CLASSES

The Qi Gong (pronounced “Chi Gong”) and Mindful Movement Practice, offered by Kun-Hong Lu, has been ongoing since September 2010.  The practice is open to anyone interested, age 14 and older.  It is offered on a free-will donation basis; all proceeds  go to the Drake Community Library in Grinnell.  Suggested donation amount is $5 to $10 per session.

 

The practice focuses on Hun Yuan Qi Gong, the internal practice of Xin Yi Hun Yuan Chen Style Tai Chi developed by Master Feng Zhiqiang.  "Qi" is the Chinese word for the breath/ life force; it is also used in the context of describing the relationship between physical form, energy and spirit.  "Gong" is the Chinese word for practice/achievement.  The two words are combined to describe systems of cultivating vital energy and its unobstructed flow to enhance the health of the body, mind, and spirit.  Hun Yuan Qi Gong is gentle and accessible.  It entails a combination of relaxed and spacious breathing with circular and repetitive movements, and specific mind-intent/ visualizations.   As a supplement to the Qi Gong practice, I began teaching Simplfied 24 Yang Style Taiji form in 2017.  In addition to over 20 years of Taiji and Qi Gong practice, I bring to the group my own cultivation of mindfulness.  I relate to Qi Gong and Taiji as mindfulness-based movement meditation.  I see mindfulness as non-judgmental and open awareness of our physical sensations, emotions, thoughts, intentions and actions in the present moment.  I also bring my deep aspiration to meet life with curiosity, trust, kindness, compassion, and love.

 

In terms of the structure of the group, I start with a brief relaxed breathing and centering exercise, followed by a whole body gentle warm up.  We then practice basic steps of Taiji and work on several Taiji movements, followed by practicing 7-8 of the 14 Qi Gong exercises.  The exercises are simple enough that I hope people will be able to follow the movements and benefit from them even if they haven’t heard detailed explanation of a particular exercise yet. When practiced consistently and for its own sake, it becomes a way of being.

 

Please e-mail me at grinnellcounseling@yahoo.com if you wish to join the practice.

 

Aspects of Hun Yuan Qi Gong Practice

 

Qi

Active cultivation of life force/vitality and its unobstructed flow. As an aikido master describes: “It is the activity of life, the essence of spirit. … It is tinier than an atom and more awesome than the galaxies. It is the vital essence of the universe, the creative energy of God. It fills the universe and all it contains from its beginning to eternity.” (Quote from The Way of Aikido by George Leonard)

 

Spiritual

Expansion beyond ideas of fixed and separate selves to connect with the universal and dynamic unfolding mystery; harmony with the natural flow of the universe; embody the interconnectedness and balance of phenomena – stillness and movement, rootedness and uprightness, relaxation and alertness, humility and power, softness and strength, precision and fluidity.

 

Emotional

Cultivation of ease, openness, kindness, curiosity, joy, and delight, as reflected through the facial expression of the half-smile.

 

Mental

Practice of concentration, mind-intent, and visualizations.

 

Physical

Conditioning of physical alignment, posture and facial expression; cultivation of balance, coordination, grounding, agility, flexibility and strength of the body.

 

Mindfulness

Open, non-judgmental awareness of direct experiences of bodily sensations, emotions, thoughts, energies, and impulses in the present moment.

 

Breathing

Natural, relaxed breathing. Visualize breathing all the way down to the “Qi Hai,” the energy center one to two inches below the navel inside the body; visualize expansion of the whole abdomen – front, back, and sides, with the inhalations.