Qigong, or Chi Kung, (pronounced "Chee Gung"), consists of a vast array of meditative techniques for enhancing health, strength, and spiritual development. My interest lies in promotion of health and it is those self-practiced techniques that I teach. T'ai Chi and Bagua are related martial training practices. There are hundreds of styles of Qigong, some very specific to particular health concerns, others more general. More active styles tend to be popular, as they clearly promote blood and lymph circulation. Yet the simpler standing and sitting qigong techniques are very powerful as well.
Read MoreAlthough comparatively new in the U.S., acupuncture is one segment of an ancient system of medicine developed thousands of years ago in China.
The classical Chinese explanation of how acupuncture works is that pathways of energy flow in regular patterns throughout the body. These pathways, also called meridians, are like rivers that irrigate and nourish the system. In fact, Western physicists are beginning to measure the impulses felt along the meridians. Like rivers, obstructions can dam and impede the natural flow. Acupuncture aims to reestablish harmony and balance in this flow of energy in the meridian system.
Read MoreBy the time this comes out, we will likely be into serious winter weather, and if the Farmer’s Almanac is correct, plenty of accompanying storms. In my last article on Fall dietary support, I mentioned facilitating the shift of the season and letting go [of summer warmth and perhaps more]. With the unseasonable warmth of November, our bodies may have been easily lulled into complacency, rather than cranking our internal thermostats.
Read MoreJust getting this blog off the ground with an article soon to come out in the Summer issue of the Good Tern Coop newsletter. Soak up the sun when you can!
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