Twenty-two years ago, I made a decision that would ultimately save my life.

That decision was as follows: I vowed to practice a particular qigong exercise (called Lifting The Sky) 10 times every day, no matter what.

This decision eventually led to a solid daily qigong practice – a practice that has managed a debilitating and life-threatening case of depression for over 22 years.

At the time, it didn’t seem like a big decision. I mean, it takes less than 2 minutes to do. All I knew was that I needed change. I also knew what hadn’t worked for me in the past: Resolutions.

It’s ironic because this WAS a New Year’s Resolution. And yet, it was different than other resolutions I had made in the past. Instead of resolving to quit smoking or exercise more, I resolved to do something simple and small every day.

As the new year rolls around, many of you are thinking about ways to improve your health and well-being. Maybe you’re thinking about exercising more. Or maybe you want to eat better. Or maybe since you’re reading my blog, you’re thinking about practicing qigong.

Resolving to practice qigong for 30 minutes daily in 2023 is a noble goal, but it’s also unrealistic. Studies show that, 2 years later, only 19% of people will have kept their resolution. Those are odds are not good enough for us.

My goal as a teacher is to help you make qigong a daily habit, something that you’ll not only be practicing 2 years from now, but 10.

But if resolutions don’t work, then what can we do instead? Luckily, there’s a straightforward answer to that question: focus on habits.

Habits > Resolutions

It’s natural to want to make changes and improvements in our lives. That part of the equation is good.

The problem is that resolutions don’t take human behavior into account. Resolving to lose weight in 2023 is a fantastic idea, but what does that mean, exactly? Can you simply lose weight by resolving to do it?

To lose weight, you’ll need to change your behavior. And to change your behavior, you need habits. Otherwise, you’ll need to motivate yourself every day.

With habits, there’s no motivation required once they are established. Do you need to motivate yourself to brush your teeth, or does it happen automatically?

This is why habits will always be greater than resolutions. Habits are small, consistent actions that we do automatically, without any fuss or muss. Habits are much easier to stick with than resolutions. That’s because they become a part of our daily routine, and when something is a part of our routine, it’s much easier to keep doing it.

How to Succeed with Habits in 2023

Here are some simple but important tips for adding new habits in 2023.

1. Start small. Instead of resolving to practice qigong every day for 30 minutes, resolve to practice for 2 minutes every day. This way, you’ll build up confidence and momentum.

2. Make it a daily habit. The truth is that a daily habit is easier than 3-4x per week. When you do something daily, it’s easier to do it consistently.

3. Find a trigger or reminder. If you want to start flossing every day, set the floss next to your toothbrush or in a place where you can easily see it. You can also add a reminder on your phone. 

4. Be patient and realistic. Habits take time to form, and it’s normal to have setbacks along the way. Don’t get discouraged if you miss a day or two. Be kind to yourself.

5. Find an accountability partner. Having someone to check in with can be a great way to stay on track. Whether it’s a friend, family member, or a professional coach, having someone to support you can make all the difference.

6. Celebrate your successes. It’s important to recognize and celebrate your progress along the way. Whether it’s a small victory or a major milestone, take the time to acknowledge and reward yourself for your hard work. Did you do 30 days in a row of your new habit? Awesome! Celebrate!

7. Don’t beat yourself up. It’s normal to have setbacks or slip-ups when trying to create new habits. Don’t let these setbacks discourage you. Instead, use them as an opportunity to solidify your desire to create this new habit.

8. Start with adding instead of subtracting. Quitting smoking is a wonderful goal. (Click here to read how I quit smoking years ago.) But adding a healthy new habit is easier than subtracting a bad one. Start with adding good habits. Eventually, these will help to crowd out the bad ones.

In Summary

Focus on creating habits rather than making resolutions. This is how you’ll make lasting changes. Habits are more effective than resolutions because they don’t require motivation and because they take human behavior into account. So don’t just make resolutions – make habits, and watch in amazement as your health improves in 2023 and beyond.

What habits will you add to your life in 2023? Which tips above are you most excited to implement to reach those goals? Let me know in the comments below!

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post Don’t Make Resolutions, Make Habits: How to Get Healthier in 2023 appeared first on Flowing Zen.

It’s 2020. Bottoms up!

If you’re like me, then you’ve been drinking more heavily in 2020 because of all the stress. The world is on fire (literally and metaphorically), so we desperately crave stress relief. And alcohol serves this purpose perfectly — until it doesn’t.

In this post, I’m going to encourage you to join me and millions of others worldwide for Sober October. I’m also going to give you some tips, including qigong tips, that will make things even easier for you.

But from the beginning, I want you to understand that I am not a monk (not yet at least). For most of my adult life, I’ve drunk alcohol to varying degrees, from a low of maybe 4 drinks per week to a high of maybe 30 per week when I was battling depression.

So there is no “holier-than-thou” vibe in this post.

I first heard of Sober October in 2019. I saw a post on Instagram on October 2nd and decided, hey, I’m going to do this.

So I did just that. Even though I was late to the party, I jumped in and did 30 days without booze. In fact, I felt so good that I did 30 more right after it, just because!

My Experiments Without Alcohol

During my divorce in 2018, I started to drink heavily. I felt like my life had fallen apart and so I started to drown my sorrows in bourbon each night.

Cliche much? Yes, but it’s cliche for a reason.

One night, as I was drinking alone in my apartment, I started to have suicidal thoughts. The thoughts were mild, but they were definitely present.

I’m not a stranger to suicidal thoughts. However, I’m also well aware of the dangers. In 2017, the suicide rate was highest among middle-aged white men, who accounted for almost 70% of all suicides. At the time, I was a 46-year old man with a history of suicidal depression who was also going through a tough divorce. Danger, Will Robinson!

And so, without really knowing what I was doing, I decided to quit drinking for 30 days. Alcohol, I decided, was too dangerous for me during a divorce.

30 Days Without

I did 30 days without booze, using kombucha each night instead of my usual bourbon (see the tips below). And you know what? It really wasn’t that bad.

Within a week I started sleeping better. After 2 weeks my energy levels were much, much higher. And after 3 weeks my depression had stabilized even though the divorce process was still as stressful as ever.

Most importantly, the suicidal thoughts disappeared completely. Hey, maybe they call alcohol a depressant for a reason?

Yes, I missed alcohol, but the cravings were in my mind more than anywhere else. Thanks to qigong, I was able to use mindfulness to deal with these mind cravings (more on that later).

At one point, I actually went out to dinner with a friend and watched him drink beer while I drank Perrier.

I cannot tell you how impossible this had seemed just a month earlier. Go out to dinner without drinking alcohol? While other people are drinking around me? Impossible!

And yet, I did it. And you know what? It wasn’t that bad.

Is Alcohol Good for You?

I’m willing to bet good money that, by now, your brain is conveniently reminding you of the many research studies showing that alcohol, in moderation, is good for you.

I’m not going to argue against that research. I am, however, going to point out one key word: moderation.

Look, you’re reading this post for a reason. You know that you left moderation in the dust a few months back, and even if you’re not ready for Sober October right now, you’re at least thinking, “maybe next year.”

Good. That means you recognize the problem. Moderation has eluded you.

If you’ve said to yourself, “I’m not an alcoholic,” then I’m going to throw down the gauntlet: Prove it. A month without booze should be no big deal, right?

I used to worry that I was an alcoholic. But now, I know who’s boss because I proved it to myself. I know that I can quit drinking any time for 30 days or more (see below).

The Excuses

But 2020!

But RBG!

But my kids are driving me nuts!

But the election!

But Oktoberfest!

But I need to support my local liquor store!

Look, you will never run out of excuses, especially this year. If you want to justify drinking alcohol, there’s nothing I can say to convince you otherwise. And I’m not judging you either. It’s been a shitty year.

On the other hand, the beauty of Sober October is that it’s just 30 days. Afterward, you can go back to drinking — just in time for the election and the holidays!

Make it Annual

I contend that we should all do Sober October every year. If you choose to keep drinking, that’s totally fine. I’m not asking you to quit completely.

But I’m telling you that 30 days off can change your life.

Think of how strong you’ll feel if you make it through 30 days. At the very least, you will have showed alcohol who’s boss.

Even Classical Chinese Medicine is supportive of an annual Sober October!

According to Chinese Medicine theory, Autumn is a great time to detox your system and let go of what isn’t serving you.

This season is associated with the Metal Element, and the energy of Metal is all about letting go. Think about the trees this time of year — they’re letting go of their leaves. The is the process of cleansing that leads to the eventual renewal in springtime.

The Benefits of Sober October

When we think about going 30 days without booze, most of us think of hardship and struggle. While it’s true that Sober October will be a challenge, it also comes with many benefits.

