Tag: breathing exercises

A Master Key to Success

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I’m fond of quoting one of my favorite martial arts instructors, who used to say – over and over again: “Repetition, repetition, repetition…repetition coupled with enthusiasm is the key to success in all your endeavors.”

When a much younger “me” first heard this, I found it to be a transforming message. I had experienced success in many areas of my life, including my studies, my athletic pursuits, my career, and so forth. Yet I sometimes baffled myself with how impulsive I could be.

If I were more into astrology, I might blame it on being a Pisces. Pisces, a water sign, is symbolized by two fish swimming in opposite directions. There’s a certain duality in the Pisces personality and we are known for our sometimes impulsive tendencies. Or perhaps it’s genetic. Or maybe it’s how I have always handled the stress of having many interests, many things to do, and sometimes feeling overwhelmed.

Whatever the root cause, I have found that impulsiveness can manifest in our lives in many different ways, such as procrastination, a lack of focus on the task at hand, or making a big decision solely based on intuition, without any sort of thought or rational analysis.

On the darker side, it can appear as addiction and compulsions that are extremely difficult to overcome. Like eating too much, drinking too much, drug abuse, etc.

The cure for impulsiveness – or, at least, one of the best ways to control it – is consistency. This brings us back to my instructor’s advice. Repetition means consistency. It means doing the things that are good for you every day, and making them a habit. For example, exercise must be consistent to be effective. This is the first and foremost precept of physical conditioning and health maintenance. Lack of consistency leads to the erosion of your health and fitness foundation. And without a solid foundation, no structure will stand.

Too many people who begin exercise, or healthy eating habits, or a qigong and breathwork practice, give up and quit too soon to realize their amazing benefits. Don’t be one of them!

If there is one overall secret to success, it’s consistency…consistency and enthusiasm. In other words, doing the right things, and having fun while you’re doing them.

You Can Do It!

Dr. Karen

Leverage Seasonality for More Robust Health – Part 2

Leverage Seasonality for More Robust Health – Part 2

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Here continueth some old time wisdom on following the natural seasonality of our planet and our bodies to enhance your health and energy levels and improve your ability to fight off illness. Let’s talk about Spring for our brothers and sisters who reside in the Southern Hemisphere.

Spring – Exercise

In Classical Chinese Medicine, Spring is associated with the Liver. The Liver is one of the most important organs for detoxification. It also plays a starring role in converting the food you eat into usable energy.

If your health is compromised in any way, you eat an unhealthy diet, you drink too much, or your breathing is not up to snuff (pun intended), then you are placing a massive load on your liver. It’s important to take advantage of the spring to detox.

If you need to lose weight, spring is an excellent time to do so, because your body’s natural chemistry and metabolism will support your efforts. As the days get longer, your energy and metabolism increase. You should transition into more vigorous physical activity, and your Qigong and breathing exercises should include plenty of more robust movements – like the traditional Liver Daoyin exercise you can learn in the Wu Xing / Five Elements Daoyin program.

Spring – Nutrition

In traditional medical and health practices, early Spring is associated with a natural cleansing phase. As winter concludes, your body naturally wants to lose weight. It wants to detoxify and shed the old tissue, built up toxins, and excess fat stored over the winter.

Traditionally, this is a time of fasting and consuming lots of clean foods, such as fruits and vegetables, preferably raw or lightly steamed, as well as juices, which help detoxify the system.

Spring is the time to sweat and breathe hard, release toxins and air out the lungs, and eat “clean”. It’s also the time to celebrate your rebirth, and the rebirth of the earth.

Remember, synchronizing your physical activity and nutrition to the seasonal changes of body, mind, and earth is a powerful way to promote excellent health and help avoid illness and disease.

There’s one more area I’d like to cover, which we will get into in our next post.

You Can Do It!

Dr. Karen

Leverage Seasonality for More Robust Health

Leverage Seasonality for More Robust Health

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“The natural healing force within us is the greatest force in getting well.” -Hippocrates, the Father of Western Medicine

Here followeth some old time wisdom on following the natural seasonality of our planet and our bodies to enhance your health and energy levels and improve your ability to fight off illness. Since we have fellow readers in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres, I will focus on the Fall and Spring seasons in these next couple posts.

I never ceased to be amazed at the tremendous healing powers that reside within our bodies and minds.

Before the advent of the modern pharmaceutical age, people in all societies, ancient and more modern, sought to promote and support these internal powers with natural methods: natural herbs, foods, exercise and – most of all – natural breathing.

We’ve become somewhat separated or disjointed from our own natural, inborn abilities to propagate robust health, as well as counter and eliminate illness. One of the easiest ways to begin to get in touch with your body is to recognize its rhythms.

