Issue link: http://www.bodysensemagazinedigital.com/i/484111
www.massagetherapy.com—your resource for all things bodywork 7 How much expansion and renewal are you willing to experience this spring season? Choice by choice, begin to harmonize with your best self and align with natural practices that liberate toxic extremes. Experiment with one or more of our cleansing suggestions to recalibrate your seasonal alignment and experience ease and flow this spring. As your spring-cleaning efforts clear away unnecessary toxins and excess, recommit to conscious choices and intentions that help your greatest potentials expand, grow, and blossom! B S Heath and Nicole Reed are directors of Bodyworker Seminars, and team-teach healing methods cultivated during their studies with masters in North America, Europe, Asia, and the Pacific. Heath and Nicole delight in sharing simple, easy, and fun healing practices with others! For more information, visit http://bodyworkerseminars.com. SHHHH BREATH The "shhhh breath" is a simple breathing practice that soothes our emotions and harmonizes our liver qi. This is an ancient qigong (a movement and breathing practice rooted in TCM) technique. To practice the shhhh breath, inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth. Make a breathy, barely audible "shhhh" sound on the exhale, like quieting a restless baby. We invite you to practice this healing sound right now for three breaths and notice if your attention shifts or if you feel any different … How does it feel? Use this ancient, healing shhhh sound when you need to blow off some steam, when you're frustrated in traffic, or any time you feel irritated. Experience the delight as you detox extreme feelings with the ever-reliable healing aid of your breath. THRUSTING PALMS Qigong's Thrusting Palms technique is another physically oriented practice specifically designed to encourage realignment of our liver qi with nature. See how it is done at http://bit.ly/1MHUc5A. 4 "Our breath is an indicator of our mood and our mood is an indicator of our breath. This means that if we change how we breathe, we can change our mood. It also means that when our mood changes so does our breath." See more at http://bit.ly/1I712iu. 5 DETOXIFYING IN MOTION If you prefer the intensity of more physically oriented activity to release toxic feelings, experiment with bursts of energy: practice jumping jacks, sprint until you feel winded, hold a plank pose (the highest point of a push-up) for 30–60 seconds, or do any fun activity that gets you sweating. Relief ensues when you work emotional intensity out with bursts of cardiovascular activity, even when practiced for just a few moments. 6