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Exercises Dancing with the elements

Create your light

Create your light between your palms and dance with it, drawing infinity.

Rhythm: create your light, dance with it

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How it works

When you rub your palms, movement turns into warmth; you bring your hands to your chest to feel it, then picture your own light between your hands. Tai chi and qigong also have a "holding a ball" movement with no real ball. As you draw the infinity sign (∞) with the light, your weight moves to one side and your torso gently turns from the waist; the mid-back, the part of the spine that turns the most, joins the movement.

The movement lasts 90 seconds. As you breathe in (4 s) the light floats up and to the side; as you breathe out (6 s) it sinks back to the centre and your knees soften: about six breaths a minute. At the end, breathing in, you bring the light to your chest and, breathing out, you hand it to yourself: the ball of light is yours now.

Picturing images linked with ease is a well-known relaxation method (the US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health); feeling the volume of the light brings your attention to your hands and chest. About six breaths a minute is linked to feelings of comfort and relaxation (Zaccaro, 2018).

Safety

Keep the movement small and slow; let your arms rise only as high as is comfortable, with soft shoulders and elbows and slightly bent knees. If your shoulder or back feels uncomfortable, make the movement smaller or stop; if you feel dizzy, stop and sit down.

Traditional root

The arc drawn with the light is inspired by the "carrying the moon" movement in tai chi and qigong: your weight moves to one side, your torso turns from the waist and your hands reach to the side and up; as you breathe out, your arms come down. The left and right arcs together make an infinity sign.

Sources