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Year Four, Day 113: Qi Gong Breathing and Anxiety

Today is Day 30 of my return to daily hooping practice!  Time does fly!  And I am really starting to reap the benefits of my renewed discipline.

The daily Qi Gong has been instrumental.  I realize now how important breathing is to health. Heck, it's important to life!

I picked up another book on Qi Gong from the library yesterday. It's called The Qigong Workbook for Anxiety by Master Kam Chuen Lam.

This book was written for me.  At least that is how it feels. I do not, after all know Master Kam Chuen Lam personally.

Although I certainly wish I did!

I woke up early this morning and set out on a mission. To buy a gift certificat for my daughter. Tomorrow is her 29th birthday! Talk about time flying!

I look at my granddaughter, and sometimes I feel like I am looking at my own baby girl. They have the same sweet, round, innocent face. And scathingly brilliant minds and precocious attitudes. I love them both dearly and wouldn't change a hair on their heads.

After I picked up my daughter's gift certificate (at one of my favorite coffee shops in town), I holed up in McDonald's with a cup of coffee (it was free today, since it was my 6th cup purchased. I'm conquering this living on a budget thing!) and I began studying my book.

Both of my arms broke out in giant goosebumps as I read the following:

"We need a perspective that emphasizes mindfulness, not avoidance...Avoidance in our day and age is packaged as feeling better, avoiding internal experience...The anxious usually need energy, but more importantly, they need a willingness to engage their worst fears if they are to have a chance of mastering them. many have limited lives because they want to 'feel better' by not experiencing anxiety. Paradoxically, this attitude keeps them chronically anxious in the long term." (The Qigong Workbook for Anxiety by Master Kam Chuen Lam. p.10)


And then goosebumps on top of goosebumps when I read:
"...the word "anxiety" in the English language comes from a root word meaning "I cannot breathe" or I'm choking". One of the translations for the Chinese word 'qi' is breath." (The Qigong Workbook for Anxiety by Master Kam Chuen Lam. p. 11)

What did I tell you? Written for me!  It is no wonder that have I trouble breathing. I have always struggled with anxiety, at times paralyzing.  It had not occurred to me that my anxiety and asthma were connected.

Heck, everything is connected!

I do know for certain that I am benefitting from the breathing exercises. My head feels clearer, I have more energy and I feel taller.

All very good reasons for continuing my studies!

On that note, I need to get some piano practice in, and hopefully a trip to the gym while am still vertical.

Happy Sunday!

Talk to you tomorrow.

Love,

Zita





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