We each have hourly, daily, monthly and yearly rhythms. But you may not actively leverage these rhythms in your own fitness and health program. In fact, you may often work against these rhythms, making you more susceptible to illnesses, injuries, weight gain, and so forth.

Ancient health practices from around the world, as well as existent traditional societies (which are becoming increasingly rare), apply seasonality to the treatment and prevention of disease, as well as the promotion of robust health.

Let’s discuss Autumn from the perspective of exercise and nutrition.

Autumn – Exercise

In ancient Chinese, Japanese and Korean medicine, Autumn (or Fall) is associated with the lungs. Although all of our internal organs and systems are interdependent, the lungs get the most attention at this time of year.

This makes a lot of sense from a pragmatic point of view. Think about it: in the Fall, the hot, stale, often polluted air of summer gives way to the refreshingly cool and clean air of Fall. In many areas, nature also provides us with a wonderful display of colors and scenery.

Fall is an excellent time to exercise and practice your qigong and breathing outdoors. Proper breathing in the fresh air has a cleansing effect on your lungs. Your Qigong can also prepare you for, and build your resilience and adaptability to, the changing energies associated with this season. For example, performing the Lung / Metal exercise from the Wu Xing / Five Elements Daoyin form, is especially important this time of year.

One potential problem to be aware of: in mid to late Fall, as temperatures become cooler and precipitation increases, there is the potential for dampness. The air is heavier and it can be more difficult to breathe. Dampness can invade your lungs and airways, and manifest in the body as excess mucus and phlegm.

In addition, the kids are back in school and many of us adults are spending more time in our closed, often polluted offices. The potential for catching a cold or flu is higher if you are not taking care of yourself. A proper regimen of exercise, as well as good healthy eating, can help you avoid this.

Autumn – Nutrition

Generally speaking, late Summer and early Fall are associated with a building phase. Late Summer is associated with the Spleen and Stomach / Earth element. Spleen is associated with building the blood and the muscles or flesh. And Spleen and Stomach are responsible for transforming the food we eat and liquids we drink as their initial part of the digestive process.

During this time, the body wants to build itself up and add muscle. It also wants to lay down some extra fat to prepare for the winter. It wants to extract more nutrition from food. You may find yourself craving more food, especially protein and the fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables that are readily available.

Here’s an interesting but little-known fact about our bodies. We often associate the winter months with weight gain, because we tend to be relatively less active. From an evolutionary standpoint, however, our bodies are programmed to eat more and lay on fat during the late summer and fall months – preparing our bodies for the lean winter months.

In fact, it is thought that, in earlier times, humans ate so many fruits and vegetables during this time that their blood sugar was at the diabetic or pre-diabetic level. Why is this important? Well, sugar in the blood acts as a sort of antifreeze for the body, and helps it better cope with colder temperatures. (I don’t recommend this, but if you were to taste the antifreeze in your car, it would taste a little sweet.)

At any rate, if you find yourself really craving a good steak, or you can’t get enough fruit or seasonal vegetables– don’t worry. Honor what your body is trying to tell you.

In the late Fall, it’s important to take nutritional measures that help prevent or mitigate dampness in the lungs and sinuses. Drinking warm liquids, such as green and herbal teas, and eating hot soups is an excellent way to keep your sinuses open and clear. Using spices in your cooking, such as cumin, turmeric, chiles, Tabasco and cinnamon, can also help keep your sinuses and airways clear and your body warm.

Synchronizing your physical activity and nutrition to the seasonal changes of body, mind and earth, is a powerful way to promote excellent health and help avoid illness and disease.

We’ll talk about Spring in the next post.

You Can Do It!

Dr. Karen

Are You Focusing Enough on This Critical Area?

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I live in the beautiful Hill Country of Central Texas. (Notice how
I capitalized those terms? That’s how special Central Texans think
this area is.) Our little community on the shores of Lake Travis
is blessed with lots of woodlands and natural beauty.

Along with our healthy habitat comes a plethora of flora and fauna
that never cease to fascinate and entertain.

For example, one of the most beautiful flowers I have ever seen –
and I’ve been to some places like Costa Rica that seem to have
invented beautiful flowers – is the yellow flower on the prickly
pear cactus.

And one of the cutest animals I have ever encountered is the
baby aramadillo that meandered into our back yard one time. Poor
little guy just wanted to dig in the mulch. He dug in, held on
and made little baby grunting noises as we tried to pick him up
and move him to a safer area outside of our back yard (where our
dogs and cats roam).

We also have a very healthy deer population. Many towns and suburbs
are overrun with deer, and I know this can be a topic of
contention for many people who have seen their shrubs and flowers
get eaten, seemingly overnight.

