes in the best health possible.
According to the National Eye Institute in the United States, the estimated annual economic burden of vision loss, eye diseases and vision disorders in the U.S. amounts to $139 billion!!! (March 2014). These disorders include glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and cataracts. However, we don’t have to have serious eye disorders for us to be negatively impacted by poor eye health.
Janice Tucker is a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Medical Qigong. She is also the founder of the Space To Relax online programme of Qigong video lessons.
Please head over to my YouTube channel and click the red “Subscribe” button above so you don’t miss my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. These videos will help you to enhance your health and prevent illness from arising in the first place. Also please give this video a “Like” if you found it informative.
3 Qigong Eye Exercises (Plus A Bonus Video)
Every organ in Chinese medicine is associated with a sense organ. The Liver opens into the eyes so Qigong eye exercises generally focus on improving the smooth flow of Qi through the Liver channel and into the Liver organ itself.
- Close your eyes. Concentrate on your eyes. Move your eyeballs up and down vertically, then side to side, then in circles. Open your eyes and look forward, then to both sides, then circle the eyes. Repeat a few times.
- Close your eyes. Use your imagination to look at a fixed object, e.g. a tree or flower a few metres away. Open your eyes and look at the same object, or look at it with one eye at a time. Repeat a few times.
- Close your eyes. Rub palms together to generate heat. Place them over eyes for a few seconds. Rub face up and down with a “face wash” action. Open the eyes and observe the brightness and clarity of your vision!
- Refer to a previous video “Combating Excess With The Ba Duan Jin” which shows you a method which smooths the flow of Liver Qi and therefore benefits the eyes. It’s also great for easing the after effects of too much alcohol through its action on the Liver system! 🙂
What Do I Do Next?
If you would like to start using Qigong for eye health then:
- Head over to my Space To Relax homepage. There you can sign up for a free 3 part video series of Qigong lessons. These three lessons, in addition to the Qigong eye exercises referred to above, help to improve general eye health. Once you’ve completed the free series you’ll have the opportunity to join my Space To Relax online membership programme of Qigong video lessons. This will allow you to take your practice to a whole new level where you will learn many exercises to relieve pain, calm your mind and eliminate health issues before they become a major problem. This includes many more effective Qigong methods which work to harmonise the Liver and thereby its associated sense organ, the eyes.
- Subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking the red “Subscribe” button. That way you won’t miss my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. Also please give this video a “Like” and share with me in the comments box any tips you might have to improve the health of your eyes.
- Join my free Facebook group, “Space To Relax Free Group” and leave any comments or questions for me there. I’ll be happy to answer them. Also, by joining this group, you will receive regular posts of Qigong articles and videos with really useful tips about how to use Qigong to improve your state of health.
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by janicetucker | 22 Feb 2018 | Qigong, Qigong & Emotional Issues, Qigong Routines
Wouldn’t it be fantastic if we could all live our lives in a state of feeling grounded, centred and like nothing could throw us off course? Many of us feel exactly the opposite of that most of the time. We suffer from constant mental chatter, anxiety and stress! In the video on this page I’m going to show you how you can use Qigong for grounding. When you can do this you can sail more smoothly through life and it’s daily challenges without been thrown off course. You’ll remain calm, relaxed and focused, even when people around you seem to be losing the plot!
Janice Tucker is a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Medical Qigong. She is also the founder of the Space To Relax online programme of Qigong video lessons.
Please don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking the red “Subscribe” button across on Youtube. That way you won’t miss my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. These videos will help you to enhance your health and prevent illness from arising in the first place. Also please give this video a “Like” if you found it informative.
What Does It Mean To Be “Grounded”?
Mindbodygreen.com published an article on grounding and wrote:
“Being grounded is an essential skill for empaths and highly sensitive people who pick up emotions from the people and environment around them. It means that you’re present in your body and connected with the earth, allowing you to feel centred and balanced no matter what’s going on around you.
If you aren’t grounded, you’re like a leaf in the wind: very vulnerable and thrown off balance very quickly. But when you are well grounded, you are like a big, strong tree. If something happens around you, it doesn’t influence you so much and you are able to feel much more peaceful and balanced in your daily life.”
For the whole article click here.
The Solution – Qigong For Grounding
Qigong methods in general are perfect grounding exercises for us as they encourage you to be present in your body and connected with the earth and nature. However there are a couple of methods which are particularly useful to get you started on your journey to feeling more grounded.
