Tag: centering

Finding quiet

Ai Chi mindfulness mpierce

Life can be quite hectic, particularly when changes are in action. Changing seasons bring different demands~ perhaps pulling different clothing out of the back of the closet or scheduling visits from HVAC professionals to assure that our homes are ready for upcoming weather. Holidays may bring added preparations for gatherings of friends and family, putting up decorations, preparing special dishes, making or buying gifts for loved ones, or reaching out to those who need special help. Whether the busyness of these interludes is joyful and exhilarating or is taxing, it is good for our souls to find moments of quiet and centering amid all the action.

My favorite way to find calm is by doing Ai Chi. I take full advantage of swimming pools, rivers, lakes and oceans when I have the opportunity and join local centers with warm water pools for a steady resource. A focus on breathing and gentle excursions of my limbs and joints nurture my body, mind and spirit. However, sometimes I cannot do Ai Chi. Weather permitting, going for a walk in a natural setting can inspire inner peace and calm, as can listening to poetry or music, or even singing. But there are times when I find myself looking for quiet and mindfulness. Just as doing Ai Chi with others enhances my personal experience, I have found that meditating with others multiplies the gains of mindful practice. Jun Konno guided those doing Ai Chi that there is no one right or wrong way to do Ai Chi and that each practice is unique and personal. I learned that the same is true about meditation from my cousin who hosts group sessions by Zoom.

If you are interested in experiencing an effortless guided meditation or simply basking quietly in calming spaciousness alongside others, email [email protected] for information. Bruce and his wife Elly offer Zoom sessions at various times of day to accommodate participants from multiple time zones.

To follow this blog, tap “follow” below.

It always comes back to Ai Chi

mindfulness Teaching Ai Chi mpierce

The world is a bit unsettled at the moment. I’ve noticed that people seem less likely to respect boundaries than in the past~ opening doors marked “staff only” or unapologetically soliciting personal information over the phone. “Private” seems to be an invitation for exploration. And respect, civility and kindness too often seem to be forgotten~ especially with those you don’t know. This has the result of raising general tension levels and promoting distrust of others. When I get particularly bothered by such things, I am prone to commenting to my husband, “The world needs more Ai Chi!” and his joking response is “It always comes back to Ai Chi.”

And figuratively speaking, it does. Our society is better when we are more centered, more appreciative of our God-given gifts, more aware of our surroundings and more respectful of others. We need to rely more on our parasympathetic “rest and digest” nervous system than our sympathetic “fight or flight” nervous system. Sharing smiles and joy is contagious. Now Ai Chi is not the only way to accomplish this, but it is a very effective way to find equilibrium. Plus Ai Chi promotes so many other good things, like core strengthening, improved mobility, deep breathing and balance. It lowers blood pressure and slows your heart rate… So many good things come from this practice…

A few years ago, one of the Ai Chi Masters was in an accident that left her traumatized and immobilized in the hospital for an extended period. She shared that doing Ai Chi in her head was a calming, healing tool that helped her through a difficult time. When my busy mind keeps me awake at night, I do the same to bring calm that allows sleep to come. 

I have recently been sharing Ai Chi with a population with multiple comorbidities~ lots of health issues that make some Ai Chi steps overwhelming. I’ve had to modify or skip some of the steps, and to place a lot of emphasis on how to move, weight-shifting and breath. However it turns out is how it was meant to be, and I’ve seen amazing physical performance improvement in my participants, but the calm that comes with doing Ai Chi has been in the background~ until now. A new participant joined us whose main focus was finding centering and grounding and her enthusiasm as she experienced Ai Chi for the first time set the tone for the class. By this time the other class members were pretty adept at the steps we’d been practicing, and we hit that “sweet spot” of Ai Chi where everyone experienced the amazing calm that Ai Chi can bring~ that centering that automatically compelled us to turn to one another and say “ahhhh” and “Namaste” as the class concluded. 

Yes, it always comes back to Ai Chi…

Do you want to share Ai Chi with others? Check out learning opportunities at upcoming conferences and education days through ATRI.

To follow this blog, please click on “Follow” in the lower right corner of your screen.

