Let’s Lift the Sky

I absolutely advocate doing what makes you happy. And I try to practice what I preach as much as I can. To that end, I’ve been immersing myself in work after a bout of the ‘flu. I just finished editing a manuscript that I wished would never end! Some books are like that, aren’t they? Well. Happy for the experience, even though I couldn’t keep up with my blogging as I had planned. All in good time.

Now, it is time to breathe and lift the sky.

What? Yes! This wonderful Qi Gong technique is the perfect practice for getting your energy to flow instantly.

Lift the sky is an easy self-healing practice if you:

• Have a posture problem (yeah, I’ve seen you slumped over your device!)
• Work at a computer (of course you do!)
• Often complain of a backache (duh!)
• Find it hard to relax (don’t we all!)
• Battle stress most of the time (yes!)
• Overthink everything (can’t help it!)
• Have a hard time focusing (I think I just described most of us!)

The sooner we add this habit to our routine, the better!

It also comes with a long list of other health benefits.

Just before we go into each step of Lift the sky technique, remember this:

• Be gentle with your movements
• Be relaxed when you do this
• As you raise your hands to lift the sky, visualize that everything below is settling back into where it is supposed to be.

You need:

• 2 minutes
• The inclination

I guess you can find both, right?

Let’s begin.

Step by step guide to Lift the sky

Step 1 – Get in position

• Stand comfortably with your feet slightly apart, toes pointing forward.
• Relax. Let your jaw be slack.
• Rest the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth.
• Let your arms be by your sides.
• Your posture must be upright, but relaxed.
• Keep your heart center open.
• Look into the horizon

Step 2 – Begin

• Arms hanging down, in front of you.
• Let your palms face down, toward the earth.
• Your fingers should point to each other, towards the center of your body.
• Keep arms straight, maybe with the elbows bent just a teeny bit.
• Allow your fingers to be relaxed with space between each.
• Tilt your neck without moving your body, to look at your hands.
• Keep your body straight.
• Shoulders and jaw relaxed.

Step 3 – Lift the sky

• Gently, inhale as you move your arms up, elbows straight, in a continuous arc forwards and upwards until they are above you, your open palms facing the sky.
• Follow the movement of your hands as they reach up to the sky.
• Keep your arms straight, comfortably
• Breathe in through your nose as you raise your arms.
• Stay relaxed.
• When your hands reach the top, hold your breath and lift slightly up on the heels, pressing up with your palms against the sky.
• Don’t lift the shoulders, stretch.

Step 4 – Come back

• Exhale slowly, as if you were fogging up your mirror.
• Straighten your body and head.
• Lower your arms gently to your sides, elbows straight (like a bird flapping its wings)
• Bring your neck back to its normal position.
• Look into the horizon.
• Come back to the starting position.
• Repeat the whole sequence 10-15 times.

Your movements should be fluid, even if there are mini pauses. Let each step flow into the next, smoothly.

When you are done, stay in the standing meditation position for a few minutes. Then rub your palms together, and warm your eyes with them as you open your eyes.

Walk around briskly for a few seconds to finish.

You can start your day with this, as soon as you wake up.

Would you follow the steps I listed right now and tell me how you feel?

♥

Wednesday Wisdom is a series with short bursts of easy-to-consume wisdom in the form of stories, quotes, anecdotes, reflections, easy meditation and humor.