Dear Reader,

“Going back to your heart” is an important step in maintaining a relaxed, calm, natural, and unified state. It’s our home of unconditional love and compassion. It’s our source of trust and Gongjing (true reverence and respect). Unifying with our heart is a necessary prerequisite for cultivating connection with our True Self – Shen.

I was recently asked what to do when “going back to your heart” does not feel possible – when pain takes over and blocks the way.

I know what that feels like. It was especially frustrating at a time I did not have access to my heart nor a real understanding on how to get there (or even what that means...!).

So today I offer some practical strategies to help you get started on finding some new ways to help yourself. Having a list to choose from when we’re in a pattern can be very helpful:

1) I’ll start with the obvious. Do one of the nine Yuan Gong practices or a portion of one. It’s a flexible system and there are many ways to do a small portion of a practice – just remember to bring awareness inside your body and to nourish Qi afterward. But many of you know that sometimes patterns take over and this is difficult. So, please continue down the list;

2) Listen to a recording of Yuan Tze's healing or another teacher led session that enabled you to be in a good state the first time you listened to it. Lie down in bed, relax, listen, and allow your heart to remember this good state;

3) When things are more intense, seek help. No one asked you to be a superhero and do it all alone. We are in this work, this community, and this world together. Help each other! This could look like a session with a teacher but it could also look like calling someone in the community who you’ve developed a relationship with – someone who is more regulated, open, and in more of a good state than you are in that moment of pain/intense pattern. There are many reasons Yuan Tze has always said “we do this together.” Heart resonance, shared experience, and human support are some of them. Choose intuitively – the answer to “who” can be surprising;

4) Be proactive. I’ve had intense times when longer practices more often were needed. Tong Yuan for an hour in the middle of the night, whatever practice gets me into the best state in the morning, heart sounds all day…whatever brings me into a more palpable heart state so my heart can remember and get back to that state when the intense pattern shows up;

5) What is NOT so helpful is spending time thinking about it while my heart is in pain. This is NOT time to figure out the ‘why’ – it just tends to fan the pattern to burn a little more wildly. Trust that the reason for the pattern and other information will come later once you’re back in a proper state; and

6) Safety First. If it’s feeling like more physical heart pain, feels very intense or you have concerns please have it checked out by a medical professional. This has the added benefits of calming your mind and extra time to do Tong Yuan at the doctor’s office without anyone making more demands on you. :) I spent a lot of time in the emergency room with my hubby awhile back. My practice there calmed him too. Spreading this Qifield to others can have the surprise effect of helping you feel better too.

I know from experience that working through intense heart patterns DOES make it easier to return to a calm and loving state more quickly and easily afterward. You and your heart have learned how. Trust in this possibility.

I also know that continuing with this work and cultivating heart qualities leads to increasingly nice moments. This lovely state can show up out of nowhere – well not really nowhere.

It was practiced and BECAME THE HEALTHIER PATTERN.

Love and gentle care to you as we move into the core of things with courage, awareness, and a plethora of support.

With gratitude for your courage and life cultivation efforts,​
Stephanie

I'm Stephanie Ross, a senior Ren Xue Yuan Qigong teacher, poet, and writer living on Vancouver Island, Canada. You can learn more about me and life cultivation or read some of my poems and articles on my website.

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