Autumn Qi Chats | Week 2
Power in the spine…
This week’s Neuro-Qi Chat leads us to talk
about what a stable spine can mean for the rest of your body. Energetically and structurally.
Sit up straight!
My mother would chide every time we were at church, a restaurant and heck.. even while seated the car! She saw her children slumped over and in her knowledge knew that this posture not only looked terrible but it was awful for the spine & our digestive system.
The exciting news is, we don’t have to stop there, when we lengthen through the spine, we create a better neural AND Qi flow connection throughout the entire brain and body! Axial lengthening creates a reflex in the brain known as arthrokinetic reflex which allows for better muscular contractions just from creating space in a joint! But let’s dive into the Qi flow benefits of ‘sitting up straight’!
BAI HUI
The Bai Hui acupoint, also known as “Du Mai” 20 in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), is located at the crown of the head. While TCM offers a different perspective on health and well-being compared to Western medicine, there are some potential benefits attributed to stimulating the Bai Hui acupoint in the context of insomnia, strength via axial lengthening, and the energetics of The Heavenly Orbit known as Xiao Jiao Tian.
Insomnia:
Sleep Regulation: Stimulating the Bai Hui acupoint is believed to help regulate sleep patterns by balancing the body's energy and promoting relaxation. It may be used in TCM to address issues related to insomnia or disrupted sleep. In fact, human clinical trials confirm that acupuncture is an effective modality for the treatment of insomnia.*
Strength via Axial Lengthening:
Posture and Balance: In TCM, the Bai Hui acupoint is associated with the governing vessel (Du Mai), which runs along the spine. Stimulating this acupoint may be thought to improve posture and balance, potentially contributing to a sense of strength and well-being.
Energetics of Xiao Jiao Tian:
Qi Flow: Xiao Jiao Tian (aka, the Heavenly Orbit) is a concept in TCM related to the exchange of energy between the head (Xiao) and the lower abdomen (Tian). Stimulating Bai Hui may help facilitate the flow of Qi (energy) between these regions, promoting overall vitality and balance.
Neuro-Qi Tip o’the day!
Axial Lengthening
Do the stance! By now you know Bai Hui (top of the head) and Wei Lu (your tailbone). This is your Qigong Posting stance with some load to help you push UP into Bai Hui and lengthen the spine while relaxing the pelvis and directing Wei Lu to the floor.
Feel the weight and push up against it as you breathe. Take expanded breaths and LONG exhales 3x-5x.
You can use bands, weighted vest or a centered weight (basically pack your backpack with light weight and wear it for your stance).
It’s worth the purchase but GET YOURSELF A BAND! For the smaller band CLICK HERE and for the larger band CLICK HERE to check out the bands. I would consider the smallest one or the next size up!
*Video posts every Friday by 11:30am Mountain Time