Our yard borders on a well-trod deer path. We have kept the lot
next to our main yard wooded and in a natural state, so the
deer can traverse the area between our neighborhood streets
in safety. So we see quite a few deer moving through our yard.

Yet imagine my surprise when I went out to get the papers one
Saturday morning a few weeks ago, and I saw a baby fawn deposited
on our front lawn, not 15 feet from our front door!

Baby fawn in our front yard
Baby Fawn in Our Front Yard

We’ve seen baby fawns before, including last year when one was
lying under a tree just on the other side of our street. No,
the mama deers are not bad mothers. Apparently they leave the
fawns so mama can go forage and eat. The fawns know instinctively
to stay still and not move. In most cases they are well
camouflaged. And these newborns lack any kind of scent, so they
are actually safer without mom because coyotes and other potential
predators can’t smell them.

However, right smack in the middle of our front yard seemed
kind of nuts! The fawn definitely was visible.

We resisted the temptation to pick the little thing up and hide
it someplace better. We looked out and checked on it a few
times. Eventually mama deer came back and took the fawn along
with her, down the deer trail.

I’m happy to report that mom and baby are doing great! We see
them every morning and every evening as they make their way
along the deer path. They’ve been joined by a few other does
and fawns too, and we enjoy watching their antics as they
learn the ropes.

As I watch the fawns jumping and leaping, bounding and running,
I’m struck with how powerful they are. That kind of power –
to be able to start on a dime, jump and bound with great force,
and accelerate quickly – demonstrates the tremendous potential
energy they store in their muscles and tendons.

Same thing with our pets. We have two dogs and two cats. (And
they all get along just fine.) Our dogs tend to want to nap
and lay around, in particular they like to lay on their dog
bed here in my office and hang out while I am working.

Our cats are, well….cats! Which means they also lay around
and nap quite a bit.

But rouse any of one of these puppies or cats with something
interesting, like the rabbit that runs through our yard (the
dogs’ current obsession), or a bird or butterfly flitting
by (the cats, of course)….and they fire into action.

In a heartbeat, they can go from resting to full sprint.

Young children demonstrate the same capability. My son and
his friends can go from zero to 60 in an instant – from
laying around reading to sprinting into the back yard with
their nerf guns, ready to attack “the enemy” in their pretend
battle.

They can stop on a dime. They can sit and stretch and hop
without any warm up at all.

The key to this type of flexible power and quick starting
ability is in all of us.

It’s dictated in large part by how flexible we are.

We see this unhindered flexibility in young children. We can
continue to cultivate is as young adults. But then….

It seems to go away. As we get older, we lose our flexibility,
as well as our ability to start fast and accelerate quickly
without a warm up – AND without pulling a muscle or putting
oour backs out.

Our muscles and tendons get tighter. Our joints get tight or
even painful. Our backs ache.

This loss of physical flexibility is echoed in a loss of
mental flexibility and emotional resilience. In fact,
many bodyworkers and energy practitioners have linked
cognitive challenges and moodiness to a lack of flexibility.

Of course, these are unwanted results. I think you probably
agree that you would rather maintain flexibility of both
body and mind. But how best to reclaim your god-given
flexible power?

On the positive side, even if you’ve lost that youthful
flexibility you once enjoyed, you can still get it back. The
human body has amazing regenerative powers.

And improving your flexibility results in a number of
positive side effects, including mental and emotional
benefits.

Dogs and cats, children and fawns actually stretch all the
time. And they stretch in a particular way.

It makes sense to consider this as you work on your own
flexibility.

I think flexibility is one of the most important areas you
should focus on, especially as you get older. But most people
don’t understand how important this is…or how best to
get started.

I’ll devote my next few tips to addressing this important
topic.

You Can Do It!

Karen_signature

“Transform Body Mind and Spirit with Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2014

I Want To Send This To You – and It’s On Me

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Best Breathing Exercises logo
The Best Breathing Exercises Letter
There’s a lot of mumbo jumbo out there about breathing and energy
exercises, about “secret” techniques and methods, about how you
have to study and practice for a long time before you get to the
really good stuff.

The reality is this: you can pick up quite a bit of technique and
skill by starting at a basic level, practicing and experiencing
at that level, then building from there.

It’s similar to teaching any new skill to anyone, from music to
martial arts to macrame.

First, you provide a basic foundation of knowledge, initial skills,
and a few key techniques.

You then have the student practice these, over and over, so they
actually experience them and therefore learn them. The experience
part is critical. Just reading about something won’t make you good
at it, or allow you to understand it.

Actually DOING THE THING, even if it’s at a basic level, pushes you
forward toward competency and, eventually, skilfulness.

At the same time, an instructor will work to ensure their student is
progressing in increments or steps that make sense: steps that
challenge the student just a little to keep it interesting, but
don’t overwhelm so much that the student gives up.

