Becoming what I might be

by Karen Steinbrecher

Reflecting on this month’s theme of letting go, I am reminded of a quote by Lao Tzu who said, “When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.” Bill Douglas, Co-Founder of World TaiChi and QiGong day, recently shared his observation that when some students discover the reality that they are “a flawed wandering human being on this earthly plane,” they think TaiChi and QiGong don’t work and wonder, “Why bother?” He remarked that being a teacher of QiGong can be difficult because students often form idealized versions of their teachers. And, as with all idealized versions of anything, disappointment inevitably follows. Students learn that the teacher is a human being walking on the same Earth with the same journey of life as they are. We are all working through life lessons. In one setting, I am the teacher. In another, you are. Much of the time, our teaching and learning happen simultaneously. As Ram Dass says, “We’re all just walking each other home.”

TaiChi and QiGong and meditation ultimately require “letting go” to be done well, fully present in the moment. Look at the great Masters doing QiGong and TaiChi; they appear to be “unhinged and liquid”, says Douglas. This is not a technical skill as much as a whole soul surrender on the deepest level mentally, emotionally, and physically. In QiGong, we call this level of deep surrender “the sinking.” 

Douglas defines the sinking as “this exquisite, all encompassing love that the world and universe are made of, this energy that is the quantum field from which ALL emerges”. This beautiful, radiant energy is what awaits when we let go of our grip on things. As Douglas writes, surrender “asserts itself in subtle silken ways.” The impulse to “hold on” - to the known, the familiar, the comfortable, the idealized teacher, the old ideas of who we are and how the world should be - is so strong. But the rewards of letting go are profound. The “sinking” has a richness to it that is worth the discomfort of loosening our grip. The practice of QiGong and TaiChi may appear physical in nature, but the positive ripple is pervasive throughout all aspects of our lives. Learning to let go through QiGong helps us move - in every facet of our lives - with greater freedom and peace. 

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Letting go of Anxiety with Qigong

by Karen Steinbrecher

Qigong is a tool to transform emotional energy, anxiety, and stress into positive energy.  Life today demands a seemingly endless amount of energy and all too often we are left feeling drained and exhausted, stressed, perhaps anxious. Qigong is a way to help.  Everyone needs more energy, but some of us have forgotten how to access it.  These slow, flowing and meditative,  healing movements help us to let go, unlock, move on from stressful, anxiety-producing emotions. Qi is vitality, and Gong means practice. Thus, this practice helps us to empower ourselves and place more inspirational and positive energy into our mind, body, our emotions. You can learn more about this five thousand year old practice in Karen Steinbrecher's Tuesday and Thursday classes. 

Try this You Tube demonstration with Lee Holden called “An evening practice”.  It can be practiced at any time to help us release emotions we do not want in our life:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybffyTvgTzA. To experience Qi Gong at the Resiliency Center or learn more, check out Karen's class schedule on out Resiliency Center calendar or contact her at karensteinbrecher@msn.com or 215-836-7184.

Thoughts on Transitions

by Karen Steinbrecher

I was recently inspired by Bill Douglas, Founder of World TaiChi QiGong Day, who shared the following: "When those unfamiliar with TaiChi or QiGong begin a class, they think that they can learn how to do the slow, liquid, flowing movements by physically mimicking them."

But those of us who actually perform these liquid dreamlike flowing QiGong movements after much practice...know that it is not just a physical journey, it was, is a journey of the heart, mind and body....learning how to "let go" of our mental, emotional and then eventually our physical grip on ourselves and the world.

Then we find along the way, that people find us easier to get along with because our rough edges have been EXHALED and RELEASED over hours, months, years and perhaps decades of mind-body exploration and practice.

This is my short-version story, experience of QiGong after 20 yrs. of practice, continuous learning about myself and connecting, healing with others - you.  QiGong is a tool, a bridge to EFFORTLESSLY flow through life, its TRANSITIONS, many many experiences. Let the Qi flow with Joy and Good Health.  

