ANCIENT ART – MODERN LIVING
Once upon a time, somewhere, anywhere in the world, there was a man, or a woman, sitting on a mountain top, quietly observing nature. He became so inspired by the movements of the world around him that he began to dance, imitating all the natural elements he could easily identify. He opened himself completely to the forces of nature. He became the forces: sky, earth, fire, water, trees, flowers, wind, cloud, birds, fishes and butterflies. His dance became ecstatic, completely transforming and transcendent. So happy with himself, he then poetically named each movement motif: Bubble of the Cosmos, Yin/Yang Harmonic Loop, White Cranes Flashing Wings, Cloud-Waving Hands, Golden Birds Balancing on One Leg, Embrace Tiger Return to Mountain.......
He or she was the originator of the Tai Chi dance. His moment of creation could have happened thousands of years ago or could have happened right now, this moment, somewhere, anywhere in the world. This person could be you.
You are the potential Tai Chi creator. You are the dancer and the dance.
(Master Chungliang Al Huang)
| CONTACT INFORMATION |
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| Address | South Eastern Suburbs-Melbourne
Berwick, Beaconsfield, Emerald
Victoria 3806 |
| Phone | 03 5968 5153 | | Mobile | 0409 193 315 |
| Email |
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SERVICES
TAI CHI BEGINNERS CLASS 2010
WU ROUND FORM (108 moves)
EMERALD:
6pm MONDAY 15th FEBRUARY 2010
St Joseph’s Church, Emerald-Monbulk Road.
BERWICK:
6pm WEDNESDAY. 17th FEBRUARY 2010
St Michael’s Primary School, Main Road.
FOR QIGONG, SEE BELOW
***WORKSHOP***
LIFE ENHANCEMENT QIGONG
(THE ENLIGHTENMENT FORM)
Sunday
28th March 2010
St Michaels Primary School
Berwick, Melbourne.
10am – 4pm
BYO Lunch, refreshments supplied.
Cost $50 (Concession $45)
(Early Bird $45 by 5th March)
Enquiries and Bookings:
Maxine Gardner via this page.
(You can also find me on Facebook)
800 years ago, so the story goes, a Taoist Master called Chang San Feng became transfixed by the observation of a battle between a snake and a crane. Inspired by his observations, he developed the original 13 move Tai Chi Form from which all tai chi forms were to be born. We have all heard this story.
800 years ago, so the story goes, a Taoist Master named Chang San Feng, while immersed in his contemplation of the Tao developed and practiced another form, which has been buried in secrecy for many generations. Until recently. Taught to 81-year old Zhu Hui by a 106-year old Taoist Master Li Tong, who lived on Wudang Mountain, this special form has finally reached us.
The Enlightenment Form or Life-Enhancement Qigong is a beautiful and easy to learn form. It also comprises 13 moves of Earth and Heaven. Its nature is simple, flowing, spiralling and gentle. It’s effect is powerful, transformative and enlightening.
Life Enhancement Qigong is a powerful self-healing tool, rich with every aspect of Tao theory: feng shui, qigong, the bagua, colour, sound, 5 element theory the principles of tai chi body movement, microcosm/macrocosm and inner alchemy. Qi spirals in to the core, gently flushing and dissolving old karmic patterns, opening up the inner space, inviting healing on a profound level.
I invite all of you to learn this extraordinary Form which will enhance your Life on all levels.
AT"HEALING MOVES" YOU WILL IMPROVE YOUR WELL-BEING PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY AND EMOTIONALLY THROUGH THE PROCESSES OF LEARNING AND PRACTICING:
WU TAI CHI ROUND FORM
QIGONG
PUSH-HANDS
MEDITATION
UNIVERSAL HEALING TAO SYSTEM BASICS
Inner Smile
Iron Shirt
Six Healing Sounds
Microcosmic Orbit
CLASSES
BEGINNERS TAI CHI CLASSES:
BERWICK: Wednesday evenings 6:00 – 7:30pm
EMERALD: Monday evenings 6:00 – 7:30pm
(please contact for adjusted times for part of the year)
JUST QIGONG CLASSES:
BEACONSFIELD : FRIDAY mornings: 9:30 – 11:00 am (by the school term)
EMERALD: THURSDAY evenings: 7:00 – 8:30 pm (by the school term)
TAI CHI (shortened) and QIGONG
FOR OVER 55’s: TUESDAY morning (U3A BERWICK)
ENQUIRIES MOST WELCOME
RATES ARE REASONABLE
WHY LEARN TAI CHI AND QIGONG?
Taoism is China’s most ancient system of philosophy and spiritual practice. Taoists observe that we are part of nature; we are born of the energy of the earth and stars and elements. Yet, for some reason, we see ourselves separate from nature, and so we need to re-learn how to reclaim our rightful heritage as children of nature.
