In this video we will practice a simple Qigong exercise that is wonderful for stress relief and calming a busy mind.
Everyday we are exposed to so much stimulation, images, advertisement, “noise” and pressure. It has become the norm for us.
The advent of social media and the internet has been truly extraordinary and beneficial to humanity – but it comes at a cost. There is always “more.”
One more site to look at, one more link to click, one more video to watch…
Why are we Overwhelmed?
We have so many things that we should be doing and could be doing that we can easily feel overwhelmed. When we are overwhelmed, it could be because the mind is overactive. Here are a few questions to ask yourself:
- Do you multi task all the time?
- Do you often forget what you were doing?
- Do you feel overwhelmed because you can think clearly?
- Are you constantly thinking and re-thinking the same thoughts?
These are all signs of an overactive mind. It is understandable!
Calm an Overactive Mind
Qigong practice is very helpful for calming a busy and overactive mind. Even just this one Qigong exercise will begin to settle and soothe excessive thoughts! It is called “Clearing the Heavens.”
The 3 Heavens – “Tian”
We have mainly 3 heavens in the body. The upper, middle, and lower.
- When we are grounded, rooted, and really connected to our body – we are activating the lower heaven.
- When we are living, moving, and making decisions from our ‘heart’ we are connected to the middle heaven.
- When we are overthinking, overwhelmed, and experiencing the ‘monkey mind’ we are connected to the upper heaven.
The Upper Heaven
The upper heaven is located between the eyebrows (also known as the third eye or yintang acupuncture point). This point is used a lot in Qigong, acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and meditative practices to both settle an active mind, and wake up a dull mind.
This exercise will help to “clear” the upper heaven.
Think of it like washing out a glass – you just flush all the stagnation and debris away!
How to Practice Qigong for Calming the Mind?
In this video we practiced “Clearing the Heavens” about 10 times. You can easily practice for 5-10 minutes once or twice a day. Just focus on relaxing, letting go of all the noise and connecting with the Dan Tian or the lower heaven in the belly.
The first time you try this, you may have a small effect. If you continue to practice over days, weeks, and months, you will have a stronger effect. Qigong is a skill that will improve over time.
Other Qigong Practices that Could Help
Having an overactive mind is so common these days, which is why we have several videos in the Communi Qi that can help with this. While you can practice “Clearing the Heavens” on its own, it works well when we use it in a complete routine.
This was featured in a practice called “Reel-ly Nice Qigong.” It is an invigorating practice that really helps unwind a tight body and helps your Qi flow smoothly!
It was also in “Release” one of our most popular routines!
If you are interested in building the skill of having a calm and clear mind, come join the Communi Qi – I am sure you will find several practices that will help!
~Jeff
