Qigong and Tai Chi: Eastern Practices for a Healthy Life and Stress Reduction

Week of December 21, 2024

Qigong and Tai Chi for Healthy Living
All the movements I will be teaching in these classes are slow and gentle, and are accessible to beginners as well as those who may be familiar with Qigong. Studies have shown these to be effective practices for increasing flexibility, muscle strength, lung capacity and cardiac function. Both Tai Chi and Qigong have additional health benefits for relaxation, balance, posture and immunity. The stress-relieving factor alone can better your lifestyle and your quality of life. 

1- Tai Chi/Qigong sampler – This sampler class will focus on giving participants a varied sampling of Qigong from both active and passive forms. Participants will learn movements to help detoxify the body, make healing sounds for the different organs, and learn beginning movements of Sun style Tai Chi.

2- Tai Chi for health – Tai Chi is one of the best-known martial arts of the internal styles from Ancient China. The essential principles of Tai Chi are based on the ancient Chinese philosophy of Taoism, which stresses the natural balance in all things and the need for living in spiritual and physical accord with the patterns in nature. Based on Qigong and martial art techniques from thousands of years ago, Sun style is the youngest of the major styles. This program will follow a 3- fold format: warm-up, Tai Chi practice and winding down.

3- Qigong Flow forms to reduce stress – For a relaxing and restorative program, we begin with a cleansing warm-up, individual practices that include Yin Yang Medical Qigong and Eight Pieces of Brocade to conclude with self-massage. The warm up will include Whole Body Breathing which is effortless and tranquil, focusing on the breath. Swimming Dragon Qigong is also included as an energy exercise from China which imitates the serpent-like movement of a dragon coiling its body. It’s known to help normalize the metabolism, increase spinal flexibility, and reduce stress by harmonizing mind, body and breath.

4- Walking and Seated Qigong forms for balance and longevity – Experience an assortment of exercises which begin with a warm up and posture integration, and follow with different walking forms, Animal Frolics, seated healing sounds and seated Fragrance Qigong. The Animal Frolics are part of the traditional Animal Frolic Qigong set and the Orca animal frolic portion was created by Ken Cohen. The Six Healing Sounds exercise is taken from Mantak Chia. Its purpose is to clear blockages in the major organ systems.

5- Seasonal Qigong for enhanced health and well- being – In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the kidneys are associated with the season of Winter and the element of Water. Our kidneys share the energy of Water, which means that when it gets cold in the winter, water freezes. So, we pay extra attention to our kidneys to keep their energy moving, flowing, just like a stream. The kidneys must be protected and nourished, especially during the Winter.  Bone Marrow Cleansing is a wonderfully effective four movement exercise for cleansing the bones, (which are governed by the Kidney energy system) by integrating the mind’s intent with physical postures. Standing and walking Bear Animal Frolics, Seasonal Winter sets and acupuncture points for the kidneys will also be included.

 

Wendy Smith is a professor, lecturer, author and certified health coach and personal trainer, specializing in stress management and mind body techniques.  She had been an instructor of Qigong and Taiji for many years, teaching to a variety of audiences, ranging from 8 to 93 years of age. She is certified in Tai Chi for Arthritis through Dr. Paul Lam’s Tai Chi Productions and certified in Qigong by Master Yang Yang through the Center for Taiji Studies. She has produced numerous Qigong videos for download, the latest is a combination of Qigong and fitness entitled, Qiflow and Fit. A long-time student of meditation, she practices with the Blooming Lilac Sangha, following the teachings of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.

Website: https://agelessqigong.com/