Tai Chi for Seniors - Tai Chi for Health Institute - Dao of Well Being™
Volume 3, Issue 3
Tai Chi & Qigong for Health Newsletter
In this Issue Summer Health
1
Life is Play (excerpt) Playing with Movie Stars
3
Journey to China & Tibet Highlights & Photo Essay
4
Watermelon: is it the Natural Viagra?
15
16 Blueberries for Age Related Mental Decline Qigong & Tai Chi Benefits
23
Qigong Notes & Guidelines
25
About Us
26
Women‘s Retreat Photo Essay
28
2011 Summer
Summer Health & Harmony We hope you are having a great summer! To help you along with that, this edition of our newsletter has some great tips on how to keep in balance with the season and environment, stay healthy and build up your energy. Summer is the season of abundant sunshine and long warm days and it is the most yang time of the year according to Traditional Chinese Medicine. It‘s a time of activity, expansion, growth, creativity, outgoingness, and moving outward in nature and in our lives. It is associated with the Fire element which represents physical strength, force, courage, desire, initiative, passion, and rejuvenation. It represents both light and heat. (Summer Season Health & Harmony continued on page 2)
China & Tibet Tour October 12-28, 2011 There is still time to register. Special discount on fee until August. 6, 2011 call (800) 341-8895
“If you want to be healthy and live to be 100, do Qigong,” says Oprah’s Dr. Oz. “Qigong slows the aging process!” Harvard Medical School
Add watermelon to your diet to keep cool, calm and healthy in the summertime. The phyto-nutrients in watermelon can have amazing positive effects in our body like relaxing the blood vessels, much like Viagra. (see page 15)
Tai Chi for Seniors - Tai Chi for Health Institute - Dao of Well Being
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Summer Health & Harmony (continued from page 1)
Emotionally, this element is associated with the mind and keeping it balanced, enthusiasm, warmth in human relationships and conscious awareness. The heart is the "seat" of the mind and therefore, its highest expression is love. A positive fire person is strong, courageous and bold, dramatic and passionate in all areas within himself. In human anatomy, the heart, mind, and spirit are ruled by the Fire element. Thus, special attention should be given to keeping the heart, mind, and spirit healthy and balanced during the summer months. Physically, the heart‘s main function is to pump oxygen-rich blood through the body. When the fire element is balanced, the heart properly governs and circulates the blood and insures proper assimilation of the beginning breakdown of food in the small intestines. In Chinese medicine, mental activity is associated with the heart and therefore our memory, thought processes, emotional well-being, and consciousness are also attributed to the heart and fire element. This is a time to nourish and pacify our spirits, and to realize our life‘s greatest potential as we find joy in our hot summer days and warm summer nights. It is said that the heart houses the mind or our Shen. The Shen is described as the Spirit in The
Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic (Huangdi Neijing, 黃帝內經) which is the most important ancient text in Chinese medicine as well as a major book of Daoist theory and lifestyle. Shen refers to the mechanism of change or the mystery of sudden and profound transformation, and when applied to our body, Shen describes what would be called our physical vitality, mental activity, and spirit. The important signs in heart syndromes are palpitations, a tendency to be frightened, chest oppression, pain in the cardiac region, insomnia, nightmares, poor memory and delirium. When the Fire element is imbalanced, we may either lack joy (depression) or have an excess of joy (maniac condition). Fire is symbolic of maximum activity or greatest Yang; nature at its peak of growth, and the motion is upward. Agitation, nervous exhaustion, heartburn and insomnia are other indicators of imbalance in this area. When the fire element is in balance, the heart is strong and healthy, the mind is calm and sleep is sound. Emotionally, when the fire element is balanced, sensitivity and expression, true joy, fulfillment and the equilibrium between heart and mind are our greatest rewards. (Summer Health & Harmony continued on page 10)
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Tai Chi for Seniors - Tai Chi for Health Institute - Dao of Well Being
Excerpt from Life is Play by Mark Johnson
Playing with the Movie Stars Meanwhile, back in ‗reality,‘ in early 1982, one of the more spectacular synchronicities happened to me. When something like that happens in your life, you know you are living right. It all started as a dull and boring day in Los Angeles when I got a phone call from a friend who wanted me to go with him to a middle school summer camp on Mt. Palomar for the weekend. The camp was for young San Diego students who wanted some exposure to ‗nature.‘ There was literally a cow in the pasture with the word cow painted on it. Since I was an amateur astronomer in those days, I was excited at the prospect of seeing one of t h e w o r l d ‘ s l a r g e s t t e l e s c o p e s . So off we went with my telescope sticking out the sunroof of my car. Upon arrival, I was shown a small Questar telescope that was donated to the camp. The instructors at the camp said they could not figure out how to use it. Without any instruction booklet, I struggled with it for several nights during my stay, and on the third day, I had a meeting with the instructors to show them how to use it. That little telescope turned out to be an important talisman in another soon-to-be-life-altering encounter. By the way, I was able to see the famous , (Life as Play, excerpt: Playing with Movie Stars continued on page 18)
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Tai Chi for Seniors - Tai Chi for Health Institute - Dao of Well Being
China & Tibet Tour— Journey to Shangri-La October 12-28, 2011 ď ł May 11-27, 2012 Join us for the journey of a lifetime...a life changing journey! Call 1-800-341-8895
There is still time to register for the October, 2011 tour. Our tours are life expanding journeys that will broaden your experience of the world at the depth YOU are seeking!
