Robert Angotti, Lic. Ac.
Sun Salutations
I have been doing sun salutations for thirty years, but this year I realized that I am supposed to face the sun! I think it was the wind that suggested it to me. I can tell you more about that discovery some other time, but once I started facing the sun, a new relationship with the sun, and this simple yoga practice was formed. I suggest doing a sun salutation at least once in the morning, ideally at sunrise. I also suggest doing a sun salutation in the evening at sunset (again, ideally). Your body, mind and maybe even the sun will thank you for it!
Get Outside
Set aside 20 minutes a day for being outside. You can merge a couple days together and be outside for an hour, 3 days a week. The point is to engage with the natural environment. That may sound ridiculous when the high is -26°, but bundle up and give it a go. Moderate exposure to the sun, wind, earth, wildlife and even extreme temperature engages the restorative capacities of our body and mind. Vitamin D is a popular therapy now. That vitamin is generated by our bodies when exposed to the sun. However, I believe that it’s only a matter of time before science catches up with the indigenous wisdom that teaches us that our bodies are tuned into the natural world through a multitude of currents. We evolved within the natural landscape, and that world nourishes us as much as a meal does. Being disconnected from the natural world clearly fosters disease.
Engage your heart and lungs
Our heart stores the shen (spirit) while the lungs store the po (corporeal soul). These are elusive principle within Chinese medicine. The idea of spirit here can be described as the driving intention of our life’s purpose. In a very pragmatic sense the heart reflects this simply through its action of moving the blood (our experiences turned into a useful form). Our heart moves the blood through the whole body in order to animate our intentions, move our limbs, and direct our relationship with the outside world.
Meanwhile the lungs are in constant engagement with the enviornment. The lungs determine what to bring and what to expel. The skin (a part of Chinese medical lung system) is constantly venting, sensing and assessing the world. It’s no surprise to me that stimulating these organ systems toward the front of attention not only enhances vitality and longevity, but engenders a more centered and relaxed mind.
Get a dose of moderate exercise 3-4 times a week. Moderate is a term relative to you, and your level of health. The most simple gauge for assessing intensity is paying attention to the engagement of these organs. Are you working hard enough to need a breath between words when speaking a sentence? Good! If not, work a bit harder. Is your skin begining to sweat slightly? Good! If not, turn up the exertion level. If you have a heart monitor, use the information in this post to learn the ideal heart rate for you.
Exercise has been the norm for our bodies for all of time. Physical exertion has been essential for survival since the dawn of life. The gathering of resources, hunting, exploration for new homelands and the escaping of predators have been the default setting for our physiology for tens of millions of years. The idea that we can spend our lives behind desks, tables, tvs and smartphones with no health consequences is an even greater health pandemic than COVID.