Karen Steinbrecher leads QiGong at the Resiliency Center on Tuesdays at 2:30 pm and Thursdays at 6:20 pm. Cost is $10.00 for a one-hour class. Learn more and pre-register by contacting Karen at karensteinbrecher@msn.com

Never Too Old

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You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. – C.S. Lewis

As a practitioner of QiGong, an ancient Chinese health care system that integrates flowing movements, postures, breathing and focused intention, I would like to share the following:  I am now 71 years of age.  Yikes.  Practicing this modality I believe has helped me to stay young at heart, physically and mentally.  QiGong is recommended by the Harvard Medical School as well many physicians, and Dr. Oz. Its great appeal is that EVERY one can benefit, regardless of ability, age, belief system or circumstances.  Western scientific research confirms that those who maintain a consistent practice of Qigong find that it helps one regain a youthful vitality, maintain health even into old age as well as to  speed recovery from illness.  The following link from Daisy Lee addresses this with a story about her teacher Master Duan, who at the time of the story was nearing 100 yrs. of age: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtUHbZFu-BI&list=PL3DEE46AAE854A904. Enjoy Daisy Lee, and have fun and flow to glowing health this New Year.  Let the Qi flow to good health and happiness.

Karen Steinbrecher teaches Qigong at The Resiliency Center on Tuesday afternoons and Thursday evenings. Learn more by emailing her at karensteinbrecher@msn.com.   

The Value of Time in Transitions: A New Kind of Stroll….Slow

by Brittiney George

“In other cultures, time is cyclical. It's seen as moving in great, unhurried circles. It's always renewing and refreshing itself.  Whereas in the West, time is linear. It's a finite resource; it's always draining away. You either use it, or lose it. "Time is money," as Benjamin Franklin said. And I think what that does to us psychologically is it creates an equation. Time is scarce, so we speed up. We try and do more and more with less and less time. We turn every moment of every day into a race to the finish line -- a finish line, incidentally, that we never reach, but a finish line nonetheless.” –Carl Honore (https://www.ted.com/talks/carl_honore_praises_slowness,4:10).

Does this idea make you curious?  Check out all of Carl Honore’s Ted Talk  - at  https://www.ted.com/talks/carl_honore_praises_slowness

Do you already know you need to find a new kind of stroll?  To reconnect to the world around you instead of being a prisoner to the clock?  There are some wonderful opportunities to join us at The Resiliency Center to do just that:

·       Meditation

·       Nature Walks

·       Qi Gong

·       Moms Support Group

·       Self-Compassion Group

·       Rest, Restore, and Move Class

·       Rumi and Hafiz Poetry Evenings

·       Infant Massage and Baby Signs Workshops

….and more.  See our Google Calendar at www.theresiliencycenter.com for class listings and other ways to reconnect and reenergize in your life.

Brittiney George, BS, CRS, CST, ICI, CEIM, is a Somatic Therapist specializing in Transformative Touch.  She offers Somatic Therapy sessions, Infant Massage, Baby Sign Language workshops, and exploratory movement classes at The Resiliency Center.  She also co-leads Connection, Expression and Movement (CEM), a monthly workshop series focusing on body-mind integration.  For a complimentary 55 min. Somatic Therapy session (new clients) contact Brittiney at 610-389-7866 or movebackintolife@gmail.com.

From my Heart: A Story about Dealing with Emotional and Physical Pain

by Karen Steinbrecher

I recently returned from a 10-day vacation to Norway and Sweden.  Yes, all was beautiful and fantastic, and the Scandinavian people were delightful. However, as with all things, there were challenges. We were constantly on the "go" on this cruise, walking, traveling, and mingling with many people in various activities. I did also experience pain, chronic neck and leg pain, while interacting with mean passengers from France.  I used the "inner smile" practice suggested by Thich Nhat Hanh, a well-known Tibetan monk, and was able to shift my feelings and state of being.

