smiling from the heart · longer, healthier and happier life. • to gain the most from this book...

Smiling From The Heart

Marcus Santer - 19/12/12 1

SMILING FROM THE HEART

Qigong Techniques To Emotional Well Being

(A quick update on how the new book is progressing)

PART 1 - Introduction

Overview: In this chapter you will discover why this book was written, why it is needed and understand how to use it to gain the greatest benefits in your life.

In todays increasingly busy and demanding world, you need to be able to do more, do it better and do it quickly - without burning out. Qigong is an excellent tool for surviving and thriving in the 21st Century.

The pressures and commitments faced by most of us living in the developed countries of the world today mean that we find it hard enough to invest the time necessary to take care of our physical health. Life for many of us in the 21st Century is symbolized by Lack of proper rest, stress and poor diet. We also have the handicap of living in a culture that places little, to no value on emotional, mental and spiritual health.

Once the techniques of Qigong have been learnt 15 minutes once or twice a day is all that is required to improve and maintain Total Health. There is no expensive equipment to buy or to carry around.

I wrote this book because of an alarming trend I have noticed increasing at an alarming rate. The rise in the number of people experiencing unmanageable stress, mild to moderate depression, uncontrollable worry and fear is unprecedented and these ʻillnessesʼ quickly erode a persons self compassion.

<try to share some statistics to back this statement up.>

The current recession certainly isnʼt doing anything to help, but these figures seem out of proportion to the events in progress. Despite all the wonderful benefits we have access to, like clean water, sanitation, easy access to food, advances in technology, medical science and so on, too many of us find ourselves living lives of quiet desperation ← isnʼt this a quote? Check it out.

I believe that stress, depression, anxiety, worry, fear and low self compassion are a symptom of the neglect we give to our ʻEmotional Immune Systemʼ (EIS). I believe that the root cause of most ʻincurableʼ illnesses is emotional. I believe it is the result of a significant emotional event that we were not able to cope with and were never able to resolve. I believe this because of my understanding of the Mind Body connection. For readers interested in learning more about science behind this belief I recommend the work of ….[Reference to hamer german guy?]

Your EIS is vital to your ability to live a long, healthy and happy life, in spite of what the economy might be doing, and yet many of us do not have the tools available to keep it strong and immune to the stresses and strains of modern life.

It is my core belief that Qigong is one of the most powerful tools for working directly with your EIS to increase its strength if necessary and to keep it strong.

I wrote this book to share with you simple, powerful Qigong exercises and healing techniques that you can use almost immediately. There is no fluff, no mystical mumbo jumbo to swallow, - just a large selection of tools you can use to increase your EIS. I have tried restricted myself only to information you can actually use.



Knowing what to do Vs doing what you know.

I need to help you make an important distinction though before you start working with the material in this book. So please keep this in mind: f you read this book from cover to cover you will know what to do in order to help yourself increase and keep strong your EIS ( that is overcome and prevent mild to moderate depression, anxiety, worry and fear). You will know how to increase your self compassion and resistance to stress.

But knowing what to do is not enough, knowing what to do will not improve your EIS.You must do what you know.

This is not a theory book. This is a work book. You must apply what you will learn in this book if you want to change.

Many years ago now, a few months after I had first learned authentic Qigong, I had a panic attack. At the time I didnʼt know I was having a panic attack. I thought I was having a heart attack. In the midst of this I was able to walk around the room, and start practicing Qigong. I was amazed how quickly the numbness in my limbs and my panic subsided.I was only able to do this because of the few months of regular practice I had under my belt. I had been doing what I knew. If I hadnʼt I would not have been able to apply it.My hope for you is that you will apply the material in this book to the best of your ability. That not only will you know what to do, but that youʼll be one of the few who do what they know.

Into each life a little rain must fall - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Think of Qigong and the contents of this book as your umbrella.

How This Book Works:

As I just mentioned this is a work book, not a theory book. Think of it as a toolbox containing many powerful tools. I have no interest in entertaining you or keeping you distracted for a few hours. I want you to use this book, I want to see the spine cracked and creased. I want to see pages with folded over corners, text underlined or highlighted and notes scribbled in the margins.

This is how I recommend you work through this book in order to get the most from it.

Read the whole thing through first, feel free to skim any material that you donʼt find of interest or which obviously doesnʼt apply to you, but still give it a look. Then re-read PART 6 - ʻputting together your own planʼ - Itʼs important to follow this instruction. Each chapter builds on the one before it. Trust me, Iʼve spent many hours working out how best to deliver the material in this book so that it is easily accessible and avoids information overload.

In this book youʼll find many ʻsuggestionsʼ of tools you can use to increase your EIS. Donʼt attempt to use all of them! Do this and thereʼs a good chance youʼll quickly feel overwhelmed. In my experience overwhelm leads to giving up. Even if you only use one tool from this book to increase your EIS, but you use it every day, thatʼs an improvement.



“A small change in one area of your life can have big results” - ʻCoachʼ John Wooden

Gradually you can add to or subtract from the tools you use as you develop and fine tune your own daily practice.

Learning Qigong exercises and healing techniques from a book is hard. Mapping the instructions over to the photographs, working out how to get from one photograph to the next can make something as simple as raising your arms above your head seem complex. Thatʼs why I use the propriety Transition Shot Technology (TST) in this book to make life easier.

But to make your life even easier, where appropriate I have included links to short videos you can watch and use together with the instructions in this book to pick them up faster and gain the benefits quicker.

If a picture paints a 1,000 words, then a video playing at 25 frames/pictures per second paints 25,000 per second. No wonder videos are easier to learn from than books.

Requirements for success with this book:

1) You MUST want to get well if you are ill, or want to prevent illness by increasing your Emotional Immune System.2) You MUST be prepared to make the effort.

If you can meet these two vital requirements, you are ready to proceed and benefit greatly from the material in the rest of this book. I know this material works because I used Qigong (with the assistance and approval of my doctor) to overcome my own depression and get off anti depressants. And I was able to do it using only a handful of the tools Iʼll be sharing with you in this book.

I wish you well.

SUMMARY

In this section we discovered:

• Life for many of us in the 21st Century is symbolized by Lack of proper rest, stress and poor diet. We also have the handicap of living in a culture that places little, to no value on emotional, mental and spiritual health.

• The term Emotional Immune System (EIS) is used in this book to mean our self compassion and resistance to stress. By increasing our EIS we can overcome mild to moderate depression, anxiety, worry and fear.

• There is a huge difference between knowing what to do and doing what you. We make a commitment to being one of the few who do.



• This book is a work book, not a theory book. Reading it will not help us to increase our EIS. Only by using the tools in it will we gain the benefits of living a longer, healthier and happier life.

• To gain the most from this book it is important to read it through first, skimming those areas that donʼt seem to apply us if necessary and then starting again with Part 6: ʻPutting together your own planʼ.

• There are 2 requirements for success with these tools: 1) I must want to get well if I am ill or prevent illness by increasing my EIS. 2) I must be prepared to make an effort.

Now itʼs time to look at the theory that underpins Qigong…



PART 2 - Qigong Theory

Overview: In this chapter youʼre going to discover why Qigong is such a simple, direct and powerful tool for overcoming and preventing emotional illnesses. Youʼre also going to understand how Qigong works and why this is a book on the Heart.

******

In the West we view holistic health as being composed of four areas: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health. From the Qigong view we have only two areas: the physical and the Heart. As you can clearly see in the diagram below, emotional, mental and spiritual health map over to the Heart in Qigong.

TOTAL HEATLH → PEMS → MAPS TO PHYSICAL & HEART (see http://qigong15.com/blog/chi-kung/funny-qigong-question/

Before you dismiss this notion it important to remember that there is more than one model of health and how the body works. Most of us are very familiar with the Western model, and as good as it is, it is still only one view. For example the ancient Egyptians, who I think we can all agree attained a very high level of culture believed that the Heart was the seat of intellect and wisdom, not the brain. Qigong is an approach to health that is seated firmly on the foundations of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). A model of health and healing that has kept one of the largest populations, with a high level of culture and scientific achievement, with one of the longest, unbroken series of written records - healthy and happy.

