Follow Me Tai Chi

How to Help an Aging Brain

2011-11-15T10:27:00.000-05:00

Courtesy of Seniors Directory.com
Doing Tai Chi satisfies many of these criteria

It's not too late!

2011-11-02T20:29:00.000-04:00

You get viruses a lot, you think that is normal -isn't everyone sick? It's going around. Your colds and flu last for weeks sometimes months. You run to the doctor to get pills, even when they really can't help you. You eat poorly, you feel tired and worn out. You don't exercise and you may even overindulge in alcohol, tobacco or other drugs and like most of us you have emotional, financial and environmental stress.

Why won't you take care of your stress?
I don't care if it's exercise, meditation, listening or playing music, art, tai chi, reading, martial arts, deep breathing exercises, yoga or playing video games... if you don't find out what relieves your stress, your stress is going to make you ill - no, it's already making you ill, you just don't know it yet..

The small annoyances of repetitive colds and flu are the least of your problems, the constant stresses that affect your life will eventually cause some major problem with your health.

So.... take control of your health and do something to relieve your stress, it's a small investment for your future.

Qigong helps Moms deal with special needs Children

2011-09-15T11:02:00.001-04:00

While doing some research for my Qigong book ... found this blog with amazing Qigong massage for kids with autism.. quite remarkable.
blog is called Earth Monkey Moms.

Qigong and Taiji: Anti-Aging Benefits of Qigong

2011-09-13T08:36:00.000-04:00

Qigong and Taiji: Anti-Aging Benefits of Qigong

Read some of the latest research on Qigong with references.

Getting back on track after an injury

2011-08-30T12:53:00.002-04:00

Why not try something new to help you long before you can work out again?

Qigong is very versatile for injured and physically challenged folks.

"The only question is: What are you waiting for to make your goal become a reality? Your potential will never disappear, but if you wait too long, your health will."

Using Silence in Classes

2011-08-25T07:50:00.001-04:00

Using Silence in Yoga Classes

Although this article is about Yoga classes it is relevant in the practice of Tai Chi.

I still feel for early introduction for beginning students it is useful to play some soft music for relaxation and flow, I do agree with some points made in this article.

What is Qi?

2011-08-07T06:15:00.001-04:00

Excellent article and explanation of what Qi is.
"Chi, often written as Qi (pronounced “chee”) could be described as a type of bioelectricity and is the life force in and around us. It cannot normally be seen without the aid of Kirlian photography, but it can be felt and its effects can be seen. Numerous cultures describe a matrix of subtle energies that support and animate the physical body. This energy is called Chi in Chinese, Ki in Japanese, Prana in India and Tibet, and Nefesh in Israel. Sufis call it Baraka, Christian mystics call it the Holy Spirit and the ancient Greeks called it Pneuma. Hahnemann, father of homeopathy, referred to it as "vital force," and in chiropractic it is called the "innate intelligence." Our bodies are composed of a series of energy systems which are interwoven and superimposed. The correct functioning of these systems forms the basis of our health. Energetically charged fluids are pumped through the lymphatic system, the blood circulatory system, interstitially, through the bone marrow and spine, around the brain and so on. The Chi flows through a system of meridians which are like channels within the energy body. Chi is all around us in the environment and inside us; our body is dependant upon this Chi to continue functioning.
We obtain Chi from the air, food, water, the Sun, warm places, the moon, the Earth, stars, and several other places in the environment. When we are born we also have an abundant supply of Chi stored our abdomen, which will usually deplete gradually through the course of our lifetime if we do not replenish it by way of Chi Gung exercises!

Toronto Star Article on Tai Chi

2011-07-10T14:05:00.000-04:00

Now you can read this article on my site. To make it larger click on the + button and you can enlarge it to read it in real newspaper size!
Enjoy
Linda

Toronto Star Article on Tai Chi

2011-06-25T17:32:00.000-04:00

Last September I had a call from Signe Langford, a Toronto Star writer who was writing an article on Tai Chi. I was delighted to chat with her about Tai Chi and Qigong: the arts that have brought me so much in the past 24 years.

It's not online yet, but when it is, I will put the link up!
In the meantime here's a picture of the article.

If stress is bad, how can it still feel good at the time?

2011-06-08T05:34:00.002-04:00

It's complicated.. but the end result is: stress is a killer - slow, sometimes elusive but killer none the less. De-stressing your life is paramount according to studies. Simple breathing techniques such as meditation, Qigong and types of Yoga can help to reverse the effects of stress.

"Stress (and drugs) have been shown to have the following side effects: increased heart rate and blood pressure, increase in blood sugar, breakdown of muscle tissue, decreased digestive functioning and discomfort, ulcers, blood clotting, migraines, skin problems, premature aging, loss of brain cells, not to mention social isolation and loneliness, anxiety, panic attacks, depression, substance abuse, relationship problems, lack of focus, multitasking and disengagement. In fact a 20 year study by the University of London completed in the early 1990s found that unmanaged reactions to stress were a more dangerous risk factor for cancer and heart disease than either cigarette smoking or high-cholesterol foods. And stress may even be as addictive as drugs. In addition to the hormones adrenaline and noradrenaline, stress also releases dopamine, a “feel good” chemical. Scientists believe that dopamine encourages repeat behaviors by activating this reward center and may be at the heart of many addictive behaviors and substance abuse issues. "
Read more here

If this 95 year old lady improved her health and vitality by doing Tai Chi for 3 years... what could it do for you?

2011-04-22T06:45:00.000-04:00

"Her name is Marie, she does tai chi, and so do we.
She is moving and alive.
We're just trying to survive, but Marie is 95."

She has an eye condition called macular degeneration and is legally blind. She also has arthritis. When she started taking the class three years ago, some of the movements were painful.
But there was no stopping her.
"It's really remarkable to see her," Milner said. "We think if she can do it, we can keep going. It may help us keep our abilities longer."

"Tai chi helps with balance, strength and mobility," he said. "People feel better when they are done."
Students perform continuous fluid movements with their limbs and torso, and Lund "never sits down," Sheils said.
"She seems to have gotten stronger over the past few years."

Lund said she began taking Sheils' class during visits to Ponte Vedra Beach to see her daughter. She was having problems with her feet and heard that tai chi could help. It did. Three years ago, when Lund left her home in Philadelphia to move in with her daughter, she became a class regular.
"I have seven children, so I was always very active," she said. "The class has helped me immensely."
Including with improving her balance, she said. "For years, I could not sweep for a long time with a broom."
After taking tai chi, "one day I swept for one whole hour and it didn't bother me," she said. "I've been doing it every day since."
The ancient Chinese form of soft, coordinated body movements focuses on cultivating internal energy called "chi."
The movements are practiced in a continuous flow, and can be adapted for people with physical limitations.
Since the martial art "enhances balance and body awareness through slow, graceful and precise body movements," it can significantly reduce the risk of falls among older people, and may be beneficial in maintaining gains made by people age 70 and older who undergo other types of balance and strength training, according to a National Institute of Aging report.

Lund said that when she first did the shoulder movements, "the pain was terrific." Now she can do them pain-free.
She doesn't do everything. At one point, "you have to stand on one foot and I am always afraid I might fall," she said. "So I don't do that."

Read the full article here

Qigong Distant Energy Healing

2011-03-16T18:56:00.000-04:00

Qigong Distant Energy Healing

Excellent explanation of Qi or Chi

Tai Chi hits medical mainstream

2011-03-14T09:14:00.001-04:00

I read the great news yesterday that doctors at one of our local hospital are offering Tai Chi to their patients for coping with chronic pain. This is good news. But don't be deceived by the term "medical Tai Chi". Just because a doctor with some Tai Chi training is teaching a high quality of Tai Chi, doesn't mean that all other kinds are useless 'only exercise' done by people in the park. That's a very broad and unfounded assumption.
The truth is; that done properly, following all the principles of good Tai Chi:
proper alignment, breathing, mental focus, muscle relaxation, any Tai Chi has the potential to be so called 'medical Tai Chi". In other words, if you do your moves properly - you will get the health benefits.
This is also the reason why I do not recommend Tai Chi DVD's - it is limited in the expert guidance a live teacher can impart.

Belief is a powerful drug

2011-03-02T06:16:00.000-05:00

In his groundbreaking book, The Biology of Belief, Dr. Lipton states, "The notion that only physical molecules can impact cell physiology is outmoded.
"…genes are merely blueprints. They offer the building blocks to make a body, but how those genes are used to make that body is not controlled by the genes—it's actually controlled by our perception of the environment, or how we respond to the environment."
This could explain 'miracle healers' who harness people's strong belief that they can cure diseases. Given the right physical and energetic conditions, a strong belief can create the environment to promote health. This also explains how some severely ill people who practice visualization can have 'miracle remissions' and return to health.

The effect of our genes or lack of is less of a concern due to the ability of the body to effect something called capacitance, meaning that the genetic network can actually overlap and interact in such a way that even if a gene drops out, it’s function can be covered by other genes in the system."

Change your belief, change your life, change your physiology~
Thanks to Master Chunyi Lin's great article on Attitude

Some Good Qigong Free Lessons

2011-02-27T14:50:00.000-05:00

Great explanations, and kept simple. Simple email sign up and start your free lessons.
There are so many great teachers out there and I learned something new right away... considering I have been studying over 26 years, I was impressed.
http://www.qigongfreelessons.com/Default.aspx

Tai Chi for your Company?

2011-01-27T13:15:00.000-05:00

1. “Tie”-Chi can save companies big money.
2. Tai Chi can be done in work clothes in an office.
3. Tai Chi can help employees get along.
Tai Chi’s a Natural for the Office
One thing that makes Tai Chi uniquely ideal for the workplace is that it requires no special clothing or equipment. If you have 15 minutes and a quiet room, you are all set to experience some amazing stress reduction and energy boosting.
Since Tai Chi is so slow and gentle, you often need not work up a sweat when taking a Tai Chi break. By simply loosening your tie or kicking off your heels, you are all set. In fact, Sitting QiGong or simple Moving QiGong can be done right at your desk. As employees become more adept at these tools of breath and relaxation, they’ll use them throughout the day to reduce stress and boost performance.

Investing in Tai Chi ProgramsThere are several ways companies can invest in Tai Chi. Some companies passively promote Tai Chi, offering a space for employees to practice during lunch or after work. Others do much more.

The best Tai Chi and Stress Management seminars are optional. Provide employees with the option of working or attending the seminar, but do not make the seminar mandatory. Most people will opt for the seminar to get a break from work anyway, but the quality of the seminar is completely different if the employee has chosen to be there. This is the first step in an employee creating his own healthy lifestyle. If it’s someone else’s idea, we resist, but if we feel empowered to change ourselves, we have a vested interest in a positive outcome.

Some companies may reward Tai Chi practitioners with a 30-minute morning break, if instead of drinking coffee and sodas for 15 minutes, they use the 30-minute break to attend morning Tai Chi classes in the area provided. This could be done in conjunction with a weekly one-hour video or live Tai Chi class during lunch or after work.

For the daily Tai Chi breaks, sign-in sheets could be used to document employee participation. This information may be helpful to acquire rebates or subsidies from company health insurance providers to cover the cost of Tai Chi classes. Ask your carrier.

Investing in Creative Potential
If Tai Chi can help employees recover from illnesses and thereby reduce absenteeism that can also mean major savings. But what about creativity? Tai Chi’s meditative quality enables practitioners to become more creative as they let go of being locked into old patterns. A popular corporate expression is to “think outside the box,” which means to look beyond the established way of doing things, to try to find new and innovative approaches. It’s a useful concept, but how do you really think outside the box? You have to release the old ways of doing things. Again, Tai Chi is about letting go of everything, mentally, emotionally, and physically which requires releasing prejudices and preconceptions, making you clearer and more open to new possibilities and potential. If Tai Chi can help employees think outside the box, this will open them up to fresh innovative approaches and may boost profits more than anything you could begin to measure.

Call me today and let's chat about how I can customize a Tai Chi program for your company. It can vary from a one time presentation and training sessions including a Follow Me Tai Chi Video class, or a regularly scheduled class at your facility.

More than just exercise

2011-01-20T11:39:00.000-05:00

10 forms Yang Style Tai Chi to the Left

2011-01-20T11:17:00.001-05:00

10 Forms Yang Style Tai Chi

Attention Stance ( Wu Ji Stance)

01 Commencing Form

02 Grasp Bird’s Tail (Right)

(Ward Off, Pull Back, Press Forward and Double Punch)

03 Wild Horse Ruffles Its Mane

(3 Times L, R, L)

04 Wave Hands Like Clouds

(3 Times R, L, R)

05 Brush Knee, Twist Step and Punch

(3 Times L,R,L)

06 Play the Fiddle

07 Step Back and Whirl Arms (Repulse Monkey)

(4 Times R,L,R,L )

08 Grasp Bird’s Tail (Left)

(Ward Off, Pull Back, Press Forward and Double Punch)

09 Cross Hands

10 Closing Form

Attention Stance ( Wu Ji Stance)

Beginners Tai Chi Movement & Qigong Course

2011-01-07T09:59:00.000-05:00

4 Spaces left.
12 weeks Monday Jan 10th to March 28 6- 7:15pm $120
held at Akasha Studios 351 Danforth Ave near Chester subway call for more info
416 278 2466

Helpful information to Quit Smoking or To Just Calm Yourself

2010-11-09T12:19:00.006-05:00

So yes when you smoke you may feel slightly relaxed - this is down to the way you breathe when you smoke. It's less about the nicotine and more about how you breathe when you are smoking. Have you noticed any difference in the way you breathe when you smoke? Take a minute and put your fingers to your lips and pretend you are smoking.
Have you noticed anything different in comparison to your normal breathing patterns? You should have noticed the two following patterns.
Firstly, your in-breath was much stronger when smoking. Try it again, inhale as if you were smoking a cigarette. This deeper in-breath sucks in a lot more air than normal breathing because you are relaxing your diaphragm. With this extra air also comes more oxygen - your brain and body's fuel, up to 20% more oxygen in fact than when you breathe normally.
The second thing you should have noticed is the way you exhale. Your out-breath was also much longer and deeper, when smoking. Try it again, breathe out deeply without cigarette smoke, do it several times.
How do you feel? You feel relaxed and calm don't you! Exhaling feels good, especially when it is done strongly. Have you noticed that when you laugh and when you sigh you exhale and breathe out strongly? Breathing out has a calming and positive effect on the body. So even though the smoke puts a strain on your system, when you breathe out strongly you feel good.
So basically when you smoke you are just practicing deep breathing exercises.
The deep breaths provide your body and organs with more oxygen, which helps you to relax and release stress to a degree. I say to a degree because that extra oxygen is not enough to compensate for the strain that the chemicals in a cigarette put on your body.
So smoking itself doesn't actually reduce stress, or help you concentrate in any way - it's the way you breathe that does that for you. Have you ever wondered why people tell you to take deep breaths when you feel a craving or withdrawal symptoms? It's because the deep breathing mimics the way you breathe when you smoke.
So if you are trying to quit, just take some deep breaths and use a fake cigarette if it makes it easier for you. Eventually try to do some Qigong (reverse) breathing for life!
Read Daniel Fargher's full article here at ezine articles . My comments are in red.

Tai Chi Chih Acutely Decreases Sympathetic Nervous System Activity in Older Adults

2010-10-14T11:21:00.000-04:00

A study published in the Journals of Gerontology studied the effects of doing Tai Chi on the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) of healthy older adults. Significant changes were described in the Tai Chi group vs. the Health Education group, and furthermore vs. a second group performing guided stretching that was not Tai Chi.

"Tai Chi has been described as “meditation through movement” and can be characterized as consisting of a series of prescribed slow, purposeful movements with an emphasis on concentration and relaxation. Besides behavioral and self-report measures, few studies have carefully examined physiological pathways affected by Tai Chi. Our findings support the hypothesis that TCC promotes decreased SNS activity, although changes in blood pressure or heart rate were not found, possibly due to short duration of TCC practice assessment. The mechanisms accounting for the changes in PEP are unclear. Subsample analyses that explored the effects of slow physical movement indicated that such activity is not sufficient to alter PEP. We speculate that TCC may alter sympathetic activity in the short term via other mechanisms such as relaxation and/or meditation.

Background. Aging is associated with increases of sympathetic nervous system activation implicated in the onset of hypertension and cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this study was to examine whether the practice of Tai Chi Chih (TCC), a movement-based relaxation practice, would acutely promote decreases of sympathetic activity in elderly persons.
Method. The sample included two groups of older men and women (age ≥ 60 years): TCC practitioners (nnn = 8) returned for a second evaluation and performed videotape-guided stretching for 20 minutes to evaluate the effects of slow-moving physical activity on sympathetic activity. = 19) and TCC-naïve participants ( = 13). Participants were recruited after completing a 25-week randomized trial of TCC or health education. TCC practitioners performed TCC for 20 minutes, and TCC-naïve participants passively rested. Preejection period, blood pressure, and heart rate were measured before and after the task. A subsample (

Results. Results showed that TCC performance significantly decreased sympathetic activity as indexed by preejection period (p =.01). In contrast, there was no change in preejection period following passive rest or slow-moving physical activity. Neither blood pressure nor heart rate changed after TCC performance.

Discussion. This study is the first to our knowledge to assess the acute effects of TCC practice on sympathetic activity in older adults. TCC performance led to acute decreases in sympathetic activity, which could not be explained by physical activity alone. Further study is needed to determine whether the acute salutary effects of TCC on autonomic functioning are sustained with ongoing practice in older adults."

Authors:

Hard vs. Soft

2010-10-08T13:54:00.000-04:00

Often when I watch new Tai Chi players, their efforts to reach out too far and step further create a kind of bizzare ballet full of tension. Unless you are experienced, flexible and moving in alignment, doing Tai Chi this way will not get you the benefits which you will experience from doing it in a softer, less muscular way.

The flow of the Chi or vital energy is greatly enhanced by relaxing/loosening the physical structures near the energy pathways or meridians. That means if your muscles, tendons etc are tensed to their limits, the chi flow will be minimized.

At the other extreme if you are too soft and slumped in your posture, this also hampers the flow of the Chi, which flows faster on a gently elongated spine and extremities.

To the untrained eye, seeing the difference is difficult and that is why when beginners study with a teacher who is experienced, flexible and moving in alignment and they try to imitate his/her postures, they may think that they are doing it correctly, but in fact they are not. They might as well be doing another kind of exercise because they will not get the internal benefits of doing Tai Chi.

In a culture where we push ourselves physically as much as we can (more is better) especially when doing a sport or exercise, the idea of moving with a softer body is somewhat foreign. So where do we net out? Creating a balance between hard and soft is the answer. My opinion is: if you have to go one way or the other, at first, err on the side of being too soft. At least then you will get some of the internal benefits that Tai Chi can bring.

The Chinese word for this is 'soong'. Shape without tension. If you lift your arm in a posture, only use the minimum amount of power to effect the shape. Reach out, but keep an unlocked elbow joint. Step out but only as far as your foot can reach without locking your kneecap, tensing your calf muscle or reaching too far with your heel or toe.

Be a bit lazy at first.. as your strength and flexibility improves you can then add more 'shape ' to your moves and still be doing Tai Chi.

Is Tai Chi an effective treatment for Fibromyalgia?

2010-10-07T08:01:00.000-04:00

Article from Canadian Medical Association regarding American Rheumatology Association in Boston, Mass.
Clinical question:
Is tai chi an effective treatment for fibromyalgia?

Bottom line:
Tai chi is an effective and safe intervention for patients with fibromyalgia, and the practice of tai chi should be encouraged.

Reference:
Wang C, Schmid CH, Rones R, et al. A randomized trial of tai chi for fibromyalgia. N Engl J Med 2010;363(8):743-754.
http://mailer.cma.ca/t/4311097/240436/12902285/0/

Study design:
Randomized controlled trial (single-blinded)

Funding:
Government

Allocation:
N/A

Setting:
Outpatient (any)

Synopsis:
Fibromyalgia is characterized by chronic pain, sleep disturbance, and fatigue. Tai chi began as a martial art but has evolved into a practice that involves slow and stylized movements, breathing exercises, meditation, and relaxation. In this study, adults who met American College of Rheumatology criteria for fibromyalgia were randomized to tai chi or to a control intervention (general education about wellness and stretching). The mean duration of the participants' fibromyalgia was 11 years, and the baseline SF-36 physical health component was only 28 of 100, indicating poor health.
Patients in both groups met for 60 minutes twice a week for 12 weeks, and were asked to practice the intervention for 20 minutes per day at home. Of 124 patients in the Boston area who were screened for participation, 66 were included. Most of the remainder had scheduling conflicts, did not have fibromyalgia, had practiced tai chi recently, or were physically unable to participate. Outcomes were evaluated at 12 weeks and 24 weeks. Follow-up was good (30/33 patients in the tai chi group and 29/33 in the control group at 24 weeks).
Patients in the intervention group had improvements in pain, function, and symptoms that were statistically and clinically greater than those in the control group. Benefits were largely maintained at 12 weeks after the end of formal classes.

'Medication in Motion'

2010-09-17T06:22:00.002-04:00

This is the best article I've read about Tai Chi in a long time. It's a quick read full of good information, and comes out of Harvard Medical School's Health Harvard Newsletter.
Read it and find out what Tai Chi has for you!

Mary James, 88 Lindsay Ontario

"This gentle form of exercise can prevent or ease many ills of aging and could be the perfect activity for the rest of your life.

Tai chi is often described as "meditation in motion," but it might well be called "medication in motion." There is growing evidence that this mind-body practice, which originated in China as a martial art, has value in treating or preventing many health problems. And you can get started even if you aren't in top shape or the best of health."

