ABOUT QIGONG

“Inhaling and exhaling helps to rid one of the stale and take in the fresh. Moving as a bear and stretching as a bird can result in longevity.”    Chuang Tzu, Taoist sage

Click here for more information about Qigong classes and workshops from SSOHA

Qigong (Chi Kung) is a Chinese healing art (similar to Tai Chi) involving gentle movement, breathing exercises and stretches. Qigong means “energy cultivation” or “training the breath” and covers a broad range of exercises to generate and nourish Chi (life energy).

Qigong is considered a pillar of Traditional Chinese Medicine and is sometimes described as the “Grandmother of Tai Chi”.

Practicing Qigong leads to: 

  • Better posture, flexibility, co-ordination and balance    
  • Improved circulation and breathing
  • A calmer mind and better concentration
  • Reduced stress levels
  • An increased sense of aliveness and wellbeing

There are 2 main categories of Qigong:

  • Internal (nei dan) – visualisation and meditation-based practices
  • External (wai dan) - synchronised movement with breath awareness

There are three interdependent aspects underpinning Qigong practice which represent the unification of the Three Treasures:

  • Jing - Body posture/movement (physical relaxation)
  • Chi - Breath awareness to circulate chi
  • Shen - Mind/nervous system (intention/concentration)

Qigong is at least 3,000 years old and is rooted in prehistoric shamanic ritual and observations of nature, and was initially developed within the Taoist tradition. Many traditions of Qigong have evolved and can be loosely categorised as:

  • Spiritual (Buddhist/Taoist)
  • Confucian
  • Martial Arts
  • Medical

ABOUT TAI CHI

Tai Chi Chuan or Tai Chi is over 800 years old and is one of the three internal martial arts developed in China, the others being Pakua and Hsing-I.

Tai Chi is sometimes called Yin Yang or mind-boxing and is usually practiced as a moving meditation but is also a highly sophisticated martial art and spiritual practice.

Yang style Tai Chi, with its slow, even pace is the most widely practiced style of Tai Chi. It centres around learning a flowing sequence of movements known as the “form”, along with some work with partners known as “push-hands”.

MARK’S APPROACH TO TAI CHI AND QIGONG

In order to experience the internal feeling or “taste” of energy movement through gentle movement, stillness, and deep relaxation, Mark focuses his personal practice and his teaching on the following core practices:

  • Foundation exercises/postures from Yang-style Tai Chi
  • Tai Chi Qi Gong (Shibashi)
  • 8 brocades (Ba Duan Jin)
  • Zhan Zhuang (standing pole/tree meditation)
  • Do-in (self massage)
  • Gentle stretching and rotations

Contact details

Telephone: 01749 672944
Mail: mark@SSOHA.org.uk