This document provides information and exercises for self-care. It includes: - A list of self-care practices such as aromatherapy, mindfulness exercises, gentle movements, massage and breathing techniques. - A quotation that self-care is not selfish but important for helping others. - Descriptions of specific exercises including tapping the arms to open sinuses, synchronized breathing with movements, and arm swinging. - Recommendations for apps, videos, classes and other resources to support self-care practices.

1. The Art of Self-Care
Colleen Loehr, M.D.
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2. Practices for Self-Care and Renewal
• Aromatherapy
• Mindfulness of Sound Exercise
• Gentle Qigong Movements
• Self-applied Percussive Massage
• Breathing Practices
• Dr. Ann Marie Chiasson video
• Gratitude and Emotional Healing
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3. Is Self-Care Selfish?
“Self-care is never a selfish act – it is
simply good stewardship of the only gift I
have, the gift I was put on earth
to offer to others.”
Parker Palmer

5. Exercise: Opening sinuses
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• Inhale through nose to see how open breathing
airways are
• Tap down inside of each arm 6 times
• Inhale through nose to see how open breathing
airways are
This exercise is on YouTube: search for
Chunyi Lin, Spring Forest Qigong Demo "How
Your Energy System Works"

6. Awareness Exercise
• Sit comfortably and relax.
• Listen to the tone of the singing bowl.
• Be aware of the silence after the tone.
• In the silence, be aware of your
awareness.
• Be aware of your presence.
• As you breathe in, enter into deep inner
contact with yourself.
• As you breathe out, relax.
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7. Healing Touch
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8. Practice: Synchronize breathing
with gentle movements
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9. Qigong practice: Arm swinging
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10. Treasures
Practices are on
DVD by
Lee Holden
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11. Self-applied Percussive Massage
Movement: Tap hands over the
body.
Main Purpose: Vibrates the
“dust” loose.
Main Qigong Principle: Purge
stagnations to improve energy
flow and health.
Source: funwithqigong.com

12. Bellows Breath - Bhastrika
 Excellent breathing
exercise to energize
the body. See
YouTube videos for
“Bellows Breath”
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13. Treasures
Dr. Ann Marie
Chiasson, DVD,
Energy Healing for
Beginners: Ten
Essential Practices for
Self-Care
(available from Amazon
or Sounds True)
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14. Rebounding
 Excellent exercise
that helps to drain
lymphatic tissue. You
don’t need to lift feet
off trampoline for
significant benefit.
Lymphasize to music!
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15. Slow Breathing
Coherent Breathing:
Five breaths per minute
Breathing Zone app for
paced breathing
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17. Breathing Exercise
Qigong exercise:
“Ha” breath
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What do all self-care practices have
in common?

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They all depend on how
we use our attention.

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21. ”The difference between misery and
happiness depends on what we do with our
attention.”
Sharon Salzberg,
Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of
Happiness

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Treasures
Free Qigong Classes in
Jefferson City:
Taught by Dr. Su
Every Saturday
9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
At the Capital Ritz,
2716 Plaza Dr
(573) 893-7787

23. Free App: Insight Timer
Thousands of excellent
free guided
meditations.
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24. Free App: Relax Melodies
Excellent app –
Highly recommended
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25. Treasures
• Inspirational film free
on YouTube and
Vimeo, search for
• “Healing Neen”
• Features one
woman’s healing
through Trauma
Informed Care
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26. Treasures
 Simple yoga stretch
to prevent back pain
 YouTube search for:
A Reclining Pose To
Help Undo The
Damages Of Sitting
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27. Treasures
Dr. Jason Fung,
health benefits of
decreased
carbohydrate
consumption, YouTube
search:
Jason Fung
Therapeutic Fasting
Vail 2016 (36 min
video)
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28. Treasures
Columbia Farmer’s
Market, sign up for
newsletter:
http://columbiafarmersmark
et.org/
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29. Treasures
Music Parks by
FreeNotes: Richard
Cooke ”There are no
wrong notes! Play
freely – you can’t do it
wrong.” Google: TEDx
Richard Cooke
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32. Aromatherapy
Studies have shown that aromatherapy might have health benefits,
including:
Relief from anxiety and depression
Improved quality of life, particularly for people with chronic health
conditions
Mayo Clinic website, What are the benefits of aromatherapy?
Brent Bauer, M.D.

33. Aromatherapy
“Aromatherapy is thought to work by stimulating
smell receptors in the nose, which then send
messages through the nervous system to the limbic
system — the part of the brain that controls
emotions.”
Mayo Clinic website, What are the benefits of
aromatherapy?
Brent Bauer, M.D.

34. Aromatherapy
 Add essential oil to a
cotton ball and place in
air vent of car, or put on
desk or next to bedside.
 Lavender, Peppermint,
Orange essential oils
calm and energize.

35. Peel lemons,
limes,
oranges, and
place the
peels in a bowl
near your
desk.

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An Oasis of Peace
Practice self-care by
making your home,
car, and work
spaces into places
of beauty and
peace.

38. Renewal through Inspiring Words
Keep inspiring
words and photos
in your workspace
and living
environment.

39. Renewal through Inspiring Words

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Studies show that
keeping a gratitude
journal decreased
stress hormones by 23
percent and reduced
dietary fat
intake by 25 percent.
Source: The Little Book of
Gratitude by Robert
Emmons, p. 20

42. Please take good care of yourself.
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43. Thank you.
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