Do you ever feel something holding you back? Maybe it’s a deep-seated fear that discourages you from pursuing your dreams. Or, perhaps it’s a limiting belief about your abilities or self-worth that diminishes your confidence. Whatever internal obstacles you might be facing, you’re not alone. In fact, most people experience some sort of internal, self-defeating patterns of one sort or another.
Qi Gong is a powerful practice that can help you address the root cause of toxic thought patterns and unhealthy emotional tendencies. And unlike many pills and medications, there are no negative side effects to using Qi Gong to improve your mental health. It’s safe, natural, and effective.
In this blog, you’ll learn how to use Qi Gong principles to let go of whatever might be holding you back. You’ll also discover why the season of fall is the perfect time to let go of anything that no longer serves you.
How to Release Emotional Baggage and Toxic Thought Patterns Using Qi Gong Principles
It’s important to understand the foundational principles of Qi Gong so you can use it to release emotional baggage and toxic thought patterns.
Qi Gong is the practice of working skillfully with your life-force energy (Qi), which is, in fact, what Qi Gong means. “Qi” means life-force energy, and “Gong” refers to work or skill.
Not surprisingly, there are a variety of different ways you can work with your Qi. For example, Tonifying refers to Qi Gong practices that strengthen your internal energy. Just like proper nutrition and exercise help build your physical body, tonifying Qi Gong practices strengthen your energetic body—which also has a positive effect on your physical body.
In addition to cultivating and strengthening your internal energy, it’s also important to let go of any old energy that no longer serves you. Just think of how you go about recovering from an illness. Along with immune-system-boosting herbs and supplements, you’ll also focus on remedies that help rid your body of infection or disease (pathogenic Qi).
In Qi Gong, this process of releasing old energy is known as purging. Purging is a very important step when it comes to letting go of emotional baggage and toxic thought patterns.
How Purging Can Help You Release Old Energy
There are many practical ways you can purge old energy, and most purging practices follow a similar process.
One of the first steps in releasing self-defeating thought patterns or old emotions is to simply recognize them. It can be difficult to let go or transform without becoming aware of what’s holding you back. This is why many Qi Gong practices focus on cultivating skillful attention, or the ability to see and understand the energy within you.
Sometimes, simply acknowledging a limiting belief or self-defeating thought pattern will cause it to transform and move on. If you’re holding onto unpleasant feelings based on a false narrative, your feelings may dissipate as soon as you become aware it isn’t reality. You might experience a sudden and powerful feeling of liberation as soon as you truly shift your perspective and belief.
Other times, old energy may be a bit more stubborn. Strong emotions or deeply ingrained thinking patterns don’t always disappear the moment you turn your attention toward them. In these cases, it might take intentional work to transform and let go.
Qi Gong offers many powerful practices designed to help you release old emotional baggage, toxic thought patterns, or anything else holding you back. Some purging exercises include combining focused attention with your breath (especially your exhale), guided meditation, and purging Qi Gong movements.
Although you might not always have time for a lengthy Qi Gong practice, you can usually take a few moments to release old energy through your breath. To do this, inhale slowly through your nose and then exhale fully through your mouth. On your exhale, visualize yourself releasing whatever is no longer serving you. Do this in a focused and intentional way for two or three minutes, and you’ll feel a transformation.
Why Fall is the Perfect Time to Let Go of Old Energy
Although it’s always a great time to release emotional baggage and toxic thought patterns, fall offers an especially promising opportunity. Because humans are greatly influenced by the ebbs and flows of the natural world, you can take advantage of fall’s “letting go” energy.
During the season of fall, nature lets go of the past to create space for new opportunities. Trees shed their colorful leaves, which fall to the ground and become nutrients for new seeds.
In your own life, fall invites you to turn inward and recognize which old thinking patterns or emotions are ready to be released. In doing so, you’ll create so much more space for creativity, joy, and love to emerge—including self-love.
If you’re interested in learning more about how Qi Gong and Fall can help you let go of old energy and embrace the opportunities before you, be sure to check out our on-demand Qi Gong for Fall Workshop.
Release Old Energy and Create Space for New Opportunities with Qi Gong for Fall
In our on-demand Qi Gong for Fall Workshop, master teacher Lee Holden teaches a variety of powerful Qi Gong exercises designed to help you harness the gifts of fall. These include intentionally releasing old energy, cultivating healthy lung Qi, and naturally boosting your immune system.
Click on the banner below to learn more about Qi Gong for Fall and how it can help you cast off old ways of thinking and embrace your full potential.