In this edition of Ask Sifu Anthony, you’ll learn about: chronic pain and qigong; depression with chronic pain; digestion and qigong; meditation for depression; stiffness and pain; menopause, reflux, and belief; and the many benefits of qigong practice.

About this series: I believe that students should be able to get practical, no-nonsense answers as they learn the art of qigong. Q&As are critical when learning an esoteric, ancient art in the 21st century. Since 2005, I’ve been answering questions in my classes, in our Facebook group, inside my online programs, in our live webinars, and here on the blog. We have an amazing, global community and my goal is to continue supporting you so that you can get more and more out of this art!

Question 1: Chronic Pain and Osteoarthritis

Hi Debbie. I’m sorry that you’re in chronic pain. I know exactly how that feels and it’s awful.

From your submission, it looks like you’ve been practicing the 5-Phase Routine daily for about 6 months. First of all, congrats! That’s great work. If you can solidify that habit and keep it going long-term, then I think you’ll be amazed at your results.

In qigong theory, all pain is caused by a stagnation of qi. However, this theory is often misinterpreted in the West. Even if we grasp the theory of qi, we make the mistake of assuming that the stagnation is localized.

In other words, you’re probably imagining a stagnation of qi in your spine, knees, and hips. Certainly, that’s part of the problem, but it’s not the solution to the problem. The solution is to start recognizing qi stagnation as being non-local.

Your qi stagnation may be a stuck emotion from something that happened decades ago. In fact, I would bet good money on that explanation. I can almost guarantee that more than 50% of your pain is due to stuck emotions.

Years ago, I wrote 3 articles on chronic pain that may be helpful. You can find them here:

• Part 1: What Big Pharma Doesn’t Want You to Know About Pain
• Part 2: Why Your Chronic Pain Is All In Your Head 
• Part 3: Why You Need Qigong If You Struggle with Chronic Pain

I haven’t updated those articles in a while, however. One of the biggest additions I have for you is this book by Dr. Alan Gordon, MD:

The combination of Dr. Gordon’s book plus qigong can be very powerful. Acupuncture is another addition that I recommend. These three therapies work synergistically to heal the body, mind, and energy.

Question 2: Chronic Pain, Trauma, and Depression,

The kit & kaboodle! I’m in chronic pain trying to withdraw from Prednisone which I used for 7 years and counting to manage autoimmune trouble. I have a history of clinical depression and trauma. Depression is flaring with a vengeance. Just starting to practice again.”

Hi Robin. As I mentioned to Debbie above, I know all about chronic pain. I also know a thing or two about depression. The combination of the two is awful.

Unfortunately, depression and chronic pain feed each other, creating a vicious cycle. The combination of all these issues will make it very hard to treat your trauma, which is likely the root of many of these problems. We need to find a way to start healing the trauma.

My article about treating trauma with qigong is a start, both for you and for me. As I mention in the article, I’m still relatively new to the topic. I’m still experimenting with ways to adapt qigong specifically for trauma. My ideas are evolving, but my current advice is in that article.

Since you’re just starting qigong again, your path is pretty clear. Start with 2 minutes a day, then work up to the 5-Phase Routine. (All of this is explained and taught in my book, for those who aren’t familiar.)

Use the 13 tips in the trauma article and see what works better for you. You may also want to look into some of the trauma therapies, like IFS or EMDR. The combination of those therapies with qigong can be very powerful.

Whatever you do, remember this proverb: Fall down 7 times, stand up 8. Keep standing up until you have a strong, daily qigong habit. By then, I’m sure you’ll have seen lots of progress with the pain and the depression.

Question 3: Digestion and Qigong

What would you advise for the timing of eating around the practice of Qigong? I tend to have breakfast directly after my morning 5-phase practice, but wonder if I am missing out on experiencing the qi I have just “created “. Also I would tend not to do the practice immediately after eating. Digestion has been a challenge my entire life–varying in efficacy. As gotten older I am fairly active but falling asleep sitting up after meals—-have to get up and moving. Pre diabetes diagnosis recently. Thanks so much for your communication efforts!!!!!! The pace and clarity of your teachings are perfect for me!!!

Hi Sandra. I’m so glad that you’re enjoying my programs. Here are my thoughts on your situation.

We don’t create qi per se, but rather absorb it from the food we eat, the air we breathe, and from the Cosmos through our qigong practice. Eating immediately after the 5-Phase Routine isn’t ideal, but it’s also not a big deal. It’s better to wait about 20 minutes. If that’s not possible, then don’t worry too much. You’ll still get plenty of benefits.

There’s an old Chinese proverb that I think you should adopt:

飯後百步走活到九十九
Take 100 Steps After Every Meal and You’ll Live to 99

Honestly, 100 steps are too easy. It should be more like 1000 steps, or 10 minutes of walking. Adding just this one habit can have a huge impact on your digestive health. I don’t have a link handy, but I read some modern research showing that walking after a meal helps with insulin, which makes sense.

If you’re falling asleep after meals, it’s because your Spleen and Stomach meridians are depleted. You can nourish them with qigong, but also with walking after each meal.

Another tip from Chinese medicine is to cut down on cold beverages and foods. Westerners love their iced drinks, but according to Chinese medicine, this weakens the metabolic fire of the digestive system. Switch to room temperature or hot beverages whenever possible, and cut down on cold foods like salads, yogurt, ice cream, etc.

Question 4: Depression and Meditation

I grew up in a cold and neglectful home. I’ve been fighting depression for literally my entire life (was suicidal in kindergarten!). I’ve tried everything – therapy for years, all sorts of anti-depressants including ketamine infusions, and multiple rounds of ECT and TMS. I’ve taken several mindfulness courses from Jon Kabat Zinn and others and I have a fairly strong sitting meditation practice going. I use a SAD lamp daily. I’ve read a zillion books on the topic. I even have a Vagus Nerve Stimulator implanted in my chest to activate my parasympathetic nervous system. I’m taking an in-person Liangong class which has helped with some of my physical issues. Unfortunately, between being estranged from my only child, and with our democracy and even our planet dying before our eyes, it’s been impossible for me to feel very positive. Sifu, I know you found your way out of depression through Qigong and I hope to do the same. How long did it take, and what advice can you give me? Help me Sifu Korahais, you’re my only hope!” – Barbara

Hi Barbara. I’m not Obi-Wan Kenobi, but I will do my best to help you!  It sounds like you’ve tried really hard to beat depression. It probably feels like you’ve failed, but I don’t see it that way. You’re still alive, and you’re still trying to heal. To me, that seems like a win. It’s heroic, honestly.

I’m going to suggest something that may seem crazy, but hear me out. Sitting meditation, as powerful and wonderful as it is, can actually aggravate trauma. This is precisely what happened to me when I was first battling depression in my 20s. I tried strict, seated Zen meditation, and my depression got worse.

Sitting meditation is advanced. I suggest that, for a period of at least 6 weeks, you stop practicing all sitting meditation and use the Flowing Zen 5-Phase Routine instead. (Barbara already knows it, but you can learn the 5-Phase Routine from my book and the bonuses.)

You’re not quitting sitting meditation for good, just for a period of 6 weeks. Later, you can try again and see how it feels. Don’t feel guilty for setting your sitting meditation aside; it’s just an experiment.

Many students have, to their great surprise, found relief after pausing their sitting meditation practice. It’s something that never even occurred to them to try. I hope you’ll consider trying this experiment.

You might also try practicing The Five Statements (a technique I teach in my Qigong 101 program) toward your child. It’s worth healing that relationship even if only from your side. See if a few sessions of this help.

Since you’ve tried so many things already, what you’re looking for now is not miraculous, instant relief but rather small wins. For example, after setting aside your sitting meditation for a week, do you feel slightly better? After practicing the 5 Statements once or twice toward your child, do you feel like the dynamic is a bit healthier (even if you don’t talk to them)?

Question 5: Stiffness and Pain

I need ways to relief stiffness and pain. My health is poor since 1994. Chronic fatigue, sleep apnea, high BP, and now low diabetic. Also back, neck, and shoulder pain. – PK

Hi PK. I’m sorry to hear that your health has been poor for decades. I understand that you are in your 60s and that you have not yet learned the 5-Phase Routine.

I sound like a broken record, but the 5-Phase Routine that I teach can help you will all of these issues. It’s easy to learn, enjoyable to practice, and it only takes 10-20 minutes.

If you can do the 5-Phase Routine for at least 300 days in 2023, then I’m confident that you will see tremendous improvement. You can learn the 5-Phase Routine from my book and the bonuses, or from my Qigong 101 program.

