Move your body!

Groggy from a heavy night's sleep, I decided to take a stroll to wake up and meditate outside for a change. The sun had just broke for the day and there was a slight warm breeze in the air-perfect weather for being outside. As I meandered around the park towards Victoria Harbour, I was in awe of all the various types of movement that surrounded me. People were doing martial arts, stretching, body tapping, pebble trail walking, dancing. I even saw a woman doing nadhi sodhana (alternative nostril breathing- yogic breath)! The most beautiful part of all of these motions were that they appeared to be very instinctive as if they were expressing themselves from the inside out, and the energy in the air was palpable.

Traditional Chinese Medicine refers to energy as qi or chi, and ayurveda refers to it as prana-also known as life force. We are in fact energy bodies completing an integrated system of mind, body and spirit. Crazy, I know, but it's true. When we are aware of our breath and connect to our bodies, we have an innate and powerful capability to create or shift our own moods, decisions and energy. Movement, or you could say exchange of energy, in the morning can be an incredibly grounding, therapeutic and inspiring way to start your day.

After managing the madness of the big move to Hong Kong, with months of being without the facade of what I called home and in uncharted territory, I've landed here with a new commitment to my mind and body. I wake up every morning to a meditation and some form of movement to get the energy and blood flowing. Some times that consists of circling all of the major "intersections" of the body, this includes rolling neck, shoulders, wrists, hips, knees and ankles. On some mornings I do sun salutations or a full yoga practice. When I'm tired I start with a walk and slow stretching, and see where my body takes me from there. It doesn't matter what the expression of motion is or looks like, but that there is energy flowing and a commitment to doing something that awakens me. The body is an incredible tool that we can use at anytime to change how we feel. Have a bad day? Go for a walk. Get outside. Feeling sore? Stretch. Lost Perspective? Put your thoughts elsewhere. Move. Get into your body and go some place that is new to you. We are surrounded with places to go and experience, and often fall into patterns of comfort, ease and accessibility.

Where am I going with this? My hope is that this will get you into your body and moving it. Shifting energy. Gaining perspective. Being present. Just move. It doesn't matter what it looks like; the important thing is to MOVE. It can be a body shake, jumping jacks, a fun spunky dance to your favorite tune. Take the time to start your day by waking up the energy in your body. Let it release from the inside so that you are actually listening to your body. Your head will want to get involved and lead the way, or divert you to checking email. That is what the mind does. It loves to plan, prepare and run you around from one place to the next. Save all of that brain power for the rest of your day. Take this time in the morning to move and breathe, and feel your body. Invite in full deep breaths and notice how it makes you feel. Wake up and MOVE!

 Here I am walking on the pebble walking trail- ouch! Hurts so good:)