Traditional Naxi dancers in Lijiang, where we will stay on part of our tour.
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Tai Chi for Seniors - Tai Chi for Health Institute - Dao of Well Being
There is still time to register for the October, 2011 trip. Call Rebecca at 1-800-341-8895 for more info & our daily itinerary. www.QigongChinaTrip.com Clear sunny skies of Tibet shine over the back entrance of the Potala, former home of the Dalai Lama.
Volume 3, Issue 3
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Part of the temple complex of Songtsam Monastery in Shangri-La. We will stay in a Traditional Tibetan manor house near here on part of our tour.
Highlights of our Journey to Shangri-La ~ China & Tibet Tour â—? Experience the wonder of Shangri-La, in the novel Lost Horizon, Shangri-La is a Himalayan kingdom located in a verdant valley encompassed by snow-capped mountains, an earthly paradise isolated from the outside world where people find peace and are almost immortal. Some say Shangri-La is really a state of mind...finding peace within and cultivating vital good health at any age. You may find both on our journey to Shangri-La, a town in northern Yunnan, near Tibet. â—? Shangri-La, our destination, like Shangri-La from the story is a peaceful and incredibly beautiful land guarded by a Lama Temple. We stay in a lovely traditional Tibetan guest house located right between the Zongzanlin Monastery, built by the 5th Dalai Lama in 1679 and a small Tibetan village. You will have time to explore with our group and on your own and experience the incredible sights, sounds, and the amazing energy of this unique and magical land. (continued on page 7)
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Tai Chi for Seniors - Tai Chi for Health Institute - Dao of Well Being
Rebecca (middle back) with Tibetan women and Rebecca‘s Pumi daughter, Janice, (middle front) in Shangri-La. ● Explore Tibet, the roof top of the world where we stay in a beautiful Tibetan style hotel in the heart of Lhasa where the Pilgrim’s Circuit goes right past our door. Tour the Potala Palace once home of the Dalai Lama; Jorkang Temple, considered the most beautiful and sacred temple in Tibet. ● Learn about the daily life of Tibetan people as we visit traditional old style villages and are welcomed as guests of a Tibetan family in their home. Learn about Nomad Culture as we visit the Tibetan Grass Lands, Nomadic Herders in their tents, ride Yaks and picnic along the shore of incredibly beautiful turquoise NamTtso Lake, the highest salt water lake in the world. (continued on page 8) ● Learn about Tibetan Medicine at the Tibetan Traditional Hospital; visit a Buddhist Nunnery near our hotel; shop for traditional art and handcrafts at Barkor, the famous 1,000 year old open market, right in the center of Lhasa; enjoy Tibetan Banquets and Dancing Shows (continued on page 8)
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The cafe in Lijiang where we enjoy breakfast and dark rich, Yunnan coffee, for the coffee drinkers. Highlights of our Journey to Shangri-La ~ China & Tibet Tour (continued) ● Enjoy the picturesque old town of Lijiang with its cobble stone streets, stone bridges gracefully arching over canals fed by glacial streams overlooked by Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Visit Black Dragon Pool, Dongba Museum, Baisha Village, learn about the traditional life style of Naxi and other matriarchal cultures. Enjoy delectable food unique to Yunnan and Naxi Traditional Orchestra. Lijiang is one of the most charming spots in the world. ● Visit Chengdu, in SW China, where we will tour the Giant Panda Research Center and bamboo park, learn about Giant Pandas, Red Pandas and how we can support the survival of these endangered species Even have an opportunity to hold and photograph adorable baby Pandas. (with donation to Panda research) Enjoy the Sichuan Opera with Mask Changing Shows and Hot Pot Dinner and other world famous Sichuan Cuisine. ● Our tour itinerary includes a program of stress reduction, Tai Chi & Qigong that is founded on our lifelong experience and dedication to teaching and sharing these self-empowering arts. ● We offer (optional) daily Tai Chi and Qigong sessions including: Eight Extra Meridian Qigong, Anti-Ageing and Longevity Qigong, Stress Reduction Techniques, Five Element Theory, Daoist Inner Alchemy, Medical Qigong, Eight Brocades, Qigong Healing for yourself and others, Acupressure, Meditation and more....