Question 6: Menopause and Reflux

I have been struggling with menopausal symptoms for over 5 years. Lots has healed, but right now I have really bad “silent reflux” (LPR) and chronic pain flare ups that leave me feeling very discouraged. I make progress, but then it will all flare up and it’s hard to keep practicing. When that happens, I doubt that energy is real and feel like nothing works. I have also, lately, been struggling to find the balance in my faith that energy medicine works and healing is real because that point of view has become associated with covid denial and all kind of disturbing ideas. Also, I’ve been practicing diligently for years and I’m not healed! I am doing everything I can think of; trauma work, emotional release, acupuncture, rest, time in nature, fascia release, osteopathy, herbs, diet, massage, and it feels like it’s barely keeping me afloat. It works, but it’s also not working. Can you talk about the connection between belief and healing? How do we keep practicing when it’s most difficult? How do we use these methods without magical thinking or spiritual bypass? How do we evaluate if it’s not working; am I practicing wrong? or it the method not working and I need to take medication? -Naomi

There’s a strong connection between belief and healing. Even on a mundane level, when we believe that we can heal, we are more likely to take the steps necessary to facilitate healing. For example, you pursued energy medicine, trauma work, and acupuncture because you believe you can heal. You also adopted healthier behaviors and worked on your lifestyle.

But the crazy thing is that belief can also affect our physiology. When we believe that we can heal, our body responds in ways that support healing. This can include the release of hormones and other chemicals that promote healing, as well as changes in heart rate, blood pressure, and other physiological processes.

Belief can also have a powerful psychological effect on our ability to heal. When we believe that we can heal, we are more likely to have a positive outlook and to feel hopeful and optimistic. This can help to reduce stress and anxiety, and can also help to improve our overall mood and well-being.

Overall, belief plays a crucial role in the healing process. When we believe that we can heal, we are more likely to take the necessary steps to facilitate healing, and our body and mind are more likely to respond in ways that support healing.

This isn’t magical thinking. Everything I’ve said above is in line with modern, scientific research.

What you said is nothing to be ashamed of. What you’re doing isn’t working. That kind of honesty is important. The question is, what now?

I think that if you’ve sincerely tried a method for 6-12 months and not seen clear benefits, then you can confidently move on and try something else. That doesn’t mean that the thing you tried is fake. For example, maybe the acupuncturist you were seeing wasn’t skillful, or maybe they didn’t have experience with your issues.

In my experience, the vast majority of people who find true healing do it after having “tried everything”. I saw this time and again in my clinic, and I still see it today with my online students. For most of these people, the 5-Phase Routine was the turning point. But for some people, they needed something else as well.

In your case, it’s possible that you’re trying too hard, which is a paradox. I mean, it’s admirable that you’re trying too hard to heal. On the other hand, when we try too hard sometimes, it creates tension in the nervous system, which in turn blocks the flow of qi.

Question 7:

I have digestion issue, I get a headache in afternoon, my night sleep is disturbed, I have back pain, my prostate is enlarged, I don’t have energy, I get irritated and angry, I sweat a lot and there is foul smell from the sweat – Laxman

It’s hard for me to give you recommendations without knowing more about your individual situation. From your online submission, I know that you haven’t yet learned Flowing Zen Qigong and that you’re in your 50s. I’m going to assume that you’ve consulted with a healthcare provider already. If you’re asking whether or not qigong can complement the care you’re already receiving, the answer is yes.

Here are some of the potential benefits of qigong that have been supported by scientific research:

1. Reduced stress and improved overall health: Several studies have found that qigong can help to reduce stress and improve overall health. For example, one study found that qigong was effective at reducing stress and improving the quality of life in people with chronic conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.
2. Improved sleep: Some research has shown that qigong may be effective at improving sleep quality, particularly in people with insomnia.
3. Pain management: Qigong has been shown to be effective at managing chronic pain, such as back pain and fibromyalgia.
4. Boosted immune system: Some studies have found that qigong may help to boost the immune system, potentially helping the body fight off illness and infection.
5. Improved mental clarity and focus: Some people may find that practicing qigong helps them to feel more calm and centered, and can even improve their mental clarity and focus.
6. Increased self-awareness: Meditation can help to improve self-awareness by bringing attention to the present moment and increasing mindfulness. This can help to improve decision-making and self-regulation.
7. Improved cardiovascular health: Studies have shown that qigong meditation can help to lower blood pressure and improve heart rate, which can promote overall cardiovascular health.
8. Promotes emotional well-being: Regular qigong practice can help to promote emotional well-being by increasing feelings of happiness and contentment.
9. Reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety: Qigong has been shown to be effective in reducing the symptoms of depression and anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder and social anxiety disorder.

Question 8:

What is the best qigong exercise for severe anxiety – Maria

It is difficult to say which qigong exercise is the best for severe anxiety, as different exercises may have different effects on different individuals. However, the free video below will give you 2 techniques that may be helpful:

Or you can click here to watch it on Facebook.

Remember: what works for one person may not work for another. You may need to experiment to find the right qigong routine for your specific needs. It’s also important to get quality training in qigong.

My book is a great place to learn more about qigong. It also comes with a free online course, so you can put the techniques into practice immediately.

The post Ask Sifu Anthony: Chronic Pain, Trauma, Digestion, and more. appeared first on Flowing Zen.

My raison d’être has always been, and still is, helping people to fight depression.

It was my own battle with depression, my subsequent brush with death, and my eventual success with qigong that motivated me to start teaching this art back in 2005. When I quit my my cushy IT job in New York City and moved to Florida to attend acupuncture school, I was thinking about helping my fellow depressives. It was a calling.

People tell me that my passion for qigong is infectious. That’s because I’m dead serious about this art. I know that qigong saves lives because it saved mine.

Today, I have thousands of students from all over the world, but not all of them identify with clinical depression. After all, qigong helps with a wide range of  problems because it supercharges the body’s natural healing ability. My students have gotten remarkable results with health issues that I didn’t even know existed.

Qigong is powerful medicine, but I need to be clear that I’m not “cured” of depression. The word “cure” is problematic for many reasons, not the least of which is that some level of depression in life is entirely normal.

On top of that, I’ve had more than 3 major depressive episodes in my life. Way more. According to the latest research, this means that I have a 99% chance of recurrence.

When you talk about a “cure” and then a student experiences a minor relapse (which is normal), it can make them feel like a failure even though they’re actually a success.

That’s why I don’t hide my depression from my students. I’ve already written at length about it, and I imagine I will continue to do so for the rest of my life. Unlike some qigong teachers, including several of my own, I don’t make false promises of “curing the incurable.”

Qigong is amazing enough on its own. There’s no need to pretend that it’s a cure-all. I leave that to the snake-oil salesmen.

I’m not a guru on the mountain. I’m just a regular guy. But I happen to be a guy who manages Major Depressive Disorder better using qigong than most people do with therapy or drugs.

It should not come as a shock to anyone when I say that the last few weeks have been a struggle for me. I feel silly even mentioning it because the mild depressive episode that I faced was like a category 1 tropical storm compared to the devastating category 5 episodes I’ve dealt with in the past.

I mention it now because I know that I’m not alone. Others are suffering right now. And THAT is what this article is really about.

Put Your Oxygen Mask On First

I had all sorts of cool things planned for my email subscribers — some free videos, a guided meditation, a PDF, some blog posts, etc. But if 2020 has taught me anything it’s that Mike Tyson was right when he said: “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”

2020 has punched billions of people in the mouth, myself included.

Flight attendants tell us to put OUR oxygen mask on first and only then try to help others with theirs. Not that any of us are doing much flying these days, but I like this imagery. First, you have to take care of yourself.

That’s what I’ve been doing the last few weeks. Although I’ve continued to teach and write, I’ve also retreated. For me, this means more qigong, more stillness, more reading, and more rest.

I’ve got my oxygen mask on and now I’m ready to help others. And just in time because people desperately need help.

There’s a lot going on in the world right now. Maybe you’ve noticed? We’re not just facing a global, once-in-a-century pandemic. In case you forgot, here are a few other things we’ve faced so far in 2020:

• wildfires in Australia (remember when those were our biggest worry?)
• a weeklong scare of a US war with Iran over the assassination of an Iranian general
• Donald Trump was impeached
• Kobe Bryant, his daughter, and 7 passengers died in a helicopter crash
• the UK withdrew from the European Union
• the stock market had its biggest crash in decades
• the Olympics were postponed
• the NBA playoffs were postponed
• Breonna Taylor was shot in her own bed by police using a no-knock warrant at the wrong address
• George Floyd was murdered
• the police are using excessive force against peaceful protesters
• the economy is in shambles
• tens of millions of Americans are unemployed

So yeah. It’s a lot. No wonder depression is on the rise. Experts warn that we’re facing a tsunami of mental-health issues, from depression to PTSD to substance abuse. Nearly 50% of Americans say that the pandemic is harming their mental health. (source)

Black Americans and Mental Health

Black Americans have it especially bad. Just as they are disproportionately suffering from the coronavirus, they’re also disproportionately suffering from mental health challenges. According to the Washington Post, depression and anxiety spiked among black Americans immediately after George Floyd’s death.

And let’s be clear — black Americans were ALREADY facing massive challenges when it comes to mental health.

I’m especially concerned because black Americans are less likely to seek treatment for depression and other mental health challenges. This is a complex issue with multiple components — lower levels of healthcare among black Americans, greater stigma associated with depression, and general fear of the medical establishment.

