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Scott
USA
969 Posts |
 Posted - Sep 22 2006 : 7:37:51 PM
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A lot of people here know that walking is a good grounding technique. But there's subtleties about walking which can make it more or less efficient.
The reason why walking is good for grounding is because the awakened (can't think of another word) body naturally stores its energy lower. Unawakened people tend to store a lot of their emotions in the upper parts of their body...overthinkers in their head and neck, nervous people in their eyes, angry or low self esteem people in their shoulders...you get the point. And I'm sure many here have experienced this as yoga has helped them release some of their negative emotions.
The energy naturally wants to be stored in the feet when you're standing up. This is why standing Chi Kung is so effective...because the energy is given a pathway so it can flow properly.
When you're walking, try to notice if you're storing your attention and energy in different parts of your body. I was walking today after being at the gym and I noticed energy being stored in my hips. So I just changed the way I was walking so that it flowed into my foot.
Another thing is what type of shoes you wear...this is important in my opinion. If you wear shoes which kind of clamp your feet into themselves, so it compresses your toes at all, it won't be as effective. The foot naturally wants to spread out when you step down, so your shoe should function almost as if you weren't wearing a shoe. I noticed that as I walked in my gym shoes.
The shoe should also not slip around on your foot. Another pair of my shoes does that. When your foot hits the ground and pushes off, it shouldn't move too much at all. Snug is the appropriate word.
The upper body should rest on top of the walking legs. It doesn't need to do anything, although a lot of the time people walk like it's hard work, including myself. That's just habitual tendencies, which will inevitably be burnt up by the fire of yoga.
It's a piece of cake to walk and ground efficiently when your attention and effort is stored solely in...your soles!
Hope this is a good resource for anyone who has self pacing issues. |
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Kyman
530 Posts |
Posted - Sep 22 2006 : 11:52:14 PM
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Yes, good insight.
As you were describing the energy in the lower body I recalled the feeling of being stuck in my head as a youth. My posture was really affected by it.
Soles. Nice.
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paw
52 Posts |
Posted - Sep 27 2006 : 8:05:06 PM
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newb here, first post, aloha yogis!
I am a walker (and biker), and over a year ago I finally just tossed the shoes (too many blisters, knee pain etc.), and now do all my walking in bare feet. I like it, I can feel a lot, there is a lot of energy in my feet and lower legs, a real dynamo and tingle.
But to help keep balance and protect my feet on the rough rock, dirt and cinder roads, I also carry a strong staff to lean on if needed. I had to learn to avoid the heelstrike, and put the "paw" or forefoot down first. I had to stop running this way tho, cuz I tore my achilles some, so now I just walk. |
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Scott
USA
969 Posts |
Posted - Sep 27 2006 : 8:52:50 PM
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| Do you notice any difference using your left or right hand with the staff? The lymphatic system in the head is connected to the right arm...so it may produce better grounding results if you're using your right arm with the staff. Just an idea...nothing I know from experience. |
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Sparkle
Ireland
1457 Posts |
Posted - Sep 28 2006 : 03:42:58 AM
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Hi Scott
I found your post really useful, very insightfull and completely practical.
Thanks
Louis
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Scott
USA
969 Posts |
Posted - Sep 28 2006 : 09:02:31 AM
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| Good, you're welcome and thank you too, Louis. You give great compliments. |
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paw
52 Posts |
Posted - Sep 28 2006 : 1:45:55 PM
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| Hi Scott, no I haven't noticed much difference, but then I wasn't really checking, and for me walking is mainly about the exercise, I'm just starting to learn about the subtleties. I'm not really sure what "grounding" is. I know I naturally favor the right, as I am right handed, and I use right most of the time, but I do left too cuz I have sore rotator tendons and like the gentle exercise for this. |
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Scott
USA
969 Posts |
Posted - Sep 28 2006 : 2:41:23 PM
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Paw,
I like your name. By the way, I forgot to say welcome to the forums!
Grounding is when you do certain things which bring your energy back down from your head, where it rises to with yoga practices. When there's too much energy in the head, you may tend to feel too "up in the clouds"...not really "down to earth". If that bothers you, then it's useful to ground. When you walk, the energy moves down to the feet. It's better if you're barefoot, like yourself, because there's more stimulation, which means more energy flowing down. It's great, as long as you don't step on glass.
I personally think that one half of yoga is grounding. A good yogi, in my personal opinion, stimulates the energy then puts it to good use (being active in life, social, physical, mental, emotional, etc). Makes it go up, then makes it go back down. I believe this because it's the same path that the circulatory system follows, towards the heart. I think energy is simply the "flow of life", which includes blood, lymph, neural activity, and awareness. The goal seems to be to make the body work more efficiently (have the flow of life not be scattered, as it is with non-yogis), while maintaining your effectiveness in life (not being a nutball).
