We like to start our days at Costa Rica Jungle Retreats with Qigong.
Who Can Use Qigong?
Qigong is suitable for both the young and the old. It can act as the ideal tool to help you recover from injuries and illnesses, and the practice of qigong can enhance the mental, physical and spiritual experience and enjoyment of life.
Stress is inevitable and can easily become a part of our daily burden. Many of our guests complain about stress in their lives and seek ways to manage it successfully. So here are two simple exercises to beat stress, which you can perform in a standing position.
Two Qigong Exercises:
Shaking Exercise
Keeping your feet shoulder-width apart and the knees soft, start by shaking your hands and wrists. Next, shake your elbows and shoulders, and bring movement into the whole body by jumping up and down on your heels. Hold your neck, shoulders, and head in a steady but relaxed position to allow the vibration spread throughout your body. While you jump, you should breathe in using your nose, and breathe out through your mouth, visualizing tension leaving your body. Stand still after 1-2 minutes, note if your body feels more vibrant. You can repeat the entire process 5-6 times. This exercise promotes circulation, opens all the joints, and clears stress that is stored inside the body.
Holding Up The Heavens
Again, keeping your feet shoulder-width apart and the knees soft, in a meditation posture. With palms facing up, bring your hands in front of your abdomen. As you breathe in, allow your hands to rise all the way above your head, keeping the elbows soft and the palms facing the sky. As you breathe out, bring your hands down to the starting position. You can continue the process for 5-6 counts. This exercise enhances your lung capacity, which gets hindered by stress.
We hope to see you this winter at our retreat, where we will practice more qigong exercises to reduce stress, increase longevity, and promote healthy, active aging.
