Wellbeing

Emma Cannon: How To Free Your Qi

Stuck, stagnant and frustrated? It’s time to bring vision and movement into your life

Qi (energy) is all around us. It is in the wind, in flowers, in us and in every living thing. At this time of year the natural flow of energy is to rise and to move without obstruction. Many people in life get stuck and lost because they focus too much on the obstacles that are in the way of their goal. They focus on the things in the way instead of focusing on what they want. They become stuck, stagnant, frustrated; they lose the ability to take action and become defeated.

But if we look to nature we see that there is plenty of opportunity for growth and flow as the natural world comes alive after a deep slumber. Bulbs buried underground for the long winter bravely show themselves. The world becomes colourful and vibrant with the energy. I often think how brave the little snowdrop is popping up in an otherwise barren flowerbed.

It always reminds me of the cyclical nature of our own lives; the world and us go through periods of great change, movement and growth. It is part of personal and global evolution.

It is important to keep this movement and flow in our lives. Sometimes it is necessary to let go of things in order for growth to happen. This may feel like failing but often it is just keeping things in flow, moving stagnation.

Just before the snowdrop came out of the earth it must have been in the darkest place – but it did not say: “I give up, I have no hope”. It just kept searching for the light, letting itself be carried by the energy, without resistance and with flexibility. Like the pioneer, daring to forge ahead, striking out on its own.

So if you are feeling a bit stuck in your life, stagnant and frustrated ask yourself: What is my vision for my life? Look at yourself in the mirror, really stare deep into your eyes, connect to your soul and be with your true self. See what comes to the surface and act on it.

Things that create movement

Exercise and dancing, particularly yoga which brings flexibility • Making a plan of action. Write down where you want to be, and with whom.
What do you want to achieve and how will you get there? Be detailed with this.
Make a mood board so you can envisage your life and your hopes and dreams. Really allow yourself to see where it is you want to get to. The eyes are the window to the soul so using vision as a means to focus on what we want in our life is powerful work for the soul.
Be brave, take a few risks and become the pioneer or the leader of your own life.
Sometimes stagnation settles in the chest and we find we sigh a lot. If this is the case you need to release this by using your voice. So go to Speakers Corner and speak your truth, sing in the shower or your car. Go for some talking therapy or say something that you have been holding back on and needs to be said (do this with kindness and always using ‘I’ instead of ‘you’ as a starting point).
Have acupuncture, especially on points on the liver channel which activate the flow of qi around the body.

Emma is an integrated women’s health expert, registered acupuncturist and author (emmacannon.co.uk)

Article by

Emma Cannon

Integrated Health Expert & Acupuncturist