Elk Falls, BC
As Dr Sukumaran gently helped me to see – with the quote that I share at the top of this first Newsletter – during my first consultation with him at the time of the cancer scare that later catapulted me into a new career (at this exact time of year, 13 years ago now): we are reflections of Nature. Nature has much to teach us – if only we tune in and listen!
The water analogy that he used is so perfect, for the human body is more than 80% water and if it is not oxygenated and moved, stagnation has a myriad of implications, not least of all a sense of overall dis-ease and disconnection from Source. Movement has many forms – some more subtle than others. This article (written specifically for the first issue of the Relax and Feel Radiant Newsletter), focusses on movement of the body and the breath, for as the yogic sages said: “Where the breath goes, prana (chi, life-force or Source) flows.”
When we do not move or breathe efficiently, the energy flow within our body becomes blocked and that affects all our organs and systems, including immune function. The blood becomes deprived of oxygen, putting strain on the entire body. The body does not efficiently eliminate waste, the lymph does not drain, and toxic build up occurs. The digestive system becomes sluggish and undigested foods putrefy, with a myriad of unhealthy organisms growing within the digestive tract, causing numerous symptoms and ailments. The muscles become weak and we start losing our balance. We do not sleep as well, become depressed, and loose mental clarity – as well as our spiritual connection that is so vital for radiant health. The list is endless. Moving back to balance can be relatively easy: movement and breath – if done with awareness!
- Jumping for Joy!
We have been given bodies capable of an amazing range of motion – we are meant to move spontaneously, like children do! They run and jump for joy and shout out their delight, engaging in two of the healthiest, most self-empowering, actions we can take: moving the body and moving the breath. Neither if these movements need to be drastic. Students that attend the Very Gentle Kripalu Yoga Plus classes at The Heart Gate are always absolutely amazed at the powerful shifts they experience by ‘doing so little’ – and that includes seasoned yoga students (see Guest Article). Movement and breath are integral parts of the Sacred Movement experience also.
Conscious movement of the breath and of the physical body both illicit a deep relaxation response in all systems, as well as total rejuvenation of the energy system that is our Essence and that the entire human being is built upon. When breath/energy flows without restriction, the frequency of the individual’s vibration increases, as transformation of lower vibrational holding patterns (energetic blocks) take place – and we feel and look more relaxed and radiant. Lower vibrational organisms such as yeasts, bacteria and cancer cells can not survive at healthier, higher, vibrational frequencies.
So, in the first issue of the Newsletter, I share two simple self-help tools that can be used by anyone, no matter what your current state of health or wellness is in this moment in time. The vibrational shifts that they bring will be no more than your system can handle. The effects will be incremental and increase every time you practice them. Scientific research has shown that if we want maximum benefit from any holistic practice, a short 5 minute session, five times a day, is more beneficial than longer, less frequent, practice sessions – because of neuroplasticity. Repetition reprograms the brain! So I gently suggest a short 5 min practice every time you engage in an activity that you repeat five times or more during your day – like visiting the washroom. Just after washing your hands is a perfect time to stop and take a moment for the breathing exercise for instance. Find a similar ‘reminder’ for the movement exercise. Be creative!
If we practice these exercises on a daily basis, they become second nature – like brushing our teeth – and the relaxation responses they illicit will naturally kick in or rise to the surface of our awareness when needed – as the guest article in the first issue of the Newsletter so beautifully illustrates.
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