sept 2011 resources for inner peace, health and healing

flowing chiflowing chi

2 www.esswellness.com

september 2011 3

612.823.5093 carole@carolehyder.com

www.carolehyder.com

Conversations with Your HomeFind out how you can tap into the enveloping and

conscious energy that happens to come to you in a powerful, spatial format -- your home.

WORKSHOP Thursday, September 29, 6:00–9:00 p.m. Normandale Community College, Bloomington, MN.

Included in the materials is a copy of Carole’s book Conversations with Your Home.

Click HERE to register.

Wind & Water School of Feng ShuiAwarded Gold School membership from the International Feng Shui Guild.

A new program begins in October in Fargo, ND. Email lisa@windwaterschool.com for a free

catalog. For more information, visit www.windwaterschool.com.

4 www.esswellness.com

flowing chi

staff

essential wellness digital magazineTwin Cities Wellnessaka Essential Wellness

4270 Honey Tree PassDanbury, WI 54830

PublIsHErsDee & lynn laFroth

ADVErTIsINGDee laFrothsales@esswellness.com715.259.3047

WrITING GuIDElINEswww.esswellness.com/writers.aspx

EDITOrlynn laFrothinfo@esswellness.com

ArT DIrECTOrsunshine sevigny

rECEIVE EssENTIAl WEllNEss bY EMAIl!send your email to info@esswellness.com to receive bi-monthly Celebrate Wellness e-news and Monthly digital Essential Wellness

6-7 From the Editor—The heart: Our center of survival

8-10 Orchestrate the flow of chi in your environment for healingBy HINDA ABRAHAMSON

12-13 Cultivate qi through internal martial artsBy MARIA CAMILLE

14-16 Develop an awareness of qi in order to move itBy PENG HER

18-19 Qigong heals the mind, thus the bodyBy MARY ZELMER

20-22 Pranic Healing keepsthe chi flowingBy LAUREL ANDERSON

inside september 2011

september 2011 5

6 www.esswellness.com

The heart: Our center of survivalFrOM THE EDITOr

SOME CONCEPTS must

be experienced in order to

“get them.” For many years I

have been studying, reading,

and contemplating the “move

into your heart” works that

have risen in full splendor on the spiritual

horizon. Not new, of course, but now more

than ever it seems the impetus has been to

move into one’s heart to access one’s own

spiritual wisdom and depths. I’ve always

believed this to be true—but basically

at an academic level—until I picked up

Christine Day’s book, Pleiadian Initiations

of Light.

I worked with the two CDs along

with reading the book and I found the

frequency of this material catapults you

immediately into the experience of living

from the heart as the center of your being.

It is hands-on experiential and moves you

quickly into acceptance of “the teachings”

of these otherworldly beings—the Pleia-

dians. When you start to read this book,

you don’t have time to question: Is this

too far out? Is this truth? because you’re

automatically “in” the new frequencies of

awakening—and moving at the speed of

light.

The “transmission” that seems to

emanate from this book doesn’t allow

time for your mind to get in the way, to

censor, to control and direct what you will

and will not learn. When you “work” the

exercises and open you don’t have time

to think. That is the entire point. Don’t

think. Feel. Feel your heart, feel with your

heart, move into the heart space energies,

and open to learning a new way.

THE WAY THrOuGH CHAOs Is sTAY HEArT CENTErED

Practicing staying heart centered

and exercising emotional intelligence

muscles should help during these times of

chaos. Instead of getting pulled out into

someone else’s (or the collective) dramas

or hysteria, knowing the pathway to one’s

september 2011 7

The heart: Our center of survivalbY lYNN s. lAFrOTH

heart energy doesn’t allow for inva-

sion of one’s personal emotional

boundaries. One can stay calm,

centered in one’s own energy, and

thus affect the energy of others in a

positive way.

Chr i s t ine Day ’s CDs a re

intended to help you learn how to

access your multidimensional self

and rest in the expanded states of

consciousness—not to escape the

world, but to integrate the many

aspects of one’s self into whole-

heartedness.

Because we are in the transfor-

mation to a new kind of world, we

need to figure out how to survive,

thrive, and dive into the chaos with-

out losing ourselves and our minds.

