We spend so much of our time working for money, working out our bodies for a look we are happy with and working out what foods are best for our biochemistry.
In this busy western world we are always in the state of doing or actively using energy in the state known in the east as yang. But there has to be a balance – we must also strive for the state that is yin or rest and rebuilding.
Yang is also known as the masculine or active you. It’s the side of you that wants to “get the job done” and physiologically relates to cortisol (the awakening hormone). Yang is catabolic (the breakdown of molecules to gain energy) in nature.
Yin on the other hand relates to the mother, the repair and rest side of you. Hormonally it is anabolic (muscle growth and repair). It’s the “play hard” balance to the “work hard” mantra.
But that balance is missing – people are always striving to get more rest… create more energy… or find more time to complete daily tasks. How many times have you heard someone say, “There just is not enough time in the day”?
Because many of us overwork to achieve success, we often use extreme forms of rest to try to balance the equation – partying hard, drinking to excess to forget the week we just had, or going on adventurous holidays.
Though our intention is to “rest and recover” we actually end up burning even more energy because we are still being active!
We are acutely aware that we need to recharge and “unplug from the matrix” which is why we average 4.7hrs of TV viewing each day! This we do to balance that active “doing” mode with a “chilling out” mode.
We are so wired from engaging our minds that we are constantly in the stress response mode at all times – even when we sleep!
The good news is that we do have the ability to repair each and every night.
If we are asleep from 10pm till 2am our bodies go into physiological repair to recycle sex and stress hormones, and regenerate our muscles and glands. This is followed by a psychogenic/mental repair cycle from 2 am until 6am.
A Paul Chek says, “ Sleep is free” and it is one of the biggest factors to healing, weight loss and recovery.
Today I would like to share two passive Yin techniques that you can use to aid true recovery for daily energy and balance.
Power Breathing
To gain maximum benefits from any breathing drill, always keep your spine tall and aligned, you may sit against a wall or on a chair if needed.
Position: Sit tall, place hands above head with palms touching, arms bent, and legs crossed or straight out if using a wall.
Action: inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth very forcefully for 10 single breaths, then repeat this drill by performing two inhales followed by two exhales for 10 breaths or reps- in in and out out x 10.
Keep your hands above your head during this drill and leave them above your head for 20 seconds after this drill whilst trying to feel the intense heat/chi moving up into your hands.
This exercise will really wake you up if you’re feeling tired and it only takes one minute to complete.
I suggest doing this exercise when you wake up, during your lunch and coffee breaks and a few hours before bedtime.
In addition to the power breathing exercise, my second suggestion is to get an Earthing/Grounding sheet. These are truly great tools to improve sleep, reduce inflammation, aid adrenal support and stop migraines.
All you need to do is sleep with it on your bed whilst maintaining skin contact, and this tool will boost your daily performance without any of the side effects of coffee or energy drinks!
I invite you to try these out and let me know how they go in the comments section below.
- Working with Yin to Balance Yang for Daily Energy! - April 23, 2015