1. Control: Quitting for 30 days will give you a powerful feeling of control over your own destiny. You will will feel like you’re back in the driver’s seat.
2. Nutrition: Alcohol interferes with nutrient absorption, especially the B vitamins. Taking a month off will help you to take in the nutrients you’ve been missing.
3. Sleep: If you’re not sleeping deeply and waking up feeling rested, then you will never fully heal. Sleep is critical. Despite the myths, alcohol disturbs the normal sleep cycles. Do 30 days without booze and you’ll see just what you’ve been missing.
4. Insulin: After just 1 month, your insulin resistance will improve. This is a very good thing.
5. Weight loss: Along with better insulin resistance, you may lose a few pounds in October simply by cutting out alcohol. Or if you don’t lose pounds, you will probably lose a few inches, which is even better because it means you replaced fat with muscle.
6. Immunity: Alcohol disrupts your immune system. A month without booze will boost your natural immunity.
7. Mental clarity: You’ll be amazed at how much more focused you will be at work. You’ll also make decisions more easily.
8. Cash money: How much money will you save on alcohol this month? Do the math. Is it $75, $150, or even more? What will you do with that money at the end of the month?
9. Energy flow: Personally, I was amazed at the improved energy flow after quitting for just 30 days. This is reason enough to do it. Your qigong will jump a level in just 30 days. How cool is that?

If You Stumble

A central part of my qigong teaching is a Japanese proverb :

七転び八起き
Nana korobi, ya oki
Fall down 7 times, stand up 8

(I don’t speak Japanese so someone please correct me if this is wrong. I’m guilty of googling.)

This proverb can change your life in many ways. What I love about it is that it puts failure in the forefront. It tells you, from the very first word, that you’re going to fall.

That’s my kind of proverb!

The key is to get back up. And if you get back up one more time than you fall down — congrats! You’re winning at life!

If you fall and have a drink during Sober October, fine. That’s a failure, but it’s not the end of the world. Get back up and finish the month.

Even if, after 30 days, you fall down several times — keep getting back up.

The big mistake here is in thinking that you are practicing failure. Don’t allow thoughts like, “I’m such a loser I can’t even do 30 days without alcohol.”

Instead, recognize that you are practicing GETTING UP after each fall.

“I’m such a badass that I’m going to get up and try again.”

9 Tips for Sober October

So you’ve decided to give it a try? Great! Here are some tips based on my own experience:

1. One day at a time. This is the advice that AA gives its members, and hey, wouldn’t you know it? It works! For us, it’s even easier because we’re only doing 30 days. No big deal.

2. Drink kombucha. Technically, kombucha contains a tiny bit of alcohol because it’s fermented. But it’s a tiny amount. If you need to sip something in the evenings, then kombucha works great. Pour it in your favorite wine or bourbon glass. If it’s too sweet, then cut it with some sparkling water.

3. Do qigong. Most of you reading this already know qigong. For those who don’t I’m giving away a $100 course for free during the pandemic. Qigong is the PERFECT addition to Sober October because it provides us with instant stress relief. Even just 2 minutes of qigong can make you feel sooooo much better. Try it.

4. Walk. You’re going to have more energy very soon. Good. I suggest that you reinvest that energy into walking. This will help you to detox, help you to keep yourself busy, and also help you to get some fresh air, which is always a good thing.

5. Commiserate. I’ll be posting about Sober October in our free Facebook group and encouraging my students to try it. If you need to kvetch about something, or if you just need a pep talk, the post in the group. Not only will you get responses from your qigong classmates, but I’ll chime in too if you tag me!

6. Out of sight. I recommend that you put all alcohol out of sight for October. Put it in a closet where you won’t see it. Don’t trigger your subconscious cravings by keeping it in view.

7. Drink water. You probably don’t drink enough water. The rule of thumb is to take your weight in pounds, divide by half, and then convert that to ounces. So if you weigh 150 lbs, then you need to drink 150/2 = 75 ounces of water each day. If that sounds like a lot, then you’re probably chronically dehydrated. This is a great opportunity to hydrate your body. You’ll be amazed at how much better you feel.

8. Use Square Breathing. Mindfulness is all the rage, but what does it really mean? Square Breathing is a simple technique that you can use to increase mindfulness, which in turn will greatly help with your alcohol cravings. I have found that just 4 Square Breaths can kill virtually any craving. It’s like magic. Click here for a free workshop I gave on the topic of anxiety. I teach Square Breathing at the 33:32 mark.

9. Stand up 8 Times. I explained this Japanese proverb already, but I’m putting it here too because it’s so useful. If you fall down, if you sneak a drink during Sober October, then get back up.

Will you be joining us for Sober October? I’d love to hear from you in the comments.

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post Challenge Accepted! 30 Days Without Booze appeared first on Flowing Zen.

Note: this article was originally published on March 6, 2020.

The new coronavirus (COVID-19) is all over the news. The word “pandemic” is being tossed around by the media and even a few experts. Toilet paper is in short supply. People are freaking out.

What can you, as a practitioner (or wannabe practitioner) of qigong, do to defend yourself against this deadly virus?

In this article, I’ll give you the most level-headed advice that you’ll find anywhere on the internet. No really. It’s pretty crazy out there. Be careful who you take advice from, including (ahem!) certain politicians!

Speaking of being careful, I’m not a doctor, an epidemiologist, nor an immunologist. I claim no expertise except in the self-healing art of qigong.

I do, however, have a robust immune system (thanks to qigong) and I have studied Chinese Medicine for nearly 2 decades. I also owned a wellness center during the H1N1 (Swine Flu) pandemic of 2009. Oh, and I traveled to Asia to learn qigong right in the middle of the SARS pandemic! (Crazy, right?)

Still reading? Interested in my opinion (plus some cold hard facts)? Let’s dive in…

If it Bleeds, it Leads

In high school, I worked for the school newspaper. Even back in the late 1980s, I was well aware of a phrase that sums up the news business:

“If it bleeds, it leads”.

This phrase reminds us that the news industry love articles with blood, danger, death, and fear — because those articles sell. Those articles ALWAYS lead, meaning that they go on the front page.

Unfortunately, good news just doesn’t sell. That’s not how the human brain is wired. We’re wired to notice threats and that’s why the news is always full of bad stuff.

I’m not saying that there’s nothing to worry about or that you shouldn’t take steps to protect yourself from this coronavirus.

My point is simply this: It’s all-too-easy to get overwhelmed by the news.

And vice versa — many people are so desensitized to the constant stream of negativity from the media that they’re just ignoring the coronavirus news entirely. That’s not a good idea either!

Shoot for the goldilocks zone in the middle — where you acknowledge that the media loves stories about fear, but you also acknowledge the essential facts of the current situation.

Here’s a quote that I love:

“I honestly don’t believe that man was meant to know everything going on in the world all at the same time. A man turns on the TV and all those commentators bombard him with the local, the national, and the international news. The newspapers do the same thing and the poor guy with all the immediate problems of his own life is burdened with all those of the whole world.” – Richard Proenneke, from “One Man’s Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey”, first published in 1973.

Cold Hard Facts about COVID-19

Instead of listening to the media (or politicians), where can you get advice?

I recommend Johns Hopkins rather than the Center for Disease Control (CDC). So far, the CDC has proven to be bogged down by red tape and politics. If you want the latest, science-backed information about COVID-19 then look no further than this link:

Click Here for Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center (and bookmark the page for later)

On that page, you’ll even find a global map of the coronavirus cases, recoveries, and deaths.

And they even have an infographic with some of the basic facts about COVID-19.

The Flu and Your Immune System

Many people (including certain politicians, ahem) don’t realize that the regular flu is deadly. For perspective, here are the leading causes of death in the US for 2017:

1. Heart disease: 647,457
2. Cancer: 599,108
3. Accidents (unintentional injuries): 169,936
4. Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 160,201
5. Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 146,383
6. Alzheimer’s disease: 121,404
7. Diabetes: 83,564
8. Influenza and pneumonia: 55,672
9. Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis: 50,633
10. Suicide: 47,173

The regular flu is a top-10 killer. Every year, 30-80k Americans die from it. So that’s not good news.

But there’s good news too: The regular flu DOESN’T kill millions of people.

For example, last winter, 42.8 million DID NOT die from the flu despite contracting the virus. How cool is that!!

How to Fight the Coronavirus

What if I told you that your immune system is the ONLY way to overcome this coronavirus?

Since there’s no vaccine available yet (and there won’t be one for 12-18 months), this is a no-brainer. It’s the obvious truth.

But what if I told you the same thing is true of the regular flu?

“The flu shot!” you might argue. And you’d be partially right. But only partially.

Many people mistakenly think that the flu shot works like antibiotics, that it just kills the virus somehow. But it doesn’t.

The flu shot works by stimulating your immune system and tricking it into fighting the virus. It is basically a chemical signaling mechanism.

Your immune system does all of the heavy lifting by creating antibodies (also called immunoglobulins) which then go to fight the virus.

Your Mighty Immune System

Remember the 42.8 million people I mentioned earlier who got the flu but didn’t die? How did they do it?

