The Chi Machine Adventure

At the advice of one of my alternative practitioners, I recently bought a Chi Machine. I'd heard about these years ago and was interested in one. But I hesitated to do so because one of the things they advertised about it was that using it for 15 minutes was like exercising for an hour or something like that, and how you could lose weight just lying on your back and passively exercising. To me, that sounds like a scam, which made me doubt the product. And when you're looking at a $400 product, that's a lot of money to spend when you don't know anyone who owns one. You can't believe everything you read on the internet, especially in testimonials! So my practitioner suggested I get one because it would help balance out my meridian system. And in reading more about it, the reason it says it's like exercise is because it oxygenates the blood, the way exercise does. I wasn't going to buy it to replace my gym membership, and I trust the woman who suggested I get one, so I decided to go for it. I found a good price on eBay for a new one - this guy sells them at various prices, but offering "best offer" as an option. In researching them I realized it costs $480, but if you are a distributor and buy in bulk, you can get them for $370. So I offered $370 and won the auction. That's a lot better than $480, huh? (If you should decide to get one, please only get this brand - there are a lot of imitations on the market that cost half the amount, but don't work the same way, according to my practitioner, and can actually be harmful.) My first hurdle is that I need to get down on the floor to use it. I've got various mobility issues, chronic pain, all kinds of stuff that's kept me from getting down on the floor for many years. To be honest, I couldn't even imagine the process of how to get on and off the floor, it had been so long. I know that sounds funny, but it's true. So I asked my partner to show me how he gets on the floor, and I devised this half-assed method of sitting on a chair, putting a cushion under where my knee was, and finding a way to kneel on to the floor. Wow, did that hurt - my poor knees aren't used to having all this weight kneeling on them. So I get on the floor and use my chi machine. I had used the chi machine once before and liked the sensation of moving back and forth. I felt like it was gently massaging my spine, and helping to loosen up the tight muscles in my low back. I enjoyed it. But now I had to get off the floor. I swear it took me 15 minutes to accomplish this, and at some point I was in tears, fighting with my partner over my doing it "wrong" and starting to wonder if I'd have to live the rest of my life in the middle of my living room floor. It was really a humiliating experience. It really shouldn't be this hard. I had a lot of fear, which wasn't helping at all. Somehow I figured out how to push myself up using the ottoman and I stood once again! Now I really felt like I'd had a work out, from all that fighting to get up! Not really the most relaxing session as a result. Well, I brought the chi machine down to my office and the next day decided to try it again. I've been using it 15 minutes a day for about 2 weeks now. I've actually gotten much quicker at getting on and off the floor. It's still pretty sad to watch I'm sure, but I'm accomplishing it. And I've come to really love that 15 minute break from the world. I'm using it as meditation time, something I don't do enough (okay, at all). I reflect on all that I'm grateful for, how this time is helping my health and body and spirit. My kitty looks at me like I'm half crazed, but fortunately hasn't figured out that while watching my stomach jiggle like a bowl of jello (while on the machine) it isn't something to chase and attack! I've been using the Chi Machine first thing when I get home from work. I feel like it's shaking the work day off of me and starting my personal evening time off in a place of balance. I'm really glad I spent the money on me and made an investment in my health.