Energy isn't just about the food you eat and the air you breathe. It's also dependent on the state of your body. Without exercise, the body loses muscle tone and it accumulates tension - and you feel tired. Exercise improves the circulation and oxygenates the blood, which is a natural high in itself, increasing your energy level. But there's more to exercise than simple physical training and the endorphin effect. Scientific research into yoga and t'ai chi have found health benefits you don't get from aerobic classes or running around the park. While excessive "aerobic" exercise can actually depress the immune system and overstress the body, t'ai chi can boost well-being and immunity. Yoga has been shown to have positive effects on pulse, blood pressure, and mental and physical performance beyond that expected from physical exercise alone.
These ancient systems of exercise were never designed simply to get you fit. They were designed to generate a natural high by removing the blockages that accumulated tension builds up. Such blockages prevent vital energy - known in China as chi, and in India as prana - from restoring your vitality.
And we accumulate stress everyday, which is stored as anxiety in our minds and as tension in our bodies. In the underlying philosophy of Far Eastern martial arts and the ancient Indian traditions, yoga or t'ai chi unlock the tension and allow you to return to a natural and blissful state of equilibrium.
Patrick Holford & Dr Hyla Cass
Natural Highs