Quite simply, their immune system kicked the flu’s tiny little ass.

Let’s look at some numbers:

• Of those 42.8 million people, only 37%  got the flu shot, or roughly 15 million people.
• The flu shot is only effective 67% of the time. (In other words, even if you get the flu shot, you have a 1 in 3 chance of it not working.)
• This means that, of the 15 million people who got the flu shot, 5 million survived without the help of the vaccine.

I’ll do the math for you and sum up: roughly 32 million (out of 42.8 million) people beat the flu without the help of the flu shot. 

And it’s likely that the number is much, much higher because some people, like yours truly, have such strong immune systems that they only get sick for a day or two and thus don’t bother seeing a doctor.

This is NOT The Flu

Let me be absolutely clear: COVID-19 is not the regular flu. Current estimates suggest that COVID19 is 10-30 times more deadly than the normal flu. You should take the coronavirus seriously, especially if you are elderly.

But there’s a dilemma here, and it’s an important one.

Taking this situation seriously is one thing, but succumbing to fear is another matter entirely.

If you’re in a constant state of panic over the coronavirus (or the stock market, or anything else) then you’re actually wreaking havoc on your best defense mechanism!

How To Suppress Your Immune System

The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. Someone smart said that.

Here’s how this relates to COVID-19: Fear suppresses your immune system.

Remember what I said about newspapers selling fear? If you constantly read the newspaper, then you are constantly suppressing your immune system.

Look, I’m not suggesting that you be irresponsible. There are practical steps you can take to protect yourself (see below).

But if you TRULY want to protect yourself, then you must ALSO take steps to protect your immune system.

Of course, there are some important things you can do to increase your odds, most notably — wash your hands. More on this later. But my point is that if you are running around in fear, then you are compromising your immune system.

The big takeaway here: there are many ways to support your immune system (see below), but panicking and running around thinking that the sky is falling is NOT one of them. 

Fear and your Gallbladder

There’s another problem with fear. In Chinese Medicine, the Gallbladder Meridian is responsible for making decisions. But when you’re constantly afraid, the Gallbladder Meridian’s ability to make decisions is compromised. (Water not nourishing Wood, for the Five Element geeks out there.)

Modern science is saying the same thing. When you’re afraid, you make bad decisions, forget things, and generally walk around as if you have blinders on.

Remember what that smart person said about the only thing we have to fear?

It’s bad enough that fear suppresses your immune system, but it also makes you dumber! Yikes!

Staying sharp is critical for protecting yourself against the coronavirus. For example, if you’re trapped in fear mode then you might forget to wash your hands — which is basically the #1 thing you can do to protect yourself (and others).

11 Practical Tips for Protecting Yourself

Okay, now that we are no longer freaking out, now that your mind is a little clearer, here are some tips, both Eastern and Western, to protect yourself:

1. Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap. Here’s how to do it right: Sing “Happy Birthday” to yourself as you wash. Then sing the “How old are you now” part. When both parts of the song are finished, you’re done, but not before. This should take about 25-30 seconds. Don’t forget to wash all parts of your hands, including between your fingers and under your nails.

2. Practice qigong every morning to engage your immune system. (If you don’t know any, you can learn some qigong for free right here). The ancient Chinese masters said that qigong activates our “wei qi”, which translates to “guardian energy”. In other words, practicing qigong activates our immune system, which is precisely what modern research is discovering about qigong. The best news here is that you only need about 2 minutes of qigong to activate your wei qi. Do something that I call the 2-Minute Drill several times per day to keep your wei qi flowing smoothly.

3. Don’t touch your eyes or nose when out in public. Seriously. You have to break this habit, but it won’t be easy. If the virus gets on your hands it’s no big deal — unless you touch a mucous membrane like your nose or your eyes. The average person touches their face over 10 times PER HOUR! It’s going to require a good amount of mindfulness to stop touching your face. Speaking of mindfulness…

4. Use Square Breathing when out in public (see the video below). The Navy SEALs use this ancient method to stay calm and focused during their missions. You can use it too. I’ve experimented with this while going grocery shopping, and it definitely helps me stay more mindful, which means that I don’t touch my face as often.

5. Take supplements. Take anything that you feel boosts your immune system. Personally, I like to take high doses (1000mg 3x per day) of vitamin C because I’ve had experience with it working, and also because of promising ongoing research in this area (link, link, and link). But take whatever you like. Even if that supplement turns out to be a placebo, it can still help to protect you! Placebos can work even when you know that they are placebos! (link)

6. Get plenty of sleep. The research is clear — people who don’t get quality sleep are more likely to get sick after being exposed to a virus. You’ll need better sleep hygiene for this, which is a hot topic on the internet. If you want to get started, I recommend Dave Asprey’s blog post on the subject.

7. Don’t panic. Be responsible and take action, but don’t panic or else you will shatter your immune response.

8. Don’t shake hands with other people. This is an outdated habit and we should all stop. You are literally saving lives if you stop shaking hands with other people. Use prayer palms, a fist bump, or Spock’s Vulcan salute. Doing this will not only protect you from the coronavirus but the regular flu as well. (Note: people in China are greeting each other by touching their feet in order to protect from the coronavirus. Cool!)

9. Take Vitamin D3 supplements (with K2). There is some evidence to show that Vitamin D3 (with K2) protects against acute respiratory tract infection, which is the real danger of COVID-19. Supplementing with Vitamin D is safe as long as you take it with K2. So you’re looking for Vitamin D3 with K2. If you do get COVID-19 and start to get the respiratory infection, take your Vitamin D3!

10. Carry hand sanitizer. They make wipes and gels and sprays. Use whatever you like. I bring sanitizing wipes with me to the supermarket, but many groceries now have them as well. Use them. Wipe down the shopping cart handle, wipe your hands after you pay the cashier, and maybe wipe the cart one more time to pay it forward. (Note: if you can’t find any in your area, you can make your own hand sanitizer using this recipe.)

11. Practice One Finger Zen all day long. If you know some qigong and you can feel qi, then this is a great option for while you’re out and about. I wrote an entire blog post and shot a video on the subject. Check it out here.

So there you go. Those are my thoughts on COVID-19. Now I’d love to hear from you. What other ways do you support your immune system? Let us know in the comments below.

And if you found this article helpful, please share it with friends and family. Knowledge is power!

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post 11 Practical Tips For Dealing with the Coronavirus 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.

I’m writing this from a beach town in Costa Rica where I’m decompressing after a wonderful week at our retreat center in the mountains. All week, I’ve been teaching my heart out to the next generation of qigong instructors. It was an incredible week.

For those who are curious, I created this video redux, which gives you a glimpse of our week in the mountains. (Turn your sound on!)

(Click here if you want to get notified about the 2019 Costa Rica Retreat.)

Now I’m at the beach, and things are different. Here, I’m all alone. I don’t get to share delicious meals — lovingly prepared by the world’s happiest staff — with my students.

Nor do I get to practice in refreshing, 55-degree mountain air with a million-dollar view.

Here at the beach, it’s 80 degrees and humid at dawn. Okay, fine. I still have a million-dollar view. You caught me.

But many people would use the heat, or just traveling in general, as an excuse to not practice qigong.

Not me. I no longer struggle to practice, not even while traveling, not even in 80-degree heat.

I just practice.

If you think this is going to be a holier-than-thou post, read on. It’s definitely not.

I still struggle — just not with qigong.

The Struggle is Real

For example, I’m supposed to be working on my book this week. Technically, I’m on a writing retreat, not a vacation. I’m no good at taking vacations. I don’t think I’ve taken a full week off since I began teaching in 2005.

I’m not proud of this. I don’t think that my workaholism makes me a better person. But then, I love my work, so it always feels strange to stop completely.

And yet, even though I love my work, I still struggle, especially with writing.

If you’re a writer, then you know what I’m going through, just like I know what beginning qigong students are going through.

Writers are notorious for avoiding their work. Most of us never feel so good as while writing (except perhaps while qigonging), and yet we still struggle.

We resist the focus that is necessary to produce good, creative work.

I’m resisting writing my book right now by writing a blog post instead. It satisfies my inner critic because he counts this as “work”. And yet, it’s not the work that I should be doing right now.

I’m not focusing the way I should be focusing.

For those keeping score, I’ve been working on my book for nearly 2 years. I’ve faced some big life challenges during that time, but all writers face challenges. It’s no excuse.

In my defense, I have written 85,000 words, so progress is being made despite the snail’s pace. The first draft is almost finished, and then I’ll move on to the editing process. But first, I need to write about 8,000 more words.

I could do that this week — if I focused.

Focus, Focus, Focus

(Note: The links below are Amazon Affiliate links, which means that I receive a tiny commission if you use them, at no cost to you. I would highly recommend the book though, with or without the commission. You won’t be disappointed.)

In the book, Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World, Cal Newport describes the ability to concentrate deeply on your work without distraction as a modern superpower. I like that description a lot.