The way is through the heart.

Lynn S. LaFroth is managing editor

of Essential Wellness; she can be

reached at info@esswellness.com

8 www.esswellness.com

ENG SHUI, the beautiful

art and science that embod-

ies the flow (Wind) and the

containment (Water) of

“chi,” provides guidelines

for orchestrating a healthy flow of energy

in our environments. That energy, or chi,

represents the life-process that sustains us.

Any imbalance or disruption in that ener-

getic force affects our well-being.

Feng Shui philosophy recognizes the

profound effect our environments have

on our vitality. It evolved from an aware-

ness that balanced surroundings positively

affect our health, and improving our envi-

ronment notably improves our life.

FENG sHuI suPPOrTs HEAlTH & HEAlING

Working with the Feng Shui of your

space creates an energetic foundation to

support the process of health and healing.

Here are some Feng Shui suggestions for

evaluating and adjusting chi for over-all

good health.

GET THAT FIrsT IMPrEssION PErsPECTIVE

Begin by objectively evaluating your

exterior and interior surroundings with

Feng Shui eyes; that is, a “first impression”

perspective.

Is the approach to your home uplift-

ing? Are trees, shrubs, plants and flowers

alive and vital? Is your yard well tended

and inviting?

EVAluATE YOur FrONT DOOr

Referred to as the “mouth of chi,”

your front door allows energy to enter and

is considered a sacred place of transition.

Is it in good working order, opening easily

and completely, well lit, uncluttered and

welcoming? To honor this life force area

and keep the chi active, make it a habit to

enter through your front door, at least sev-

eral times a week.

DO A rOOM-bY-rOOM WAlk-THrOuGH

Next, slowly walk from room to

room; consider each room’s visual and

emotional impact. Notice any areas where

energy seems blocked, stagnant, or oppres-

sive. Pay attention to lighting, color, furni-

ture placement, patterns, shapes, artwork,

window treatments, and plants. Each con-

tributes to the vital chi of your environ-

ment. Do you notice an energy pattern

emerging? Is it chi-enriching or chi-deplet-

ing? Consider the conditioning process of

that pattern over time, seven days a week,

365 days a year.

ENVIrONMENTs NEED TO FEEl PlEAsING

Does everything in your environ-

ment feel abundant and pleasing? If so, that

energy will support your health and the

health of all the occupants and provide ener-

getic nourishment during times of illness.

bEDrOOM MOsT DIrECTlY rElATEs TO HEAlTH

While your home’s over all impact

on your well-being is significant, Feng

Shui considers the bedroom the space most

directly related to health. During sleep,

our chi seeks to rejuvenate and replenish

itself for the following day. In this passive,

reparative state, we become more suscep-

tible to the surrounding Feng Shui of the

room. To reinforce good health and help

support any healing process, it is essential

to keep your bedroom a comfortable and

beautiful sanctuary for rest, rejuvenation

and intimacy.

rEbAlANCE ArEAs OF sTAGNANT CHI

After objectively assessing the Feng

Shui of your home, you can begin to miti-

gate any adverse energy that may be con-

tributing to an imbalance.

Orchestrate the flow of chi in your environment for healing

F

FlOWING CHI

CONTINuED PAGE 10...

bY HINDA AbrAHAMsON

Orchestrate the flow of chi in your environment for healing

september 2011 9

10 www.esswellness.com

Repair or replace what’s broken or isn’t

working properly; they serve as metaphors

for what might be broken or not working

optimally in your life. For example, our

bodies are sensitive to any energy drain,

which over time can lead to fatigue, so

repairing that leaky faucet takes on signifi-

cance and becomes a priority.

Identify and clear clutter. Persis-

tent clutter can have damaging health

consequences. Its stagnant, oppressive

energy creates stress and anxiety, inter-

fering with concentration. There is no

stronger adjustment to benefit health

and overall well-being than eliminating

clutter.

Once things are repaired, replaced or

eliminated, begin to make simple adjust-

ments. Moving your desk into a better

energy position, adding extra light to a

room, or changing the color of your bed-

room may be all that is needed to bring the

chi back to its natural balance.