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Tibetan Buddhist nuns at the nunnery a short walk down the street from our hotel. We will join these amazing women for traditional morning chanting. Journey to Shangri-La Trip Fee: (October 12 to 28, 2011) $3,900. for the next week we are offering you the early registration discount fee of $3,900. (trip fee without international airfare) (special offer expires August 6, 2011) $4,150. is the regular registration fee (trip fee without international airfare) The trip fee (without international flight tickets) includes: all transportation within China including airfare, bus, boats and private van, all lodging (double occupancy accommodation), study tuition, excursion and sight seeing fees, translator fees, most meals, including our private banquets, admission charges to temples and tourist sites, (beginning at our hotel in Chengdu on Oct. 13th and ending at our hotel in Chengdu on Oct. 28) Trip members traveling to China on their own will meet us in Chengdu on Oct. 13th, trip ends in Chengdu on Oct. 28. (If you wish, our airline ticket agent can assist you in arranging discount rates on your international flight). Single room where available is $655 US extra
There is still time to register for the October, 2011 trip. Call 1-800-341-8895 www.QigongChinaTrip.com
Volume 3, Issue 3
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Green Ram Temple, back courtyard with incense burners and Dragon Panel. above
Chinese Sword form practice group. below
Call 1-800-341-8895 There is still time to register for the October, 2011 trip. www.QigongChinaTrip.com
Volume 3, Issue 3
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Naxi dancers, Lijiang, Yunnan. Naxi are one of the matriarchal minority culture.s we will visit on our October tour.
Our October 2011, China & Tibet tour ~ Journey to Shangri-La will be the most incredible tour we have offered in over 10 years of leading exceptional tours to China and Tibet. You can call either me or Rebecca if you would like to know more. As you know, we limit the number of people who can go with us. But there is still room for you to be part of the Journey to Shangri-La in October. I hope you can take advantage of this invitation to experience what is truly the journey of a lifetime. Imagine the true meaning of Shangri-La, the incredible awe-inspiring beauty of the places we visit throughout SW China & Tibet. Imagine actually standing in ancient power spots and filling yourself with the energy where enlightened beings have practiced their cultivation for hundreds of years and tapping into the timeless wisdom and insights of those ancient achieved ones and the ancient cultures we will connect with. Give us a call to learn more about the trip...and join us for the journey of a lifetime,
Mark Phone: (800) 497-4244 E-mail: Mark@Chi-Kung.com
Rebecca Phone: (800) 341-8895 E-mail: Kali@QiCentral.org
We are members of ASTA, American Society of Travel Agents, the world's largest association of travel professionals
Volume 3, Issue 3
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There is still time to register for the October, 2011 trip. Call 1-800-341-8895 www.QigongChinaTrip.com Yaks and Nomads picnic with our group near Namtso Lake, Tibet.
Qigong & Tai Chi are a daily (optional) part of our China & Tibet tour program.
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Tai Chi for Seniors - Tai Chi for Health Institute - Dao of Well Being
China & Tibet Tour—Journey to Shangri-La (continued from page 12) Our tours have the relaxed atmosphere that gives you the time to really experience the wonderful places we visit at your own pace. The tea shops of Yunnan, the back roads of Lijiang and Baisha Village and the Barkor Bazaar, a 1,000 year old open-air market in the heart of Lhasa are favorite stops for tour members who want to bring home a bit of the truly exceptional. You can find almost anything there!