Think of this section as a primer only. It is not intended to be a comprehensive study of TCM. I have referenced only what you need to be able to apply, use and understand the material in this book. For those of you who want to dive deeper into the wonderful subject of TCM, I will recommend some resources in the ʻReading and Website Listʼ at the back of the book.

There is a Chinese saying that: ʻProblems of the Heart are best overcome by the Heartʼ - or in other words, emotional, mental and spiritual problems are best overcome by using qigong exercises and healing techniques that work directly on the Heart system. Doing so will help you to quickly overcome depression, anxiety, fear, worry and raise your resistance to stress and help increase self compassion. In essence working with the Heart helps you to increase your EIS.

Before you look at what to do to increase your EIS, you need to understand how Qigong works and why it is such a valuable and effective tool. In TCM the heart is known as the Emperor, because it is the supreme controller of all the systems of the body. When it is ʻopenʼ it benefits ALL the emotions, which means it is vital for a healthy EIS.

TCM views health very differently to Western Medicine (WM). In TCM organs are ʻfunctionalʼ and this function is usually much broader than the term used in Western medicine. e.g. The Heart:

The WM view of the heart - The heart is a four chambered muscle that pumps oxygenated and deoxygenated blood around the body.



http://qigong15.com/blog/chi-kung/funny-qigong-question/




TCM view of heart:• Governs the balance between the formation of blood and Qi.• Supplies the power that controls the movement of blood in the vessels.• Houses the Shen (mind/spirit), controls the way the brain thinks and feels.• Opens into the tongue - the heart is closely linked with the sense of taste.• Sleep is always related to the functioning of the heart. If you dream a lot or have

frequent nightmares then your heart energy is out of balance.

As you can clearly see, the TCM view of the heart is very different to that of the WM view. In TCM it is the function of an organ, what it does, that is more important than what it is.

Yin Yang and Health

Explain Yin Yang

From the TCM viewpoint there is only 1 illness and that illness is Yin Yang disharmony caused by blockages to harmonious energy flow through the meridians of the body.

But what does this statement mean? To make sense of it we need to look at two more important TCM principals

Qi - Your Vital Energy

Explain Qi (vital energy), energy flow and the 4 things that everyone needs to know about Qi

Link to the next topic of exploration, the meridians:

Meridians - The Energy Streams Within Your Body

Explain MeridiansExplain blockagesExplain Qigong paradigm - smooth energy flow = health, vigorous energy flow = health and vitality, abundant, vigorous energy flow = health, vitality and longevity.

Important take away from Yin Yang, Qi and the Meridians:Explain that regardless of how we label the symptoms, the root cause is always Yin Yang disharmony. In TCM the methods for removing blockages to harmonious energy flow are many and the diagnosis and application of a ʻcureʼ can be very complex. But we are lucky. We are going to practice Qigong. Through the practice of Qigong we benefit from TCM, but we have a much simpler time of applying an effective cure for removing blockages from the meridians and hence restoring harmonious energy flow. Qigong allows us to generate healing energy flow. Your energy or Qi will always flow to those areas of low energy and work on removing blockages.

Empty Vs Solid illness

What makes Qigong so effective?



The core of why Qigong is so much more affective at overcoming depression, anxiety, worry, fear and for raising self compassion and resistance to stress is because it is very effective at treating ʻempty illnessesʻ.

Lets look at this in more detail:

• Empty illness – the cause or the symptoms are not clear, we cannot define the site of the illness. Empty illnesses can sometimes be worse than a solid illness because we donʼt know the enemy that weʼre fighting.

• Solid illness – the cause and/or symptoms are clear, we can define the site of the illness.

Western medicine is brilliant for treating ʻsolid illnessesʼ e.g. contagious diseases, bacterial attack, physical cuts and breaks etc. These are all things were we can clearly define the cause of and the site of the illness.

But unfortunately when the cause or the site of the illness and/ or the symptoms are not obvious western medicine can have a hard time providing an effective treatment. For example where is the site of anxiety? What is the cause of depression?

Qigong is much better for treating empty illnesses like depression, anxiety, worry, fear, and for increasing resistance to stress, because the Chinese healers of the past have worked out powerful principals for working with them.

Here are 5 basic principals for working effectively with empty illnesses:

1. Unity of Soma and Psyche - soma is the physical body and psyche is the mind. Itʼs only in the last few decades that western medicine is agreeing with what many other medical systems have known for millennia and that is that there is a mind body connection. Chinese masters teach that the body is alive because of the mind and the mind operates through the body.

Some say there is no such thing as a Mind/Body connection. To them I say: “lemons!”

Imagine a ripe, juicy, tangy, lemon. You cut it in half and then squeeze the juice over your tongue. Can you imagine how refreshing and zesty that would taste?

Is your mouth watering yet?

Another example is of Joseph L. Greenstein, more commonly known as ʻThe Mighty Atomʼ. In his book ʻBiography of a Superhumanʼ Ed Spielman tells of a time when the Atom gave a dramatic demonstration of the Mind/Body connection by stopping his own heart for 10 seconds. In the Atoms own words: “The mind can control the working of any organ.”

2. Harmony of Jing, Qi and Shen – Jing is the physical body, Qi is vital energy and Shen is the mind/spirit/consiousness. These are also know as the 3 treasures of a human. Jing, Qi and Shen are all interrelated. If Shen is weak then that will have an adverse affect on the energy and the physical body.

3. The Heart is the seat of the mind and emotion – the Heart Iʼm referring to hear is not just the 4 chambered muscle in your chest that pumps oxygenated and deoxygenated blood around the body. Itʼs the TCM view, the Heart System.



4. Onus of maintaining health is on nurturing mind – i.e. the Heart, shen, spirit, consciousness. As a Qigong healer this is one of the main points I like to focus on. Activities such as mindfulness, mediation, Qigong, Shaolin Kung Fu and Taijiquan are excellent examples of ways you can deliberately nurture the Mind. Therefore they are also great ways of working with ʻemptyʼ illnesses.

5. The importance of virtue in mind cultivation – if someone is virtuous then the mind is not perverted. If we look at the Mind Body connection we can see that if the mind is full of unwholesome thoughts then this will have an adverse affect on the health of the body. Iʼm not going to look at this in any more detail. Itʼs a huge subject in its own right maybe Iʼll cover this in more detail in a future book.

______

Spiritual not religious

________

******

Summary. In this chapter we learned:

1) PEMS - Holistic health in the West is viewed as being physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually healthy. In Qigong holistic health is viewed as being physically healthy and having an open heart. Using Qigong theory if we want to improve our emotional, mental and spiritual well being we need to work on the Heart.

2) More Than One - The Western Medicine is only one of many ways of viewing health. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is another and Qigong theory rests soundly on the following TCM principals: Yin and Yang, Qi and the Meridians.

3) The One Illness - In Qigong the only illness is Yin/Yang disharmony caused by blockages to harmonious energy flow through the meridians of the body. If we can restore harmonious energy flow we can restore health in all its aspects.

4) Empty Vs Solid - Qigong is excellent for overcoming Empty illness where the cause, site or symptoms are not clear. Western Medicine is excellent for overcoming Solid illness.

5) 5 Basic Principals - there are 5 basic principals for overcoming Empty Illness: A) Unity of Soma and Psyche B) Harmony of Jing, Qi and Shen C) The Heart is the seat of the mind and emotion

D) To Maintain health nurture the mindDI)Virtue is important when cultivating the mind.

6) Spirit - Qigong is a spiritual practice, not a religious one.

Now we know how important the Heart is, letʼs focus in on 3 core principals for working with it.



PART 3 - Core Principals

Overview: In this chapter we look at three principals for working with the heart. Iʼll also explain why I have chosen the exercises and techniques that are in this book.

As an experienced Qigong healer I have access to seven principals for working with the heart. In this chapter weʼre going to look at three. Why three? Because theyʼre the simplest and youʼll be able to use them straight away. The other four are more advanced.

