Five Steps to Relieving Stress and Living Joyfully

Stop struggling and start healing

When you've got multiple balls in the air, not to mention clouds of economic gloom to contend with, staying positive can be a real challenge.

I know this struggle first hand. As an artist, Reiki healer, writer, event planner, consultant and volunteer, I often feel torn between getting it all done and stopping to smell the roses. Balancing everything, and staying upbeat, can be a real challenge sometimes.

This led me to 'hapi heart.' 'HAPI' stands for Healthy Action Powers Insight. It's a moniker for inspiring peace, flow and healing in every day life. When you apply this simple formula to your heart and actions, your emotional as well as your physical body can transform for the better.

Steps to getting 'hapi'

As the acronym suggests, HAPI blends action and insight, or what I like to call movement-based epiphanies, to create awakenings. Even if you are not hugely mobile, or don't have access to regular exercise, that's okay. If your heart beats and you inhale and exhale, you have all the tools to begin. Let's start now.

Activate your energy body

Since I am a level 2 Reiki healer and a Dayan Qigong practitioner, I have learned first-hand the power of energy work to transform our states of being. At the very core of this equation lies our physical body.

As human animals, we are alive with energy. When we are under duress, sick, blocked, and stressed, our energy flow constricts. If left unresolved, these constrictions might worsen and lead to more serious issues.

Thus, the first stage of getting 'hapi' is to learn how to activate your energetic sources and set flow in motion.

Step #1: Breathe in stillness

Activating your energy body starts with the breath. To begin, find yourself stopping, dropping and rolling to your nearest comfortable seat. Seriously, get still and comfy and just breathe. Feel your breath moving in and out of your lungs, releasing tension and feeding your soul.

The action of being still, at ease and breathing deeply is enough all by itself to trigger a shift in our body's state. This is a form of meditation that will calm and revitalize you. You can do this anywhere, anytime--all you need is a quiet place to rest and be still. Drink in this peaceful 'surrender to the moment' and let your breath guide you to joy.

Step #2: Shake and stir

After your meditation, or anytime you need an energy boost, amp your body by shaking and stirring. First, find a steady standing, seated or reposed position where you feel at ease to let loose a bit. Then begin rapidly shaking your legs, arms, hands and/or head.

Think of your body as a flag flapping crazily in the wind. You might shake only your arms or legs as the rest of you remains still. Or, shake and stir your whole body at once. Do what feels natural.

With each reverberation, savor the feeling of stuck tension melting away. You might even feel the urge to smile or laugh during this exercise, so don't resist. Get into your 'hapi' making vibe and really smell the moment.

Step #3: Slap yourself awake

After you've shaken and stirred for a while, say five minutes or so, it's time for some slapping. Again, you can do this sitting or standing, just make sure you are alert--all that shaking can unleash a rush of energy, which may cause dizziness, so rest if necessary.

Slapping techniques are common in many martial arts practices as a way to heat up the body, enliven its healing power and release stagnant "chi." Similar to how shaking works, when you slap key positions along your legs, you wake up your body and assist your breath in releasing constrictions.

Start this movement by holding both hands flat, fingers closed, then slightly cupping them like a saucer. Now bend down and begin slapping (as hard as you wish) both hands against each side of one leg from the top down. I normally slap six or seven times before I reach my ankles. If you can't reach all the way to your feet, that's okay; just slap as far down as you can. After you finish one leg, switch to the other.

Repeat three times for each leg. Just like the shaking action, when you slap your legs you are urging stagnant blood to circulate and feed your body as it is designed. Slapping is one way to help that process along when you feel stuck, tired or foggy. It's a great thing to do any time of day, especially mornings.

Step #4: Move to your own rhythm

After you've awakened your chi with breathing, shaking and slapping, it's time to engage your whole body in 'guided movement.'

As a long-time practitioner of Taoist meditation, NIA technique, and ecstatic dance, I fell in love with spontaneous movement when recovering from leukemia. Learning to flow my body in holistic space, unencumbered by fear or structure, was a true awakening for me and I believe has been instrumental in helping me stay healthy these last 12 years.

One way you know something is working is that your body, mind and spirit drink it in like an elixir. It feels right on multiple dimensions and the healing benefits become quickly evident.

For this exercise, ideally done standing (although sitting works, too), find a quiet, safe space and invite your linear mind to take a breather for a moment. You'll want to do this because as you tune in to your body's subtle energy currents, thinking merely interferes. Practicing this art relies on internal guidance and actually helps strengthen your intuitive muscle.

In learning to trust your inner self, you allow beginner's mind to dissolve doubts, expectations and judgment. Being in this state makes room for intuition to flourish and pretty soon the benefits spill over into "normal" life.

Now as you tune in, notice subconscious wisdom begin to guide your body. Follow each impulse and move accordingly. This may take the form of swaying, dancing, stroking air, jumping, walking, vibrating, chanting and even shouting! Don't be alarmed if what wants to expressed is out of character for you.

Guided movement is all about enabling your soul to move to its natural rhythm. Trust the moment and stay grounded in where you are and your connection to Earth. Move freely... and let your essence flow and guide you for as long as you wish. Relish the release, empowerment and epiphanies that ensue.

Step #5: Activate your insight

As I mentioned earlier, 'HAPI heart' means Healthy Action Empowers Insight, and this makes the heart very happy. Hopefully during the first four steps described above, which guide the body through activities from breathing meditation to free-form movement, you already experinced a good deal of insight!

But to summarize, connecting with our bodies is one of the most natural ways to trigger inspiration. As an an abstract artist, I rely on body work and movement arts to release blocks and catapult my creative process on a daily basis!

Such healthy action is not only powerful as creative instigator, but also as healer. From shamanic practices to ancient ceremonies to Chinese medicine arts, movement is one key to renewal and transcendence.

All this is to say that true happiness is about creating balance in your life. Adding holistic rhythms and remedies, like massage, Reiki, shiatsu, dancing, walking, and napping, along with the 'hapi heart' steps to healing can literally bring more joy into your heart.

Getting on the 'HAPI heart' path

Don't let busy 'to do' lists and chores rob you of life-sustaining self care. Responsibilities won't go away—and many are personally satisfying, to be sure. But find ways to keep your health and heart in the equation.

Sprinkle in some breathing, shaking, slapping and moving and see what joy you ignite! You'll feel better, healthier and your intuition will thank you.

Here's to staying positive and truly engaged in holistic living... and creating your very own 'hapi heart'!

Be well and namaste.