I know from experience teaching martial arts and breathing exercises
that too much time spent in explanation is boring.You have to
explain the basics, then let the student work with it and practice.

Once they have some experience, you then add the next layer of
explanation, detail or complexity.

Move the performance level and knowledge base up, step by step….
and you have a winning formula for progress and learning.

(And, as one of my favorite martial arts instructors always says,
“Repetition, repetition, repetition – plus enthusiasm – is the key
to success in all your endeavours.”)

I can teach and explain quite a number of wonderful exercises to
you in these email tips. However, because of the length at which
I have to keep these (so you will actually read them), I sometimes
struggle with how much detail to include.

How best to resolve this?

Well, for one thing, I have created a number of information
products which go into greater depth on specific areas of
breathing, energy cultivation, stress management, and flexibility.
(Visit http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/products.html to
see a complete listing.)

Here’s another thing I used to do: early on, when I first started
the Best Breathing Exercises website, I published a short, two to
four page newsletter that I sent out each month to my customers.

Yes, a PRINT newsletter which I mailed out.

I know I know, not common in this day of digital everything. But
I tried it out anyways.

And I was pleasantly surprised at the response. My customers
loved it!

They loved that I could devote more space to really digging into
a specific topic, or even cover off a couple of topics, in more
detail than I usually can through a blog post.

And I loved being able to share even more information, insights
and inspiration with my customers.

I eventually stopped doing the print letter. Not sure why, now
that I think of it.

But, I’ve decided to start up me ol’ letter again. And you,
my friend, are the beneficiary.

As I said, the “Best Breathing Exercises Letter” will be written
for you and mailed to you each month.

It’s like a letter I would write to a good friend, one who wants
to learn more about improving health and energy levels,
transforming stress, being more focused and confident, and
becoming more resilient.

And, because it’s a print newsletter, I don’t have to edit
myself at all, like I sometimes do when posting online. So I can tell
you what I really think!

So, how do you get on my list?

Here’s the deal:

I initially planned on including only customers in my newsletter mailings.

However, I’ve got a lot of devoted readers of my blog, and I would
love for you to also benefit from the newsletter.

Therefore, I have also decided to open up this new version of the “Best
Breathing Exercises Letter” to readers of this blog.

If you’ve been reading for a long time, or for just a few days,
and would like to receive the “Best Breathing Exercises Letter”,
simply give me your mailing address and you will be good to go.

Here is the link to provide your current mailing information:

http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/bbe_nl_signup.html.

(A number of folks have already signed up – if you have already
input your mailing address information, you do not have to do
it again – I’ve got it!)

Only sign up if you are truly interested in receiving and
reading the Letter. I want people who will actually USE and
therefore BENEFIT FROM the information I will be providing.

And I want to hear back from you, including your recommendations
for additional topics you would like me to cover.

I’m betting you are one of those people, Dear Reader. You want
even more information, insights and inspiration to help you live
the full, active, joyful life you deserve! So don’t delay –
take two minutes to type in your mailing information at
http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/bbe_nl_signup.html.

Thanks for your support!

You Can Do It!

Karen_signature

“Transform Body Mind and Spirit with Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. Yes, you too can receive and benefit from even more breathing
and energy exercises and instruction, and deeper insights
into the physical, psychological and spiritual dimensions of
abundant energy, health and fitness – by signing up for my FREE
monthly print newsletter, the “Best Breathing Exercises Letter”.

In the next few issues, I will be exploring the fascinating
psychological and metaphysical background which informs and
contributes to the effectiveness of breathing and visualization.
And I will share more details on several of the most productive,
yet easy to learn, exercises that I have enjoyed over the years.

To input or update your mailing address info, go to
http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/bbe_nl_signup.html.

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2014

It’s the Best Time of Year For This

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In our modern, always-on society, we often lose track of natural
cycles which affect our health.

As we move into summer here in the U.S., I’d like to remind you
that now – late Spring / early Summer – is THE BEST time to lose
weight, if you have weight loss – or more specifically, fat
loss – as a health goal.

(Apologies to my friends in the Southern Hemisphere – I will write
something geared toward Fall and Winter for you soon.)

Anyhoo, right now your metabolism is at its peak and your body is
oriented toward shedding winter’s fat and bloat and leaning out.

The days are longer and brighter, which automatically improves
your mood and revs up your energy levels…so you feel more
motivated to engage in physical activities, such as heading
outside, exercising, doing yard work, swimming at pool or beach,
and so forth.

Seasonal fruits and veggies are bursting forth. Our garden is
doing awesome this year, with various sorts of peppers and
tomatoes already gracing our dinner table. At this time of year,
your body naturally craves more nutritious, water-rich fruits,
vegetables and juices – ideal for cleansing, healing and slimming
down!