Feng Shui practice regards your home

as a sacred place. All cleaning, clearing,

repairing, or beautifying is looked upon as

labors of love. Each act of home improve-

ment provides opportunity to honor your

space and enhance the quality of life and

health of all who live there.

Hinda Abrahamson, M.A. SLP. A Feng

Shui consultant since 1998, Hinda is cer-

tified in Western Feng Shui, Traditional

Compass Feng Shui and Fashion Feng

Shui. With a Masters in Speech-Language

pathology and minor in psychology, she

has over 20 years experience in health

care. Hinda is a founding member and

President of the Feng Shui Institute of

the Midwest. Contact her at 952-938-

0894 or hinda@livingyourintention.com

Orchestrate the flow continued...

september 2011 11

12 www.esswellness.com

I (CHI, KI) is defined

as intrinsic energy,

internal energy, origi-

nal energy, or function

of the body.

Cultivating qi is the foundation of

all internal martial arts. The definition of

internal martial arts is that the training

begins from the inside of the body work-

ing energy (qi) outwards. The foundation

and movements are based on cultivating

your qi so you move from the center of the

body at the core (dantian). This develops

a unified whole-body power, or the intrin-

sic strength of the body, which is referred

to as internal power. When a basic level

of practice is maintained, the qi (energy),

blood, tendon, bone, and meridians can

be strengthened and changed. The body

gradually becomes stronger and healthier

from the core. This integrated and unified

“whole body” strength is what develops the

power of the mind/body connection; it is

entirely dependent on your qi cultivation.

QI: THE AlCHEMY THAT HElPs YOu EVOlVE

When developing the mind/body in

this manner, the qi becomes the alchemy

that will shift and heighten your personal

evolution beyond your current prospective.

Many forms of healing and internal mar-

tial arts are based on this principle.

The foundation for cultivating qi is

the breath. Learning how to circulate qi

with the breath begins your the journey

to achieve higher awareness and internal

health.

As qi is always circulating in your

body, it is the ongoing “life essence” which

you live and breath by. However, qi circula-

tion can become stagnant or slow because

of knots in the vessels and meridians. Cul-

tivating qi through breathing and internal

martial arts exercise will start unblocking

the meridian channels. This process stimu-

lates the immune and circulatory systems

to function at a higher level and will give

increased longevity.

QI PrEssurE DrAINs WITH AGE

As we get older the qi pressure is

drained out of the navel and kidney areas.

Gradually, qi pressure is lost, creating an

energy imbalance; when the pressure is low

the fluid flow in the entire system slows

down. As we age, we also lose the habit of

abdominal breathing. Most people leave

the lungs to do all the work. This type of

breathing actually expends more energy

than it creates.

As we refer to the “mind,” in the

mind/body context, we are referring to

the energy of the mind, called “Shen,” in

Chinese medicine and martial arts. When

your Shen becomes refined you are able

to sense and feel more sharply. Like qi,

mental energy can be cultivated and devel-

oped. The highest levels of Shen can be

developed through exercise, diet, internal

martial arts, and meditation. When some-

one is scattered or confused it is said that

his Shen (mind) wanders. When your Shen

(mind) is weak, your qi is weak.

When constantly training and oper-

ating with breath and the cultivation of qi,

your normal habits begin to fall off and

you can operate and perform at a higher

level. This is describing someone who can

“ground” from the center of the head; they

can reset the mind and tap into “simultane-

ous time” where all things come together at

the same frequency. Basically, it is upgrad-

ing your operating system like upgrading

your computer. The old computer will not

work at that lower level again; you have re-

written the outcome of your practice.

Maria Camille, is the founder of Bagua

Flow, an exceptionally beautiful internal

martial art emphasizing flowing movements

sometimes with the use of a Bamboo Bo staff

and Chinese Fan. Camille, a scholar of Asian

arts, is a winner of four gold medals in world

competitions, and is known as a pioneer of ex-

Cultivate qi through internal martial arts

Q

FlOWING CHI bY MArIA CAMIllE

september 2011 13

treme sports. She utilized the lessons of internal

martial arts in her own training to become the

first U.S. female to win the World Skydiving

Championships In Style Competition. BaGua

retreats and teacher trainings will take place at

Samasati Eco Retreat in Costa Rica in Janu-

ary and February of 2012. For registration

and information see: www.baguaflow.com

www.samasati.com.

