Sandy Taikyu - Boost Your Natural Energy: 40 Simple Exercises and Recipes for Everyday

The flow

of your own heart

Open yourself to the source of your power.

Realize that everything is already present within you.

There is nothing in excess there, and nothing missing.

Nothing has been achieved and nothing neglected. There is neither right nor wrong, neither good nor bad.

If you truly follow the inner voice

of your heart, you will never disappoint yourself.

Sandy Taikyu Kuhn Shimu

Acknowledgment

Energy is omnipresent. It is revealed in trust and gratitude, and I would like to sincerely thank all those beings who have made it possible for this book to find its way to you. May the energy of this togetherness flow into our hearts and minds!

Introduction

The Chinese call it qi, the Japanese ki, and the Indians prana. To Christians it is the breath of life, to Tibetans lung, and the Greeks knew it as pneuma. These are all different terms for the same concept: the life energy that each individual possesses. This potential energy is shaped by your everyday routines, your lifestyle, your approach to life. Everything you think, feel, eat, and drink, not to mention the way you act, live, breathe, and speak, will affect your energy. When your energy is flowing, you feel healthy, capable, focused, happy, and balanced; your body and mind form an inseparable whole and you have access to all your power.

When your energy is blocked, you feel pain and tension. You are unhappy, irritable, nervous, unsettled, or angry, and you feel vulnerable, misunderstood, or sick. Your body and mind are no longer a whole, and everything you do costs you additional energy. Every task feels like a burden that is both exhausting and challenging.

Our energy flow will always be blocked if we direct our energy against something, when we are at odds with a set of circumstances, a situation, environment, or person; when we dig our heels in; in short, when our actions are not in harmony with what we think and feel.

Instead, become one with what you are doing, mentally and physically; accept even difficult situations, have the ability to let go, and deal with problems constructively. You will then be able to make the right decisions in accordance with your true nature. You will be living in your natural flow and everything will feel familiar and right. Of course, even this will sometimes feel like hard work; what you do will be in harmony with what you think and feel, but to achieve this, you will have to devote all your attention and commitment to finding your way back to the present and giving your mind and body a chance to reunite. You can only achieve this when you stop fighting for or against something, and let go.

Every individual can restore their flow of life energy through specific physical exercises, simple breathing techniques and meditations, and even tasty energy drinks. This little guide is a true treasure chest that will show you easy yet effective ways of exploiting your potential. All my recommendations are intended to provide support for your physical and mental wellbeing. They are tried and tested and have been sourced from my many years of experience and practice both as a teacher of martial arts, qigong, meditation, and yoga and as a psychological coach. However, each person will react according to their own individual energy patterns and personal capacities, so your own progress may vary and your experience will be as individual as you are. This book does not claim to be a panacea and is no substitute for seeing a doctor, an alternative practitioner, or a therapist, as may be appropriate. Neither the author nor the publisher can accept any liability for damage to persons, goods, or assets.

There are a number of different ways you can work with this guide. You might decide to read it from start to finish or to search instead for exercises, techniques, or recipes that answer your immediate needs. There is a short introduction to each piece of advice and/or some background information about the topic. For some of the exercises, I have provided instructions about the number of repetitions or the duration of the routine. Please take these as guidelines rather than rules set in stone; experiment and keep an eye on how you are doing. As long as you are feeling mentally and physically well, you are on the right path. Please be aware, however, that as you begin your routine, you may experience a few minor side effects such as tiredness, as energy blocks and energy patterns dissolve and loosen. These are entirely normal reactions, and with care they can be kept to a minimum. Always do the exercises carefully and with full awareness. Leave yourself time and take baby steps, particularly if you have little or no previous experience with energy work. You can combine any of the exercises and even create your own exercise routines. I have put together a list of useful, tried-and-tested exercise routines arranged under various headings at the end of the book, and these should help to inspire you.

Remember:

Joy is the greatest source of energy!

Eye bath

The eyes are considered the mirror of the soul and a picture is worth a thousand words, as the old saying goes. We often send out entirely unconscious signals with our eyes; we can look dismissive, inquisitive, reproachful, or intrigued, and our eyes can gleam, twinkle, or shine with joy, love, or happiness. We can also look sad, furious, frightened, or secretive, of course; our eyes are our window on the outside world just as much as they are the link to our inner world.

An eye bath will cleanse the cornea and conjunctiva and generally moisten the eye; it can be especially helpful for tired or dry eyes, or if you are suffering from an allergic reaction. An eye bath soothes mild irritations and calms and refreshes the eyes. People who spend a lot of time in front of computer screens, work in air-conditioned offices, or wear contact lenses will derive far greater benefit from an eye bath than from using conventional eye drops, as it is more effective and provides the eyes with holistic and long-lasting care.

The first thing you will need is the eye bath itself, and this is available from most pharmacies. You can either make the solution to fill the eye bath yourself, or you can buy it at a pharmacy or any other specialist shop. Traditionally, an eye bath will call for a saline solution: dissolve a pinch of fine-grain salt in 3.5 fl oz (100 ml) lukewarm water. As this solution has the same concentration of sodium chloride as tears, it will not cause a burning sensation to the eyes. Remove your make-up, wash your hands thoroughly and take out your contact lenses. Fill the eye bath with the salt solution. Position the eye bath over one eye so that no water can leak out and tip your head back. Open your eye and slowly move your eyeball around for 30 to 60 seconds. Empty the eye bath, refill it with fresh salt solution, and repeat the procedure for the other eye. Eye lotions are available from drugstores.