These are the three principals weʼll be exploring in more depth:

1) Opening The Heart - If you want to be happy you must open your heart.

2) Calming The Mind - If you want to be happy you must calm the mind.

3) Generating Energy Flow - If you want to be happy you must be able to generate energy flow.

Recall, from the TCM viewpoint stress, depression, anxiety, worry, fear - regardless of what label we put on the symptoms, the root cause is Yin Yang disharmony. Yin Yang disharmony is caused by blockages that prevent harmonious energy flow through the meridians (energy streams) of the body.

The ʻBe Happy Qigong Setʼ covered later is designed to help you get rid of these blockages. Whether, physical, emotional, mental or spiritual - it doesnʼt matter. You donʼt need to know where the blockages are. You just need to be able to generate energy flow and let your energy/Qi do the work for you. More on this later.

In order to gain maximum leverage from Qigong we can also benefit by specifically targeting the Heart system, as this has a major influence on ALL the systems of the body. That is why it is known as the Emperor, because it is the supreme controller.

If the Heart system is functioning well we will feel at peace, etc, etc. In TCM, the Heart housed the Shen (expand)

That is why I have shared Butterfly Dancing In Front of Flowers with you. Because it is perhaps the best and certainly the safest qigong exercise for having a positive impact on the Heart system.

Why Have I Chosen These Qigong Exercises and Healing Techniques?

These techniques have been chosen from the 1000ʼs available because they all share three vital characteristics:

1) They are simple to learn2) They are direct3) They give effective results

But donʼt worry, you wonʼt need to learn all of them.



Principle #1: If you want to be happy you must Open Your Heart

The Chinese language is full of surprises if you know where to look. For example, the word ʻKai xinʼ is used for ʻhappyʼ. But if you take the words apart you discover that it means ʻopen heartʼ - USE IMAGE IN IMAGES FOLDER OF BE HAPPY BOOK.

• Butterfly dancing - induce Qi flowing from the heart. Weʼll cover how to practice this in the Generating Qi flow section of the book.

• Smile From The Heart - Really nail this!• Emperor Walks Heart Opens• Go out into an open space and smile, preferably far from the madding crowd.• Make an effort to do something you like.



Principle #2: If You Want To Be Happy You Must Calm Your Mind

All healing begins with the heart (mind), therefore calming the mind is of great benefit to our physical, energetic and spiritual health. Jing, Qi and Shen - the three treasures are interrelated.A calm mind allows the spirit to be nurtured and as a result emotional problems are much easier to manage.

• Meditation - Mind calmer technique **• Take A walk in the countryside - I use this technique a lot. Iʼm lucky because I

have a dog who wants at least two walks a day and I live in the country.• Listen to calming music - see if there are any references to music influencing

brain waves etc.• Watch fish swimming in a tank - hypnotic• Listen to your body - lie down and go inside = offer version of journey through

points of the body and ʻrelaxingʼ each one.• Exercise - mountain of evidence on how exercise can help to overcome

depression. See newspaper cuttings.• Simple chanting or prayer - specific to you! Remember Qigong is not religious.• Have a cup of tea - Be mindful from start to finish. Feel the tap under your

fingers as you turn it on and listen to the sound of the water as it fills the kettle and so on….

• Flying Kites…• Face and head massage - excellent for calming, feeling good and relieving

depression.

**Always remember that something does not need to be complicated to be beneficial. In fact it is my belief that the simpler something is, the more likely you are to do it and the more likely you are to get benefits from it. So just follow the instructions to the best of your understanding. If you have any questions, like: ʻwhere do I put my tongue?ʼ or ʻhow quickly do I breathe in and out?ʼ and so on. Then assume they are not important and forget them. This kind of mental activity is your mind distracting you from the work youʼre doing. Just smile and continue. Stilling the mind is very hard. For many of us living a fast paced life in the 21st Century, the mind is overstimulated and has become addicted to stimulation. The last thing it wants to do is be still. So itʼs going to take effort on your behalf, but the rewards are worth it.

The solution is to focus on quality and not quantity. Five minutes of working with the mind is much better, far more desirable and will lead to greater results than 15 minutes of wrestling and struggling with it. I promise.

Just as a door which is not frequently used will rot, a person who does not regularly exercise will be sick – Hua Tuo Famous 2nd Century Chinese Physician



Principle #3: If You Want To Be Happy You Must Generate Qi Flow.

An introduction to PERFECT Qigong.

PERFECT is a tool I use with my Qigong students to help them quickly learn the correct sequence for Qigong training. Using PERFECT they know step by step what to do from start to finish. They donʼt have to disturb their training by trying to remember: ʻWhat comes next?ʼ The result is that they can start gaining the benefits of Qigong quicker.

For PEMS remember to sum up E by ʻfeelings are not factsʼ

Then:

• Butterfly Dancing In Front Of Flowers• Lifting the sky,• Dancing Lohan, • Embrace Buddha• Be Happy Qigong Set - An example of medical Qigong, where more than one

qigong exercise is practiced during a single Qigong session. With this type of Qigong we are using the forms to generate Energy flow. As a result the breathing is not coordinated with the movements. It is spontaneous. Remember to slowly increase the momentum.

Explain different ways of practicing this set:

1) Medical qigong - drop breathing, increase speed slowly2) 5-8 reps of each form + breathing3) Separately

Pitfalls to avoid:

1) Stopping abruptly2) Donʼt allow any movements to become too vigorous - command the body to slow down

if necessary, the body will always obey the mind.3) Avoid disturbances4) Safe place to practice



In this chapter we looked at 3 core principals for working with the heart:

1) Opening The Heart - techniques2) Calming The Mind - list techniques covered3) Generating Qi Flow - list of techniques covered.

An experienced Qigong healer has seven principals to work with, but these three are ones that you can use to help yourself.

Now that weʼve looked at Qigong skills and techniques for increasing our EIS, Iʼd like to share with you non Qigong techniques that I have found really complement and speed up the results of Qigong.



PART 4 - Non Qigong Tools

Overview: In this chapter I will present you with a selection of tools that whilst not being Qigong tools have proven their value when it comes to working with the heart to increase your EIS.

I have drawn on my experience as a counsellor, Qigong teacher and Qigong healer to choose the tools in this chapter. There is no need to use all of them. Choose those that you like. If this is your first time through this book, feel free to skim through. When you come to putting your plan together (Chapter 6) youʼll spend more time choosing the best tools for you.

Having said that you wonʼt have to use all them, it is my duty as your guide to tell you that if you want to succeed you must make use of the first 2 tools:

Progress ChartWhat is your vision?

These are vital tools, youʼll understand why as you read more about them.



Vision = Aims and objectives. A much more simplified version of ʻRoute of the mastersʼ - Again another Vital ʻMust Useʼ Tool.



Progress Chart - This is an essential tool you must use.

What canʼt be measured canʼt be managed - very true

Use a page to show them one. Then tell them where they can download a copy: http://blah.blah.clag/



http://blah.blah.clag/




HALT

Whenever you become conscious enough to realize that you are not feeling good. Remember HALT, Iʼve lost count of the number of times this acronym has saved my day. It stands for:

H - Hungry?A - Angry?L - Lonely?T - Tired?

Hereʼs an example. Letʼs say Iʼm going through my day and I become aware that Iʼm not feeling good. I remember HALT, so I ask myself am I hungry? Yes. Am I angry? No. Am I lonely? No. Am I tired? Yes. Iʼve just realized that Iʼve been working solid on this book for 5 hours without a break, Iʼm hungry and I tired. Now I have a solution to my not feeling good.

Iʼve noticed with HALT that itʼs not always just one area that is affecting my feelings. So always check all 4 areas.



GRATITUDE

Find a Q365 or Q15 post on this and rewrite.



Special Tea Cup

Make a list of 20 statements that readers can type out and cut up and put in a cup to choose from each day. Tell them the story of my cup on my office desk.



