As states slowly open up after the Corona virus lock down, many people are working from home, staying home more or slowly going out. Stir craziness is probably a mild phrase to describe what people are experiencing at this time.

Here are tips on how to keep your balance and stability of mind during the slow opening phase of most states:

1. Eat balanced meals rather than eating more or overindulging in comfort foods. Have full spectrum macrobiotic meals. Most people should include grains or grain products, 3-6 oz of animal protein often with beans substituting a few times per week, natural fats that are saturated like butter or coconut oil with some monounsaturated fats such as olive, cooked and some raw vegetables, non-vinegar pickles, salt seasonings, spices or herbs with some natural sweets or fruit, natural beverages like tea and some juices.

If your health permits drinking please avoid the desire to calm your self with too much alcohol as this will lead to more stressful emotions. Excessive alcohol consumption weakens the nervous system which makes you more prone to stress.

Try to be creative and make delicious satisfying meals. As restaurants open up, pick ones that have good quality fare like farm to table, natural ethnic foods and natural food varieties.

Avoid too much snacking on natural chips, cookies and similar foods.

2. Beyond work, set goals for yourself to do your own projects making or learning things rather than spacing out in front of the screen, computer or TV. Of course, some of this is fine. Lots of people because of exhaustion due to work and responsibilities have more passive activities like watching videos on the screen. Here is an opportunity to make a learning habit to develop your self in different ways, skills and expertise. 

3. If you are not already doing it, learn chi gong. Chi Gong is an amazing system of exercises that offers incredible benefits for the body and mind. Practicing will enhance your vitality, improve your digestion, calm and improve your mind, strengthen your immunity along with many other functions in the body. High level practices can even reverse aging. I will have a video available in the near future with a high quality Qigong set. You can start with simple practices outlined in the books by Tom Bisio, Bagua Nei Gong 1 and 2.  

4. Start to practice Qigong Breathing and some simple meditation practices: Decoding the Dao by Tom Bisio is a good resource.
 
5. Study philosophy. A philosophical approach to life can help you deal with challenges in a healthy way. Avoid New Age theories on philosophy as they tend to be fostering the ego or self. Read Aldous Huxley’s “The Perennial Philosophy” to get insights into how to begin or continue explorations into the mystery of life that science can not answer. An excellent contemporary take on the Stoic philosophers are in Ryan Holiday’s books. You can explore the teachings of the mystics of the great religions as they asked and sought the answers to the bigger philosophical questions of life.  You can choose to study the mystical tradition of the religion that you were born into or explore others that are interesting to you. 

6. Spend time with the family or friends in the old fashioned way of board games, gentle conversation at meals, walking and other activities. 

7. Take time to appreciate nature and the arts. Spend time listening to great music and being with nature. 

8. Take a break from technology, social media, computers, etc. for a day or weekend to spend your time in other good old fashioned ways. 

“We wish you a happy and healthy new year with the help of the Three Treasures.”

New Year’s is a time of resolutions for the year ahead. Instead of resolutions, one might consider actions to take based on learning what supports your overall well-being.

In ancient China they developed an understanding that, upon careful inspection, might be called a universal insight. It is known as the three treasures. The three treasures of the human system are jing or essence, qi/chi or energy/motivating force and shen or spirit/consciousness.

These three treasures are the keys to overall health and emotional, physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing. Jing is the concentrated energy of the substance of our organs, tissues and cells. Qi is the energy that animates us, activating all functions of the body and mind. Shen is our consciousness, emotions and mental functioning.
For health, these three treasures are one unit, the jingqishen field.  Each area affects and benefits the others when we balance one of the three. A different take on resolutions is to self-reflect on where there might be holes in any of these three areas and fill them.

Through teaching and counseling I help people address where they might be holes or leaks in each of these fields. If our diet is poor or missing nutrients or too rich in certain ways; this will affect the jing/essence or substance of the body. I write about basic healthy guidelines here: https://www.macrobiotic.com/blog/the-4-foundations-of-health-1-eating

Jing or inner strength is depleted by over activity of any type and stress. Rest and relaxation are important for rebuilding jing: https://www.macrobiotic.com/blog/4-foundations-of-health-3-rest-and-relaxation
One of the best ways to build internal energy is by practicing high quality Qigong exercises. https://www.macrobiotic.com/energy-healing.html

Chi is derived from breath and food.  It is used up by doing activities. Breathing exercises in Qigong, eating well and having a balanced lifestyle is important to restore and preserve our energy.

The shen is depleted by being over emotional, called excessive emotionality, and using the mind excessively. There are several ways to restore shen. The best ways is through a regular mediation practice that slows down the thinking process and through certain tonic herbs such as Reishi.
To learn more read here:  https://www.macrobiotic.com/blog/4th-foundation-of-health-mental-attitude
and listen here: https://www.macrobiotic.com/audio-longevity-approach-to-herbs.html

Self-reflection is the key to moving forward in our lives. Reflecting on our jingqishen field is a powerful way to change our health and our lives.  We wish you a happy and healthy new year with the help of the three treasures.