Being able to focus, to go deeply into our creative work  — this is a skill that requires superhuman inner strength.

For example, my teaching in the art of qigong emphasizes the importance of entering into a meditative state BEFORE doing any qigong exercises. We call this Entering Zen, and it requires focus.

Entering Zen is a form of focus, a form of deep work. It’s also a superpower.

This morning, as I felt myself resisting my work on my book, it occurred to me that the same thing happens with my qigong students. And although it has been years, it used to happen to me.

We resist the “work”, the focus, the Zen — even though we know that once we’re in it, we will feel wonderful.

Am I Worthy?

People are quick to blame smartphones and devices, and I think there’s some truth to that. But I also think there are some worthiness issues at work here.

Maybe we don’t feel worthy of being healthy and happy. Or maybe we don’t feel like we deserve to be pain-free.

I often feel that way about my writing. I don’t feel worthy of publishing a book. I’ve read so many great books over the years, and who the hell do I think I am to try to follow in those authors’ footsteps?

Same phenomenon, different art. I’m betting that literally thousands of you reading this can relate to this phenomenon.

You KNOW that qigong will make you feel better, that it is good and important work, and yet you resist.

I know this because I’ve seen you struggle, and also because I struggled myself.

4000 Days of Focus

If you know my story, then you know that I struggled not only with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) but also with my daily qigong practice. I struggled to focus, even for just 2 minutes a day.

So when I see my students struggling to make qigong a daily habit, I empathize. I’ve been there. I totally get it.

But I killed that dragon. My record is 4000 days of qigong practice in a row. And even after I broke my streak, I only missed a day or two.

I suspect that there are published writers reading this who empathize with my book struggle. I’m betting that they’ve mostly solved the resistance issue and found a way to write consistently, just like I’ve found a way to practice qigong consistently.

Many of you, despite your ability to do deep work in one area of your life, still struggle to focus when it comes to qigong.

And the reverse is true for me. I no longer struggle with my qigong practice, but I do with my writing practice.

Why We Resist

All of us — and I mean every single one of you reading this article, and also myself — struggle to do things that are good for us.

• We don’t eat the things we should;
• We keep eating crap that we shouldn’t;
• We don’t exercise enough;
• We don’t meditate enough;
• We don’t sleep enough;
• We spend too much time staring at screens;
• We don’t spend nearly enough time staring at the wonder of nature.

Publishing my first book will be good for me, and also for thousands of people. And yet I resist. I’m resisting right now!

This morning, as I practiced my qigong on the beach, I had an “aha” moment, a micro-awakening. And this petite awakening is what I really want to share with you today.

The “Spiritual” Dimension

Here’s what I realized:

An inability to focus is not just a mental issue, nor is it just a willpower issue; it’s also a spiritual issue.

Okay, maybe this is not earthshattering news, but awakenings rarely are. People who are Enlightened often end up saying, in so many words, that “it’s all love.” Nothing is more hackneyed than that phrase, and yet, it’s probably still true.

And anyway, mine was a micro-awakening, not Enlightenment with a capital E!

Stay with me here.

I don’t use the word “spiritual” very often because it’s tricky. It means different things to different people. To some, it is a beautiful and profound word. To others, it just means a bunch of woo woo nonsense.

I’ve built my teaching career mainly on Medical Qigong and Martial Qigong, not Spiritual Qigong. And that was entirely on purpose.

The world is full of people making premature claims to enlightenment, and I don’t want to be viewed as one of them.

You know, like this guy:

I am not that guy. I am not Enlightened. Of course, neither is he. The difference is that I’m not bullshitting you.

However, I see now that I need NOT be Enlightened in order to talk about spirituality. 

In fact, I now believe that I MUST start talking about spirituality if I want to continue helping my students grow. And I definitely want to help my students to grow. That’s all I ever want.

The War of Art

For over a decade, I’ve tried to help my students build willpower and create healthy habits. I have a zillion blog posts on the subject and even an online course. And I’ve helped a lot of people with these efforts.

In The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles, Steven Pressfield talks about the resistance that all artists face.

The book begins as a helpful and entertaining work for artists and entrepreneurs, but about halfway through, it takes a turn down a more metaphysical, dare I say “spiritual” path.

I’m also taking a turn down a more spiritual path.

Don’t worry. I promise not to get all woo woo on you. My approach to spirituality will be as no-nonsense as my approach to qigong.

But What is Spirituality?

It’s not religion. That’s something altogether different, and it’s none of my business.

But spirituality is my business, and it’s your business too, whether you’re religious or not.

There are many ways to define spirituality. Most definitions include a sense of being connected to something bigger than ourselves, and also being connected to each other.

To me, spirituality is simpler.

To be spiritual means to train your mind so that your consciousness can expand out of the mundane and begin to perceive the profound.

Artists tap into different states of consciousness and give us glimpses of true reality. In this sense, we could call art spiritual.

Mindfulness is a buzzword, and it’s definitely part of this. In my opinion, if you practice mindfulness deeply, then you will start to perceive more.

Slaying the Internal Dragon

For example, I need to train my mind in order to overcome my resistance to finishing my book. I need to escape the mundane and gain perspective so that I can glimpse the profound.

This is not just a mental process, but a spiritual one. It’s not just a matter of me using a mental trick or simply forcing myself to write.

To tackle this issue once and for all, I need to go within. I need to alter my perspective on writing, and on life. I need to master my fears and doubts, overcome my sense of unworthiness, and slay a huge, internal dragon.

And that’s EXACTLY what you need to do to overcome your resistance to practicing qigong.

Go within. Alter your perspective. Master your fears and your doubts. Overcome your sense of unworthiness. And slay that internal dragon.

This is spiritual. It is the path of the spiritual warrior. It is the hero’s journey, and it ain’t easy.

If you were hoping for a simple self-help trick to help you do this, I’m sorry. That’s not how the Cosmos works. If there were a simple trick, then billions of people wouldn’t be struggling to focus!

But here’s what I can offer you instead. I can offer to help you, with my teaching and my writing, along this path. Together, we can work on slaying our internal dragons.

Let me be clear that we travel this path together, not as Master and Disciple, but as a tribe of likeminded humans, hand in hand, helping each other as best as we can.

If you liked this post, the please scroll down and click the Facebook or Twitter buttons below my bio. And if you have a comment or question for me, I’d love to hear from you in the section below! 

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post The Real Reason We All Struggle to Focus appeared first on Flowing Zen.

“Do you sell Chinese incense?” I asked.

The year was 1995, and the young man behind the counter seemed to be a caricature of a NYC smoke shop employee. He had thick dreadlocks, a Bob Marley t-shirt, and he looked stoned out of his mind.

I was not his usual customer, however. I was there on a very specific mission.

“Sure, we’ve got incense, man,” he said. He gestured casually in the direction of the incense sticks, right next to the bongs.

“I’m looking for really long sticks,” I said after taking a quick look and not seeing what I wanted. “Like a foot long.”

“Yeah man,” he said. “We’ve got some like that.” He disappeared into the back of the shop and returned with a foot-long tube covered in Chinese writing. It smelled like smoky perfume.

Mission accomplished! I paid the man and left the shop with thoughts of my Incense Stick Horse Stance…

Incense Stick Horse Stance?

When my first Sifu proudly said that he had an “incense stick horse stance,” I was confused. My mind immediately went to that old kung fu movie with Jackie Chan.

In the movie, Jackie Chan’s character was punished in the Horse Stance, where he had to sit with bowls of hot tea on his thighs, shoulders, and head — plus a hot incense stick below his butt (see image below). I assumed that this is what my teacher was talking about.

This particular teacher of mine was extremely stern, and asking questions was tricky business. At times, a question would get you a swift rebuke. Other times, you would be rewarded with a fascinating lecture.

I was intrigued by this “incense stick horse stance” idea, and I wanted to know more. One night, a bunch of us took our Sifu out to a Japanese restaurant, and I saw my chance. Sake was flowing freely, and I worked up the courage to ask him a question.

“Sifu,” I said, filling his sake cup in the traditional manner. “Can you tell us more about the Incense Stick Horse Stance?”

He paused for a moment, and I was afraid I was about to get reprimanded. But he broke into a big smile and then proceeded to tell us how hard it had been to get his Horse Stance up to one incense stick.

“My training was tougher than yours will ever be,” he said. “We just sat and sat in Horse Stance, watcing the incense stick burn and enduring.” He paused and sipped his sake.

“And not one of those sissy incense sticks,” he clarified. “Chinese incense sticks!” He held both index fingers about 15 inches apart, indicating the length. “At least one hour,” he added as he drained his sake.

Aha! That’s when I suddenly understood. My Sifu didn’t use an incense stick below his butt; he used it to time how long he could endure in a horse stance!

He was right to be proud. To do a horse stance correctly for 1 hour is an amazing feat. Most people can’t do 2 minutes. Even college athletes can’t make it past 5 minutes.

