Then I turned the computer off and did my end of day ritual of chi practice & meditation, and everything changed. Along with chi flow and a nice calming wave of yin to balance out the yang of the day, came clarity, a restored big picture perspective and a reminder that purpose overrules escape.

We need yin to make sense of things, especially now. The stressor storm of rent rises, mega bills, financial stress, nutty leaders – keeps yang rising. You can’t relax, can’t sit back, can’t take your hands off the wheel, can’t sleep, can’t digest & then can’t take it anymore.

Worry rules, it causes chi stagnation in the lungs, it is suppression of the chest, so you can end up desperate to ‘escape’ but simultaneously unable to move. Chi stagnates in the liver (which wants to see us move) so it generates frustration. Getting some chi flow going will alleviate that frustration, add some breathing techniques to enhance lung function and you can control worry. Now more than ever we need these simple health tools to maintain independence.

The external world speaks untruths, because it’s not real, so avoiding entanglement with that is critical. Running away is not the solution, but an internal escape plan is! Regularly balance each day’s yang with yin for starters. You just need a clock for this. Do full-on yang stuff til lunchtime and then start winding down from early afternoon (you can see the full cycle details in my book Chi Health Cycle).

Kick-off each morning with chi and breath and movement. That’s the routine that lets me start out each day inspired to be in my beautiful clinic, to finishing my online course in how to use TCM to heal yourself, and to set new rainforest retreats.

We’ve all got something to offer to make a more wonderful home here for all of us.