Do-in self-massage and let the energy flow

September 17, 2020 11:11

Absent from the hustle and bustle of modern life, a group of elderly people slowly exercise in a park in the Chinese city of nanking. Do you practice tai chi? Chikung? What difference does it make! What surprises me the most when observing them is their agility and the feeling of lightness that emanate

It contrasts with the difficulty of movement that many of our old people in the west. What is the secret of this difference? It is not a question of living longer, but better and independently. The diet, where a good part of the oriental know-how is based, provides a solid foundation.

In parallel, the do-inA simple self-massage methodis another key that leads us into the secrets of eternal youth, understood as the ability to live independently until the end of our days.

What is the do-in?

This self-massage technique It was born in Taoist monasteries and was later developed and preserved in Japan. His source of inspiration was the movement of animals, which are masters in being aware of their bodies and their surroundings and in functioning harmoniously through them.

The purpose of the do-in is to free from blockages and waste the bodily channels through which energy (chi), blood or lymph move. For it Breathing is combined with simple body mobilization exercises. The goal is for the energy to reach all corners of the body and clean the debris that may be in them. These residues tend to be deposited at the ends, such as fingers and toes.

In ancient times, Taoist philosophers and the emperors who protected them searched hard for the keys to eternal youth. They observed that the animals lived without great differences between their young age and their maturity.

From there came the energy concept (chi), the foundation of the way of life of the inhabitants of China in the last five millennia. Do-in means “imitate birds”.

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1. A shower without water to fill yourself with energy

Every morning we can spend a few minutes to activate blood flow throughout the body with the intention that the metabolism helps to regenerate the blood. To do this, work with fingers is combined, self massage and light blows on the body surface.

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2. From head to toe

Before starting, it is done a very deep breath and exhale as much air as possible. It starts with the scalpwhich is rubbed with all the fingers, and then we hit each other lightly, trying not to stop hitting any area of the skull.

It goes down to the facewhere we do a self-massage on the forehead; the eyebrows, where anger tends to accumulate when we frown; the eye socket, the cheekbones and, above all, the tissue around the jaws, as its tense muscles allow and appreciate working with pressure.

Then you can go to the gums, above the skin. Don’t forget the ears: If the lobes are massaged and stretched, soon the pinna will be filled with color and warmth.

For arms and legs (photo 1), due to the breadth of its surface it is recommended a quick, agile tapping with an open palm. It goes from top to bottom of the extremity and turns up again, going inside and outside.

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3. Spend time on small joints

You can dedicate the necessary time to thoroughly work the small joints of the fingers and toes. The phalanges move and the little musculature that we find is pressed.

At the ends of the fingers is where yin and yang they are closer, where everything is put into operation more quickly and at the same time where more waste accumulates. You have to let yourself be carried away by intuition devoting more attention wherever you want. At the end of the “shower” it will have been achieved wake up the whole body and we will be prepared for a new day.

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4. Don’t forget your back

The back and chest are also included in the routine. The kidney area is worked by alternately tapping the two sides. And it always ends at the feet.

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5. Gain flexibility in the trunk and back

He swaiso is another very important do-in exercise and a great way to start morning movements. You have to get well supported on the ground, with your feet slightly apart. Fingers can be pressed downas if feeling that roots sprout from the sole of the foot and are penetrating into the interior of the earth.

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6. Arm swing

We continue with a swing of the arms (photos 5 and 6), applying force when going backwardsand letting them go forward only by the momentum generated, like a pendulum would.

hands are open; palms back and elbows extended. You can start with some two hundred repetitions, which will take a few minutes. Over time you can get up to a thousand, which would be the limit. The objective is to eliminate the rigidity and tension of the trunk.

It is about taking what is left over from the upper part and is stagnant (that is why it hurts) where it is usually missing, generally the lower part of the body.

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7. For lower back pain

We start from a fully erect position. We inhale through the mouth and gently we lean forward as much as we can, we close our mouths and return to the initial position. We continue making the movement and we will see that we get closer to the ground, until the pain dissipates.

