Happiness Break: How to Relax Your Body Through A Standing Meditation, With Sherry Zhang

Last week on The Science of Happiness, we discussed the scientifically proven health benefits of the ancient Chinese practice of qigong with Harvard psychologist Peter Wayne. This week, we practice a standing meditation, with qigong master Sherry Zhang.

Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3t5wdexe

How to Do This Practice:

1. Take a moment to stand upright with your feet together and take a few deep breaths.

2. Have your eyes looking forward.

3. Soften your knee.

4. Gently shift your weight onto your left leg and step your right foot aside.

5. Face your palms inward, with your fingers relaxed and pointing down.

6. With your chin slightly in, relax both shoulders, and tuck in your tailbone.

7. Ground your feet and relax your knees, armpits, and fingers.

8. Take a deep breath and exhale.

9. Spend a few moments focused on your natural breathing and relaxed body.

10. Now, bring your right foot back, so both feet are together.

11. Lengthen your spine.

12. Take a moment to observe how your body feels, until your breathing slows.

13. Next, bring your hands together and rub them together vigorously, creating heat in between your palms.

14. Now "wash" your face with your hands.

15. "Wash" the side of your ears, to the back of your ears, the back of your neck.

16. Now relax both hands at the front of your chest.

17. Repeat this practice for one to five minutes.

Today’s Happiness Break host:

Sherry Zhang is the founder of Tai Chi Solutions and a Master Teacher of Qigong. She is faculty at Pacific College of Health and Sciences in New York City.

• Learn more about Sherry’s work: https://www.taichisolution.org/ •

• Follow Sherry on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taichisolution/ •

• Follow Sherry on Twitter: https://twitter.com/taichisolution

• Follow Sherry on Linked-In: https://tinyurl.com/ywca6nd5 •

• Follow Sherry on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sherrytaichi/ •

• Follow Tai Chi Solutions on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taichisolution/ •

If you enjoyed this Happiness Break, you may also like these ones:

Walk Your Way to Calm (Guided Meditation), with Dacher: https://tinyurl.com/4w37zwpy A Walking Meditation With Dan Harris of 10% Happier: https://tinyurl.com/4dv4ckzc

Check out these episodes of The Science of Happiness about movement-based practices:

How Qigong Can Calm Your Mind and Body: https://tinyurl.com/2ywsck4e Episode 5: Walk Outside with Inside Out’s Pete Docter: https://tinyurl.com/2nfc94zb

We love hearing from you! Tell us what movement based practice you’ve tried!

Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Find us on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/6s39rzus

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