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Acupressure, the gentle manipulation of specific points on the body, can provide stress relief by causing the body to release endorphins, chemicals that relieve pain and relax the body.
By working pressure points with mindfulness and consistency, it forms a pattern and rhythm that becomes meditative. Think about the serene, relaxed states that cats have. They often are doing self-acupressure, stimulating points as they gently clean their fur. The repetitive motions, as they clean, also help to calm them.
You can also begin a practice of self massage by focusing on several classical points designed to reduce stress.
Remember to breathe deeply and deliberately from the lower abdomen as you work with these stress relief points.
To reduce blood pressure and a sense of agitation, massage the area between your big toe and next toe, on the top side of the foot, in counter clockwise direction for 1 to 3 minutes at a time.
To gently energize the body, massage the inner ankles, as this stimulates the kidneys, the organs which house our essential energy.
To calm the emotions, massage the top side and bottom side of the wrist, about 2/12 thumb widths above the crease of your wrist going towards the elbow.
Imagine stress leaving your body as you exhale while massaging these points, and energy rejuvenating you as you inhale.
With regular practice, this simple routine can be a powerful way to reach for healthy naturally and best of all, it integrates into your busy life because it only takes a few minutes to perform.
Listen to a free acupressure meditation at our virtual qi gong studio. Scroll down to the bottom of the page for a list of the free meditations.
Kay Hutchinson is a practitioner of Chinese medicine, energetic life coach and teacher of qi gong movement. She is the founder of Aiki Healing, a private practice in Austin, Texas, and the publisher of "Health Prosperity" a blog dedicated to empowering people to manifest optimum health and wellness.
Post your health questions free on our Health Prosperity Blog.
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