Tai Chi and QiGong
Tai Chi and QiGong are movement forms that are working on the system of energy channels which acupuncture uses. They are referred to as examples of the internal arts.
Whilst a practice like Kung-Fu uses internal energy or power with a martial or defensive application, tai chi is the related practice for health cultivation and is generally softer in form, whilst very powerful in effect. Taichi is practiced as a series of set movements or a ‘form’. Qigong is even more accessible and adaptable as a self-practice, sometimes involving individual movements that can be sequenced as suits (there are some short set forms also) and adapted to health/ability (including seated qigong).
How can I learn and practice?
For BEDFORDSHIRE IN-PERSON classes: The Three Treasures School provides excellent Tai Chi teaching both in-person and online. There are 2 price level packages and lots of resources on the website including ‘TaiChi and Parkinson’s’.
https://www.threetreasures.co.uk
YOUTUBE:
There is a vast amount on here of course. The challenge is finding the better ones. You may want to select according to: with or without talking, length of session, focus on specific health issues etc.
Having looked through many examples, these are ones I liked:
Jeffrey Chand’s ‘QiGong for Vitality’ YouTube channel.
This is an amazing resource. Jeffrey is an acupuncturist and his channel has many, many different qigong sequence routines of all different lengths (from 5mins), tailored to different health/fitness levels, and with a focus on different themes e.g. for immunity, sleep, headaches etc.
https://www.youtube.com/@ThinkVitalityQiGong
Others you may want to check:
Qigong routine for heart and lungs: with ThichMan Tue. Set in nature. With some talking but also very peaceful. Has both a fluid and more dynamic quality than usual. 20mins long.
Qigong routine to strengthen lungs: with Peter Deadman. Peter Deadman is well-known in the acupuncture world having written some key textbooks. This is a softer, slower presentation than the one above, focusing on strengthening the lungs. Would be very good for people with chronic lung problems and could be practised as a seated form. Includes some theory with diagrams about the lung meridian and how you are activating this in the way you do the movements. 20mins long.
Heart and ‘shen’ (mind/spirit) calming qigong practice: one of Jeffrey Chand’s (see channel description above). **5mins long**.
Wu Bu Quan (5 stances beginner form): with Shi Heng Yi . Wu Bu Quan is a foundation form of Shaolin Kung Fu, not Tai Chi or Qigong but with some similarity in some of the movements. Requires some strength and agility. 54mins long.
Ba Duan Jin (aka 8 section Brocade): with George Thompson, less Buddhist or Daoist monk, more regular guy on the street. Ba Duan Jin is a set form of Qigong and is good for medium to good health/fitness levels. Good down to earth explanation of working with your own qi, an important but obscure way of saying: when you practice this, check in with exactly how you are. Be present. Gently coax your mind and body to feel better. 21mins long.
5 Animals Qigong (Wu Xin Qi): with Yoga Lily. With Chinese music and talking in English. Nicely calm. Another of the Qigong set forms. Lovely. 14mins long.
8 Pieces of Silk Brocade (Ba Duan Jin): with unnamed lady. Set in nature (with birdsong - best comment ‘holy sh*T, those birds are loud’), and subtitles for directions. Check her channel - has some tapping / self massage videos. 20mins long.