How can we heal, or better yet avoid,

stress injuries and chronic muscle fatigue?

We can train our muscles to relax! Relaxed muscles allow for
greater flexibility of the joints, and reduced build up of the
fatigue and soreness that lead to weakness, injury and pain.
Many of us know that aerobic exercise reduces the level of our body's stress hormones such as
adrenaline and cortisol. Aerobics also stimulates the production of endorphins, the body's natural
painkiller and mood elevators. Most often, these are the factors that help us stick to our work-out
regimens and daily routines. It just feels good. Exercise can be relaxing as well as health promoting.

But what happens, when the remedy becomes the problem?

There is nothing worse than having your best-laid plans derailed because of an injury or because
your muscles and ligaments have been overworked and weakened. Webmd.com recommends
that: One of the best way's to avoid fitness injuries is to know your body I would expand upon
this by saying that the key is to pay attention to the signals and signs that your body produces. Your body can
warn you of potential risks, and gently steer you toward exactly what it needs and when.
A good approach to sustaining your exercise program is to discover your natural rhythms, to
know when to push or train hard and to know when to rest or lighten the routine. Basic selfmaintenance requires that you include a warm up, stretch and cool down component with each
training session. However, the most holistic and effective way to protect your body and your
health is to integrate a mind/body/energy approach with your regular fitness work-out and
wellness program.
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Some of the benefits of a regular practice of

moving meditation are improved strength and
better balance; reduced pain and stiffness;
enhanced sleep; increased immunity; stamina
and vitality; improved cardiovascular;
respiratory; circulatory; lymphatic and digestive
functions; decreased risk of falling and reduced
symptoms and improved function in people
with fibromyalgia.
There are specific Qigong routines for dealing
with cancer; hypertension; chronic disease; and
to relax the mind; muscles; tendons; joints and
inner organs.
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Meditation and Energy Circulation

exercises can ease both mental and physical
stress, including the physical stress, which
results from heavy exercise, and the load of
emotional stress that you bring from your
life into the gym.
Cardiologist Herbert Benson advises that any
condition that is caused or worsened by stress
can be alleviated through meditation. In fact
studies have shown that the relaxation response
gained from meditation helps to lower blood
pressure, improve heart rate and breathing, ease
chronic pain and boost immunity.
Benson is the founder of the Mind/Body Institute at
Harvard Medical School's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical
Center

When we engage in a moving meditation the positive effects of both exercise and meditation are
further enhanced. Practices such as Tai Chi and Qigong integrate the desire to move with the
need to meditate. While the practice appears to be very slow moving, those movements work to

build stamina and strength into the muscle

fibers. And, when integrated with a breath
practice, it will relax the muscles; increase
circulation of lymph for detoxification and
regulate the circulation of blood for increased
oxygenation. The combined affect helps to
keep the body fluid in motion and free of
inflammation
It is the state of our energy body that determines
the strength and health of our physical body
and our capacity to have a clear mental process
and stable emotional response to life. When we
adopt a regular energy practice we cultivate the
skills necessary to communicate with the
deeper parts of our self and resolve potential
health issues before they become a crisis. This
allows us to stay healthy, mitigate stress and
implement the relaxation response that reduces
the incidence of injury or disease, and heals
more fully those problems that continue to
undermine our progress.

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Tai Chi pronounced Tai (gee) was originally

formed as a training process for developing ones
skills in the martial arts. The Chi or (gee) stands for
the ultimate practice for sparing with the energy of
an opponent. However, over time the practice has
come to be used to create greater awareness,
calmness and overall well-being. The Qi, in
Qigong, pronounced (chee-gong), refers to the
movement of energy within the body.
Some forms of Tai Chi and more predominantly
Qigong were cultivated from the 3,000-year-old
Taoist traditions for building inner strength,
fortitude and wisdom; and, to raise Kundalini or
original energy through the spinal column.
Some forms of Qigong were also developed from
Buddhist practices for spiritual awareness and to
empower the Dantians (similar to chakras) and
other Qigong forms were developed from the
principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine for
healing disease and circulating Qi through the
energy channels and acupoints and to enrich the
larger fields of the energy body.
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The author of this article, Kathryn Annette Davis is certified as a Qigong Teacher and in
Qigong Healing Techniques from the Oregon College Of Oriental Medicine (OCOM) and the
Wu Dao Jing Shi Qigong Society, and in Cosmic Qigong, Chinese Philosophy and Traditional
Chinese Medicine from the Wisdom and Peace Wellness Center. She also studied Qigong and
Taoist philosophy during three educational trips to Beijing China.
Certified as a Reiki Healer and in the Sandlin Technique, an Indigenous form of energy
therapy based on vision quest and shamanic insight. Kathryn is the founder of the Kun Li
Sheng Temple of Understanding and School of Applied Healing Arts. She teaches
meditation, relaxation techniques, and several Qigong Forms, including Soaring Crane, Jade
Body, Essence, Turtle Longevity, and the Super Energy Method.
She currently offers private sessions at her healing space in Bay Ridge Brooklyn New York.

Kathryn Davis is co-host of Health Action, which airs on Mondays at 1:00 PM and host producer of Heart Of Mind, Radio for the New Millennium, heard on Wednesdays at midnight over
WBAI, Pacifica Radio 99.5 FM, wbai.org and on the Progressive Radio Network, PRN.FM on
Fridays at 10:00 AM.
Learn more about energy healing and meditation at QigongOnLine.net Communicate by calling
(347) 480-1694 or by email to QigongOnLine@gmail.com or HeartOfMindRadio@gmail.com
Learn more about the broadcasts at HeartOfMindRadio.com