Donʼt Wrestle With Pigs

Never wrestle with a pig. Why? Because the pig loves it and you get covered in shit.

I get a lot of ʻhateʼ as a result of my online work of promoting Qigong. It used to really upset me, often for a whole day. Iʼd often spend hours crafting the perfect retort to their hate, addressing each point and explaining what was wrong with it, giving my side of it.

All that happened was I got more and more worked up and upset.

Then a friend told me the ʻantidoteʼ above. He also told me create a list of at least 20 reasons why I was a good person and why what I was doing was important. Things like: <put down list of items from stripy book>

Now when I get hate, I just delete them and move on - itʼs that simple, but I had to work at it. It took a long time of reading my list of positive attributes before I had this skill.



Perspective

Without struggle there is no growth - Eric Thomas

PERSPECTIVE - Lose it and Iʼm in trouble. I get it from talking with my friends. Perspective is vital for me.

I remember talking with a friend about a life problem I was experiencing. I wanted him to come up with a solution that would make me feel better. But he just wasnʼt.

He kept forcing me to stay objective, to explore the issue. Gradually, I noticed that even without being given a solution to my problem. I was feeling better about it.

I was feeling better about it, because I had regained my perspective. Yes the situation was crap, but it was manageable crap. I had blown it out of all proportion into unmanageable crap!

So when I recommend talking with a friend to regain perspective when youʼve lost it. You do need to be careful that you choose the right person. You donʼt want to have a conversation that makes things worse.

You know, where the person listens to you and tells you that thatʼs terrible and what are you going to do when the SHTF? How are you going to cope? I couldnʼt do that, I had a friend that that happened to and theyʼre dead now…..

That kind of conversation doesnʼt help. So choose wisely!

Problems are a sign of life, if youʼre alive youʼre going to face problems. There is no escaping that. Whether physical, emotional, mental or spiritual.

Buddha story about woman told to collect a mustard seed from every house where nobody had ever died (include or not?)

Perspective cartoon - someone holding a piece of paper with ʻproblemʼ written on it. The paper is held at arms length and we can see the persons face.

Then picture of person with paper held up tightly against their face so that ʻproblemʼ is all they can see.

Text: Itʼs shit, but itʼs manageable shit.



TFAR

Thoughts → Feelings → Actions → Results

Thoughts and feelings are not facts, they are just thoughts and feelings.

We cannot control the results of our actions, we do the best that we can but what will happen in the future is out of our hands.

In the absence of certainty realise that a positive outcome is just as likely as a negative one.

You can choose to believe that everything works out for the best, which reminds me of a story

<Everything happens for the best story> - REWRITE IT IN YOUR OWN WORDS.

There are many different versions of this story online, so I find it impossible to attribute it to one author. It was originally sent to me via email by a very good friend. I found it of great value and I trust you will too:

<story>

This story highlights an important weakness we humans have. Taking a snapshot of time and believing that it is forever. It isnʼt, even if it feels like it, Winter does not last for ever. Life is fluid. Everyone experiences ups and downs. Failure, defeat, bankruptcy, <fill in the blank> are not always what they might as first glance seem to be.

Iʼm sure you can recall times in your life when an event happened that you labelled as ʻbadʼ. But later, with hindsight, it turned out to be good.

If I had not been made redundant from my job back in 2003, I would probably never have become a Qigong teacher. Trust me, at the time I was made redundant, it did seem like the end of the world.

And the key with TFAR is realise that you have to shift whatʼs going on inside of you to shift whatʼs going on in your world.



Not As It Is, But As We Are

We see the world not as it is, but as we are - Anias Nin

I could write a book on this subject alone, your life literally is a mirror image of the thoughts you are regularly entertaining in consciousness. This is one aspect that makes depression such an insidious illness. Dark thoughts literally feed themselves and keep your spirit pressed down and locked up.

Perception? Picture of the glass half full. “I know you know this, itʼs been done to death. Is the glass half full or half empty? Whatever your reply. Youʼre right. We donʼt see life as it is, we see it as we are. I donʼt know about you, but when Iʼm in a hurry (because I miscalculated time) everyone seems to be going slow. When Iʼm feeling irritable and angry (probably something to do with HALT give page reference for this) people seem less friendly, helpful etc.

Freedom is possible but not easy. I wonʼt lie to you. There will be times when you need to do your practice, but you might not be able to stand up let alone spend 15 minutes doing your Qigong practice.

There is a handy tool I use with my students that I have found to be of great value in situations like this.

ʻOne small stepʼ ← need a name for this ʻtoolʼ

Ask yourself this simple little question:

“Whatʼs the smallest step Iʼm willing (or able) to do?”

It might be just to stand up, or it might be to stand up and walk to where you do your Qigong practice. Whatever it is once youʼve decided on what your smallest step is - do it.When youʼve done it, ask the question again:

“Whatʼs the next step Iʼm willing to do?”

And keep on doing this until youʼve either done your Qigong practice or completed the technique you are using OR until you can go no further.

But here is the key to this tool, as long as you have taken the first step - there is to be NO recrimination or beating up on yourself.

Let me say that reading this and understanding it means nothing. Itʼs only when you do it that you start to benefit from it. I use this tool on a daily basis.

Listen to me, the only reason you are actually holding this book In your hands now is because of this tool. There were far too many times when I didnʼt want to write, or I didnʼt feel like writing. Perhaps with hindsight I wonʼt try and write my next book during the Christmas and New Year period. But I would use this tool.

I would ask myself: ʻWhat is the smallest step Iʼm willing to do?ʼand Iʼd start out with aiming to write for 15 minutes. Iʼd set my timer and off Iʼd go. Nine times out of ten Iʼd write for



much longer. But that one time I just did 15 minutes of work. Fine, no recriminations, no being horrible to myself.

This book is proof that this tool works, now I encourage you to use it yourself and let it work for you too.



The Emotional System Check

The ESC - Name the feelings, donʼt worry if you canʼt, each morning before getting out of bed. Spend at least 5 minutes on this.

This exercise helps to recognise danger before it gets out of control



Summary

In this chapter we looked at non Qigong techniques you can use to enhance the healing benefits of your Qigong training. Now letʼs look at specific ʻproblems of the heartʼ and discover suggestions on solutions to use if you are currently experiencing one of these specific problems caused by a weakened EIS.



PART 5 - Specific Strategies

Overview: In this chapter we will look in more depth at common ʻempty illnessesʼ caused by a low EIS.

Quote: (who said this) When you are weak everybody looks like Devils, when you are strong everybody looks like Angels.

The empty illnesses in this chapter are some of the most common illnesses caused by ʻproblems of the heartʼ. The tools in this book fit into four different toolboxes:

1) Opening The Heart2) Calming The Mind3) Generating Qi Flow4) Non Qigong Tools

For each ʻempty illnessʼ I will suggest ways of overcoming it and list those tools I have found effective when working to overcome these illnesses with private clients and students. I will list tools from each of the 4 boxes and I recommend that you choose one from each box. But feel free to use other tools not listed for a specific problem if you prefer.

This is a subjective program. Itʼs aim is to improve subjective qualities such as the way you feel about and respond to the events in your life. It is not geared towards one size fits all solutions. Choose those ʻtoolsʼ that feel right for you, the tools I suggest are just that, suggestions. And unless weʼve met and worked together, youʼre the expert on you and how best to work with your problems of the heart.



Stress

Positive stress = eustressNegative stress = distress

Negative stress is like a speeding car that is out of control. If you donʼt have the skills and the tools necessary to get out of the way, the results can be devastating. Not only to you, but for your loved ones too. Trust me I know this from personal experience.

“Stress is not the enemy. A lack of refueling and renewing and recovery against the stress you face is the enemy” - Robin Sharma

If you live your life constantly exposed to stress, then it is your failure to rest, relax, recharge, renew and take the time to recover from it that causes you to feel overwhelmed.

You would not expect your car to keep running without putting fuel in it. You wouldnʼt expect your mobile phone to keep functioning without having to recharge it. Yet many of us expect to be able to perform at optimum levels without taking time to rest, refuel and recharge. It simply is not sustainable to operate flat out, at your best unless you do so.