But here’s the deal: NOW is the time to take advantage of this
natural cycle and leverage it to lose weight. NOW is your
window of opportunity. So don’t delay!

Unfortunately, late summer is not so amenable to weight loss
and slimming down. In late summer, our bodies begin to move
into fat storage mode as we prepare for winter, and the cycle
pushes us to fatten up to help our energy stores last through
winter, when (at least theoretically) we will have less food,
and less fresh food, to eat.

Of course, that’s not really the case anymore for most of us.
But your body works based on 10,000 years plus of evolution.

It makes sense to ride the wave when you can, doesn’t it?

This means get busy now!

You Can Do It!

Karen

“Transform Body Mind and Spirit with Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. “I believe that if a person can maintain enthusiasm long
enough, it will produce anything!” (Frank Bettger)

Stoke your enthusiasm with the inspiration and the certainty that
come from knowing what to do, and how to do it, to successfully
reach your health and fitness goals. My Special Report, “Ten Universal Strategies for
Optimal Fitness” covers – in a concise, easy to understand, and easy to implement
way – the most important elements  of an efficient, effective and
ENJOYABLE approach to getting fitter and feeling healthier than
you ever imagined.

The information in this report will point you in the right
direction and show you exactly what to do to get maximum
results.

If you’re intersted, you can pick up a copy of my at

http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/fitnessstrat.html and
ride the summer cycle to improved health, fitness and weight
loss.

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2014

Last Day of School – and My Son is Sad?!

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Today is the last day of school in our town. The kids are going
nuts with excitement, as you might expect.

They’ve had a fun week: assemblies, end of school parties, field
day. I volunteered at field day to help run one of the stations
for the third, fourth and fifth graders. Not surprisingly, every
kid I spoke with was ready for summer.

I still vividly recall that feeling of relief, excitement and
anticipation that always came at the end of the school year,
especially during elementary school.

The promise of a long, hot, wide open summer with the freedom to
read what I wanted, play with my friends all day, spend some
relaxed time with my parents, and even a family trip or two to the
beach….ah, heaven!

I still get that feeling today, even though it’s been many many
years since I had a summer off.

As we drove to school this morning, I asked my son Miguel if he
was psyched that it’s the last day of school.

He said, “Yea. But I’m also sad.”

“why? I asked, a little surprised.

“Because I will miss Mrs. Olson”, who is his third grade teacher.

How sweet!

When we went into school to give Mrs. Olson her gift, I thanked
her for all of her work and kind attention this year. And I
shared with her what Miguel said.

I could tell she really appreciated it.

Miguel has really enjoyed being in her class this year. He has
struggled at times with math, but overall his love of learning,
reading, doing projects, and helping out in class have continued
to grow.

And when I look back and compare where Miguel was at the
beginning of the year with where he is now, I can’t help but be
impressed with the amount of progress made, knowledge learned,
and new skills mastered.

Mrs. Olson is known as a teacher who expects a lot from her
students and really pushes them. She employs a solid routine,
good structure, and makes sure the kids are working on the most
important things each day and week.

On the other hand, she is also a lot of fun. She lets the kids
do “read-ins”, when they bring in their blanket and favorite
books and read most of the day. She is kind and encouraging to
each of them, letting them know SHE knows they can do it.

And, as my son likes to remind me, “Mrs. Olson can do The Worm!”

(He is most impressed by that particular talent….)

I think Mrs. Olson’s approach to running her third grade class
provides a good example for each of us, in terms of how to
approach our own fitness and health regimen.

It’s a combination of five key factors:

(1) Have high expectations for yourself. No matter what your
age or present physical condition, you can make astounding
progress and enjoy significant results, if you put in a
consistent effort. So think big.

(2) Set a few key goals for yourself – goals that are personally
meaningful to you. Don’t overwhelm yourself with too many. And
while setting a general timeframe is good, don’t box yourself
into the “Must lose 20 pounds by X date” mentality.

(3) Make a plan, make a schedule for how you are going to
weave your health and fitness practices – including exercising;
breathing and energy exercises; meditation or prayer; taking
time to prepare and enjoy healthy meals; getting enough sleep,
etc. – into the fabric of your daily life. In other words, keep
a good routine.

(4) Hold yourself accountable. Keep track of how you’re doing.
BUT – see yourself with kind eyes. Don’t get too down on
yourself if you miss a workout, or eat crappy for a few days.
Picture your own inner “Mrs. Olson” giving you a little pat on
the back and saying, “You can do it!”

