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May we reap what we sow

Celebrate the link between action and nonaction.

Right now, all across beautiful California, hardworking farmers are reaping what they’ve sown.

The seeds they planted in spring (to sow) are now ready for harvest (to reap).

This is the time of year when the Earth Element, which is associated with the stomach, spleen and pancreas are in the most need of attention.

When your Earth element is in balance you are grounded, centered and have an openness to guide those whose harvest needs help.

Look at the bounty coming from the fields to our tables right now:

gourds, asparagus, artichokes, sweet potatoes, pumpkins (not only to decorate but more importantly to nurture your Earth element).

That’s just a taste of what the land is set-and-ready to provide us.

So often we hear the proverb “you reap what you sow” delivered in a tone that promises judgment and pain.

You do bad things and bad things will happen to you.

Let’s turn that frown upside 🙂

Today as we step into the First Day of Fall (September 23), I invite you to “count your blessings” and celebrate the goodness you’ve helped bring to fruition.

Maybe you volunteer at your kids’ school, help your elderly neighbor with yard work or resist flipping the bird at all those bad drivers in your way!

Life feels good when we do good.

The quickest, most effective way to reap bountiful harvests of creativity, positive energy, goodwill and Joy is to access our biggest and most delicious basket of bounty: inner peace.

And yup, I’ve got a Qigong app for that! <wink>

The Renewal of Spirit Meditation honors not only the changing of seasons, but allows us to renew ourselves, both within and without, on all our cycles: daily, weekly, monthly and yearly.

When we accept the perfect unfolding of our daily lives, we settle down and settle into deeper states of mindfulness and rejuvenation.

Think of Qigong, and all forms of internal cultivation, as a way to plow, de-weed, plant and harvest the delights of your mind, body, and spirit.

This past Saturday, September 21 was the International Day of Peace and Consciousness San Jose festival.

A globally shared day encouraging peoples around the world (all 7.7 billion of us!) to expand our consciousness, commit to peace above all differences and uplift humanity.

You shall reap what you sow is good news.

The kindness and love you show to yourself by how you think, feel and what you put into your body has a ripple effect.

Your good deeds in the world are like fresh fruits and vegetables: nourishing, colorful, delicious and appreciated.

The good in you is what makes life sweet and wholesome.

As we celebrate a new season of gratitude and serenity, may you “break bread” (gluten-free) with the friends and family at your table and celebrate all that you’ve grown into and away from.

Well done, kind heart. I knight you an honorary farmer!

Here’s to sowing and reaping forever,

-Chris

Be “nervous” about chronic stress

Three deadly F-words: Fright, Flight, Freeze

Stress is finally getting the bad press it deserves.

No matter how “spiritual” or Zen we are, humans are hardwired to sense a threat to our well-being.

A part of our brain, the amygdala, is actually nicknamed the Fright, Flight or Freeze Center!

You might be more familiar with the old-fashioned “fight or flight” response we were taught in school.

The sympathetic nervous system is activated when you’re in “fight or flight” mode.

A physical response immediately kicks in when the brain perceives (real or unreal) danger.

As soon as a threat is perceived and received, our heart, brain, legs and hands are ready to run the heck out of Dodge.

Sabre-tooth tiger at your door? Run to the hills!

New deadline on your desk? Run to the hills!

The sympathetic nervous system does not know the difference.

Chronic stress and/or cumulative exposure to toxic people, places and things wreak havoc on all parts of our well-being.

What makes life even harder on our nervous system these days?

Researchers estimate that every single day we make 35,000 conscious decisions.

So, every day, 365 days of the year, our mind, body and spirit are downloading, processing, responding and – you know it – reacting to what and whom is around us.

From an Eastern medicine perspective, inflammation is a warning sign from the body that we are overloaded, overwhelmed and needing a strong bridge over our troubled waters (e.g., common precursors to inflammatory dis-ease include sensitivity to light, sound and touch).

Inflammation warning signs can range from arthritis to lupus to nephritis (kidneys inflammation) to irritable bowel syndrome.

True, these types of disorders and dis-eases don’t sound (or feel) like warnings.

But remember: inflammation of the nervous system is like a smoke signal warning us that a potential fire is smouldering.