Qigong is my tool to weave through these situations.  Using my knowledge of the "tool" of QiGong, I was able to reduce and perhaps heal the pain I experienced. Emotional pain can lead to physical pain, and physical pain can lead to emotional pain. Research studies show evidence of the links between emotional, physical, and spiritual pain.

Listening to my body and my feelings during my trip, I knew I needed some alone time.  Qi Gong provides an opportunity to go inward and create a sacred space within, even in the company of others. Whether it was in my hotel/stateroom or outside touring the gorgeous landscapes, I flowed through QiGong movements. It is said that QiGong is even more powerful when practiced outside in Nature and with others. I felt the healing energy and the relief it brought. When others asked about my movements, I was so happy to share the gift of QiGong.  When we practice, we move the energy, Qi, that animates all life.  Gong means the moving, the work of cultivating that energy. The movements flow to harmonize Heaven and Earth/Sea:  Yang [Heaven] and Yin [ Earth].  The Norwegian words are Hima La Harv  [Himmel OgHav] for Sky and Sea.

When we flow with QiGong movements in my classes at the Resiliency Center, we begin with the Joy Practice and say..." I am the Universe, You are the Universe, and We connect for Peace and Love with Healing".  I remembered that Universe was presenting a challenge for me to do just that.  It was a challenge, and I hope that perhaps as I worked [Gong] to heal myself, somehow I did connect with others, kind and unkind alike, to promote Peace, Love and Healing.  As we heal ourselves, we heal one another.

QiGong is easy to do and easy to practice; in a group, the energy is even more empowering.  Moving and flowing through QiGong helps to balance the autonomic nervous system which is a key to healing.  Rather than sitting still, with QiGong movements your pain, emotional or physical, will be less.  Join me, Karen Steinbrecher on Thursdays at 2:00 p.m. and 6:20 p.m. at The Resiliency Center. Learn more and RSVP at karensteinbrecher@msn.com  or 215-836-7184.

JOY to the World

by Karen Steinbrecher

Upon reading this newsletter, the Thanksgiving Holidays have passed, and the December Holidays are fast approaching.  No doubt, we live during a challenging period of time.

I would like to share some inspiration with you from a book that reads like a novel, rather than a non-fiction “self-help” book.  Written with Douglas Abrams, by his holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu is “The Book of JOY”.  With chapters such as “Fear, Stress, and Anxiety," "Sadness and Grief", "The Hard Times Knit Us More Closely Together," "Passing through Difficulties", and "Laughter", this book reads like a breath of fresh air.

“What is this thing called joy, and how is it possible that it can evoke such a wide range of feelings?

The Archbishop and the Dalai Lama looked at each other, and the Archbishop gestured to the Dalai Lama.  “Yes, it is true. Joy is something different from happiness. When I use the word happiness, in a sense I mean satisfaction.”  The Archbishop later explained, “When we realize that we are all children of God, and of equal and intrinsic value, then we don’t have to feel better or worse than others. God uses each of us in our own way, and even if you are not the best one, you may be the one who is needed or the one who is there.” 

In the chapter on loneliness, the Dalai Lama said, “When someone is warmhearted, they are always completely relaxed. If you live with fear and consider yourself as something special, then automatically, emotionally, you are distanced from others.“   He continued saying, “When one is thinking about others with kindness and compassion, one is never lonely.  Openheartedness-warmheartedness is the antidote to loneliness.”  The research of social psychologists Zhong and Gabriel have found that when people are feeling lonely or socially rejected, they literally seek warmth, like sipping hot soup.

Warm your hearts, your soul, this season and indulge in the warmth of this extraordinary book.

You must wonder what all of this has to do with QiGong.  As a QiGong practitioner/teacher, I love the flow of QiGong movements.  Qi = the energy that animates all of life and Gong means the work of, the practice of the movements.  Life is challenging, and at times one has to work at letting go of the negative, whether it be physical or mental.  Flowing QiGong movements enable one to work, in a pleasurable way to find that peaceful place within.  Warm Blessings to ALL this Holiday Season with Peace, Love, Compassion, Kindness and JOY.  