1. Breathing. Make sure that you are breathing efficiently. Qigong has the perfect solution to this as it requires us to pay conscious attention to our breath. Breathing usually takes the form of what is called “Abdominal Breathing” (as you breathe in your belly expands and as you breathe out your belly shrinks) which is extremely relaxing. This simple method alone will help you to feel more grounded, especially if you practice outside in a pleasant environment like woodland, a park or the beach.
2. Watch my previous video, “Getting Rid of the Negative With Qigong Breathing Exercises“.This is an excellent method to bring you into the present using your mind and your breath.
3. Practice a moving Qigong exercise where you have to pay attention to your movements. This will again bring you into the present and help to develop a feeling of being grounded. The more you practice the more that you will experience this feeling even when you’re not practising!
What Do I Do Next?
If you would like to start using Qigong for grounding then:
1. Head over to my Space To Relax homepage. There you can sign up for a free 3 part video series of Qigong lessons. Lesson 1 will teach you how to breathe more efficiently with Abdominal Breathing. The perfect moving Qigong exercise to perform and bring you into the present is lesson 2. Lesson 3 will teach you how to rid waste Qi (energy) from your body and feel a closer connection with the earth.
2. Subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking the red “Subscribe” button. That way you won’t miss my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. Also please give this video a “Like” and share with me in the comments box what you do to help you feel more grounded.
3. Join my free Facebook group, “Space To Relax Free Group” and leave any comments or questions for me there. I’ll be happy to answer them. Also, by joining this group, you will receive regular posts of Qigong articles and videos with really useful tips about how to use Qigong to improve your state of health.
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by janicetucker | 7 Feb 2018 | Qigong, Qigong & Emotional Issues, Qigong Meditations & Breathing, Qigong Routines
One of the most common complaints I hear in my acupuncture clinic is that of insomnia and poor sleep. The subject of today’s post is how to use Qigong for insomnia and sleep difficulties.
Clients in my acupuncture clinic often say to me:
“I’m not sleeping as I’m too stressed”,
“I have difficulty getting off to sleep and then feel exhausted”,
“My thoughts play over and over in my head which stops me from sleeping”,
“I wake up at 3 am and then can’t get back to sleep as my mind is too busy”.
Sound familiar? If so then this video will show you how to use Qigong for insomnia and sleep difficulties. With a little practice you will soon notice an improvement in your sleep and therefore your energy levels the next day!
Janice Tucker is a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Medical Qigong, and the founder of the Space To Relax online programme of Qigong video lessons.
Please don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking the red “Subscribe” button. That way you won’t miss my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. These videos will help you to enhance your health and prevent illness from arising in the first place. Also please give this video a “Like” if you found it informative.
The Problem – Why Do We Suffer From Insomnia?
In terms of Traditional Chinese Medicine it is only possible for us to experience full and restful sleep when our mind is calm. A calm and peaceful mind is essential for calm and peaceful sleep. If our minds are too busy then we will find it difficult to sleep, no matter how exhausted we are going to bed.
The Solution – Qigong For Insomnia and Sleep Difficulties
One of the main benefits of Qigong practice is that it helps to calm and clear our minds. Qigong brings us into the present and allows us to focus clearly on what we are doing. Many of the physical exercises in Qigong are extremely relaxing so this in turn helps to calm our mind.
Qigong also requires us to pay conscious attention to our breath. Breathing usually takes the form of what is called “Abdominal Breathing”. During this method, as you breathe in your belly expands and as you breathe out your belly shrinks and this is extremely relaxing.
The key to using Qigong for insomnia is to perform exercises which calm your mind, especially before bed. It’s as simple as that. The more you practice these exercises, the better quality and quantity of sleep your will enjoy!
What Do I Do Next?
If you would like to start using Qigong for insomnia then:
- Head over to my Space To Relax homepage. Scroll to the bottom of the homepage to sign up for a free audio meditation called “Calm Your Busy Mind in 8 Minutes“. This is the perfect breathing and visualisation method to help you to sleep better. On the homepage you can also sign up for a free 3 part video series of Qigong lessons. This will take you even further towards calming and clearing your mind so that you can enjoy peaceful sleep.
- Subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking the red “Subscribe” button. That way you won’t miss my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. Also please give this video a “Like” and share with me in the comments box what you do to get off to sleep at night.
- Join my free Facebook group, “Space To Relax Free Group” and leave any comments or questions for me there. I’ll be happy to answer them. Also, by joining this group, you will receive regular posts of Qigong articles and videos with really useful tips about how to use Qigong to improve your state of health.
- Watch my previous video on “How To Calm Down With Qigong“. This will give you even more tips on Qigong for insomnia by showing you how to calm your mind and bring it into a restful state to be able to sleep at night.
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