"A growing body of carefully conducted research is building a compelling case for tai chi as an adjunct to standard medical treatment for the prevention and rehabilitation of many conditions commonly associated with age," says Peter M. Wayne, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and director of the Tai Chi and Mind-Body Research Program at Harvard Medical School's Osher Research Center. An adjunct therapy is one that's used together with primary medical treatments, either to address a disease itself or its primary symptoms, or, more generally, to improve a patient's functioning and quality of life."

Read the rest here

Mayo Clinic teaching Tai Chi & Qigong to patients

2010-09-02T06:04:00.000-04:00

Here's a short video of Dr. Mary Jurrison explaining how Mayo Clinic incorporates Tai Chi into physical medicine and rehabilitation, including cardiac rehabilitation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMj6JmJvlNY

Tai Chi Beneficial for Women with Osteopaenia.

2010-08-14T21:53:00.000-04:00

Article from Tai Chi research: August 14, 2010 by David Bendall

A randomized trial carried out by researchers at Texas Tech University found that 24 weeks of tai chi improved general health, vitality, and stride width while decreasing pain compared to a control group. The study involved randomly dividing 61 females aged 65 plus with low bone mass into two groups. The first group practiced tai chi three times per week one hour per session for 24 weeks. The other group was a control group who did not receive tai chi training.

Slow moves to battle body pain Modern medicine enlists gentle exercise of Qigong

2010-07-26T00:11:00.002-04:00

Pain from any source is a pain... something that affects one's quality of living. In the past one had either to suffer or take pharmaceuticals, now people are discovering another way to deal with pain.
In an article in the Toronto Star today, Francine Kopun wrote about several kinds of pain and examples of people who are dealing with it by taking Qigong classes.
"Qigong movements are similar to the movements used in tai chi and incorporate some simplified tai chi moves, at a slower, gentler pace. The emphasis in qigong is on releasing tension and preserving mobility.
Fervent disciples of the art claim qigong can result in miraculous cures. Modern science has more temperate views.
A 2007 Swedish study of the effects of qigong on 57 women with fibromyalgia found that regular practice over seven weeks had a positive and reliable effect. The researchers concluded that qigong could be a useful compliment to medical treatment for people with fibromyalgia, a condition characterized by widespread body pain and stiffness.

Scroll for full article below;

Study investigates benefits of Tai Chi for breast cancer survivors

2010-07-16T23:50:00.000-04:00

New Study for Breast Cancer survivors: participants needed

By Amanda Butterfield

SALT LAKE CITY -- Three times a week a group of elderly cancer survivors meet and meditate under the close watch of Huntsman Cancer Institute researchers.

For the first time, researchers are figuring out if Tai Chi can help breast cancer survivors live a better, happier, healthier life.

HEALS project

Seeks female participants who have experienced breast cancer

Age 60 years or older

For more information, contact Kathleen O'Connor, research coordinator, at 801-587-4556.

The women learn slow breathing and movements during their Tai Chi class.

And after a double mastectomy and six surgeries, breast cancer survivor Kay Powell says this class is what she desperately needs to help her slow down.
"You get really busy in your day and you think of everyone else. This is something you can do for yourself," she said.
As Anita Kinney, Ph.D., with the Huntsman Cancer Institute explains, "Tai Chi is a mind-body intervention that includes meditation as well as physical activity."

Preliminary evidence suggests is offers numerous benefits:

Stress reduction

Reducing anxiety and depression

Improving balance, flexibility and muscle strength

Reducing falls in older adults

Improving sleep quality

Lowering blood pressure

Improving cardiovascular fitness in older adult

Relieving chronic pain

Increasing energy, endurance and agility

Improving overall feelings of well-being

Source: Mayo Clinic

Kinney particularly wants to see if it improves the quality of life for elderly breast cancer survivors. There is data showing Tai Chi is beneficial for the elderly and young cancer survivors; but Kinney says of the 12 million cancer survivors in the United States, 23 percent had breast cancer -- and it's that group she wants to help.

"This can help in getting insurance reimbursement for cancer survivors for such activities," Kinney said.
But most importantly, it may help women like Elsie Halliday feel better.
"The mornings I wake up after class I have hours more worth of energy than I did the day before," she said.
Another perk of the classes that Halliday didn't expect: She's meeting other survivors who inspire her.
"We come in different shapes and sizes and we have all been through the battlefield," she said.
Though results from the study won't be published for at least another year and a half, Kinney said, "We've seen improvements so far."
Researchers want more volunteers to participate. CLICK HERE for more information about volunteering.
E-mail: abutterfield@ksl.com

The Slow Shifts of Tai Chi Can Help Build a Better Body: the You Docs, Dr.Mike Roizen and Dr.Mehmet Oz From Toronto Star, July 5 2010

2010-07-09T13:30:00.001-04:00

Are you leaving the house later because it takes you forever to find your cellphone, car keys and that wayward umbrella? About dinner-time, and again on awakening, start breathing like a yogi. It turns out that one of their simplest techniques – left-nostril breathing – improves spatial memory. That’s the kind that helps you remember where you put something. Try it: hold your right nostril shut and breathe deeply and slowly through your left.
In one study, practicing this for a month slowed sympathetic nervous system activity and increased heart rate variability, both indicating less stress. The connection: hormones chured out when you’re tense mess with your ability to recall where you left your shopping list or if you unplugged the coffeemaker.
In another study, undergraduates who did left-nostril breathing before a memory test scored 16 percent higher than those who didn’t. And left-nostril breathing improved spatial memory scores in kids by 43%. But (and here’s the fascinating part) right-nostril breathing had no effect.
The explanation? Breathing through your left nostril may give your left hippocampus, the area that controls memory, more blood flow and thus makes it better able to gain and retain memories.
Could right-nostril breathing give your right brain a jolt and make you better at creative tasks? Proving that might be on some right-brain researcher’s to-do list.

Slow but Soothing….
•    You’ve probably seen people doing Tai Chi. TC crews love filming people gathering at dawn to wrestle demons in the air – all right, that’ not what they’re really doing. Tai Chi is rightly called moving meditation; its gentle positions relax your body and centre your mind. In just the past few months, dozens of U.S. studies have found that Tai Chi helps with:
•    Heart attacks: tai chi speeds recovery
•    Breast cancer: it helps you get your strength back
•    Sore backs: tai chi is as good as acupuncture and yoga at easing them
•    Weak, painful legs messed up by rheumatoid arthritis or nerve damage (often from diabetes): tai chi makes them stronger.
•    Maddening menopause symptoms: tai chi helps shut them down
•    Arthritic knees: tai chi relieves these, too.
In case you’re wondering if there’s anything tai chi alone can’t make better, there is: depression. High energy, aerobic exercise is better at that.
Also, the research is still iffy on whether it helps prevent falls that fracture hips.
On the other hand, as we’ve said before, tai chi is a perfect candidate for natural Ambien: People who do and hour of it three times a week fall asleep and sleep almost an hour longer.

Five Finger Qigong Exercise for Anxiety

2010-06-24T13:40:00.001-04:00

I found this guided 5 minute video on youtube which is a quick Qigong meditation.. very relaxing.
5 Finger Qigong for Relaxation & Relief from Anxiety

Enjoy!

A quick meditation

2010-06-20T11:34:00.001-04:00

How our emotions can cause illness

2010-06-08T12:50:00.001-04:00

This is an excerpt from an article by Dr. Christiana Northrop:
Most of the blockages in our vibrational systems are emotional in nature. It’s helpful to think of your vibrational system as being like a stream of water flowing along. As long as this energy flow is healthy and you are feeling good about yourself, there’s much less risk of disease. Environmental toxins, dietary fat, and excess sugar or alcohol (to name a few) usually don’t manifest in disease unless other factors have already set up the pattern of blockage in the body’s energy system in the first place.¹ Environmental or dietary risk factors can be likened to debris carried along in the body’s energy flow. This debris stays afloat unless there is a felled tree or other blockage to the water flowing in the stream. When there is, the debris collects in the branches of the felled tree and accumulates. Over time, similar accumulations in the body’s energy flow can result in physical illness. In fact, scientific research has associated a failure of the flow of information between cells with the induction of cancer in those cells. A physical barrier of any kind that blocks communication between cells is a carcinogenic influence.² The fat and connective tissue that form a fibroid, for example, do so only when the energy flows around and through the uterus is already blocked in some way.
To read more click here

Short Stuff?

2010-06-02T15:40:00.003-04:00

When I stopped growing at the young age of 12, I was measured at 5'2". Now in my family, that was tall.. and trained in ballet I had 'good' posture. Later I became involved in swimming and finally Tai Chi and Qigong.
When I was 32 we had a health fair at one fitness club I was teaching at, and for the first time in 20 years my height was measured for a fitness assessment. I surprised to find I was now 5'3" tall!
How did that happen?
The training I did in Tai Chi helped to adjust the curvature in the spine, align my hips properly - after years of dance training which had made my hip flexors off balance.
I wondered if this was a common happening? No one I knew had this experience. Until last week I hardly thought about it, then one of my long time students told me he had gone to his doctor for a check up and he reported that he had gained 1/2" from his previous measuring a few years ago.
In addition to doing Tai Chi regularly, he had been doing some back physio exercises to strengthen his back after suffering from a pinched nerve and sciatica.
One exercise we follow in Tai Chi class is to lift from the crown of the head and drop from the tailbone during Qigong standing meditation. This gentle 2 way stretch slightly temporarily removes the natural S curve of the spine and allows the vertebrae to open up a small amount more than normal posture. Think of an accordion; when you open it up from both ends the spaces between the folds gets bigger fills with air and then when you press it back it compresses.
Perhaps this is why people with disc problems and pinched nerves get some relief from these exercises.
I would like to know if anyone else has had this pleasant side effect from doing Tai Chi and if it has been studied at all?
Email me or reply in the comments,
thanks
Linda

A Slow Fix

2010-05-26T17:21:00.003-04:00

A few minutes a day... can make a big difference in you life, in your health both physical and mental. Still it amazes me how easily people pop pills, with so many side effects and cost, yet when a simple and enjoyable habit can be effective they just won't do it. There is a high attrition rate in any Tai Chi club or any class. I feel happy if 10% of my students continue to study, I know that sounds dismal, but it is what it is. Most of us in our 'right now' culture, don't have the patience or perseverance to create a lifetime habit in order to help our health. We want a quick fix, maybe it's time for a slow sustained fix?

East Bay Inmates Breathe Easier

2010-05-19T16:22:00.006-04:00

MARTINEZ — The qi gong meditative class begins with instructor David Ezra asking the participants if they have any worries this week.

A burly man with tattoos running down his arms speaks up. "Any little thing will set me off," Sonny Mitchell says.

Ezra tells Mitchell to control his emotions and then instructs all the men in orange jumpsuits to stand in two rows of five or six. He turns on a portable CD player, which plays soothing melodies.

