The Power of Practice

August 28, 2026  by Dr. Suki Munsell

What are Best Practices? 

Completing my 8th decade of life brought new challenges. I have a greater need for best practices and consistency in using them. Poor health choices, like a heavy meal close to bedtime, affects my sleep and robs my energy for the next day.

When I was younger, I wanted every day to be a surprise, with more creative flow than structure. I didn’t want to be told what to do, I wanted to discover everything for myself. I once lived in a house where the roof leaked badly. I couldn’t do anything until I got it fixed. I realized that it’s the structure that allows creativity to flow freely – in my home, in my life, and in my body. A friend helped me to reconcile these polarities.  He suggested that I “Live my life as an art form and study it as a science.”

To tackle insomnia, I needed to take a disciplined and systematic approach. I began to scrutinize my day – my diet and exercise and how they influenced my sleep. I enjoy my coffee and chocolate but quit caffeine after 11am. I learned to down-regulate my busy mind and turn off all screens an hour before bed.

I learned strategies to use when waking from an emotional dream – to release tension, rebalance my breath, and regulate my nervous system. I practice the Autogenic training I learned from Russell on my way back to slumberland.

Russell sets an example in our life together. He experiments with effective hygiene practices (lifestyle patterns) to maximize his vitality: practicing Qigong/Tai Chi at dawn, eating and sleeping at regular times which help align the body to circadian rhythms and endocrine cycles, and practicing intermittent fasting – not eating between 6 pm and 9am. Joining him, I’ve stabilized at a lower weight. My immunity is stronger, and I sleep better.

Best Practices to Cultivate
Acceptance of my life experience in the moment – my bodily sensations, my feelings, and my thoughts – grounds me and opens me to my inner guidance.

Take this next year to investigate the practices that serve you.

Recently Russell and I asked our students to describe the effects of our classes on their daily lives. We want to know whether the benefits students are experiencing are in alignment with the training goals we set for ourselves – to help others transform how they move through life.

Students’ comments 

• This is some of the feedback we’ve heard so far.
• The practice has significantly changed how I move through the world.
• My balance, sense of symmetry and energy awareness have never been better.
• I have a feeling of connectedness throughout my body and a new respect for how — miraculously — everything seems to work together (so far!).
• The spinal undulations that are foundational to both classes have made me physically supple and responsive. I’ve learned how to use this integration to involve my whole body in even the smallest movements. This new way of moving has eliminated my lower back muscle spasms.
• Knowing my body is a fragile system, I now listen intently to how I feel and what I need, acting proactively – that is, not waiting until something hurts.
• I’ve noticed great improvement in my reflexes – I’m able to regain balance in situations that in the past would have caused a fall.
• My Tai Chi / Qigong practice fosters a heightened awareness of my mind-body connection and acts as a therapeutic tool, promoting healing, relaxation, and a much better understanding of how my body actually functions.
• My practice has had a positive impact on my mental and emotional state, cultivating a deep sense of inner peace and tranquility.
• A sense of calm permeates into my daily life, allowing me to approach challenges with a more centered and composed mindset.