September 2011 Essential Wellness

flowing chi

sept 2011

resources for inner peace, health and healing

2 www.esswellness.com

Conversations with Your Home

Find out how you can tap into the enveloping and conscious energy that happens to come to you in a powerful, spatial format -- your home.

WORKSHOP Thursday, September 29, 6:00–9:00 p.m.

Normandale Community College, Bloomington, MN. Included in the materials is a copy of Carole’s book Conversations with Your Home.

Click HERE to register.

Wind & Water School of Feng Shui Awarded Gold School membership from the International Feng Shui Guild.

A new program begins in October in Fargo, ND. Email lisa@windwaterschool.com for a free catalog. For more information, visit www.windwaterschool.com.

612.823.5093 carole@carolehyder.com www.carolehyder.com september 2011

3

4 www.esswellness.com

flowing chi

inside

september 2011

6-7 From the Editor—The heart: Our center of survival

8-10 Orchestrate the flow of chi in your environment for healing

By HINDA ABRAHAMSON 12-13 Cultivate qi through internal martial arts

By MARIA CAMILLE 14-16 Develop an awareness of qi in order to move it

By PENG HER

18-19 Qigong heals the mind, thus the body

By MARY ZELMER

20-22 Pranic Healing keeps the chi flowing

By LAUREL ANDERSON

staff essential wellness digital magazine Twin Cities Wellness aka Essential Wellness 4270 Honey Tree Pass Danbury, WI 54830

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EDITOR

Lynn LaFroth info@esswellness.com

ART DIRECTOR Sunshine Sevigny

RECEIVE ESSENTIAL WELLNESS BY EMAIL! Send your email to info@esswellness.com to receive bi-monthly Celebrate Wellness e-news and Monthly digital Essential Wellness september 2011

5

FROM THE EDITOR

The heart: Our center of

S

OME CONCEPTS must

you don’t have time to question: Is this

be experienced in order to

too far out? Is this truth? because you’re

“get them.” For many years I

automatically “in” the new frequencies of

have been studying, reading,

awakening—and moving at the speed of

and contemplating the “move

light.

into your heart” works that

The “transmission” that seems to

have risen in full splendor on the spiritual

emanate from this book doesn’t allow

horizon. Not new, of course, but now more

time for your mind to get in the way, to

than ever it seems the impetus has been to

censor, to control and direct what you will

move into one’s heart to access one’s own

and will not learn. When you “work” the

spiritual wisdom and depths. I’ve always

exercises and open you don’t have time

believed this to be true—but basically

to think. That is the entire point. Don’t

at an academic level—until I picked up

think. Feel. Feel your heart, feel with your

Christine Day’s book, Pleiadian Initiations

heart, move into the heart space energies,

of Light.

and open to learning a new way.

I worked with the two CDs along

with reading the book and I found the frequency of this material catapults you

The Way Through Chaos is Stay Heart Centered

immediately into the experience of living

from the heart as the center of your being.

and exercising emotional intelligence

It is hands-on experiential and moves you

muscles should help during these times of

quickly into acceptance of “the teachings”

chaos. Instead of getting pulled out into

of these otherworldly beings—the Pleia-

someone else’s (or the collective) dramas

dians. When you start to read this book,

or hysteria, knowing the pathway to one’s

6 www.esswellness.com

Practicing staying heart centered

BY LYNN S. LAFROTH

f survival heart energy doesn’t allow for invasion of one’s personal emotional boundaries. One can stay calm, centered in one’s own energy, and thus affect the energy of others in a positive way.

C h r i s t i ne D ay ’s C D s a re

intended to help you learn how to access your multidimensional self and rest in the expanded states of consciousness—not to escape the world, but to integrate the many aspects of one’s self into wholeheartedness.

Because we are in the transfor-

mation to a new kind of world, we need to figure out how to survive, thrive, and dive into the chaos without losing ourselves and our minds.

The way is through the heart.