(5) Have fun! Enjoy what you’re doing. Enjoy the process. Just
as Miguel has been blessed with a love of reading and a love
for learning, you too should learn to embrace the process and
embrace this healthy lifestyle…And realize that this process
has merit in and of itself.

Here’s the deal: For most of us, the most difficult part is
the start.

Because, if you’re doing it right – and not falling victim to
some crash diet or weight loss gimmick – it will take a little
time before you see results.

Don’t get discouraged by slow results, or seeming lack of
progress up front. It’s been my experience that you will start
to FEEL better before you actually LOOK better in the mirror, or
on the scale.

To keep yourself motivated, consider this:

Weight lost quickly will just as quickly reappear. A sudden,
drastic decrease in calories will set off alarm bells in
your body and brain.

On the other hand, slow and steady weight loss ensures you are
losing fat, not lean mass, as well as bypassing your body’s
natural urge to compensate and cause you to pig out.

Also – fitness gains achieved quickly based on some crash course
in exercising can also disappear quickly – usually because you
are unable to sustain the effort or the time investment
required.

On the other hand, slow and steady increase wins the race,
because, over time, you are building a foundation of aerobic
capacity and strength.

Positive expectations…slow and steady….good routine….
continual improvement, bit by bit….having some fun along
the way….

Not only a recipe for third grade. A recipe for life!

You Can Do It!

Karen_signature

“Transform Body Mind and Spirit with Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. A good exercise routine can literally rocket launch you to
improved health and fitness, higher energy levels, better brain
and cognitive function, and enhanced productivity. Unfortunately,
many of the recommendations and conventional wisdom out there
are not very helpful, and can even be detrimental. Even worse,
they’ll have you spinning your wheels and getting no result.

Plus, there are so many fitness fads and gimmicks out there
today. What’s realand what’s BS? Where should you start?

I wrote my Special Report, “Ten Universal Strategies for
Optimal Fitness”, to help answer these questions. I cover – in
a concise, easy to understand, easy to implement way – the
most important elements of an efficient, effective and
ENJOYABLE approach to getting fitter and feeling healthier than
you ever imagined.

The information in this report will point you in the right
direction and show you exactly what to do to get maximum
results.

The revised and improved version of the report is coming off
the presses in a few days. Claim your copy today at the (still)
low introductory price (plus access to a special bonus offer)
by clicking HERE.

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2014

Tap Into This Secret Source of Strength

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One of the most exciting discoveries of the last 200 years is that
each of us has the ability to change our life by changing our
thinking.

Our attitudes of mind, our typical ways of thinking, our way of
looking at our life and our world….each of these impacts us
every day, in ways both obvious and unseen.

We live and operate in the physical world. Yet physical force or
effort is the lowest form of energy. Mental and spiritual forces
release the higher form of energy.

Your inner world of mind and spirit helps to drive and determine
your outer world of circumstances and results. If there’s some
aspect of your life that you would like to change or improve,
look to your inner world first.

A great way to do this is to sit still and be quiet for a few
minutes each day. Meditate, pray, or simply relax and let your
thoughts roam for a bit.

Release your worries, relax, and quietly think about what you
would like to bring into your life. You can think broadly
over various areas of your life….or you can focus on a
particular area that is vexing you, and picture the changes
and new reality you would like to have appear in that area.

We are all seeking “peace, sweet peace” as that old Christian
hymn says. We intuitively crave and seek peace of mind, because
we intuitively know that a peaceful state of mind leads more
easily to health, happiness, abundance, and spiritual growth.

Many people equate peace of mind with some ultimate or end
state of being – something we all aspire to, but never quite
attain, given our busy lives, the pressures of responsibilities,
the never ending quest for more.

Here’s a little secret: the people who are the most peaceful
are the most powerful.

In your peace lies your power.

In his book, “As A Man Thinketh”, James Allen writes about
the strength that comes with serenity:

“Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom…
self-control is strength; right thought is mastery; calmness
is power.”

You want to get into a calm, peaceful, serene state of mind,
particularly in times of stress and strain.

But wait a minute, Karen. When I’m stressed and strained is
exactly when I find it most difficult to become calm and
collected.

Ah yes, I know. I’ve been there! Just thinking you SHOULD
be calm and serene is a lot easier than actually BECOMING
calm and serene.

There’s an old saying, or story actually, in Chi Kung. A
student asks the Chi Kung master how often should she practice
in order to make progress. The master tells her she should
practice every day for 15 minutes.

But I lead a very busy life including work and other
responsibilities, says the student. What if I don’t have time
to practice every day?

“Ah,” says the master, “At times when you are very busy and
don’t have time, you should practice 45 minutes every day!”

In other words, the less time you have to focus on yourself,
to take a time out and get peaceful….the more you need to
TAKE the time and gift yourself with a few minutes of
peace.

