Tai Chi for Spine Health 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 weight appropriately, to…
Tai Chi Qigong for Ehlers Danlos Tai Chi and Qigong as dynamic movement practices to aid the genetic connective tissue disorder called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS). Hello everyone, I’m Nicola, a Tai Chi, Qigong and meditation instructor and I live with hypermobility EDS. This article explores how mindful dynamic movements can support the symptoms of…
The Hips in Tai Chi The importance of aligning the pelvis and hips in your Tai Chi practice, to improve the quality of your Tai Chi movements and your ability to absorb and generate martial power. In turn, this aids your postural health, how well your organs function and your ability to breathe deeply. Aligning…
Pain Instructs Training Tai Chi and Qigong during times of injury, chronic and acute pain can offer some unusual benefits. Simply put, pain instructs. It’s one of the responses in the body that is not subtle, it hurts and we react to it. When you experience physical pain in your Tai Chi or Qigong practice,…
Hibernating Bear Tai Chi Do you live with chronic illness and want to try a different approach to building resilience in mind and body? The Hibernating Bear system draws from traditional Tai Chi, Qigong and meditation practices to help support chronic pain, chronic fatigue, those living with a different health baseline than the norm, senior citizens…
Detoxing through Movement The Importance of the Lymph System to Health Most of us know that a sedentary lifestyle causes health to decline, and yet a large part of the population of all ages do not move or exercise regularly. Sitting at a desk, lounging on the sofa, driving, lying in bed and so on….
What does EDS pain feel like? Making the invisible visible I would like to describe my experience of living with pain to help educate and raise awareness for all living with chronic and acute pain health conditions. For those reading this that know someone who lives with chronic pain, the best thing you can do is…
Physical Symmetry Training Physical Health for Life I remember a training session a few years ago with Tina Chunna Zhang from Qigong for Women in NYC. She said that qigong practice is for ‘finding your weak spots’. To me, this means training the body in a way to create physical symmetry or harmony in the…
Recommending Wild Geese Martial Arts Introducing Dave Hedges from Wild Geese Martial Arts and WG-Fit in Dublin City Centre. Dave helped me through a time in my life when I was going through a health deconstruction and reconstruction. In my early 30’s, around 2008 unknown to me I was heading into the world of chronic…
Tai Chi Qigong for Injury Recovery In this article I would like to explore the benefits of using Tai Chi and Qigong as restorative exercises to help during injury recovery. Over the years I have worked with many students to aid physical rehabilitation after accidents and injury, from frozen shoulders, twisted knees and falls, to…
Dr Bergman Alternative Health One of my favourite youtube channels for alternative health is Dr Bergman’s videos. He is a corrective chiropractor from the USA who is a leading figure in alternative health. There are hundreds of videos to watch that cover posture and health, arthritis, nervous system, parkinsons disease, vaccinations, Western pharmaceuticals and much…
Prolonged Sitting is Killing You Tai Chi and Qigong to improve your posture in daily life If you have attended my Tai Chi and Qigong classes, you’ll know how emphatic I can be regarding frequent healthy movements and postural health in your daily life. By practicing the Classical Chinese arts regularly, the corrections to your…
Tai Chi Qigong Fall Prevention “Falls among elderly cost NHS £2.3bn a year” Reported by the Independent Newspaper in 2017. “Falls among elderly people may be costing the NHS in England up to £4.6m a day.” Reported by the BBC in 2010. “Pensioners can cut the risk of falls by a fifth by practicising…
Living with EDS “Ehlers Danlos Syndrome” My Story by Tai Chi Instructor Nicola During May 2014 it is Ehlers Danlos awareness month. I have written my account of living with EDS and wanted to share this with you all. Here is my story, it is a little raw and gives honest insight into what it…
Travel with Hope A Qigong student interview. Meet ‘John Doe’ and read his story of learning to live with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). How practicing the Classical Chinese movement and stillness arts can help the symptoms of PD. This interview is dated April 11, 2014 is an update to a previous interview on March 15, 2013. John…