Last week I heard an inspiring story from a man who had survived a 32 foot fall off a ski lift. “Andy’s” recovery was slow, painful, and probably terrifying. He wasn’t sure if he would ever walk again. Three years after the accident he had regained his ability to walk, but still felt pain and numbness in his legs, so decided to try acupuncture. He had no idea what to expect, and was surprised that the first thing that occurred during treatment was that his lower abdomen began to gently expand and contract with each breath. That had never happened before! He was amazed as he felt a surge of warm circulation begin to flow into his legs. “I could feel energy moving through my body. It was incredible!” he reported with a big grin. That night he slept well for the very first time since the accident.
What was going on? Acupuncture had helped unlock his lifelong, unconscious habit of shallow, upper chest breathing. When we breathe in such a tight, restricted way, we continually trigger our sympathetic (fight/ flight/freeze) nervous system, which in turn raises the heart rate, constricts digestion, and leads to a host of other stress-related symptoms. The acupuncturist was able to activate the energy pathways in Andy’s body, allowing the circulation of blood, oxygen, and energy to flow more freely. As a result, fascia and muscle tissue unclenched, blood vessels dilated, and sensation returned to his legs.
Perhaps even more amazing was that after the treatment ended, Andy recalled how, as a boy, his lower back had gone into spasm after his father died, also causing his legs to go numb. Suddenly it made sense: unconsciously held stress, tension, and contraction had caused numbness and pain, and relaxed, full breathing could restore the full and natural flow of healing circulation.
At this point I always like to remind people of Harvard University’s “Science of Qigong” conference two years ago, where top researchers from around the world shared evidence in support of the healing efficacy of Qigong and energy work in general. This isn’t airy fairy stuff, it’s cutting-edge science. It’s also why I love to teach Qigong. From your first class you can unlock your own healing potential, no needles necessary. You may even experience a dramatic improvement like Andy’s, but will certainly leave class feeling more integrated, energized, relaxed, and uplifted. It’s all about circulation, beginning with breathing in and breathing out.