Our group learns about Traditional Chinese Medicine & pulse diagnosis (above left) A hillside village & tea plantation. (above right)
Comments from Previous Tour Members: “Dynamic. Expansive and enlarging. A learning experience. It opened my mind and my heart. I especially enjoyed the meditation with the monks and the opera in Chengdu. I loved visiting the Tibetan family in their home. Learned much about China and it’s influence in the world. I appreciate both Rebecca and Mark for your energy and your devotion” B. Molle “I really enjoyed EVERY MINUTE. It’s true! I loved the whole thing. There were high points every single day. Amazing agenda. So rich...so full. I was mesmerized at each turn, so many cultural norms to observe, besides all the exquisite locations we visited. Thank you so much for ALL you did to make this fantastic trip happen.” K. Kunkel
www.QigongChinaTrip.com
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Tai Chi for Seniors - Tai Chi for Health Institute - Dao of Well Being
(Summer Health & Harmony continued from page 2)
To be healthy in summer and in harmony with the environment & season:
Awaken early in the morning with the sun. Go to bed later in the evening. Rest at midday. Drink plenty of fluids to dampen summer fire. Add pungent flavors to your diet. Keep calm and even-tempered; refrain from anger.
SUMMER FOODS: Chinese nutrition classifies food according to its energetic qualities of temperature, taste, and
ability to moisten and strengthen the body. Foods with cool and cold properties can clear heat, reduce toxins, and generate body fluids. In summer, a light and less-greasy diet is strongly recommended as indigestion can easily occur.
In general, cooling foods tend towards the green end of the spectrum — lettuce, cucumbers, and watercress are some of the coolest. Naturally high water-content foods such as watermelon, cantaloupe, celery, cucumber, pear, grapes and tomatoes are excellent choices for summer dining. Fish and seafood are also cooling, while most meats are warming. Here are more foods that will keep you cool and balanced all summer long. apricots, berries, lemon, peach, orange, asparagus, sprouts, bamboo, bok choy, broccoli, Chinese cabbage, corn, white mushroom, snow peas, spinach, summer squash, watercress, seaweed, mung means, cilantro, mint, and dill. If you are feeling especially hot and dehydrated make a cooling tea of Chinese chrysanthemum flowers. (Summer Health & Harmony continued on page 15)
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Tai Chi for Seniors - Tai Chi for Health Institute - Dao of Well Being
(Summer Health & Harmony continued from page 14)
Add watermelon to your diet to keep cool, calm and healthy in the summertime. The list of its healthful benefits grows longer with each study. Watermelon and other fruits and vegetables contain lycopene, beta carotene and phyto-nutrients which are bio-active compounds that benefit human health. The most important of the phyto-nutrients in watermelon is citrulline which has amazing positive effects in our body like relaxing the blood vessels, much like Viagra. Citrulline is transformed into arginine after combining with enzymes in our body. The citrullinearginine relationship is excellent for heart health, helps blood circulation, boosts the immune system and may prove to be very helpful for those who suffer from obesity and type 2 diabetes. "Arginine boosts nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels, the same basic effect that Viagra has, to treat erectile dysfunction and maybe even prevent it.
Watermelon may not be as organ specific as Viagra, but it’s a great way to relax blood vessels without any drug side-effects.” Dr. Patil Citrulline, is found pre-dominantly in the rind but new varieties are being developed that have higher concentration of citrulline in their flesh. N ew studies have revealed even greater amounts of phyto-nutrients in watermelon. These findings discovered that watermelon has even higher lycopene concentrations than tomatoes, the former, ‗lycopene king‘. Lycopene is a fat -soluble carotenoid with anti-oxidant properties that protect heart prostate and skin. Watermelons that are of the deep red type have higher concentration of lycopene and are the best ones to consume for better health benefits. 92 percent of watermelon is made up of water while 8 percent is lycopene. Citrulline, lycopene, phyto-nutrients; Watermelon is a treasure chest full of essential nutrients! (Summer Health & Harmony continued on page 16)
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Tai Chi for Seniors - Tai Chi for Health Institute - Dao of Well Being
(Summer Health & Harmony continued from page 11)
(Summer Health & Harmony continued on page 17)
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(Summer Health & Harmony continued from page 16)
Tai Chi for Seniors - Tai Chi for Health Institute - Dao of Well Being
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Tai Chi for Seniors - Tai Chi for Health Institute - Dao of Well Being
Mark’s new book!
