Waking Energy 7 Timeless Practices Designed to Reboot Your Body and Unleash Your Potential

including respiratory illnesses and even heart disease. Chi stagnates, the internal organs start to
degenerate, and the cells of the body, no longer receiving ample oxygen, start to deteriorate at faster
rates as well.
With natural breathing as your baseline, you can teach yourself to direct your breath anywhere you
want to create vibrant health and energy. This “natural” breathing, or deep diaphragmatic breathing,
starts in the belly and not only refocuses your energy in your lower abdominal energy center, but also
assists you in building your lung capacity very quickly. When you consciously direct your breath into
your body, making the most of your own natural resources, you revitalize it. You can send breath to
places that are less accustomed to receiving that kind of care, such as your upper back, lower back,
the sides of your ribs, and your neck. Sending fresh oxygen to injuries and chronically held tight
places in the body can help them loosen and become more flexible and then actually involve or
reinvolve them in the breathing dynamic to make your breathing more efficient.
For optimum health and energy awakening, breathing should be consistent, full, and rhythmic,
using the diaphragm and ribs to fill and empty the lungs. The exchange of air in the lungs increases
oxygen levels in the body, which strengthens cardiovascular and respiratory function, activates and
optimizes digestion, stimulates and energizes the endocrine system, and reduces stress and anxiety.
When toxins are properly eliminated, fresh air is brought in to replace stale air, mental clarity and
concentration increase, your general outlook improves, and a sense of equilibrium is restored.
The Giving Trees: Everything Old Is New Again
It’s nothing short of mind-blowing to consider that every breath we take contains millions of particles that have existed in our environment
since the beginning of time. At some point, these particles have passed through other living things on planet earth. Each time we breathe,
we inhale some of this timeless energy, and when we exhale, we make our own unique energy deposit, contributing to this grand cosmic
swirl.
This important and intimate relationship, the one we conduct through our breathing with Mother Nature and her bounteous forests, is
the most vital one we’ll ever have, but most of us rarely acknowledge it. Every day and in each and every one of the Waking Energy
practices, whenever we exhale, we are actually giving the planet an offering—something that we’ve borrowed from the atmosphere,
utilized, and then returned—a part of ourselves, from our inner universe to the outer atmosphere, supplementing the fuel for our planet’s
plant life. We need the oxygen, a waste product of plant metabolism, and in return we donate our own, carbon dioxide, as nutrition for the
plants, flowers, and trees that sustain us. Talk about a cocreative relationship!
Making the Most of Your Breathing Body: Ideal Posture and
Focus
Learning how to control the breath is fundamental to waking your energy. The rhythm of the breath,
energy, and the emotions are all inextricably linked, and when we reach a level of proficiency with
our breathing, we can create exceptional internal harmony and health. You’ll rely on two pillars of
energy transformation: establishing ideal posture and focusing your mind.
When you establish optimal posture, every movement acts like a pump, disseminating energy