Lynn S. LaFroth is managing editor of Essential Wellness; she can be reached at info@esswellness.com

september 2011

7

FLOWING CHI

Orchestrate the flow of c your environment for hea

F

ENG SHUI, the beautiful

art and science that embod-

ing? Are trees, shrubs, plants and flowers

ies the flow (Wind) and the

alive and vital? Is your yard well tended

containment (Water) of

and inviting?

ment feel abundant and pleasing? If so, that

Evaluate Your Front Door

health of all the occupants and provide ener-

getic nourishment during times of illness.

“chi,” provides guidelines

for orchestrating a healthy flow of energy in our environments. That energy, or chi, represents the life-process that sustains us.

Any imbalance or disruption in that ener-

getic force affects our well-being.

Feng Shui philosophy recognizes the

profound effect our environments have on our vitality. It evolved from an awareness that balanced surroundings positively affect our health, and improving our environment notably improves our life.

Feng Shui Supports Health & Healing

Working with the Feng Shui of your

space creates an energetic foundation to support the process of health and healing.

Here are some Feng Shui suggestions for evaluating and adjusting chi for over-all good health.

Is the approach to your home uplift-

Referred to as the “mouth of chi,”

your front door allows energy to enter and is considered a sacred place of transition.

Is it in good working order, opening easily and completely, well lit, uncluttered and welcoming? To honor this life force area and keep the chi active, make it a habit to enter through your front door, at least several times a week.

Does everything in your environ-

energy will support your health and the

Bedroom Most Directly Relates to Health

While your home’s over all impact

on your well-being is significant, Feng Shui considers the bedroom the space most directly related to health. During sleep, our chi seeks to rejuvenate and replenish itself for the following day. In this passive, reparative state, we become more suscep-

Next, slowly walk from room to

room. To reinforce good health and help

room; consider each room’s visual and

support any healing process, it is essential

emotional impact. Notice any areas where

to keep your bedroom a comfortable and

energy seems blocked, stagnant, or oppres-

beautiful sanctuary for rest, rejuvenation

sive. Pay attention to lighting, color, furni-

and intimacy.

ture placement, patterns, shapes, artwork, window treatments, and plants. Each contributes to the vital chi of your environment. Do you notice an energy pattern

Begin by objectively evaluating your

ing? Consider the conditioning process of

exterior and interior surroundings with

that pattern over time, seven days a week,

Feng Shui eyes; that is, a “first impression”

365 days a year.

8 www.esswellness.com

Do a Room-By-Room Walk-Through

Get That First Impression Perspective

perspective.

Environments Need To Feel Pleasing

emerging? Is it chi-enriching or chi-deplet-

tible to the surrounding Feng Shui of the

Rebalance Areas of Stagnant Chi

After objectively assessing the Feng

Shui of your home, you can begin to mitigate any adverse energy that may be contributing to an imbalance.

Continued Page 10...

By HINDA ABRAHAMSON

chi in aling

september 2011

9

Orchestrate the flow continued...

Repair or replace what’s broken or isn’t

and overall well-being than eliminating

space and enhance the quality of life and

working properly; they serve as metaphors

clutter.

health of all who live there.

for what might be broken or not working

optimally in your life. For example, our

eliminated, begin to make simple adjust-

Hinda Abrahamson, M.A. SLP. A Feng

bodies are sensitive to any energy drain,

ments. Moving your desk into a better

Shui consultant since 1998, Hinda is cer-

which over time can lead to fatigue, so

energy position, adding extra light to a

tified in Western Feng Shui, Traditional

repairing that leaky faucet takes on signifi-

room, or changing the color of your bed-

Compass Feng Shui and Fashion Feng

cance and becomes a priority.

room may be all that is needed to bring the

Shui. With a Masters in Speech-Language

chi back to its natural balance.

