Description
- Chinese medicine balls
- Meditation Balls
- Baoding balls
- Stress balls
- Hand meditation
Benefits Of Baoding Balls Its a simple practice one holds both balls in a single hand and carefully rotates them. Fine muscles and tendons in the hand come alive to carefully grip and manipulate the balls over one another, which stay in contact throughout. As the hand gains strength and the user becomes more adept, the balls can be rotated without touching one another, and manipulated in a variety of increasingly challenging ways. Depending on their desired effect, heavier or larger balls can be used, and some varieties even sport textures like ridges or ripples that add extra challenge. While your hand muscles work, your brain is engaged, strengthening the mind-body connection and focusing awareness to tune out distractions. Though sometimes called meditation balls, these can seldom be used in formal sitting practice as they would be too distracting. However, using the balls can become a form of meditative practice in itself, stilling and centering the mind in a similar way to worry beads or a voiced mantra. Those with autism or ADHD can also use Baoding balls as fidget toys to support self-regulation and ease anxiety. Even today, some Chinese doctors will prescribe practice with Baoding balls to boost flagging energy levels. In traditional Chinese medicine, life energy (Chi or Qi) flows through the body through channels called meridians. Via these meridian lines, the fingers are connected to the cranial nerves and all the vital organs of the body. Baoding balls are believed to stimulate acupressure points on the palm of the hand and restore the flow of Chi. Though practice with Baoding balls at first appears limited to the hands and fingers, the nimble rolling and rotating motions are understood to balance the flow of blood and vital energy along far-reaching meridian lines, benefiting the entire body. Read more: In Hindu, Ayurvedic and Yogic traditions, Chi is often referred to as prana. Explore what prana is and how you can feel the life force.