That fear is completely reasonable, by the way. For example, the Tuskegee Study was  conducted between 1932 and 1972 by the United States Public Health Service. According to Wikipedia, this study was a major violation of ethical standards because researchers knowingly failed to treat participants appropriately after penicillin was proven to be an effective treatment for syphilis and became widely available.

This is just one of many examples. Harriet A. Washington, the author of Medical Apartheid, doesn’t even think it’s the worst example. In other words, we can hardly blame black Americans for their fear of the medical establishment. They have reason to be scared.

Depression is Treatable

The good news about depression is that it is treatable. My treatment of choice is qigong, and it has worked wonders for me and thousands of my students.

Others have had success with yoga, regular exercise, dietary changes, and meditation. And of course, there are pharmacological solutions as well.

Antidepressants are not for me, but they work for some people. On the other hand, a $35 million study showed that antidepressants fail to cure the symptoms of major depression in half of all patients, even if they receive the best possible care.

In other words, of the 18 million Americans suffering from depression (before the pandemic), 9 million were still desperate for solutions. This says nothing of the countless Americans who suffer from depression, but go undiagnosed.

In 2020, we’re talking about potentially 150 million people with mental health issues just in the US.

It breaks my heart thinking about people — millions of them — letting their depression go untreated. I know what it’s like to suffer with depression without any treatment whatsoever. I did it for years before discovering qigong. Imagine going through a Chicago winter without a coat or shoes. This is worse.

Enter Qigong

I don’t want anyone — whether you’re black, white, Asian, Latino, or indigenous — to suffer needlessly with depression. I want you to know that you have options.

Qigong is a perfect choice. Here’s why:

1. Qigong is affordable. Or in this case, totally free (see below). But even my premium programs only cost what you would pay for a typical gym membership.
2. Qigong can be learned online. I’ve written about this at length here and here. In short, people who say that qigong can’t be learned online shouldn’t interrupt those of us who are already doing it. My online students get remarkable results.
3. There is no stigma associated with qigong. If you tell people that you’re seeing a psychiatrist, you will likely be stigmatized. If you tell them that you’re practicing qigong, they’ll have no idea what you’re talking about. Good!
4. Qigong requires no athleticism. No, seriously. This is not like one of those “easy” yoga classes that kicks your ass and leaves you sore for days. Anyone can do qigong. You can even do it in a chair.
5. Qigong brings fast results with minimal instruction. I’m not saying that your depression will go away after 30 days of qigong. However, I am promising that, after 30-days of my method (see below), you will feel BETTER. And this is precisely the kind of hope that people need when battling depression. They just need to know that things can get better.

How to Get Started with Qigong for Free

Maybe you think that I’m trying to sell you something. I certainly am. I’m trying to sell you on the benefits of qigong. If qigong helps to save one life, then I’ll have done my job.

But I’m a professional teacher and small business owner. So yes, I hope that some of you will eventually sign up for one of my premium programs. But let me be clear — you don’t need to spend a dime to get help.

Recently, in response to the pandemic, I opened up my online program called “Battling Depression and Anxiety with Qigong” to the public for free (reg. $79). In fact, I added more materials to that program, so it’s worth even more now.

For years, I’ve offered tons of freebies on my website, but I’ve never given away anything like this.

Click here to get my free Depression & Anxiety program now (reg. $79)

Start with that program because it’s the best option. Go grab it now. Seriously. Go!

But if you want more (you know you do!) then here are some of my other freebies:

Learn the Best Qigong Exercise Ever – Lifting The Sky

Get step-by-step instruction in the qigong exercise called Lifting The Sky and learn about the many proven benefits of this art.

[Infographic] 13 Proven Benefits of Qigong & Tai Chi

At present, there are over 500 research studies on qigong and over 1800 studies on tai chi. Not all of them are conclusive, but many are impressive. Here are some of the benefits with the strongest evidence.

Learn a Famous Qigong Exercise for the Neck, Back, and Shoulders

If you’re like me and you sit too long at the computer, then this exercise makes a great break!

Beating Fatigue and Exhaustion with Qigong and Tai Chi

This mini-course will give you a simple qigong exercise that you can immediately use to start beating fatigue.

Please Help Me Spread the Word

Like I said, I’m a small business owner. I’m luckier than many of my  colleagues in that I closed my brick-and-mortar studio in 2016 and took my courses online. I’m grateful for that blessing.

But the pandemic has affected my business too. For example, I had to cancel my annual summer retreat in Costa Rica.

Right now, I’m offering a ton of stuff for free because I don’t want finances to block anyone from getting the help they need with depression. But soon I’ll release some more freebies along with one of my flagship, year-long programs. Those who want to go deeper and learn more can join that paid program. (Some scholarships will also be available.)

But even if you don’t join, you’ll get a ton of free instruction along the way. So stay tuned!

Either way, I need you to help me  spread the word.

If you find qigong helpful (and I’m confident that you will), then I would ask you to pay it forward by sharing this article with friends and family who you think might benefit.

Together, we can literally save lives. Remember, each year, 40,000 Americans die from depression. In the U.S., depression is the 10th leading cause of death for all ages. For comparison, homicide ranks 17th.

Let’s spread the word about qigong and save some lives, shall we?

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post How Qigong Can Help with the Coming Mental Health Crisis appeared first on Flowing Zen.

Listen now:

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The post [Podcast] Overcoming Depression and Cultivating Healing Energy appeared first on Flowing Zen.

On this day 19 years ago I made a life-changing decision.

I was fed up with my life. I was a total mess, and I was desperate to heal. But I also felt like a miserable failure.

How do you transform yourself when you also feel like a failure?

In this video blog, I’ll talk about how I totally transformed my life starting on January 1st, 2000.

I’ve distilled everything into 5 simple tips that you can implement RIGHT NOW.

If you’re serious about transforming your life for the better in 2019, then watch this video today!

Here are some links that I reference in the video:

• Click here to Learn Lifting The Sky for free
• Click here to read about the 2 Minute Drill
• Click here to read about the 5-Phase Routine
• Click here for my online course called 2 Minute Qigong: Creating Habits that Stick

Wishing you a happy, healthy, and transformative new year!

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post [Video] 5 Tips for Transforming Yourself in 2019 appeared first on Flowing Zen.

Charlie Brown was definitely a qigong master. He knew about the connection between posture, biochemistry, and energy.

His wisdom is forever immortalized in this old Peanuts cartoon:

There’s so much wisdom in this cartoon, but when I first saw it, I was a little offended.

“It’s a serious illness,” I thought to myself. “Depression isn’t caused by poor posture!”

I was right, of course. But Charlie Brown was also right.

The truth is that bad posture doesn’t cause depression, but it sure doesn’t help. And vice versa — fixing your posture won’t cure your depression, but it sure does help.

Maybe you battle depression, or maybe not. Either way, I think Charlie Brown was right. It’s important to pay attention to your posture. Here’s why…

Posture Affects your Biochemistry

(*The following are Amazon Affiliate links, which means that if you purchase using them, then Amazon gives me a tiny commission at no cost to you. Thanks for helping me to buy more books! Woohoo!)

Jordan Peterson, the controversial bestselling author, says that you should stand up straight with your shoulders back. That’s rule #1 in his book, 12 Rules for Life.

Like him or not, that’s a good rule.

Peterson argues that body language is ancient — hundreds of millions of years ancient. Even lobsters display mood and hierarchy via body language.

For humans, standing up straight with your shoulders back tells your fellow humans that you are a high status individual in your tribe.

Maybe you’re not high status. Maybe you don’t have a tribe. Maybe you don’t even believe in hierarchies.

But there’s a problem. Our brains have remain unchanged for 50,000 years. This means that your biochemistry still believes in status.

Standing up straight doesn’t just send a signal to your fellow humans; it sends a signal to your cells.

Amy Cuddy, bestselling author of Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges, backs this up with tons of research.

You can also watch her famous TED talk: Your body language may shape who you are.

The science is overwhelmingly clear: Your body language, including your facial expressions, affects your hormones, your mood, and your health. 

Pro Tip: Whether you’re sitting or standing, roll your shoulders forward, up, and then back in one smooth movement. This resets the shoulders to a position that you can’t otherwise get them in to, and helps to create better posture (and thus better biochemistry).

The Victory Pose

Amy Cuddy talks about a power posture called the “victory pose” that seems to be universal across all cultures: Two fists held to the sky in a v-shape, chest open, excitement on the face.

Here’s a kid demonstrating the pose after, presumably, winning big at a video game.

Try it. Pretend you just won the NYC Marathon. Hold the posture for 30 seconds, and your biochemistry will change.

And then try an ancient power posture called Lifting The Sky.

Personally, I think that Lifting The Sky is more sophisticated and more powerful than the victory pose above. Maybe I’ll teach it to Amy one day!

Posture Affects Your Qi

The qigong masters have been saying something similar for millennia, albeit in slightly different terms.

They didn’t talk about biochemistry, but rather about qi, or your vital energy. The qigong masters taught us that specific postures affect your qi in specific ways.

