I recently came across an article by Alice Clark, “Scientists Have Reached a Key Milestone in Learning How to Reverse Aging,” https://time.com/6246864/reverse-aging-scientists-discover-milestone/, that has some fascinating information related to longevity.
In this article, Dr. David Sinclair, a professor of genetics and co-director of the Paul F. Glenn Center for Biology of Aging Research at Harvard Medical School, addresses what drives the aging process. Here’s an excerpt from the article: “In the Cell paper, Sinclair and his team report that not only can they age mice on an accelerated timeline, but they can also reverse the effects of that aging and restore some of the biological signs of youthfulness to the animals. That reversibility makes a strong case for the fact that the main drivers of aging aren’t mutations to the DNA, but miscues in the epigenetic instructions that somehow go awry.” Similar to how we need to reboot our computers from time to time to “clean out” the software, our bodies apparently also need to reboot their systems.
Sinclair adds, “If the cause of aging was because a cell became full of mutations, then age reversal would not be possible. But by showing that we can reverse the aging process, that shows that the system is intact, that there is a backup copy and the software needs to be rebooted.” Sinclair’s team does this through a form of gene therapy. They’ve experimented successfully with mice already, and the next step is to test their system in non-human primates. The research team has hopes that this treatment will eventually be used to treat eye disease, heart disease, and even neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s.
I found this article to be especially interesting, because in Spring Forest Qigong we often speak about rebooting the body’s energy systems through qigong. It’s like we’re doing our own software reboot. Spring Forest Qigong does this “rebooting” in many ways, but here are some sample tips from the SFQ system that can be especially helpful for longevity. I provide the general guidelines, but please contact me if you would like more specific details.
1) Practice the Small Universe Meditation as you’re going to sleep, in order to keep the middle and back channels open while you sleep.
2) As you wake up in the morning, while still lying down, scan your body from head to toe, relaxing any area of tension. Give your body positive suggestions, such as stating the age you’d like to attain, and asking for assistance with your purpose for the day.
3) Practice a simple teeth-tapping qigong. Numbers 17 and 18 in the Head-to-Toe Healing book describe such exercises.
4) Place your palms on top of your belly button, connecting to your Lower Dan Tian. One hand is on top of the other. Take several deep belly breaths.
5) Sit up, rub your hands, and massage your face. Thank your body for the good night’s sleep and for everything it does for you. Massage your ears from top to bottom.
6) When using the toilet, keep your jaw closed (see #18 in the HtTH book).
7) Have a daily conversation with yourself—perhaps before bedtime—in which you review your actions of the day. How have you expressed kindness and love to others? How else can you express kindness and love to others? Feel your body radiate with kindness and love.
If you’re interesting in learning more about these types of beneficial exercises, please use the contact form to reach out.