Qigong is a brilliant tool for recharging, refueling and reenergizing - quickly. Once you know how.

As a society we place a high value on expending energy, but virtually none on renewing energy. We tend to think that activities that help you to recharge (like taking a nap in the afternoon) means that youʼre a ʻlazy sodʼ or a ʻslackerʼ.

Think of your Qigong practice time as ʻrecoveryʼ time. A time for renewal a time to recharge and get you ready to play life at your best.

It is important to understand that you cannot get rid of stress. Stress is a sign of life. Trying to live a stress free life can become a significant cause of stress in itself.

Include my ʻQigong and Stress Resistanceʼ Article here or in an Appendix?

According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), stress is now the biggest cause of long term absence from work. Only 58% of workplaces are taking steps to identify and manage stress. - Source Dr Jill Miller research advisor from CIPD.

Here are suggested techniques, tools and strategies I have found useful when helping students to increase their stress resistance:

1) Opening The Heart - Smile from the heart often p.X and Emperor walks heart opens p.X

2) Calming The Mind - Simple meditation p.X, go for a walk, Inner Journey p.X3) GEF - BFD p.X or Be Happy Qigong Set p.X4) Non Qigong - Progress Chart p.X, A&O p.X, Gratitude p.X, HALT p.X



Depression

From the Qigong point of view, depression is a spiritual illness. It is literally where the spirit is being pressed down. When the spirit (Shen) is weak this affects your concentration, your ability to articulate thought, your memory, intelligence and your creativity. It can also cause insomnia and nightmares.

Because the body is a interlinked system when the spirit is weak this will also have a negative impact on your energy (Qi) and your body (Jing).

Qigong is a drug free depression cure, but if you are currently on prescription medicine for depression, then make sure you work with your health care provider as you implement any Qigong techniques from this book.

I had a recent conversation with a Chinese medicine professional who stressed concern about depressed patients using Qigong to overcome their depression. He wrote:

I have reflected quite a bit on qigong and depression and am concerned that excessively internal practice - especially solitary and without a teacher and a class - can risk enhancing the 'closed in' nature of depression. For that reason, in my own medical practice, I have tended to recommend more external practices including sport, dancing etc. to depressed patients.

I think this is a valuable point and I would recommend that if you are experiencing depression then you go and learn Qigong in a group environment and not on your own.

Physiology affects how we feel - NLP saying.

Show Lifting the Sky done as a posture improving exercises (fingers interlocked).

Also mention how it is easy to cause physical blockages to the harmonious flow of Qi through the meridians of the body with poor posture.

Here are suggested techniques, tools and strategies I have found useful when helping students to overcome mild to moderate depression:

1) Opening The Heart - Smile from the heart often p.X and Emperor walks heart opens p.X, Make an effort to do something you enjoy each day. Schedule it if necessary.

2) Calming The Mind - Go for a walk, Exercise, Prayer, Listen to uplifting music, Face and Head massage

3) GEF - Lifting the Sky done as posture improver for a week p.X, then BFD p.X.4) Non Qigong - Re-read ʻWe see the world not as it isʼ p.X daily and practice its

principals for at least a week, Perspective p.X, The ESC p.X, Gratitude p.X, HALT p.X



Worry

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.” Kung Fu Panda 2008 - Oogway to Po.

First of all Iʼd like you to consider why do you worry?

Please take a moment, stop reading and spend 30 seconds considering what is the positive reason for worrying about anything?

In my previous life as a counsellor I learned that we do everything we do for a reason. Everything we do, we do because we hope to get some positive outcome. Even if what we are doing may seem crazy or “bad” to somebody else.

Drug takers take drugs because for many doing so transports them instantly out of pain and into pleasure, even though taking drugs ultimately leads to more pain. The point Iʼm making is that at the root of every activity or thing we do there is a positive reason.

The reason may seem ludicrous to somebody else. We may not even be consciously aware of the reason ourselves. All we know is that it feels better than doing nothing. And the quicker we can feel better, the better. There are many activities that promise instant gratification or release and fortunately (like Qigong) not all of them do more harm than good over the long term

“It only seems as if you are doing something when you worry”- Lucy Maud Montgomery (1874-1942)

So what is the positive reason or outcome you hope to achieve by worrying? I believe that when we worry we are looking for a solution to something we perceive to be a problem. Personally I have found worrying to be a very inefficient way of finding solutions. But there is no doubt that it can be very seductive.

The appeal of worry is that it tricks us into believing we are busy looking for a solution. Because it easily consumes the attention of our conscious minds we mistakenly believe that we are doing the best we can.

“Worry is like a rocking chair – it gives you something to do but it doesnʼt get you anywhere” - Anon

Worry can be like a flame to dry wood. Very quickly it can get out of control and take over causing a lot of damage to your health, happiness, relationships and spirit and can leave you feeling like a helpless victim

“There is nothing that wastes the body like worry”- Mahatma Gandhi (1869 – 1948)

The ultimate solution to worry is to not do it. If you are running towards the edge of a cliff and you donʼt want to fall, you stop. Itʼs the same with worry. As soon as you become mindful that you are worrying, acknowledge the fact and stop. Realise that there is a much more effective way to find a solution and follow these 4 steps:



http://qigong15.com/

http://qigong15.com/

Step One: Get Clarity – clearly identify what is the root cause of your worry. Is it financial debt? Have you been diagnosed with an illness? Is someone you love in trouble? Is an important relationship falling apart? Whatever it is be very clear on what is causing the temptation to worry.

Step Two: Become Solution Focused – Now you know what is causing you to worry focus on as many different solutions to it as you can. Get creative. This is not the time to judge your ideas this is the time to list anything and everything that comes into your awareness as a possible solution.

If you get stuck go for a walk, pray for guidance, speak to a friend, contact an expert on the subject, “google” it, search the Internet. Be solution focused. Believe that there is a solution and that you will find it. List as many as you possibly can, no matter how absurd some of them may seem.

Step Three: Evaluate – Now is the time to rate your list of possible solutions. Work through your list, some of them will be instantly dismissible, whilst others will bear further investigation. The key here is to single out those you connect with. There will be 1 or 2 that appeal to you as offering the best quality solution for you. Remember you are looking for your solution, not somebody else's!

If there is nothing on your list that inspires you, go back to step 1 and make certain you have identified the root cause of your worry. If you have then brainstorm more possible solutions. If necessary speak to as many experts as you can to discover possible solutions you didnʼt even know existed.

Step Four: Take Action – When you have identified at least one possible solution, or course action that you feel promises the best outcome for you, take massive, inspired action. Make your plan and then work your plan.

Inspired Action is the Antidote to Worry

Now you know the antidote to worry. Remember though, just knowing the solution wont stop the problem. You have to apply what you know. Knowing how to do something means very little, in fact Iʼd go so far as to say that if you donʼt do what you know, then you donʼt really know it at all.

Nothing diminishes anxiety faster than action- Walter Anderson (Author)

I acknowledge that some problems may not have a complete solution. In such a situation do all that you can, then accept that you have done all that you can and let go of the problem.Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.

- James Baldwin (1924 – 1987) Author

Here are suggested techniques, tools and strategies I have found useful when helping students to overcome worry:

1) Opening The Heart - Emperor Walks Heart Opens p.X, Smile From The Heart, p.X, Do something you like at least once a week for no other reason than you enjoy it.



2) Calming The Mind - Take a walk, Prayer, Exercise

3) Generating Energy Flow - Be Happy Qigong Set p.X

4) Non Qigong Tools - Progress Chart p.X, Vision p.X, Special cup of tea (?)p.X, TFAR p.X, Gratitude.



Fear

Be FEARLESS! Bad idea.Don't be fearFULL but don't be fearLESS either. There are plenty of legitimate things we should all be afraid of. - Larry Winget

Remember to mention:

Nourishing Kidneys (reference to Shaolin Chi Kung book) is brilliant for overcoming fears and phobias hereʼs why…

Imprint from past life e.g. Fly being eaten by a spider, but it is a good fly and becomes a human, but the fear is imprinted.