For example, ancient texts on The 8 Brocades Qigong (Baduanjin, 八段錦) talk about the effects each posture has on various organs.

From those texts, we know that;

1. Supporting the Heavens stimulates the Triple Warmer Meridian.
2. Drawing a Bow stimulates the the Kidney and Spleen Meridians
3. Raising One Hand stimulates the Spleen and Stomach Meridians
4. Looking Backward eliminates the “five fatigues” and “seven Illnesses”
5. Swing the Head eliminates “heart fire”
6. Punching with Fiery Eyes builds internal strength
7. Hold the Feet strengthens the Kidney Meridian and lower back
8. Shaking the Back helps to boost the immune system

(Confused about the Meridian System? Click here to learn what qigong students need to know.)

On a side note, the above hypotheses be easily verified using the diagnostic methods of Chinese Medicine. For example, if a student with Stomach Fire practices “Raising One Hand”, we should see a change in the the tongue and pulse diagnostics.

And you know what? We DID see those changes! Because I was both a student and a teacher at my acupuncture college, and because I later worked directly with dozens of different acupuncturists, I got a behind-the-scenes look at how Flowing Zen Qigong affects patients. It was fascinating!

And don’t forget the tai chi masters! In fact, I could argue that ALL of the 10 Principles of Tai Chi Chuan are an attempt to affect the qi through proper posture:

1. Head Upright, Spirit Rising
2. Sink the Chest, Lengthen the Back
3. Loosen the Waist
4. Differentiate Between Empty and Solid
5. Sink Shoulders, Drop Elbows
6. Use Will, Not Strength
7. Coordinate Top and Bottom
8. Harmonize Internal and External
9. Move with Continuity
10. Seek Stillness in Movement

(Click here to read all about the 10 Principles of Tai Chi.)

Postures that Heal and Harm

Speaking of tai chi, most people think of it as a gentle form of self-healing. And this is absolutely true.

But inside the slow-motion postures is a hidden power — the power to save your life in self-defense.

For example, the Lu (Rollback, or Double Dragons Carry a Pearl) posture from Yang Tai Chi Chuan can be used to break the neck of someone attacking you.

It looks harmless (see below), but once you understand the martial application of the technique, you quickly realize that it is powerful.

Sadly, the vast majority of tai chi practitioners have no clue about the martial applications. They learn it as a form of qigong, not as a martial art.

I think this is a mistake. Even a cursory understanding of the martial applications helps to bring the postures to life. You don’t need to be a cage fighter to benefit from the hidden power of the tai chi postures.

On the other hand, many people obviously benefit from practicing tai chi even without an understanding of the martial applications — and I think Amy’s research helps explain this. There’s power in the posture, even if you don’t understand why.

And more research is being done. For example, check out this recent study: Can Tai Chi and Qigong Postures Shape Our Mood?

Power Corrupts…or Does it?

Having taught several different martial arts since 1994, I know that some people have an aversion to the word “power”.

In essence, they think that martial arts train you to be violent. The maxim, “power corrupts,” comes to mind.

But here’s the thing: According to Amy’s research, a LACK of power is at least as likely to corrupt!

Amy says that it’s important to distinguish between people with social power (i.e. rich people, celebrities, and politicians), and people with personal power (like me and Charlie Brown).

Personal power brings benefits rather than corruption, and this is exactly what we’re after with arts like qigong and tai chi.

Here are some examples of the benefits of personal power cultivated through qigong and tai chi:

• a clearer, calmer mind
• the ability to stay relaxed under stress (i.e. grace under pressure)
• more confidence
• greater clarity when making decisions
• a stronger, healthier body

And if you practice tai chi as a martial art, then you can add “self-defense” to the list.

What We Can Do

So by now, it’s clear that we need to improve our posture. But how do we do that?

Duh. Learn and practice qigong and/or tai chi! (Not sure which one to learn? Click here for a free video that will help you find an answer.)

If your posture is really bad, then I suggest that you focus on particular type of qigong that I call Aligning The Qi. (Other teachers may use other terminology, but the idea is the same.)

With the right techniques, anyone can improve their posture. I’ve watched 20-somethings with scoliosis and 80-somethings with kyphosis (excessive hunching of the upper spine) get amazing results by focusing on aligning the qi.

The truth is that many modern humans have poor posture because their bodies are no longer capable of good posture. Obviously, this gets worse with age, but it’s a problem that even affects teenagers now. So it’s not just an age issue.

The solution is to build strength (especially core strength), cultivate flexibility, and open up the energy channels. And that’s exactly what we do with exercises that align the qi.

(Aligning the Qi is one of the 4 main skills that I teach in my Qigong 101 program, which reopens this Fall. If you want to learn more, then make sure to get on the waiting list. Click the link for details.)

Myofascial Release

I’m also a big fan of Myofascial Release (MFR)

Go buy yourself a good foam roller and a lacrosse ball, then go on YouTube and look for foam rolling tutorials as well as tutorials on using a lacrosse ball.

Many experts think that humans need to spend at least 10 minutes 3x per week on MFR in order to undo the negative effects of modern living (like sitting too much.)

Personally, I do at least 10 minutes a day, and I think it’s a great compliment to my qigong practice. The combination of qigong + MFR is synergistic. If the topic is of interest, then I’ll work on another blog post about why I think that qigong and MFR go together like milk and cookies.

Summing Up

• Posture matters, especially if you are battling depression.
• Posture affects our biochemistry, our mood, and our health.
• Qigong and tai chi are effective ways to improve posture
• Myofascial release is another way to improve posture

Experiment with power postures this week. In your daily life, and daily qigong and tai chi practice. Then share with us what you find. Questions? Comments? They are always welcome in the section below! 

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post Fix Your Posture, Fix Your Qi, Fix Your Biochemistry appeared first on Flowing Zen.

I was 26 when I experienced my first episode of major depression.

Back then, I didn’t realize I was depressive. All I knew was that it was winter in New York City, and that there was an invisible force sucking me into a vortex of despair.

If you know my story, then you know that qigong is what eventually pulled me out of the vortex. To this day, qigong is my medicine.

But there was something else that helped me get through an especially tough winter — a different kind of medicine.

If you struggle with depression, especially if you struggle with dark thoughts as winter takes its grip, then this article is for you.

Reading this article might just help you to save two lives this winter.

A Beggar on Every Corner

The year was 1998, and I was walking down Broadway near Columbia University. My mission was to get a slice of pizza.

I had graduated from Columbia four years earlier. But things had changed for me since college. Depression had me in its grips, and I was hardly functional.

That’s why getting a slice of pizza felt like a mission. Just leaving my apartment was an accomplishment.

As I was walking to the pizzeria, I saw a man that I recognized. I had known him for years. His name was Charlie, and he was homeless.

Throughout the 80s and 90s, the homeless were part of the landscape of New York City. They were on every major street corner, begging for spare change to survive.

Early in my adult life, I made a decision to always give something to them. I would give spare change, buy them a slice of pizza, or give them a cigarette. (I smoked back then. Here’s how I quit.)

Even though I was unemployed and fighting off my depression, I offered to buy Charlie a slice of pizza.

Pizza as Big As Your Head

Back then, Koronet’s Pizza on Broadway near 110th Street sold slices as big as your head for $1.50.

I’m not exaggerating. Look at the image above, taken by a guy named Adam. (You can read his review of Koronet’s here.)

I bought 3 slices, one for me and 2 for Charlie. Then we sat at the pizza counter.

As we ate, I mostly listened.

Charlie told me how he had tried to move to Atlanta to avoid the harsh NYC winters. He had family down there.

“What happened?” I asked, folding my pizza in half the way any self-respecting New Yorker always does.

“Never made it,” he said.

He told me how the police had beaten him up for sleeping on a heated ventilation grate.

He told me how he had gone to a homeless shelter to heal his injuries, but instead got robbed.

“All my money for Atlanta, gone,” he said. “Lost my coat too.”

He still had a coat, but it was worthless. It was a jacket for autumn or early spring, not for a NYC winter. No way.

I noticed that talking with Charlie made me feel better, even though there was nothing good about what he was saying.

I empathized with his suffering even though my own suffering was totally different.

I was aware that I was a white man with tons of privilege speaking to a black man with none, but I didn’t have thoughts of guilt or shame running through my head.

Instead, there was one thought that kept playing through my depressed mind:

“I can do something.”

I’m Not Powerless

There’s a powerlessness in depression that sucks the hope right out of you.

(As an aside, that’s one reason why I love qigong so much. It makes me feel that I have power over my own health. If you haven’t ever tried qigong, then you can learn a simple technique right here for free.)

When you’re battling depression, you feel like you have no agency over your life, no power over your thoughts or emotions.

Sitting there with Charlie, I suddenly felt my power start to return.

Maybe I was powerless to do something about my own suffering, but I could certainly do something about Charlie’s suffering.

“Will you be here tomorrow?” I asked.

He said yes, but his eyes showed that he never really knew what tomorrow would bring.

