Why I like Asahi!

Diane Tschirgi, a Coast Guard veteran and Driver's Education teacher, tells how the Finnish Wellness Method Asahi has helped her physically & mentally

"Why I Like Asahi"

by Diane E. Tschirgi

“It’s just another of mom’s phases,” I overheard my 14-year old say, nodding knowingly in the direction of the back porch where I was doing Series 2. I have gotten in the habit of going outside on the porch, yard, or trail, to do a quick Asahi series, 1, 2, or 3, whenever I start to feel sluggish or rundown. It is an instant pick-me-up. In just ten minutes of gentle Asahi, tension in my shoulders and throughout my body releases and my energy is restored. Sometimes, I even get an“Aha!” moment of inspiration about whatever I’ve been worrying about.

Diane has offered a classes at Sands Township Hall in Marquette, MI.

My first contact with Asahi was about a year ago at the Lower Harbor in Marquette, Michigan with Marsha Lucas teaching. I didn’t quite know what to expect, but it was easy to follow her movements. At first, the gentle bounce in the knees was difficult. I was used to holding a pose, like in yoga, but as I followed the flow from relaxation to shoulders to back to balance, I felt so good! And with the patterns being repeated in each series, as well as the memorable names given to each exercise, it was easy to recreate once I got home.

Asahi on the back deck with the cat

And so, I started doing it nearly every day, in the backyard, in the living room with the cat, just before going to work, on the beach at sunrise, in the middle of the night when I can’t get back to sleep … you get the idea. Sometimes, I can even get my kids to join me and even they, grudgingly, agree that “it feels good.”

PHOTO COMING

While my child may have a point, having seen me try dancing, lifting, jogging, bicycling, & pilates, to name a few - none of those ever helped me so quickly and consistently as Asahi. In fact, most left me more depleted than when I started. But more than the instant relief a ten-minute session affords, over the past year of doing Asahi I have noticed subtle and important changes.

Asahi by moonlight

I no longer yawn constantly, and wake more refreshed and stay energized longer throughout the day. When my energy begins to wane, I practice Asahi's intermediate breathing and feel almost instantly better. In addition, Asahi seems to have boosted my immune system, as many kids in my class (I teach driver's education) and my own spouse and kids have flu-like symptoms and I seem to be just fine (knock on wood!)

Asahi's gentle, repetitive bending & twisting moves loosen stiffness.

A few years ago I slipped on ice and broke my left ankle. While I’ve been through physical therapy multiple times, imbalances and stiffness have developed in other lower body joints and muscles. The Asahi principle of combining movement with breath seems to have released those restrictions. (Here is another blog describing similar benenfits of Asahi.) My right hip, which has been “stuck” for lack of a better description, has loosened and moves freely now. Also, balance in both legs has improved and I am more stable overall.

A Mindful way to start the day: Sunrise Asahi by Lake Superior (McCarty's Cove)

A few years after the ice incident, I developed very painful sciatica and a slipped disc which required surgery. The surgery remedied the immediate problem, however, I have been mindful of the need to keep my low back supple ever since. The “thanks” my body transmits to me as I do the back portion of the series lets me know Asahi is an excellent preventative practice.

Diane receiving her Advanced Level Asahi Teaching Certificate from Carol Curtis at the Physical Education Instructional Facility at Northern Michigan University. Carol, who assisted in the advanced training, is one of the first Asahi teacher trainers in the US. In the background Krystyna Rickauer & Margaret Hilton, who also graduated with advanced training certification.

Moreover, and quite unexpectedly, I have noticed a much calmer state of mind brought about by the interim breathing (Asahi Hands). It has helped me mentally slow down and sort things out, as I have always had a very busy brain that likes to loop and loop around the same thought(s). While I've experienced some relief in meditation, I find that takes a toll in other ways - like having to sit still and having to release a backload of thoughts. Asahi is a much simpler approach and is far quicker to get to a relief state.

Diane after an Asahi session at the Ontonagon Art in the Park July 2024 with two of the organizers of the event & Carol.

I am so pleased to have Asahi in my life to help with old issues and to lessen the impact the aging process is sure to bring. Having practiced Asahi for the past year, and taken certification classes in order to understand the underlying principles better, naturally, I want to share this with others.

www.asahiworld.com

Categories: : Asahi and Nature, Asahi as Physical Rehab, Asahi teachers' close-ups, Asahi Throughout the Day, Asahi vs. Stress