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Embracing Change While Tending Your Garden

September 9, 2016 By

secret garden with pathThe past few months we’ve been talking a lot about change: how to deal with it, what to do when change looks scary and how to embrace change and transformation.

After months of living by the seat of our pants – change, change, CHANGE! – we recognize that big shifts aren’t always easy but, wow! Big and small changes are absolutely necessary ingredients for growth and evolution.  Just like a garden needs sun, our beautiful ideas and new creations need a (sometimes smelly) fertilizer called change.  Happily, change has two cousins: courage and faith.

This month we made a big decision.  All spring and summer we’ve flipped back and forth about where to work, live and play. Our monkey minds have been chirping the same pesky song for months: Move to LA or stay in San Jose? Move to LA or stay in San Jose?

Well, here’s the Big Picture. We’ve decided to maintain our office in Willow Glen but only half the space.  Letting go of our Main Studio, where we’ve taught group classes and workshops for the past five years, was a difficult decision.  We’ve had a lot of fun and joy within those Main Studio walls! That space has been our not-so secret garden.

What’s exciting?  We’re committed to planting, growing and blossoming in an even BIGGER garden! Soon you’ll see us teaching classes around town, across California, around the world and online. Birds of a feather flock together so we sure do hope and pray you join us. You’re our favorite buds and blossoms!

New and improved Willow Glen class schedules will be released soon. 

Thank you for your continued love and support and for sticking with us throughout all this change. We are so grateful you’re part of our journey to spread Love and share tools that empower well-being and Joy.

 

Love & gratitude,

-Chris & Parisa Shelton

Lung Clearing Exercise

November 3, 2014 By

This is an excerpt from Chris Shelton’s book, “Qigong For Self-Refinement, Total Health with the 5 Elements”. Chp. 9 Pg. 53.

This exercise particularly clears and harmonizes the energy of the Lung. It is useful for reducing any of the physical or emotional complaints listed below, or it may be used as a general health practice. It is particularly beneficial during the autumn to help strength the lungs. It can also help release excess sadness and sorrow.

Physical signs:
•Shoulders rolled forward.
•Phlegm
•Chronic coughing
•Dry Skin(Eczema)
•Stools dry and hard or loose
•Aversion to cold or heat
•Easily catches colds or flu

Emotional signs:
•Lack of willpower
•Disinclination to talk
•Lack of assertiveness
•Feelings of sadness, disappointment
•Hypersensitivity
•Feeling exposed, vulnerable
•Unable to attain one’s goals

The Movement:

1. Start with the Three regulations: Steady breath, relaxed mind, Wu Ji posture (feet shoulder width, shoulders relaxed and broad tailbone tucked, Crown Point rising). The tongue should be lightly touching the roof of the mouth behind the upper teeth.

2. Pull Down the Heavens three times.

3. With the eyes gazing forward, allow the arms to float up in front of the body to shoulder height, palms facing down.

4. While inhaling, spread the arms out to the side, palms down, as though opening curtains. This movement expands the chest.

5. Turn your palms up and, while exhaling, bring your arms back to the front, to the center of your body, closing your chest.

6. Repeat, with a continuous flowing motion.

7. End by Pulling down the Heavens three times.
Notes

1. It is recommended to do this 3-6 times for health maintenance; 9-36 times when addressing a particular problem.

2. You may enhance the efficiency  of this exercise by saying the Lung sound “SSS” when exhaling.