Body Shaking: The Ancient Practice That Can Transform Your Health

Have you ever wondered why animals shake their bodies after a stressful or scary event? Or why do some people tremble when they are nervous or excited? Or why do some cultures have rituals that involve vibrations and rhythmic movements?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be interested in learning about Body Shaking, an ancient practice that can transform your health and well-being. Body shaking is a simple and natural way to release tension, stress, and trauma from your body and mind.

In this post, we will explore what Body Shaking is, and how it can increase your energy, improve your lymphatic system, improve your mood, increase your flexibility, and develop your balance. Let’s see this and much more…

What is Body Shaking and how does it work?

Body shaking is a type of exercise that involves creating a vibration or tremor in the body. It can be done as part of different systems of exercises like Qigong, which is a Chinese system that cultivates the flow of vital energy (also known as chi or qi) throughout the body. Qigong has been practiced for thousands of years for health, healing, and spiritual development.

It can also be done as part of other systems of exercises, such as whole-body vibration and tension and trauma-releasing exercises (TRE). Whole-body vibration is a type of exercise where you stand, sit or lie on a machine with a vibrating platform. TRE is a method of releasing stress and trauma by triggering a natural tremoring reflex in the body.

Body shaking involves standing on your toes and then dropping down on your heels, creating a vibration that travels from your feet to your head. You can also shake other parts of your body, such as your arms, hands, shoulders, hips, or head.

The idea behind body shaking is that it stimulates the circulation of blood, oxygen, and chi throughout the body. It also loosens up the muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments, and fascia – the connective tissues that support the movement of the body.

By shaking your body, you’re also releasing muscular tension and emotional stress that may have accumulated over time. This can help you regulate your nervous system and calm your body when it’s overstimulated.

How Body Shaking boosts your Energy Flow

One of the main benefits of shaking the body is that it increases the flow of energy. The flow of energy is essential to maintain health and vitality. When your energy flows smoothly, you feel more alive, alert, and balanced. When your energy is blocked or stagnant, you feel tired, sluggish, and unwell.

Shaking the body helps to remove any blockages or stagnation in the energy channels (also known as meridians). These are pathways that connect different parts of your body and organs. According to traditional Chinese medicine, there are 12 main meridians that correspond to different elements and emotions.

For example, the liver meridian is associated with the element of wood and the emotion of anger. The heart meridian is associated with the element of fire and the emotion of joy. The spleen meridian is associated with the earth element and the emotion of worry.

By shaking your body, you are stimulating these meridians and harmonizing the elements and emotions within you. You are also activating acupuncture points along these meridians, which are like switches that regulate the flow of chi.

You can think of body shaking as a way to tune up your energy system. It’s like having a massage or acupuncture session without using any tools or needles.

How Body Shaking improves your Lymphatic System

Another benefit of shaking the body is that it improves the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is a network of vessels and nodes that carry a fluid called lymph throughout the body. Lymph contains white blood cells that fight infection and toxins from entering the body.

The lymphatic system is responsible for removing waste products and toxins from the body. It is like a drainage system that cleanses and detoxifies the body.

However, unlike the circulatory system, which has a pump to move blood (the heart), the lymphatic system does not have a pump system and relies on muscle contractions and gravity to move lymph.

This means that if you are sedentary or inactive for long periods of time, your lymphatic system can become sluggish or congested. And this can lead to a buildup of toxins in the body, which can cause inflammation, infection, or disease.

Shaking the body helps stimulate the lymphatic system by creating gentle pressure on the vessels and nodes. This pressure helps push the lymph along its path and drain it into the bloodstream.

You can think of body shaking as a way to cleanse your lymphatic system. It’s like giving yourself a lymphatic drainage massage without using hands or tools.

How Body Shaking increases your Flexibility and Mobility

Another benefit of shaking the body is that it increases flexibility and mobility. Flexibility is the ability of muscles and joints to stretch and bend. Mobility is the ability of joints to move through their full range of motion.

Flexibility and mobility are important in maintaining posture, alignment, and quality of movement. They also prevent injuries, pain, and stiffness.

Shaking the body helps increase flexibility and mobility by relaxing muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments, and fascia. These are the connective tissues that support the movement of the body.

By shaking your body, you are creating micro-movements that lubricate and heat these tissues. You are also breaking up any adhesions or scar tissue that may have formed due to injury or overuse.

You can think of body shaking as a way to stretch and mobilize your entire body. It’s like having a dynamic warm-up or foam rolling session without using any equipment or props.

How Body Shaking develops your Balance and Coordination

Another benefit of shaking the body is that it develops balance and coordination. Balance is the ability to maintain the stability of the body. Coordination is the ability to control and synchronize your movements.

Balance and coordination are essential to perform everyday activities, such as walking, standing, reaching, or carrying objects. They also improve athletic performance, prevent falls, and improve cognitive function.

Shaking the body helps develop balance and coordination by challenging and training the vestibular system. The vestibular system is the sensory system that controls balance and spatial orientation. It consists of three parts: the inner ear, the brainstem, and the cerebellum.