14 www.esswellness.com

IGONG IS all about

moving energy. The

energy that courses

through our entire

being must flow prop-

erly, like a river. If there is a block, qi

becomes stagnant and prevents other

parts of the body from being nourished.

If the energy flows too rapidly, it causes

degeneration or exhaustion of the inter-

nal organs. The practice of qigong helps

to balance these energies—filling defi-

ciencies and removing excess.

Qigong healers believed that the

practice of sitting or still meditation alone

to regulate the body, mind, and breathing

was not sufficient to resolve illness. They

believed that in order to increase the qi

circulation, you must move. Although a

calm and peaceful mind was important

for health, exercising the body was more

important. Through their medical practice

they found that individuals who exercised

properly were sick less often, and their

bodies degenerated less quickly than was

the case with people who only practiced

sitting meditation.

THrEE rEGulATIONs IN QIGONG: POsTurE, brEATH, INTENTION

There are three regulations in

qigong. The three regulations are

posture, breath, and intention. With

proper instruction and practice these

regulations will maximize your cultiva-

tion. If done incorrectly you can waste

Develop an awareness of qi in order to move it

FlOWING CHI

Q

september 2011 15

many years with little to no progress.

Posture or more specifically the spi-

nal alignment must be straight. When

the spine is straight energy flows freely

through the Du and Ren channels.

Breath varies accordingly to the

technique used. Breathing patterns

should be natural, slow, smooth, even and

deep. Inhalation tonifies (nourishes) and

exhalation purges.

Intention is the use of visualization

or imagination for the focus of guiding qi.

AWArENEss Is THE kEY

Make a conscious effort to be aware

of yourself and your surroundings. Prac-

tice this daily and it will refine your aware-

ness skills.

Awareness is important in any qigong

practice.

Awareness building takes many years

and will continue to develop as the prac-

titioner further cultivates him/her self.

Awareness skills vary greatly from one indi-

vidual to the next. It is the means or pro-

cesses through which practitioners develop

clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairsentience,

and other abilities considered supernatural

through their cultivation of qi.

PuTTING IT All TOGETHEr

In qigong, there are successive meth-

ods and stages toward moving qi. First:

Through breathing and moving; second:

Through breathing, and third is through

intention or visualization. Beyond that is

where the practitioner no longer uses these

methods to move qi—instead, the qi moves

the practitioner. This method is beyond

words so I will not attempt to explain it.

bAsIC PrINCIPlEs

Although there are various schools

of thought in qigong many of them share

these three basic universal principles.

In order to move qi, you must gather

qi. Just as a car cannot be driven without

gas one cannot move qi without filling the

body. Therefore, gathering qi is the prereq-

uisite toward moving qi.

The next step is feeling qi or develop-

ing energy awareness. If you’re not aware of

it, you can’t move it.

Develop an awareness of qi in order to move it

CONTINuED PAGE 16...

bY PENG HEr

16 www.esswellness.com

The final step is “find a good teacher.”

Books, DVDs, and self-study programs

won’t suffice if you plan on going the

distance. A qigong instructor, who

can demonstrate ability to manipulate

energy, is “a diamond in the rough.”

Regardless of the qigong style or

lineage, the instructor, directly teach-

ing the day-to-day classes, must have

a comprehensive understanding of the

subtleties of each posture, breath, and

intention. This level of comprehension

is beyond intellectual and is almost

impossible to express with words.

Experienced individuals, with a highly

developed level of awareness, have the

ability to move an enormous amount

of energy just as weight lifter can train

themselves to lift increasingly heavier

weights. Therefore, the shortcut to mov-

ing energy is to find an instructor who

can move energy.

Peng Her— qigong instructor and

healer—is founder of the Formless Form

Qigong Center. He graduated from the

American Academy of Acupuncture and

Oriental Medicine (AAAOM) with a Mas-

ters of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine

and is currently awaiting his licensure in

acupuncture from the State of Minnesota.

http://www.formlessformqigong.com

Develop an awareness of chi continued...

september 2011 17

18 www.esswellness.com

Qigong heals the mind, thus the body

M

FlOWING CHI

Y BODY and heart

hurt. I couldn’t eat.

