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Tao of Movement: Find Your Bliss! By Reneé Ryan Remember, there are no shoulds on your road to bliss.
What do Al Huang, Elvis Presley, John Kennedy, Gabrielle Roth, Jack Lalanne and Ellen DeGeneres have in common? They all have inspired us to get moving. John Kennedy got the nation jogging, but Ellen has us up off the couch and dancing. This is a great thing. Not only is it fun, but “shaking your tail feathers” helps heal the body and the psyche. The right movement for you, that you really enjoy, whether it is baseball, swing dance, golf, Tai Ji, Nia, 5Rhythms, yoga, drumming or Qigong ... can inspire you and even heal you. Movement Benefits Your Body We have long known that movement is good for the cardiovascular system, and weight bearing activity is essential for the health of our bones. Movement is also essential for our lymphatic system to work. Unlike the circulatory system which has the heart to pump the blood throughout our body, our lymphatic system has no pump of its own. It relies on movement to pump the lymph through our body. Why is this so important? The lymph takes out the “garbage” or the toxins from our body. Without movement a “garbage strike” occurs; the toxins build up and we start feeling lousy. Massage and bodywork and even drugs can help, but a little fun movement can be done daily and is a lot more economical. After exercise and bodywork, drink plenty of water to flush the toxins out and to minimize sore muscles. Movement Lifts Your Emotions Scientists also know that movement changes our blood chemistry. Runners and joggers experience a “runner’s high” from the release of endorphins in the body. In the book Beyond Prozac, it is stated that patients and little ones who have been isolated in institutions will instinctually rock or shake. Scientists have discovered that this is a form of self soothing; because the movements help seratonin (a feel good drug) to move to the receptor sites in the brain. The Taoist Masters noticed that animals would wag their tails and shake their body and could easily scale mountains with energy to spare. The Taoists incorporated shaking, tapping and self massage into Qigong. Western physicians get their patients up and moving as quickly as possible after surgery to speed the patient’s recovery and minimize secondary problems such as muscle atrophy, blood clots, bed sores, etc. Shamans and indigenous people have long known the value of rhythm and dancing for healing. Dr. Carl A. Hammerschlag writes in The Dancing Healers about his practice as a young doctor in the Southwest. His first patient, a medicine man, was not interested in where he went to medical school, but asks the young doctor, “Do you dance?” Dr. Hammerschlag sheepishly danced around the hospital bed, but admits to us it took him 25 years to fully appreciate that question. Sobonfu Some, a renowned teacher of African spirituality and healing ritual and author of The Spirit of Intimacy was conducting a drumming: She noticed a woman sitting while the others were up, dancing and drumming. Sobonfu inquired why she was not moving? The woman responded, “I am ill.” Sobonfu got her on her feet. “You need to move even more!” Movement Can Benefit Your Mind Qigong, Tai Ji, ballroom dancing and drumming, any movements where we utilize both hands and feet, stimulate both hemispheres of the brain and can help memory and are encouraged in “brain gym” and “brain fitness” programs. Drumming for a half hour a week actually helped seniors with Alzheimer’s Disease. Movement Can Help Create Personal Peace and Peace On Earth Bill Douglas, founder of World Tai Chi and Qigong Day, tells how Tai Chi classes in prison decreased incidents of violence among inmates. Oprah’s Book Club pick, A New Earth, Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart Tolle, extols the virtues of Tai Chi and Qigong as playing an important role in the global awakening of humanity (page 158). Your Taoist Nature: Choosing the Right Movement for You With a cornucopia of things to choose from, there is a movement that will suit you, with your unique needs, personality and age. Even your astrological sign affects you (Fire signs might enjoy much different activities than Water signs). Some of the best dancers where I take ballroom dancing range from five to seventy years old. Here are some things to consider: 1. Health. Find out what your current level of health is from your family physician and if there are any precautions you may need to take. 2. Enjoyment. Think about what you might enjoy: If you enjoy what you are doing, you are more likely to do it. 3. Goals. What are your goals? Do you want the calming and flexibility that yoga, Qigong and Tai Ji bring? Or do you need something that will get your pulse going? John Kennedy got many of us jogging. “Rocky” got us boxing. Chungliang Al Huang made Tai Ji accessible and fun. Chubby Checker got us twisting. Elvis taught us the pelvic tilt. Bruce Lee introduced us to martial arts. Patrick Swayze got us “Dirty Dancing.” Gloria Estefan got us on our feet. Ellen has us dancing during her talk show. Even Deepak Chopra wrote a book on golf. Phew! 4. Teacher and School. Find the right teacher and school for your learning style. Set up an appointment to observe a class or talk to the instructor. See if there is an introductory class. It has to be a good fit for you. 5. Personal Challenges and Commitment. Learning something new can be challenging physically, mentally and emotionally. This is where great healing can occur! Martial arts taught me better self esteem, and taught me how to find my voice and stand up to my own fears. Ballroom dancing with a male partner has helped me learn to be more receptive and vulnerable. When faced with an obstacle, get support from your teachers, bodyworkers and counselors. You are worth it! Your Path to Bliss May be Following Little White Ball or “Dancing with the Stars” So what’s your passion? Is it Tai Ji? Qigong? Golf? Wheelchair soccer? Drumming? Jogging? Baseball? Swing or Latin dance? Trance dance? Nia? Hula? Others? How has it helped you, inspired you, changed you? Please let us know. We’d also like to know where you go in the Chicagoland area to learn these. You can email me at: wuway@juno.com. I look forward to your input. Remember, there are no shoulds on your road to bliss. Discover what brings you joy, and your happiness will radiate to those around you. Good luck and have fun!
Reneé Ryan is co-founder of the Lightheart Center in Winfield, Illinois. She teaches Tai Ji and Qigong Movement there and at the Theosophical Society in Wheaton, Illinois (host of World Tai Chi Day on April 26, 2008). She is a bodyworker and a Diplomate (Dipl. ABT, NCCAOM) in Asian Bodywork and holds a black belt in Tae Kuan Do. Currently she is studying ballroom dance and hula. For information, call 630-260- l084, or visit www.thelightheartcenter.org.
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