How to “Let” Energy Flow So You Can Feel It

We often tend to over complicate things. One of the main secrets to good tai chi falls in this category.  Relaxing your shoulders is just as simple as well, relaxing your shoulders.  When we tense our shoulders we cut off a portion of our body’s natural energy flow, making our movements weaker and considerably less effective.

I think I understand the reason we tend to make this simple concept more complicated than it is. For most of our lives we’ve been taught to use our shoulders in to accomplish things and it’s not easy to change these old ingrained habits.  We’ve become conditioned by trite expressions such as, “Put your shoulder into it.”  Reconditioning ourselves takes time and patience.

If you were to do some simple exercises on a regular basis, your body could easily relearn the way you use your shoulders, place less stress on them, and be less likely to suffer a shoulder injury.  You would also become more conscious of the times you’re relaxed and the times you’re not.  It’s not particularly hard, but you do need to become aware of and consciously alter your behavior over time.

Here’s a very simple set of exercises you can use to get this concept into your body and allow the natural energy to flow.  Pick up something that’s fairly easy to hold with your hand and has a little bit of weight to it.  A 2-liter soda bottle can be held at the neck, or you can even choose something a little lighter.

First Exercise:

1. Hold the bottle or object in one hand with your arm loose at your side.
2. Put your attention on your hand and the weight.
3. Keeping your arm almost straight, but not quite, lift the weight up away from your body and in front of your shoulder. Be sure your attention is on your hand and that your shoulder is as loose as possible.
4. Lower the weight to your side.
5. How did your shoulder feel as you lifted and lowered the weight?  You probably felt some strain.

Second Exercise:

1. Now leaving your arm at your side, move your elbow about an inch further away from your body.
2. Notice how the sensation in your shoulder changes.  If you can’t feel this right away, don’t worry you will over time.
3. Once again keeping your arm almost straight, lift the weight up away from your body and in front of your shoulder. Be sure your attention is on your hand, your shoulder is as loose as possible, and that your elbow is very slightly out to the side (keep the shape of your arm the same and just pivot your shoulder joint).
4. Lower the weight to your side while maintaining the shape of your arm.
5. How did your shoulder feel as you lifted and lowered the weight?  You should have felt a little less strain.

Third Exercise:

1. Now repeat Numbers 1 through 5 from the Second Exercise above by moving your elbow a tiny bit further from the side of your body each time.
2. You’ll find a place where it takes less effort and where your shoulder feels less strain. This position is unique to you.
3. Do this exercise a few minutes at a time at least 3 times a week until you naturally put your arm in the correct position.
4. Once you’ve master this, try this same exercise with your hand open, empty, and loose.  If you’re very sensitive to the energy you’ll begin to feel a sensation of energy, or tingling, in your hand.  For some people this takes a while so stick with it and you’ll be pleasantly surprised how this transfers into your daily life.

Note: You can also try this same move by lifting your arm out to the side of your body.  However, be sure your shoulder remains slightly forward so your arm is still a little in front of your body.  If you move your shoulder too far back the energy flowing down your arm is cut off.  Once you get to the point where can feel the energy in your hand, you’ll know the second the energy is cut off, even without the weight.

Give this exercise a try.  I think you’ll like it.  It’s just one more way to help us realize that simple things are often effective.  Tai chi is simple; it’s just not always easy.   I’ll work on getting a video up about this exercise soon.

Your thoughts, experiences?

John

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