To understand the importance of those two practices, it is necessary to know that they form a set of 5 branches of Chinese traditional medicine!
Qi Gong : what is it ?
Qi gong is a Chinese practice including exercises, postures and a learning of dynamic movements. It is used to reinforce Life energy while relaxing the body.
It is a series of slow movements based on concentration and breathing. It is mainly practiced standing, but concerning the meditation part, Qi Gong can be practiced wether sat or lying down on a mat. Also called, “meditation in motion”, Qi Gong will allow you to discover your energy source, and will enable you to work on your feeling and your control.
Did you know ? : in the Chinese philosophy, energy is the basis of life. It flows within each one of us and is a source of exchanges and sharing with our surroundings.
Qi Gong is therefore very important in Chinese culture because it allows us to rebalance the positive and negative energy that cannot exist without each other, such as the Yin and the Yang!
In other words, Qi Gong is a life philosophy, a way to find your place in the universe, a way to improve your relationship with yourself as well as with others.
Tai-chui-chuan : what is it ?
Tai-chi is a Chinese martial art, that relies on a set of slow, rounded shapes, and continuous movements. The slowness of the movements allows us to detect various blockages but also to feel energetic flows.
This practice implies a series of alternating hands and feet movements based on the Yin and Yang forces of Chinese thinking.
This martial art is practiced in vertical posture. The movements are guided by hands movements that drive the energy to allow the body to find its gravity center. The very essence of this practice lies in the search for a balance of the 2 poles, Yang from the sky and Yin from the earth.
Did you know? : During the “push”, the energy is first concentrated in the “dantian”, one of the fundamental centers of the body (near the belly button). Once freed, the shock wave is perceived by the one who receives it like a whiplash. We call this “to bring out the force”.
In other words, Tai-chi-chuan draws its force from the “roots” that are the feet, because they are the ones that, in most cases, will initiate the push that the hand will pass.
The benefits of those thousand years old practices :
On a physical level :
• Helps control hypertension
• Reduces the cardiovascular diseases risks
• Improves flexibility
• Improves sleep
• Reduces fall risks and improves the balance of elderly people.
• Increases the walking speed
• Reinforces immune system
• Helps women who overcame breast cancer to improve their functional abilities
For our subconscious it :
• improves mental health and psychological well-being
• Helps self esteem
• Allows us to reach serenity and to let go
To go further…
If you are interested, we offer a large range of retreats to discover or deepen your practice of Tai-chi or Qi Gong and to be able to regularly practice at home later on :
