Mindfulness
Shen (神) is the Chinese word for ‘Spirit’ or ‘Mind’. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, (TCM) we see Shen as one of the essential energies sustaining the human body. This is referred to as; the 3 treasures:
Jing (Essence): Our basis of growth, development, and reproduction.
Qi (Energy or Life Force): The source of all movement in the body, it warms the body, defends the body against pathogens, it transforms food and holds things in their proper places (for example, it keeps organs from prolapsing and holds blood within the blood vessels).
Shen (Spirit-Mind): Our consciousness, mental functions, mental health, vitality, and “presence”.
In biomedicine, the body and spirit-mind are seen as separate entities and are treated separately (doctors and psychologists).
For TCM practitioners, the Shen is considered a yang entity that is rooted in a yin substance: the blood. Meaning, there are physical and mental/spiritual aspects of disease.
Our Shen lives in our Heart. The Shen (is supposed to) retire to sleep throughout the night. If the Shen is disturbed, you may experience insomnia. The State of our Shen is visible in the eyes. A healthy Shen will manifest as bright, shining eyes, with vitality. A disturbed Shen will manifest with dull eyes, (like there’s a curtain in front of them – as if no one were behind them). This is commonly seen in those suffering from long-term emotional problems or after serious shock. A disturbed Shen may manifest as;
- insomnia
- dream disturbed sleep
- anxiety
- palpitations
- depression
- inability to concentrate
- timidity
The Shen can be disturbed by both physical and emotional traumatic or shocking events, especially those that occur in childhood. Acupressure can be used to calm Shen. These three acupressure points are found along the heart meridian, located on the inside of your arm.
Check out the video below for some fantastic heart meridian stretches:
‘Cun’ are the proportional units used to locate acupuncture points. This measurement system is most accurate and is equally applicable to adults, children, larger and smaller body types.
One Cun = your own thumb width.
Mindful Movements
Qi Gong is an ancient system of coordinated body-postures, movement, breathing and meditation. Throughout China it’s seen as a lifestyle practice as recreation, exercise, relaxation, preventive medicine, self-healing, alternative medicine, meditation, self-cultivation, and martial arts training. Qi Gong cultivates and balances your Qi (like yoga). The breathing in Qi Gong should be relaxed, slow and deep, originating from your diaphragm. This type of breathing technique has a very calming and balancing effect on the mind, which is so important in counteracting the effects of everyday worry and stress. Just a few minutes of Qi Gong whenever you start feeling stressed can really work wonders.
Principles of Qi Gong practice:
- Intentional movement: careful, flowing balanced movement
- Rhythmic breathing: slow, deep, coordinated with movement
- Awareness: calm, focused meditative state
- Visualization: of qi flow, aesthetics
- Softness: soft gaze, expressionless face
- Solid Stance: firm footing, erect spine
- Relaxation: relaxed muscles, slightly bent joints
- Balance and Counterbalance: motion over the center of gravity
- Tranquility: empty mind, high awareness
Check out the video below to try this beginner friendly Qi Gong routine with Jeffery Chand. This 10 minute routine is helpful for calming, grounding, and centering the Mind.
There are many things that we; should do, need to do and want to do that feel never ending. We are living in a world of overstimulation and often we are tied into our phones, emails, social media, the news and our families.. and sometimes, we need to SHUT OFF!
Daoyin tu – chart for leading and guiding people in exercise for improving health and treatment of pain,containing animal postures such as bear walk. This is a reconstruction of a ‘Guiding and Pulling Chart’ excavated from the Mawangdui Tomb 3 (sealed in 168 BC) in the former kingdom of Changsha. The original is in the Hunan Provincial Museum, Changsha, China.
Credit: Wellcome Collection. Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Mindful Eating
Nowadays, there are a lot of conflicting messages about eating – how often, where and what to eat – and consumers are constantly shown in TV, magazines, and social media how to adapt our eating to live “healthier” lifestyles. But what if we got rid of the external factors? What if instead we looked inside to guide our eating? This is mindful or intuitive eating. Although there is no one definition of mindful eating, it can be described as:
- making conscious food choices
- being aware of our hunger
- satiety (or fullness) cues,
- paying close attention to the effect of food on our senses, noting the physical and emotional sensations in response to eating.
Research has shown that mindful eating allows us to control our urges better, and reduce our binge-eating, over-eating, or eating because of stress or anxiety. It can lead to more positive, healthy relationships with food and higher self-esteem.
So how do we do it?
Recognize your hunger cues: When you feel the sudden urge to eat, take a moment and pause. Take a deep breath. Check in with your body and ask yourself if you are anxious, stressed, or bored. This is important because often times when we feel anxious, for example, nausea or an upset stomach could be misinterpreted as hunger.
Check in with your body and look for physical signs of hunger: This could be a rumbling in your stomach, low energy, problems focusing, or headaches. A useful tool is the Hunger Scale. Ideally, we would like to start eating when we are at a 3, which is when we are starting to feel an empty stomach, but we are not quite cranky or irritable yet.
Take the time to eat: With busy lifestyles, it is common to eat quickly, eat while distracted, or simply miss meals. Eating quickly can prevent you from knowing when you are full. Eating when distracted, like watching TV, can often lead to overeating. Taking the time to eat can help you enjoy and focus on your food, prevent overeating, and be mindful of your eating habits and choices. Chew your food thoroughly to experience all its aromas, textures, and flavors with all five of your senses. Ideally, we would like to eat until we reach 6 or 7 on the Hunger Scale. This is when we feel satisfied but not uncomfortable.
Note: In mindful eating, there is no place for judgement or guilt. It is absolutely okay to eat the foods we love, but our goal is to be mindful of our eating habits while doing so.
In summary, mindful eating is about listening to our bodies and giving it what it needs. Remember: you do not need to be perfect every time, but instead be more mindful with each meal. So pause, look for hunger cues, get rid of any distractions, and savor your food.