I was depressed and

angry, experienc-

ing panic attacks

and flashbacks. I was without hope,

getting sicker and weaker, not under-

standing why my body was doing this

and not knowing how to help it. Then

I went to my first qigong class. For the

first time in years, I was able to quiet

my mind and listen to my body. With

that gift and daily qigong practice, life

has become joyful, I have become joy-

ful. Every day is so full of possibilities,

and now there is nothing that I cannot

affect in a positive way.

“Qi” means life force or energy.

“Gong” means moving, transforming,

and balancing. Together they are the

art of all we are, helping us find balance

of the physical, mental, emotional, and

spiritual aspects of our lives. Breathing,

movement, and focus of the mind all

move and transform qi.

ANCIENT WIsDOM TAuGHT bY QIGONG MAsTErs

“Your elbows lead, your hands

feel. Smile. Relax. Be happy. Observe

your thoughts. Hold a positive attitude

for yourself and others. Connect to the

life force. Give or receive at least eight

hugs a day and three belly laughs. Love

is the strongest healing energy: Open

your heart. Be your own best friend. It’s

okay.”

These simple yet powerful

instructions, which are part of ancient

wisdom, were taught to me by Qigong

Master Chunyi Lin and Qigong

Grandmaster Dr. Effie Chow in order

to help me feel and understand qi or

energy and to move it. I am eternally

grateful for their teachings.

bECOME EMPOWErED THrOuGH QIGONG

As I started to practice my simple

qigong exercises, I was able to feel my

body heal. It was so simple, yet so dra-

matic. I fell in love with qi because qi

is energy, and we are all energy beings.

I fell in love with myself and with all

my neighbors here on earth. Qigong

empowered me to help myself, but I

also learned simple techniques to help

others—animals, plants, and, yes, even

our planet. I started to live in a way

that brought meaning to my life.

Breathing and visualization are

a powerful way to direct qi. Take a

moment to simply close your eyes.

When you breathe in, breathe in light

through every pore of your body. When

you breathe out, see everything you

do not need turn to smoke and leave

your body. Do so without resistance

and allow your shoulders to relax. See

or sense all your troubles, worries, and

pains just melt away. Relax and visual-

ize yourself sinking into joy and health.

Surround yourself with nature. Smile.

Know you are at peace with yourself

and others.

QI lETs us kNOW WHEN sOMETHING Is WrONG

Qi talks to us all the time, letting

us know when it is not moving freely

in our bodies, when we feel pain or are

depressed, when we cannot forgive, or

when we hold anger or any other physi-

cal and spiritual sensations that keep us

off balance in our life. It also talks to

us when we are peaceful, joyful—one

with the earth and the heavens and

with each other.

Everyone wants love and security.

We all hold within us this ancient wis-

dom. Moving qi is not hard; we do it

every day with every thought, because

thoughts are energy and thoughts

bY MArY ZElMEr

september 2011 19

direct our qi. Positive thoughts

help us to heal; negative thoughts

can make us sick. Eastern medi-

cine believes a healthy mind

equals a healthy body.

The new relationship I

have with this energy has grown

deeper and deeper over the years.

My understanding of how to nur-

ture and cultivate it has grown

into not only helping myself, but

helping others too, which in turn

has grown into others helping

others. Moving qi is something

we can all do together to bring

balance into our lives and onto

our planet.

Mary Zelmer is a certified qigong

teacher and healer and an intuitive

guide helping individuals find their

own unique way of connecting with

the earth and its teachers. Mary

advises and leads group healing

meditations for the Qigong Connec-

tion which meets monthly in St Paul.

She is a student of Spring Forest

Qigong and Chow Qigong. You can

reach Mary at www.waytoyoga.com

20 www.esswellness.com

O WHAT is all the buzz

about Pranic Healing, one

of the most popular energy

healing modalities in the

world?