The inner ear contains fluid-filled canals that detect changes in head position and movement. The brain stem receives signals from the inner ear and other sensory organs (such as the eyes) and sends them to the cerebellum. While the cerebellum processes these signals and coordinates them with motor commands from other parts of the brain.

By shaking your body, you are stimulating the vestibular system and making it work harder to keep you upright and stable. You are also improving communication between the different parts of your brain that control movement.

You can think of body shaking as a way to hone your balance and coordination. It’s like giving yourself a balance board or coordination exercise without using any device or skill.

Examples of Body Shaking exercises

Now that you know what body movement is and how it can benefit you in various ways, you may be wondering how to do it. Here are some examples of body-shaking exercises you can try at home or on the go:

Basic Body Shaking

This is the easiest way to start shaking your body. All you need is a space where you can stand comfortably:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
• Raise your heels off the ground so that you are on your toes.
• Drop your heels on the ground with a soft hit.
• Repeat this movement at a pace that is comfortable. You can start slowly and gradually increase the speed and intensity.
• As you shake your body, relax your shoulders, neck, and jaw. Breathe deeply and naturally. You can also make some sounds, like humming, sighing, or laughing.
• Continue shaking your body for about 5 to 10 minutes, or as long as you feel comfortable. You can also vary the direction and amplitude of the shake, such as shaking back and forth, side to side, or in circles.
• When you finish, stay still for a moment and see how you feel. You may feel warmer, lighter, or more energized.

Upper Body Shaking

This exercise focuses on shaking the upper body, especially the arms, and hands. It can help release tension from your shoulders, neck, chest, and back:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
• Raise your arms to shoulder level and bend your elbows to 90 degrees. Your palms should face down.
• Begin to shake your arms and hands vigorously, as if you wanted to shake off the water. You can also shake your head and torso along with your arms.
• As you shake your upper body, relax your shoulders, neck, and jaw. Breathe deeply and naturally. You can also make some sounds, like humming, sighing, or laughing.
• Continue shaking your upper body for about 5 minutes, or as long as you feel comfortable. You can also vary the direction and amplitude of the shake, such as shaking up and down, from side to side, or in circles.
• When you’re done, lower your arms and stay still for a moment and see how you feel. You may feel more relaxed, open, or refreshed.

Lower Body Shaking

This exercise focuses on shaking the lower body, especially the legs and feet. It can help stimulate blood flow and chi in the lower extremities:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
• Lift one foot off the ground and shake it vigorously, as if you wanted to shake something off. You can also shake the ankle and toes along with the foot.
• While shaking your foot, balance on the other leg. Breathe deeply and naturally. You can also make some sounds, like humming, sighing, or laughing.
• Keep shaking your foot for about 1 minute or as long as you feel comfortable. Then switch to the other foot and repeat the same process.
• When you’re done with both feet, stay still for a moment and see how you feel. You may feel more grounded,
• Continue shaking the lower body by moving the legs from the hips down. You can start slowly and gradually increase the speed and intensity.
• As you shake your lower body, keep your hips, knees and ankles relaxed. Breathe deeply and naturally.
• Shake your lower body for about 5 minutes, or as long as you feel comfortable. You can also change the direction and amplitude of your shake, such as shaking back and forth, side to side, or in circles.
• After shaking your lower body, pause for a moment and see how you feel. You may feel more grounded, alert, or empowered.

Whole Body Shaking

This exercise combines the previous exercises and shakes your entire body at once. You can help integrate and harmonize all the benefits of body agitation:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
• Raise your heels off the ground so that you are on your toes.
• Drop your heels on the ground with a soft hit.
• Repeat this movement at a comfortable pace. You can start slowly and gradually increase the speed and intensity.
• While shaking your entire body, relax your shoulders, neck, jaw, hips, knees, and ankles. Breathe deeply and naturally. You can also make some sounds, like humming, sighing, or laughing.
• Keep shaking your entire body for about 10 minutes, or as long as you feel comfortable. You can also vary the direction and amplitude of your shaking, such as shaking back and forth, side to side, up and down, or in circles.
• When you finish, stay still for a moment and see how you feel. You may feel more relaxed, energized, balanced, or joyful.

Conclusion

Shaking the body is an ancient practice that can transform your health and well-being. It can increase your energy flow, improve your lymphatic system, improve your mood, increase your flexibility, and develop your balance.

Shaking the body is also simple and easy to do. You don’t need any equipment or skill to start rocking your body. All you need is a space where you can stand comfortably.

You can shake the body anytime, anywhere. You can do it in the morning to wake up your body and mind. You can do it at night to release the stress and tension of the day. You can do it before or after exercise to warm up or cool down your muscles. You can do it whenever you feel like you need a break or a boost.

Shaking the body is also fun and enjoyable. You can do it alone or with others. You can do it with music or with silence. You can do it with laughter or tears. You can do it however you want.

The only thing to remember is to listen to your body and respect its limits. Don’t shake too hard or too long if you don’t feel well. Don’t force yourself to shake yourself if you don’t feel like it. Don’t judge yourself or compare yourself to others when you shake yourself.

Just shake off and enjoy the benefits!