When our sympathetic nervous system is out of balance, we’re offered a chance to redirect our energies so we can avoid a truly catastrophic health diagnosis.

With the health-and-wellness stakes so high, how can we make life easier on the nervous system so we feel calmer, healthier and live with passion and Joy?

Less anger, less hate, more love & laughter. Sure, anger and hatred are natural but they’re also the most toxic emotions under the sun – and our skin! – if left untreated.

Rage, resentment, frustration and emotional numbness (aka deep freeze!) are dark cousins of even the most righteous and environment-appropriate anger.

Stay mindful of this phenomenal fact: Sixty seconds of angers weakens the immune system for up to five hours.

What happens when you giggle for 60 seconds? Your immunity increases and your entire nervous system is soothed for 24 hours.

Laugh more, rage less. Please. Especially in traffic.

Expression not repression. The toughest physical conditions I see and treat at our clinics are lovely, good people with deeply repressed emotions.

Your issues truly are in your tissues.

While there is no inherently “bad” emotion, some feelings are held onto (e.g., unforgiveness), suppressed (e.g., passive aggressiveness) and, worse of all, detached from completely (e.g., denial, displaced anger).

The body knows and says no to holding secrets. Inflammatory disorders are best met with an open heart, kind mind and loving guide.

Clean up your junk. No big surprises here. Processed foods, artificial sugars, greasy/fatty/fried food, booze, cigarettes and drugs of all types; absolutely not the diet of champions but of inflammation.

As you clean up the junk on your fork, remember your environment too.

Toxic air, toxic conversations, toxic television, toxic people, toxic lighting, toxic cleaning supplies, toxic scents.

These are easy removals that feel good and empower your overall health and well-being.

Yes, there are plenty of reasons to feel “fright, flight or freeze” out there.

But you and I have a choice, my friend.

We can consciously make the decision (one of our 35,000+ daily choices!) to heal, balance and protect our mind, body and spirit.

From my nervous system to yours, here’s to smelling smoke but never seeing fire.

Love,

Chris

What Makes A “Real” Man?

Piggybacking on the Year of the Pig theme brings up the question, “Have you ever been called a “pig” before?”

For some men like myself, I’ve had the piggy-pants label hurled my way, more often than not, when I young, acting foolish and didn’t know any better.

Though women are rarely called pigs.

Unless the naughty ladies are caught watching the movie Magic Mike, claiming Chippendales is art or grabbing their crotch while flipping you the bird!

Of course, a lot of what I’m writing is pig-tongue-in-pig-cheek.

It’s no joke that the bright light shining on “toxic masculinity” and male privilege is long overdue.

That light has been traveling a long time and its arrival is good news for all of us, especially for our boys and girls.

I was recently asked if I was a Feminine type because I know how to sew, cook and enjoy doing the shopping.

What I believe is missing from the conversation about “pigs” – which sadly often resembles a fire-fuelled monologue – is what really good, kind, evolved, loving men we are especially when we embrace what was considered in the past a woman’s job or duty.

We can truly thrive and be recognized in this brave new world where the old titles or labels no longer apply, where we embrace as men, the softer nurturing side of ourselves.

I strongly and passionately believe the majority of all people, men, and women, are beautiful inside and out.

We all want to love and be loved.

We all want to feel happy and be a source of happiness for others.

These benevolent desires are as old as the hills. What’s just as ancient?

Our old way of thinking and our innate instinct to lash out when we’re scared. Act out when we’re ignored. Move out of peace so we can march into war.

Men are active and creative creatures. Over thousands of years, we’ve earned our reputation; the good, the bad and the ugly.

After decades of fighting my own internal demons inside my head, out on the streets or inside the ring, to healing fighters (men and women) of their physical-and-emotional injuries, I have come to know one thing above all else.

A true fighter knows the opponent standing before him or her is not the enemy.

The true enemy lives inside the fighter’s heart and threatens to attack the mind.

You don’t need to be the Karate Kid to understand that we lose 100% of the time when we try to control people, places or things.

We desire control and permanence when we have none. We fight to block out feelings of pain, inadequacy, comparison, shame and sorrow.

If I were to paint a picture of how the status quo tends to raise boys and indoctrinates men in this culture, I would describe a big red button, right where his heart should be, that says PRESS WHEN SAD OR SCARED.

