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

Medical Qigong

Medical Qigong is a moving meditation and an internal martial art for calming the mind and strengthening the body and spirit. Qigong translates roughly as “energy mastery”. It is an ancient practice for enhancing our health by balancing and invigorating Qi, or life force energy.  This one-hour class combines slow gentle movements with deep breathing.
In each class we visit different ancient and modern forms and discuss areas of Qi flow, the 5 elements of Chinese Medicine, and how to maintain maximum health in each season. Qigong is proven to regulate blood pressure, calm the nervous system, heal injury and disease as well as bring the body back into homeostasis for maximum health.
The class begins with clearing stuck energy with peripheral shaking, warm up stretching exercises followed by Qigong forms of between 5 and 12 slow, deliberate movements taught by Lara, a Qigong instructor, acupuncturist, and herbalist since 2011.

This is an all levels class.  Beginners are welcome.

Medical Qigong is held on Tuesdays from 9-10am and taught by Lara.

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