4 Qigong Exercises to Soothe Your Mind and Manage Anxiety
Are you constantly feeling anxious or stressed out? Do you find yourself struggling to manage your emotions and maintain a sense of calm in your daily life?
If so, you’re not alone. Anxiety and stress are common issues that many people struggle with, especially in today’s fast-paced world.
But what if there was a way to soothe your mind and manage your anxiety without resorting to self-medicating with alcohol or drugs or other addictive, emotionally or mentally ‘numbing’ behaviours?
Enter Qigong exercises.
Qigong is an ancient Chinese practice that combines gentle movements and breathing techniques to promote relaxation, reduce stress, and improve overall well-being.
In this article, we’ll explore four Qigong exercises that you can incorporate into your daily routine to help you manage your anxiety and find inner peace. So, grab a comfortable spot to sit or stand, take a deep breath, and let’s get started!
How Qigong Calms the Mind and Body
Qigong is a holistic practice that involves the mind, body, and spirit. It is not just about physical exercise but also about cultivating a sense of inner peace and harmony.
One of the main benefits of Qigong is its ability to provide anxiety relief. By focusing on slow, deliberate movements and deep breathing, Qigong helps to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for relaxation and calming the body.
When practiced regularly, Qigong can help to retrain the nervous system’s response to stress, reducing physiological symptoms such as high blood pressure, increased heart rate, and shallow breathing.
Many people have reported that Qigong has helped them manage the symptoms of anxiety, such as racing thoughts and physical tension, as well as transform negative emotions into positive ones. Others have reported feeling more relaxed, centred, and focused after practicing Qigong.
Let’s take a look at four exercises that you can do, just about anywhere, anytime, starting today:
Qigong Exercise 1: Deep Abdominal Breathing
When we are anxious, our breathing often becomes shallow and rapid and our heart beats faster, which only exacerbates our feelings of anxiety.
Deep Abdominal Breathing is a simple and effective way to slow down an elevated heart rate and bring the nervous system back into balance.
Focusing the breath into the belly area uses the diaphragm to breathe deeply.
- Sit or stand with a long spine, and rest both hands over your navel, one on top of the other.
- Close your eyes and inhale very slowly through your nose, as you imagine the air flowing into your lower abdomen, expanding your belly.
- As you exhale, imagine the air flowing out of your body, and feel your belly contract back toward the spine.
- Repeat this breathing pattern for several minutes, keeping your awareness at your navel area, an important energy centre called the ‘lower dan-tian’.
Qigong Exercise 2: ‘Embracing the Tree’ Pose
In the grip of anxiety or high stress, we tend to be in our heads, disconnected from our bodies and the present moment.
Embracing the Tree is a standing posture that can instantly help you feel more grounded, bringing a deep sense of calm to your mind and body.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and arms at your sides.
- Slowly raise your arms in front of you until they are at chest height, with your palms facing inward. Soften your shoulders and let your elbows relax.
- Keep your spine long and your chin tucked in and imagine your body is a tree, with a strong trunk and deep roots.
- Close your eyes and bring your attention to the soles of your feet. Visualise energetic roots growing out of the bottom of your feet and into the Earth, anchoring you in place.
- Take slow, deep breaths as you imagine Earth energy flowing up through your roots and into your body.
- Hold this position for several minutes. Feel yourself becoming calmer and more grounded with each breath.
Qigong Exercise 3: Opening the Flow
Qigong flowing exercises combine fluid movements with deep breathing to promote relaxation, improve circulation, and reduce stress. This simple, graceful exercise is called ‘Opening the Flow’:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, your knees slightly bent, and your arms hanging loosely at your sides.
- Inhale deeply through your nose, lifting your arms slowly in front of you, with palms facing down, until they reach shoulder height.
- Exhale slowly through your nose, lowering your arms back down to your sides.
- Repeat the movement as you relax your hands, arms, shoulders and spine. Feel any tension or stress melting away.
- Continue this exercise for 3-5 minutes, moving in a continuous flow and synchronising the movement with your breath.
Qigong Exercise 4: Inner Smile Meditation
The Inner Smile meditation focuses on positive emotions and smiling inwardly to promote relaxation and well-being. This exercise can help to reduce stress, anxiety, and negative emotions.
- Find a comfortable seated position and close your eyes.
- Take a slow deep breath in through your nose and exhale through your mouth with a long sigh. Continue for several breaths and, each time you exhale, allow any anxiety, worry or tension to leave your body.
- As you relax more and more, let a warm, gentle smile spread across your face.
- Next, focus on a positive emotion, such as gratitude, love, or joy. Visualize this emotion as a warm, glowing light in your heart, spreading throughout your body.
- Continue to breathe deeply and focus on feeling this positive emotion (gratitude, love or joy), smiling inwardly as you do so. Imagine this positive energy nourishing all of your internal organs.
Tips for Practising Qigong
Here are some tips and precautions for practising Qigong:
- Find a quiet, peaceful space where you can practice without distractions.
- Wear loose, comfortable clothing that allows you to move freely.
- Practice barefoot or in comfortable shoes with good support.
- Start slowly and gradually increase the intensity and duration of your practice over time.
- Focus on your breath and the sensations in your body.
- Practice regularly, ideally daily, to experience the full benefits of Qigong.
- If you experience any pain or discomfort, stop the exercise and rest.
- To receive personalised guidance, and learn to master a wide variety of exercises, seek out a qualified and experienced Qigong teacher, either in person or online.
- If you are pregnant or have any medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, or arthritis, talk to your healthcare provider before beginning Qigong.
A Pathway to More Ease
Qigong is a time-tested, evidence-based approach to health and well-being, which gives you the skills to master your life-force energy.
Whenever you feel overwhelmed, Qigong exercises like the four described above can provide quick relief, helping you feel safe, grounded, and more relaxed in the present moment.
But far from being a “quick fix”, Qigong is a practice that deepens over time. Its benefits are cumulative and wide-reaching in both profound and very practical ways.
By getting to know yourself on an energetic level, you’ll gain a new perspective on how your thoughts and feelings affect your body, and you’ll gradually shift into a new way of being, where there is less struggle and more flow.
Qigong can be your pathway to greater joy, ease and fulfillment, not only helping you manage stress and anxiety, but transforming your whole life in the process.
About the Author
Kerrie Womersley is a Certified Advanced Holden Qigong Teacher, Advanced Soul Realignment Akashic Records Reader, Emotional Freedom Techniques Practitioner and Certified Infinite Possibilities Trainer.
The Find Yourself Qigong Online Studio is a supportive, sacred space, where Kerrie guides her students – through movement, intention and breathwork – to release stress and anxiety, ground themselves, raise their vibration, and refine their natural intuition to reconnect with their Divine True Nature. Connect with Kerrie by visiting www.findyourselfnow.com.
Disclaimer
The entire contents of this blog are based upon the opinions of the author. It is intended for informational and educational purposes only. The information in this blog is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult your health care professional before trying any of the products or methods based on this content. I cannot guarantee that you will be free of stress, anxiety or depression, or that you will be happy. I simply want to share with you what I have discovered during my twenty years of seeking happiness and what has worked for me may not work for you.