Let me sleep on that…

mindfulness mpierce

Our minds are pretty amazing. We can “find flow” and function on autopilot~ as when typing, keyboarding or playing the piano without having to think about it, (once you’ve mastered the fundamentals).

But life does not always go smoothly. Sometimes we have days when we’re “at loose ends,” feeling “off,” or just hit a block. I do jumbles and sudoku puzzles nearly every day. Sometimes I get stuck and need to switch gears between the two puzzles~ or just stand up and walk around a bit. When I get back to my puzzle, more often than not the answer is right before me. I needed a break from what I was doing to clear my head so I could find the answer.

This is one of the reasons that vacations are so important. In addition providing a wonderful opportunity to spend time somewhere different or to do something out of the ordinary, it allows for a break from what normally consumes you, a chance to reset with a fresh perspective when you return.

Then there are major decisions that can monopolize your thoughts. You may have felt a need to “sleep on it” before determining what to do. What is happening in our minds to help with problem solving as we sleep? Sara Mednick and Denise Cal of the University of California, San Diego explored the different stages of sleep in creative problem solving. They found that the passage of time is sufficient for resolving problems you’ve already worked on, but for new issues, dream-rich REM sleep can stimulate another level of creative problem solving via priming~ stimulating connections to unrelated ideas within the mind. They hypothesize that this happens through changes in levels of norepinephrine and acetylcholine in various parts of the brain during REM sleep. The end result of these changes is the ability to make new connections that would otherwise be inhibited, expanding networks within our minds to solve problems creatively. “Sleeping on it” really can bring in a new way of thinking.

In this world of high emotion, Ai Chi promotes centering and relaxation~ a break from the norm, allowing a new perspective. The deep, diaphragmatic breaths we take during each Ai Chi movement trigger the parasympathetic nervous system to release of acetylcholine, bringing calm within. It is a calm that you can carry with you, even after you leave the water.

Are you in the Ft Myers, FL area?

Join me doing Ai Chi at AMAVIDA Living, 7650 Gladiolus Dr.

April 2019 classes are on Wednesdays at 10:45 am through April 17.

Cost is $10 per class for non-AMAVIDA residents. 

To follow this blog, please click on “Follow” in the lower right corner of your screen.

Your choice…

Music Teaching Ai Chi mpierce

It was the last class in an Ai Chi series, and we opened with Ai Chi in 3, a lively version of Ai Chi that was new to the class members. We transitioned to traditional progressions with Jun Kono’s Ai Chi Synchrony. Finally, we moved through the water to my favorite Ai Chi music, Carlos Nakai’s Canyon Trilogy. This music always reminds me of a wonderful family trip to Chaco Canyon in New Mexico many years ago. We set off in different directions to explore the ancient Pueblo ruins, each of us on our own journey into the past. Unexpectedly, soft flute music drew us to one of the dwellings, where we found our teenage son playing a newly purchased Indian flute. It was a precious moment that forever linked the good feelings of a special family time to the sounds of the Native American flute.

As our Ai Chi class concluded, one of the group members asked, “Can certain music make you feel sad?” I replied that studies of remote cultures around the world have shown that slow music with predominantly minor chord progressions have a universal effect of creating a feeling of sadness. I added that personal experience with music can also create emotional associations. She then shared that she felt sadness during Ai Chi Synchrony. This surprised me, as Ai Chi Synchrony is not in a minor key and her experience with it was limited to our class. Suddenly it hit me~ it was not the music that was affecting her emotions… It was me.

I love sharing Ai Chi with others. Ai Chi has many positive effects~ improving balance, enhancing breathing, extending mobility, core strengthening, pain relief, stress reduction… But the aspect that I most appreciate in this world that seems skewed toward a first response of anger and hate, is the ability to find centering and calm. One of my class members has commented that she feels tensed up a lot of the time, but when she does Ai Chi she is relaxed for the rest of the day. On this particular day I was feeling sad that a very fun series was coming to an end. I was also in the midst of processing some upsetting news I had recently received. At the start of the class, the group was fully absorbed in new learning with Ai Chi in 3. Ai Chi Synchrony brought familiar territory, and the group was more fully able to soak in the moment~ and to subconsciously absorb my shallowly buried unsettled feelings. Fortunately, the last music selection rescued my frame of mind and lifted the spirits of the class.