Karen Steinbrecher leads QiGong classes at the Resiliency Center on Thursdays at 2:00 pm and 6:20 pm.

Exhale into Gratitude with QiGong this Thanksgiving Season By Karen Steinbrecher

With inspiration from the Rumi poem, “the Guest House”, I share my Thanksgiving story with you.  From Rumi, “This being human is a guest house.  Every morning a new arrival.”  In September, I experienced a surprise health challenge.  I fainted in my home and fell across a bookcase, hitting the floor on my forehead.  My husband found me immediately and did all the right things.  I broke my past record, having never been overnight in a hospital since birth.  Results from the many tests, X-Rays, CAT scans, etc., and bloodwork showed nothing broken and no concussion.  Low blood pressure and blood sugar may have caused this.  I was a scary sight with two black eyes and facial bruising.  With much gratitude and thankfulness I share this story.  Through all of this I practiced and danced Qigong, whether it was in my mind’s eye in the hospital bed, or physically standing and practicing the flowing movements after arriving home.  People are amazed at how well I have healed and how fortunate I am.  I agree.   Traumatic experiences and worry can cause more worry, problems, and block the energy flow.  Remembering what I tell people I practiced more Qigong.  It is so much more than the physical movements.  The slow and flowing movements send a signal to your brain, your body’s repair and maintenance center to rebuild.  Hold these thoughts, and when you are feeling “out of sorts” practice more Qigong.   A little “pre-Gong” suggestion to empower yourself with Qigong practice, is to turn off all distractions.  Say a big “thank you” to the Universe for the opportunity to be present of mind and body. This heart centered practice helps us connect to a deeper state, the stillness that holds everything together.  Qi dao Yi dao. Where the Qi goes, the mind flows.   Inhale to your heart.  Let go of the personal [worries].  Go inwards and allow your inner arms to support and enfold you with pure love.  Rest in balance in the here and now. Exhale gratitude.                                       

To quote Rumi from the “Guest House”:  Be grateful for whoever comes

                                                                   Because each has been sent

                                                                   as a guide from Beyond.

As Thanksgiving approaches I want to express and shout out my appreciation to the Universe and to all of you, my gratitude for reading my story.  Namaste.

Karen teaches QiGong on Thursdays at 2 P.M. and at 6:15 P.M. for a 1 hour class @  $10.00 per class. In addition to the WuJi QiGong movements, I am incorporating the healing TaiJi Hua Gong practice.

On Wednesday Nov. 19^th Karen Steinbrecher and Dean Solon offer a Free Resiliency Center Workshop. Resiliency through Meditation and Qigong   7 P.M. – 8:30 P.M.   Come join us!

Celebrate the Joys of Summer with Qigong

by Karen Steinbrecher

Now is a time of Light, Joy, Elation and Happiness.  Find the magic within as you practice and dance QiGong. This is a time to fully express the new ideas and goals, the seeds we planted at the start of the year. Summer is the season of the heart according to Traditional Chinese Medicine.  This is the season to step into your joy. An important teaching of Chinese medicine is that there is a seamless continuum between the body and the environment around us.  In Five Phase Theory we have entered the cycle of summer, the time, cycle, greatest Yang, and this season is also called ‘Fire.’ All cycles are manifestations of the movement of Yin and Yang, and the seasons are no different. The time of Yin in autumn and winter is a time of resting while both spring and summer are Yang seasons. Yang represents growth, expansion and outward movement. Spring begins this movement of growth, and summer takes over to allow growth to expand to its fullest. During summer we stay healthy trying to mimic this Fire/Yang movement of nature, yet we want to be mindful, to not overdo things. Both too little and too much divert us from harmony. Thus with QiGong practice we work to balance the Yin and Yang. 