The Origin of the Method

When you’re deep in meditation, the passage of time can be elusive. This is probably why monks began using incense sticks to time their meditation sessions.

Actually, there’s something called an Incense Clock (香鐘, lit. Fragrance Clock). This is an ancient Chinese timekeeping tool that uses incense sticks. It’s a clever idea. You can read more about it on Wikipedia.

I don’t know if kung fu masters (including tai chi masters) got the Horse Stance idea from monks, or from the Incense Clock. Either way, this incense trick can still be found in many different schools of kung fu.

Unfortunately, it’s a dying art, which is a shame. I think that many 21st century students can benefit from this method.

Let’s see if we can keep it alive in a more modern context.

Who Can Benefit from This Method?

If you learned qigong the traditional way (see #18 on this list), then you would be taught the Horse Stance, and nothing else, for the first 3 months of your training.

As you can imagine, if I taught the traditional way, then I would have exactly 4 students (you know who you are).

Teaching qigong in the 21st century needs to be more modern. Most of my students are not interested in a 1-hour Horse Stance. They just want to get healthier, and a 15-minute daily qigong session is challenging enough.

The beauty of the incense stick method is that it can be used by students at all different levels.

You can benefit from this method whether you are:

• a new qigong or tai chi student struggling to practice 15 minutes a day
• an ambitious kung fu student who likes the challenge of a 30-60 minute Horse Stance
• a seasoned tai chi practitioner who wants to increase their practice time

I’ve already written trillions of articles about willpower and discipline. Do we really need another article on the subject?

The answer is yes. We need all the help we can get. I think that this incense stick trick is another good tool to keep in your box.

If this article inspires one person to be more diligent with their practice, then I’ve done my job as a teacher.

Japanese vs. Chinese Incense

For most of you, the foot-long Chinese incense sticks won’t be helpful. They simply take too long to burn.

Sure, you could cut off some of the stick to shorten the duration, but there’s a simpler method.

I like this Japanese incense. My first Sifu would call them “sissy sticks,” but that’s okay. I think underneath he would be happy that people are using the method, even if it’s an abridged version.

These sticks are shorter and last for about 20-30 minutes, depending on the humidity. So they are already more useful than the foot-long ones.

But Japanese incense is different. There’s no stick running down the center. The entire thing burns, which means that you can also break the sticks in half — and still use both halves.

These sticks are perfect for setting a minimum practice session for qigong, especially with Flowing Zen Qigong where the standard session is about 10-20 minutes.

A big box contains 200 sticks, and also comes with a little holder that works great. They also have smaller boxes of 50, and you can buy them in many different scents.

How to Use Incense With Your Qigong or Tai Chi

By now, the method should be pretty clear, but here is the step-by-step breakdown:

Step 1: Light your incense stick. I keep a small Bic lighter inside my box of incense. The Japanese incense above comes with a small stick holder, so the entire thing is self-contained. The ashes just drop down onto the sticks, so there’s no mess.

Step 2: Begin your session as normal. Don’t do anything special, but try to make it a really high-quality session in order to set your baseline. (If you don’t know any qigong, click here to start learning for free.)

Step 3: Look at the incense stick. How much is left? Did it burn down completely?

Step 4: Rinse and repeat. Try to develop the habit of simply lighting the incense stick to initiate your practice session. Even if it’s just going to be a short session, try lighting the stick anyway.

Why It Works

Of course, you can use a digital meditation timer, a cube timer, or a sand timer. I’ve used all of these, and they can be helpful.

But I still prefer the incense stick. Here’s why I think it works so well:

1. The Visual Reward: There is a feeling of intense pride at watching your box of incense sticks empty gradually over time. I like to write the start date on the box so that I know how long it takes me to go through all 200 sticks.

2. The Olfactory Reward: For me, the smell of incense is wonderful. I guess this is where the word “inspire” comes from because as soon as I light a stick, I’m inspired to practice.

3. The Power of Ritual: If you light an incense stick every morning, it becomes a ritual. Later, simply lighting the incense stick will help to initiate your morning practice, even if you’re feeling lazy.

4. Analog vs. Digital: I don’t know about you, but the last thing I need is another digital device in my life. I appreciate analog options whenever I can get them, and incense is as analog as it gets!

5. Portable Discipline: When I travel, it’s easy to bring my ritual with me. The smaller boxes of incense work great. Be aware that some hotels frown on incense, but I tend to stay in Airbnbs these days anyway.

Wrapping Up

There you have it, the simple incense stick trick that can dramatically improve your willpower.

How do you feel about incense? Love it or hate it? Do you have a favorite kind? Let me know in the comments below!

And if you decide to give this trick a try, I’d love to hear how it works for you. 

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post Build Willpower like a Kung Fu Master with This Incense Stick Trick appeared first on Flowing Zen.

I once practiced qigong for 4000 days in a row. That’s 11 years without missing a single day.

You’re probably imagining me as someone with tons of willpower and lots of healthy habits.

And you’d be right — if you were imagining me in my present form.

Today, I have boundless willpower, I eat my vegetables, I exercise regularly, and I even floss.

But back then — back before I did my 4000 days in a row — I was a different person.

This person, this former me, was just coming out of a severe episode of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).

He had recently, and seriously, thought about committing suicide.

He smoked a pack of cigarettes daily, drank a 6-pack of beer every night, and ate vegetables only when they appeared on pizza, and even then reluctantly so.

He, this former me, was a hot mess.

So how did he change?

How did he transform from someone with minimal willpower and a basket of bad habits into the type of person who practices qigong 4000 days in a row and eats 6 servings of vegetables every day?

To help you transform your own life, I’ve distilled my success into 8 simple secrets:

Secret #1 – I Started Small

First, let’s back up. When I said that I practiced qigong for 4000 days in a row, were you imagining me doing hours of qigong every day?

Or perhaps a half hour?

At least 15 minutes, right?!? I mean, come on now!

No, no, and no.

The first secret to my 4000-day streak was that I did just 2 minutes on many of those days.

Sure, I did 15 minutes or even 2 hours on some days. And as I built momentum, those days happened more and more often.

But I didn’t start there. I started with just 2 minutes.

I now know that this is called a “tiny habit” and that there’s research to back up what I discovered on my own.

But I didn’t know that back then. At the time, I had never heard of tiny habits, and I had never read a book or article on willpower or habit making.

So how did I do it?

Well, I had one big thing going for me: A long list of failures (see secret #6).

I had already failed to quit smoking, to practice qigong daily, to change my diet, to get a meaningful job…

All of those failures, combined with my growing depression, led me to a dark, dark place.

So when I set out to change my life, I didn’t bother with the usual optimism and say, “I’m going to practice qigong for an hour a day for 4000 days!!!”

No. I knew I was a failure (see secret #6), and that I need a goal suitable for people like me.

(As an aside, I later learned that this phenomenon is called “depressive realism”. Apparently, we depressives are MORE realistic than non-depressives. Who knew?)

With only the tiniest dose of optimism, I said the following to myself:

“I’m going to practice qigong for a least 2 minutes a day for 30 days.”

Secret #2 – I Spent My Willpower Wisely

Are you imagining that I’m somehow different than you, that I was born with more willpower?

If I’m different than you, then I changed AFTER the 4000 days, not before.

Back then, I had almost no willpower. Everything I touched seemed to turn to failure.

But here’s what I discovered.

All humans have A LITTLE willpower, no matter how bad things are.

The trick is to be stingy with that willpower and spend ALL of it on one habit.

(And make sure it’s a tiny habit – see secret #1.)

Again, I think I got lucky.

I was so beat up from my past failures that I didn’t try ANYTHING else for those first 30 days.

I quit quitting smoking. (Click here to read my article on why you shouldn’t quit smoking.)

I stopped worrying about my diet.

I made peace with my crappy job.

In other words, I used ALL of my available willpower (which was minimal) to do my 2 minutes of qigong.

All of it. Every last drop.

And you know what? I STILL struggled.

One night, I was in bed when I suddenly realized that I had forgotten to do my 2 minutes.

I won’t lie. It was an epic act of will to get my ass out of bed and do 2 minutes of qigong.

“But you said that you didn’t use willpower!!!”

Hold your horses.

I said that I didn’t need any willpower for 4000 days, and that’s true.

But I DID need a teensy amount of willpower for the first 30 days or so.

This is the big secret that I didn’t know at the time, and that you probably still don’t know, which is the next secret…

Secret #3 – I Focused On Habit Building

If it still requires willpower, then it’s not a habit (yet!).

Real habits don’t require willpower.

Do you need willpower to brush your teeth? No, because it’s a habit. There’s no decision to be made, no hemming and hawing, no guilt. You just brush your teeth and get on with your day.

That’s a real habit. It’s on autopilot, and it happens effortlessly.

That’s what I did with my 2-minute qigong habit.