Now whether you believe in re-incarnation or not (and you donʼt need to to practice and benefit from Qigong), the first part that grows on a human fetus becomes the kidneys…

Craft this so that it is clear that the kidneys are important for overcoming fear. e.g. From the Qigong perspective…

There are different types of fear. There is nameless, unidentifiable fear that can incapacitate us for no clear reason we can identify. Then there is the fear associated with some anticipated task, project, meeting, confrontation etc. There is also the massive dump of adrenaline into your system when something unexpected happens, like a violent confrontation.

Start of main content:

“While fear is a deep seated and adaptive evolutionary drive for self preservation, it make is impossible to concentrate on anything” – Dr Gregory Berns

I used to live my life in constant fear. I was scared of everything and everyone I was virtually paralyzed by fear and often I couldnʼt even point at anything specific that was causing it. Yes I can point to events in my early years that sowed the seeds of this fear, but thatʼs not much use as an adult. So I began a quest to find an antidote to fear. Here are some of my more useful discoveries:

FEAR is an acronym in the English language for “False Evidence Appearing Real”Neale Donald Walsch

I truly believe that it is possible to overcome the effects of fear using Qigong only. But why would you want to? Iʼm a big believer in having my cake and eating it (just ask my wife). I like to benefit from the best of both worlds. So let me share the most powerful antidotes to fear that I discovered that will complement your Qigong practice:

Faith as an antidote to fear:

First things first, when I say ʻfaithʼ I donʼt necessarily mean religious faith. Iʼve tried many of the ʻwaysʼ of mainstream religion and life philosophy and none of them have stuck with me for very long.



Eventually it felt like being a circle forced into a square hole. But thatʼs just me. If you find a main stream religion or faith that works for you - then go for it.

Just remember that the Qigong in this book is spiritual, not religious. Anyone of any faith, religion, political or philosophical view can practice it and gain the benefits of it.These days I”m happy to subscribe to the view of the Buddha:

• Avoid evil• Do good• Cultivate the mind

With that said, letʼs look more closely at how faith is the antidote to fear. I knew of this for years before I was able to apply it. I just couldnʼt get my head around faith. I just couldnʼt seem to acquire it. The first step that started to turn this around was when someone pointed out that I did indeed have faith.

I began to argue with them, but they told me that if I drove a car, then I had faith. I had faith in those thin white lines. I had faith in the other drivers on the road not to cross them. If I didnʼt have this faith I wouldnʼt be able to drive.

This was the seed that helped me to understand how to develop faith. So how do we develop the kind of faith that overcomes fear? You start with a simple belief. For me it was ʻeverything is going to be okayʼ.

Iʼd repeat this hundreds of times a day to myself, like a mantra. But instead of just repeating it at a surface level, Iʼd really chew it over, Iʼd say it slowly, Iʼd ponder it and contemplate it.

Gradually I began to have experiences that backed up this belief and gradually this belief became faith that everything will be alright. The kind of faith that overcomes fear. But it didnʼt happen over night.

Conclusion

If fear is limiting and damaging your life my recommendation would be to practice Qigong and when not doing your training repeat your mantra, ponder it, contemplate it and let it develop into faith.

Preparation as an antidote to fear:

In his book ʻFear the friend of exceptional peopleʼ, Geoff Thomson tells us that knowledge and preparation is the cure for fear. He has reached this conclusion from his own violent confrontations as a ʻbouncerʼ and from interviewing special forces veterans and boxers.

I personally found this solution very useful for dealing with the fear of my sons seizures. After heʼd had a couple, very late at night/early morning it got so that I couldnʼt sleep at night. Every night I was fearful heʼd have another one. I closed my eyes and ʻsleptʼ with one ear open. Every unexpected sound brought me wide awake as I lay there trying to work out if it was the sound of my son having another seizure.

After reading Geoffʼs book I decided to research seizures, to rehearse the procedure to follow if he had one. I gained knowledge and I prepared myself to be able to deal with the



ʻeventʼ. As a result, when I woke up with a start wondering if tonight was the night, I was able to remind myself that whatever happened I could deal with it.

Now I sleep soundly at night again.

Another type of fear is the fear of doing something outside of your ʻcomfort zoneʼ

Knowledge as an antidote to fear:

If fear is holding you back from taking the steps necessary to starting a new career, writing a book, etc etc then there is something you really need to know. Iʼm certain that once you have this knowledge (the easy part), if you apply it (the hard part) then that career, that book, that <whatever> will suddenly appear far more real and achievable.

You see there is something very powerful holding you back from taking steps outside of your comfort zone…

Itʼs called the reptilian complex.

In a nutshell you have 3 brains. The Triune brain is a model of the evolution of the brain and behaviour proposed by American physician and neuroscientist Paul D. Maclean.

According to this model we have 3 main parts to our brain:

1. Reptilian Complex - Its focus is primarily physical. Its job is your continued survival and itʼs good at it. Characteristics: revenge, anger, hungry, scared, selfish, horny.

2. Paleo Mammalian Complex - aka the limbic system - Its focus is emotional. Characteristics: how do I share? How do I connect?

3. Neo Mammalian Complex - aka the neocortex - Its focus is logical, mental and creative. Characteristics: planning, creativity, perception, rational, analytical thought.

Because the reptilian complex is survival focused, anything that it perceives as a threat to that e.g. Giving a speech, asking for a date, or anything outside of your comfort zone - it will try and block you.

Whilst its job is your continued survival, it mistakes being laughed at, getting into trouble, being embarrassed and failing as life threatening. It doesnʼt mess about, there are no half measures with the reptilian complex. It has a million and one ways to shut you down, to block you and the result is often that we self sabotage, donʼt step up, or donʼt follow through.

If you know logically, that to follow a particular course of action is going to benefit your health, wealth or improve your families well being and youʼre not following through. Chances are itʼs the reptilian complex holding you back.

The solution is to be aware of the reptilian complex, to have knowledge of it. So the next time it tells you to watch TV instead of making ʻthatʼ call you can either ignore it, distract it, or soothe it so it doesnʼt freak out.



You also need to realise that everyone experiences this reptilian complex at work, itʼs just that some are better than others at managing it effectively.

A great resource on this subject is this video: http://vimeo.com/5895898 - Seth Godin: Quieting The Lizard Brain.

Here are suggested techniques, tools and strategies I have found useful when helping students to overcome fear:

1) Opening The Heart - Smile from the heart frequently, emperor walks

2) Calming The Mind - Simple meditation p.X, exercise, cup of tea

3) Generating Energy Flow - Nourishing Kidneys (not in this book), Be Happy Qigong set

4) Non Qigong Tools - Progress Chart p.X, Vision p.X, Perspective p.X, TFAR p.X, The ESC p.X, We see the world p.X



http://vimeo.com/5895898

http://vimeo.com/5895898

Self Compassion

When I first started writing this book this section was focusing on how to raise self esteem. Even though I couldnʼt put my finger on why, I was never happy with this term. Then out of nowhere I received an email from the psychologist Gary Buck PhD who introduced me to the concept of Self Compassion and the work of Kristin Neff PhD.

My research revealed the source of my discomfort with the term ʻSelf Esteemʼ. Self Esteem, at its root, is about self judgement. That judgement is then compared with some socially accepted level of ʻokay-nessʼ and an internal judge decides whether you measure up or not.

Self Esteem is high if you come out of this comparison ʻbetter thanʼ or successful. But is low if the result is ʻless thanʼ or unsuccessful. This judging goes on continuously and as a result Self Esteem can go up and down like a roller coaster ride and the result is that our sense of self worth becomes very unstable.

The major flaw with Self Esteem is that this judging oneself against a socially defined level in order to feel good is like comparing applies with oranges. Itʼs not a fair comparison and itʼs not a healthy path to happiness. The only comparison that has any merit is comparing yourself with yourself. I believe we should forget about raising Self Esteem and focus instead on compassion.