Several feet away, Deputy Frank Oathout, a guard at County Jail in Martinez, watches to ensure the inmates behave while they're performing their slow movements and controlled breathing techniques.

Oathout said he has seen a decrease in the number of fights among inmates in the cellblocks. Suicide attempts and medical emergencies have also decreased, Ezra said.

"It helps me relax and stay grounded," Mitchell said. "I wish this class was more than once a week. I look forward to it."

Read the rest of this article here

Regular Tai Chi Chuan exercise may retard bone loss in postmenopausal women: A case-control study

2010-01-12T17:38:00.002-05:00

Two groups were studied: a non exercising group and a group that did Tai Chi at University medical school in Hong Kong.

This is the first case-control study to show that regular Tai Chi Chuan exercise may help retard bone loss in the weight-bearing bones of postmenopausal women. Copyright 2002 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Read the entire article here

York University, Toronto study results are in!

2010-01-08T23:07:00.002-05:00

Tai chi can cheer you up

The Brampton Guardian

Friday January 8 2010
Tai chi can help mitigate musculoskeletal disorders caused by extended computer use and provide a lift in mood, says a study led by York University researchers.

The study looked at female computer users at the university, measuring levels of physical fitness and psychological well-being in more than 50 staff members who participated in a twice-weekly lunch-hour tai chi program.

Researchers found that participants improved their musculoskeletal and back fitness, achieved lower resting heart rates and smaller waist circumference, and experienced an emotional boost.

“Overall, the program was effective in improving both musculoskeletal fitness and psychological well-being,” says study lead author Hala Tamim, Associate Professor in York’s School of Kinesiology & Health Science, Faculty of Health. “We’re excited about these results, especially given the difficulty in treating musculoskeletal disorders using traditional methods,” she says.

Musculoskeletal disorders, such as tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome, are painful disorders of muscles, nerves and tendons, often caused by work activities that are repetitive or involve awkward postures. Women suffer from these complications at a higher rate than men, which makes early intervention for women particularly important, according to Tamim.

The exercise program consisted of two 50-minute classes per week for 12 consecutive weeks from May to August 2007. Classes were conducted by a professional tai chi practitioner, using fitness facilities at the university.

Study participants averaged 5.8 hours a day on computers at work. The majority (79 per cent) perceived their physical fitness as average or above, yet 34.6 per cent reported that they rarely or never engaged in weekly physical activity. Of the 52 participants, 42 had never formally practiced tai chi prior to the study.

Pre-and post-program assessments included resting heart rate, resting blood pressure, anthropometric measures (height, weight, waist circumference), and musculoskeletal and back fitness (including grip strength, sit and reach, and vertical jump tests), employing the Canadian Physical Activity Fitness and Lifestyle Approach.

Psychological well-being of study participants was also assessed pre-and post-program, using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). They reported feeling less stress, and more control over their lives and personal problems.

Tamim says the simplicity of tai chi makes it especially beneficial for office workers.

“It’s something that can easily fit into a working day. You don’t need any specialized equipment, and you’re not perspiring heavily, so there’s no need to shower before going back to work,” she says.

The study, “Tai chi workplace program for improving musculoskeletal fitness among female computer users,” is published in the Dec. 23 issue of the journal, WORK.

It is co-authored by Kinesiology & Health Science graduate student Evan S. Castel, York professors Veronica Jamnik, Sherry L. Grace, Norman Gledhill, and Alison K. Macpherson, and McMaster University professor Peter J. Keir.

Study Shows Acupuncture Offers Relief to Breast Cancer Patients With Hot Flashes

2010-01-08T13:05:00.002-05:00

Since acupuncture clears the energy pathways in a similar way to doing Tai Chi and Qigong, it would be interesting if the same study was done for those participating in those classes. Here's part of the article about the study, to read more click on the link.
Thanks to Turning Point Now's Blog for the article.

Study Shows Acupuncture Offers Relief to Breast Cancer Patients With Hot Flashes

By Jennifer Warner

WebMD Health NewsReviewed by Louise Chang, MDDec. 31, 2009 -- Acupuncture not only cools hot flashes that occur as a result of breast cancer treatment but may offer a host of other benefits to boost women's well-being.

A new study shows acupuncture was as good as drug therapy with Effexor (venlafaxine) at easing hot flashes in breast cancer patients, but it also improved sex drive, energy levels, and clarity of thought.

"Acupuncture offers patients a safe, effective and durable treatment option for hot flashes, something that affects the majority of breast cancer survivors. Compared to drug therapy, acupuncture actually has benefits, as opposed to more side effects," researcher Eleanor Walker, MD, division director of breast services in the department of radiation oncology at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, says in a news release.

.....read more here

Does Sleep Elude You?

2009-12-21T09:53:00.006-05:00

Often when we are stressed or just can't stop thinking about things, it's difficult to get to sleep. Or sometimes when we wake in the middle of the night we experience the same.
Here's some good news from AARP how Tai Chi has been shown in this study to help with sleep problems.

Staying Sharp - Tai Chi and Sleep
A Simple Routine may help
By: Phil Scott | Source: NRTA Live & Learn | THURSDAY, October 9, 2008

"WHEN YOU THINK OF USING MARTIAL ARTS, it’s usually to wreak havoc among the muscular and the dim-witted—and perhaps any random masked Ninjas out causing trouble. But a new study shows that one particular martial art can also help improve your sleep. Dr. Michael Irwin, the Norman Cousins Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and director of the UCLA Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, studied a group of 112 healthy, older adults between the ages of 59 and 86, randomly assigning them to two groups. One practiced 20 tai chi moves for 25 weeks, and one took classes in healthy lifestyles, including sleep hygiene, for the same period of time. At the end of the study, published in the scientific journal Sleep in July 2008, the class that performed tai chi reported a significant improvement in the quality of their sleep on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, a self-rated questionnaire." read more

Tai Chi Can Reduce Knee Pain, Research Concludes

2009-12-14T21:01:00.004-05:00

December 14, 2009 by Personal Liberty News Desk

A new study, conducted by researchers from Tufts University, has found that patients over 65 years of age with knee osteoarthritis (OA) can improve their physical function and experience pain relief through regular tai chi exercise.

The study, published in the November issue of Arthritis Care and Research, followed 40 patients over a 12-week period with confirmed knee OA who were in otherwise good health.

Researchers split the participants into two sections; the study group was asked to participate in 60 minute Yang style tai chi sessions twice weekly, while the control group attended standard physical therapy and education classes.

At the end of the 12 weeks, patients practicing tai chi reported a significant decrease in knee pain compared to those who went through ordinary knee therapy.

"Our observations emphasize a need to further evaluate the biologic mechanisms and approaches of tai chi to extend its benefits to a broader population," concluded Chenchen Wang, author of the study.

The Mayo Clinic reports that tai chi can reduce anxiety and depression, improve balance, flexibility and muscle strength as well as lower blood pressure.

Can it be that simple? Just getting more oxygen helps the immune system.

2009-11-25T14:13:00.004-05:00

From Turning Point, a blog by: Gregory E. LeBlanc, Berkeley, California, United States
Article By Channel NewsAsia's China Correspondent Glenda Chong | Posted: 12 October 2009

SHANGHAI: The stress of modern living had prompted many around the world to learn qigong. Recent joint studies from China and the United States also show that qigong can help cancer patients live longer.

One community club in Shanghai is practicing a form of qigong that has helped members recover from life-threatening illnesses over the past 20 years.

Cancer survivor Qiu Jia Ming, 65, who suffered from pancreatic cancer years ago, said: "I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer when I was 50 years old and the doctor told me I only had three months to live. But I've survived 14 years now."

Another cancer survivor, Yin Xiao Ling, suffered from nasal malignant granulomatosis 22 years ago.

"I'm 57 and have been practising qigong for 22 years. I was diagnosed with nasal malignant granulomatosis, a very rare cancer, and doctors said I only had six months to a year to live at the most.

"So when I was discharged from hospital, I didn't go home. I went to join the Guolin Qigong Club. Doctors said it was a miracle that I survived beyond a year," said Yin.

Even the head of the cancer rehabilitation club is convinced of the benefits of qigong against cancer. Yuan Zheng Ping was diagnosed with malignant lymphoma 28 years ago and after studying Guolin qigong in Beijing, he started the Shanghai Cancer Rehabilitation Club in 1989 to teach others like him.

"It's not only a physical exercise, it is also a psychological practice of breathing using rhythmic exercises, thereby taking in a lot of oxygen. This is beneficial because it increases immunity and help fight the cancer.

"We did a survey in 1993 with 1,500 cancer patients and discovered that after five years of practising Goulin qigong, there was about 85 per cent recovery rate. In 2003, we did another comprehensive study and found that out of 7,000 cancer sufferers, more than 60 per cent of them survived for more than five years," said Yuan.

With such high success rate, there is now more attention paid to this form of exercise. Initial results from studies conducted by the University of Illinois and Shanghai University of Sports show that practising Cailin qigong can help cancer patients live longer and give them a better quality of life.

Wang Changwei is the researcher behind a new study program sponsored by the US-based National Cancer Institute. Her first phase of research centred on those who regularly practice qigong and it showed that this group of practitioners have a lower rate of cancer recurrence than others.

She said: "From our current study, regardless of quality of life, exercise ability or health conditions, those who practised Guolin qigong are far better off than those who don't exercise qigong.

"We did an 11-month observation and found that oxygen intake of those who practise Guolin qigong was higher and when they are at rest, the oxygen level is the same. This means that they inhale more oxygen during their practice. Their breathing method of inhaling twice and exhaling once helped to improve their oxygen intake."

Even doctors who specialise in Western medicine believe there are benefits to practising qigong. But they said there may be other causes that are helping cancer patients recover from their illnesses.

Gao Yong, a doctor at Shanghai East Hospital, said: "Qigong can help patients forget the pain of the disease. Also, the exercise is a team activity. Practitioners encourage and support each other. There is more confidence when they see others recover. I think this is the real benefit of qigong.

"The study has only just started about two or three years ago. A large scale study is needed and should take about three to five years, or even longer, for a more detailed observation of the benefits."

China sees about 2.2 million cancer cases yearly, with one in five dying from the disease.

Tai Chi and your Brain

2009-11-25T06:27:00.005-05:00

Why is Tai Chi also a meditation? By focusing on each move, slowly and not thinking about anything else except that move, the mind begins to move to a different state or wavelength.

The restorative power of brain activity in the states altered by meditation has been widely studied.

Meditation is better for relaxing and has less harmful side effects than taking drugs for example and is thought to create a healing state.

Why moving meditation is better? You get triple the benefits: a physical workout, mental relaxation and improvement in the chi flow. The combination of the body and mind working in harmony is the essence of why Tai Chi works.

By Linda Tenenbaum

What is Qi?

2009-11-10T06:28:00.004-05:00

I found this article a while back and sorry that I can't find the author, but it is a very good concise explanation of Qi: what it is and how it works.

