Breathwork Archives | Faulk TaiChi

Hanging On – Letting Go

March 31, 2022 By Arlene Faulk

Do you feel yourself swaying back and forth between ‘hanging on’ and ‘letting go’? Hanging on to fear of an unpredictable virus, to staying home because it’s comfortable, to continuing poor eating habits you developed in the last two years, to feeling so tired of looking at a screen. Letting go of ingrained habits, fears of what might happen, yet wanting something new, something different, can be daunting right now.

So, one step, one small step, such as beginning a daily walk, reading a book rather than binging a new Netflix series, joining a Tai Chi, yoga or pilates class, would be worth considering. Do something good for your body and your mind will definitely benefit, too.

We talked about letting go in Tai Chi class this week, how we need to pay attention to tension in our bodies – our neck, shoulders, and our minds. One student commented that in class she likes my reminders to breathe, to center ourselves a hip-width, parallel stance. It helps her relax her muscles.

A few years ago in a retreat I attended, a teacher pointed out that relaxation is not switching our attention to something else; it’s letting go of tension and something we’re already doing. Tai Chi teaches us this and gives us principles and movements to relax and let go:

“Letting go is a basic, if not the basic principle of Tai Chi Chuan. It is said that a student’s progress is determined by how much s/he is willing to let go of — tension, emotional programming, fear, thinking defensiveness, etc. The natural being is already powerful and wise. You must let go of your interference with the body’s power and wisdom”

— Movements of Magic: The Spirit of Tai Chi Ch’uan by Bob Klein

Bring your attention to tension you feel in your body, to your mind that might feel tired and perhaps anxious. What one step can you take to move from hanging on to letting go? One step is a start.

Time to Exhale

August 12, 2021 By Arlene Faulk

Summer is a time to be outside, to take a rode trip, go to a beach with family or friends. This year we’re encouraged to be outside, because we are still dealing with a variant of the COVID19 virus. Are you being creative in your plans, even if you’ve had to adjust from what you hoped for?

It’s still a Yang time of year, with the heat, vacations, getting ready to go back to school. In the midst of it all we need to remember to breathe with intention. Take a deep breath in, right now. Hold for two seconds. Now exhale. As you exhale, let go of any fears or anxieties you have right now. Let the exhale help you let go. Do it again. Breathe in. Hold. Now exhale a long slow breath.

qigong class — Tai Chi breathing from tan tien

breathe in and exhale.

something to look forward to

June 29, 2021 By Arlene Faulk

I always feel better when I have something to look forward to. And that’s not been easy during the last 16 months when we’ve had to be cautious, stay our distance from other people, go out only when necessary. We have all had to find ways to cope with our individual situations and do our best we could. In the U.S. the situation has slowly been changing and now we can see relatives, friends whom we may not have seen for a very long time. A real hug feels so good, so reassuring. It makes us feel alive.

In speaking with numerous people I’m learning that many are struggling a bit with moving forward. They still feel very cautious, afraid of being around strangers. We need to practice patience, with ourselves and with others, to not judge because we don’t know what others are going through. The best thing for all of us is to be kind, patient and not judge others. We don’t walk in their shoes.

Tai Chi has been and continues to be helpful to me and my students. We intentionally move and breathe and empty out our minds of thoughts, to-dos, judgments. It’s a wonderful practice for centering and coping with difficult times and frustrating days. It helps us be kind with ourselves.

We need to continue with our centering practices and also plan something specific to look forward to, a visit with family out of town, a meal at a restaurant, starting to go to our health club to find our abs again. Planning a specific activity can lift our spirits, give us something fun to look forward to and yes, even cause us to take time to plan what outfit to wear.

Managing Stress

November 1, 2020 By Arlene Faulk

We are in challenging times with so much uncertainty facing us every day. Regardless of whether we are worried about COVID19, losing a job, potentially having to close a small business, what’s ahead after a national and local elections, if it’s safe to have schools open, when we will able to see loved ones live in retirement homes, on and on.

