Chi Pat Down

Give yourself a "chi pat down" to wake the body up and get out of your head!

Most of us spend most of our time in our heads. With all the many things we must do in an average day we find that we must be constantly thinking. This dose not leave much time for us to live in our body's. Even when we do something physical like working out or some recreational physical activity we find that most of the time spent in these activity's we are thinking in one form or another. Weather we are aware of it or not this is very draining on our natural energy sources.

We can find a resting point, a still point in a very natural, open "feeling attention of our body". I often use a technique called "Chi pat down" when I don't have time to do a workout or seated meditation. It only takes 5 minuets and does the trick.

Step by step Chi pat down.
1). With both your hands make a slight cupping hand position using "soft hands". You will use these soft cupping hands to pat down your whole body from feet to head.

2). In a standing position start at your left ankle and pat rapidly the inner and outer leg all the way up to the hip and inner thigh. Do the same for the front and back. Then do the same for the right leg, sides , front and back.

3). Starting at the upper thighs pat all the way up the stomach to the top of the chest, then with the right hand pat from the left shoulder down the front of the left arm. Continue patting up back side of left arm into the left arm pit then down left side ribs and obliques to left hip. Do the same on right side with left hand starting at right shoulder ending at right hip.

4). Give yourself a big hug with right arm over left, reach back as far as you can and pat about 5-7 times the back of shoulders, then switch arms to left over right and do the same.

5). Take both hands to the mid back as high as you can reach and pat down mid back to lower back, then over buttocks and down legs.

6). This will have taken you approximately 1-2 minuets as you should move slow enough to cover every inch of the body. Now take the next 3-4 minuets and stand upright with hands relaxed at sides, palms facing forward and shoulders relaxed. Have a soft bend in the knees. Just stand here and breath, bring a deep feeling attention into the whole body, and enjoy the refreshing feeling of chi flowing.

This works great first thing in the morning. Before you go for that cup of coffee during the day try a chi pat down. Your body and mind will thank you for it.