LIFE IS PLAY Learn all about Mark’s training with his teachers and the profound and valuable concepts he learned from his mentors. Mark includes ways to apply his insights to everyday life situations in a humorous and playful manner. Join Mark on his forty-year spiritual odyssey with some of the most fascinating spiritual teachers of the last half-century. His travels take him from the mountains of Pennsylvania to exotic temples in China and eventually to the wild and dangerous hills of Malibu, California. Mark chronicles his ten-year training in an ashram in Florida, his year with a famous Zen Roshi in California and his intense, eightyear apprenticeship to a powerful Daoist Wizard from China.
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(Life as Play, excerpt: Playing with Movie Stars continued from page 3)
I watched them do infrared work, which is not affected by the weather. They were looking at the evolution of galaxies, and exotic phenomena in active galactic nuclei. I even got to ride around in the cage that is attached to the back of the telescope. When I returned home, there was a message saying Francis Ford Coppola wanted a Tai Chi teacher and that I should go in for an interview. The next day, the producer asked if I could be in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in three days. I wasn‘t even sure where Oklahoma was, but off I went with my telescope still sticking out the top of my car. I arrived at the primary school the movie company was renting for the summer and was immediately taken to the gymnasium for a meeting with Francis and the cast and crew of the movie The Outsiders. I had no idea what to say to break the ice because I basically considered actors to be overly paid imitators and thought most movies were trash. In other words, I didn‘t have much in common with them. As fate would have it, I didn‘t have to say anything, for Francis immediately asked. ― Do you have a place to stay?‖ I said, ―I just arrived,‖ and pointed out the window of the gymnasium to my car in the parking lot. He saw my scope sticking out of the car and asked if it was a telescope and I said yes. He then said, ―Carl Sagan recently gave me a small telescope and I can‘t figure out how to use it.‖ You guessed it: it was the same scope I had learned to use a few days before! The next thing I knew, we were both on our hands and knees in a corner of the gym discussing its use. Because of our mutual love of astronomy, one of my nightly duties, in addition to teaching everyone Tai Ji, was to set up the
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Tai Chi for Seniors - Tai Chi for Health Institute - Dao of Well Being
(Life as Play, excerpt: Playing with Movie Stars continued from page 18)
telescopes so the cast and crew could look at the stars between takes.As I reflect upon the making of that movie and the following movie titled Rumble Fish, which was shot back-to-back with The Outsiders in the same city, I now regard those times as not only magical in my life - it must have been a magical time for the whole film industry. How many other movies had so many young and mostly unknown actors and actresses, who later turned out to be superstars appear in the same movie? Because of those extraordinary times, I got to know the young Nicolas Cage, Tom Cruise, Diane Lane, Patrick Swayze, Matt Dillon, Rob Lowe, Laurence Fishburne, Ralph Macchio, Mickey Rourke, C. Thomas Howell, Emilio Esteves and Tom Waits, along with many others who visited us at the various locations. They were exceptionally talented kids running around having a good time. No big egos, no fame—most were not even married. I enjoyed them all. Although I liked them all, I soon discovered those fools were more interested in making movies than in the precious gift I was giving them, so I eventually got disenchanted with the whole scene. If it were not for Eleanor (Francis‘s wife) and her friends taking classes in the E Jing and in studying the book No Boundary by Ken Wilber, I would not have stayed as long as I did.
Mark on the extreme left, teaching a secretary, Francis F. Coppola, Emilio Esteves, Rob Lowe, Tom Cruise, and C. Thomas Howell Tai Ji during the filming of The Outsiders. (Life as Play, excerpt: Playing with Movie Stars continued on page 20)
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Tai Chi for Seniors - Tai Chi for Health Institute - Dao of Well Being
(Life as Play, excerpt: Playing with Movie Stars continued from page 19)
However, one precious moment in what was a kindergarten classroom where I was teaching the E Jing, made my year with them worthwhile. One night, I was scrawling all kinds of obscure symbols from the E Jing on the blackboard when suddenly everyone started laughing and asked me to go to the back of the class to look at the total scene. There were my ancient and profound Chinese characters and symbols surrounded by the permanent figures of Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Dumbo, etched into the blackboard, framing and putting my earth-shattering revelations into perspective. Teaching a Tai Ji class for the people in Tulsa also kept me there plus the fact I was working only one hour per day. However, during Rumble Fish, they discovered I had healing ability and that changed everything. From then on, it was 12hour days for me. One interesting development came out of all that hard work, and that was the fact I learned to heal without taking on the symptoms of others. I never had that problem in the short time I practiced acupuncture because the needles came between the client and me. When I switched to Chi Gung healing, I touched the patients directly, and as a result, I occasionally took on the symptoms of those I was working with. Chi Gung meridian healing involves a more intimate mixing of energies with the client. I tried to cover myself with protective golden light while healing, and I did the ―turbid Chi‖ expulsion techniques after every treatment, but I would still occasionally experience my patients‘ maladies. Some people‘s bioelectric energies were so gross that on a few occasions, it felt like hot, thick tar was going into my arms. This is why I suggest people not go into Chi Gung healing until they are strong, balanced, and clear. It was also the huge number of people I saw in the course of a day that forced me to learn how to heal without harming myself.
