I spend a lot more time in front of a screen these days—using my computer, my smartphone, my iPad. Although I am enjoying all the things I can do with this technology, it can sometimes make my head feel heavy, and I am reminded that many people suffer from various ailments from spending too much time in front of a screen. It can contribute to anxiety, stress, insomnia, even physical ailments such as headaches and constipation, among others.
That’s what happens when the body’s ki (qi, chi), or life energy, pools in your head without circulating to the rest of your body. Energy must flow smoothly in a certain way in order for us to be healthy. Your heart generates fire energy, which should flow down into your abdomen and then up to your kidneys. Your kidneys should cool that energy and create water energy that flows up to your head. The flow of energy in this manner creates balance—both physical and emotional—the “fire in the belly” of a person of action and the “cool head’ of a great decision-maker. I call it “Water Up, Fire Down.”
When we pay too much attention to a screen or other things outside of ourselves, our energy collects in our head, creating a lot of extra thoughts. Our extra thoughts create more thoughts whirling around in our minds in an endless cycle, while our lower body loses energy and our energy flow becomes the reverse of Water Up, Fire Down. It can cause you to disconnect from yourself, as well as the earth and the other life forms on it, losing interest and concern for them.
There are many ways to counteract this effect, but one simple one is to focus on the part of your body that’s the furthest from your head—your feet. How often do you ever actually think about your feet? What would happen if you did? Well, let’s try it.
Try standing up on both feet right now. If possible, remove your shoes and socks. Imagine your feet are stuck to the floor without any space between. If you stand this way and quietly focus on the soles of your feet, at a certain point, you will feel as if the weight of your whole body is in your soles. Then feel that weight being sent to the earth beneath you, while at the same time feel the strength of the earth holding up your weight. Ground the soles of your feet to the earth.
This feeling of weight is not merely a physical sense. It is a vivid sensation of life, of being present. It is the feeling of “Here I am, I’m alive,” and of gratitude and humility toward the earth. This feeling sustains your body and life, and comes from deep within your heart. It’s only available when you are living in the moment.
I stay still and sometimes I lift up both hands and hold them in front of my chest as through I am holding a huge jar or have my arms around a large tree. This is a complete kigong posture. If I stand like this, feeling the soles of my feet as I make my breath steady and deep, my whole body becomes filled with energy. If I do this for just five minutes a day, I can create and maintain healthy Water Up, Fire Down energy circulation. I can return to my work with clarity and a sense of calm. With this I can easily counter the effects of too much time in front of a screen.
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I love the water up fire down principle. As I read this article I am reminded how much I changed since I started practicing Brain Education. Its amazing how much healthier I got in such a short time. Thank you for sharing about this important principle of health today.
I love It. I learned to that in Germany. I used to do it every day. I still do it.
IT is so right i didn’t believed at first and i trust the principal of water up and fire down and experimented it not with my knowledge but by being and practicing it !!
I love the ill chi’s program and principle!
i am becoming a human be-ing
Thank you for this tip!
Thank you for sharing your experiences of being on the computer, ipad, etc. for a long time. I find if I am on it at night that I cannot get to sleep. Would this posture help me to go to sleep? Or would I be better off doing tapping toes? Or something else?
Toe tapping is very good, especially since you can do it lying down in your body. But anything that brings your energy down will help you sleep.
Spending a lot of time on the computer has also been difficult on my body and I often find my feet to be cold and my shoulders aching at the end of the day. Its very uncomfortable and I’ve been trying various was to get back on track. Thank you for this sharing. I will incorporate the kigong posture described into my practice each day. I’m looking forward to a healthy energy flow 🙂
Thank you for making it so clear and simple! I really like KiGong so I will do this every day to correct the flow of energy in my body.
Thanks! I’m totally feeling energy in my head right now… I am going to try this right away!
thank you for sharing something which is very simple but powerfully effective!
I love all the “tips” shared by YOU. I am deeply touched by ‘Dahn’principles and I do not see my survival without practicing it, no matter what, where or when.
Heart felt gratitude and Thanks.
I just had my outreach classes do this energy gathering posture and members shared that they felt so grounded centered, strong and calm. They feel all of that without any promoting from me, they just feel itif they focus well in their own bodies. Hooray for them!
Thank you so much for giving us the tools that lead to our own health, happiness and peace and the opportunity to share them with others through outreach.
I thought wow, I haven’t had this clear of a description. Thanks.