Testimonials

I think in my first Tai Chi Qi Gong class I remember hurting my neck. I was nervous, and I was trying to perform the moves as I was learning them by watching the instructors. So I actually ended up straining my neck a little. However I took the warm up exercises and some of the other basic things I learned that day home with me and practiced what I remembered. I was surprised that my strain did not last long and I felt great and eager for another class.

I am a professional landscaper full time running my own small business through the latter of my twenties up to now. I have always been very physically inclined and athletic. I also have had a problem with minor scoliosis which often would contribute to problems when I would physically exert myself. For a long time I considered it normal to strain my back or neck typically once every two or three months, and it usually took about 3 days to 1 full week to recover. So I would basically often have no choice but to work with the strain and it was exhausting to be in debilitating pain as I was trying to do my physical work. Also in my late twenties I took up dancing. I am an avid Contra dancer and I also do waltzing, zydeco, and other styles too. I fell in love with dancing but due to the physical demands of my work I often found myself too tired or sore to go out dancing once the weekend came around, much less go out for an event on the week night. Tai Chi Qi Gong changed all of this. I began my Tai Chi Qi Gong practice at the age of 30. I was amazed at the immediate benefits I gained to my physical body. I still had a few pulls and strains while working from time to time, but I was much more aware of how the way I held and carried myself contributed to these and I was learning ways to avoid. For example, before I began Tai Chi Qi Gong I would often stand around with my knees completely locked stiff. In my first Tai Chi Qi Gong class I learned to keep all of my joints, especially my knees, unlocked rather than rigid and stiff. By doing this I noticed a great increase in agility and relaxation and it just felt better. My typical back and neck strains are now a thing of the past for me. Also my knees and legs were often sore at the end of a hard day of work or weekend of dancing, and now this also is no longer a problem for me either.

As I continue to learn Tai Chi Qi Gong it continues to amaze me and fill we with awe and wonder. I find there are movements in my dancing that are the same as movements in Tai Chi Qi Gong. For example, the basic Courtesy Turn in Contra dancing for the lead is virtually the same movement as Wind Blows Lotus Leaves in Qi Gong. I can remember taking a Swing dance class and one of our first instructions was to slightly bend our knees to help protect the back and be relaxed and ready to move, I looked at my partner and said, 'this is so Tai Chi." Also when I do waltzing I always perform better when my body is soft and supple rather than hard and rigid.

So these are some of the main reasons why I love Tai Chi Qi Gong. It allows me to work hard and play hard and it gives me the ability to rest and repair rapidly in between. It keeps me open to new possibilities and more aware of what is already at hand and immediately available. It has become a very important part of me and my life and I look forward to my classes and practice as I continue to learn and grow. ---G.H.

I couldn't walk fast or run anymore due to knee pain. I have gone back to running again and my knees are doing great!

This work has changed so many aspects of my life, physically, emotionally...

I can focus on the feeling of the movements and the energy when I am stressed at work, and I am then more productive and effective.

I have learned to relax when I want, get full of energy when I want, and share that great balance with my family.

My restless leg syndrome has stopped completely!

I was practicing in line at the bank, it helped with back strain.

I did T'ai Chi walk downhill on slippery driveway and did not slip.

I am feeling so much more flexible.

I have better balance and awareness of movement.

Most times I remember “shoulders down” to relieve stress.

My back feels better, balance is better, all around, I feel like a new me!

Usually I practice in the morning, and I can tell my legs are getting stronger.