It was not unusual to work on 45 people per day. With numbers like that, my internal healing system quickly figured out how to survive. I not only learned how to protect myself, I was more energized at the end of the day than when I started. The Chi flowing down through the top of my head through my arms and hands became strong and didn‘t allow a back flow. I actually benefited from the healings along with the client. As my uncle used to say, ―Necessity is a mother,‖ and learning to allow healing Chi to flow unimpeded through you is one of those things you cannot teach; you can only learn. Also in that healing era, I learned the importance of empowering the client. I gave everyone exercises and visualizations to do on their own. Most never did them, of course, but a few called me months later and said: ―that arm swing you showed me to lower my blood pressure has kept my pressure down ever since.‖ Many self-proclaimed healers tell me how many people they have cured, but when I ask them what techniques they give their patients to help themselves, they all look a little embarrassed and quickly change the subject. If you have a healer in your life that doesn‘t empower you to help yourself, find another healer. Another unusual thing happened while I was with them. They were shooting a scene in a drive-in movie theater and a storm started to blow. It wasn‘t like any other storm I had seen before. The sky was a yellowish-gray and it sounded like a freight train was bearing down on us. I had never seen a tornado, so I didn‘t know what to expect or what to do. In that situation, I did the dumbest thing possible. I took refuge in the circular popcorn stand and apparently they are not the most well constructed buildings in the world. The circular roof was sucked up and flew through the air like a sickle, shearing off the tops of several vintage cars before lodging in the side of an immaculately restored pickup truck. As far as I know, no one was hurt. I got sucked upward a little but I held onto a railing. (continued on next page)
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Tai Chi for Seniors - Tai Chi for Health Institute - Dao of Well Being
(Life as Play, excerpt: Playing with Movie Stars continued from page 16)
Tai Chi & Qigong are Good for Your Heart
When the local owners of those classic cars returned to the drive-in after the storm, they cried their eyes out when they saw the damage to their cars. I later heard their cars were eventually restored. Everyone asked if I was scared during it all, but I was so naïve and so interested in what was going on, I forgot to be afraid. I actually stayed outside as long as I could to watch it. I couldn‘t imagine anyone not wanting to witness something that exciting. What I learned from all that is to head for the nearest basement when the sky turns a yellowishgray, because curiosity can kill the cat.
(continued on page 22)
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(Continued from page 21)
Yang-Sheng (Nurturing Life) is an E-magazine and network for all Qigong, Tai Chi, Yoga, Reiki, mindfulness, and meditation practitioners, health seekers, and spiritual cultivators. It promotes philosophy and methods of self-healing, positive mind and health preservation, and shares knowledge and experiences with those who are interested in the subjects and their applications in everyday life. Yang-Sheng merges traditional life-nurturing knowledge with modern scientific research and clinic evidence, and combines ancient wisdom with our own experience to support our daily practice and well-being, and to reach true meaning of health in body, mind and spirit‌ click here to download the July issue ď ›
www.Yang-Sheng.com
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Benefits of Qigong & Tai Chi Tai Chi & Qigong rank among the best forms of exercise for maintaining all-around health and wellness. The benefits that they offer go beyond physical fitness, also bringing mental and spiritual gains to those who practice this internal martial art.
Tai chi has existed for centuries, and its benefits have been understood to some degree for just as long. Yet, only recently has Western medicine began probing for details specific to disease states and cellular effects. (continued on page 24)
Perhaps the best way to describe tai chi is to say that it involves flowing through a series of postures that are coordinated with deep breathing. While engaged in tai chi's graceful and sequenced movements, the focused attention that is required can effectively absorb an individual into a meditative state. In fact, tai chi is sometimes referred to as "meditation in motion." There are well over 100 possible positions and movements within the tai chi skill set. There are thousands of Qigong forms. All joints and major muscle groups are exercised without the strain that can come from high-impact activities. That's why tai chi & qigong are suitable for people of virtually all ages and fitness levels.