You know the rest.

What feels better than sad or scared?

Mad, especially when you’re male and rewarded for being the strong, silent type who never sheds a tear, but can always flex a bicep or flip the finger!

The first time my kids saw me cry I knew they were alarmed. I knew my tears made them uncomfortable and possibly feel less safe in the world.

I understood my boys were being forced to re-examine what “strong” looks like and so were my girls.

Life demands courage when we want to create a more vulnerable and tender world.

Real men combine the Yin and the Yang, the masculine and the feminine. And real men cry and have feelings.

Real men – and there are more than a “few good men” out there – thrive when we’re given the space to safely and positively express what’s in our hearts.

When men take “me time” to meditate, breathe mindfully when they’re stressed, go for a walk alone when they’re angry, stay sober when they’re sad, then all of us benefit.

We can love better, feel better and respond better when life kicks us in the groin.

Even better?

All those “pigs” won’t have the power to pull us into the mud anymore. We’ll be too busy and happy living from our hearts and smearing Joy all over people.

Keep your heart open, head clear and fists down.

Love,

-Chris

You Can Heal Yourself

5 Easy Tools to Start Healing Today

The purpose of this post is to empower you (and perhaps make you smile).

Empower means to make (someone) stronger and more confident, especially in controlling their life and claiming their rights.

You (and every person on earth) are entitled to health and happiness. It’s our birthright.

Keep reading to learn simple tools to maintain health and happiness, and to combat disease.

In my world, all diseases are blocked energy (or Qi).

If you have a hard time with the concept of energy or Qi (sometimes referred to as Chi) think of it terms of blood and fluids.

Speaking of fluids, imagine your body like a flowing stream of water.

If there is a block in the stream, the water flows around the blockage until the flow eventually backs-up.

The same thing happens in your human body.

A buzz word around town now-a-days is INFLAMMATION…

Inflammation is something that our immune system creates to help defend the body against intrusions of space invaders, viruses and pathogens.

Things like bug bites, cuts, lacerations, etc. are all considered space invaders by the body. The inflammatory response is the body’s way of fighting off those invaders.

Pain manifest when inflammation has no outlet in the body. The stream overflows and becomes stagnated and contaminated.

Pain is the body’s way of signaling the brain that there is a blockage.

The problem is that, once you’re already in pain it’s difficult to think clearly. Ofter people become hyper-focused on their pain, rather than focusing on pain’s opposite, which is health.

If you’re reading this, and you’re currently in pain, you’re probably wondering if this real and if I can really remove this nagging pain?

The short answer is YES. There is a way.

And it’s a lot simpler than you think.

However, you have to be willing to “do the work.”

To truly heal you must be willing to release blocked emotions, co-dependent relationships and anything that’s not serving you.

You must be willing to do whatever it takes to improve your entire being – body, mind, spirit.

More and more people are looking for new ways of living away from the established morality and artificial ethics.

What I’m about to share with you is not new information, but perhaps you can hear it in a new way. A way that promotes increase health and happiness, and a life free from pain and suffering.

Let me repeat – YOU have the power to heal yourself.

Your DNA wants you to be healthy.

Your body wants to be in balance.

The majority of people are being attacked by space invaders — our body’s protection response is constantly being bogged down by:

* A bombardment of negativity – emotions and people

* An excess consumption of food and substances — alcohol and/or drugs

* Too much exposure to environmental toxins

All of which affect our immune systems.

When your body is constantly fighting against space invaders it creates what is known as “chronic inflammation,” which is the root cause of conditions like cancer, rheumatoid arthritis (R.A.), Alzheimer’s and all other degenerative disorders.

You’re probably wondering what you can do to protect yourself and ward of this attack??

Before reaching for a bottle of Patron or a box of Lyrica try these five easy-peezy tips, tricks and tools to decrease inflammation and increases health immediately.

Movement as Medicine

Learning simple moving practices like Qigong, Tai Chi, yoga and other forms of exercises, which all have tons of positive physiological benefits that essentially decrease inflammation. The saying “move it, or lose it toots” is true. Find an exercise routine that you like and stick with it. Click here to get started with the 30 Days Qigong to Better Health (for free)

Co-create Your Reality

What you think about you bring about. Therefore, if you’re in chronic pain or inflamed – do NOT focus on the pain. Turn that frown upside down. Rather find something to redirect your thoughts onto. One mantra that I personally and regularly use is “I have acceptance over all situations. My body, mind, spirit is vibrant, healthy and well.” Please feel free to use this mantra or create one of your own. Repeat it to yourself upon waking and before sleeping.

