Rami's Blog

Like the Yin-Yang, Eastern Martial Arts and Western medicine are two halves of a whole. My mission is to preserve the ancient mind-body tools and pass them on to you.

 

Integrative Pain Management, Part 6: Putting the Tai Chi in Motion

This is a continuation of my Integrative Pain Management series, based on content selected from my chapter of the book Integrative Pain Management: Massage, Movement, and Mindfulness Based Approaches. 

See also: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5. 

For in-depth routines to deal with upper back pain, lower back pain, and other conditions, check out my video courses on Udemy!

The full pain-fighting benefits of Tai Chi are experienced when the techniques, philosophies, and forms of the practice become an integrated whole. Relaxed and graceful movements, body connectedness and structural alignment, and qi circulation and evoking the spirit. Often, the tai chi master will teach just one of these principles for an entire week, until it has become habit for the student. Only then do they move on.

I encourage you to choose one aspect from the following list each time you practice. Focus on that aspect for the entire routine, and be forgiving if you do not perform the other aspects well. Slowly but surely, each aspect will become second nature.

The Major Principles of Tai Chi Movement

  1. A relaxed and open body, awareness of the alignment of spine and organs.
  2. An relaxed and open mind, alert to the body's movements, and its own thoughts.
  3. A well coordinated and aligned body, in each of the major segments:
    1. Feet planted firmly, with active arches. The body's weight balanced between them.
    2. A slight bend in the knees, keeping them directly over the middle toes.
    3. A gentle tension in the groin and anus, retaining qi through the "small heavenly circle."
    4. A small drop of the tailbone and "pushing out" of the lower back (not butt). The hips are the origin of all the power and movement in tai chi.
    5. Shoulders and elbows sink downward, become part of the torso structure and allow qi flow through the hands.
    6. The chin tucks in slightly and the crown point of the head aims straight up, allowing qi flow through the neck.
    7. The tip of the tongue touches the roof of the mouth, connecting the main qi pathway.

This list is the guide to body balance. As we read earlier in the series, eastern philosophy diagnosis pain as an imbalance somewhere in the body. When the body can be moved and circulated through a balanced tai chi form, the imbalance that is causing the pain is naturally treated.

With continuous practice, all imbalances in the body are naturally treated and lessened by tai chi.

And that completes my blog series based on excerpts from the book Integrative Pain Management: Massage, Movement, and Mindfulness Based Approaches. Next time on the blog: all new content!

Happy Stretching!

Surgery, Exercise, and Understanding Your Body's Limits

One of the most difficult aspects of maintaining a healthy lifestyle is adapting your exercise, diet, and activities to your body's changing capabilities. There are countless reasons why our body may not work the same as it used to. Injury, surgery, having children, and even the natural aging process can change our body's ability to function. It could even be something as simple as not getting a chance to exercise for a while.

In my experience, if I don't do arm exercises for a couple weeks, I have to ease back into a routine to avoid straining myself too much and risking injury. When I am in good practice, I can do two sets of 30 wall push-ups (elbows in then elbows out). But if I even go two weeks without upper body exercise, I need to start back at 15 repetitions on each set, rather than the full 30.

And what if you have just had surgery? Many exercises on the blog are related to recovering from or preparing for surgery. I always show you how to do the exercise with no resistance, because adding resistance when you are weak after surgery is dangerous. You have to accept your new level of ability, and slowly work your way back up to your previous capability. Even if you are not strong enough to completely lift your arms, or if you have very low range of motion after an operation, do not feel ashamed and do not push yourself to get better too fast. The wise thing to do is to be confident that you will get better with time, and stick to your new routine very closely.

Recently, I had a blog reader ask me how they should do the breast cancer exercises when they aren't planning on having surgery. Should they do them the same? Differently? Should they bother to do them at all?

My answer was, of course they should do them! These exercises are not just for surgery, but for getting oxygen and healing energy to the site of the cancer. The difference is, what is your 80% level when you have not had surgery? 80% effort after surgery might mean just stretching your chest a tiny bit while lying in bed. If you aren't having surgery, but are going through chemo, 80% effort may be doing a few chest exercises for 10 minutes while sitting in a chair. If you are completed treatment and are feeling healthy, 80% effort could be chest and arm motions with some 5lb weights in your hands, while standing up.

It's all about recognizing what your ability is at this stage of your life, and doing the right amount of exercise to maximize healing and minimize your chance of further injury or illness.

Happy Stretching!

Easy Yoga Series on Cancer Wellness TV

Hello mind-body students! I have exciting news about some great content you can get on Cancer Wellness TV.

My amazing Dana-Farber colleague (and cancer survivor herself), Anne Marie Turo, has released a new video on Cancer Wellness TV to kick off her "Easy Yoga" series, which is focused on helping cancer patients, or anyone who is suffering from serious illness or trauma and have low mobility and energy, to recuperate as fast as possible.

This first piece, the Bed Yoga routine, is designed to increase a person's levels of strength, flexibility, and energy, from the comfort of their bed. And of course, I wouldn't say this exercise is complete until you incorporate deep breathing and empty-full moon, which Anne Marie mentions right at the beginning. She also ends the video with a helpful guide to getting out of bed when you have very low strength and energy.

Please continue to support Cancer Wellness TV, such as by making a free account or giving a donation. We will be producing very high quality, useful content for anyone looking to lead a healthier life, cancer patient, survivor, or otherwise. 

Happy Stretching!