The following day was bitterly cold and overcast. I remember that I didn’t want to leave my apartment. Hell, I didn’t want to leave my bed.

During depressive episodes, the mornings were the worst for me. That’s when the dark demon grabbed me. Getting out of bed was a daily battle, not because I was sleepy, but because I was enveloped in a fog of despair.

And the cold seemed to make everything worse, as if my energy was being diverted to keeping me warm rather than keeping me from the depths of despair.

But I had a date with Charlie, and somehow, that gave me strength. So I bundled up, and stepped out into the cold.

Stepping Into the Warmth

The previous night, I had packed a garbage bag with old clothes. Charlie had 2 inches on me, but I figured it would be close enough for jazz.

I carried the bag over my shoulder as I walked.

It took me a while to find him. I never did figure out how he chose where to stand. To me, it seemed like some sort of mysterious fishing technique.

“Rough night,” he said, shivering. “Too cold to sleep.”

I wondered how many rough nights he had had in his life. Was it hundreds, or thousands of rough nights?

I swung the bag from my shoulder. Charlie looked confused, but his face lit up as I unpacked it.

Gloves. A sweater. Wool hiking socks. A hat.

And then the pièce de résistance.

“Merry Christmas,” I said, pulling a winter coat from the bottom of the bag.

“Christmas,” Charlie said quietly, as if remembering a long-forgotten word.

His eyes began to water, and it was only a matter of seconds before mine did the same.

“Give me a hug,” I said.

You’ve got to understand that this simply wasn’t done.

Beggars like Charlie were basically “untouchable”. They were filthy and smelled awful. Most of them used paper cups to beg because they knew that people didn’t want to touch their hands.

But I didn’t care about any of that.

I wanted Charlie to have some human warmth to go along with the warmth of his new clothing.

So I gave him a big hug right there on the street.

How to Save Two Lives

Two years later, I was walking down Broadway with a friend.

I had moved to a new neighborhood, and didn’t see Charlie as often. But I saw him that day, wearing my old coat.

I gave him a hug, much to my friend’s surprise. I also gave him $10. I was employed again, and finally had some money coming in.

Charlie gave me a thumbs up sign and a big smile as we walked away.

“What’s the story there?” my friend asked.

“Oh, I gave him that coat two years ago,” I said. I noticed that I had a big smile on my face.

“You probably saved his life,” my friend said. “That was a harsh winter, and I heard that a lot of beggars died.”

“You might be right,” I said. “Maybe I did save his life.”

What I didn’t say was this: He probably saved mine.

Depression is Invisible

Back then, I didn’t talk about my depression. I’m honestly not sure if my friend knew that I was depressive.

And if he did, I doubt that he knew I had been suicidal.

It wasn’t until much later that I started openly talking about those dark thoughts.

Unfortunately, this is common among depressives. Because of the stigma, we hide.

Chances are, you have a friend or a family member who is suicidal. But you probably don’t know who that person is because they hide it so well.

I was 26 when I gave that bag of clothing to Charlie. Years later, I was shocked to learn this fact:

Depression is the 2^nd leading cause of death in 15-29 year olds. [source]

In other words, I was right in the danger zone.

Winters are especially tough for depressives. The combination of the holidays, the colder weather, and the lack of light can be fatal.

Depression kills 40,000 Americans every year, and that winter, it could have killed me.

But it didn’t kill me. And it didn’t kill Charlie. So who saved who?

The Method

If you’re depressive, then like many of us, you may struggle to get through this winter.

For some of you, your life may be at risk.

But there’s something that you can do. There’s a method that works.

I’m not talking about qigong or meditation. Those things work too. But right now, I’m talking about giving.

Giving is medicine. Research shows that doing good is good for you. [source]

Giving is good, but for depressives, certain kinds of giving can be better than others.

For example, it’s good to give to charity. I give every month to several clean water charities through Global Giving. (Always do your research before giving to charities to make sure that money is reaching the needy.)

But if you are depressive, I suggest that you focus on a specific type of giving: Volunteering.

Why Depressives Should Volunteer

Doing good is good for you, but it’s better if you can actually interact with humans (or animals) who are suffering.

It’s the interaction that turns volunteering into medicine for depressives.

Here are 11 creative ways you can volunteer.

Had I anonymously given Charlie some money or clothing, it wouldn’t have helped me as much.

Read this awesome PDF to show how volunteering can help you in a variety of ways.

If You Need Help Right Now

Some of you probably aren’t ready to volunteer, and that’s okay.

If you need to talk to someone, then visit this site right now: 7 Cups of Tea.

You can talk or chat with trained active listeners 24 hours a day.

Or if you’re having dark thoughts about harming yourself, then please call 1-800-273-8255, or click here:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Seriously, these people can help you, even if you don’t know how. Just call, or go to the site and chat with them. Do it now.

If You Want To Help Depressives

If you want to help depressives and you have some training, then you can volunteer to be an active listener on the 7 Cups of Tea site.

Giving is good for everyone, whether you are depressive or not!

After Winter Comes Spring

I live in Florida now, so I no longer battle the cold.

And my depression is well managed, thanks to qigong.

But you know what? Winters can still be tough for me.

They are tough precisely because I know that there are thousands of depressives out there who won’t make it through the winter.

My heart goes out to them.

This post is my way of helping them make it to spring.

If you found this post helpful, then please consider sharing it using the links below. Maybe it will reach the right person, and maybe it will even save a life (or two).  

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post Here’s a Method That Is Helping Depressives Get through the Winter appeared first on Flowing Zen.

Winston Churchill called depression his “black dog”.

I can’t use that term.

I have an actual black dog named Ziggy who is the opposite of depression.

Long before Ziggy came into my life, before I ever heard Churchill’s quote, I was using the term “dark demon” to refer to my depression.

A bit melodramatic, perhaps, but it works for me.

I believe that depression is an epic, personal battle against the darker forces of the human spirit.

I’ve been battling these dark forces for my entire adult life — mainly with my favorite weapon, qigong.

Recently, after an unexpected Zen-like awakening, I got my metaphoric hands on another weapon to use in my battle against depression.

I now wield a mighty weapon called self love.

My Teensy-Tiny Awakening

Satori is a Japanese word that means awakening. (The Chinese term for the same thing is wù, 悟.)

On their path toward nirvana, Zen students often experience a series of satori of varying degrees.

The final satori is what leads to full enlightenment.

Zen is sometimes called the school of sudden enlightenment. In fact, there are a bunch of fun stories about a Zen student suddenly experiencing a satori and reaching enlightenment.

Here’s an example: 

A monk told the Zen Master Joshu: “I have just entered the monastery. Please teach me.”

Joshu asked: “Have you eaten your rice porridge?”

The monk replied: “I have eaten.”

Joshu said: “Then you had better wash your bowl.”

At that moment the monk was enlightened.

(from Zen Flesh, Zen Bones: A Collection Of Zen And Pre-Zen Writings, Pickle Partners Publishing, Kindle Edition.)

My epiphany was not the BIG enlightenment. I am not a Buddha.

But it was sudden, and it was an awakening — a teeny, tiny, wee-little mini-enlightenment.

And it was awesome.

I’ve never seen a Zen story about depression causing a satori, but that’s exactly what happened to me.

Before I talk more about my little awakening, let’s shift gears for a moment and talk about self love.

Apparently, Self Love is Important

I’m sure you’ve heard that you should love yourself.

You can only love others as much as you love yourself…

Yada yada blah blah blah.

It’s not that I don’t agree that self love is important.

Unfortunately, the “love yourself” advice is just an empty platitude for most depressives.

We know that we should love ourselves more, but the advice doesn’t seem to work for us.

We’ve tried our hardest. We’ve tried to love ourselves, to change our dark thoughts, to use positive self talk.

But it doesn’t work.

Why You Suck at Self Love

I now know why self love is so hard for us depressives to learn. (The same is probably true for non-depressives as well.)

Self love is hard because you can’t think your way out of thinking.

And that’s exactly what we try to do. We try to think our way out of negative thought patterns.

It doesn’t work.

In fact, it will never work as long as there’s a jerk living inside your head.

The Voice In Your Head is an Asshole

Dan Harris, the ABC news anchor who fell in love with meditation, said that his first choice for the title of his book was:

The Voice In My Head is an Asshole

Unfortunately, the publisher rejected that title and chose a different one:

10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works

I prefer the original title. The book is still worth reading though.

For those battling depression and anxiety, I think Dan’s original description is much better than both  Churchill’s “black dog” and my “dark demon”.

And that’s because it’s such an accurate description. The voice in my head really IS an asshole.

Maybe you can relate?

The Space Between Your Thoughts

After you practice meditation for a while, you start to acquire a skill that Victor Frankl calls “the space” between thought and reaction.

(If you haven’t read Victor Frank’s book Man’s Search for Meaning, then put it on your book list!)

Intellectually, you may know that you have a voice in your head. But the space that Frankl is talking about is not intellectual.

It’s something you feel —  a palpable separation between thinker and observer.

The thinker is the voice in your head. Often, this voice can be an asshole.

