WHEN

September 5, 12, 19 and 26 - 10 am - 11:15am PST - Online on Zoom

(Each recording is sent out within 24 hours and all recordings will stay available until Sept 30, 2026)

QUOTE

“Qigong is about helping people.” ~ my teacher, Daria Fain

COOL FACT

Qigong began in caves by monks who contemplated nature. They observed that the same nature that exists outside the body - weather, forces, elements, and seasons - also exists inside the body in the form of emotions, thoughts, and actions.

WHAT IS QIGONG?

Qi (Chi) means Breath, and Gong (Kung) means Work.

Dating back 4000 years, Qigong is one of the most ancient forms of Breath-Work.

Many of the physical practices in Qigong are movement meditations. These are fluid, continuous, and enjoyable experiences that bring the breath and movement into one.

WHAT WILL WE DO DURING THE MONTH?

We will do a combination of Theory, Practice, and Discussion.

Theory:

The 5 element theory is foundational to the practice of Chinese Medicine in both Acupuncture and Qigong. Daoism is an Animist Cosmology - which means everything has life and vibration to it - and the 5 element theory gives this cosmology its structure.

The theory states that everything is made up of 5 elements: Earth, Water, Metal, Wood, and Fire. These elements do not exist as separate entities, but in relationship to each other through two main cycles: The generative cycle (e.g. water gives life to wood, and wood gives life to fire); and the control cycle (e.g. water controls fire, and fire controls metal.)

As human beings, each of us has a unique combination of these 5 elements, a unique blend of the two cycles, and thus our own unique expression of nature….We don’t exist in nature, we are nature!

Over the course of the month, we will learn the principles of the 5 element theory, play with the two cycles, and deepen our understanding of Daoist principles.

Practice:

Warm-up - Over the course of the month, we will learn a simple warm-up that gently activates all systems of the body. This is a sequence you can use in your daily life as a way to open your joints, connect to your breath, and balance your emotions. This will be repeated each week so that you can begin to integrate it more deeply.

Form - In addition, we will learn a specific Qigong form that helps to regulate the nervous system. We will build on the form each week, adding new elements, so that by the end of the month, you have the entire form to take with you.

Discussion/Q&A:

The last part of the class will include a conversation in which we share our experience with one another and have an opportunity to ask questions.