THE WAY OF NATURE IS CALLED THE TAO - the Natural Way of Things. The Tao is the way to realising our highest potential, enabling us to live in harmony with the patterns and energy of nature. Just as the Universe is an integrated whole, (macrocosm) the body is an integrated whole, (microcosm) with each part connected, interconnected and dependent on the other parts.
Life is lived as a process, as a dance, the journey and the goal are one.
We re-learn to move freely and naturally with the whole body connected, both structurally and energetically. In this way, we mirror our connection to the larger whole, as part of the universe.
The main object of these exercises is to build MENTAL, PHYSICAL & EMOTIONAL WELLBEING by encouraging the circulation of Qi, (Life Energy). This strengthens the whole body including the internal organs, tendons and the bones.
Along with the exercises, a sensible balanced diet and adequate rest is important to your well-being. Aspects of the Five Element Theory in relation to nutrition are covered.
If an individual practises Self-Healing exercises, a positive message is sent to the body's immune system encouraging the body's healing mechanism to help itself rather than rely on someone else to heal it. A passive attitude on the other hand sends a defeatist message to the body and will do nothing to stimulate Self-Healing.
In other words, practising Self-Healing exercises means taking responsibility for your own health, body and mind.
BENEFITS OF LEARNING TAI CHI & QIGONG
Co-ordination
Relaxation
Strengthens whole body
Stimulates Blood Circulation
Breath deepens
Heart and Lungs Strengthen
Flexibility Increases
Improves Stamina
Balance
Tones Skin
Improves vocal, visual and aural efficiency
Helps Prevent Illness and Injury
Contain, control & direct Energy
Massage internal organs
Improves Sleep
Teaches Self Control
Develops patience, perseverance
Develops healing abilities
Willpower
Calms and steadies the Emotions
Boosts Confidence
Ability to Concentrate
Improves memory
Mental alertness
Creative expression
Spatial awareness
Increase resources and Potentialities
Build skills to maintain Health
Combat Illnesses of mind and body
WU TAI CHI ROUND FORM (108 moves)
Tai Chi has its roots in Qigong. Tai Chi Chuan (Grand Ultimate Fist) is a powerful internal “soft” style Martial Art.
There are a number of styles of Tai Chi. You may be familiar with Chen, Yang, Sun or the modern day shortened styles.
At Healing Moves, we teach and learn the Wu Round Form.
Master Wu Chien-Chuan, the founder of the Wu style, from which the Round Form originates, followed the Tai Chi principle of “softness over hardness”. He felt that soft internal energy was the most effective energy for self-healing and making a weak constitution strong. From the very beginning, he emphasized the cultivation and development of healing energy. For this reason, the Wu style has gained a tremendous reputation as a Healing Exercise.
According to Chinese tradition, all healers and body workers usually practice at least three years of Taoist meditation (Chi Kung) and Tai Chi in order to cultivate, accumulate and purify their own chi because a healer must heal himself first.
A BEGINNERS TAI CHI CLASS…..
Over 25 weeks, you learn the movement sequence of the Tai Chi form in a 1.5 hours class. You learn a few moves each lesson. During the week, you practice at home. In the next class, you revise and learn a few more moves. And so it goes, week by week, adding on until you eventually have learnt 108 moves which will take you about 20 minutes to do!
You are now ready to advance to the intermediate class. Here you begin the process of refining your Tai Chi form. In the intermediate class, you also learn Qigong, Breath-work, Push Hands, Taoist Self-Healing Meditation, Rooting, Chi Self Massage, Tao Yin (Chinese Yoga), Bone Breathing and exercises from the Universal Healing Tao system.
BASIC PUSH-HANDS
Push Hands is the practical application of different postures of the Tai Chi form. Properly performed, Push Hands, like the Tai Chi, promotes the relaxation of the muscles and loosening and flexibility of the joints. Because it is practiced with a partner, the joints are stretched in a way that solo practice cannot duplicate. In addition, Push Hands cultivates sensitivity and inner feeling throughout the whole body, which in turn enhances the flow of vital energy, all of which is as important in defending against disease and for therapeutic purposes as it is in repelling a human assailant. (Alfred Huang)
On a subtler level, it teaches us about human relationships. How do we react when someone is “pushing” us around emotionally? How often do we react in the same old way? Do we stiffen up, lose our “flexibility” becoming an easy push-over? Do we fall in a heap? Do we react with violent abuse? In Push Hands, we learn to deflect the “push”, while maintaining our inner dignity, our integrity (central equilibrium). We find new ways to transform old habits and change our relationships in a positive way. We no longer blame the other. Our relationships change for the better because we take responsibility for our own actions and reactions.
