Qigong Classes

at Dragon Phoenix

What is Qigong?

Qigong, pronounced “chi gong,” was developed in China thousands of years ago as part of traditional Chinese medicine. It involves using exercises to optimize energy within the body, mind, and spirit, with the goal of improving and maintaining health and well-being. Qigong has both psychological and physical components and involves the regulation of the mind, breath, and body’s movement and posture.

 In most forms of qigong:

• Breath is slow, long, and deep. Breath patterns may switch from abdominal breathing to breathing combined with speech sounds.

• Movements are typically gentle and smooth, aimed for relaxation.

• Mind regulation includes focusing one’s attention and visualization.

Dynamic (active) qigong techniques primarily focus on body movements, especially movements of the whole body or arms and legs. Meditative (passive) qigong techniques can be practiced in any posture that can be maintained over time and involve breath and mind exercises, with almost no body movement.

How is Qigong different from Tai Chi?

Tai Chi originated as an ancient martial art, but over the years it has become more focused on health promotion and rehabilitation. When tai chi is performed for health, it is considered a form of qigong and involves integrated physical postures, focused attention, and controlled breathing. Tai chi is one of the hundreds of forms of qigong exercises that was developed in China. Other forms of qigong include Baduanjin, Liuzijue, Hu Yue Xian, Yijin Jing, and medical qigong.

What are the benefits of Qigong?

Qigong opens the flow of energy in meridians used in acupuncture and Chinese medicine. It enhances our ability to feel the Life Force underlying the physical world and to deepen our communication with it. Physically, slow gentle qigong movements warm tendons, ligaments, and muscles; tonify vital organs and connective tissue; and promote circulation of body fluids (blood, synovial, lymph). Thousands of studies have shown qigong effective in helping to heal life challenges ranging from high blood pressure and chronic illness to emotional frustration, mental stress, and spiritual crisis.

Qigong Classes are part of our Drop In program

$18/class or $150 for a 10 class pack

Tuesdays

Qigong for Health and Resilience

This class is an opportunity for people of all ages and abilities to learn traditional Qigong exercises that stretch and tone the physical body and invite vibrant health into our lives. We practice a variety of simple yet powerful standing movements that can be as deep and challenging as you wish. The selection of movements will change depending upon the season to harmonize our bodies with the rhythms of nature. We will explore exercises from medical, martial, and spiritual lineages of qigong including The Eight Pieces of Brocade, Five Animal Sports, White Crane Qigong, and Yang style Tai Chi.
While practicing we focus on the following:
Using conscious movement coupled with natural breathing to help settle the mind in the body.
Gently loosening and stretching the joints, tendons, and ligaments to increase strength and flexibility.
Increasing blood flow, relaxing the nervous system, and smoothing out the flow of energy through the body.
This is an all levels class.  Beginners are welcome.

Qigong for Health is held on Tuesdays from 9-10am and taught by Dale

Mondays

Yin Yang Qigong

Focused on balancing your endocrine, nervous, immune and organ systems, Yin Yang Qigong offers lineage practices to return to your center, to be strong in your body and to feel relaxed, regulated and energized. Together, we will balance the Yin and Yang within to effortlessly smooth out internal and external physical, emotional and mental disharmonies. This will invite the Formless into each of our forms. Movements are simple and easily modifed for any health/skill level. Meditations are focused on becoming the Third Treasure and are simple, profound and lineage based. More in-depth studies are also available with Irene. 

Yin Yang Qigong is taught by Irene on Mondays from 10:00 - 11:00