I spent all of my limited willpower (secret #2) on practicing qigong for 2 minutes a day (secret #1) until it became a real habit (secret #3).

The first 30 days consisted of 2 minutes of the worst qigong you’ve ever seen.

I mean, it was awful stuff. Even if you know nothing about qigong you would know that it was awful.

It was a struggle, but after about 30 days, something magical happened.

You know how you wake up some mornings and, before you know it, before you’re really awake, you’ve already brushed your teeth?

Well that happened with qigong.

I was still groggy. I was getting ready for work. And then it hit me.

I had done 2 minutes of qigong without even trying! It had just happened!

That was a huge win for me.

Another win was that I had done 30 days in a row, something that had seemed impossible 30 days earlier.

I had a streak going. Every day, I put a check box on my calendar. I liked seeing all those check boxes.

(I now know that this is called The Seinfeld Method, named after the comedian’s method for writing every day. I didn’t know this at the time, but maybe all those years of watching Seinfeld paid off somehow?)

With 30 check boxes in a row, it was an easy decision to shoot for another 30.

And then another.

And before I knew it, I had 4000 in a row.

Secret #4 – I Took Stress Seriously

We all know we’re stressed out, but not many of us take it seriously.

We only take stress seriously AFTER something breaks, AFTER our health suffers.

But for some reason, I took stress seriously, even in my 20s.

Maybe it’s because my grandfather, who I never met, died of a heart attack in his early 50s.

Or maybe it’s because I was already broken, because I knew that something was terribly wrong with me, and I knew that it was connected to stress. (It wasn’t until later that I was officially diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder.)

Whatever the reason, I was serious about de-stressing, and I knew that it was up to me to do.

I don’t remember where I heard this, but I do remember hearing a saying that went something like this:

Showering doesn’t last, and neither does stress relief — which is why both must be done daily.

I was only doing 2 minutes a day, but I was doing SOMETHING, and that alone helped me to feel good about myself, which in turn relieved some of my stress.

And of course, the more qigong that I did, the more stress I relieved, and the better I felt, creating positive feedback loop.

Secret #5 – I Added Before Subtracting

I desperately wanted to quit smoking. Every day, 20 times a day, I felt like a complete asshole when I lit up.

But I had tried to quit, and failed. Over and over.

So I decided to quit quitting. The idea was to get some healthy habits going first.

And you know what? It worked like a charm.

Years later, I quit smoking for good. I haven’t had a puff since then, and I never will.

But before doing getting to that point, I had already added several healthy habits to my life.

I started with 2 minutes of qigong. Then, quite naturally, I started to eat better and exercise more. And so on.

In other words, I added the good before subtracting the bad.

Secret #6 – I Failed

Sometimes students look at me as if I’m perfect.

The look on their faces say, “How would YOU know what I feel like?”

I always want to punch that look right in the kisser!

I know failure, dammit!

Years ago, the title “master” made me uncomfortable. I winced whenever people used it on me.

Two quotes changed my mind:

‘The master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried.” – Stephen McCranie

“An expert is a man who has made all the mistakes which can be made, in a narrow field.” – Niels Bohr

I’ve failed more at qigong than the beginner has even tried. I’ve made all the mistakes which can be made in the field of qigong.

I’m a master.

I know failure. The key is that I learned to embrace it as part of my journey.

Secret #7 – I Embraced Mindfulness

Speaking of embraces, I also embraced mindfulness.

This was the late 1990s. Mindfulness wasn’t in vogue yet.

But somehow, I knew it was the big secret. I knew that I desperately needed it in my life.

I had tried Japanese style sitting meditation (zazen), and failed miserably (see secret #6).

I had also tried yoga. Another failure.

I tried karate, and although I succeeded with the fighting aspects of the art, there wasn’t much mindfulness in there. I might as well have been practicing soccer.

But I didn’t let the failures stop me, and I kept looking.

I knew, on an intuitive level, that I had lost control of my life and my habits, and that mindfulness was the only way I was going to get it back.

The latest research proves that I was right. Here’s a quote from an article from PsychCentral:

“Mindfulness helps people feel less defensive when exposed to important health messages — such as “stop smoking so you can live longer” — and more likely to be motivated to make changes”

Secret #8 – I Found the Right Art

“I feel like I’ve been waiting my whole life to learn qigong!”

I hear this from a lot of students, regardless of their age.

I felt the same way. It just clicked for me. I knew I was home.

I’m not saying that qigong is for everyone. It’s not. I don’t think the cosmos works like that.

Qigong is not for everyone, but mindfulness absolutely is.

Don’t give up on mindfulness, even if you’ve failed with other arts in the past.

If you haven’t tried qigong, then please do so. Maybe it will feel like coming home.

How to Create Habits That Stick

I’m so passionate about this subject that I poured my knowledge, my experience, and my heart into an online course called:

2 Minute Qigong: The Key to Creating Habits That Stick

This online course is all about using a 2-minute daily qigong practice as a gateway to other healthy habits.

Sound familiar? It should because it will show you all of the secrets mentioned in this article.

May this course help you to transform your life for the better, starting with just 2 minutes a day!

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post How to Do 4000 Consecutive Days of Qigong (No Willpower Required) appeared first on Flowing Zen.

If you’re like most 21st century humans, then you make your resolutions in January.

It never works, but you do it anyway.

Oh, don’t worry. You’re not alone. The failure rate for new year’s resolutions is about 92%.

What if I told you that the problem wasn’t with your willpower, but rather with your timing?

There is a better way to make resolutions — a method based on the wisdom of the ancient Chinese masters who discovered qigong, acupuncture, and feng shui.

If you want to learn about this method, then this article is for you.

What is a Resolution?

First, let’s define “resolution”:

resolution

noun

1. the act of resolving or determining upon an action, course of action, method, procedure, etc. 

In other words, a resolution is simply a firm decision that leads to action.

Humans are capable of making firm decisions that lead to inspired actions.

Although we normally associate resolutions with the new year, we can make them any time of year.

In fact, January is a terrible time to make a resolution!

This is good news for you! You didn’t fail because you’re broken; you failed because your timing was wrong!

The Ancient Chinese Approach

To better understand our failure with New Year’s Resolutions, let’s look through the lens of an ancient Chinese paradigm called The Five Elements.

Once you look through this lens, you’ll not only understand why you’ve failed in the past, but you’ll immediately understand how to flip your failure into success.

The Theory of The Five Elements is a philosophy that is central to many Chinese arts, including qigong, tai chi chuan, acupuncture, herbal medicine, therapeutic massage, and feng shui.

You’ve already heard of the grandmother of the Five Element Theory.

It looks like this:

That’s the symbol for the Theory of Yin and Yang, and it’s closely tied to the Theory of The Five Elements.

See the colors surrounding the yin-yang symbol above? Those actually represent The Five Elements.

When I was in acupuncture college, we spent months learning about the interrelated theories of Yin and Yang and The Five Elements. These theories form the foundation of Traditional Chinese Medicine, so they’re super important.

But luckily, you don’t need a deep understanding of The Five Elements in order to benefit from it. 

For example, I bet you’ve already gained perspective at least once in your life by viewing things in terms of a balance of yin and yang, right?

Maybe it went something like this:

“My work/life balance is unhealthy. I need to find more of a yin-yang harmony between them.”

Or this:

“That type of exercise is too yang for me. I need something more yin.”

We’re going to do something similar right now, but using The Five Elements instead.

A Quick History of The Five Elements

First of all, you need to understand that The Five Elements are not really elements. This is not a periodic table containing elements like hydrogen and oxygen.

The ancient Chinese masters didn’t believe that the cosmos was made of only 5 physical elements. 

The Chinese term Wu Xing (五行) is actually really hard to translate. Here are a half dozen translations, which I hope will help to give you a broader perspective:

1.            The Five Elements
2.            The Five Phases
3.            The Five Agents
4.            The Five Movements
5.            The Five Processes
6.            The Five Stages

The Chinese masters discovered that a wide variety of phenomena in the universe could be explained by a 5-phase paradigm.

These 5 phases were described using symbols: Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, and Wood.

You’ll typically see The Five Element chart presented in this order:

If you want to learn more about The Five Elements, then please let me know in the comments section, and I’ll write more about them in future articles.

For the purposes of this article, all you need to know is this:

Each element has an energy to it, and each of those energies is associated with a season.

So for example, the Water Element is associated with an energy that retreats. In the Water Element, we see stillness and storage, like a bear hibernating in the winter.

The Wood Element, on the other hand, is associated with an energy that grows and sprouts. With this Element, we see new vitality and budding life, like flowers beginning to blossom in the spring.

The Wood Element

If you want to start eating healthier, then that’s a new habit that you want to “sprout”. That’s the energy of the Wood Element.

And here’s the crux of this article: New plants don’t sprout in January.

The Wood Element is one of growth, which is ideal for adding new habits. And the season for the Wood Element is springtime, not January.

I bet that you can feel the truth of this.

