Qigong

  • Many, if not most, folks draw a blank when they read “Qigong” (pronounced chee-guhng).

    “Qi” or “Chi” or “Ki” or “Prana” are all synonyms describing vital energy, breath, spirit, or intention. “Gong” means cultivation or mastery. Qi is the same as “the Force” in Star Wars. In fact everything portrayed as the Force and Jedi culture is adapted from various forms of Qigong practice.

    Qigong helps our ability to heal and learn, and when practiced with others to relate, connect, and co-create. Qigong is effective in lots of tangible ways. You can enhance your awareness of your body and better sense and take action in the world around you. With enough practice you can notice small and not so small distinctions in your body that set up the choice to make different, more effective actions in your body than the unconscious patterns that you’ve been defaulting to.

    Some examples of what’s in the scope of Qigong include Tai chi, moving meditation, yoga, many if not all martial arts, and conscious dance practices.

    I like testing new movements and making new empowering distinctions for others to add to their own expanded range of options. It’s my hope you will similarly start to test everything for yourself and see what you discover!

  • Qigong works best when practiced with an inner sense of openness, play, and expansiveness! These aren’t rules to be externally imposed, rather they’re principles to apply and test for yourself. I’m confident you will, whether today or years from now, conclude these principles lead to greater joy and personal and interpersonal fulfillment.

All Tai Chi Flow classes are designed to shift people into a natural flow state (what top athletes call “the zone”). The invitation is essentially to join a game of slow paced follow the leader — there’s nothing you need to know in advance and nothing you need to memorize as you participate— in fact Rob doesn’t mind if you go right when he goes left.

Tai Chi Flow classes optimize your natural healing and learning capacities and put you in a moving meditation state. These tai chi movements (and in some cases yoga movements) are also “moving medication”! They have a natural analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect which can reduce or eliminate the need for over the counter or prescribed medications.

About the photo inside the above image: I love that Harvard Researchers took the time to document these benefits and present them in the Harvard Medical School’s Guide to Tai Chi ! And I love how much better it feels to practice the movement than to sit idly reading!

A Tai Chi Flow Practice supports you in letting go of habits and patterns that block you from moving in the most authentic, natural, and empowering ways possible. This makes improvements in balance, coordination, and flexibility possible regardless of age.

When you commit to regular flow class attendance, you will see the positive benefits of regular practice naturally showing up in your life outside of class!