Here’s where integration of your mental, emotional and physical
powers comes in. Combining breathing and energy exercises
with specific types of visualization, affirmations and
positive emotions can help you to master your emotional
state and carve out a zone of calmness, even in the midst
of chaos.

When your inner and outer selves begin to operate together in
a more organized and synchronous way, then you’ve really
started tapping into significant power.

The strength and mastery of your peaceful state of mind is
like a healing balm for the situation. It helps bring order
and right results.

Remember this: When you are in a peaceful state of mind, you
are the master of the situation, no matter how negative it
seems.

I often use the Prayer of Serenity as my cue to re-orient
my own thinking, focus and energy back to a more peaceful
and calm state.

Here is a way of interpreting that famous prayer, providing
additional meaning which I find quite helpful when I am
facing a particularly tough day or situation:

“Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change”
(calmness is power);

“Change the things I can” (Self-control is strength);

“And the wisdom to know the difference” (right thought leads
to mastery).

In such mastery is your strength and power for good.

You Can Do It!

Karen_signature

“Transform Body Mind and Spirit with Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. You can receive and benefit from even more breathing and energy
exercises and instruction, and deeper insights into the physical,
psychological and spiritual dimensions of abundant energy, health
and fitness – by signing up for my FREE monthly print newsletter,
the “Best Breathing Exercises Letter”.

In the next few issues, I will be exploring the fascinating
psychological and metaphysical background which informs and
contributes to the effectiveness of breathing and visualization.
And I will share more details on several of the most productive,
yet easy to learn, exercises that I have enjoyed over the years.

To input or update your mailing address info, go to
http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/bbe_nl_signup.html.

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2014

Here’s Something New for You

kvanness01

People are raving about the “Inner Smile” technique I shared with
you in my previous blog posts.

Readers have been emailing me to tell me how much they enjoy this
exercise, and how wonderful they feel after doing it for just a
few minutes.

Truth be told, I gave you a high level synopsis of the exercise. I
focused on the key points, the major steps, and then relied on you
to fill in the gaps.

How?

Through your own experience, of course!

There’s a lot of mumbo jumbo out there about breathing and energy
exercises, about “secret” techniques and methods, about how you
have to study and practice for a long time before you get to the
really good stuff.

The reality is this: you can pick up quite a bit of technique and
skill by starting at a basic level, practicing and experiencing
at that level, then building from there.

It’s similar to teaching any new skill to anyone, from music to
martial arts to macrame.

First, you provide a basic foundation of knowledge, initial skills,
and a few key techniques.

You then have the student practice these, over and over, so they
actually experience them and therefore learn them. The experience
part is critical. Just reading about something won’t make you good
at it, or allow you to understand it.

Actually DOING THE THING, even if it’s at a basic level, pushes you
forward toward competency and, eventually, skilfulness.

At the same time, an instructor will work to ensure their student is
progressing in increments or steps that make sense: steps that
challenge the student just a little to keep it interesting, but
don’t ovewhelm so much that the student gives up.

I know from experience teaching martial arts and breathing exercises
that too much time spent in explanation is boring.You have to
explain the basics, then let the student work with it and practice.

Once they have some experience, you then add the next layer of
explanation, detail or complexity.

Move the performance level and knowledge base up, step by step….
and you have a winning formula for progress and learning.

So, back to the “Inner Smile” and other, similar exercises.

I can teach and explain quite a number of wonderful exercises to
you in these email tips. However, because of the length at which
I have to keep these (so you will actually read them), I sometimes
struggle with how much detail to include.

How best to resolve this?

Well, for one thing, I have created a number of information
products which go into greater depth on specific areas of
breathing, energy cultivation, stress management, and flexibility.
Visit http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/products.html to
see a complete listing.

Here’s another thing I used to do: early on, when I first started
the Best Breathing website, I published a short, two to four page
newsletter that I sent out each month to my customers.

Yes, a PRINT newsletter which I mailed out.

I know I know, not common in this day of digital everything. But
I tried it out anyways.

And I was pleasantly surprised at the response. My customers
loved it!

They loved that I could devote more space to really digging into
a specific topic, or even cover off a couple of topics, in more
detail than I usually can through an email message.

And I loved being able to share even more information, insights
and inspiration with my customers.

I eventually stopped doing the print letter. Not sure why, now
that I think of it.

But, I’ve decided to start up me ol’ letter again. And you,
my friend, are the beneficiary. IF you are interested.

As I said, the <em>”Best Breathing Exercises Letter”</em> will be written
for you and mailed to you each month. quill_pen

It’s like a letter I would write to a good friend, one who wants
to learn more about improving health and energy levels,
transforming stress, being more focused and confident, and
becoming more resilient.

And, because it’s a print newsletter, I don’t have to edit myself
quite as much as I sometimes have to when writing online. So I can tell
you what I really think!

So, how do you get on my list?

Here’s the deal:

I used to limit receipt to customers only. But I very much
appreciate your following and reading this here blog o’ mine.
So I’ve decided to open up this new version of the “Letter”
to you, Dear Reader.

If you’ve been followinging my blog and would like to receive the
<em>”Best Breathing Exercises Letter”, simply give me your mailing
adress and you will be on the list.

Here is the link to provide your current mailing information:

http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/bbe_nl_signup.html.

I’m only opening sign up for the Letter for a few days. I want
people are are truly interested and will actually USE and therefore
BENEFIT FROM the information I will be providing.

I’m betting you are one of those people. You want even more information,
insights and inspiration to help you live the full, active, joyful life
you deserve! So goeth noweth and provide your mailing information at
http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/bbe_nl_signup.html.

It will take you less than a minute. Go there now and git er done.

You Can Do It!

Karen_signature

“Transform Body Mind and Spirit with Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. Yes, you too can receive and benefit from even more breathing
and energy exercises and instruction, and deeper insights
into the physical, psychological and spiritual dimensions of
abundant energy, health and fitness – by signing up for my FREE
monthly print newsletter, the <em>”Best Breathing Exercises Letter”.

In the next few issues, I will be exploring the fascinating
psychological and metaphysical background which informs and
contributes to the effectiveness of breathing and visualization.
And I will share more details on several of the most productive,
yet easy to learn, exercises that I have enjoyed over the years.

To input your mailing address info, go to
http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/bbe_nl_signup.html.

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2014

Fun and Fascinating Exercise, Part 2

kvanness01

Smley Face iconCan you actually smile your way to better health, improved self-
confidence, enhanced energy levels, and peace of mind?

Two thousand years or so of experience says Yes!

In my previous message, I started you off on a fun and fascinating
exercise – The “Inner Smile” exercise which is foundational to
certain eastern energy practices, such as Chi kung (qi gong) and
certain meditation practices.

I like the Inner Smile technique because it’s an easy, natural
way to introduce higher level mental and psychological approaches
into your breathing practice.

As I mentioned before, the Inner Smile can get pretty complicated.
In fact, a number of chi kung techniques or approaches can get
complicated – sometimes so much so that they become almost
unusable, unless you plan on devoting your full time to their
exploration.

However, over my years of learning, studying, practicing and
teaching, I have discovered that there is often a simpler,
more readily available, but equally energizing and empowering
way to approach the most beneficial techniques.

The Inner Smile is a really fun one, and therefore – again,
from experience – it’s one that you are more likely to practice
and do on a regular basis – not only because it’s easy and
enjoyable, but also because you will begin to reap benefits
within a short time.

I say it’s fun because you are using a power you already possess –
the ability to daydream. It’s fascinating, because the more you
relax, let go and play around with it, the better results you’ll
get.

So remember: approach from a perspective of playfulness, positive
expectancy, and relaxation.

To recap quickly: once you’re relaxed and breathing into your
dan tien or lower abdomen, smile into that spot.

Actually picture a smiley face in your dan tien. I also recommend
smiling for real – I’ve found it’s very helpful to smile softly to
yourself as you smile into your body.

Let that smile radiate happiness, calm, contentment.

Feel your smile bathe your organs and every system in your body in
radiant healing energy.

Continue to breathe gently and deeply into your dan tien as you
smile. After only two to three minutes, you should be feeling great!

There are several ways to amplify the Inner Smile technique. One of
the most accessible is to project the smile out in front of you.

Basically, visualize the smile in your dan tien / lower abdomen
being projected out from that power center to a spot two to three
feet in front of you.

If you’re into the Batman movies or comics, picture Commissioner
Gordon firing up his beacon and illuminating the night sky with
the Batman Signal.

In this case, you can picture the universal smiley face. See it
bright and shiny, smiling back at you. Then, smile back at it.
Yes, actually smile – broaden your soft smile to a big, toothy
smile. Feel the energy amplify – breathe it in.

Then see how you feel.

I’ve had people do this exercise, as described, and feel absolutely
transformed after just five minutes or so. It truly is a wonder!
And I like the fact that it’s easy to learn and do. Even if you
don’t get every detail, you will still reap the benefits. It’s
that good!

You Can Do It!
Karen_signature

Karen Van Ness

“Transform Body Mind and Spirit with Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. In my next post, I will let you know how you can get even
more breathing and energy exercises, insights and instruction
from yours truly. AND I will explore some of the fascinating
psychological and metaphysical background which informs and
contributes to the effectiveness of combining breathing and
visualization.

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2014