Offering Classes and Workshops in Chinese Healing Arts

Tai Chi, or Taiji Quan, is an 800-year-old Chinese martial art with roots that can be traced back much further. For centuries, the secrets of this gentle art were passed down in oral tradition to prevent them from being revealed to “outsiders.” In the past century, Tai Chi has evolved from a family and village-focused source of protection into a worldwide health & fitness movement and a moving meditation while still retaining its martial origins.

The gentle movements of this soft flowing meditative exercise system direct the life force, “Qi (Chi),” to achieve balance, increase flexibility, provide more efficient breathing, and enhance circulation. Tai Chi’s focus on developing internal power and wisdom separates it from the hard, external arts of Karate, Tae Kwon Do, and others. Its slow-motion movement, inner focus, and health benefits make it an ideal, low impact, health-enhancing exercise system for people of all ages.

Qigong (Chi Kung), literally “Energy Work”, is the widely practiced art of moving and balancing Chi (life force energy) throughout the body to maintain health and prevent illness. The practice includes body postures and movements, breathing techniques, and focused intention. It has been practiced in China for more than 6000 years, and like Tai Chi, was held as a family or village art and not shared with outsiders until the mid-twentieth century.

Qigong – sometimes considered the fourth arm of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) - is practiced to provide the body with energetic balance in the same ways that TCM uses the sister arts of Herbal remedies, Acupuncture and Chinese Massage (Tui Na). While having evolved outside of the TCM structure, Qigong has come to be considered a major element in the Chinese healing arts.

The ancient arts of Tai Chi and Qigong present a unique set of tools with which we can return our bodies to a healthy balance and maintain a superior quality of life as we age. The deep rhythmic breathing, slow deliberate movements, and body-mind focus of these arts help us to improve balance and circulation, reduce falls, increase flexibility, loosen and lubricate joints, improve concentration and reduce stress.

For centuries, the Chinese have known and understood the benefits these practices provide. We now have the opportunity to incorporate them into our own lives.

Silver Dragon uses a combination of Qigong and simple Tai Chi movements to accelerate the students’ development and energy awareness. Tai Chi’s martial postures and movements are used to “inform” the body of the optimal relationship of torso, limbs, mind, and breath that enhance the internal movement of energy and maximize the healing benefits of Qi. Our focus is on helping students improve their physical and energetic balance and recognize and adjust to changes in their movement, flexibility and mental focus.

George's 15 years of federal service (including 11 years in Air Traffic Control) and 25 years in corporate America give him a unique view of the need to manage stress and adopt healthy exercise habits to benefit students' long-term health and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Call us today to understand how Tai Chi and Qigong classes might benefit you!