ChiLiving: The Meaning of Well-Being
By Katherine Dreyer, Co-founder of ChiLiving, ChiRunning & ChiWalking
Well-being, to me, means that my energy is clear, like a woodland stream, unimpeded, joyful, bubbling and flowing along a gentle descent, or ebbing in eddies of circular motion or pausing and deepening in pools created by a beaver’s dam. There is a natural flow to my daily life, energized or restful as needed, giving or receiving as called for.
The ChiLiving Techniques Create the Conditions for Energy to Flow
Sometimes the flow of water gets stuck, clogged with debris, or befouled in some way, just as our energy can. However, that deep feeling of well being can return as the water clears or finds an opening to its flow. Fresh water might break up the blockage or the pollution can be diluted and made pure again.
The same holds true for your energy on the physical, mental and emotional levels. When your energy is open, free of encumbrances, purposeful, but not forced, there is a natural life flow that moves you through each moment, just as gravity moves the stream down a hill, leaving you with a feeling of simplicity, ease and aligned forward movement.
And, there is much in life that can block that flow, make you feel stuck or heavy with burdens, slow you down to a crawl or cause other kinds of pain and suffering nuanced to your circumstances. It can be as simple as being confused or not knowing what to do, or an upheaval in your life such as divorce or losing your partner or a serious health issue that has you facing your mortality.
So although free flowing energy is the ideal, true well-being does not demand perfection.but comes from knowing that you have the tools, practices and wisdom to work with any circumstances that come your way.
Danny and I love to share the ChiLiving, ChiRunning and ChiWalking practices at Well Being Retreat Center. It is the perfect place to learn the Chi techniques which are designed specifically to create the conditions for energy to flow.
The First Two Mindful Steps
The first step in clearing the debris for energy to flow is to become aware of when your energy is stuck. We get so used to our ingrained ways of moving and living, we sometimes don’t notice where we’re stuck, physically or emotionally. Nothing can change without first being aware. ChiRunning, ChiWalking and ChiLiving provide pointers for you to check in and see where your movement may be limited.
The second step may be surprising. Rather than taking action, the second step is to accept and even welcome in that which you discover. Understanding why a problem exists really helps it resolve more quickly than taking action too soon. Patience, kindness, acceptance and a good sense of humor all help energy to flow.
Join Us!
Well Being Retreat Center has everything needed to inspire and support the flow of clean, clear energy: gorgeous nature, high-chi food (often fresh from the garden, mostly organic and prepared with care), paths to run and walk by the river, fresh air, delicious fresh water, and a deep, restful quiet, so hard to find these days.
Come join me and Danny at Well Being for 3 days of ChiRunning, ChiWalking and ChiLiving, May 4-7, 2023. We’d love to see you there!