Start these exercises each day gently and gradually. Stop if you feel pain. Women in the post-ovulatory phase should do these exercises with more care, and should not engage in any vigorous exercise.
1. Learning to cycle your energy.
This exercise is key to getting plenty of oxygen into your lungs, and energetically important because it sends energy down to your core and reproductive organs.
While this exercise can be done sitting, standing or lying down, try it sitting or standing as the last exercise in this set is similar and is done lying down.
Begin by 'centering' yourself, i.e. letting go of what's bothering you or on your mind, even if that means telling yourself you'll go back to it when you're done the exercise.
Next, take in a good breath and let it flow down your front: through your chest, past your navel, and even past your groin to your perineum, the spot between your genitals and your anus. This point is called your Yin Convergence point, and is important as it connects the Conception vessel with the Governing vessel and is considered the base of your torso.
When your breath (which may feel more like an 'energy' as it gets deeper into your body) reaches your Yin Convergence point, gently flex your perineum (the muscles by which you stop yourself from urinating), and then imagine the breath/energy shooting up your spine (yes, moving much more quickly now), to the top of your head. This spot, at the apex of your head, is known as the Hundred Convergences point and is essentially the complement point to the Yin Convergence point, as it is the meeting point of all Yang Qi in your body.
When your breath/energy has reached your Hundred Convergences point, you are ready to repeat the energy cycling. Try doing this 8-10 times.
2. Warming the Kidneys with your hands.
Your Kidneys (capitalized to differentiate from the scientific definition) are the source of your Life Essence which is used for growth, development and reproduction. Your Life Essence is slowly depleted as you age while also being nourished by Traditional Chinese Medicine, a healthy lifestyle, and is essential to fertility. One of the ways that you can help nourish your Kidneys and Life Essence is to warm your Kidneys regularly. The process is really very simple, and the best time of day to do this exercise is in the morning before your day begins, and/or at the end of the day, when you have begun to wind down.
Stand in a spot with your feet approximately shoulder width apart. Clap your hands together and rub them together somewhat vigorously. The idea is to do this in an effort to generate not just a warm sensation, but an energy. Don't be dismayed if you don't feel an energy right away, simply feeling a little warmth is good enough to start with.
Once you've accumulated a little warmth/energy, place your hands on your lower back, just above your hip bones. Now gently massage this area, imagining a transfer of energy to your Kidneys which reside here. Repeat this 8-10 times.
3. Opening the Gate of Life and the Gate of Origin.
The Gate of Life is a point on your lower back, just below the spinous process of your second lumbar vertebra. Also know as the 'Sea of Yang Channels', this point sits right between your Kidneys, and therefore has a strong influence on helping strengthen them and thus your Life Essence and fertility.
The Gate of Origin sits on the opposite side of your body from your Gate of Life point, approximately four finger breadths (in Traditional Chinese Medicine, points are found according to the relative size of your own personal anatomy) below your navel. The Gate of Origin point is important to fertility because it helps to nourish your Kidney Essence.
To do this exercise, stand with your feet slightly wider than hip width apart. Then gently swing your arms, keeping them and your shoulders relaxed the whole time. The goal is to keep relaxed enough that you can use your body's motion to swing your arms in such a way that your hands/forearms slap alternately against your Gate of Life and Gate of Origin points. What is really happening here is that while you're getting a sort of percussive massage on these important points, you're having to move your hips in such a way that you'll inevitably loosen them while you're doing the exercise.
4. Hip Rotation.
To do this exercise, put your hands on your hips, with your feet shoulder-width apart. Imagine that you are going to draw a circle around your feet, with your perineum as the central point from which the drawing is taking place. Focusing on drawing a circle around your feet from this point should prevent you from moving your hips too far in one direction, and should help you loosen up your hips and allow the flow of energy through your midsection to be more balanced. Repeat the circle 8-10 times in one direction, and then repeat in the other direction.
5. Knee Rotation.
Your knees are intimately connected with your Kidneys, and so should be loose and strong to give proper support to this organ system. Stand with your feet and knees together, with your hands on your knees. Then imagine drawing a small circle with your knees, just in front of your feet. Repeat this 8-10 times, and then change direction for the same amount of repetitions.
6. Strengthening the Yin Convergence.
An excellent way to end the fertility exercises because it brings you back to center. Lay down on your back and bend your knees to and approximately a 90 degree angle. Position your arms so that they form 90 degree angles on the floor, as if they looked like goal posts. This will help to passively open up your chest and your Conception vessel, which runs down the front of your body.
While you're lying there, practice squeezing your perineum muscles (known commonly as Kegel exercises). This will help strengthen your Yin Convergence point which sits on your pelvic floor, and is the basis for Yin in your body. Remember that Yin is everything nurturing and motherly, so it is essential that you have strong Yin when you're trying to conceive.
Squeeze and contract your perineum in 3 sets of 10, holding the squeeze for 3-5 seconds at a time. Try not to over-squeeze to avoid feeling sore afterwords. When you're finished your 3 sets, rest here with your arms still open and just relax for at least 5 minutes, letting your mind and energy settle gently.
By Richard Lobbenberg, Acupuncturist and TCM Practitioner