So to sum it up: grounding is what you should do when you feel kind of loopy due to yoga.
Walking is also great for health. I personally think yoga and good health go hand in hand. Illness seems to be caused by either injuries or samskaras (stored karma...habitual tendencies...however you want to put it). Lets say you're feeling angry a lot of the time...this will cause your blood pressure to rise, your muscles to tense up, and your neck to jut forward (like an ape). Over time, this will cause problems...perhaps lower back pain from the odd structure of the spinal cord. I'm sure there would be more problems than just that. And people tend to think that illnesses are due to germs, the food we eat, lack of exercise....not true. It's mostly due to our mental state, and how that impacts our body.
I do a mobility program nearly everyday, called IntuFlow, which loosens up your connective tissues and works at taking away your pain. This might be useful for your sore rotator cuffs.
[url=IntuFlow]http://www.rmaxinternational.com/ma...hop&Itemid=1[/url]
Don't take my suggestions if you don't want..you seem to know what you're doing with the walking stick. If you ever find yourself needing to ground, remember my question about the left or right hand with the stick and let me know if you notice anything.
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riptiz
United Kingdom
741 Posts |
Posted - Sep 28 2006 : 4:35:16 PM
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Hi,
I found that physical exercise or any of the external systems of martial arts are very grounding.I've never experienced grounding problems at all and put it down to my previous training.Another easy way of grounding is as you breathe out simply intend the energy to flow down to the feet and to the earth.BTW simply getting into the habit of breathing through the nose and diaphragm as in meditation during your daily life will also make a difference to you energy.Correct breathing is for 24 hrs not just for meditation and if you doubt that it's not natural simply look at a new born baby and how it breathes.Through the nose and diaphragm. Incidentally I'll be checking this out at the weekend when I go to London to see my new born grandson
L&L
Dave |
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Balance
USA
967 Posts |
Posted - Sep 28 2006 : 4:47:26 PM
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| Congratulations Dave! What joy! |
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Scott
USA
969 Posts |
Posted - Sep 28 2006 : 4:56:52 PM
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Congratulations on the grandson, Dave!
I agree with you on newborn breathing. When we relax and drop the habits of how we hold our bodies, we tend to naturally breathe that way too. Also when we stop caring about our guts, and sucking it in..haha...but I guess that goes with relaxing.
What kind of martial arts were you into?
BTW, it could possibly be that you didn't really need to ground because of your tradition, and because of your shaktipat. |
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riptiz
United Kingdom
741 Posts |
Posted - Sep 29 2006 : 09:00:07 AM
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Hi Scott,
Yes I believe my martial arts training allowed me to ground easily.I practiced Shotokan karate for 30 years, Aikido and Tai Chi for 5 yrs and TM for 2 yrs.I also was involved in Reiki and other healing modalities for the last 5 yrs although I don't consider I really did Reiki as my way is my own as a blessing of inner guidance and resulting from the siddhis of meditation.
L&L
Dave
Thanks btw to all who posted about my grandson.My wife sent him a text saying' Hi Alfie David Thompson, nana loves you, what do you want for christmas?' |
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paw
52 Posts |
Posted - Oct 01 2006 : 6:39:04 PM
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Scott, I suppose I am not sensitive to these things yet, cuz after trying to on my last two walks, I really don't notice any difference in the nervous system between left and right handed staff use. I'll keep paying attention tho.
I've walked a lot of miles in the last three years, and have learned a lot from the body wisdom about posture, pace and breath. I expect there is more to learn. I've become more body aware in general which has transfered to improvements in mountain biking and surfing as well. After most of a lifetime in these pursuits, I am still learning new things and improving, who woulda thunk it! I just learned scuba, and next I want to learn to sail trimarans, cuz wind and water is such an important energy to me.
The IntuFlow programs look a little advanced to me, as I am not very flexible by body type, but I know there is always improvement available. I injured my rotators in a high childhood fall and lifetime surfing, but the pain and weakness is much better now than years past, and I am always looking for ways to improve. I'll check the IntuFlow site some more looking for tips, thanks! |
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sadhak
India
604 Posts |
Posted - Oct 01 2006 : 10:54:59 PM
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Hi Scott,
Thanks for this thread.... I must have lots of anger stored in me, because I frequently get jammed neck and shoulders. And god knows what else where, because my entire right musco-skeletal is jammed too. Whenever I've begun on any physical regimen: asanas, walking, dancing, anything, I improve initially, and then it gets so bad, I have to stop. I find it extremely difficult to walk... I've always brushed it off saying it's a manufacturing defect  ... But I'm trying again. Will try and be mindful of your techniques. Thanks again .... |
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Effective walking to ground
