The Art of Pacing What does pacing mean and how can it benefit you as a life philosophy? Pacing is generally the opposite of how we have been conditioned and brought up. We live in an ever increasing fast paced and demanding world. It’s no wonder stress is one of the most silent and untreated…
Qigong Wall Squatting Wall squatting is an ancient Qigong whole body movement. This is the ultimate squat that develops leg strength, power, balance and body awareness. The stretching and relaxing motion in the spines gives circulation a boost, helps the body detox and massages your internal organs to aid their functioning. As a beginner there…
Learn to Breathe Well for Life In ancient Eastern cultures breathing is seen as fundamental to life-long health. This has become lost in the modern world, leaning more on pharmaceutical companies to provide us with ‘better health’. Learning to breathe more effectively can have a profound effect on how the systems in your body function….
Slowing Down in a Fast World If you consider your daily routine, what tasks and activities do you do at speed? I don’t mean sports where you deliberately train fast for aerobic exercise and strength and conditioning training. I mean everything from chores to work, to speaking and movement. If you observe your pace, you…
Deception Training Body Language and the Mind Body Connection This article looks at deception training and the relationship between Tai Chi and Qigong movements and stillness meditation practice. The Stress Response What does the fear, stress, anxiety, scared, afraid, discomfort or nervous response look like in your posture and movement? Posture: Hands are hidden or…
Tai Chi Does Not Heal The ‘ask the teacher’ question this month is from an email I received which advised Tai Chi: “healed my childhood knee problems and bad tendonitis in my arm, neither to return again, despite not continuing Tai Chi” “Can it repair and strengthen ligaments that were injured or are weak /…
Tai Chi Hurt My Knees There are many barriers to starting something new, whether a hobby, new job or leisure activity. We are our worst enemy sometimes and our minds will throw up all sorts of reasons why not to do something. When we start something new, our minds will also try and dissuade us…
Summer Qi for the Heart Summer is an expansive time of year that is governed by the fire element and the heart in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Here are my suggestions for strengthening your heart in the summer months. The Heart in TCM The heart is a yin organ, paired with the small intestines, a…
Spring Qi for the Liver Spring is a time of re-birth and new growth. A time for outward expression, like the first signs of plant life that burst out of the earth. A time for new beginnings and waking up. Spring is governed by the wood element and the liver organ in Traditional Chinese Medicine…
Building Resilience in 2021 Do not worry, this is not a blog post with a humble brag about how I wrote a novel during the 2020 restrictions or learned how to perfect the art of the soufflé. Nope, I’m the average Joe, and have been on a roller coaster. Like many other community teachers, the…
Winter Qi for the Kidneys Winter is yin by nature, a time for consolidating, stillness and retreating within. It is a dark, cold, wet and icy time. The winter solstice is seen as absolute yin, with the tiniest spark of light within. It is easy for our vitality to become depleted in this season, as…
Healthy Movement Livestream Online Tai Chi & Qigong for Health In response to the current health difficulties, we now offer two online Tai Chi and Qigong live-stream classes each week. These lessons are available globally. You don’t need a lot of space, a step or two in any direction and pets are welcome. These classes…
Tai Chi for Spine Health An Unhealthy Spine The spine is key to health. One of my teachers once said that Tai Chi and Qigong all focus on spinal health. We use the phrase ‘structural integrity’ when talking about the Tai Chi and Qigong posture. This means the posture is aligned correctly, to hold your…
Ways to Relieve Stress I would go as far as saying that stress is one of the most silent health disorders of our modern times. Managing stress is often overlooked and seen as trivial. There is growing pressure on everyone, to go faster, be more productive, achieve more, do more and so on. Before we look…
Chronic Pain Qigong Livestream Come along to our online livestream for those living with chronic pain, who would like to explore gentle and powerful movements for both mind and body. Join instructor Nicola from the warmth and comfort of your own home for an hour of self discovery, discussion and practice in a private and…