MEDITATION
Taoist healing meditations use a myriad of “tools” including colour, sound, imagery and visualization, inner sensing, actualization, breath and body awareness in order to enter Stillness. Exploration of the inner world through the outer world and vice versa is a common theme. Sitting, Standing and lying postures are common.
AFFIRMATIONS are often used to change old thought patterns and to promote a new and more positive way of thinking.
QIGONG (Chi Gong, Chi Kung)
QIGONG, a five-thousand-year-old healing modality, is the ancient self-healing art that combines breathing, posture, movement, visualisation and sometimes sound and colour, to build vitality and improve health. In China, Qigong is also used successfully as an adjunct to treating cancer.
It was the development of this "Art of Breathing", which led to the discovery of energy channels or meridians which run through the body and from which the system of acupuncture was subsequently developed. Martial Artists have incorporated this knowledge into their training and came up with Tai Chi.
The First Essential is the BREATH. Every form of Qigong puts great emphasis on deep, diaphragmatic breathing.
The Second Essential is SLOW AND GENTLE MOVEMENT AND STRETCHING. When Deep Breath is combined with slow, synchronized movement, the body builds more energy or Qi rather than depleting energy, which happens with strenuous exercise. All forms of stress deplete Qi, and when the body moves with the breath, many people experience a sense of calm and harmony. This feeling helps to bring the body and mind into balance and contributes to our physical, emotional and mental healing.
The process of QIGONG includes exercises in AWARENESS, INTENTION, BREATH, POSTURE,MOVEMENT,TOUCH AND SOUND. These exercises first relax all parts of the body by reducing stress and tension. Then the mind can induce circulation of Qi throughout the body and especially to parts of the body that are tense, diseased or injured. A common side effect in the beginning stages of practice is that you may experience pain in old injuries, scar tissue, or where energy is blocked. This passes as Qi is continually circulated, finally flowing into parts of the body which have been in “drought”. As blood follows Qi, an increase in blood flow increases delivery of oxygen and nutrients to cells of the body and removal of metabolic waste products.
These improvements permit many functions of the body to operate at higher efficiency, including the immune system which is the key to fighting disease.
“The essence of all evolution in nature emerges from chaos. By understanding the infinite energy that is always available to us, we can flow naturally with the chaotic rhythms of the Universe. Try to avoid patterns and repetition, mix things up and let Qi flow smoothly ….remain flexible and relaxed in all you do. This is truly to understand Qigong.” Master Duan Zhi Liang.
Always approach learning Qigong in a relaxed and natural way. Qigong should be practiced regularly, just like brushing your teeth. Qigong is a way of life.
A QIGONG CLASS….
Includes Shibashi forms, Five Element Qigong, Primordial Qigong, Eight Treasures, Swimming Dragon, Luohan Qigong and others.
Bring a blanket and a water bottle. Depending on the individuals in the group, we may warm up on the floor with some stretching, or we may do these standing. The emphasis is always on healing the individual and every effort is made to pursue this goal. Meditation often completes the 1.5 hour session.
You can join in these classes anytime; you do not need to complete a Beginners Course.
UNIVERSAL HEALING TAO SYSTEM
(Certified Universal Tao Instructor (Assoc.))
The Universal Healing Tao is a practical system of self-cultivation and spiritual development.
Grand Master Mantak Chia created the Universal Healing Tao system to effectively share the many ancient Chinese meditative and internal energy practices transmitted to him by a series of masters and teachers from throughout Asia. His sincere wish is that every individual have the opportunity to complete the harmonious evolution of body, mind and spirit. Through these practices the student learns to take personal responsibility for their own physical, emotional and spiritual well being.
THE BASIC FOUNDATION EXERCISES
Inner Smile
The Smile brings the Heart into the meditation. It enables you to go beyond the mental technique and access the “Feeling” connection. The Smile softens chi which may be erratic or disjointed and unifies the subtly different vibrations of chi within the body, mind and spirit enabling them to work together for the single purpose of highest health to the entire energetic system of the body. The Smile connects the individual to Earth and Heaven, to other humans (family, friends, workmates, community and humankind in general). To me, this feeling of interconnectedness brings about the very comfortable state of being – Centeredness, and Loving it!
Without the Smile, life is a chore. Add the smile and chi flows with a sense of quiet joy. The Inner Child is accessed; life becomes an adventure, fun. Dancing, not dragging. With the Smile shining down the Mind gives up the will to fight. The atoms, the cells become organized with one aim – Perfect Health.