According to traditional Chinese thought the health of the body is dependent on the strength and the flow of Qi (Vital Energy).

Each human and animal is born with a fixed amount of Jing (Vital Essence) at birth. Jing is spent in the work of living. The Jing is supported and expressed by the movement of Qi throughout the body via a system of channels (also called meridians). Qi is replenished by food and air (oxygen). These channels flow on the surface of the body and also deep within the body connecting all organs and tissues in a vast network. Disease can arise when there is an imbalance or disruption in the flow of Qi through these channels.

Certain areas along the channels that travel the surface of the body provide access to the Qi and allow a trained acupuncturist and tui-na practitioner to affect the flow and quality of Qi in the body. These areas are the acupuncture points. Modern research has shown that these specific points have a higher density of nerve endings, immune-cells, small arterioles and lymphatic vessels than the surrounding tissue. By stimulating these points, sometimes located far from the site of symptoms, the acupuncturist and tui-na practitioner can assist the body's innate ability to heal itself by balancing it's Qi. This balancing is now known to be mediated primarily via beta-endorphins (the body's own pain-relief factor), serotonin (associated with mood), and similar neurotransmitters. Other mechanisms including hormonal factors that reduce inflammation are also involved. The acupuncture or tui-na massage stimulation adjusts blood circulation, relieves muscle spasm, alters hormone levels and the function of organs.

Build up your immunity NOW!

2009-10-30T06:48:00.007-04:00

Follow Me Tai Chi & Qigong - Easy to do, no memorization, may be done standing or seated.
Tuesday evenings 7- 8:15pm
4 Class Session December 1 - 22
(Break for the Holidays and resuming January 5th)

Beaches location

Limited to 5 participants for more personal attention

Call 416 728 2466 to book your spot.
$60 per 4 class session

Why I started studying tai chi 27 Years ago

2009-07-31T00:20:00.001-04:00

By Linda Tenenbaum

I loved to dance. I still do. I was attracted to Tai Chi because of it's dancelike movements. So when I started studying it at a local community centre, I fell in love with the gentle circular movements and internal rhythms. I also adored watching my beautiful sifu Valerie Huston, perform and teach us in her elegant way. I admired the athleticism of my teacher Marc Tasse, and tried to make my moves look like his.
It wasn't until many years later, that I actually learned how to do it properly and why it was a self healing internal art.
At first glance it seems to be all arms and hand movements - A sort of slowed down martial arts movie, but later after many years of participating, listening and observing, I now understand how it is all about the core of the body moving, massaging, advancing, retreating and a lot less about the 'prettiness' of the moves.
Still the love of the movement was what kept me interested all these years, and for that I am grateful.
I remember one wet Sunday in the winter when we retreated from our outdoor class, to our teacher's rec room to watch movies of some old tai chi masters, including his father and his teacher from Hong Kong.
I remember being confused as to why they moved so little, so inconspicuously that I really didn't 'get' it.
Our teacher David Lau kept telling us that Tai Chi is an internal art, yet with external moves. and still I couldn't let go of the external perception which was my own benchmark.
One broken leg later, I was forced to turn my practice inward and found the deeper movements of tai chi. Did I really need to break my leg to find this out? Maybe.
I now look at Tai Chi in a totally different way. I work at my moves from the inside, I align myself without physical strength, although the strength is there.
I now understand a bit more of the many pearls of wisdom that I heard but did not understand at the time.
This is why I tell my students, it doesn't matter how beautiful it looks, it's more important how it feels.

Qigong & Tai Chi can keep you young!

2009-03-10T08:22:00.007-04:00

What keeps us young? Hormones. We humans have both estrogens and testosterone in different ratios depending on our sex.

As we ladies get older, we lose an important source of our estrogen - the ovaries. However there are other sources of estrogen in the body which float around in the blood in the form of estradiol. Usually it is formed from fat cells and in the brain, sometimes it is not enough to balance the system as much as the way the ovaries did. BUT there have been studies that have shown that doing Qigong can raise or maintain the estradiol levels to a normal that keeps away symptoms of menopause.

Loss of estrogen can also affect the bones, and new studies are showing that Tai Chi can help keep the bone density healthy as well as help coordination and balance as we age.

For the gentlemen: As they age their levels of testosterone decrease naturally and the resulting ratio of estrogens:testosterone increases causes symptoms too. The study showed that men in the Qigong study had a reduction of the estradiols and thus improving the ratio to near normal again.

If you are interested in reading about the study go here:
http://www.healthy.net/scr/article.asp?id=382
It revealed that sex hormone levels may be balanced by the practice of Tai Chi & Qigong exercises:
“…female sex hormone (estrogen) levels tend to increase in men and decrease in women as aging occurs. Three studies indicate that tai chi & qigong exercise can reverse this trend. Estradiol levels were measured before and after qigong practice for one year…” Results showed that high estrodiol levels in men lowered to near normal, and low estrodiol levels in women raised to near normal after qigong practice.

These hormones keep our skin younger, keep our libido healthy and affect many systems in a positive way without the use of HRT. HRT (hormone replacement therapy) had been found to be very effective but greatly increased the risk for breast cancer, heart attacks, strokes, and blood clots, so is recommended by doctors less now.

So if you want to maintain your youthfulness as you get older. Find a class, teacher and learn how to do some simple Qigong exercises and keep your youth!

Much of the research upon which the author based this article is derived from a lengthy article by Kenneth Sancier Ph.d
from part d. Improvement in sex hormone levels in his article "Anti Aging Benefits of Qigong" published by The Qigong Institute.

2009-02-09T14:31:00.005-05:00

Read my colleague Stan's blog Chi For Living - Searching for the Perfect Position for a very good recommendation for those beginning Tai Chi or other mind/body workouts.

I reinforce this idea with my students, & ask them not to copy me, but rather guide them with how it should feel to them.

Everyone has a different body structure, way of moving, mindset, personality. So why should we all look the same, especially when doing Tai Chi or Yoga?

Of course there are guidelines, but perhaps this style of movement is best learned from the inside out. Feeling the move rather than just imitating the teacher.

It reminds me of one time when I was teaching an aquafitness class and needed to scratch my ear.
Almost everyone in the class copied my move, since they were so tuned in to copying the exercises.

In this respect, when teaching, I try not to focus too much on the technical aspects of a move at first, but rather I start with verbal cues such as:
"move your hands as if they were resting on a balloon floating up" or "bounce a basketball in front of you in slow motion" etc. Imagery is very powerful and helps a participant to use their own experiences to move properly.

Another helpful tip is if someone has difficulty in coordinating the arms and feet moves at the same time, they can be learned separately with a positive effect. In fact they may get 'soong'(Chinese for relaxed with soft structure) much faster and get the benefits from the class that much faster. Too much input creates tension both physical, and mental, and thus decreases the energetic flow as well.

Can we eliminate stress?

2009-01-24T21:52:00.001-05:00

Can we eliminate stress? No, but we can minimize the effects that stress has on our systems.

Our bodies are not just mechanical devices. The mind is highly connected to all our body’s functions. When we are stressed, we produce hormones that affect our heart rate, blood pressure, respiration etc. These hormones are useful in the short term; they give a boost to our breathing, allowing faster circulation, delivering more oxygen to our muscles so that we may escape from danger!
Long term sustained stress (causing these emergency hormones to be produced full time) can not only make you feel bad, it can weaken your immune and other body systems and cause you to be vulnerable to many diseases. One answer is to try to de-stress often to lessen the negative effects by using modalities such as Tai Chi & Qigong.

Other Benefits may include:
A drug free, deeper restorative sleep
Some pain relief with your body's own natural endorphins
Improvements in your balance, flexibility, strength, and joint mobility
An increase in immune cell response
Regulation of blood pressure
Improvement in bone density
Improvement in Respiration and Whole Body Relaxation
Better focus and ability to concentrate

Why I’m doing this:

I have studied classical Tai Chi & Qigong for the past 25 years.
I wish everyone had the time, place and wonderful teachers to
learn what I have.

The reality is; most people don’t.

By simplifying the Essential Elements and Principles;
I have created an EASY to follow program that will give the benefits of doing Tai Chi and Qigong without the difficult footwork or the need to memorize.

Having a busy schedule won’t put you behind if you miss a class. Since we are not learning a sequence, every class is stand alone. In addition each student will receive a home study book for practice.

Come try it out!

Linda

What's Different about Follow Me Tai Chi?

2009-01-06T18:34:00.001-05:00

Follow Me Tai Chi
This NO MEMORIZATION class will feature postures, breathing and meditation.
If you have never tried Tai Chi or you have tried the traditional way of learning and found it unsuccesful you will love this class.

Class structure:
A. Chi (energy) boosting Qigong warm up for 15 minutes.
B. Tai Chi forms for 30 minutes - in the style of a yoga class ( i.e. not linked together in a sequence). If you miss a class you will not be disadvantaged as you would in a traditional style class.
C. 10 minute meditation.
D. 5 minutes self massage.
You will leave feeling relaxed, refreshed and positive.
Call me or email me for class locations.

Can Tai Chi help people with cognitive diseases?

2008-12-29T19:25:00.002-05:00

A recent article published by American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias described a study guided by Sandy Burgener, a professor of nursing at the University of Illinois and lead author on the study.
In the study, 24 people with early stage dementia participated in an intensive 40-week program. The intervention included biweekly sessions of cognitive behavioral therapy and support groups, along with three sessions per week of traditional Chinese martial arts exercises and meditation, called qigong (chee-gong) and Taiji (tye-jee).

Participants in the program benefited in a variety of ways. After 20 weeks, those in the treatment group improved in several measures of physical function, including balance and lower leg strength, while those in the comparison group did not. There were also positive cognitive and psychological effects, Burgener said.

“We saw gains in self-esteem in the treatment group and pretty severe declines in self-esteem in the comparison group,” she said. “Those in the treatment group also had sustained and slightly improved mental status scores, which meant we were impacting cognitive function.”

To read more about the study click on the link

http://news.illinois.edu/news/08/1205dementia.html

Two More Qigong exercises for my students

2008-11-11T14:49:00.001-05:00

Opening and closing wings like a dove:

Posture Checklist

1. Hold a 'balloon' in front just above the navel.

2. Shoulders always sinking down to the hip joint, elbows slightly lower than hands.

3. Feet under hips pointing straight ahead

4. Slight bend in the knees

5. "Sitting on an invisible high chair"

6 Lift from the crown ( back of the head) and slight tilt to the pelvis to drop the tailbone.

Active Movement:

1. Breathe in and expand the balloon, until the arms and shoulders fall back and down,

2. Feel the scapulae roll inward to meet each other. Breathe out slowly while relaxing this move.

3. Start to breathe in again slowly as you let the (still softly curved) arms come back to hold the balloon in beginning posture.

4. Breathe out as you press the balloon into your body and relax the shoulders and chest again and allow the chest to slightly sink inwards.

Repeat slowly 4 or 5 times taking rests frequently and shake out gently if you feel tension.

