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The Tao of Health
Conscious Connections
80% of Good Health is Just Showing Up
As Woody Allen once said, “Eighty percent of success is showing up,” Well, that’s true with your health as well.
Too often we only pay attention to what’s happening with our body and emotions when a ‘flare-up’ occurs. But your health is a day-by-day process, in which you play the major role. And, to follow Woody’s insight: If you pay attention on a regular basis — “show up” — and learn what to do when you get there, you’ll experience a healthier, more joyful life.
Some things to do when you “show up”:
The Monkey in August
In August, the Monkey is still susceptible to moments of erratic and volatile behavior, followed by sluggishness. This contrast of extremes is something to keep an eye out for this month—in yourself, and others. But what exactly are you keeping an eye out for?
As with a forest fire, one spark can either become an insignificant puff, that is out before anyone even knows it was there. Or the same spark can become a raging inferno. It just depends on the conditions.
When the environment is hot and dry—the definition of August—a destructive fire can get going pretty quickly. But once the fuel that feeds it is gone, the fire seems to disappear. Maybe ... maybe not. The danger to you is to not pay attention to that small glowing ember—in the case of your health, an existing weakness or imbalance—hidden beneath an ashen layer of inattentiveness. A weakness that can quickly and unexpectedly ignite into physical discomfort when the conditions are right for it, but wrong for your health.
So what feeds the fire this time of year for the Monkey—and possibly for you? Maybe too much physical exertion, causing overheating. Or perhaps, a short temper that may spark an already overheated situation.
In any event, the Monkey knows it’s nature, and follows it in August by resting, and enjoying itself beside the cool stream. What are you doing to “stay cool”—inside and out—as August fires burn and smolder?
August Health Tips
It’s the height of summer, a time to be especially careful that you’re not overdoing it; you want to avoid making yourself vulnerable to heat-related problems like high bloodpresure, rashes, and other heart- and kidney-related discomforts and ailments.
Here are some things you can do for yourself and your family to staying healthy and comfortable during the hot days of August:
Find the right balance between rest and running around.
Do your best to ‘lay low’ when possible, and stay cool. Get regular exercise to keep your energy from becoming stagnant—but don’t overdo it, and get overheated. (Folk wisdom refers to these as the “dog days of summer” for a reason.) This is a great time to learn how to do Chi Kung and Tai Chi.
Start Strengthening Your Lungs.
As Aesop told us in his fable about ‘The Ant and the Grasshopper’: “It is best to prepare for the days of necessity.” Alas, summer will pass, and the Fall and Winter will come, a time when we need strong Chi (energy) in our lungs. So right now is an important time, especially for people who have lung problems, to be strengthening Lungs.
Doing Chi Kung and abdominal breathing, combined with acupuncture/acupressure and Chinese Medical Herbs is something the wise Ant would advise.