pathology and minor in psychology, she

tent clutter can have damaging health

Feng Shui practice regards your home

has over 20 years experience in health

consequences. Its stagnant, oppressive

as a sacred place. All cleaning, clearing,

care. Hinda is a founding member and

energy creates stress and anxiety, inter-

repairing, or beautifying is looked upon as

President of the Feng Shui Institute of

fering with concentration. There is no

labors of love. Each act of home improve-

the Midwest. Contact her at 952-938-

stronger adjustment to benefit health

ment provides opportunity to honor your

0894 or hinda@livingyourintention.com

Identify and clear clutter. Persis-

10 www.esswellness.com

Once things are repaired, replaced or

september 2011

11

FLOWING CHI

BY MARIA CAMILLE

Cultivate qi through internal martial arts

Q

I (CHI, KI) is defined

tial arts are based on this principle.

Chinese medicine and martial arts. When

as

The foundation for cultivating qi is

your Shen becomes refined you are able

internal energy, origi-

the breath. Learning how to circulate qi

to sense and feel more sharply. Like qi,

nal energy, or function

with the breath begins your the journey

mental energy can be cultivated and devel-

of the body.

to achieve higher awareness and internal

oped. The highest levels of Shen can be

health.

developed through exercise, diet, internal

all internal martial arts. The definition of

As qi is always circulating in your

martial arts, and meditation. When some-

internal martial arts is that the training

body, it is the ongoing “life essence” which

one is scattered or confused it is said that

begins from the inside of the body work-

you live and breath by. However, qi circula-

his Shen (mind) wanders. When your Shen

ing energy (qi) outwards. The foundation

tion can become stagnant or slow because

(mind) is weak, your qi is weak.

and movements are based on cultivating

of knots in the vessels and meridians. Cul-

your qi so you move from the center of the

tivating qi through breathing and internal

ating with breath and the cultivation of qi,

body at the core (dantian). This develops

martial arts exercise will start unblocking

your normal habits begin to fall off and

a unified whole-body power, or the intrin-

the meridian channels. This process stimu-

you can operate and perform at a higher

sic strength of the body, which is referred

lates the immune and circulatory systems

level. This is describing someone who can

to as internal power. When a basic level

to function at a higher level and will give

“ground” from the center of the head; they

of practice is maintained, the qi (energy),

increased longevity.

can reset the mind and tap into “simultane-

intrinsic

energy,

Cultivating qi is the foundation of

blood, tendon, bone, and meridians can be strengthened and changed. The body gradually becomes stronger and healthier from the core. This integrated and unified “whole body” strength is what develops the power of the mind/body connection; it is

Qi Pressure Drains With Age

As we get older the qi pressure is

drained out of the navel and kidney areas.

Gradually, qi pressure is lost, creating an energy imbalance; when the pressure is low

When constantly training and oper-

ous time” where all things come together at the same frequency. Basically, it is upgrading your operating system like upgrading your computer. The old computer will not work at that lower level again; you have rewritten the outcome of your practice.

entirely dependent on your qi cultivation.

the fluid flow in the entire system slows down. As we age, we also lose the habit of

Qi: The Alchemy That Helps You Evolve

abdominal breathing. Most people leave

Maria Camille, is the founder of Bagua

the lungs to do all the work. This type of

Flow, an exceptionally beautiful internal

breathing actually expends more energy

martial art emphasizing flowing movements

this manner, the qi becomes the alchemy

than it creates.

sometimes with the use of a Bamboo Bo staff

that will shift and heighten your personal

As we refer to the “mind,” in the

and Chinese Fan. Camille, a scholar of Asian

evolution beyond your current prospective.

mind/body context, we are referring to

arts, is a winner of four gold medals in world

Many forms of healing and internal mar-

the energy of the mind, called “Shen,” in

competitions, and is known as a pioneer of ex-

When developing the mind/body in

12 www.esswellness.com

treme sports. She utilized the lessons of internal

Championships In Style Competition. BaGua

ary and February of 2012. For registration

martial arts in her own training to become the

retreats and teacher trainings will take place at

and information see: www.baguaflow.com

first U.S. female to win the World Skydiving

Samasati Eco Retreat in Costa Rica in Janu-

www.samasati.com. september 2011

13

FLOWING CHI

Develop an awareness o in order to move it

Q

IGONG IS all about

ciencies and removing excess.

bodies degenerated less quickly than was

moving

energy.

the case with people who only practiced

energy

that

The

Qigong healers believed that the

courses

practice of sitting or still meditation alone

entire

to regulate the body, mind, and breathing

being must flow prop-

was not sufficient to resolve illness. They

erly, like a river. If there is a block, qi

believed that in order to increase the qi

Three Regulations in Qigong: Posture, Breath, Intention

becomes stagnant and prevents other

circulation, you must move. Although a

parts of the body from being nourished.

calm and peaceful mind was important

qigong. The three regulations are

If the energy flows too rapidly, it causes

for health, exercising the body was more

posture, breath, and intention. With

degeneration or exhaustion of the inter-

important. Through their medical practice

proper instruction and practice these

nal organs. The practice of qigong helps

they found that individuals who exercised

regulations will maximize your cultiva-

to balance these energies—filling defi-

properly were sick less often, and their

tion. If done incorrectly you can waste

through

14 www.esswellness.com

our

sitting meditation.

There are three regulations in

BY PENG HER

of qi many years with little to no progress.

Awareness is the Key

cesses through which practitioners develop

Make a conscious effort to be aware

clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairsentience,

nal alignment must be straight. When

of yourself and your surroundings. Prac-

and other abilities considered supernatural

the spine is straight energy flows freely

tice this daily and it will refine your aware-

through their cultivation of qi.

through the Du and Ren channels.

ness skills.

Posture or more specifically the spi-

Breath varies accordingly to the

technique

used.

Breathing

patterns

Awareness is important in any qigong

practice.

should be natural, slow, smooth, even and

deep. Inhalation tonifies (nourishes) and

and will continue to develop as the prac-

Awareness building takes many years

Putting it All Together

In qigong, there are successive meth-

ods and stages toward moving qi. First: Through breathing and moving; second: Through breathing, and third is through intention or visualization. Beyond that is where the practitioner no longer uses these methods to move qi—instead, the qi moves the practitioner. This method is beyond words so I will not attempt to explain it.

Basic Principles

Although there are various schools

of thought in qigong many of them share these three basic universal principles.

In order to move qi, you must gather

qi. Just as a car cannot be driven without gas one cannot move qi without filling the body. Therefore, gathering qi is the prerequisite toward moving qi.

The next step is feeling qi or develop-

ing energy awareness. If you’re not aware of it, you can’t move it. exhalation purges.

titioner further cultivates him/her self.

Intention is the use of visualization

Awareness skills vary greatly from one indi-

or imagination for the focus of guiding qi.

vidual to the next. It is the means or pro-

Continued Page 16...

september 2011

15

Develop an awareness of chi continued...

The final step is “find a good teacher.”

ability to move an enormous amount

Books, DVDs, and self-study programs

of energy just as weight lifter can train

won’t suffice if you plan on going the

themselves to lift increasingly heavier

distance. A qigong instructor, who

weights. Therefore, the shortcut to mov-

can demonstrate ability to manipulate

ing energy is to find an instructor who

energy, is “a diamond in the rough.”

can move energy.

Regardless of the qigong style or

lineage, the instructor, directly teach-

ing the day-to-day classes, must have

healer—is founder of the Formless Form

a comprehensive understanding of the

Qigong Center. He graduated from the

subtleties of each posture, breath, and

American Academy of Acupuncture and

intention. This level of comprehension

Oriental Medicine (AAAOM) with a Mas-

is beyond intellectual and is almost

ters of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine

impossible to express with words.

and is currently awaiting his licensure in

Experienced individuals, with a highly

acupuncture from the State of Minnesota.

