Why it helps to understand the beauty and shadow of the HEART Qi

It’s the time of year when I’m hearing a lot of people talk about how busy and overwhelmed they are. And of course, look outside- nature is busy too! And we are part of nature. 

The sprouting energy of the wood element in the spring is rising and blooms into the flowering energy of the fire element in the early summer. With this excitement and beauty, comes the shadow side of anxiety and overwhelm. 

If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to meditate, this is prime time to learn -- to temper the overwhelm and return to your center, your heart. When the heart's energy is smooth and balanced, peace and joy are easily felt and expressed. If the heart energy (qi) is maladapted we suffer from anxiety, manic thinking, loneliness, and depression. 

The heart is energetically running the strongest in the early summer, which makes it the easiest time to repair and tonify the energy. The early summer starts in May, according to traditional Chinese medicine, as the sprouting of spring is shifting to blooming which resonates with the heart's energy. 

Traditional Chinese medicine regards 5 seasons. The early summer’s yang blooming energy is quite different from the late summer’s fruiting balanced energy., therefore they are two separate seasons. 

The heart is the resonator; its energy field expands several feet around our body in a 360-degree field. Our emotions are energetically broadcast to those around us, without us having to say anything. 

Our emotional state shifts our electromagnetic energy. Our heart’s energy communicates to all of the cells in our body. The heart's electrical field is about 60 times greater in amplitude than the electrical activity in the brain. 

One of the greatest services we can do for those around us is to tend to our hearts. Meridian breathing helps give the mind a clear and simple pattern to focus on, which is a precursor to meditation. And it guides the energy in the proper direction. This is an ancient Qigong technique that is known as Yi Qi Li, guiding energy with consciousness. One of the signature techniques in the Meridian Flow practice which creates a meditative mindset. 

The heart and small intestine are the energetic pair running the strongest in the early summer.

~ Inhale up the small intestine meridian, from the pinkies up the back of the arms to the inner ears.

~ Exhale down the heart meridian from the armpits down the inner arms to the pinkies.

Once we’ve established smooth-running heart qi, we can settle our consciousness into the heart light, known as the Emperor of our kingdom. The ultimate reason for the yoga practice is to clear the turbid energy in our bodies so we can access our heart light. It’s very difficult to tap into the heart light, known as the Shan Shen in Chinese medicine or Purusa in the Vedic yoga tradition - when our minds are racing. 

A simple and useful meditation that calms our mind and emotions is a chant, SO HUM.

"So Hum" is Sanskrit for "I AM"

This chant can be done audibly or silently.

Focusing on the heart light expanding and contracting with the words.

Inhale to So, exhale to Hum.

This simple yet profound chant has been prescribed by psychotherapists for anxiety. 

These 2 techniques of meridian breathing and meditating on the heart light to So Hum will help to resonate your mood and heart energy, so you and everyone around you will benefit from your balanced heart Qi!

From my heart light to yours~

Namaste,

Maggie