For example, here in Florida, spring has already sprung, and it’s something that you can feel all around you.

In other parts of the Northern Hemisphere, spring will come over the next 1-2 months.

(If you’re in the Southern Hemisphere, then you’ll have to wait to feel it.)

As spring blossoms, try to feel the energy.

• Do you feel more alive?
• Do you notice the morning air not only filling your lungs, but inspiring you?
• Do you have more energy to do things?
• Is it easier to make decisions?

There’s a reason why houses and desks are more likely to get cleaned out during the spring. Spring cleaning is a perfect example of the energy of the Wood Element!

And THIS is precisely the energy that you want for your resolutions, not the energy of winter and the Water Element.

When to Let Go of A Bad Habit

Notice that I specifically mentioned adding a healthy, new habit, not letting go of a bad one.

The energy of The Wood Element is for new growth, not for letting go.

The energy of letting go belongs to the Metal Element, like trees letting go of their leaves.

If you want to let go of of a bad habit like smoking, then your chances are better if you wait for the energy of the Metal Element in autumn.

The same goes for letting go of bad relationships, or quitting a job that is killing you.

By all means, make a firm decision this spring.

Decision making is associated with your Liver and Gallblader Meridians, both of which are part of the Wood Element.

That’s why it’s easier (but not necessarily easy) to make big decisions in the spring.

But if you want to let go of a bad habit, I strongly recommend that you don’t decide now, and then wait for autumn.

Remember that resolutions are not just about decisions, but about following a decision with action.

Make the decision now to quit that habit in autumn, but take action now — action that will support your habit later.

Why Adding a Habit is Better Than Subtracting

The research on habit-building shows that it’s far easier to add a good habit than to eliminate a bad one.

In other words, even if you decide that you’re going to quit a habit this autumn, you’re going to need all the help you can get.

Why not add a habit this spring that can help you to better let go this autumn?

I truly believe that qigong is one of the best habits that you can add, and that now is the time to do it.

Research is mounting that shows that mindfulness can help you to be more motivated to make big life changes.

And when it comes to mindfulness, it’s hard to beat qigong.

Even just 2 minutes a day of qigong will help you to be better prepared to make other, healthier changes down the road.

So if you want to let go of a bad habit, don’t just wait for autumn, but add a good habit right now.

Make a Smart Decision

Look back, and you’ll see that some of the biggest and best changes in your life came after making a strong, clear decision.

But you also DID something after making that decision. In other words, your decision or resolution was followed by action.

If you’re inspired to make a decision this spring, that’s wonderful! Just be careful not to write a check that you can’t cash.

Here’s an example:

“I read this great article online, and I’m inspired to make changes! I’m resolving to go to the gym 5 days per week, starting tomorrow!”

If you’re already going to the gym 3 days per week, then this is doable.

But chances are, you’re not going 3 days per week, or even 3 days per month.

If haven’t been to the gym since January 4th, then this kind of decision is a mistake.

Decisions can be powerful, but they have to be done right. Don’t just make a decision; make it a smart one.

The Beauty of Tiny Habits

As research grows on habit making, you’ll be hearing more and more a about tiny habits.

I’ve been talking about tiny habits for years, and I’m happy to see that the research is catching up.

In fact, a tiny habit saved my life years ago. That tiny habit was simple: 2 minutes of qigong every day, no matter what.

I recommend that you use the energy of the Wood Element to pick a tiny habit that requires little to no willpower.

Here are 9 life-changing habits that require zero willpower.

There are a bunch of options in that article, but I still recommend that you choose qigong.

Make A Change, Starting Now

If, right now, you decide to practice qigong for 2 minutes per day, and you follow through on that decision — then you will forever alter the rest of your life.

2 minutes isn’t a high enough dosage to give you the amazing results that my students get, but you’ll still get results.

And more importantly, it’s a habit! The #1 reason students fail with qigong is because they fail to make it a daily habit.

So start with 2 minutes.

Click here to start learning qigong right now, for free.

(If you’ve already got a 2-minute qigong habit, then resolve to do 4 or even 8 minutes per day — no matter what.)

It’s easier if you do this with a friend. Share the free course with them, and then the two of you can be accountability partners.

You don’t need to live near them. Just check in every week and keep each other honest with your tiny habit.

Or you can join our Facebook community and share your wins and struggles there. We’ve got a great group!

But act now. Take the energy of the Wood Element, and use it to sprout a new, healthy habit in your life!

Start now, with a clear conscience. Now that you know that it wasn’t your fault, now that you know your timing was off, you can let go of all your guilt from past failure.

What tiny habit will you add now that your slate is totally clean?  

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post Why Ancient Chinese Masters Saved Their Resolutions for Springtime appeared first on Flowing Zen.

Everyone wants more willpower. More, more, more!

And that’s because everyone knows that willpower is like magic fairy dust. Sprinkle this dust on a decision, and POOF!! Things start to change, like magic.

And vice versa. Nothing happens without willpower.

If you decide that you want to exercise more, but you’re fresh out of magic willpower dust — then nothing’s gonna change.

That’s why everyone wants more.

But many people don’t know what willpower really is.

For example, I meet many people who say that they’d LOVE to practice qigong.

When I ask them why they don’t, they give the same answer: “I just don’t have enough willpower.”

In other words, they think that they need willpower BEFORE practicing an art like qigong.

This is bass ackwards. The exact opposite is true.

Qigong is the perfect choice for people who struggle with willpower. Here are the top 10 reasons why:

1. It builds willpower

Willpower is like a muscle. If you don’t use it, then it gets flabby.

If you feel like you lack willpower, then your willpower muscles are flabby.

Qigong is how you’ll whip those muscles into shape.

Do you need more endurance before starting a jogging habit? No, jogging is precisely the thing that will help you build more endurance!

The same is true with qigong — it is precisely the thing that will help you to build more willpower.

The latest research suggests that practicing mindfulness meditation every day builds willpower by nurturing the gray matter in your brain. (Click here to read more about why qigong is a form of mindfulness meditation.)

Everyone is talking about meditation these days. For example, in her book, The Willpower Instinct, Dr. Kelly McGonigal talks about building willpower through meditation. She even offers guided meditations.

In my experience, qigong is even better at building willpower than guided meditations and sitting meditation.

I’ve seen qigong build willpower in people who swore that they were hopeless. I’ve seen it work where everything else has failed.

2. It only takes 15 minutes

Many people think that you need to dedicate an hour or more to qigong.

That’s just not true of many styles of qigong, and it’s certainly not true of Flowing Zen Qigong.

Do you have 15 minutes?

The basic qigong routine that I teach is roughly 15 minutes long, and that’s enough to get remarkable results.

Of course, I have students who practice longer than 15 minutes. But that’s because they WANT to.

At that point, it’s a labor of love, and willpower is no longer an issue.

3. Okay fine, it only takes 2 minutes!

We all have bad days, especially when we are still building our willpower muscles.

Some days, we don’t even have the willpower for 15 minutes.

That’s where the 2-Minute Drill comes in!

The 2-Minute Drill saved my life. It’s how I developed the daily habit of qigong, even while wrestling with clinical depression.

I had zero willpower, so I just practiced for 2 minutes. That’s it.

Sure, my results were less spectacular than if I had practiced for 15 minutes, but that didn’t matter. What mattered was that I practiced every day!!

Practicing for 2 minutes every day gradually gave me the willpower to practice for 15 minutes per day. From there, I gradually worked all the way up to 3 hours per day!

I started with 2 minutes. And you can do the same.

(If you want to try approach, then I recommend that you try my 30-Day Energy challenge, which is great for building a 2 minute daily routine. It’s free.)

4. It’s stress relieving.

Did you know that stress drives you to increase your current habits?

For example, if you smoke, then stress will drive you to smoke more. (I know this from experience.)

But here’s something you might not know: It doesn’t matter if your habits are good or bad.

In other words, stress can drive you to good habits just as easily as it drives you to bad habits.

If you have a healthy habit like qigong, then stress will drive you to do it more.

The more stressed out you are, the more qigong you’ll practice!

5. It’s not physically demanding.

Exercising is hard.

Qigong is easy.

You don’t need equipment, you don’t need special clothes, you don’t need to schlep to the gym, and you don’t need to break a sweat.

All of those things require willpower, and all of those things are unnecessary with qigong.

6. It’s feels great

There are few things in life as enjoyable as a good qigong session.

For those of us who’ve been practicing for years, qigong is like the best drug ever. Not only does this drug get us high on life, but it has no negative side effects!

Gimme another hit of qigong, dude!

7. It’s medicine.

Qigong is enjoyable to practice — but even if it weren’t, I would still practice it daily.

Why?

Because it’s my medicine. If the medicine works, then I’ll take it even if it’s terrible and bitter.

But qigong isn’t bitter! It’s delicious!

If qigong had a warning label, it would read:

Side effects may include spontaneous mood elevation, increased willpower, and deeper sleep.

