Let's Get Physical

While Reiki is wonderful for stress reduction, sometimes sweating it out is the best solution. Exercise is another very important form of energy medicine. You can move a tremendous amount of energy through such activities as running, cycling, aerobics, swimming, and even brisk walking.

I just did my cardiovascular workout for the first time in about a week (way too long!!!), and I feel so good.

Why did I wait? Well, first I missed a day because of my hectic work schedule, then I came down with a little cold on Thanksgiving. I essentially kicked it within a couple of days, but decided I should rest a couple of more days before putting my body under too much stress.

I like to work out until I'm drenched in sweat, wondering if I'll really make it through the whole half hour. My goal is to do this four times a week, but sometimes life gets in the way.

When I woke up this morning, I just felt yucky. Not from illness, but from inactivity. Teaching a Reiki class this past Sunday was great for my energy, but that was an entire day of sitting and lying down. I needed to move!

Because I like my knees and want to keep them, I usually opt for equipment like ellipticals, stair climbers, and exercise bikes instead of running. I belong to Georgia Tech's gym, but most often, I use my home exercise bike for cardio.

At the start of every workout, I set the intention that it "help clear my body of all energy blockages." While one workout is, of course, not going to solve all my problems, it really does help on all levels: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.

What I personally like about intense cardio more than weight training is that I can get into a largely uninterrupted meditative state. It really clears my mind. I set the equipment at tensions high enough that I really need to stay focused on breathing properly.

During tough stretches -- when I start to think, "Oh my God! How much longer!?" -- I'll keep my mind occupied by doing chakra visualization work and sending the Usui and Karuna Reiki symbols to the energy centers in my legs and feet.

While I like to continually challenge myself to improve my performance during these workouts, you don't have to exhaust yourself to reap major benefits from exercising.

I do like to sweat, though, because the skin is a major route for toxins leaving the body. My skin does so much better when I'm regularly sweating them out. I have sensitive skin, so sometimes the process of sweating makes me feel a little itchy, but it's well worth a little temporary discomfort.

To be honest, I can't say I always enjoy cardiovascular exercise while I'm doing it. It's how I feel the rest of the time. The endorphins released by rigorous exercise provide an overall healthy sense of well-being.

I've read a few reports cautioning that extreme fitness fanatics can get addicted to endorphin rushes, but part of me wonders if the authors of those studies are just trying to justify a couch-potato existence.

Then again, people who work out two or more hours a day who aren't training for a sporting event might be taking it too far.

Sort of like my sister. In addition to her HR career, she's worked part-time teaching aerobics since college. I've heard she's developed a reputation as the "psycho spin class instructor" at her current gym. Even I might steer away from that class.

If you haven't really been doing any exercise at all, then start small. There's no need to push yourself too far right away. Try taking a walk or even "Sweatin' to the Oldies," if Richard Simmons doesn't make you crazy. Whatever you choose, do it for at least 20 minutes three times a week.