The benefits of Qigong & Tai Chi include: * Decreased blood pressure * Strengthens muscles while developing f flexibility * Improved posture, balance , coordination * Increased range of motion * Decreased occurrence of injurious falls * Prevents or slows bone loss, especially in postmenopausal women * Heightened mood and sense of well-being * Reduced levels of stress hormones * Improved immune function * Enhanced quality and duration of sleep
Mark leading our China trip group in the Eight Extra Meridian Qigong practice at one of our favorite secluded practice places on mount Qingcheng Shan near Chengdu.
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Tai Chi for Seniors - Tai Chi for Health Institute - Dao of Well Being
Benefits of Qigong & Tai Chi (continued from page 23)
Tai Chi & Qigong Boost the Immune System There is strong evidence for the positive effect of tai chi on immune function. Recent research measured both T-helper cell activity and interleukin levels in patients following 12 weeks of regular tai chi practice. Because T cells are a vital component of the body's immune system, they serve as an excellent indicator of immune status. The researchers found that T cell activity was significantly increased at the study's conclusion. Furthermore, levels of interleukin-12 (IL-12) had doubled. IL-12 plays a role in further development and stimulation of T cells. Another amazing testament to the power of tai chi comes from a report in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. A study involving 112 adults, aged 59 to 86, showed that practicing tai chi boosted immunity against the herpes zoster virus –- this is the virus that's responsible for causing shingles, which manifests as a painful, blistery rash. In fact, tai chi alone bolstered immunity against the virus to a degree comparable to that achieved by the standard vaccine. That's right, tai chi works as well as the actual vaccine against shingles. Qigong & Tai Chi Improve Type 2 Diabetes A 12 week study by the British Journal of Sports Medicine shows tai chi can improve the condition of Type 2 diabetes. Participants practiced Tai Chi & Qigong for up to 1.5 hours up to 3 times a week. This led to a significant fall in blood glucose levels, along with improvements in markers of metabolic syndrome. At the end of the study, blood pressure was significantly reduced and insulin resistance was substantially improved. They also reported having more energy, sleeping better, experiencing less pain, and having fewer food cravings during the study and lost an average of 6 1/2 pounds. ď ›
The Empty Vessel, A Journal of Contemporary Daoism is a quarterly publication dedicated to the exploration and dissemination of non-religious Daoist philosophy and practice. Gain a deeper understanding of the shifting sands of our times through the ancient, but universal truths of Daoist philosophy. Learn practical applications of Daoist thought, tai ji quan, internal arts, Chinese medicine and qigong. Enjoy articles, interviews, and feature stories that show how contemporary practitioners have incorporated a balance of body, mind, and spirit into their day-to-day activities. Includes art, poetry, essays and reviews of the latest book, tapes and videos on Daoist subjects. The Empty Vessel is the only journal of its kind, covering all aspects of Taoist philosophy and practices in a thoughtprovoking and timely manner.