The Smile can dissolve “lumps” of stuck energy. Its nature is warm, flowing, cleansing and loving. Gratitude and Appreciation for one’s body are fostered under the glowing Smile. Smiling to the kidneys, for example, allows fears and phobias to be recognised and transformed. Without the Smile, stuck chi may not be easy to remove and may eventually manifest on the physical plane in the form of stones or tumours. The Smile enables a willing release of stuck chi, it is happy to be transformed.
The Inner Smile Technique has 3 stages, smiling down through different “lines” of the body.
Iron Shirt Qigong
Iron Shirt techniques were developed to strengthen the internal organs of a martial artist’s body so that he could resist the effects of body blows. By using breathing techniques and specific stances to compress chi into the fascia (connective tissue), the organs are protected and cushioned. Iron Shirt techniques develop a strong root into the Earth and the body learns to relax and be soft on the outside, and like iron on the inside (steel wrapped in cotton).
The body becomes so strong internally that it is like wearing an iron shirt. Originally the purpose of these techniques was for martial arts use, but today we are more aware of the creating healthy strong organs.
Gradually the body will learn to relax and not tense up during the exercise. Over time, the accomplished practitioner will experience increased energy, an enhanced immune system, and overall increased strength and health due to the internal organs becoming stronger and working more efficiently. Bone strengthening/breathing will reduce the risk of arthritis and bone softening. If you are using the practice for martial arts, you will become virtually invincible, but for the average person, your invincibility will take on the form of increased well being and health.
Six Healing Sounds
Sound, Colour, Movement, Visualisation and Intent are all powerful avenues for healing to occur while practicing The Healing Sounds.
The Five major yin organs of the body, according to Chinese Medicine, are the Heart, Spleen/pancreas, Lungs, Kidneys and Liver. Each is assigned a specific colour, sound, negative and positive emotion, and movement. Smile and visualise the colour coming in as bright and clear, filling and soaking into the body and the organ in particular. Exhale a dirty murky colour, releasing it out with the sound and a smile, way outside the aura. The movement opens the organ fascia and the negative energy is directed by the hands with the intent to go far away.
By noticing how you respond/react to an exercise, your attention may be brought to a blockage which needs to be released. Notice what thoughts pop up, they tell you a lot about the emotional state of your organs. Always Smile. Sometimes you find you need to complete many cycles before you feel clear and colour seems clear & bright. Some days, it is easier. This is a good exercise for clearing stress daily.
Microcosmic Orbit (MCO)
The Microcosmic Orbit pathway is composed of two major channels, referred to as the Governor and Functional Channels or Meridians. The Governor Meridian runs from the perineum up the spine and over the head, ending at the palate of the mouth. The Functional Channel runs from the perineum up the front of the body, ending at the tip of the tongue. Touching the tip of the tongue to the palate connects both channels. Along the Meridians are situated gathering points, or acu points, for receiving nourishment for particular glands and organs in the body.
In the Taoist Way of Inner Alchemy, emotional work goes hand in hand with energy work. Many of the blockages that occur along the channels are created by, or linked with negative emotions. By practicing the Inner Smile, 6 Healing Sounds and the Microcosmic Orbit, we learn to clear the tension associated with blockages by negative emotional build-up. Once we clear the blockages, we are then able to enhance the natural qualities of the organs: the virtues, which are the organs intrinsic energies.
(Mantak Chia)
The Tao begot one.
From the Tao came existence.
One begot two.
Existence was manifested in the Yin and Yang Chi.
Two begot Three
From the combination of Yin and Yang Chi came Heaven, Earth and Humanity.
And Three begot the ten thousand things.
All that exists is the creation of heaven, earth, or human beings.
The Ten thousand things carry yin and embrace yang.
They achieve harmony by combining these forces.
“Tao Te Ching”
Lao Tzu
QUALIFICATION DETAILS
Certified Universal Healing Tao Instructor (Assoc.)
GRADINGS : Wu Round Form, Qigong, Basic Push-Hands, Tai Chi Sword, Sabre, Staff, Double Fans
MEMBER:
IICT (International Institute for Complementary Therapies)
WTPA (Wushu and Tai Chi Practitioners Association)
TCAA (Tai Chi Association of Australia – Vic. Rep.)
LINKS:
UNIVERSAL HEALING TAO
www.universal-tao.com
Senior Instructor Dr. Andrew Jan
www.taoalive.com
TAI CHI AUSTRALIA
www.taichiaustralia.com
ZHINENG QIGONG
H.B.Muralidhara
Meridians, Healing Energy Field (Zu Chang)
1301/A1 Wing, Dheeraj Hill View
Near Siddharth Nagar, Borivali (E)
Mumbai 400066
www.qigong-taichiindia.com
www.beacon-television.com
Service Categories
Qi Gong, Tai Chi
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