Tai Chi & Qi Gong

Cathryn Lai Tai Chi Studio provides public and private Tai Chi and Qi Gong Training in the Whitefish, Montana area.

The ancient arts of Tai Chi and Qi Gong uses gentle flowing movements to reduce stress and improve health. Tai Chi originally developed in ancient China for self-defense, has evolved into a graceful form of exercise that's now used for stress reduction and to help with a variety of other health conditions. Tai chi is sometimes described as "meditation in motion" because it promotes serenity through gentle movements — connecting the mind and body.

Qi Gong is an ancient Chinese practice. The word “qi” means “life force” or "vital energy of the body," and “gong” means accomplishment or skill that is cultivated through steady practice. Qi Gong is specifically designed to cultivate the body's vital energy, using it to heal and strengthen every system throughout the body. Thus, qi gong means “cultivating energy,” and it involves working with energy to strengthen and cleanse the body.

Services

I am available to teach the following:

Public Classes
Private (one on one sessions)
Seminars (one or two day)

Class Content

Tai Chi Forms

• Tai Chi Yang Style 8 Form - This routine was created in Beijing in 1999. The Form is popular for its symmetry and its simplicity, and requires little space. It is also known as the 10 form. It is an excellent form for beginners to learn.

• Tai Chi Cheng Man Ching Yang Style 37 Form - Cheng Man Ching was a student of Yang Chen Fu and one of the first masters to teach tai chi openly in the West. He created this routine using the essential movements of the traditional Yang style long routine.

Qi Gong

• Silk Reeling (chánsīgōng) - a set of neigong (internal) movement principles expressed in traditional styles of tai chi chuan, but especially emphasized by the Chen and Wu styles of tai chi chuan. The name derives from the metaphorical principle of "reeling the silk from a silk worm's cocoon". In order to draw out the silk successfully the action must be smooth and consistent without jerking or changing direction sharply. Too fast, the silk breaks, too slow, it sticks to itself and becomes tangled. Hence, the silk reeling movements are continuous, cyclic patterns performed at constant speed with the "light touch" of drawing silk. Silk reeling is trained in solo forms and stances.

• Qi Gong Tapping – Tapping routines are based on Chinese Traditional Medicine and the Chinese Meridian system. Learn routines that quickly activate the Qi and invigorate the body.

• Eight Pieces of Brocade Qi Gong (Baduanjin) - One of the most common forms of Chinese qigong used as exercise. The name of the form generally refers to how the eight individual movements of the form characterize and impart a silken quality (like that of a piece of brocade) to the body and its energy.

• Qi Gong Swings – Learn a qi gong set that energizes the whole body and activates each of the 3 warmers in the Triple Warmer (San Jiao) Meridian.

• And many other Qi Gong exercise – includes, free form exercises, static postures, and movement from different traditions.

Meditations

• Cosmic Sound Healing – Learn an easy, effective meditation based on Chinese Traditional Medicine and the Chinese Five Element Theory. This mediation is beneficial for relaxation as well as self-healing.

• Inner Smile - One of the most well-known of Taoist neidan (Inner Alchemy) practices is the "Inner Smile" - in which we smile inwardly to each of the major organs of our body, activating within us the energy of loving-kindness, and waking up the Five-Element associational network.

• Breathing – A series of different breathing exercises for relaxation and fostering qi awareness.