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8. Loss of hair vigor

According to traditional Chinese medicine, hair reflects the quality of our blood. If it no longer reaches the same facility and nutrients to the scalpDue to the residues that have accumulated over the years, the hair loses its vivacity and color, and it falls out or does not renew itself as before.

To remedy this, the do-in proposes that each day rub the scalp with both hands at least 18 times. The area is then tapped with the tips of the fingers. where the hair comes from. The blood rich in chi and nutrients can thus regenerate that area a little better and the hair changes its appearance.

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9. End constipation

This exercise is called ampuku and serves for combat constipation, an obvious symptom that the metabolism is stagnant. Undoubtedly, speaking of the importance of eliminating what is left over and can harm the body, regularity when going to the bathroom is a pillar of health.

To start with the ampuku We warm up the abdominal area by rubbing it with the palms of the hands.. Next, we activate the peristaltic movements by means of a self massage that follows the path of the fecal bolus through the abdomen.

We imagine that our abdomen is a square and, starting from the bottom right, we go up to the top right and then we go horizontally to the left to go down from there. When a harder or more painful area is found, special attention is paid to it, massaging for longer and with more intention.

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10. Shoulder pain

The do-in also constitutes an effective aid for the Back pain, often related to the rigidity that worsens as the working day goes by or with tensions of which we are not aware. If we are at work we can practice sitting on a chair; but if we are at home it is preferable to do it sitting on the floor in semilotus position.

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11. Effective against stress

The arms hang freely at the sides, inert. We inhale through the nose and raise our shoulders as far as we can. Next we exhale the air while we relax our shoulders and let them fall. We repeat the exercise nine times.

the four rules

It is impossible to fool the body: if the chi flows correctly through your interior, this one will indicate it to us with health. When it is blocked, pain and disease manifest. He do-in It helps to harmonize. It is advised to follow these rules when performing the movement routine.

Breathing. Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth, synchronizing the movements of the body with the entry and exit of the air.Before starting. The space where the practice is carried out must be ventilated. Comfortable clothing is used and wide so that the chi can circulate easily. Accessories such as watches, bracelets and others are dispensed with. stomach is empty.During practice. Close your eyes, release your muscles and watch the mind. Breathe out at least once completely to expel negative chi. It is about exercising comfortably; If discomfort or pain is experienced when performing an exercise, do not continue.By the end. Wipe off the sweat, especially on the feet and the neck, since it is said that the body expels the negative chi. Allow half an hour to pass before take a shower or bath.

healing with fingers

Like acupuncture, shiatsu or tuina massage, the do-in is based on the balanced movement of energy. But it is not necessary to use needles as in the case of acupuncture or have specialized knowledge. And it is very easy to apply by yourself.

When we hit ourselves, we instinctively use our hands to appease the pain. The power of touch is present in these situations. The do-in proposes that we use them not only to cure but also to prevent.

The exercises that present the images in this article are just one example of the healing power of our fingers. The most common is to press the skin and make circles at a specific point, as if awakening the calls tsubosor points where energy manifests itself in a more superficial way.

They often coincide with what in the West is called “trigger points”. These are points that hurt to the touch and at the same time we like to put pressure on ourselves. One of the most common is in the upper part of the back, and we usually look for it when our muscles are loaded.

Another way to call mobilize the blood It is through friction or soft tapping with the palm of the hand or the tips of the fingers. It is also possible to tighten by clamping by hand.

With practice each person will find in which way they feel more comfortable when treated or you will notice that the body responds better. Although the exercises are quite patterned, each teacher has their own way of working and each person must feel comfortable adapting it to their feelings.

a bath with sake

A special complement to the do-in to continue cleansing yourself of toxins and at the same time charging yourself with energy is a bath with sake. It consists precisely of that: taking a bath in hot water adding to the bathtub a bottle of rice wine.

The goal is to use the power of alcohol without its side effects. With hot water, the pores of the skin open and expel what is on its surface. To make do-in exercises important debris usually accumulates under it.

Diluted alcohol helps absorb them and its toning effect mobilizes energy and helps to clean better. When leaving the bathroom, the water will be dirty and we will find ourselves more active.

If this type of bath is performed at…

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