Fire stands for heat and the color red. In the body Fire is the Heart, representing a Yang organ and the Small Intestine represents the Yin organs. Stepping into your joy means that it is okay to take a moment away from your busy schedule. Remind yourself that no matter what is going on, it is always possible to feel peace in your heart.  It is good to nourish your being, your spirit, to be kind to yourself. Remember also to nourish yourself with foods.  That is the Yin organ, the small intestine.  This is the organ where the most extensive process of digestion and absorption of foods and nutrient take place.

With Qigong we dance/practice movements to nourish our being with compassion towards joy and happiness.   Some of the many movements connecting the  Heart meridian are  the “Coming and going of the waves, Letting up a balloon, the Swan spreads it wings, Turning your body to view a distant  Full Moon and the Lotus is Rising from the Water.” “Turning the Ball of Light” connects the Small Intestine meridian. These flowing and peaceful stretching movements with the breath work feel so good. For example, the Lotus flower symbolizes Harmony and Love, Peace and Compassion and more. When we practice the Lotus movements, we envision rising up through the muck and the mud to become a flower resonating with purification and growth and happiness. This is a favorite movement with my classes.

Come join us to return to your Heart during these Lotus days of summer with Qigong on Thursdays at 2 P.M. and at 6:15 P.M.

The class lasts for 1 hour with a charge of $10.00

With Qi Blessings and Gratitude,

Karen

Celebrate the Joys of Summer with Qigong

by Karen Steinbrecher

Summer is the season of the heart according to Traditional Chinese Medicine.  This is the season to step into your joy.  An important teaching of Chinese medicine is that there is a seamless continuum between the body and the environment around us.   In Five Phase Theory we have entered the cycle of summer, the time, cycle, of greatest Yang, and this season is also called ‘Fire’.  All cycles are manifestations of the movement of Yin and Yang, and the seasons are no different.  The time of Yin in autumn and winter is a time of resting while both spring and summer are Yang seasons.  Yang represents growth, expansion and outward movement.  Spring begins this movement of growth, and summer takes over to allow growth to expand to its fullest.  During summer we stay healthy trying to mimic this Fire/Yang movement of nature, yet we want to be mindful, to not overdo things.  Both too little and too much divert us from harmony.  Thus with Qigong practice we work to balance the Yin and Yang. 

Fire stands for heat and the color red.  In the body Fire is the Heart, representing a Yang organ and the Small Intestine represents the Yin organs.  This is the season to step into your joy.  This means that it is okay to take a moment away from your busy schedule.  Remind yourself that no matter what is going on, it is always possible to feel peace in your heart.  It is good to nourish your being, your spirit, to be kind to yourself.

Remember also to nourish yourself with foods.  That is the Yin organ, the small intestine.  This is the organ where the most extensive process of digestion and absorption of foods and nutrients take place.

With Qigong we dance/practice movements to nourish our being with compassion towards joy and happiness.  Some of the many movements connecting the  Heart meridian are  the “Coming and going of the waves, Letting up a balloon, the Swan spreads it wings, Twisting your Body to view a distant Full Moon and the Lotus is Rising from the Water.”

“Turning the Ball of Light” connects the Small Intestine meridian.  These flowing and peaceful stretching movements with the breathwork feel so good.  For example, the Lotus flower symbolizes Harmony and Love and Peace and Compassion and more.  When we practice the Lotus movements, we envision rising up through the muck and the mud to become a flower resonating with purification and growth and happiness.  This is a favorite movement with my classes.

Come join us to return to your Heart during these Lotus days of summer with Qigong on Thursdays at 2 P.M. and at 6:15 P.M.

The class lasts for 1 hour with a charge of $10.00

There will be No Class on Thursday July 18^th, 25^th and August 1^st.  I offer a free Qigong in Ambler Borough Park on Sunday July 7^th at 2 P.M. for 1 hour. The park is located at the intersection of Hendricks St. & Valleybrook Rd.

