Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Steven Cardoza, author of the new Chinese Healing Exercises.
What are Chinese healing exercises? What benefits do they provide? Below are five reasons to include Chinese healing exercises in your daily life.
1. They’re easy to do.
Some are as easy as twiddling your thumbs! Many people are attracted to the healing benefits of taiji or qigong, but find they are unable to do the more demanding aspects of those practices, or do not have the time or discipline required. That can make it difficult to experience any benefits. If something is too difficult for any reason, you just won’t do it. Here, there are no such problems. Anyone can do these exercises!
2. They take very little time.
Today more people than ever want some help in feeling better, healthier, stronger, less stressed, and more at peace. Yet, they simultaneously seem to have less time to pursue those endeavors, so they want things that are fast and easy to learn. While “fast and easy” doesn’t really apply to taiji and qigong, that’s exactly where these exercises really shine.
Self-care exercises can be performed in as little as 1-2 minutes, and you get the full benefit specified for each exercise in that amount of time. The range of benefits is targeted to a specific concern, so they are not as broad as you would find in a full qigong or taiji practice. Because they require so little time to learn and practice, it’s easy to add more whenever you want, for additional benefits.
3. They are completely customizable.
There is no set regimen you have to follow, you can choose only the exercises that apply to your needs and create the program that works best for you. If you practice exercises you’ve selected, ones you know will benefit you specifically and which will allow you to feel those benefits almost immediately, you’ll be more encouraged to be faithful in your practice. Chinese Healing Exercises gives you guidance on selecting exercises that work together to help you quickly achieve your goals.
4. They’re convenient, and can be done anywhere, anytime.
Because they take so little time and space, these are great for break periods at work, school, or home, and can reduce stress, boost energy, or address an ongoing problem whenever you can fit it into your day. You don’t need any special clothes, and you don’t need to go to a gym or yoga studio, so there’s no additional expense. They’re fun to practice with family or friends, too.
5. Most importantly, they work!
These exercises have withstood the test of time, having been developed over thousands of years. Most originated between 600-3,000 years ago. That amount of historical refinement makes them remarkably effective.
Some are drawn from the earliest forms of Chinese medical practices, like acupressure and tuina (a type of Chinese massage therapy), to break up qi stagnation and stimulate and normalize qi flows. Others were originally intended as preparation for the demands of advanced martial, medical, or spiritual practices.
Try them for just one month. You’ll be surprised by how much better you’ll feel!
Our thanks to Steven for his guest post! For more from Steven Cardoza, read his article “Chinese Healing Exercises: Your Path To Greater Health and Longevity.”