8. The form is not important

In qigong, the physical movement is the least important aspect. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

I actually encourage my students to butcher the physical form. This frees them the dreaded disease of perfectionism.

When you stop worrying about the form, you’re free to enjoy your breathing. You’re free to enjoy the exercise, even if it’s not perfect.

Many students tell me that this freedom is what made them fall in love with qigong.

9. It’s not a martial art (but it can lead to one later)

Don’t get me wrong. Martial arts are a fantastic way to build discipline.

I’ve practiced and taught various martial arts since 1992. I can say, without equivocation, that martial arts are not for everyone.

If martial arts are not for you, then Qigong is a fantastic choice. It gives you a kung-fu-free approach that still has many of the same benefits.

And later, if you change their mind and want to try a holistic martial art like tai chi, then you’ll be well prepared, thanks to qigong.

10. Maturity matters.

To become a world-class violinist, you need to start learning before the age of 5.

Not so with qigong. In fact, maturity is an asset for this art.

Why do they say that youth is wasted on the young?

It’s because when you’re young, you don’t fully appreciate how amazing it is to be healthy, to have full mobility, and to be able to eat whatever you want.

But as you age, you start to appreciate the little things.

Maybe that’s why they also say that life begins at 40?

As you age, you not only develop a greater appreciation for health, but you also develop qualities that are essential for qigong — like patience, an appreciation for subtlety, and a broader perspective.

The truth is that most people who start qigong before adulthood don’t stick with it.

But adults who fall in love with qigong often make it a lifelong practice.

“I feel like I’ve been waiting my whole life to discover qigong.”

That’s a statement that I hear from a lot of students.

Qigong gives you the opportunity to reinvent yourself at any age. And of course, it also gives you plenty of magic willpower dust to implement the necessary changes!

You might also enjoy: Tips From a Kung Fu Master: Willpower Isn’t What You Think

What about you? Do you struggle with willpower? If so, have you tried qigong yet?

Or have you already used qigong to build willpower?

Either way, I’d love to hear from you in the comments below! 

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post 10 Reasons to Try Qigong If You Need More Willpower appeared first on Flowing Zen.

“If I could smile from the heart, then I wouldn’t be so !@#$%& depressed!”

I didn’t say it out loud, but I thought it really loud.

I had traveled thousands of miles to learn from a world-renowned qigong master, and I was desperate to feel better.  

“Smile from the heart!” he said in his strange, Chinese-Malaysia accent.

This wasn’t just advice. He was teaching us a Zen meditation technique.

The other students seemed to get it. But I was depressed, and I didn’t.

In fact, I fought back the urge to let out a cynical laugh. Instead, I kept my cynical thinking to myself (see above).

Later in the workshop, I told the master that I was having trouble with the smiling heart thingamabob, and asked him if he had any advice.

He told me not to worry, not to intellectualize, and to just “smile from the heart”.

In other words, just do it.

For years, I tried to “just do it”. But it didn’t really work for me. I struggled for a long time.

In retrospect, having taught the same technique to hundreds of depressives, I know that it is natural for us to struggle more than non-depressives.

But I also know that this technique is critical — for depressive and non-depressives alike.

It’s like a key that turns on the ignition of your energetic healing system. It’s also the key to leading a happier life.

So yeah — it’s rather important.

Students are always telling me how Smiling from the Heart changes everything. Honestly, it may be the most powerful thing that I teach (and I teach some pretty powerful stuff!). The longer I practice, the more I realize that Smiling from the Heart is probably the secret to life, the universe, and everything.

Here’s what a student recently told me about Smiling from the Heart:

I think learning how to smile from the heart is the thing that changed my life. Experiencing it legitimized qigong for me. Someone can argue all day long about these arts being woo-woo or whatever, but experiencing smiling from the heart — no one could ever touch that with any kind of argument. That’s genuine spiritual stuff, and no one could ever convince me otherwise. – Melissa Coast 

This article is my sincere attempt to help you to “get” what the student is talking about.

I’ll do my absolute best to give you a more complete answer than “just do it” so that you don’t waste years like I did. (I’ll also answer your questions below.)

Try It Now

It’s easier to help you understand this technique if you have an experience of it.

Do you have 4 minutes? Yes, of course you do!

Close your door, turn off your phone, and follow this free 4-minute meditation right now:

If you absolutely can’t do it now, then at the very least least schedule a time to do it.  If you don’t put it on your schedule, then it won’t happen.  Schedule it now!

If you listened to the audio, then you heard me saying following:

Smiiiiile from the Heaaaaart!

I was practically singing the words as I said them, right?

And that’s because I was smiling from the heart as I spoke!

The Flower Sermon

See, it gets confusing because the description of the technique and the name of it are the same. Really, the name of the technique is about as good as it gets when it comes to describing the technique with words.

When students ask me to explain Smiling from the Heart, I always think of the following story:

In roughly 500BC, the Buddha gave what would later be called the “Flower Sermon”.  Hundreds of disciples sat in front of him, ready for another of the Buddha’s powerful sermons.  But this time, he didn’t say a word.  Instead, he just held up a beautiful flower and smiled.

Of all the disciples there that day, only one, Mahakasyapa, grasped the sermon.  The rest were puzzled and confused. But Mahakasyapa smiled.

Seeing his reaction, the Buddha said: “I possess the true Cosmic eye, the marvelous mind of stillness, the true form of the formless, the subtle technique that does not rest on words or letters but is a special transmission outside of the scriptures.  This I entrust to Mahakasyapa.”

Stop Intellectualizing!

Except for Mahakasyapa, all of the Buddha’s disciples were busy intellectualizing.

Is the flower symbolic? What does it mean? Is the Buddha referring to the different petals of his teachings? Has he gone crazy?

But Mahakasyapa’s mind was clear. Because his mind was so clear, because he wasn’t stuck in what we call the Monkey Mind, it was natural for him to smile when the Buddha held up the flower.

I mean, flowers are beautiful! It’s actually weird NOT to smile.

Here’s a photo that I took on our ranch in Florida:

The Origins of Zen

The Zen tradition started roughly 1000 years after the death of the Buddha. Bodhidharma, the 1st patriarch of Zen, summed up his teachings as follows:

• Not recorded in language or words.
• Transmission beyond the tradition.
• Directly pointing at the mind.
• Entering enlightenment in an instant.

Not coincidentally, all of Bodhidharma’s teachings also apply to Smiling from the Heart:

• Smiling from the Heart is difficult to describe (or record) in language or words.
• Smiling from the Heart requires a transmission to really get it (like the audio above).
• Smiling from the Heart points directly at the Zen Mind (and skips over the Monkey Mind).
• When you Smile from the Heart, you feel it in an instant.

From Heart to Heart

During his Flower Sermon, the Buddha was doing more than just holding up a flower.  He was projecting energy and information.  There was a broadcast on that day 2500 years ago —  a transmission that Mahakasyapa received, and the others missed.

The Buddha’s disciples blocked themselves that day. Like the Buddha’s disciples, many modern students struggle with Smiling from the Heart. If you are busy worrying about how to do it, or if you giggle thinking that it’s silly, or if you wonder whether the smile should be on the face or not — then you’ll miss what we call the heart-to-heart transmission.

Why?  Because thoughts and worries will block the flow of qi (or energy). Until you let go of your thoughts and worries, until you are able to stay in the Zen Mind, you’ll continue to be baffled by Smiling from the Heart.

11 Reasons to Stick With It

Look I understand that it can be hard to understand Smiling from the Heart. I’ve been there.

I’ve done my best to explain in words something that can’t really be explained in words.  But it may not be enough.  Some of you are probably still scratching your heads.  And that’s fine — as long as you persevere!

So until you get it, until you are able to grasp Smiling from the Heart beyond words, maybe I can inspire you to just keep on trucking.  Here are 11 things that you can look forward to once you get the hang of Smiling from the Heart:

1. It gives you an instant shot of happiness, no matter what else is happening in your life.
2. It is the real secret to healing with qigong, tai chi, and meditation.
3. It boosts oxytocin levels and lowers blood pressure.
4. It activates the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS).
5. It’s the ultimate, all-purpose spice for life.  Everything is better when you Smile from the Heart (including food and sex).
6. It instantly creates more inner peace.
7. It’s the ultimate tool for creating more focus.
8. It’s great for creating healthier relationships.
9. It’s a powerful stress-buster.
10. It’s an effective way for athletes to get into the “zone”.
11. It feels awesome!

When you finally get it, when you suddenly realize how life-changing this one technique can be, then please contact me and say, “You were totally right!”

Or if you already recognize the awesome power of Smiling from the Heart, then go ahead and leave a comment below so that you can inspire others.

Note: This article was original published in 2012, but was completely revised and updated in 2016. 

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post [Audio] Instantly Increase Your Happiness With This Easy Zen Technique appeared first on Flowing Zen.