With Qi Blessings and Gratitude,

Karen

Dancing Qigong This Spring

by Karen Steinbrecher

We dance and practice Qigong to lead us back to balance.  As we flow from winter into the green of Spring, seeds are sprouting to new life. We practice and dance movements that align our bodies to the organs. In TCM ( Traditional Chinese Medicine) that represent the Wood element Spring.  When we practice Qigong we work upon aligning body, mind and spirit, to balance Yin (Earth) and Yang (Heaven). 

The organs associated with the Wood element are the Liver (the Yin organ), and the Gall Bladder (the Yang organ).  Here, at the Resiliency Center, we practice various movements that align with our organs and their functions to help us move towards balance.  For example, the Liver filters and detoxifies the blood, and makes substances soluble for the transportation and excretion process of the kidneys.  This governs the free flow of Qi [energy that animates all life] which in turn ensures a smoother flow of emotions, blood, bile and water.  The Gall Bladder eliminates toxins in the body, emulsifies fats and regulates cholesterol levels.

We dance and practice various movements that align with the above-mentioned organs.  For example, we practice “Turning a Wheel of Light” for the Liver and for the Gall Bladder meridian, we dance “Bird’s Flight” as well as other flowing and stretching movements.

To experience the healing power of QiGong, you need to have in your mind a clear vision of what is happening to you.  In classical Chinese this would be called a vision of Heaven (Yang) and Earth (Yin).  In many ways, it is the same portrait of the cosmos as revealed by contemporary scientists. Following this thought on the balance of Yin and Yang- Heaven and Earth- the Qigong movement and breathing exercises help us to  return this energy to alignment.  When this balance is achieved, stress is reduced, and this helps us to increase the effectiveness of our immune system to ward off illness.  Research indicates that regular Qigong practice can help eliminate some types of chronic pain, reduce the need for medication, shorten postoperative recovery time, and even help to control diabetes.

Practicing Qigong can bring you back in touch with yourself; it enables you to let go of the increasing pressures and fast pace of life.  Think “green” this Spring and let go of stress as you dance QiGong. Here at the Resiliency Center there are several excellent therapists who practice  various types of support and can provide the help you may need to return to balance.  QiGong is led by Karen Steinbrecher who teaches classes on Thursdays @ 2 P.M. and 6:15 P.M. for 55 minutes.  Cost is $10.00

Playing with Qi Gong - by Karen Steinbrecher

Bring joy into your being.  Visualize your child within.

Bring joy into your heart as you practice Qigong.  Do this around children and watch the difference in the way that they respond to you.  Watch how differently they may react to one another in your presence.  Practicing and dancing the healing dance of Qigong works on adults as well.  It helps us let go of  stress, pain, worries.  It is so simple, amazing.  But you must practice.

Remember that as a child you played with the world around you?  You may have imitated a bird’s song, trying to fly like a bird up and up towards heaven and then gently (sometimes) landing on Earth.  When we practice Qigong, we connect with Heaven and Earth, Yang and Yin.  As a child did you chase a wave, toss stones, or did you run away from the wind, or did you race with it?   Let us bring it back, return to that feeling of freedom, that letting go, and connection to your being, you.  This is healing for all beingness.  As adults we often forget to include joy and play in our lives. Let us let go and be. That is part of the essence of this healing dance called Qigong.

Practicing Qigong with regularity can bring you in touch with the common sense that is your nature, a common sense that may become less common as the pace and pressures of life continue to increase.  How we feel and what we think has a powerful effect on our word as well as upon our ability to heal.  The ancient sages of China believed that thinking was a form of Qi.  Our thought and attitudes do influence not only our own bodies, but everyone and everything around us.  Qigong reminds us of this in a very tangible way because its slow, flowing movements and deep breathwork help us to return and get in touch with our connection to the world around us.  Qigong can be a tool, a strategy for freedom from our cage of isolation.

Qigong practice brings you into a relaxed state, the deep breathing oxygenates  your body. Qigong can motivate healing and inner transformation.  It cannot really be explained; it can only be experienced.

