Dr. Mark Cheng compares learning Tai Chi to studying a well-cut diamond, and as you’ll see in the following conversation, his background as an acupuncturist, martial artist, strength coach and PhD in Chinese Medicine actually allows him to look at the broader subject of fitness and wellness in the same multi-faceted way. With the depth and range he brings to teaching movement, it’s no wonder that he’s leading the way to introducing Tai Chi to a much larger fitness audience and in the process, asking all Tai Chi people to step back and take a fresh look at their art.
Join me for “To Breathe or Not To Breathe”, a webinar where we will explore the challenges and big payoffs that come from doing your breathing practice correctly. Perhaps more than any other technique, cultivating a breathing practice presents an interesting training paradox: how do you change something your body does automatically 20,000 times a day, that is so intertwined with your mind, emotions, and internal energy?
In this webinar, I will take you through the major issues around developing your breathing practice, whether your goal is to smooth out your breath (and thereby your nerves), increase your breathing capacity to have more energy, or use breathing as a gateway practice to relaxation and meditation.
This June, my qigong teacher Bruce Frantzis will be offering a two-week Dragon and Tiger Qigong instructor training on Maui. Over the past 10 years, I’ve attended most of the instructor trainings that he has offered, as well as many weekends and week-long retreats. Being in an intensive learning environment at these events is great for your personal practice. If you’re thinking about teaching this material, though, you have to be smart about how you approach these trainings.
Trained in Evolutionary Biology, Peter Wayne, Ph.D., has spent the last 12 years in medical research and more than 35 years studying and teaching Tai Chi. He now serves as Research Director for the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine jointly based at the Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, where a primary focus of his research is studying the clinical and physiological impacts of Tai Chi on health.
One of the major goals of standing qigong is to develop a strong downward flow that clears stagnant energy out of your system and strengthens your natural restorative abilities. When you begin to work on this process, though, it’s natural to wonder how strict you need to be able sticking with the downward flow and what to do if you start to notice other things happening in the body. Recently, I got this question via email that nails the exact issue:
Here’s a round-up of guided practice aides I’ve put together in various sections of the site. What else would help you with your current practice? Let me know here.
To download the audio files below, right click and “save as”. Breathing Use these basic principles as a guide for your breathing and standing practice:
Downloads: 20-Minute Guided Practice #1 20-Minute Guided Practice #2 Standing Qigong You can progress through longer standing sessions with these guided practice mp3s or pick one on any given day that matches your practice goals:
At this time of year, you hear a lot about New Year’s resolutions. This year, I was happy to see a lot of people saying “New Year’s resolutions don’t work.” We all know that’s true from personal experience, but these folks were referencing a growing understanding about how learning and skill-building take place. Most of what we now know about how the nervous system works flies in the face of changing through the strength of your willpower alone.
Happy New Year, everyone! In the spirit of renewal, new ideas, and new beginnings, we’ve upgraded the look of the site for 2012. I’m sure you’re thinking about new things to bring into your life in the coming year too…and as it just so happens, I have a couple of ideas for you. Tune in next week for a special announcement that you won’t want to miss if you’re a regular reader here.