developed level of awareness, have the

http://www.formlessformqigong.com

16 www.esswellness.com

Peng Her— qigong instructor and

september 2011

17

FLOWING CHI

BY MARY ZELMER

Qigong heals the mind, thus the body

M

Y BODY and heart

for yourself and others. Connect to the

moment to simply close your eyes.

hurt. I couldn’t eat.

life force. Give or receive at least eight

When you breathe in, breathe in light

I was depressed and

hugs a day and three belly laughs. Love

through every pore of your body. When

angry,

experienc-

is the strongest healing energy: Open

you breathe out, see everything you

ing panic attacks

your heart. Be your own best friend. It’s

do not need turn to smoke and leave

and flashbacks. I was without hope,

okay.”

your body. Do so without resistance

getting sicker and weaker, not under-

powerful

and allow your shoulders to relax. See

standing why my body was doing this

instructions, which are part of ancient

or sense all your troubles, worries, and

and not knowing how to help it. Then

wisdom, were taught to me by Qigong

pains just melt away. Relax and visual-

I went to my first qigong class. For the

Master Chunyi Lin and Qigong

ize yourself sinking into joy and health.

first time in years, I was able to quiet

Grandmaster Dr. Effie Chow in order

Surround yourself with nature. Smile.

my mind and listen to my body. With

to help me feel and understand qi or

Know you are at peace with yourself

that gift and daily qigong practice, life

energy and to move it. I am eternally

and others.

has become joyful, I have become joy-

grateful for their teachings.

These

simple

yet

ful. Every day is so full of possibilities, and now there is nothing that I cannot affect in a positive way.

“Qi” means life force or energy.

Become Empowered Through Qigong

Qi talks to us all the time, letting

As I started to practice my simple

us know when it is not moving freely

qigong exercises, I was able to feel my

in our bodies, when we feel pain or are

body heal. It was so simple, yet so dra-

depressed, when we cannot forgive, or

matic. I fell in love with qi because qi

when we hold anger or any other physi-

is energy, and we are all energy beings.

cal and spiritual sensations that keep us

I fell in love with myself and with all

off balance in our life. It also talks to

my neighbors here on earth. Qigong

us when we are peaceful, joyful—one

empowered me to help myself, but I

with the earth and the heavens and

also learned simple techniques to help

with each other.

Ancient Wisdom Taught

by Qigong Masters

others—animals, plants, and, yes, even

our planet. I started to live in a way

We all hold within us this ancient wis-

that brought meaning to my life.

dom. Moving qi is not hard; we do it

feel. Smile. Relax. Be happy. Observe

Breathing and visualization are

every day with every thought, because

your thoughts. Hold a positive attitude

a powerful way to direct qi. Take a

thoughts are energy and thoughts

“Gong” means moving, transforming, and balancing. Together they are the art of all we are, helping us find balance of the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of our lives. Breathing, movement, and focus of the mind all move and transform qi.

“Your elbows lead, your hands

18 www.esswellness.com

Qi Lets Us Know When Something is Wrong

Everyone wants love and security.

direct our qi. Positive thoughts help us to heal; negative thoughts can make us sick. Eastern medicine believes a healthy mind equals a healthy body.

The

new

relationship

I

have with this energy has grown deeper and deeper over the years.

My understanding of how to nurture and cultivate it has grown into not only helping myself, but helping others too, which in turn has grown into others helping others. Moving qi is something we can all do together to bring balance into our lives and onto our planet.

Mary Zelmer is a certified qigong teacher and healer and an intuitive guide helping individuals find their own unique way of connecting with the earth and its teachers. Mary advises and leads group healing meditations for the Qigong Connection which meets monthly in St Paul.

She is a student of Spring Forest Qigong and Chow Qigong. You can reach Mary at www.waytoyoga.com

september 2011

19

FLOWING CHI

BY LAUREL ANDERSON

Pranic Healing keeps the chi flowing

S

O WHAT is all the buzz about Pranic Healing, one of the most popular energy healing modalities in the world?