I invite you to play Qigong and breathe deeply.  Let us dance this beautiful exercise together. With each and every breath that you take, think of filling an empty glass.  The glass is empty, and as you breathe deeply you fill it from bottom to top with oxygen and Qi.  Then empty from top to bottom.  Gently move your diaphragm down, inhale and pull it up, then exhale.  Notice the feeling of the air, the Qi, moving in and out, your body and brain relaxing.  Practice this balanced breathing, this conscious breathing towards Healing and Peace and Alignment and Love.

Karen Steinbrecher practices, leads, and teaches QiGong at the Resiliency Center on Thursdays at 2:00 pm and 6:15 pm. The class fee is ten dollars for a 50-55 minute class.    RSVP in advance by contacting Karen at karensteinbrecher@msn.com

Tai Chi or QiGong: WHICH Should I Study? - by Karen Steinbrecher

As a practitioner of QiGong for over 14 years and as a practitioner and teacher here at the Resiliency Center, I must admit that I resonate to the practice of QiGong.  I love QiGong as many of you know; it is my way of life.  Yet I would like to explain some differences between QiGong and Tai Chi.   Some people prefer Yoga; some prefer Pilates; some prefer Tai Chi, and I prefer QiGong. It is all GOOD.

Tai Chi has increased in popularity and often appears in the background for advertisements of unrelated products.  It is recommended for seniors and by the American Arthritis Society, which has its own simplified version.  Many health clubs and martial arts studios offer Tai Chi classes.

Tai Chi is a Chinese art designed to protect oneself from unarmed and armed attacks and illnesses.  It is both a martial art and a method for preventing and treating illnesses.   The movements are choreographed to be practiced in a specific order.  You may find more information about its history and concepts through Google and also in the article  “Are You Really Learning Tai Chi and is it Effective for Stress?” by Martin Eisen in the Yang Sheng Journal [Insert link to http://yang-sheng.com/?p=1612].

QiGong, pronounced  ‘Chee Kung’ is not as well-known as Tai Chi and is frequently given as an auxiliary exercise before or after doing Tai Chi. In Chinese,  “Gong” means work or hard task.  “Qi” can be translated as life energy.  When you practice, dance QiGong, you practice, learn to control the flow of Qi through your body by using breath, movement and meditation.  It is a Chinese practice and discipline that is at least 5000 years old.  Depending upon the goal of the practitioner, the main divisions of modern Qigong (there are thousands of different practices) are Spiritual, Medical, Martial and Athletic.  And yes, there is an overlap between the divisions.

Medical Qigong is a branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine  (TCM).  TCM theory says that the health is the result of smooth, unblocked, not stagnate Qi circulation.  When Qi does not flow smoothly, it may be stagnant or blocked, and that can cause a problem or a deficiency in any part of the body. Disease can be a result of poor Qi circulation.  Once the flow of Qi is balanced, the body tends to heal itself.

Qi cultivation facilitates and supports health and the quality of life.  Practicing Qigong can empower the body through Qi cultivation for healing and health; it helps to train the body to produce within, the internal elixir.  This means to produce the effective corresponding medicine within the body.  According to Master Zhongli Quan, “the best medicine can be produced by internal Qi cultivation, with greater balance and harmony of the internal organs.”

While I am not a certified Medical QiGong practitioner, I lead people to discover the joy of the flowing healing movements of QiGong, as a way to take charge of your health, so that you can work in harmony with your Primary Medical Doctor.  Qi cultivation is the heart of QiGong practice.   It helps us to cope with stress and the energy imbalances that happen during daily life, towards achieving an optimal state, one with greater balance and harmony that will allow the healing of chronic health conditions towards joy.

I am thankful for the blessings and rewards that QiGong practice has enabled me to experience.  Come join me so that I may share this experience and practice with you.

Qi Dao, Yi Dao.  Where the Qi flows, the Mind goes.

Karen Steinbrecher  leads QiGong here at the Resiliency Center every Thursday  in the Open Workspace at 2:00 pm and 6:15 pm.  The class lasts for 50 -55 minutes for a charge of $10.00/class.