Whilst the importance of compassion is well established in Eastern philosophy, it is a new concept to Western psychology. But what does Self Compassion really mean?

“Self Compassion is a type of open heartedness” - Kristin Neff PhD.

Self Compassion consists of three main parts:

1) Self Kindness - instead of being harsh or self critical towards ourselves when we screw up, experience pain or failure we go easy on ourselves. We forgive our failings and faults and seek to improve them by being gentle, kind and patient with ourselves. It is helpful to remind ourselves that we are human and to accept what that means

2) Common Humanity - instead of seeing our experiences as separating or isolating we view them as part of a larger human experience. Self Compassion means accepting fully the fact that you are a human being. Allow me to remind you that humans are not perfect, there is a limit to what we can do, we all experience suffering and fear we have so much in common. Weʼre all waves on the infinite ocean, branches of the vine - we are not separated or alone. Despite what our human senses tell us.

3) Mindfulness - instead of wallowing in painful thoughts and feelings we take a more balance approach to them. Through mindful awareness we can walk a healthy path between ignoring pain and being consumed by it. We can observe it with openness and clarity.

To be Self Compassionate is to have a healthy attitude and relationship with yourself. It does away with the judgement and comparison elements of Self Esteem. It's about keeping it real.

Give Yourself Self Compassion



The next time youʼre mindful that you are in a really difficult situation or feeling a wave of painful thoughts and feelings as a result of failure or disappointment, practice this simple and powerful two step exercise:

1) Stop and acknowledge to yourself: “This is really hard right now and Iʼm going to give myself compassion, concern and caring for the fact that this is really hard right now”

2) As you go through the next steps of the situation, whatever they may be, stay mindful and carry them out with as much compassion, patience and kindness as you can manage.

This will take practice and youʼre going to find it difficult to start with, I know I sure did. But I believe this exercise has helped me to become a better father to my son and husband to wife.

Itʼs also improved my relationship towards myself. Through it I started to notice how harsh and critical I am of myself. I was shocked at how horrible I can be towards me. I would never speak to anyone, or treat anyone the way I speak and treat myself. Once I became aware of this behaviour and began to notice it more and more, it was easier to be more compassionate to myself. The benefits have been profound.

Here are suggested techniques, tools and strategies that will be useful when working to increase Self Compassion:


2) Calming The Mind - Simple meditation p.X, exercise, Internal journey p.X

3) Generating Energy Flow - Butterfly Dancing p.X

4) Non Qigong Tools - Progress Chart p.X, Vision p.X, Perspective p.X, HALT p.X, Donʼt Wrestle With Pigs p. X, TFAR p.X, The ESC p.X, We see the world p.X



Confidence

Can Qigong really increase confidence? This is a question Iʼm frequently asked by people new to Qigong. They can understand how cleansing the meridians and promoting harmonious energy flow will improve health, but boost confidence? Come on, youʼve got to be kidding.

The Chinese language is very interesting. As we discovered earlier the word for happy in Chinese can mean ʻopen heartʼ. Another interesting discovery is that the Chinese word for ʻcourageʼ is Da Dan and that it translates as ʻBeing Courage/Big Gall Bladderʼ. In other words being courageous means having a large gall bladder.

Hereʼs a picture of the Chinese characters (youʼre looking for DaaiDaam.jpg) - please note that the first and second set of characters are the traditional and the simplified characters respectively.

Hence, if we look at qigong exercises that are known to be of benefit to the gall bladder we can increase our courage which in turn will increase our confidence. being more courageous.

There are two qigong exercises from the famous Shaolin 18 Lohan Hands Qigong set that are well known for working with the gall bladder. They are Plucking Stars Change Galaxies and Reverse Hands Bend Waist. I have covered these two important exercises in my previous book: ʻShaolin Chi Kungʼ and interested readers should look there for more information on how to practice these exercises.

However the ultimate of all the qigong exercises for boosting confidence is Pulling Body, exercise number six from the 12 qigong exercises that make up the set known as ʻSinew Metamorphosisʼ or Yi Jin Jing. Yi Jin Jing was the forerunner of Shaolin Qigong and forms the basis of internal force training in Shaolin Kung Fu.

In my opinion Sinew Metamorphosis exercises must be learned directly from a Qigong teacher. These exercises are very powerful and need to be performed correctly. The qigong exercises in this book and from my book ʻShaolin Chi Kungʼ are very safe to practice. If you accidently make a few mistakes no harm will be done. But this is not true with Sinew Metamorphosis exercises, this is just my opinion.

Here are suggested techniques, tools and strategies that will be useful when working to increase Confidence:


2) Calming The Mind - Simple meditation p.X, exercise, Internal journey p.X

3) Generating Energy Flow - Plucking Stars, Nourishing Kidneys (can be found in SCK book) Butterfly Dancing p.X

4) Non Qigong Tools - Progress Chart p.X, Vision p.X, TFAR p.X, Donʼt Wrestle With Pigs p.X, Perspective p.X, We see the world not as it is p.X.



Summary

In this chapter we looked at specific strategies for overcoming common illnesses caused by a weakened Emotional Immune System (EIS).

We now have all the pieces in place and youʼre ready to put your own ʻbespokeʼ plan together for working with the Heart and increasing your EIS.

Turn the page and letʼs get started.



PART 6 - Putting Your Plan Together

Introduction

Now that youʼve scanned or read through all the theory, tools and suggestions available to you, the time has come to create your own personal plan of action.



Putting Your Personalized Action Plan Together

Decide what your priority is. Are you going to focus your practice on overcoming stress? Or depression? Choose ONE area to focus on first. Iʼve suggested a few ʻplansʼ for you in the Specific Strategies section of this book. But theyʼre just that, suggestions, they are not commands. Please feel free to make up your own plan from the materials in this book.

When putting your plan together pay attention to the four ʻtool boxesʼ Iʼve presented. A good plan will have at least one tool from each box. But donʼt overwhelm yourself. If you only use one tool, but you use it daily then that is going to bring you more benefit than choosing 10 tools, but only using them haphazardly for a few weeks.

Before you decide what tools to pull together to formulate your own plan of action Iʼd like to offer some guidelines to help you.

General Guidelines:

1) If your focus is on overcoming depression I strongly advise you to practice with a weekly group. Even if it is a Yoga or a Tai Chi group. Isolation is often a contributing factor to depression and group practice can be invaluable.

2) If you are currently on any prescribed medication keep taking it! I strongly urge you to discuss the material in this book with your medical provider and ask them for their thoughts. Remember I am not a doctor and I cannot give you medical advice.

Guidelines For Your Plan:

1) Opening The Heart - with the exception of Butterfly Dancing In Front of Flowers you can practice the techniques in this ʻtool boxʼ as often as you like, whenever you like.

2) Calming The Mind - the simple meditation exercise and the ʻListen To Your Bodyʼ exercise should only be practiced a few times a day. Remember your focus is on quality not quantity. The rest of the exercises in this ʻtool boxʼ can be practiced as frequently as you like.

3) Generating Energy Flow - Make certain that you follow the instructions to the very best of your ability. Donʼt worry about making mistakes when you start out, everybody does itʼs natural. Just aim to get better with each practice. Ideally you will practice Butterfly Dancing OR Lifting The Sky OR Embrace Buddha OR Lohan Dancing OR the Be Happy Qigong Set.

My recommendation is to aim for 15 minutes practice first thing in the morning and again last thing at night. If you like variety please feel free to chop and change. I.e. Butterfly Dancing in the morning and then Lifting the Sky in the evening, or Lohan Dancing in the morning and the Be Happy Qigong set in the evening. Itʼs up to you. If you can only practice once a day, thatʼs great too.

Do Not - please do not do this: Butterfly Dancing then Lifting the Sky followed by the Be Happy Qigong set in the morning. Butterfly Dancing then Lifting the Sky then Embrace Buddha then Lohan Dancing then Be Happy Qigong set in the evening. This is not following instructions. It is vital that you choose and practice only ONE qigong exercise per session.



