SOUTH AFRICA HAS WORST
POLLUTED AREAS IN AFRICA
JOBURG, PRETORIA AND THE INDUSTRIALISED AREA TO THE
EAST OF THE HIGHVELD CITIES HAVE THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION IN THE SOUTHERN
HEMISPHERE OF THE AIR POLLUTANT NITROGEN DIOXIDE (no2) - DATA FROM NASA
SATELLITES
Air through breathing is even more vital to health
and life extension than that provided by food and water
According to
the Chinese view, the nutrition provided by air through breathing is even more
vital to health and life extension than that provided by food and water. In
Chinese medicine, breathing is regarded as a science, where no specific term
even exists in the Western World to denote breath control. Nor do Western
physicians understand how atmospheric energy serves as a vital ‘nutrient’ for
human health. However, this is changing as Western science uncovers more and
more evidence that verifies the Chinese notions about air, breath and energy
and their roles in health and longevity.
Chi in air – negative ions
The essential
element in air that carries the vital charge of chi is not oxygen but the
negative ion – a tiny, highly active molecular fragment that carries an
electrical charge equivalent to that of 1 electron. Pollutants are borne in the
air by large, sluggish ions that carry a positive charge. In polluted air,
positive ions slow down trap and neutralize the active negative ions, thereby
robbing the air of vitality. Breathing such air is equivalent to eating junk
food full of ‘empty calories’. In nature, air is naturally ionized by the
action of short-wave electromagnetic radiation from the sun, which bombards air
molecules and imparts vital energy to the fragments. The movement and
evaporation of large bodies of water also ionize the air above them. A third
method of natural ionization is the unobstructed flow of wind over wide open
spaces. The most potent atmospheric chi is thus found at high altitudes, where
solar and cosmic radiation are strongest, winds are constant, and water takes
the form of rushing streams and open lakes. That is why we feel so refreshed
after a day in the mountains, even after a strenuous hike.
It is the
polarity of Yin and Yang that makes chi move. In Western science, this polarity
is called ‘potential gradient’, i.e. the potential difference in voltage
between 2 points. In clean open air, potential gradient rises several hundred
volts per meter, but in polluted air and closed spaces it is virtually zero.
Potential gradient thus determines the ‘strength’ of an electric field, and the
strength of the field determines how active the negative ions are and how
strongly they flow. The potential gradient is therefore higher in such places
as mountains, beaches and other open spaces, where negative ions flow freely
from the positive Yang pole of the atmosphere to the negative Yin pole of the
earth. All living organisms in-between serve as conductors for this energy. The
electric current caused by the presence of an electric field passes through all
the cells, the organs, and the whole of the nervous system, and stimulates the
metabolism as well as all other physiological functions of living organisms. If
the field is too weak, tiredness and lack of vitality occurs. This is the main
cause of exhaustion felt when spending extended time in cars, planes and
trains.
Even if you are exposed to a strong natural electric field, you will not experience the benefits if you wear rubber shoes or synthetic fibers. The best is to walk barefoot, lightly clothed in cotton across an open field or lawn while the morning dew is still present, breathing deeply and rhythmically as you walk. Since our bodies serve as conductors for the atmospheric chi constantly raining down from above, we must also discharge excess energy through our feet to the earth. Dew-laden grass acts as a powerful magnetic pole when you walk on it barefoot, drawing energy down through the body from the sky. That is why it is best to practice chi-gung outdoors, barefoot and clothed in natural fabrics.
Chi gung
Chi gung,
which means both ‘breathing exercise’ and ‘energy control’, has been a formal
branch of Chinese medicine for over 2,000 years. Like all Chinese heath
regimens, breathing is based on the balance of Yin and Yang. Just as correct
diet enhances the body’s store of nutritional essence, so correct breathing
enhances the body’s supply of vital energy.
Holiday Health – Breathe Deeply – Practice
Stretching and Yoga With Deep Breathing Exercises