Take a Deep Breath

Something as simple as pausing and taking a conscious breath is enough to create space for you to better deal with stress and pain. Think of your lungs like two balloons. Inhale, fill the balloons of the lungs with air; Exhale, empty the lung balloons. Be at ease.

Fill Your Bucket

We all know someone who complains a lot, gossips and/or is judgemental of others. This type of space invader is referred to as a “bucket dipper.” Usually, bucket dippers have empty buckets themselves and they hurt others in an effort to fill their own bucket. As much as possible minimize engagement these people as a way to keep a lid on your own bucket and protect your energy.

Rest, Rejuvenate, Refuel

Rest: No matter how much Qigong, Tai Chi or exercise you do sleep is still the number one way for your body to repair. Make sure to get enough sleep each night. Additionally, 15-20 minute power-naps are proven to boost energy, productivity and creativity. I personally try to take a short nap every day.

Rejuvenate: Make sure to take time to do things that bring you joy. For me personally, I love receiving massage and acupuncture, going on a run and working out.

Refuel: Think of food a fuel for the body. Fuel your body with fresh fruits and veggies, if you do eat meat go for organic and grass fed when possible. Exercise moderation when eating, eat slowly and enjoy each meal.

Our bodies, minds and spirits are wonderous organisms that have an innate ability to protect and heal.

Take it from me – IF I CAN HEAL, YOU CAN TOO!

Until next time, be well and Qi ya later my friend.

-Chris Shelton

The War No One Is Talking About

Remembering the Heart of Memorial Day

God bless the men and women who are still fighting the war in the Middle East and those who fight a war inside their minds everyday.

This is a subject that can’t be ignored – our inner wars must be addressed and remedied.

My dad served in Vietnam so Memorial Day holds special meaning for our family.

Whenever I visit my father at the VA hospital, no matter the time of year, I have two choices.

I can look at my dad and his war-related health challenges through the lens of anger, frustration and outrage.

Or I can choose to look at my dad through the lens of my heart and really, really see him.

When we come from our heart, we immediately access higher-vibration emotions likes gratitude, appreciation, positive pride and, above all else, love.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the heart is considered the emperor (or empress) of the body.

Think of the heart as the head of the household, the big cheese, the top dog, the big kahuna!

Like many men of his generation, my dad was king of the household when he was home.

Other times he was missing in action (M.I.A.).

A bi-product of war. My heart goes out to those who have a loved one that is M.I.A.

Then and now, my dad holds a lot of love.

No war has extinguished the love inside my father.

The men and women inside that VA hospital are bright lights radiant from within despite physical and emotional wounding.

Those brave soldiers know what war they fought. Their brave struggle, then and now, inspires a question the rest of us would benefit from answering.

As we march through our daily lives, how often do we get triggered and wage “war” using negative thought, word or deed?

So many times when we’re stressed and rushed (i.e., didn’t meditate, didn’t get centered, didn’t drink coffee), we declare war on ourselves and those we love.

This Memorial Day weekend, let’s contemplate more than beer, burgers and BBQs.

One of the many reasons why I love Qigong – and almost all forms of meditation and mindfulness – is the daily breakdowns and breakthroughs that happen when we look inside our hearts.

“You can’t heal what you don’t feel” is a truism particularly relevant when we look at things, people, places or events we want to be different.

The next time you want to righteously rage against rotten reality, take a moment to take a meeting with your inner ruler.

Don’t check in with the warrior king — that’s your mind.

When you’re upset, check in with your true ruler: your wise, loving heart.

Always remember that a giant step forward on the spiritual path is when we resist declaring war and spread peace instead.

Imagine.

This newsletter goes out to the men and women who are fighting the war that no one is talking about – whether the war is overseas or being waged inside their mind.

I pray for our soldiers’ safe return home to peace.

From my heart to yours, enjoy a Memorial Day weekend filled with peace, family and lots and lots of love.