A friend of mine, Steve, is 80 years of age, yet his brain and body works better than almost anyone I know.
He can get in his car, drive for 14-straight hours, get out, walk on stage and perform without a trace of fatigue.
He’s also a writer who practices his craft daily – and if you don’t know this already, writing requires substantial brain power. It can drain you of energy faster than almost anything.
How does Steve have this type of energy? Is it genetic or did he do something to foster it?
The answer is that he practices standing postures, ones where he doesn’t move.
When you are still, your brain and body relax so you can recharge and rejuvenate. The way it was explained to me over 30 years ago, “Standing in the stillness is the only exercise where your brain gets a rest.”
I wouldn’t say this is 100 percent true. Even when standing still you might have to throttle your monkey mind a bit for your brain to relax.
But, when compared to other forms of exercise, stillness training is energizing the brain in a major way.
It doesn’t seem possible, yet that is exactly what happens.
When you stand still, the flow takes hold of you from deep within. Then the “deep within” joins forces with our infinite surroundings, and you are energized beyond belief.
I say “beyond belief” because it doesn’t matter if you believe this will happen in order for it to happen.
Your body has various automatic mechanisms at play, and once you allow them to play, they do what they’re designed to do without you thinking about them.
A perfect example of this is breathing. Hold your breath as long as you want, and an exhale will fight its way to the forefront… automatically.
I begin and end each day with stillness exercises that I call Power Postures. I’ve learned dozens and dozens of them over the years and have been teaching them for a long time..
But you don’t begin with dozens. You begin with the first posture, which teaches you how to find your center, to relax your muscles and activate your internal system.
The first Power Posture sets the tone – and from there, you add on.
You can begin with one minute in the beginning and instantly feel that a connection has been made. You feel it in your palms, fingers and feet.
It’s electric. And it’s life enhancing.
Over time you stand for longer periods, but if you never go beyond five minutes, and you do this each day, you’ll be stunned at how quickly your energy and endurance seem to double.
Within one week, you’ll know there’s something special about an exercise that moves you without you having to move.
Matt Furey
PowerPostures.com
MattFurey.com