Not one of us is free from stress and anxiety, heightened right now. If it accumulates day after day without relief, it will begin to take a toll on our bodies — headaches, back pain, high blood pressure and even worse. We need to be aware and take positive steps to manage and lessen our stress.

The most important step we can take is to breathe, I mean intentionally breathe. Plan a few minutes when you get up in the morning to breathe in, hold, then breathe out. Start with 5 breaths, then add more over time. We can walk outside, ride a bicycle take up resistance training. I recently heard that roller skating has made a comeback because it’s great exercise and easy to keep a safe distance from others.

Join a class that promotes relaxation, reduces stress and anxiety. Two excellent choices engaging both mind and body are yoga and Tai Chi. Since I teach Tai Chi and continue to experience its wonderful benefits of reducing stress and anxiety, improving balance and clearing my mind, I will focus on this centuries-old practice.

We learn to gently shift our weight while keeping the body totally connected. The waist and hips lead while arms and hands stay relaxed. The Tai Chi Classics say Tai Chi energy is rooted in the feet, moves up through the legs, is commanded by the waist and flowers through the hands.

The Yi (mind) moves the Qi (life force energy).With the mind focusing on moving energy and not the muscles, we are in the moment and stress decreases.

Move – Enjoy the Moment

June 22, 2020 By Arlene Faulk

The most sunlight of the year, that’s where we are. Summer Solstice. It feels different this year because we can’t gather for outdoor concerts, beach or boating gatherings or cookout parties. There is a virus around and for many, it’s a time to be cautious for our health and that of others.

Even with this reality, we need to take good care of ourselves, pay attention to our bodies and spirits. If a health club is off limits, be sure to walk, even if it’s around and around the same two or three blocks. Breathe – inhale, then exhale. Stretch. Bicycle. Take an online Tai Chi class. A yoga class. Dance. When we move our bodies, focus our energy on the movement, we relax, quiet our mind and enjoy the moment.

TAKE TIME TO MOVE YOUR BODY ENJOY THE MOMENT.

Universal Uncertainty

May 6, 2020 By Arlene Faulk

Uncertainty fills our days right now. We cannot see this COVID-19, except in the terrifying effects it wreaks on human well-being. We fear the effects of this unseen killer because we have mothers, fathers, children and friends who have taken seriously ill. Too many have died.

Some of us are staying inside most of the time. Others, the “essential” workers are out helping the public, in hospitals, grocery stores, fighting fires, etc., to help us get well, to help us stay safe. It is a strange time with no certainty about when we might not fear the wrath of this virus on a daily basis.

The most common question I have received as a Tai Chi teacher is “What is the most important thing I can do to center myself, to reduce my anxiety?” My answer is “breathe.” Take 3 seconds to breathe in; hold your breath for 3 seconds; breathe out for 3 seconds. Anxiety and stress cause us to shorten our breath, tense our neck muscles, feel lethargic. Breathing helps. Stretching helps. Walking helps. Eating nutritious foods helps.

For individuals fortunate enough to have time and internet availability, there are many options for exercising, listening to music, laughing with comedians and participating in energy generating classes like Tai Chi and Yoga.I feel blessed to have Tai Chi to reduce stress, get the kinks out, increase balance. One of the best features of a class is experiencing the connection with other students, seeing their smiles an creating energy. Getting out of the house, leaving the office to go to a designated space for class is a memory right now. Shutdowns in March. In person classes disappeared. We need to stay apart, at least 6 feet from each other, wear a mask, wash our hands, then wash our hands again. The world changed quickly when COVID-19 started ti spread. Now more than ever, we need to find ways to cope, reduce anxiety, keep our bodies and mind as strong as possible.

The new world of Tai Chi for me is online. I currently lead three classes a week and although we see each other in tiny rectangles on a screen, we continue to see each other’s faces, connect as best we can. The energy of us moving together comes right through the screen. I feel it.

We all need to keep moving. A Tai Chi resource for you: www.youtube.com/faulktaichi