BLOSSOM into SPRING with the Dance of QIGONG

BLOSSOM into SPRING with the Dance of QIGONG

Karen Steinbrecher    QiGong Practitioner   

Did you experience Spring fever in the first few weeks last month?

Although the premature warm weather gave us a Spring preview with blossoms on the shrubs and trees and bulbs in bloom, now we are officially in Spring, which in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is associated with the Wood element. There is a sparkle in the air, we are ready to play baseball, watch the butterflies flutter with light-hearted images of young lovers and love bursting all around us.

Practicing, dancing Qigong, we can transition and follow the Seasonal changes with grace, as we adjust our bodies and unblock our meridians to align body, mind, and spirit to find peace and harmony towards optimum health.  Qigong is more than a set of flowing movements, it is an attitude that works to restructure one’s perspective on life, leading to balance and harmony with the world around us.

In every culture sages are revered for their ability to live in harmony with Nature and with themselves.  The outward reflects the inward.  It was the great, ancient sages, the Taoists, who discovered the acupuncture meridians, the principles of Qigong, as well as the healing qualities of herbs.    The ancient Taoists of China saw living according to the Tao, the Natural Way, as both sociological and ecological, the dance of life as being all-encompassing. Taoist Qigong traditionally emphasizes the body, for nature and the physical world are sacred.  In Taoist philosophy and TCM medicine, Spring is a time to cleanse, nourish, and support the Liver and Gall bladder. Inspired by the Wood element, envision a young tree as a pale seedling beginning to push through the winter-hardened earth, reaching for the warmth and light of the Sun.   This is how insistent your own life force becomes during this point in our year’s cycle.

Taoist Qigong alludes to a cosmic order of sorts, following the rhythms of nature, that  we see in the world around us as well as the rhythms we feel inside ourselves.

Spring is also a time of ‘emergency,’ where one’s life force pushes forward unexpectedly and in potent ways.  Any suppressed feelings or intentions clamor to come forth.  It is no surprise then that the emotion most associated with the liver is Anger.  Just as it’s not uncommon for a woman in childbirth to lash out in anger during the throes of labor, one may find the exhaustive work of your own ‘birthings’ brings you to a similar emotional pitch.  If you use Qigong to move energy through your liver and break up stagnation, you will find that you can transform anger into kindness and forgiveness, beginning with forgiveness of self.  This is empowering, a rebirth to joy and love.

With Qigong practice we follow the TCM practice of the 5 Seasons. The Wood element    focus is upon the Liver and the Gall Bladder.  We dance, practice flowing movements that help us to detoxify, let go.  Here at the Resiliency Center we practice Zhang Fu, movements that correlate with our organs.  What is Zhang Fu?  Zhang = Yin organ, Fu = Yang organ, Yin being the Liver, Gall Bladder being the Yang.   The TCM functions of the Liver govern the free flow of Qi which in turn will ensure the harmonious flow of emotions, blood, and water; it also governs the tendons and ligaments.  Liver function is reflected in the nail, known as the “free & easy wanderer ~ Alchemist.”  It opens into the eyes -the sense of sight.  The Gall Bladder, Yang, eliminates toxins in the body, emulsifies fats, and regulates cholesterol levels. Practicing these special movements enables us to flow into Spring.  

From an ancient Taoist monk, Huang Di Nei Jing:

     “Heavenly Qi moves down to meet the rising Earth Qi.   As a result living creatures bloom and bear fruit”

Qigong is about blending and using the Powers of the Universe to become more whole as humans.  Let us be thankful.  Life is a beautiful journey, a dance.  Be happy. Enjoy and learn from life itself.  Come dance Qigong with me!

Karen Steinbrecher      Qigong   Practitioner at the Resiliency Center       $10.00/class

contact: 215-836-7184   karensteinbrecher@msn.com  Thursdays @ 2 P.M. and 6:15 P.M