Sebastopol Qigong and Taijiquan classes

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I have two weekly classes in Qigong and Taiji that run year round. You can start Qigong anytime, and Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan) on the first class of the month. The Qigong classes vary throught the summer and winter seasons, but focus on the daoyin practices of Yin-style Bagua, a Chinese traditional art. The classes are ongoing, so depending when you start you may come in "in the middle of something". This is fine with me, and though it may seem a little confusing at first, you will quickly catch on. There are always beginners and more seasoned students in my classes. The class size is small and there is a lot of attention given to the foundation practices. For location and cost details, go to the Class Page.

Monday Evening Qigong, 5–6 pm

In the winter our practice is more inward focused, developing a quiet "listening to qi" ability as well as emphasizing gathering and storing qi. This year we will draw from three of Yin-style's daoyin sets- Six Daily Qi Meditations, Eight Healing Sounds, and Eight Storing Qi and Developing Sensitivity Exercises. We'll use them to explore practicing directly for qi, using but minimizing the physical guiding and leading we have been practicing, allowing things to quiet down so we start to hear and feel more qi sensation. This is the first step in being able to effectively connect to and direct the use of our qi.

The Chinese Classics state that there must be both yin and yang present in all things. So a practice, like anything else must have those two sides. With these qi practices there is, of course, qi. But there is also xue, or blood, really our body and everything physical about us in this context. With any type of exercise you can practice more to develop your body or more to develop your energy, depending on how you go about it.

The Six Qi Meditations are held postures to gain stillness and listening sensitivity. They can be used effectively as a short practice of twenty minutes or extended to any length you like.

The Eight Healing Sounds combines sound/vibration, breath and posture along with a quiet, focused mind to regulate and move qi in our bodies. There are six sounds for the zangfu (organs of the body, within the context of Chinese medicine), and two that are more systemic in nature. They have the ability to tonify, remove and flow qi to regulate an organ or the whole body.

The Eight Storing Qi practices the functions of qi in our universe, large and small. The eight functions are- opening, closing, raising, lowering, dispersing, gathering, exiting, entering. One of the first things that practicing the eight qi does is refine and organize what is going on in our bodies already, often without our awareness. Secondly, it gives us much more sensitivity to these things, and finally, the ability to influence our own qi and that of others (ie- in treatment). Because of this, the eight storing qi were the must-practice development exercises for Yin-style medical practitioners.

We'll cultivate the quiet side of these forms as we go into the dark months, getting a more reliable and strong experience of tangible qi in our practice.

Saturday Morning Yang-Style Taijiquan, 9–10:30 am

This is an ongoing class in the traditional Yang-style long form, also called the slow set. I teach a traditional form that comes through the Dong (Tung) family lineage.

The class starts with some warm-ups and drills, and continues with the form. The drills teach the basics of taiji movement in simpler repeated sequences and develop the foundation of the taiji body. The form develops strength, co-ordination, focus and health through more complex movements and teaches you about your own qi.

We are serious about our practice and we have a lot of fun! Expect the form to take six plus months to learn the basic sequence. From there you can go as deep as you like. Taijiquan is a great, balanced exercise for your body, mind and spirit that you can practice throughout your life.