This week I have been most fortunate to have met and heard stories of amazing people. I thank them for their inspiration! Interesting how the universe connects us with people from all walks of life.
Dancing next to me in my Jazzercise class was a middle aged Japanese women that I had never met before. I later found that Asako and her husband, were visiting their son and his family for the summer holidays. How wonderful to be spending time with their grandkids! But, what really caught my attention was that this spunky grandma had an amazing amout of chi-energy! While dancing side by side, I noticed her movements were quite powerful. She kept jumping and dancing with real enthusiasm! Wow, so much chi, I thought…put me to shame.
Because I danced in my younger days, moving to the beat of the music is enjoyable to me. But, to be honest, I am more of a dancer rather an athlete. I don’t push myself really hard. I’m not the ‘powerful’ type, more of the ‘go with the flow’, type.
In feng shui, we say form defines energy and energy manifests information. Well, believe it or not, this can be applied to Jazzercise as well. Just by watching everyone’s dance movements, one can assess how much chi each person is feeling on that day. And yes, chi does constantly change, as nothing in this universe stays the same.
Some dance at a slow and steady pace and are faithful exercisers. Others come and go with force. Some only come for 1/2 the class. Regardless of the differences, the main thing that I learned many years ago is to just get yourself there. Because once you’re there, you will do the class. And the more you do, the more comfortable your body becomes. And the more comfortable your body, the smoother the movements. As the form improves so does your chi. So yes, you can see your chi through your own form.
After class a few of us went for coffee. I found out that this woman was from the same town as my grandmother, and she even shared the same maiden name. We both thought, who knows, we could be related! In a short period, we all connected so easily. It felt like we had known each other for ages. See how the universe connects us!
Asako is an amazing woman and a fabulous artist who plays about five instruments! Once she sets her mind to any endeavor, she is able to master what she desires. Just sitting next to her, I could feel her energy. I wondered what made her tick. All I know is that, she was so alive, full of chi.
As we kept talking, Asako told us that actually, her mother-in-law, who is 98 years old, had even more chi! Yes, that’s 98, not a typo. This American woman, still lives alone, drives herself everywhere and is very healthy! Every year she makes Thanksgiving dinner for all the family. So, when she turned 90, Asako’s husband suggested that she stop hosting Thanksgiving and become their guest instead. She got angry and was not having it – ‘how dare you take away my enjoyment’ was her response. I want to be like that when I’m 98! What an inspiration!
In my family too, there are some amazing relatives with very strong chi. I have an uncle, who at 95 has a very powerful voice, stands straight, plays golf and still drives on a daily basis. He is lucky to have his eye-sight, so he can drive. My father and my father-in-law are also over 90 and are still pretty sharp but their hearing isn’t too good.
In reality, I was told that the human body can actually live to 120. Living long is one thing, but living long with strong chi is another.
But, where does strong chi come from I wonder? From what I have seen, I believe age in not a number, it’s a mindset. I don’t know if it’s true but I think the stronger the mind, the stronger the chi. So, how do we raise our chi levels?
Through my own observations of family and friends, I find the feng shui concept of yin-yang balance does apply here. When there is a balance of both nature and people in our environment, we seem to have a balanced attitude toward life. In contrast, living in a cosmopolitan city with little contact with nature can cause anxiety and too much stimulation. Yet, being alone in the country can leave one with too little chi.
Maybe the key to raising one’s chi is finding your balance between people and nature. And knowing that we can be active throughout life, both physically and mentally. There is no reason to slow down if we desire to press on. Regardless of age, your physical ability and your mind can generate very strong chi. Age is a just a mindset. What do you think?
Photo: Pixabay