I have often asked my class participants about their favorite music genres to create customized playlists based on recognized attributes of relaxing music. Personal preference is the bottom line determinant as to whether or not music is relaxing, so what is very relaxing for one person may be less so for another. But in a class, there is another factor in the mix~ the chameleon effect of participants as they consciously and subconsciously mimic the leader. Ai Chi class preparation includes setting your internal tone as well as the external surroundings. Yes, your role is to be a facilitator but you cannot escape being a part of the experience as well.

What is the most relaxing class music? The leader’s favorite.

Upcoming Ai Chi classes in Evanston, IL: Join me doing Ai Chi at the Evanston Athletic Club on Tuesday and Thursday mornings during the month of September, 2018. Call (847) 866-6190 to reserve a spot.

To follow this blog, please click on “Follow” in the lower right corner of your screen!

Pass it on

Ai Chi steps mindfulness mpierce

Sad things and bad things will happen. At some point, someone you love will be very sick. A family member or close friend will die. You won’t be able to help a dear one who is traveling a difficult road. Relationships will end. You will be treated unfairly. So you may harbor sadness, anger and resentment or long for the “good old days.”

But good things will happen too. You will be surrounded by love. You will share special times with others. You will experience the wonder of a new life coming into this world, and you will make a new friend. You will accomplish something you didn’t think was possible. A puppy will greet you with an affectionate lick. You will encounter the wonder of nature as you walk in the woods on a crisp fall day. You will make amazing discoveries, plan an adventure, watch the glorious opening of a new day with a sunrise… And gratefully remembering those special encounters is also a good thing!

Our subconscious minds take in all that surrounds us, both the negative and the positive. Without even realizing that it is happening, we pass on the effects of our experiences with those we touch. Studies have shown that when people read angry posts on Facebook, they are more likely to post something that is heated themselves. Or they may be short with others later in the day without realizing why. Likewise, goodness and kindness reach farther than we ever know.

Breathe in deeply, and contemplate joy. Float in the moment. Experience feeling uplifted by the buoyancy of water. Enclose your arms to bring in wonder. Give yourself a hug with enfolding… The steps of Ai Chi can give focus, awareness and inner balance, nourishing our souls with hope and faith that will give us strength when we need it most. The centering and the calm of Ai Chi opens the door to appreciation and sharing gratitude and love with all we touch.

Today I share quote from my father, who was a beacon of hope throughout his life, through good times and bad…

 

Are you in the Chicago area this summer? Join me doing Ai Chi at the Evanston Athletic Club on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:30-11:30 am through July 19, 2018. Call (847) 866-6190 to reserve a spot.

To follow this blog, please click on “Follow” in the lower right corner of your screen!

Finding peaceful spaces

Uncategorized mpierce

Sometimes you have to go to a peaceful space to regroup and center. I really enjoy doing Ai Chi alone in restful places with relaxing music in the background. Spas often have warm water pools where I can find shoulder depth water and generally have the right sort of background music. But even if I arrive at a non-peak time, there may be another guest who decides to do splashy laps in “my” pool. Or two friends may appear who are excited to see one another and interrupt my calming experience with their exuberance. Maybe I am alone in this perfect place, but my own thoughts and worries about a stressful day just keep intruding… How do I find my peaceful space?

Ai Chi begins with focus on breath. My Apple watch even reminds me to “breathe” throughout the day. It’s good advice. As Ai Chi becomes automatic, you may forget to think about breathing. But focus on breathing has allowed me to find a peaceful space, regardless of what is going on around me.

Set your posture to optimize diaphragmatic breathing~ weight forward over the balls of your feet, knees in a loose packed, slightly bent position, back slightly flattened, shoulder blades down and in, head tucked back… let your stomach poof out as you breathe in through your nose, and relax as you exhale through your mouth… concentrate on the whole process of the wonderful, life-giving process of breathing… Aaaah…

It’s wonderful to come across a peaceful space during a walk in the woods, in an empty church, at a spa… but even though that perfect physical calming space is not always there, don’t miss out on the opportunity to create your own peaceful space through dedicated focus. You control the ability to find your peaceful space.