Refocusing Anxiety | Ep. 61
Oct 04, 2021
- 0:00 Welcome
- 2:36 Looking at anxiety through energy
- 7:41 How to disperse your energy
- 8:29 How energy moves with our emotions
- 13:14 Resetting your nervous system
- 16:50 Recognizing where you are
- 24:44 You’re more than your thoughts: why your body matters too
Have you noticed that when you're anxious you're also exhausted?
This is because anxiety, overwhelm, and stress all deplete our energy battery. It's a catch 22 because when we don't have enough energy, it becomes incredibly difficult to calm our mind and body, because we're lacking a foundation of energetic support for our body.
A friend said to me recently, “I can’t stop my mind. I finally fall asleep, and the moment I wake up, it’s racing again. It feels like my thoughts are running me.”
He hit it right on the head. And there are real energetic reasons this happens. When we understand what’s going on in our body, we stop feeling so out of control. Because there are ways to shift it.
Your energy battery
In Chinese medicine, our foundational energy comes from the kidneys, what we often think of as our adrenal energy. This is our battery pack.
We recharge it when we sleep, meditate, and practice Qigong, Tai Chi, or yoga. But when we’re anxious, we usually aren’t sleeping well or truly resting. So the battery keeps draining, and the anxiety has even less support underneath it.
I often describe it to clients like a glass of water. Ideally, your glass is full, and even overflowing, so you’re living from the overflow and not dipping into your reserves. When someone has been dealing with anxiety, stress, or pain for a while, their glass is often only half full.
Energetic alignment and intuitive cultivation → Join The Studio
Anxiety is a frequency
Every emotion carries a frequency. Calm has one. Anger has another. Anxiety and overwhelm have their own too.
When we’re anxious, our energy tends to be very scattered. We can’t settle, we can’t rest, and we don’t feel grounded. It’s almost like wearing your nervous system on the outside of your body. Everything feels raw and extra sensitive.
Why “just relax” doesn’t work
If anyone has ever told you to “just relax” when you were anxious, you know how unhelpful that is!
That’s because your energy is already moving in a direction that isn’t its natural, healthy flow. Some people lock down and get rigid. Others float up and out of their body and feel scattered. Either way, you can’t simply think it calm. You have to actually change the direction of the energy.
Join
The three steps I always come back to
In Qigong, we work in three steps:
- Disperse the stuck, wound up energy
- Balance and tune in
- Nourish and restore your energy
I’ve been practicing since I was twelve, and I still go through these steps whenever life brings up stress or overwhelm. It’s not about being “good enough” at it. It’s simply the path.
How to disperse your energy
Think of it like shaking out a towel. Your body is holding energy that’s wound up and needs to be released. A few ways to do that:
- Take a brisk walk
- Practice Shaking the Bones, if you know this Qigong exercise
- Move your body in any way that feels good, especially if you can break a sweat
- Try this breath: take a long, slow inhale through your nose, pause for just a moment, then let it out with a quick, powerful exhale through your mouth. Do this three times.
That breath may make you feel a little lightheaded, so please do it seated, especially if you have any dizziness or balance concerns.
And here’s the good news: this doesn’t take long. We’re talking a couple of minutes. But those few minutes help your body let go so a new pattern can begin.
Resetting your nervous system
When we’re anxious, in pain, or stressed, our nervous system shifts into fight or flight. That system is only meant for emergencies, but in our culture, it often runs all day and into the evening.
When you disperse, balance, and nourish your energy, you help your nervous system shift into rest, repair, and healing mode. That’s where we truly thrive.
Start by recognizing where you are
The first step is always awareness. Notice how you feel, and then gently ask yourself what you actually want.
There’s a difference between “I’m so anxious and I can’t stand this” and “I’m feeling anxious, and I’d love to feel calmer.” That small shift opens space for support, answers, and new possibilities to come in.
And if you’re not ready to let something go yet, that’s okay too. I’ve been there. Recognizing that is part of the process.
You are more than your thoughts
So many people try to think their way out of anxiety. And when it doesn’t work, they feel frustrated with themselves.
If that’s you, please know you’re not doing anything wrong. We are whole beings. Our body, emotions, and thoughts are all connected. That’s why I usually guide people through moving Qigong before seated meditation. It’s so much easier to quiet the mind once the body has had a chance to let go.
It may take a few steps and some new learning, but feeling calm and restored is possible for everyone.
Ready to step inside? → Join The Studio
Thank you for tuning in! Please share this with a friend who could use a little support today.
Much love,
Dr. Maria
These practices are for educational purposes only and are not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your healthcare provider before starting any new practice.