If you are one of those people who

would like to do energy work but don’t feel

a thing in your hands, there is hope! Pranic

Healing is based on ancient Chinese tech-

niques refined by Grand Master Choa Kok

Sui, whose mission was to develop simple,

step-by-step instructions for healing that

anyone can follow. A chemical engineer

by degree, he became the modern founder

of Pranic Healing. He explored ancient

texts and after extensive experimentation,

Master Choa formulated unique methods

using pranic energy.

PrANIC HEAlING: A HIGHlY DEVElOPED AND TEsTED sYsTEM OF ENErGY MEDICINE

Pranic Healing utilizes prana (energy)

to balance, harmonize, and transform the

body’s energy processes. To verify the tech-

niques, Grand Master Choa Kok Sui cross

referenced two highly trained clairvoyants

who would notice certain similarities in the

energy bodies of people with the same ail-

ments. An asthma client, for example, will

have congested energy in the throat, lungs,

and sinuses, in which a Pranic Healer can

simply remove or “sweep” out the conges-

tion and re-energize.

Based on the feedback, he created

a step by step “cookbook approach” to

address not only illnesses but to master the

energy of life in all forms: physical and men-

tal health, finances and business, relation-

ships, crystal energy, and spiritual develop-

ment. Just as you would follow a recipe,

Master Choa’s directions offer specific,

proven techniques for most major diagno-

ses and symptoms, emotional and physical.

For example, I was recently diagnosed with

pneumonia. The Miracles Through Pranic

Healing textbook lists 12 steps to alleviate

the symptoms. Almost immediately after

the healing session, I experienced relief and

Pranic Healing keeps the chi flowing

S

FlOWING CHI

CONTINuED PAGE 22...

bY lAurEl ANDErsON

september 2011 21

22 www.esswellness.com

Pranic Healing continued...

a new surge of energy that antibiotics and

other treatments were not providing. The

improvement could only be attributed to

the changes I needed in my energy body.

ENErGY HYGIENE: lEArN TO DIsCONNECT FrOM NEGATIVE ENErGY

One major component that sets

Pranic Healing apart from other modali-

ties is the emphasis on energy hygiene.

We often use expressions such as “I don’t

like the vibe in here” or “I feel drained”

being around a certain person or envi-

ronment. These are, in fact, energetic

responses to unclean, diseased energy in

a place or perhaps a person. Learning to

protect your energy body and remove this

congested energy from your environment

can significantly reduce these reactions.

Energy hygiene is also used to address

negative thoughts—our own and others.

If “thoughts are things,” then learning to

work with thoughts as an energy form can

be essential to maintain peace and calm

in the midst of others who tend to create

chaos. Learning how to disconnect from

these situations is only one of the invalu-

able lessons in Level One Pranic Healing.

suPPOrT sYsTEM OFFErED IN lEArNING PrANIC HEAlING

To further your healing practice,

Pranic Healing offers a comprehensive

support system once you have taken the

entry level course. You have access to many

free online services, such as esoteric study

groups, group meditations, and more.

PranaPath, the local Pranic Healing Cen-

ter, offers free weekly healing meditation,

free healing clinics, support groups, and

many other activities that further your

skills as a healer and spiritual aspirant.

Master Choa Kok Sui developed many

other courses to improve every aspect of

livelihood. Pranic Psychotherapy teaches

practitioners to work with energy while

addressing mental and emotional con-

cerns. Learn how to protect yourself from

diseased energies, negative intentions, and

malicious thought forms in Pranic Psychic

Self Defense. Master Choa’s Kriyashakti

course teaches you how to properly harness

the power of your thoughts, subtle ener-

gies, and your auric field to create a life of

prosperity and success both materially and

spiritually. Everything you need to know

about living a happy, fulfilled life is offered

through this comprehensive program in

the form of classes and books.

Pranic Healing is used in over 120

countries including hospitals and clinics.

Everyone over the age of 16 is invited to

attend the free healing meditations offered

throughout the Twin Cities. The meditations

will help instill peace and joy within you,

while blessing all beings and planet earth.

For more information on Pranic Healing and

local events, please visit www.pranapath.org.

Laurel Anderson is Program Director at Saint

Mary’s University of Minnesota. She is currently

developing a course on Business Administration

of Complementary and Alternative Medicines

in hospitals, nursing homes and clinic settings.