Qigong at The Meadow

What is qigong?

Qigong is the oldest branch of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), and involves movements and meditations that optimize your qi, or the energy within your body, mind, and spirit.  Each form and movement is performed with the goal of improving and maintaining health by moving qi through your body to create a balanced state. It incorporates thought, breath, movement, and posture. 

According to the National Qigong Association, "Qigong works as a comprehensive system that teaches individuals methods to preserve their vital energy, cultivate it through specific practices, and then consciously lead and direct this energy within the body to maintain health, balance, and vitality."

What you'll learn

While classes will vary, you can expect to learn a combination of the following, as well as other qigong forms and exercises:

• Basic and essential forms such as pulling down the heavens, various qi clearing exercises, and qi building forms. You'll also learn:
• Wuji posture. Wuji is the foundational stance in qigong. When done correctly, wuji helps individuals achieve alignment, allowing qi to move freely through the body.
• The ba duan jin, also called the eight brocades. The ba duan jin is one of the older and most popular qigong forms. The ba duan jin helps to remove physical blockages by stretching and loosening the fascia. Doing the ba duan jin regularly will also help to release emotional blockages.
• The yi jin jing, a muscle/tendon exercise. The yijin jing is a series of movements that help to enhance physical health when practiced regularly.  In Chinese, yi translates to "change", jin to "tendons and sinews", and jing to "methods."

What to wear

Qigong can be imagined as a standing, moving meditation, so it's recommended that you wear loose-fitting clothing that's easy to move in. Consider clothing that's suitable for squats, lunges, stretches, and other gentle movements. If we're indoors, you'll practice in socks. If weather permits, we'll practice in the meadow and you'll want comfortable shoes. 

Note

We're limiting classes to 10 people per class as we launch. Additional space will be added as the weather improves and we move the class to the event meadow at Highland Meadows Resort.