The observer is…well that’s a metaphysical discussion for another time.

The point is that when you are able to easily shift into observer mode, you develop the amazing ability to CHOOSE how you react to your thoughts — and not just during meditation, but all day long.

If you can’t yet easily shift into observer mode, don’t worry.

The technique that I discovered during my epiphany will help. It requires very little meditative skill to use.

(Hopefully, it will also encourage you to pursue some form of meditation, even if sitting meditation isn’t for you.)

Don’t Talk To My Wife Like That!

Before I show you the technique, let me quickly tell you how I discovered it.

My wife is not depressive, but like most people, she sometimes beats herself up.

“God, I’m so stupid,” she might say out loud when she forgets to do something.

Over the years, I’ve developed a fun way to deal with her negative self talk.

If she says it out loud, I’ll cut in and say: “Don’t talk about my wife that way!”

It makes her smile, and reminds her to be kinder to herself.

You see, my wife knows that I am protective by nature. She doesn’t need protecting. She’ll punch you in the face faster than I will.

But if someone were to say, “God, your wife is so stupid!” I certainly wouldn’t keep quiet! I would give that asshole a piece of my mind!

The Zen Art of Yelling at Yourself

Can you guess my epiphany yet?

Recently, as I stepped in to defend my wife, it hit me like a Zen truck.

I suddenly realized that I was yelling at the asshole in her head.

Why couldn’t I do the same thing for the asshole in my head?

It’s hard to describe an epiphany in words, but that’s as close as I can get, at least for now.

Later, I came up with a simple technique, which I’ll describe in 3 steps.

• Step 1: Beat yourself up in your own mind (or out loud)
• Step 2: Notice that the voice in your head is being an asshole.
• Step 3: Yell at that asshole!

Step 1 is easy for depressives. We are masters of this.

Step 2 will be more difficult if you don’t practice meditation. The good news is that you don’t need a ton of meditative skill to make this technique work.

(If you want to improve your meditative skill, you can start right now with a free mini-course on qigong, or you can dive into a longer course called Battling Depression and Anxiety with Qigong.)

Step 3 is easy! Once you realize that the voice in your head is an asshole, it’s surprisingly easy to yell at him or her!

Life Without an Asshole in My Head

Thanks to this technique, plus years of meditation practice, I no longer have an asshole living in my head.

For years, he called me stupid and made me feel worthless. He told me that I was weak, that I was a failure.

But then, once I started yelling at him — he just packed up and moved out.

Good riddance. Life is much better without him.

And here’s the most important part of this article, the part that will hopefully give you some hope:

Without an asshole in my head, it’s much easier to love myself. 

What Self Love Is

For the first time in my adult life, I truly understand WHAT self love is.

I see now that self love is not something different. It’s not a special kind of love that I am lacking.

It’s just love.

Love is an energy, and when it flows, it flows in every direction, including inward.

It’s the same as the simple and pure puppy love that I get from my dog, Ziggy.

It’s the same as the loving kindness that I feel toward a random child on the street.

It turns out that the problem is not learning how to love yourself.

The real problem is the voice in your head.

Get rid of that asshole, and you’ll see how simple self love can be.

Speaking of which…if you found this post helpful, then please show me a little love by liking, sharing, or commenting!

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post How My Depression Led to a Zen Awakening about Self Love appeared first on Flowing Zen.

Almost as quickly as it had come in, the storm passed, just as I was getting ready to go to the emergency room.

It wasn’t a heart attack. I later learned that it was an anxiety attack (sometimes called a panic attack).

Apparently, the signs are similar, and many people end up in the emergency room due to anxiety attacks.

Who knew?

When Depression and Anxiety Overlap

I didn’t know, but I should have.

This was not my first experience with anxiety. It was my strongest episode, and it certainly got my attention, but it wasn’t my first rodeo.

“I guess I might have an anxiety disorder too,” I said to myself after I learned that it was an anxiety attack.

I had already been diagnosed with major depression years earlier, which is why I used the word “too.”

Along with my diagnosis of depression, I remember being told that anxiety and depression often go together, and that I might have an anxiety disorder on top of the depressive disorder.

But the word anxiety wasn’t in my diagnosis, so I didn’t pay attention to that part.

(Actually, I’m also guilty of ignoring the depression part. Or rather hiding it — from myself as well as others. Click here to read why I stopped hiding my depression.)

Understanding Anxiety

It’s amazing how long humans can ignore their problems. I ignored my anxiety until I couldn’t, until I had an anxiety attack so severe it knocked me on my ass.

I was lucky. My first anxiety attack didn’t send me to the hospital.

The symptoms are so close to a heart attack that many people just go to the ER. And rightly so. You don’t want to mess around with chest pain and palpitations.

Going to the hospital during an anxiety attack sounds to me like just about the worst thing ever. The 10th circle of hell.

The emergency room causes anxiety for a normal person. Now imagine going through all those tests while having the worst anxiety of your life.

Seriously, people who endure that are badasses. They have my respect.

What Anxiety Feels Like

What’s it like to have an anxiety attack, even without the hospital?

For me, it’s a storm that rolls in suddenly, bringing palpitations, sweating, and chest pain. I sometimes hyperventilate as well.

But the worst part is that I lose my ability to think clearly. It’s like I can no longer trust my brain. Something isn’t working right in there.

This is my own experience with anxiety. Other people have different experiences. Common symptoms include: fatigue, sweating, restlessness, shortness of breath, a feeling of impending doom, insomnia, nausea, poor concentration, sensation of an abnormal heartbeat, or trembling.

The Anxiety Epidemic

Anxiety is the most common mental illness in the U.S., and anxiety disorders affect over 18% of the population ages 18 and older (source).

Holy Epidemic, Batman! That’s over 40 million people!

Half of those people also suffer from some form of depression.

I’m one of the millions of Americans who suffer from both depression and anxiety.

Although anxiety isn’t a top killer like depression, it’s still a serious problem, and not just for people with anxiety.

Get this. Anxiety disorders cost the U.S. over $40 billion every year (source).

Unfortunately, the epidemic is getting worse, not better.

The Roots of Anxiety

When it comes to understanding the roots of anxiety, I believe I’m in an unique position.

Okay, maybe not unique.  I’m not the only person on the planet with this combination of qualifications. But I’m still a rare bird, dammit.

I’m qualified because:

1. I have years of personal experience battling anxiety.
2. I’ve been helping people battle anxiety for years.
3. I have years of training in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
4. I have decades of experience with both sitting and standing meditation (more on that later).

My experience with anxiety, meditation, and qi has led me to make the following conclusion about anxiety:

Anxiety is caused by a Monkey Mind that has run amok. When the Monkey Mind runs amok, the qi (or vital energy) also runs amok. And when the qi runs amok, the human nervous system also runs amok.

For those who aren’t familiar with the term, the Monkey Mind is an ancient Zen term for describing the constant stream of internal dialogue in the human mind. The purpose of Zen, and indeed all forms of meditation, is to quiet the monkey mind.

In my tradition, the process of quieting the Monkey Mind is called Entering Zen, and it is the first phase of my 5-Phase Method.

Digging Up The Roots of Anxiety

If my statement about the roots of anxiety is true, then digging up the roots of the anxiety weeds should be simple, right?

To calm the nervous system, we need to calm the qi. And to calm the qi, we need to quiet the monkey mind.

Technically, it is simple. But simple ain’t always easy.

The solution to anxiety is meditation. Meditation gets to the roots of the problem — i.e. the Monkey Mind. In short, meditation gives you the ability to tame that annoying monkey in your head.

And when that happens, the qi flows smoothly, and your nervous system is not agitated.

But what is meditation?

In 21st century America, the word meditation means this:

Unfortunately, this definition is problematic for those of us with severe anxiety.

Moving Away from Sitting Meditation

Meditation is the solution — but not just the sitting kind.

Sitting meditation, done correctly and consistently, is a wonderful solution to anxiety. Perhaps even the ultimate solution. There’s even a growing body of science to back this up.

I recommend Dan Harris’ excellent book 10% Happier for a skeptic’s guide to sitting meditation. Harris is a news anchor who had an anxiety attack on live TV. He’s done some great work in spreading the information and interest about sitting meditation.

However, what Harris misses is that his own positive experience with sitting meditation is atypical for people with severe anxiety.

Asking someone with severe anxiety to start with sitting meditation is like asking a new violinist to start with the Brahms concerto.

(For those who don’t know, the Brahms violin concerto is really really really hard to play.)

This is a sink or swim approach. Some will swim, like Harris. But many will sink.

Many of you reading this know exactly what I’m talking about. You’ve tried sitting meditation, and you failed. It was torture.

No, not just torture. It was impossible.

Meditation Without All That Sitting Around

So what’s the solution for us?

Meditation is still the solution — but not the sitting kind.

This kind:

This image shows a qigong exercise called “Separating Water” that just so happens to be excellent for anxiety.

It’s a snapshot, of course, but the exercise flows beautifully in coordination with the breathing.