Press down behind neck and lift palms to touch the sky

Posture same as first exercise, Breathe as necessary do not hold your breath.

Active Movement:

1. Hold balloon under the navel fingertips almost touching palms facing up.

2. Raise the arms up overhead in this postition, palms facing the head arms curved ( like a ballet pose)

3. Press the palms down behind the head to the shoulders near the neck.

4. Uplift the palms and hold up the sky, elbows stay bent, try to drop the shoulders and breathe out here.

5. Pull the fingers straight up lifting the hands and bring them back to back , elbows still bent.

6. Open the curtains to shoulder width with the fingers, and then drop the shoulders, elbows and the fingers will slide down the curtains on either side of your body, right down to the floor.

7. Relax the arms, shoulders completely and then softly curve the arms to hold the balloon again as in beginning movement.

Repeat slowly 4 or 5 times taking rests frequently and shake out gently if you feel tension.

ARC Tai Chi Osteoarthritis Study

2008-10-27T20:09:00.004-04:00

New study revealed last week at the Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology, preliminary results that Tai Chi practice reduces pain in osteoarthritis patients. More research is needed, but this is an optomistic start to understanding some of the positive benefits of Tai Chi.

"Dr. Wang's group studied 40 patients who met ACR criteria for knee osteoarthritis and had a body mass index of at least 40 kg/m2.
They were randomized to a 12-week intervention of one hour twice a week with either group Tai Chi sessions or stretching exercises plus education on osteoarthritis, diet and nutrition, and physical and mental health.
The groups were statistically similar at baseline, although the control group tended to have worse osteoarthritis and health status.
By the end of the exercise intervention, the stretching group remained fairly similar to baseline with a decrease of just 38.5 points on the 500-point WOMAC pain scale (95% confidence interval -87.2 to 10.3) whereas the Tai Chi group had a 157.3-point drop in pain (95% CI -198.5 to -116.0).
Among the secondary outcomes, the findings for Tai Chi compared with the stretching control group at 12 weeks included:
Improved physical function scores (change -506.8 versus 182.2 on a 1,700-point scale, P=0.001)
Better self-reported global functioning (change -3.0 versus -0.8 on a 10-point scale, P=0.003)
Better physician-reported global functioning (change -3.2 versus -1.4 on a 10-point scale, P=0.0009)
Improved chair stand test time (-12.0 versus -0.9 sec, P=0.0005)
Increase self-efficacy (0.6 versus -0.1 on a scale of one to five, P=0.04)
Greater reduction in depressive symptoms (-7.4 versus -0.7, P=0.009)"

To read more of the article click on the title link above.

What is QiGong?

2008-09-30T11:27:00.002-04:00

What's Qigong?
Qigong(Chi Kung) is thousands of years old, and is sometimes referred to as "Chinese Yoga". It is the predecessor of Tai Chi. Both systems are exercises, but they are also internal arts as they move or exercise the "CHI" or internal energy. If our energy systems are in good working order, we have the capability to keep our body in a healthy state, which includes appropriate weight. So why do we have to work at, or cultivate our chi? Why doesn't our body balance itself automatically? We have a common enemy against this natural process, and that is stress.

From the moment of conception; our mother's and father's chi or life force combine to form "life". At that moment, if there are no genetic problems our energy is balanced. We are, even in the womb subject to stress, mostly of a physical nature. Is our mother eating properly, is she resting, is she in a safe warm environment, is she using drugs which may affect us, drinking alcohol, smoking, or is emotionally stressed? All of these environmental factors play a role in our prenatal development. So even before we are born, stress can negatively influence our health.

What kinds of stresses are there? Mental: Loss of loved ones, illness in family, abuse, financial worries, children's welfare, relationships difficulties, work pressure, time pressure. Physical environment (hot/cold), shelter, air and water quality (pollution), food starvation or abundance or poor food choices, food additives, pesticides, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, injuries, exposure to contagious disease.
All of these stresses challenge our body's ability to keep the balance of health. Are you wondering how Qigong can affect this? The flow of chi or internal energy is natural, but these stresses can cause it to become blocked, so how we can help it flow through our systems to keep us in balance is to practice these slow moving, breathing, loosening exercises to help restore the flow.
The energy pathways are not physical like blood vessels or nerves but are the areas where the energy flows, similar to the magnetic forces around the earth: they are unseen, but present. If we internally and externally relax, we can help the flow improve. By aligning the body, breathing slower and deeper, and focusing and emptying the mind (meditation) we can positively influence the flow of this energy and therefore improve our health. We can further stimulate the flow by moving our weight from one foot to the other in a slow relaxed manner; this stimulates the lower endpoints of the energy pathways and helps to improve the circular flow. (It is also where we train the body for the balance). The mind focusing on the finger tips helps the energy flowing to the upper endpoints also, and thus completing the circuit. It's just like using Draino on a clogged drain; as we loosen the physical body and breath and the mind relaxes the "chi" is able to flow properly and efficiently through the pathways.

Our bodies are not just mechanical devices. The mind is highly connected to all our body's functions. When we sense danger, we produce hormones (cortisols) that affect our heart rate, blood pressure, respiration etc. These hormones are useful in the short term, they give a boost to our breathing, allow faster circulation to our muscles to provide more oxygen and then we can escape from danger! They even tell our bodies to store fat for the emergency! But if stress triggers these emergency hormones to be released full time, it causes negative side effects. So de-stressing is very important to maintain our systems' balance.

Studies have shown that even the immune cells related to varicella zoster (first experienced as chicken pox and sometimes later on as shingles) can be influenced by energy work, and to the extent that in one study a rise of 50% in those cells was seen in the tai chi group compared with the control group. More research may soon show that these practices will be seen to provide support to the immune system in general, helping us to stay healthier.
So source a Qigong or Tai Chi class in your area today, you'll get a lot more than just a workout

Tai Chi Moves to Practice at Home

2008-09-25T22:21:00.004-04:00

These exercises are for my students to remind them for home practice.
1. Commencement of Tai Chi - both hands float up on an imaginary balloon and then slowly lower down. Breath is slowly in and breathe out when hands reach the top. Then breathe slowly in and out again as the hands lower. Keep shoulders relaxed and neutral.

2a. Polishing the Emperor's Mirror: Arms facing outward, lift the hands up overhead then turn the palms towards you, cross at the wrists as you lower them down to start position. Breathe in on the way up and slowly out on the way down.

2b. Polishing the Emperor's Mirror: Both hands dig under the feet and pull up from the ground through the body to the top of the head. As if a fountain let the arms circle out away from the body back down to the start position.

3. Waving Hands like clouds: Shifting left and right arms circle waving out and touch the table or or lazy swimmer.

4. Big Wave: bring hand across the body and turn the palm to wave the arm up overhead, reach behind your back with the little finger leading down to the earth, shifting side to side if desired. Repeat on both sides.

5. Slanting Flying: Hold a ball on the left side of the body, left hand on top right hand on bottom. Slowly shift to the right and raise the right hand as if serving out a cup of tea. At the same time the left hand presses down near the left hip. Repeat on the other side. ( Right hand on top of ball, left hand on bottom shift to left raising up the left palm and lowering the right hand pressing down near the hip. )

Enjoy your practice!

Lose the Shoes!

2008-09-18T13:42:00.004-04:00

Interesting article about feet and barefoot training:

by Helen Vanderburg published by The Calgary Herald 2008

There is a growing movement amongst some runners to abandon shoes and go barefoot.

These runners point to famed two-time Olympic marathon champion Abebe Bikila who ran barefoot as well as famed-Olympian South African Zola Budd.

What Is It?

Barefoot training is gaining popularity with coaches, personal trainers and runners. The idea behind barefoot training is that our technically designed shoes may actually give us too much support, cushioning and stability, making the muscles and neuromuscular pathways of the foot and ankle weak and "lazy."

By training barefoot, some believe we can re-activate the small muscles in our feet, make them stronger and therefore improve our balance and sports performance. Yoga, tai chi, running and dance can all be done barefoot.

Barefoot training is controversial and, at this point, it lacks substantial research to support it for everyone. We are all built differently and some people need more support than others.

Like any training program, start slowly. If you haven't run barefoot since you were a kid, you will likely experience some initial soreness.

To prevent injuries, you may want to start with an indoor activity first.

Start with five to 10 minutes once a week of barefoot training on a soft surface such as a rubberized mat. Gradually increase the time or number of times per week spent training in bare feet.

Try a non-impact or low impact activity like yoga, Pilates and tai chi in bare feet before walking or running. Or try a soft shoe such as the Nike Free, which simulates the feeling of being barefoot more than most shoes.

When it comes to outdoor activities, it's important to start on flat, preferably cushioned, surfaces like grass and ensure you have good lighting to prevent stepping on something you shouldn't. Wait until any initial soreness in your feet goes away before re-attempting another barefoot run or outdoor activity.

Who Would Like It?

If you've always enjoyed being barefoot, it might not be hard to convince you to try some activities without your shoes. Go slow and use common sense.

Who Wouldn't Like It?

Going barefoot is not for everybody. And being barefoot outdoors can be hazardous. Nothing takes the joy of exercise away faster than pain or injury.

If you have had any foot or ankle problems in the past, or if you have diabetes, balance problems or a vascular condition, consult your physician or health-care professional first.

The Sweat Factor

Taking off your shoes and performing the same exercises you used to do with your shoes on is an entirely new experience. For example, try standing on one leg with your running shoes on. Then try it in bare feet. Try to do alternating front lunges with and without your shoes on.

If you're like me, you'll see just how hard the foot, ankle, knee and hip have to work to make this movement happen without shoes and just how much stability your shoes give you. Don't worry; the great news is that you're actually strengthening your entire body.

The Klutz Factor

After years and years of wearing shoes, most people become dependent on the stability that shoes offer. In fact, most people feel naked going outside without shoes. If you have balance problems or are apprehensive about exercising shoeless, don't do it. Just because someone else does doesn't mean you should.

The Cost

Going barefoot is free. Training appropriately for barefoot walking and running requires coaching. The cost of coaching varies, depending on how serious you are about the training. If you are are looking for general fitness and healthy feet, you don't need to invest any money. But if you want to run a 10K barefoot, I highly recommend a professional training program. Don't just take off your shoes and start running. Ouch!

Where to Get It?

Train barefoot at home, in a park or at a yoga studio. Be aware that most fitness facilities will not allow bare feet in the gym because of the health and safety hazards associated with gym equipment.

If you train outdoors, it is recommended you wear lightweight shoes to prevent injury.

Calgary has many personal trainers who incorporate barefoot training for athletes; check out chirunning.com.

Bottom Line

Being barefoot is not new. That being said, if you decide to go barefoot, use good common sense, go slow and consult your health-care professional if you have questions.

Helen Vanderburg is a renowned trainer, corporate wellness speaker and owner of Heavens Fitness.

