Online sessions Tuesdays + Thursdays at 7:00AM
One-page list of several forms we practice
Qi-gong brings stability, strength, and flexibility to body, emotions, and mind. Qi-gong is gentle movement and breathing exercises that are suitable for people of any age, in any physical condition. Cultivated for thousands of years, many forms have been developed.
Forms I teach include:
* Eight Pieces of Silk Brocade [video here]
* Eighteen Movements of Shibashi [video 1]
* Tai Chi Moving for Better Balance [video here]
* Standing Like a Tree (zhan zhuang)
* Swimming Dragon (taiyi you long gong)
* Whole Body Breathing
* one-page list of several forms
Tuesdays and Thursdays practice
There is a drop-in session every Tuesday and Thursday morning by Zoom. I also offer half-day and day-long workshops, and individual coaching for beginners and for experienced practitioners.
My approach
I first explored tai chi and qi-gong with Tao Ping-Siang, Richard Aries, and the Five Willow Tai Chi Society. I learned the eight pieces of brocade and an internal nei-gong practice with Ken McLeod. I learned the modern therapeutic form Tai Chi for Better Balance from Suman Barkhas, and shibashi from Franz Moeckl. What I practice and teach has been influenced by what I’ve learned from Jeff Bickford (Feldenkrais) and Gail Gustafson (movement analysis). Rather than follow a particular lineage or strict form, the intention is to help people move with awareness so they can bring health, flexibility and balance to their daily life.
“I want to help people to make the impossible more possible, the possible more pleasant, and the pleasant more elegant.”
~ Moshe Feldenkrais
History
Qi-gong has been practiced for at least 4000 years. The breath exercises were originally called tu-na (exhaling the muddy, inhaling the clean). The movement exercises were originally called dao-yin (guiding energy). Taiji (tai chi) (grand ultimate boxing) is one kind of qi-gong that has been practiced for perhaps 1500 years. In the 20th century, the term qi-gong became a popular umbrella term to refer to all of these meditative, health, and martial arts exercises.
Health benefits of qi-gong
Besides increased flexibility, stretching, healthy breathing, and hormonal balance, long-term qigong practice supports many health benefits, including:
Arthritis: reduces pain and physical functioning
Asthma: enhances blood circulation, oxygen distribution and relaxes bronchi
Balance: improves sense of balance, muscle strength, and flexibility
Blood sugar: improves indicators of metabolic syndrome and glycemic control
Blood pressure: lowers high blood pressure
Bone density: improves bone density for post-menopausal women
Breast cancer: aerobic capacity, muscular strength, and flexibility
Cancer: improves immunity, blood circulation, metabolism, respiration, and cardiovascular
Cardiovascular: lowers blood pressure, increases aerobic capacity
Cerebral arteriosclerosis: improves blood flow to the brain
Endocrine gland functions improved
Fibromyalgia: reduces pain, fatigue, and other symptoms
Heart disease: improves blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, and insulin
Hormones: improves balance
Hypertension: lowers blood pressure, improves serum levels
Immune system: increases T-cell production
Pain: raises pain threshold and response
Parkinson’s disease: improves balance
Sleep: improves the quality and duration
Stroke: fewer strokes for those who practice qigong daily; improves balance after a stroke
Eight Pieces of Silk Brocade, in the style of the great lineage of cartoon bears:
