You have probably seen people who are always stumbling, falling, dropping something. We consider them sluggish, in fact they are unstable on a physical level. But this is not the main thing. Such people are also emotionally unstable. Confidence and its lack are connected with the body. How to learn to stand firmly on your feet in the literal and figurative sense? Several qigong practices.
If we know that some emotional quality is associated with a physical one, then by influencing the body, we will automatically “pull up” the corresponding emotional component. The more stable we are, the stronger we stand on our feet, the more stability at the level of feelings. If you are working with a psychologist on emotional imbalance, be sure to supplement the work with body practice.
Factors of success
What does body balance depend on and how to work on it? The most stable body is the one that maintains relaxation in the correct form. What does it mean?
- Correct form – simply put, good posture. Straightened shoulders, long loose neck, correct position of the lower back and pelvis.
- Good relaxation is about muscle relaxation.
You can maintain an ideal posture with the help of muscle tension: the stomach in itself, the chest with a wheel. If you look, for example, at aikido sparring, you will see that the more tense the opponent is, the more easily he loses his balance. “A tree that cannot bend breaks with a gust of wind,” said Lao Tzu. Muscle relaxation in the correct form, freedom and flexibility of the body are the guarantee that stability will be maintained under any tests.
Gymnastics for balance
To build a beautiful correct posture against the background of relaxation, you need to do gymnastics, which will help you master the technique of active relaxation. We have habitual tensions that we are not aware of in ordinary life. They persist even in sleep. It’s just that the brain at one beautiful moment decided that if nothing can be done with these voltages, then it is necessary to write them down as the norm.
As habitual tensions go away, posture becomes more beautiful.
Active relaxation is an interesting and challenging task of finding habitual tensions and neutralizing them. One of the practices that help to find and “turn off” bodily tensions is the form of qigong Sing Shen Juang (Xinshen). As the habitual tensions go away, the posture becomes more beautiful and free, and the body is flexible.
Balance exercise
As part of this gymnastics, it is also necessary to consider the issues of the correct distribution of the balance of body weight over the foot. The tensions that we talked about earlier can cause the balance to fall not on the geometric center of the foot, as it should be, but on the heels or on the toes. The reverse is also true: due to the fact that the balance is not distributed correctly, habitual tensions can arise. In any case, this vicious circle must be broken, but how?
Let’s determine where the geometric center of the foot is located. To do this, feel for a point under the metatarsus, which is approximately the same distance from the outer and inner sides of the foot. Press on this area with your finger, if you find the point correctly, it will be quite sensitive. Gently massage it on one foot and on the other.
I propose to perform an exercise that teaches the body to stand based on the geometric center of the foot.
- The point after pressing is felt, we remember about it. Stand straight, feet parallel, knees soft (slightly bent), back straight, crown tends upward.
- Start rolling: shift the balance of your body weight onto your toes. The heels remain on the floor, the feet are as relaxed as possible, the main support is on the front of the foot.
- Return to center.
- Shift your body weight to your heels: your socks do not come off the floor, your feet are also relaxed.
- Back to the center.
- Repeat all over again.
Our task is to relax, revitalize and increase the sensitivity of the feet. Attention plays a key role: every time you pass through the center of the foot, bring your attention there. The easiest way is to say “center of the foot” to yourself. Do such rolls for 1-3 minutes at least once a day, and in a week you will feel much more stable. Physically at first, and as physical resilience builds up, so will emotional balance and confidence.