Why I started studying tai chi 26 Years ago

2008-08-16T23:23:00.006-04:00

Announcing new classes

2008-08-11T22:21:00.004-04:00

I'm now accepting a limited number of private students. Located at my Beaches studio or at the Boardwalk weather permitting.
Private or semi private 1.25 hour classes weekly, biweekly or monthly - you decide. $60 per class.
Beginners welcome.
416 686 2466

Mayo article on Tai Chi

2008-06-19T07:54:00.002-04:00

This article was published by the Mayo Clinic. I can't copy it here, but have provided the link for you to read.
More on posture later.

Why do it?

2008-06-05T05:30:00.002-04:00

Follow Me Tai Chi & Qigong is a NO MEMORIZATION class which features simple postures, breathing and meditation.
If you have never tried Tai Chi or you have tried the traditional way of learning, and found it unsuccesful you will love this class.
It can also be a great additional class for experienced Tai Chi players.

Class structure:
A. Chi (energy) boosting Qigong warm up for 15 minutes.
B. Tai Chi forms for 35 minutes
C. 5 minute meditation.
D. 5 minutes self massage.
You will leave feeling relaxed, refreshed and positive.

I have studied classical Tai Chi & Qigong for the past 25 years. I wish everyone had the time, place and access to wonderful teachers to learn what I have. The reality is; most people don't.
By simplifying the Essential Elements and Principles; I have created an EASY to follow program that will give the benefits of doing Tai Chi and Qigong without the difficult footwork or the need to memorize.

Having a busy schedule won't put you behind if you miss a class. Since we are not learning a sequence, every class is stand alone. In addition each student will receive a home study book for reference.

Class is designed for all levels including disabled participants.

Please come try it out!
Linda

Why do Tai Chi / Qigong?: A practice to reverse the effects of Stress on our bodies and minds.

2008-06-02T19:09:00.006-04:00

What does Stress do?

Our bodies are not just mechanical devices. The mind is highly connected to all our body’s functions. When we are stressed, we produce hormones that affect our heart rate, blood pressure, respiration etc. These hormones are useful in the short term; they give a boost to our breathing, allowing faster circulation, delivering more oxygen to our muscles so that we may escape from danger!
Long term sustained stress (causing these emergency hormones to be produced full time) can not only make you feel bad, it can weaken your immune and other body systems and cause you to be vulnerable to many diseases. One answer is to try to de-stress often to lessen the negative effects by using modalities such as Tai Chi & Qigong.

Other Benefits may include:
A drug free, deeper restorative sleep
Some pain relief with your body's own natural endorphins
Improvements in your balance, flexibility, strength, and joint mobility
An increase in immune cell response
Regulation of blood pressure
Improvement in bone density
Improvement in Respiration and Whole Body Relaxation
Better focus and ability to concentrate

Why I’m doing this:

I have studied classical Tai Chi & Qigong for the past 25 years.
I wish everyone had the time, place and wonderful teachers to
learn what I have.

The reality is; most people don’t.

By simplifying the Essential Elements and Principles;
I have created an EASY to follow program that will give the benefits of doing Tai Chi and Qigong without the difficult footwork or the need to memorize.

Having a busy schedule won’t put you behind if you miss a class. Since we are not learning a sequence, every class is stand alone. In addition each student will receive a home study book for practice.

Come try it out!

Linda

Two Qigong Exercises for my students.

2008-05-14T13:44:00.004-04:00

This exercise is to be done with very little tension and no locked joints. Please check with your health provider before trying these exercises to ascertain if they are appropriate for you.

OPENING AND CLOSING WINGS LIKE A DOVE
Posture Checklist
1. Hold a 'balloon' in front just above the navel.
2. Shoulders always sinking down to the hip joint, elbows slightly lower than hands.
3. Feet under hips pointing straight ahead
4. Slight bend in the knees
5. "Sitting on an invisible high chair"
6. Lift from the crown ( back of the head) and slight tilt to the pelvis to drop the tailbone.
Active Movement:
1. Breathe in and expand the balloon, until the arms and shoulders RELAX and fall back and down,
2. Feel the scapulae roll inward to meet each other. Breathe out slowly while relaxing this move.
3. Start to breathe in again slowly as you let the (still softly curved) arms come back to hold the balloon in beginning posture.
4. Breathe out as you press the balloon into your body and relax the shoulders and chest again and allow the chest to slightly sink inwards.
Repeat slowly 4 or 5 times taking rests frequently and shake out gently if you feel tension.

PRESS DOWN BEHIND THE NECK AND LIFT TO HOLD UP THE SKY
Posture same as first exercise, Breathe as necessary do not hold your breath.
Active Movement:
1. Hold balloon under the navel fingertips almost touching palms facing up.
2. Raise the arms up overhead in this postition, palms facing the head, arms curved (like a ballet pose)
3. Press the palms down behind the head to the shoulders near the neck.
4. Turn the palms facing up, straighten the arms about 80% and hold up the sky, elbows stay bent, try to drop the shoulders and breathe out here.
5. Pull the fingers straight up lifting the hands and bring them back to back, elbows still bent.
6. Imagine parting the curtains to shoulder width with the fingers, and then drop the shoulders, then the elbows and the fingers will slide down the curtains on either side of your body, right down to the floor.
7. Relax the arms, shoulders completely and then softly curve the arms in front to hold the balloon again as in beginning movement.
Repeat slowly 4 or 5 times taking rests frequently and shake out gently if you feel tension.

Chilled milk from martial art

2008-05-11T18:42:00.004-04:00

Chilled milk from martial art By Emily Allen
A herd of cows is living a stress-free life thanks to one farmer's new Tai Chi moooves!

Organic milk producer Miles Saunders, of Step Farm, Faringdon, has taken up Tai Chi, an ancient Chinese martial art, to help his cows relax.

The 44-year-old regularly performs a series of moves in the field in front of his 300-strong herd, in an attempt to spiritually uplift them.

He is hoping to boost the quality of their milk by increasing the levels of well-being in each pint.

Mr Saunders, who is three weeks into his new regime, said: "Tai Chi promotes well-being, health and a good lifestyle and as an organic milk producer, we like to keep all the cows calm, quiet and well-balanced with their diet and housing.

"We thought Tai Chi correlated nicely with this. It's just an extra thing really.

"I go out when I get the chance, about three or four times a week. I do a series of slow moves in the field and the cows find it interesting.

"The most important thing is it gives us happy, quiet cows. Anything that keeps them quiet is a good thing.

"It's hard to say at this stage if it's beneficial or not but the interest the cows show you, shows they enjoy it. They look very inquisitive too, which is a sign of healthy cows. They like to come up to me and have a good look."

An article in a trade magazine inspired Mr Saunders to test the technique about a month ago.

He began referring to the organic milk producers' website love-om.comcorr which lists seven different moves for farmers to try each day of the week.

Mr Saunders's five-minute routine begins when he moves his arms up and down as he imagines stroking his cows.

This is followed by a move to the left to symbolise cradling a calf before he widens his arms to part the hay.

The move is completed with outstretched arms, as if to survey the field, before pushing an imaginary fork into the ground.

Mr Saunders, who believes he is the longest-standing organic milk producer in the country, said: "The bottom line is we're trying to produce really good quality organic milk and with the benefits of Tai Chi, this will filter through to the consumer.

"That's the most important thing.

"It has many benefits for me. It gives me a chance to have quiet time and be among the cows. It also gives me a chance to have a really good look at the cows and make sure they're all healthy.

"Ten years ago, people dismissed tai chi, but now a lot of people are realising it works."

7:20am Saturday 10th May 2008

By Emily Allen

NO MEMORIZATION TAI CHI - YOU WILL LOVE THIS CLASS!

2008-04-12T08:29:00.010-04:00

Follow Me Tai Chi will be open for new drop in classes beginning May 6th at the Universal Light Centre at Coxwell Avenue and Danforth Avenue just steps from the Coxwell Subway stop. The class will be offered on Tuesday mornings at 10 am and/or Wednesday after work at 5:30pm.

This NO MEMORIZATION class will feature postures, breathing and meditation.
If you have never tried Tai Chi or you have tried the traditional way of learning and found it unsuccesful you will love this class.

Class structure:
A. Chi (energy) boosting Qigong warm up for 15 minutes.
B. Tai Chi forms for 45 minutes
C. 10 minute meditation.
D. 5 minutes self massage.
You will leave feeling relaxed, refreshed and positive.

Read further down the blog for some of the benefits of these arts.

Due to space and my desire to have a small class,a limited number of spaces is available.

Participants may take the first class free by registering by phone at 416.463.1719
or email me and I will help you!
NO MEMORIZATION - YOU WILL LOVE THIS CLASS!

Companies can increase productivity by offering Tai Chi classes to their employees.

2008-03-27T08:15:00.008-04:00

1. “Tie”-Chi can save companies big money.
2. Tai Chi can be done in work clothes in an office.
3. Tai Chi can help employees get along.

Tai Chi’s a Natural for the Office
One thing that makes Tai Chi uniquely ideal for the workplace is that it requires no special clothing or equipment. If you have 15 minutes and a quiet room, you are all set to experience some amazing stress reduction and energy boosting.
Since Tai Chi is so slow and gentle, you often need not work up a sweat when taking a Tai Chi break. By simply loosening your tie or kicking off your heels, you are all set. In fact, Sitting QiGong or simple Moving QiGong can be done right at your desk. As employees become more adept at these tools of breath and relaxation, they’ll use them throughout the day to reduce stress and boost performance.

Investing in Tai Chi Programs
There are several ways companies can invest in Tai Chi. Some companies passively promote Tai Chi, offering a space for employees to practice during lunch or after work. Others do much more.

The best Tai Chi and Stress Management seminars are optional. Provide employees with the option of working or attending the seminar, but do not make the seminar mandatory. Most people will opt for the seminar to get a break from work anyway, but the quality of the seminar is completely different if the employee has chosen to be there. This is the first step in an employee creating his own healthy lifestyle. If it’s someone else’s idea, we resist, but if we feel empowered to change ourselves, we have a vested interest in a positive outcome.

Some companies may reward Tai Chi practitioners with a 30-minute morning break, if instead of drinking coffee and sodas for 15 minutes, they use the 30-minute break to attend morning Tai Chi classes in the area provided. This could be done in conjunction with a weekly one-hour video or live Tai Chi class during lunch or after work.

For the daily Tai Chi breaks, sign-in sheets could be used to document employee participation. This information may be helpful to acquire rebates or subsidies from company health insurance providers to cover the cost of Tai Chi classes. Ask your carrier.

Investing in Creative Potential
If Tai Chi can help employees recover from illnesses and thereby reduce absenteeism that can also mean major savings. But what about creativity? Tai Chi’s meditative quality enables practitioners to become more creative as they let go of being locked into old patterns. A popular corporate expression is to “think outside the box,” which means to look beyond the established way of doing things, to try to find new and innovative approaches. It’s a useful concept, but how do you really think outside the box? You have to release the old ways of doing things. Again, Tai Chi is about letting go of everything, mentally, emotionally, and physically which requires releasing prejudices and preconceptions, making you clearer and more open to new possibilities and potential. If Tai Chi can help employees think outside the box, this will open them up to fresh innovative approaches and may boost profits more than anything you could begin to measure.