For those of us with severe anxiety, the combination of flowing movement and gentle breathing gives us an anchor. It gives the Monkey Mind a banana to chew on.

It’s absolutely critical that the movement not induce anxiety. Unfortunately, the way qigong and tai chi are often taught is anxiety inducing rather than anxiety relieving.

This is because people in the qigong and tai chi world constantly obsess about the form.

The external form is the least important aspect of internal arts like qigong and tai chi, so why obsess?

I give my students permission to butcher the external form of qigong and tai chi. More than permission. Sometimes, when a particular student is trying too hard, and I can see that she is obsessing about the form, I insist that she do it badly.

“That was an A-. Now show me a C+.”

The truth is you don’t even need movement. Watch my free class on anxiety to see how you can reduce anxiety with meditative techniques that have no visible movement.

But gentle, flowing movement is beautiful, and it is liberating for many people with anxiety.

Even a tiny amount of movement, combined with breathing, can make a huge difference. Watch this free class to discover a super-simple qigong exercise that you can do in less than 1 minute.

Taming That Anxiety

I still experience anxiety, but I am grateful to have tools to manage it.

And these tools work amazingly well.

It’s almost like popping a pill for me. If I feel my anxiety rising, I pop a qigong or tai chi pill. And it works every time.

I’m planning to do a 10-day sitting meditation retreat. In this retreat, I’ll be asked to sit for 8-10 hours per day. And there’s no talking either.

There is no way I could conceive of doing this kind of retreat if not for qigong and tai chi. I would not make it through day 1. Heck, I wouldn’t make it through hour 1.

My point is that you work your way up to (down to?) sitting meditation rather than starting with it.

It took me 20 years to fall in love with sitting meditation. But during that time, I had a beautiful affair with qigong and tai chi. 

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post How I Discovered (And Also Tamed) My Anxiety appeared first on Flowing Zen.

Like many depressives, I have a secret. It terrifies me to do this, but I’m going to share that secret with you now.

My secret is that I’m depressive.

Of course, this isn’t news. I’ve been open about my depression since I started teaching in 2005. It’s all over my website.

But you don’t know the whole story. I hid some of it.

And now I’m done hiding.

Why Depressives Hide

First, I need to talk about why I hid in the first place.

Hiding is how depressives survive in this world. It’s not that we’re liars. We’re not. It’s not that we want to hide. We don’t.

We hide because 50% of Americans think that clinical depression is a character flaw rather than an illness.

We hide because, statistically, every other person that we meet thinks that we are weak, not sick.

In other words, half of you probably think that I am weak.

I Am Not Weak

I am depressive, yes, but I am not weak.

Please understand that I am not being arrogant here. Not by a long shot.

Arrogance is actually uncharacteristic of depressives. We put on a good show of normalcy, but underneath, we feel worthless most of the time.

And yet, here I am, saying that I am not weak. This is not arrogance, and it’s not me putting on a show.

This is me being raw and honest.

When I say that I’m not weak, it’s because I’ve learned it the hard way. The battles that I’ve fought, and the scars that I have earned, have forced me to acknowledge my own strength.

Most importantly, if you think that I’m weak, then I’m afraid that you’ll miss my message about depression.

I hope you don’t miss this because you definitely know people who are depressive. And I want you to help them.

Depression is Invisible

I’m certain that you know people who are depressive — friends, family, colleagues. But unless they’ve told you, then you don’t know who they are.

I run a support group for my qigong and tai chi students who are also depressive. Out of curiosity, I asked them how many people had ever witnessed one of their depressive episodes.

For most of them, the answer was 1-5 people. My answer was the same.

Depression is an illness that has shaped, influenced, and scarred me deeply, and yet only a handful of people have ever seen me in an episode.

You may have seen me depressed. That’s what normal people experience. But you haven’t seen me during an episode.

And those episodes are what depression is really about.

Feeling Like A Failure

Since starting this support group for depressives, I’ve learned that some of my students feel guilty that they haven’t yet cured their depression with qigong and tai chi.

As a result, they feel weak. They feel like a failure.

This is heartbreaking for me because I desperately want them to understand that they are not weak.

Some of this misunderstanding is my fault. For years, I spoke about my depression in the past tense. I’ve even been guilty of using the word “cure”.

I simply cannot abide the idea that I might be causing my fellow depressives any additional suffering. I’m here to relieve suffering, not add to it.

And that’s why I’m done hiding.

The Back Story

For those who are new to Flowing Zen, you need to know some of the backstory.

My ex-teacher, Sifu Wong, is all about “curing the incurable” with qigong. It’s his core message, and it should be no surprise that this message sells well. Sick people are desperate to believe in something.

I was one of those people.

This isn’t why I left Sifu Wong. I broke with him in December, 2014 because of a sexual abuse scandal, perpetrated by one of his certified instructors. I believe that Sifu Wong’s behavior was unethical and that his leadership perpetuates an environment where abuse is condoned.

I left because I do not condone abuse. Period.

Distancing myself from his “curing the incurable” message was not my reason for leaving. In fact, I had already been distancing myself from that message for years.

Getting medical training in acupuncture is what first showed me that his message was problematic. “Cure” is a tricky word, not just legally, but psychologically. And when it comes to depressives, the word “cure” can actually do damage.

Setting the Record Straight

Many of my depressive students were also students of Sifu Wong who sided with me during the “divorce”. So it’s understandable that they might still have vestiges of his “cure the incurable” message.

My teaching on this issue changed gradually over time, but I regret that I never made a public statement. I would like to set the record straight now.

To the depressives reading this — If I led you to believe that you had to fully cure your depression in order to be a success, then I’m sorry.

Truly. I apologize from the deepest part of my spirit.

And let me be clear: I am not cured of depression, and I don’t believe that I ever will be.

I’m Not Cured, But I’m Still Alive

Now that I’ve set the record straight, I need to straighten it even further.

Qigong and tai chi haven’t cured my depression, but they saved my life.

These arts are my medicine. They not only saved my life back in my 20s, but have kept me alive — and healthy — into my mid 40s.

When I say that these arts saved my life, I mean it literally, not figuratively. Depression is the 10th leading cause of death in America. It would have killed me had I not found qigong and tai chi.

The Odds are Against Me

Apparently, I have a 99% chance of having another depressive episode in my life.

This is because people who’ve had 3 or more episodes of major depression have a 99% rate of recurrence.

Well shit, I had 3 episodes before I even hit 30! So the odds are definitely against me.

What this statistic doesn’t convey is that depression is highly treatable. A growing body of research shows that mindfulness training is a terrific treatment for depression. (And yes, qigong and tai chi count as mindfulness training.)

When depression is managed well, a recurrence is not such a big deal.

And vice versa — when depression is not managed well, the episodes are a big deal. A huge deal.

Unmanaged depression kills.

I still have episodes, and they suck. But they are manageable, thanks to qigong and tai chi.

Medicine That Works

I believe that talking about “curing” depression only distracts us from a more important conversation. Here’s what we should be talking about, discussing, and celebrating:

When it comes to depression, qigong and tai chi work AT LEAST as well as any medicine or therapy on the planet.

This statement is true for me. It’s true for many of my students. And I believe it could be true for millions of depressives.

The best antidepressant? Qigong and tai chi can compete with that.

The world’s best therapist? Qigong and tai chi can compete with her.

The ultimate, depression-healing environment? Qigong and tai chi can compete with that place.

Sounds pretty good to me!

Isn’t all of this a strong enough selling point? Do we really need to talk about curing depression?

I Am a Success Story

As I said earlier, I need to make it clear that you don’t need to cure depression to be a success.

The same is true for me.

I am still a success story even though I am not cured.

For example, I went over 8 years without a major depressive episode. That is a big deal. That’s a success. A big success.

Instead of feeling like a failure because I had an episode after 8 years, I should feel like a success for having such a good run.

And my good run only ended because of extreme circumstances.

The Year That Could Have Killed Me

Many of you know that 2015 was the year from hell for me and my wife. It wasn’t just stressful: it was the kind of stress that kills people.

Here’s a sampling of some of the major stressors I faced in 2015: Heartbreak over my divorce from Sifu Wong after a 17-year discipleship; hate mail and death threats from Sifu Wong’s followers; a flood in our new house; a cancer scare for my wife; an injury to my psoas muscle that limited my mobility; financial stress connected to leaving Sifu Wong; and the death of my dear, dear grandmother.

And let’s not forget the cumulative stress of running a small business. I’ve been working 60-hour weeks since 2008 to keep the lights on in my studio (and at home). That stress didn’t stop in 2015.

The kind of stress I endured in 2015 was so severe that I know it could spark illness in a normal person.

I am not a normal person. I am a depressive.

The level of stress that I endured in 2015 would have killed many depressives. It certainly would have killed me in 1996, before I learned qigong and tai chi.

And I believe it would have killed me had I not been practicing qigong and tai chi all these years.

Again, let me reiterate that tooting my own horn like this is decidedly uncharacteristic of depressives. I’m mentioning all of this to frame things, and to demonstrate that I am — still — a success story.

