In days of ongoing stress and uncertainty, it is not always easy to find a quiet place or time to disconnect. Qigong is a holistic practice that developed as part of the Chinese medicine approach. This ancient doctrine combines posture exercises, breathing and meditation in movement, it is a short and simple practice that can also be performed at home or in a safe room, which helps calm the body, reduce emotional load and return to grounding.
Gil Shiraz, head of the Qigong workshops field at Maccabi Tivi, offers short, practical and simple-to-implement exercises, that can be performed at any time and in any place, even in a limited space and under restricted conditions, and can contribute almost immediately to relieving stress.
1. Rubbing and massaging the ears
How it helps: Helps balance kidney energy, strengthens willpower and supports reducing feelings of fear and stress.
What to do: Gently rub the ears for about 30–60 seconds, from the upper edge to the earlobe, to stimulate the area and increase flow. Perform a thorough massage of the entire auricle using the thumb and index finger, with gentle movements. It is recommended to linger slightly in areas where sensitivity or mild pain is felt. Then, create a "V" shape with the index and middle fingers, place them on both sides of the ear so that it is between them, and rub in up-and-down movements the front of the ear and its back simultaneously.
2. Tapping in the center of the chest
How it helps: Helps release emotional load that accumulates in the body, supports breathing and lung function and reduces contraction in the chest area.
What to do: Create a "chick fist" – a soft, gently closed fist, without effort. Gently tap on the sternum and the surrounding area, in a small circular motion that also includes the rib connections to the sternum. Use light wrist movements, and maintain a pleasant and soft rhythm. If weakness is felt, work clockwise. If there is a feeling of load or congestion, switch to counterclockwise movement. Perform for about 30–60 seconds.
3. Massage of the sternum and ribs
How it helps: Calms the body, strengthens a sense of security, reduces a feeling of distress and pressure in the chest area and helps move energy (Qi) in the area.
What to do: Choose what is comfortable for you – a soft fist or fingertips, and perform a gentle massage with short and focused movements. Start in the center of the chest, on the sternum, and continue with gentle movements along the ribs to both sides. Maintain small, local movements and a pleasant rhythm. Start gently, especially since the area may be sensitive, and increase the intensity slightly only if it is comfortable and not painful.
4. Massage of the nail corners
How it helps: Encourages energy flow, physically and mentally, especially when feeling "stuck", tired or lacking vitality. The action strongly moves the Qi (energy) along the meridians in the body and renews a sense of flow and energy.
What to do: On both sides of each nail, in the lower corners (the nail root area), you will feel tiny indentations. Hold each indentation with the thumb and index finger. Press gently until a local pressure sensation or mild pain appears, and rub the area gently. Then, "roll" the fingers: Transfer the pressure and massage between the thumb and index finger to stimulate additional flow.
5. Gentle waist stretch
How it helps: Strengthens the sense of grounding and connects the body to the breath. The stretch encourages energy flow along the center of the body and the Qi channels (meridians), especially in the gallbladder and small intestine area.
What to do: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart or sit without leaning your back on the backrest. Hold the wrist and raise the arms above the crown. On inhalation, lengthen upward without locking the elbows. Relax the elbows gently toward the side of the holding hand, while exhaling slowly until a feeling of lengthening and a gentle, pleasant stretch is felt in the waist and rib area. Return to the center and release the weight to the ground. Then release the grip from the other wrist, lower the hands to the height of the center of the chest and repeat the sequence on the other side. Perform at least six repetitions, that is three pairs of right and left.
6. Suai Su – a gentle rotation around the vertical axis
How it helps: Connects the body to the breath, strengthens the sense of grounding and general relaxation. The practice releases the back muscles, creates calm and provides a soothing and balancing sensation.
What to do: Stand or sit comfortably, with the body arranged around a vertical axis in the core of the body from the ground to the crown, in the core of the body. Rotate gently from side to side, while the hands are relaxed and lightly tapping the body. Breathe naturally, with the pelvis slightly sinking in a gentle rolling toward the ground and the head lengthening upward. The gentle movement connects the body to the breath and the sense of grounding, and allows deep relaxation of the back and neck.
Tips for daily integration
Each exercise can be performed for one to three minutes, several times a day, also in a safe room or in a quiet corner at home. Listen to the body, maintain contact with the ground, breathe openly and ease tension in the shoulders and waist. Even a few minutes of Qigong practice a day can reduce stress, restore a sense of grounding and reconnect the body and breath, anywhere and at any time.
These simple exercises make it possible to pause for a moment within the routine, and especially in tense periods like the one we are currently experiencing, to calm the system, improve the sense of control and security and strengthen inner stability and calm. As you practice consistently, even for a short time, you can feel a real change in the physical and mental sensation and turn the practice into a personal, available and accessible tool for coping with a reality of uncertainty.
Article author: Gil Shiraz, head of the Qigong workshops field at Maccabi Tivi
The proposed exercises are not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If there is a movement limitation, injury, persistent pain, pregnancy or another health condition, a treating physician should be consulted.