Stress is now widely recognized as the underlying cause of ill health, including metabolic syndromes such as heart disease, strokes, and chronic conditions. The busy lives that we foster contain all types of stressors, large or small. It’s how you choose to deal with them that can transform your life and well-being.
Reducing stress in the body can leave more room for increased energy and vitality. However, it can be difficult to know where to start with managing stress. There are an overwhelming number of options involving diet, exercise, and meditation, some of which contradict each other and leave you more confused than inspired.
Known as the art of effortless power’, Qi Gong is an ancient Chinese system of movement and breathing exercises that has a rising presence in the West. Combining elements of mindfulness, gentle exercise, and breathwork, Qi Gong is an easy-to-learn series that can be done daily in just seven minutes.
Here to share his top tips for managing stress is Qi Gong Master, Lee Holden. Holden has been teaching the healing art of Qi Gong for over 25 years and has created bespoke programs to help people on their journey toward optimal health.
Holden sat down with us to share 4 key tools to lower stress and find more peace and enjoyment in life:
1. Slow down
“The best moments in life happen when we slow down. If you have a sunset or a delicious dinner, you don’t want to speed through because then you miss it all together. Qi Gong is all about slowing down and replacing busy with bliss. Slowing down can improve your health, your sleeping patterns, and digestion so it really benefits all aspects of your life.”
“There’s nothing wrong with thinking one step ahead. It’s just that people often forget to come back to the present moment as a reset,” he continues. “The brain consumes a lot of the body’s energy. It’s only 3% of the total weight of the body, but it consumes 25% to 30% of the oxygen. Qi (pronounced chee) is energy that is consumed by thinking. So this wired brain / tired body we see often in Western society is because there is an imbalance of energy. When you slow down the mind, you return this energy to the body.”
2. Integrate
“If you take slow, relaxed breaths, you’re communicating to your nervous system so it knows it is safe to relax. You always have your breath and your mind with you. There does not have to be a separation between your wellness practices and the rest of your life. You can integrate Qi Gong practices throughout the day.”
“Sitting at your desk, you can stand up and take a couple of minutes to do a qi break. Get some tension cleared out of the spine, and release the neck and shoulders. Every time you notice your body is tense and your shoulders are starting to hunch up, stop what you’re doing and take a minute to calm the nervous system through breath and paying attention to your body at that moment.”
3. Get your body moving
“The beauty of Qi Gong is its accessibility. You don’t need special clothes or equipment. Even in jeans and a t-shirt, you can do a short session that helps clear stress and recharge your energy system. This practice is made of synergistic elements. It is a combination of mindfulness, exercise, stretching, and breathwork. If you don’t have time to go to the gym, Qi Gong provides all these things at the same time.”
“It is a training process. If we want our lives to be more effortless, we can practice Qi Gong because it is known as the art of effortless power. Working with the body can create that bridge between a calm, clear practice, and a calm, clear life. I am always training myself to respond to life with relaxation, flow, and harmony instead of tension, tightness, and stress. Putting these principles into movement helps us put them into our daily life as well.”
4. Trust your body
“Qi Gong can produce big shifts in everyday life. You can check in all the time with how much tension you are carrying in your body and start to train your body to move without that unconscious tightness. The truth is that our bodies have tremendous healing power when given the right environment and practices.”
“A lot of people feel unwell in their everyday lives and this is reflected in their bodies in a feedback loop of stress. When we can get out of stress and back into ourselves and relaxation mode, there’s an innate healing power that will kick in. We have seen miraculous healings ranging from cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and neurological diseases, to everyday life problems such as insomnia, neck pain, or headaches.”
Qi Gong Master Lee Holden is so confident of the benefits of this practice, that he offers a money-back deal on his 30-day challenge if your energy isn’t doubled by the end. The challenge comprises just 7 minutes of Qi Gong per day, which is enough to change your life and experience incredible results. Try it and see!
To discover more about Lee Holden and his exclusive Qi Gong healing programs, check out his website.