If you are one of those people who

would like to do energy work but don’t feel a thing in your hands, there is hope! Pranic Healing is based on ancient Chinese techniques refined by Grand Master Choa Kok Sui, whose mission was to develop simple, step-by-step instructions for healing that anyone can follow. A chemical engineer by degree, he became the modern founder of Pranic Healing. He explored ancient texts and after extensive experimentation, Master Choa formulated unique methods using pranic energy.

Pranic Healing: A Highly Developed and Tested System of Energy Medicine

and sinuses, in which a Pranic Healer can

Master Choa’s directions offer specific,

simply remove or “sweep” out the conges-

proven techniques for most major diagno-

to balance, harmonize, and transform the

tion and re-energize.

ses and symptoms, emotional and physical.

body’s energy processes. To verify the tech-

Based on the feedback, he created

For example, I was recently diagnosed with

niques, Grand Master Choa Kok Sui cross

a step by step “cookbook approach” to

pneumonia. The Miracles Through Pranic

referenced two highly trained clairvoyants

address not only illnesses but to master the

Healing textbook lists 12 steps to alleviate

who would notice certain similarities in the

energy of life in all forms: physical and men-

the symptoms. Almost immediately after

energy bodies of people with the same ail-

tal health, finances and business, relation-

the healing session, I experienced relief and

ments. An asthma client, for example, will

ships, crystal energy, and spiritual develop-

have congested energy in the throat, lungs,

ment. Just as you would follow a recipe,

Pranic Healing utilizes prana (energy)

20 www.esswellness.com

Continued Page 22...

september 2011

21

Pranic Healing continued... a new surge of energy that antibiotics and

many other activities that further your

through this comprehensive program in

other treatments were not providing. The

skills as a healer and spiritual aspirant.

the form of classes and books.

improvement could only be attributed to

Master Choa Kok Sui developed many

the changes I needed in my energy body.

other courses to improve every aspect of

countries including hospitals and clinics.

livelihood. Pranic Psychotherapy teaches

Everyone over the age of 16 is invited to

practitioners to work with energy while

attend the free healing meditations offered

addressing mental and emotional con-

throughout the Twin Cities. The meditations

cerns. Learn how to protect yourself from

will help instill peace and joy within you,

diseased energies, negative intentions, and

while blessing all beings and planet earth.

malicious thought forms in Pranic Psychic

For more information on Pranic Healing and

Self Defense. Master Choa’s Kriyashakti

local events, please visit www.pranapath.org.

Energy Hygiene: Learn To Disconnect From Negative Energy

One major component that sets

Pranic Healing apart from other modali-

Pranic Healing is used in over 120

ties is the emphasis on energy hygiene.

We often use expressions such as “I don’t like the vibe in here” or “I feel drained” being around a certain person or environment. These are, in fact, energetic responses to unclean, diseased energy in a place or perhaps a person. Learning to protect your energy body and remove this congested energy from your environment can significantly reduce these reactions.

Energy hygiene is also used to address negative thoughts—our own and others.

If “thoughts are things,” then learning to work with thoughts as an energy form can be essential to maintain peace and calm in the midst of others who tend to create chaos. Learning how to disconnect from these situations is only one of the invaluable lessons in Level One Pranic Healing.

Support System Offered in Learning Pranic Healing

To further your healing practice,

Pranic Healing offers a comprehensive support system once you have taken the entry level course. You have access to many free online services, such as esoteric study groups, group meditations, and more.

PranaPath, the local Pranic Healing Center, offers free weekly healing meditation, free healing clinics, support groups, and

22 www.esswellness.com

course teaches you how to properly harness the power of your thoughts, subtle ener-

Laurel Anderson is Program Director at Saint

gies, and your auric field to create a life of

Mary’s University of Minnesota. She is currently

prosperity and success both materially and

developing a course on Business Administration

spiritually. Everything you need to know

of Complementary and Alternative Medicines

about living a happy, fulfilled life is offered

in hospitals, nursing homes and clinic settings.