Body and Energy
One of the first thing people ask me is “what is the difference between Tai Chi and Qi Gong ?”
TAI CHI CHUAN is a martial choreography that has evolved as an Art of Living. The choreography is traditionally fixed and was transmitted as such for centuries. With the changes in our cultures the emphasis is more on the “wellness” part nowadays as it has a great impact on our breathing capacity, our coordination, equilibrium, mental activity etc, … the list of its beneficial effects is as long as my arm.
I don’t go into long explanations and details in my presentation as it’s pointless if you don’t practice, and even when you practice it the physical and energetic experience can be biased by too much mentalization and accumulated knowledge … the knowledge comes with the practice, dedication and love for the discipline.
QI GONG is a set of exercices toward a certain goal which can be health, martial arts, wellness etc, so there’s a lot of different Qi Gong, which is not the case for Tai Chi.
Tai Chi Chuan
For me Tai Chi has become a Cosmic Dance as it contains so much teachings based on natural and universal laws. It’s an infinite source of knowledge, wisdom and joy, it’s the love of my life as it taught me so much, gave me some priceless keys to understand myself, the world and the way both interact.
Legends says that Tai Chi is born 600 years ago from the observation of a snake and a crane fighting, and the superiority of the fluidity and flexibility of the snake on the rigidity of the crane.
At many level Tai Chi helps us to make contact with the laws that govern us and that most of the time we’re not aware of.
One of the means to become aware of those principles that governs us, and our relation with our surroundings, is slowness which is a challenge nowadays as it goes again the mainstream of the culture that is based on speed and accumulation.
In my teaching my focus is to develop Groundedness, which is the root of wisdom, adaptation and feeling safe; flexibility and fluidity which is the base of vitality and openness; and lightness which is the base of clarity and stillness.
The form I teach is the traditional YANG form in 108 moves.
Qi Gong
One of the translation of the word Qi is Vital Energy, which is the one I’ve adopted, and Gong means work, practice, so Qi Gong is the practice and work that impacts Vital Energy, by improving its flow and quality.
The practice is based on slow relaxing and energizing moves that help to improve the quality and depth of the breath, that improve flexibility and strength of the body building a confidence that leads to openness and well being.
Qi Gong is a powerful practice to remove the obstacles to the flow of Energy in the body, to remove stagnation and open the channels to an abundant circulation of that energy. It has also a deep impact on the mind and help to calm it down as meditation does.
The key words to describe Qi Gong is harmony, breath, equilibrium, vitality and stillness.
Qi Gong help to harmonise mind, heart and guts, Spirit and Body.
Unlike Tai Chi Chuan, there’s many kinds and forms of Qi Gong. Qi Gong oriented to martial Arts practice, Qi Gong for medical purpose, etc,. The one I teach is a global well being Qi Gong, improving health at the mind and body level.
My practice and teaching is aligned with Nature and the Elements, with the Natural and Universal laws in a relaxed and friendly, but also serious and deep, atmosphere.
Give it a try :)
Meditation
To find peace in the midst of chaos … to find yourself, Source of Love, Peace and Knowledge … to stand as Awareness.
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The meditation I practice and “teach” has the same foundational principles than my Tai Chi and Qi Gong teachings.
Even if I’ve explored different spiritual traditions of meditation and different methods myself, what I teach is not linked to any particular spiritual or religious path.
My goal is to give you simple methods to contact your inner core, to turn inward to find and stand in that inner stillness and fullness that nothing can take away from you, whatever the circumstances are.