Dublin — 4 Jan. 2011 — With the new year back to work grind, many are looking for a way to nourish the mind and body. Health Qi Gong is an ancient Chinese internal art, what we would see in the West as a health and wellbeing system. One of the sets, known as the Five Animals Health Qi Gong is coming to Dublin in January.
Health Qi Gong is an ancient internal practice combining the theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine with postures, movement and controlled breathing. This internal art helps open the pathways in the body known as meridians (as in acupuncture) allowing Qi to flow and health to be maintained. When the pathways in the body are blocked this can lead to illness and stagnation.
Developed between 145 – 208, Wu Qin Xi translates as the Five Animal Frolics and uses imitations of animals as a basis for Qi Gong practice. The five animals are; tiger, deer, bear, monkey and crane. By imitating the characteristics and physical movements of each animal, the Qi Gong student can experience a variety of physical and mental benefits. Instructor Nicola Jones of Earth Balance Tai Chi explains the foundations of Qi Gong practice, the combination of mind, body and breath.
The Mind; In daily life the mind often creates stressful situations, whether looking at the past or into the future. The body does not have eyes; it merely interprets what the mind sees and creates a physical reaction. When practicing Qi Gong, by focusing on posture, movement and deep breathing, you remain in the now. There are no distractions or interruptions, so you become more aware of your body, helping you move gracefully and relaxing the mind. Specific movements within the 5 Animals Qi Gong set also help to achieve mental calm, reduce stress and aid nervousness and anxiety.
The Body; The body moves through a set of specific postures, of which there are two per animal that help unblock the major meridian channels in the body. The physical benefits of regular 5 Animals Qi Gong practice range from helping to loosen areas of muscular contraction, improved respiration, boosting immune system by as much as 50%, more flexibility and range of movement to nourishment of the internal organs. Each movement in Qi Gong also helps to drop tension in the shoulders, open tight lower backs, help the lymph system pump, keep the joints hydrated through expansion and compression and generally helps to improve posture, coordination and balance.
The Breath; The movements within the 5 Animals Qi Gong set are combined with deep and controlled breathing, which helps increase oxygen levels, brings more fresh blood and nutrients to the organs, helps expel waste from the organs, helps improve circulation and kick starts the parasympathetic system to aid relaxation.
Instructor Nicola Jones is bringing this unique Health Qi Gong practice to Dublin commencing Thursday 13 January 2011. Join her six week course to experience for yourself the power of Health Qi Gong as an internal healing art.
Contact
Nicola Jones
Earth Balance Tai Chi
Chen Style Tai Chi & Health Qi Gong in Dublin
086 807 2085
earthbalancetaichi@gmail.com
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