Are you battling stress? Anxiety? Lack of focus? Maybe you have asthma or got through COVID but still suffer from chronic fatigue. Things can feel overwhelming in our overly busy world. There is a powerful connection between mindful self care and a daily life marked by resilience and vitality. Modern science continues to affirm that practices dating back thousands of years remain as relevant today as they’ve ever been.
Slow the body.. Attend to the breath.. Calm the mind.. Open the heart.
Qigong? What’s that?
Qigong (usually pronounced something like “chee gung”) is a broad term encompassing a collection of internal martial arts disciplines. Across these disciplines we find methods to work with (“gong”) our energy (“qi”). In practice, Qigong is a slow, meditative, mindful movement practice that improves one’s mental and physical health by integrating posture, movement, breathing technique, self-massage, sound, and focused intention. This produces a mind/body response that is at once relaxing and energizing. The science is steadily catching up, validating benefits which have been known by practitioners for centuries. Perhaps most notable here in the West is Harvard Medical School’s resounding recommendation for these time tested methods. And note — this is NOT solely for folks (like me…) who are aging! While I feel fortunate to have been using these methods since my mid 50s, I regret not discovering them decades ago!
In addition to helping me recover from a freak accident during a blood donation that did not completely resolve with physical therapy, the practices became my calm in the storms of life well before the pandemic and continue to sustain me. They can help you too! I lead multiple classes weekly (at the Y). I find the energy of my groups invigorating but also have a library of resources freely available to help you bring a personal practice into your daily life.
Qigong styles are many and diverse. The live sessions and archived recordings out on the YouTube channel span a wide variety of traditions but are grounded in the principles and practices of Long White Cloud Qigong. In April 2022, I let go of my live stream membership program and returned to in person teaching for the Kettle Moraine District YMCA in southeast Wisconsin, leading Qigong practices via a class called Mindful Movement, leading guided Meditation, and still do a bit of Senior Fitness at the River Shores, West Washington, and Feith Family branch locations. In January 2025, I will assume the lead role in the Y’s “Moving for Better Balance” class which is a 12 week program that essentially teaches Yang style short form Tai Chi. All my classes integrate evidence based breath work using the Oxygen Advantage methodology. This web site now serves mostly as a resource to my class participants at the Y and you can find many class session notes in the Downloads section.. Recorded classes (streamed mostly during the pandemic) are now freely available on my YouTube channel. You can view my YMCA class schedule by clickingHERE
Last Updated on August 8, 2024
Qigong – Meditation – Breath Work
Are you battling stress? Anxiety? Lack of focus? Maybe you have asthma or got through COVID but still suffer from chronic fatigue. Things can feel overwhelming in our overly busy world. There is a powerful connection between mindful self care and a daily life marked by resilience and vitality. Modern science continues to affirm that practices dating back thousands of years remain as relevant today as they’ve ever been.
Slow the body.. Attend to the breath.. Calm the mind.. Open the heart.
Qigong? What’s that?
Qigong (usually pronounced something like “chee gung”) is a broad term encompassing a collection of internal martial arts disciplines. Across these disciplines we find methods to work with (“gong”) our energy (“qi”). In practice, Qigong is a slow, meditative, mindful movement practice that improves one’s mental and physical health by integrating posture, movement, breathing technique, self-massage, sound, and focused intention. This produces a mind/body response that is at once relaxing and energizing. The science is steadily catching up, validating benefits which have been known by practitioners for centuries. Perhaps most notable here in the West is Harvard Medical School’s resounding recommendation for these time tested methods. And note — this is NOT solely for folks (like me…) who are aging! While I feel fortunate to have been using these methods since my mid 50s, I regret not discovering them decades ago!
In addition to helping me recover from a freak accident during a blood donation that did not completely resolve with physical therapy, the practices became my calm in the storms of life well before the pandemic and continue to sustain me. They can help you too! I lead multiple classes weekly (at the Y). I find the energy of my groups invigorating but also have a library of resources freely available to help you bring a personal practice into your daily life.
Qigong styles are many and diverse. The live sessions and archived recordings out on the YouTube channel span a wide variety of traditions but are grounded in the principles and practices of Long White Cloud Qigong. In April 2022, I let go of my live stream membership program and returned to in person teaching for the Kettle Moraine District YMCA in southeast Wisconsin, leading Qigong practices via a class called Mindful Movement, leading guided Meditation, and still do a bit of Senior Fitness at the River Shores, West Washington, and Feith Family branch locations. In January 2025, I will assume the lead role in the Y’s “Moving for Better Balance” class which is a 12 week program that essentially teaches Yang style short form Tai Chi. All my classes integrate evidence based breath work using the Oxygen Advantage methodology. This web site now serves mostly as a resource to my class participants at the Y and you can find many class session notes in the Downloads section.. Recorded classes (streamed mostly during the pandemic) are now freely available on my YouTube channel. You can view my YMCA class schedule by clicking HERE