Call me today and let's chat about how I can customize a Tai Chi program for your company. It can vary from a one time presentation and training sessions including a Follow Me Tai Chi Video class, or a regularly scheduled class at your facility.

Linda 416 686 2466
Toronto

American Federation for Aging Research Article

2008-02-07T23:01:00.000-05:00

Tai Chi Chuan
Tai chi chuan literally means “supreme ultimate boxing.” Although it was originally developed as a martial art in China in about 1,200 AD, people everywhere now practice it as a way to improve health, strength, balance, and mental calm. The movements are slow and precise, and particularly focus on the muscles of the lower body. This exercise system has become particularly popular among older adults, because its slow, meditative movements are more accessible to them–even those with some physical limitations.
For older adults with memory impairment, Prof. Chodzko-Zajko counsels that memorizing a long series of highly choreographed forms is only one–and perhaps the least important–aspect of the activity. “The four basic elements of tai chi chuan,” he points out, “are slow movement exercise, breath control, static and dynamic balance, and self-assisted massage.” You can gain benefit from doing repetitions of a single form, so long as it contains these elements.
Like yoga, tai chi chuan has demonstrated some surprising medical benefits. A study at Emory University in Atlanta, GA, (part of NIA’s Frailty and Injuries: Cooperative Studies of Intervention Techniques, or FICSIT, initiative, launched in 1990 to improve physical function in old age) for example, has shown that older adults who practice the system suffer significantly fewer falls than other people in their age group, and many find they’re able to negotiate activities of daily living far more easily.
Despite the slow moving nature of the exercises, practioners also show marked improvement in cardiovascular function. A study at UCLA, soon to be published in the journal Gerontology, suggests this happens through tai chi’s ability to balance the function of the sympathetic nervous system, which is the part of the nervous system that prepares the body for emergencies via the so-called “fight or flight” response.
Another study at UCLA, which appeared in the April 2007 issue of the Journal Of The American Geriatrics Society, demonstrated that tai chi chuan can actually help older adults avoid getting shingles, a painful condition caused by the chicken pox virus (varicella-zoster) both by increasing natural immunity and by boosting immune response to the varicella vaccine.
Finally, a study done by researchers at Harvard Medical School and the New England School of Acupuncture, published in the October 15, 2004, issue of the American Journal of Medicine, did a randomized, controlled trial that demonstrated people with heart failure experienced improved heart function after 12 weeks of tai chi chuan practice.Tai chi chuan, or alternatively, Tàijíquán, literally means “supreme ultimate boxing.” Although it was originally developed as a martial art in China in about 1,200 AD, people everywhere now practice it as a way to improve health, strength, balance, and mental calm. The movements are slow and precise, and particularly focus on the muscles of the lower body. This exercise system has become particularly popular among older adults, because its slow, meditative movements are more accessible to them–even those with some physical limitations.
Qigong
Qigong means “cultivating breath.” It is a practice in tradtional Chinese medicine that cultivates the coordination of breathing with particular postures and movements to manage the “energy field” that surrounds the body. It is generally practiced to maintain good health, but some traditional Chinese doctors occasionally use it to help cure medical conditions.
According to Prof. Chodzko-Zajko, qigong is among the most common physical activities you will see among older adults in its countries of origin. “If you visit a public park early in the morning in China or Korea and you see people doing morning exercise, very seldom will you see them doing the highly choreographed movement types that we have come to associate with tai chi,” he says. “Oftentimes they’re doing energy work, where they’re doing slow movements, but they’re not necessarily following a prescribed set of forms…I don’t think there is a consensus about how strictly you have to stick to a particular style or a particular form.”
Like yoga and tai chi chuan, quigong may be an effective way of calming heart palpitations–a hyperawareness of your own heartbeat, which may be brought on by overexertion, illness, alcohol, drugs, or a panic disorder.
However these three systems work, experts all agree on one basic fact about them: each can help reduce stress, which is important in maintaining cardiovascular health. Emotional stress causes you to release the hormone adrenaline from your adrenal gland and noradrenaline from the nerve endings in your heart and blood vessels. This, in turn, makes your heart rate go up, and ultimately causes your blood pressure to rise.
Prof. Chodzko-Zajko emphasizes that each of these activities will work best as part of a broader program that includes other types of exercise. “I’d love to see programs that integrate tai chi chuan and qigong type activities into walking programs or chair-based exercise programs,” he says.
Finally, he emphasizes that these physical activities can play a part in an overarching wellness program that should many six aspects of your life into account, including the physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, environmental, social, and financial. “I think there’s been a growing acceptance that in order to promote quality of life, independence, and active aging, you need to acknowledge these multiple dimensions of wellness. And yoga, tai chi chuan, and qigong are activities that span several of these dimensions.”
This article is brought to you by the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR). AFAR has been at the forefront of a revolutionary approach to the science of healthier aging. AFAR has played a major role in providing and advancing knowledge of aging and mechanisms of age-related disease by providing start-up grants to more than 2,400 early-career scientists. To learn more about AFAR, click here. We also invite you to visit our web site for the latest information on the biology of aging, common diseases of aging and healthy lifestyles.

Video of Tai Chi Presentation

2008-01-27T06:45:00.001-05:00

Tai Chi 10 form Yang Style

2007-12-24T17:42:00.001-05:00

For all students to remind them of the 10 form Yang Style by David Lau.

Welcome

2007-12-23T17:58:00.000-05:00

QiGong and Tai Chi

Qigong is thousands of years old, and is sometimes referred to as ‘Chinese Yoga’. It is the predecessor of Tai Chi. Both are martial arts exercise systems, but they are also internal arts as they move or exercise the ‘CHI’ or vital energy. The two in combination creates a powerful health system.
If our energetic systems are in good working order, we have the ability to keep our body in a healthy state. So why do we have to work at, or cultivate our ‘CHI’?
Why doesn’t our body balance itself automatically? We have a common enemy against this natural process, and that is STRESS.

KINDS OF STRESS
Prenatal: We are, even in the womb, subject to stress. Our mother’s lifestyle, environment, diet, heredity and emotions affect us.
Mental/Psychological: loss of loved ones, family illness, abuse, war, financial worries, children’s welfare, relationships, work and time pressure.
Physical/ Environment: temperature, shelter, air and water quality (pollution), food (starvation, excess or poor diet), food additives, pesticides, alcohol, drugs, tobacco, injuries, exposure to contagious disease.

FIGHT OR FLIGHT?
Our bodies are not just mechanical devices. The mind is highly connected to all our body’s functions. When we are stressed, we produce hormones that affect our heart rate, blood pressure, respiration etc. These hormones are useful in the short term; they give a boost to our breathing, allowing faster circulation, delivering more oxygen to our muscles so that we may escape from danger! But if stress causes these emergency hormones to be produced full time, it may cause negative side effects.

WHAT CAN WE DO?

The flow of chi is natural, but stress can cause it to become blocked and thus challenge our health. One way we can assist its flow through our energy pathways (meridians) is to practice these slow moving, breathing, loosening exercises.
The meridians are not physical like blood vessels or nerves. They are the paths where the energy flows, similar to the magnetic forces around the earth; they are unseen, but present.
We can positively influence the flow of the ‘CHI’ to move efficiently along the pathways by achieving both external and internal relaxation by:
1. Aligning the skeletal structure.
2. Breathing slower, deeper.
3. Loosening the muscles, tendons.
4. Emptying the mind by focusing on the moves (meditation)

Follow Me Tai Chi

How to Help an Aging Brain

It's not too late!

Qigong helps Moms deal with special needs Children

While doing some research for my Qigong book ... found this blog with amazing Qigong massage for kids with autism.. quite remarkable.blog is called Earth Monkey Moms.

Qigong and Taiji: Anti-Aging Benefits of Qigong

Getting back on track after an injury

Using Silence in Classes

What is Qi?

Toronto Star Article on Tai Chi

Toronto Star Article on Tai Chi

If stress is bad, how can it still feel good at the time?

If this 95 year old lady improved her health and vitality by doing Tai Chi for 3 years... what could it do for you?

Qigong Distant Energy Healing

Tai Chi hits medical mainstream

Belief is a powerful drug

Some Good Qigong Free Lessons

Tai Chi for your Company?

More than just exercise

10 forms Yang Style Tai Chi to the Left

Beginners Tai Chi Movement & Qigong Course

Helpful information to Quit Smoking or To Just Calm Yourself

Tai Chi Chih Acutely Decreases Sympathetic Nervous System Activity in Older Adults

Hard vs. Soft

Is Tai Chi an effective treatment for Fibromyalgia?

'Medication in Motion'

Mayo Clinic teaching Tai Chi & Qigong to patients

Tai Chi Beneficial for Women with Osteopaenia.

Slow moves to battle body pain Modern medicine enlists gentle exercise of Qigong

Study investigates benefits of Tai Chi for breast cancer survivors

The Slow Shifts of Tai Chi Can Help Build a Better Body: the You Docs, Dr.Mike Roizen and Dr.Mehmet Oz From Toronto Star, July 5 2010

Five Finger Qigong Exercise for Anxiety

A quick meditation

How our emotions can cause illness

Short Stuff?

A Slow Fix

East Bay Inmates Breathe Easier

Regular Tai Chi Chuan exercise may retard bone loss in postmenopausal women: A case-control study

York University, Toronto study results are in!

Study Shows Acupuncture Offers Relief to Breast Cancer Patients With Hot Flashes

Does Sleep Elude You?

Tai Chi Can Reduce Knee Pain, Research Concludes

Can it be that simple? Just getting more oxygen helps the immune system.

Tai Chi and your Brain

What is Qi?

Build up your immunity NOW!

Why I started studying tai chi 27 Years ago

Qigong & Tai Chi can keep you young!

Can we eliminate stress?

What's Different about Follow Me Tai Chi?

Can Tai Chi help people with cognitive diseases?

Two More Qigong exercises for my students

ARC Tai Chi Osteoarthritis Study

What is QiGong?

Tai Chi Moves to Practice at Home

Lose the Shoes!

Why I started studying tai chi 26 Years ago

Announcing new classes

Mayo article on Tai Chi

Why do it?

Why do Tai Chi / Qigong?: A practice to reverse the effects of Stress on our bodies and minds.

Two Qigong Exercises for my students.

Chilled milk from martial art

NO MEMORIZATION TAI CHI - YOU WILL LOVE THIS CLASS!

Companies can increase productivity by offering Tai Chi classes to their employees.

American Federation for Aging Research Article

Video of Tai Chi Presentation

Tai Chi 10 form Yang Style

Welcome

While doing some research for my Qigong book ... found this blog with amazing Qigong massage for kids with autism.. quite remarkable.
blog is called Earth Monkey Moms.