During the last century, our society and culture have profoundly changed, which amongst other things means that we don’t have to use our bodies like we did before. These changes have come quickly and we only have to look back 50 years in order to see the difference.
Our inactive life style affects our body posture in a negative way. A good body posture is characterized by an uplifted head and an upright body with the chin slightly drawn in. There are many examples of poor body postures. Common problems include not raising the head up (e.g. due to raising the chin up), being round-shouldered or sway-backed.
Why is a good body posture so important? A poor body posture can eventually lead to several problems. Headache, impaired hearing, reduced skin sensation as well as sexual dysfunction are some of the problems that might develop, but back and neck pains can also be contributed to poor body postures. Constant tiredness is another possible effect of a poor body posture.
A good body posture can reduce tension in the body. It will be easier to relax and the circulation in the body will be improved. These things make it possible to avoid many of the problems mentioned above. You will experience less strain in your body and will be able to work more efficiently, which of course means that the body will need less energy. This will in turn lead to an energy surplus and also an improved mental clarity.
For some persons it might be difficult to keep the body upright, the strength and energy it requires might not be available. In Zhineng Qigong we practice a good body posture, at the same time the exercises aim to increase our vital energy.