Rest and Renew

“If it’s not necessary, don’t do it. Without rest, you cannot save energy. Your body has wisdom. When you have energy, the body starts to heal.” -Grand Master Nan Lu

Picture your life as a large candle. Every activity that you engage in, every emotion that you process and every food that you eat requires energy. If you live a peaceful lifestyle, keep even emotions and eat healing foods, you are able to maintain your candle and protect your flame. But if your activities, emotions and foods are taxing, you are continually melting away your candle. Based solely on the foods you eat, you cannot create change. Your mind, body and spirit must work together. Your body needs energy for true healing.

The best form of healing is sleep. Sleeping is a gift we inherit in our genetic code. Everyone knows how to sleep, but unfortunately people have a hard time getting quality sleep. Without quality sleep, it’s very difficult to boost your immune system and allow your body to heal itself. Babies know how to sleep in order to grow. But as we get older, we add too much noise into the body. This noise—its frequency and the emotions behind it—create a situation where the inside of our bodies aren’t peaceful.

Each emotion has a different frequency. When the body is balanced, it plays a beautiful symphony. But when everything is out of whack, each organ plays its own sound. Instead of a harmonious symphony, your organs create noise. Imagine you are living in an apartment building with noisy neighbors. It’s hard to sleep when there is a racket surrounding you. The goal is to slowly release this noise and any unnecessary emotions to prepare our bodies for healing.

Tips to Rest, Renew and Restore:

1. Spirit Gate Breathing:

Sit in a comfortable position and close your eyes. Focus your breath on your navel. Gently and deeply breathe in, pulling in from your navel. Then gently breathe out, pushing out from your navel. Repeat, holding each inhalation and exhalation for a count of 5.

2. Eat Light:

Keep your dinner on the lighter side, and be sure to eat warm foods that are easy to digest. If your digestive system is uncomfortable, you may have a difficult time getting to sleep. Visit our recipe section for some ideas!

3. Hot Bath:

Before you hop into bed, take a hot bath. Play some soothing music to fully relax you.

4. Acupressure:

Massage Large Intestine 4, or Energy Gate #1. This powerful acupuncture point is used to address just about any issue of the head, mouth and upper body, including wrinkles, sinus issues, acne and headaches. It also helps to calm the jitters, so you can wind down after a taxing day. Energy Gate #1 is located where the index finger bone forms a “V” with the thumb bone. Massage this point with your opposite thumb to allow a maximum amount of Qi to flow through the meridians.

5. Lighten Your Load

Whether we are afraid to hurt someone’s feelings, want to be sure our kids get to play on a team or ensure our job security, it is often difficult to say “no” to a work or volunteer role. Once you step back, you begin to see the importance of self first. As Grand Master Nan Lu says, “If it’s not important, don’t do it.” Save your Qi for your own healing.

6. Let it Go

Many of us tend to hold on to things, emotions and relationships that no longer serve us. Donate clothing, household supplies, books and toys that no longer bring you joy. Then begin to chip away at those long-held emotions. Anger, frustration and worry only serve to hold you back. Keep a journal of your emotions. When did they begin? Can you let go of this inner noise?

Inner peace is what natural healing looks like. When you’re at peace, your Qi flows, your Spirit is content and you can rest easily. When your Spirit is peaceful, your entire internal environment is balanced. Health is the byproduct of a healthy, harmonious body.

Life is all about balance. What you’re given at birth does not necessarily determine your fate in life. Protect your light.