Jan 10

Tai Chi and Yoga Tips

Written by Julie Festa, L.Ac.

Our tai chi and yoga practices are meant to change with the seasons – and this includes both our personal seasons as well as the earth’s seasons. This is true all the time, but especially in the Winter it is important that we learn how to balance how much we are moving our qi with how much we are holding on to and consolidating it. The more we consolidate and the less we move, the more yin our physical practice becomes. There are as many ways to achieve this balance, and as many variations on it, as we can imagine.

Qi Gong

Written by Peter Robinson


If you really want to deepen the spiritual and energetic side of your Tai Chi practice, simplify. Before there was Tai Chi, there was Qi Gong (pronounced Chi Gung). Where Tai Chi is a series of intricate movements, which are mirrored by an intricate flow of energy through the body, Qi Gong repeats the same simple movements over and over, focusing on breath control and on the movement of energy through one specific meridian or chakra at a time. By narrowing one's focus, it can become much easier to identify your energetic body, and work with moving that chi with your intent. This is a particularly good time to practice your Qi Gong, as Master Zi has a new class in it on Sundays from 10:35-11:35am. And remember, sometimes, doing less is doing more.

January Self-Healing Tips

Written by Karen Wright MTCM, L.Ac.

Ah, January, the month of promises. Those New Year resolutions we say we are not going to make, but then make them anyway, either quietly to ourselves or loud and proud to anyone who will listen to you or read your blog. No matter how you declare your resolutions, there is only one ingredient necessary to make them manifest. The ingredient is WILL POWER. In Chinese Medicine, every organ system has an emotion or spirit energy connected with it. The organ system that relates to will power are the Kidneys. Ironically, the season which corresponds to the Kidneys is in fact wintertime. So let’s address how to awaken the energy of the Kidneys to get us through winter, and through our resolutions, with strength in preparation for the upcoming Spring.

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