Butterfly Dancing OR Lifting The Sky OR Embrace Buddha OR Lohan Dancing OR the Be Happy Qigong Set. Sorry to labour this point, but it is very important and worth repeating.

4) Non Qigong Tools - I consider there to be two vital non Qigong tools that everyone should have as part of their plan:

Vision p.X - You would be wise to start by spending at least 30 minutes getting clear on your Vision. Knowing specificially what you want from your practice is essential to your success with the material in this book.

Progress Chart - I also recommend that you print off a copy of the Progress Chart p.X to keep an eye on your progress.

The rest of the tools in this tool box can be used as often and as frequently as it makes sense to you. Remember, itʼs your plan.

Start by reviewing the ʻSpecific Strategiesʼ section of this book and look at the tools I suggest for each one. These are tools I have found particularly beneficial. Then refer back to the relevant section for each tool you are thinking of using and make sure you understand how to use it.

If non of the symptoms described in the Specific Strategies section seem to apply to you, then simply look through each tool box in turn Opening the Heart → Calming The Mind → Generating Energy Flow → Non Qigong Tools and pull one or two tools from each box that you like the sound of.

Here are two examples to help get you started:

Example Plans

Graham has been diagnosed with moderate depression and has been prescribed anti depressants by his doctor. After reading through the material in this book and after consultation with his doctor he has decided on the following tools to create his plan of action:

1. Opening The Heart - Smiling From The Heart and Emperor Walks Heart Opens.2. Calming The Mind - Simple meditation, going for a walk and listening to soothing

music.3. Generating Qi Flow - Butterfly Dancing In Front of Flowers4. Non Qigong Tools - Progress Chart, Vision, HALT, Gratitude

What Grahamʼs plan looks like in action:

AM - First thing in the morning, straight after getting out of bed:• Write a gratitude list of 10 ʻthingsʼ he is grateful for.• Practice Smiling From The Heart• 15 Minutes of Butterfly Dancing In Front of Flowers.

During the day Graham practices Emperor Walks whenever walking. He makes an effort to be sensitive enough to use HALT and he smiles from his heart whenever he remembers



to. He practices 5 minutes of simple meditation at lunch time and often ends with a simple prayer.

PM - Just before going to bed• Listen to some soothing music for 10 minutes• 15 Minutes of Butterfly Dancing In Front of Flowers

Graham got clear on his Vision for his practice. His aim is to get off medication with the help of his doctor. Heʼs started attending a weekly Tai Chi class and is enjoying spending time with a group of people. Every week he fills out his progress chart. Itʼs only week three, but already heʼs starting to see a positive shift in the numbers.

Victoria is in relatively good physical health, but feels that her emotions are up and down like a roller coaster. She is also dealing with a massive increase in stress due to recently being made redundant. She decides to use the following tools to create her plan of action:

1. Opening The Heart - Smiling From The Heart and Emperor Walks Heart Opens.2. Calming The Mind - Simple meditation, exercise, Listening to her body.3. Generating Qi Flow - Lifting The Sky, Butterfly Dancing.4. Non Qigong Tools - Progress Chart, Vision, Perspective, Procrastination Tool,

Special Tea Cup.

What Victoriaʼs plan looks like in action:

AM - First thing in the morning straight after getting out of bed:• Read inspirational material for 10 minutes.• Randomly selects a guiding principal from her special tea cup.• 15 Minutes of Lifting The Sky.• Take the neighbors dog for a brisk walk.

During the day Victoria makes frequent use of the procrastination tool as she often finds it hard to start taking the actions she knows she needs to to find new employment. Every other day spends time listening to her body. She smiles from her Heart as often as she can and takes the neighborʼs dog for a brisk walk out in the countryside. This is an excellent opportunity for her to practice Emperor Walks, get out in the country and benefit from the gentle exercise of a brisk walk.

PM - Just before going to bed.• 15 Minutes of Butterfly Dancing.• 5 Minutes of simple meditation.

Victoria is clear on her vision for her practice. Her objective is to stay upbeat and active whilst finding suitable new employment. Her aim is to get off the roller coaster of her emotions and feel more rooted and balanced. She completes her progress chart each week and is happy with her progress.

You get the idea Iʼm sure. There is no right or wrong plan, there is only your plan. Feel free to change it around a bit if after a few weeks you think another tool might be a better fit for you. Little and often beats lots and infrequent in this arena.



We are defined by our habits. So choose those you tools you enjoy the most from the tool boxes available. Avoid trying too many to start with. If you plan of action is enjoyable and do-able youʼre far more likely to work it and to succeed with it.



How you start the day…

In chaos theory, the butterfly effect is the sensitive dependance on initial conditions, where a small change at one place in a nonlinear system can result in large differences to a later state - wikipedia

The term butterfly effect is related to the meteorological work of Edward Lorenz. The key take away is to remember that small changes in the right places can cause big things to happen elsewhere.

Remember - how you start a day has a MASSIVE influence on how that day is going to turn out. Yes, you canʼt stop bad things happening, but when you are working a plan you certainly help to stack the odds of having a good day heavily in your favor.

Without a plan it is too easy for a bad moment to get out of hand and become a bad day.

Little things can cause big things to happen - good and bad.



Summary

In this chapter we looked at how you can put your plan of action together. You have access to four powerful tool boxes and can choose from over X tools. Make sure the plan you put together is one that will work for you.



PART 7 - After Word

Richard Wiseman PhD, ran two large scale studies that tracked over 5000 people from around the world. These people were attempting to achieve a wide range of goals and ambitions, from weight loss to becoming more environmentally friendly and everything in-between. These studies into the psychology of motivation revealed some startling discoveries.

Those who:

1. Used a celebrity or great leader /role model2. Thought bad things would happen if they didnʼt achieve their goal3. Tried to suppress unhelpful thoughts4. Relied on willpower5. Fantasized about how great their life will be when they achieve their goal

Were unlikely to achieve their goals. Whereas, those who:

1. Made a step by step plan2. Told other people about their goals3. Thought about the good things that will happen if they achieve their goal4. Rewarded themselves for making progress towards their goals5. Recorded their progress in a journal or a chart

Significantly increased the likelihood of them achieving their goals.

The results are clear. If you want to succeed with your Qigong training then you must:

Have a step by step plan – The whole purpose of this book is to give you that plan.

Have clear aims and objectives – This is why we looked at your ʻVisionʼ in Part 4 p.X.

Share your aims and objectives with others – this is another reason why face to face classes are the best way to learn, practice and succeed with Qigong.

Think about the good things youʼll be able to feel, see, hear or do when you achieve your aims and objectives – itʼs a good idea to spend a few seconds at the end of your practice to contemplate this.

Reward yourself – completed a week or a month of twice daily practice? Reward yourself. Rewards donʼt have to be expensive. Use your imagination.

Record your progress – what canʼt be measured canʼt be managed. Thatʼs why you must use the Progress Chart introduced in Part 4 p.X.

Implement as many of these 5 tools into your Qigong training as you can and see for yourself the improvement it brings.

Finally

Life is a never ending story. A sequence of chapters. You never know what is going to happen next.



There is a story of a man called Sam who liked to observe, for an hour each day a fast flowing stream. Always he sat on the same rock and always he thought that he was observing the same bit of water. Day after day, month after month, year after year.

But we would laugh at such a thought. Of course itʼs not the same bit of water. The water he was observing yesterday is miles down stream now.

Yet this is what many of us do when we observe our lives. We think that we are seeing the same story each day, especially if itʼs a story weʼre not enjoying.

A lot of the pain and discomfort we experience in our daily lives is caused because we think that what is happening is Permanent, Personal and Pervasive.

99 times out of a 100 it simply isnʼt. We have taken the stream and tried to freeze it in time, trouble is, sometimes we succeed.

Listen closely - Nothing lasts for ever, not the mountains on the horizon nor the stars in the sky and this too shall pass.



Appendix, Case Study, Resources, Index...



smiling from the heart · longer, healthier and happier life. • to gain the most from this book...

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