In fact, that’s another sign of success – that I can see my own success.

High Functioning Depressive?

“But Sifu, you don’t seem depressive. You get so much done!”

It’s true. I get shit done.

I work like crazy. I’m what is known as a “high-functioning depressive.”

But this term can be misleading.

I am, first and foremost, a depressive. The “high-functioning” part came later, thanks to qigong and tai chi. Before these arts, I was a low-functioning depressive.

My Spiritual Growth

Qigong and tai chi helped me to stay alive, and they also helped me be highly functional.

But these arts also helped me with something far more important.

In spite of my depression — or perhaps even because of it — I have grown spiritually.

It has been said that deep suffering can induce profound spiritual growth. I now know that to be true.

The growth I’ve experienced, especially the last 2 years, is not yet something that I can describe. It’s still too new, too profound. I don’t have the words.

One day, I will write more about it. A book perhaps.

But the important lesson here is this: It was precisely because of qigong and tai chi that I was able to transmute my deep suffering into spiritual growth.

Without these arts, rather than growing spiritually, I would be dead.

I’d say that’s another sign of success, wouldn’t you?

Losing Students

Look, I’m not naive. I know that, in publishing this article, I will lose students.

Some people just don’t want to learn from a person who battles depression.

If that is you, then I wish you well on your journey.

Ironically, I was like that once. I desperately wanted to believe that my teacher, my hero, my leader was perfect. That he was superhuman.

He’s not. He’s human. I learned that the hard way.

Unfortunately, he encourages his students to view him as superhuman.

I won’t do that to my students.

I am not perfect, and I won’t try to hide that fact.

Either I’m enough, warts and all, or you should go find another teacher.

Realistic Expectations

For those who choose to stay with me, I believe it’s important for us to be realistic with our expectations.

Expecting qigong and tai chi to fully and permanently cure clinical depression is setting our expectations too high. We are doomed to failure.

Cure implies 100%. Perfection. And for depressives, perfectionism is the enemy,

But expecting amazing results – results that save lives, results that put many of the orthodox treatments to shame – that’s a realistic expectation.

My mission is to bring these arts into the 21st century.

In these arts,  I see an amazing form of medicine, a viable and affordable option for depressives all over the world, a realistic option for relieving the massive health care burden of depression and anxiety, and a way to turn hopelessness into hope.

So let’s stop talking about curing depression, and instead talk about healing from it.

Thanks to these arts, I’m not only alive, but I’ve grown spiritually. I’m also able to help thousands of depressives all around the world to live healthier, happier, and more meaningful lives.

You don’t need to be cured to be successful with these arts.

And neither do I.

Edit: Your response to this article was so heartwarming and inspiring that I created an online course to show you exactly how I beat depression with qigong. Click here to check out the online course. 

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post Why I Will No Longer Hide My Depression appeared first on Flowing Zen.

Today is Valentine’s day — a day meant for love and chocolate. But typically, that love is given to another person. So is the chocolate.

What if, instead of focusing so much love outward, you focused some of it inward?

Would that be wrong? Would it be selfish?

Nope. It would be wise. It would be healthy. I’ll explain why, and I’ll also explain how you can do it.

If you have trouble loving yourself, then you have an imbalance.  Don’t worry. You’re not alone. Millions of people suffer from the same imbalance, whether they realize it or not.

Yin and Yang

In Tai Chi terms, this imbalance is called a disharmony of Yin and Yang. Love is a form of energy, and like all forms of energy, it must be balanced. Otherwise problems arise.

Love that moves outward is considered Yang. Love that moves inward is considered Yin.

If too much energy moves outward, and not enough moves inward, then you have a Yang imbalance. If you want to be happier and healthier, if you want to have more fulfilling relationships, then you need to balance that out.

The Yang Personality

If you’ve read this far, then you’re probably the type of person who has too much Yang, and not enough Yin (in terms of love).

Chances are, you’re always trying to help people, even if it means sacrificing your own needs and desires. You probably don’t even think that your own needs and desires are important.

Am I right?

How do I know this? Because I’m specifically writing this article for you, not for the other type of imbalance (i.e. those with too much Yin).

Neither the Yin nor the Yang imbalance is better or worse than the other. Both are problematic. It’s the balance point in the middle that you want. 

Like the Buddha said, we want the middle path.  If we tighten the sitar string too much, it will break; if we make it too loose, it won’t play a song.

But this article is directed toward those who are more Yang, those who send too much energy outward.

Nurses, for example, often have this imbalance. When it comes to love, they tend to send it outward. Their love is more Yang.

And they neglect themselves in the process. Often, after 10-20 years in the field, their health deteriorates to a point where they can no longer ignore it.  (And that’s typically when they join my classes.)

More Yin, Please

If you’re like this, then you want more Yin in your life.  And perhaps a little less Yang.  Ultimately, you want the harmony between the two.  It’s this harmony that that leads to both happiness and fulfillment.

This is the secret behind Tai Chi.  When Yin and Yang are in harmony, everything flows effortlessly.  But when Yin and Yang are out of whack, then trouble starts.  This secret holds true for martial arts, for health, for relationships, for the planet, and for the cosmos itself.

This concept of harmony is sorely lacking in our society.  I suspect that, for many of you, the concept is totally foreign.  You’re probably not used to thinking this way.  And that’s okay.  Now you’re learning to think differently!

Save Yourself, Save the World

What do flight attendants teach you before the airplane takes off?

They teach you to first put the oxygen mask on yourself. Why? Because if you don’t put it on yourself first, then you’re going to pass out before you even get a chance to help others.

Do you want to save the world?  Do you want to help as many people as possible?  I certainly do.  That’s my mission.  But people like us often make a critical mistake: We put the oxygen mask on others before ourselves.

This is exactly what we see with nurses and others who suffer from the Yang type of imbalance.   They try to put the mask on everyone else first.  Sure, it works for a little while.  But in the end, this isn’t the best way to help people (or oneself).

The secret is to start with yourself.  Transform yourself.  That will be your gift to the world.

For example, if I had not started with myself, if I hadn’t healed my depression and my sick heart, I would not be able to do what I do today.  I’m able to help so many people today because I put the oxygen mask on myself first. 

Even today, even after all these years, I still have to be careful.  I have a tendency to send my energy outward, to constantly try to help others.  But if I do too much, then I have no energy for myself or my wife.

In fact, I made this mistake in 2012.  I overextended myself, worked 80+ hours a week, and as a result, I began to burn out.  Thankfully, I caught myself.  I know that, if I want to help as many people as possible, and if I want to continue helping them for years and years, then I have to send some love inward.

How to Love Yourself

By now, I hope you see the importance of loving yourself.  That’s the first step.  And it’s a big one.  Once you decide to fix this imbalance, once you commit to sending more love inward, things will start to change.

But how do you do it?  How do you actually start sending love inward?  I’m not going to give you a laundry list of tips for loving yourself.  There are plenty of articles like that on the Internet.  I’m not saying that any of those things, like journaling or  daily affirmations, are bad.  But to me, there’s one thing that you can do that is more important — and more effective — than anything else.

Start to meditate.

By meditating daily, you will automatically start to love yourself more.  It’s a natural result of quieting the mind.   The self-talk and self-doubt gradually disappear, and your natural self gradually appears.  And when you start to see your natural self, it will be easy to love it simply because it is loveable

“To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.” ~Thich Nhat Hanh

But sitting meditation probably isn’t for you.  Unless you are lucky enough to find an amazing teacher, sitting meditation will be hard.  You’ll do better with moving meditation, like Qigong and Tai Chi, or even Yoga.  If you don’t have a teacher, then you can start with my free stuff, or Lifting The Sky (and keep an eye out for my upcoming book).

Make Yourself a Priority

For me, meditating daily (with Qigong and Tai Chi) is a priority.  It’s even more important than teaching.  If I don’t take care of myself, how am I going to take care of my students?  So I make the time to practice every day.

A few weeks ago, a student from out of town wanted to schedule a private lesson with me in the morning. It was the only time that she had available. But I teach in the evenings, so the morning is my personal practice time.

Even though she offered to pay me $200 for my time, even though she needed my help — I said no to her.

It wasn’t easy.  I truly wanted to help her.

But my personal practice time is sacred. It is precious to me. It is my way of sending some love inward, every single day.

(By the way, the student ended up rearranging her schedule and coming to class in the evenings.  So in the end, everyone got what they needed.)

It’s precisely because I see my life as valuable and meaningful that I make the time to meditate every day. That’s one of my secrets to discipline. Meditating is a priority, every single day. In fact, I don’t think there’s anything I do in a day that is more important than practicing.

Do you see your own life as valuable and meaningful? Can you embrace this philosophy of sending love inward, of taking care of yourself first? I hope so because the world desperately needs people like you.  And we need you to be happy, healthy, and balanced.

I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below. Did this post resonate with you?  Do have any questions? Go ahead and post a comment below. It’s easy.

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post How (and Why) You Should Love Yourself More appeared first on Flowing Zen.