Multidimensional Living: How Zhineng Qigong Helps Us Navigate Microstress

In July and August, my husband and I spent two months away from our chosen home, Cyprus. We lived in the Ammerland region for several weeks, travelled to Cape Town—my former hometown—and spent time travelling through Germany and South Africa. This period was characterised by a wide variety of experiences: professional projects, new encounters and, above all, valuable time with family, colleagues and friends.

Many people around me are amazed by this “multidimensional” life that we lead. This made the research by Rob Cross, Professor of Global Leadership at Babson College, and Karen Dillon, former editor of the Harvard Business Review, all the more interesting to me.

In their research, they included 300 people from 30 global companies and explored the phenomenon of microstress—small, often barely noticed moments of stress that accumulate throughout the day and over longer periods of time and can lead to brain fog, forgetfulness and emotional overwhelm.

What I found particularly fascinating was their observation of a small group of especially resilient people. They were not necessarily less burdened than others. Yet they seemed to be better able to absorb and buffer microstress. One important difference: they led multidimensional lives.

This does not mean trying to do as many things as possible at the same time. Rather, these people had several sources of identity, connection, joy and meaning. Work was important, but it did not define their entire lives. Friendships, family, nature, sport, creativity, community or personal interests formed other meaningful areas of their lives. These different areas supported and stabilised one another, helping people to put things into perspective.

This can make a decisive difference: when one area of life becomes difficult, it does not necessarily mean that your entire life becomes difficult. For example, someone who defines themselves exclusively through their career can quickly feel that “everything” is no longer right when they experience a conflict at work. Someone who has several meaningful areas supporting their life, on the other hand, has other spaces where connection, joy and regeneration are possible.

The Quiet Weight of Microstress

Do you know that feeling? You haven't really had a difficult day—and yet you feel exhausted in the evening. It wasn't the major events, but rather the many small moments of stress that led to an increased release of cortisol.

For me, this creates a fascinating connection to Zhineng Qigong, where we are invited to perceive the human being multidimensionally: body, emotions, energy, thoughts and consciousness. We practise becoming aware of our inner state without completely identifying with it.

Someone criticises us. We become angry. The body tenses. Our attention narrows. Yet we recognise: this is a state that I am experiencing right now—but it is not the entirety of my being.

Cross and Dillon show us the importance of living a multidimensional life. Zhineng Qigong can support us in developing a multidimensional awareness of our experiences.

One creates diversity in our lives. The other creates space in our being.

Microstress probably cannot be completely removed from our lives. But we can choose not to give a single stressful moment all of our attention, energy and identity. A multidimensional life gives us more than one area of life through which we can experience meaning and joy. A multidimensional awareness supports us in stabilising ourselves in the present moment and truly experiencing it.

Perhaps this is precisely where a contemporary form of resilience—and joy in life—can be found.

What Becomes Possible When We Deepen This Awareness?

And perhaps there is another question worth exploring: What becomes possible when we consciously deepen this awareness?

Zhineng Qigong invites us not only to become more aware of our body, emotions, thoughts and inner state, but also to explore and develop our attention and consciousness through practice.

This is the focus of Super Intelligence Awakening, an 8-day retreat with Master Yuantong Liu taking place from 7–14 November 2026 in Larnaca, Cyprus. Through intensive daily practice, participants will explore methods including Organizing the Qi Field, Full of Qi Method, Right Angle Breathing, Mind Concentration into Oneness and meditation.

The retreat offers an opportunity to take the exploration of multidimensional awareness a step further—to create more space within ourselves, deepen our practice and explore the possibilities of human consciousness.

Perhaps a multidimensional life is therefore not only about how many different areas of life support us. Perhaps it is also about how expansive and open our perception of life can become.

Super Intelligence Awakening offers an opportunity to explore this space together with Master Yuantong Liu and fellow Zhineng Qigong students and enthusiasts, while taking time for intensive practice, meditation, exchange and experiencing the beauty of Cyprus.

Super Intelligence Awakening
7–14 November 2026 · Larnaca, Cyprus · with Master Yuantong Liu

Discover Super Intelligence Awakening →

Contact: Britta Stalling, britta@bodyandmindfactory.com, Tel: 0172 - 2047308