There’s an old adage in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Qi Gong: The mind leads the Qi. In other words, by focusing your mind in a skillful way, it’s possible to transform your internal energy state and experience elevated states of consciousness. And the best part is that you can do this all on your own without relying on outside medical intervention.
In this blog, we share a powerful visualization meditation designed to help you transform stress and tension relaxation and healing energy. In Chinese Medicine and Qi Gong, stress and tension are represented by ice. Peace and relaxation are represented by water, and healing, purification, and spiritual transcendence are represented by steam. Therefore, in this meditation, you’ll learn how to transform tension and stress into peace and relaxation and then into pure, healing energy. This internal process mirrors the natural process of ice melting into water and evaporating into steam.
Like all of our guided meditations, we suggest that you read through the instructions before you begin.
Begin by finding a comfortable position sitting or lying on the floor. If you choose to sit, position yourself so your feet are planted on the floor, and your spine is straight.
Once you’ve found a comfortable position, close your eyes and take slow, deep breaths through your nose. As you breathe, focus your mind on each inhale and exhale as you let your body fully relax.
After a couple of minutes of slow deep breathing, bring your attention to your neck and shoulders. As you continue to breathe, visualize any tension and tightness melting into relaxation, just as ice melts into water. Once your stress has melted into relaxation, imagine it dissolving into pure, healing energy, just as water evaporates into steam. Feel yourself fully release whatever stress you’re holding in that part of your body.
Once you’ve dissolved any stress in your neck and shoulders, move your attention down to the middle of your back and torso. Breathe deeply as you visualize any tension and tightness melting into peace and relaxation and then evaporating into pure, healing energy. Imagine that your attention is like sunlight that melts ice into water and transforms water into steam. As you continue to focus on your mid back and abdomen, feel your body become purified as any tension and tightness are melted and evaporated away.
Next, move your attention to the front side of your body and continue doing the same visualization practice. Feel any tension in your throat and chest melt away like ice melting into water and then evaporating like steam. As this transformation takes place, feel your energy expand and circulate throughout your entire body.
Moving your attention downward, visualize tension and stress melting away in your lower abdomen. Feel your internal organs letting go of any tightness or pain they’ve been holding. Just as the sun purifies murky water through the process of evaporation, imagine any stagnant energy transforming into pure, healing energy throughout your body.
After a few more deep breaths, move your attention down to your legs, knees, ankles, and feet. With each breath, feel any tension in your legs melt into relaxation and then evaporate into pure, healing energy. Each breath shines the light of attention on a different part of your body until your entire being is glowing with radiant white light.
If there are any parts of your body that need a little extra focus, allow your mind to concentrate on those areas as you continue breathing. Just as ice melts into water and transforms into steam, let all the tension and tightness dissolve into relaxation and then evaporate into pure, healing energy.
Once you’ve completed this process with your body, you can do it with your thoughts as well. If you’ve been wrestling with any self-defeating thoughts or emotions, turn your attention toward them and let those thoughts or emotions melt away and transform into a feeling of relaxation and then spiritual transcendence.
You can do this practice for as short or long as you’d like. When you feel that your entire body is purified, you can open your eyes and take that feeling with you into the rest of your day.
If you’re interested in learning more exercises for elevating your internal energy, be sure to check out our on-demand Qi Gong for Winter Workshop.
In our on-demand Qi Gong for Winter Workshop, Lee teaches powerful Qi Gong practices designed to help you cultivate your internal energy and boost your immune system. And because this is an 'on-demand' workshop, you get immediate online access, allowing you to enjoy the lessons whenever you want from the comfort of your home.
In Chinese Medicine and Qi Gong, the season of winter is connected to the Water Element and kidneys. Therefore, this workshop offers practices to cultivate the Water Element and kidney Qi through a variety of flowing exercises and standing postures. Click on the banner below to discover how Qi Gong for Winter can help you experience more vitality and peace this winter season.