www.AbodeTao.com
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Tai Chi for Seniors - Tai Chi for Health Institute - Dao of Well Being
Qigong Notes & Guidelines 1... Nothing should hurt when you are doing Qigong. If anything feels uncomfortable, on any level, don‘t do it! 2...Qigong has physical posture which can be sitting, standing or lying down. 3...Qigong has movement which can be very, very slow or fast and dynamic, or even no outward physical movement at all. 4...Qigong has awareness of breath and generally includes intentional slow, deep diaphragmatic breathing. 5...Sometimes healing sounds are part of Qigong. 6...Focused intention, mind intent, creative visualization are always components of practicing Qigong. The most important part. The ―mind body connection‖ is why even people who have very limited mobility can benefit from practicing Qigong. 7... Your ―mind‖, is used with intention to lead or direct ―Qi‖ life force energy, along certain paths in your body to remove blockages and create balance and well-being. 8...Qigong is a self empowerment practice. It gives you tools to take charge of your own health and well-being. Some people say that practicing Qigong is like having your own HMO. 9...Qigong is a 5,000 year old system of health maintenance and healing. It is now recognized by our National Institute of Health as an important form of complementary medicine. 10...Qigong is part of the public health care system in China where it is used to help health issues ranging from the common cold to autoimmune disorders, arthritis, hypertension, diabetes, cancer and more... 11...There are thousands of different forms and sets of Qigong. Many are so simple that they do not seem very useful. Complicated movements might be fun, but they are not necessarily better from the standpoint of maintaining health. Some of the simplest forms are the most profoundly healing. 12...The most important thing about Qigong is...‖Just do it.‖
Qigong
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Tai Chi for Seniors - Tai Chi for Health Institute - Dao of Well Being
About us... We...... Mark Johnson, well known Qigong healer and Tai Chi instructor and Rebecca Kali, founding director of Qigong Alliance International, have both spent most of our lifetime in a quest for ancient wisdom and sacred and authentic knowledge. Partly, this is just because of who we are...we just had an inner drive to do so. You can read about one Daoist Pilgrimage we made at: www.qigongchinatrip.com/Daoist_Pilgrimage.htm We also have a passion to share the knowledge that we have acquired in a lifetime spent in searching, learning, and personal practice. We live what we teach. And we feel a commitment to share what we have learned. It‘s just too good to keep to ourselves! We began leading sacred journey tours together in 2000. Our knowledge of China and Tibet's incredible heritage, culture and sacred sites and our love of sharing it, create an incredible opportunity for the people who go on a tour with us. We personally lead each tour; ensuring personalized care and a friendly relaxed atmosphere. Our groups are intentionally limited in size decidedly limitless in scope to optimize the best experience for tour members. : We invite you to join us for “A Life Changing Journey...the Journey of a Lifetime”
Mark started his Chinese studies in 1970 when he joined the I Ching scholar, Khigh Dhiegh at the Taoist Sanctuary in Los Angeles. During his 4 year stay at the Sanctuary, he studied the I Ching, Taoism, Feng Shui, Yang style Tai Ji Chuan and the Chinese language. In 1974 Mark relocated to Taiwan to study acupuncture. While in residence there, he studied with several famous Taoist Masters. After a year in Taiwan, Mark returned to Malibu, CA where he continued his Taoist training for 8 more years. During that time, he learned 3 Taoist styles of Qigong/Tai Chi, and the 8 Treasures. He also studied advanced I Ching, Feng Shui, and enhanced his natural healing abilities. In 1982, Mark taught Tai Chi to Francis Ford Coppola and the cast and crew of the movie "The Outsiders" .While with them, his Qigong healing abilities were recognized so he was asked to return to do healing for the cast and crew of "Rumble Fish". Mark's students included: Tom Cruise, Nicolas Cage, Patrick Swayze, Ralph Macchio, Mickey Rourke, and many others. (continued on page 27)
Rebecca is internationally recognized as an inspiring and passionate teacher, and subtle energy healer. She has studied Qigong in hospitals in Beijing and Daoist philosophy, Inner Alchemy, meditation and Qigong healing techniques in monasteries and temples throughout China. She teaches Meditation and Qigong workshops including Soaring Crane Qigong, Eight Brocades, Medical Qigong, Qigong programs for anti-aging, stress reduction, and Fibromyalgia. She is founding director of Qigong Alliance International, a global community with members from 54 countries. www.QiCentral.org She is a certified Medical Qigong instructor (QEA 1999) Rebecca lives in Ely, MN with her husband, Roy and their two big white Kuvasz dogs. Rebecca may be reached at: E-mail: Kali@QiCentral.org Phone: 218-365-6330 or 1-800-341-8895 Website: www.Dao-of-Well-Being.com Website: www.QigongChinaTrip.com
Volume 3, Issue 3
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We invite you to join us for a very special program on our next tour to China and Tibet! Journey to Shangri-La October 12th to 28th, 2011 Mark will teach a special program for profound and powerful healing as part of our Qigong and Tai Chi practice on the tour. If you read the last newsletter then you know all about Mark‘s harrowing experience of being in a plane crash and his miraculous recovery! Now he is willing to teach our tour group the same secret Daoist techniques that gave him the ability to heal so rapidly and recover so completely! One goal of the Daoist practices we teach is to have healthy, vibrant youthful vitality, a limber flexible and pain free body and a sharp mind until advanced old age. 120 years was considered a normal life span for everyone! Immortality is an important concept we will explore on the Journey to Shangri-La tour. The Eight Immortals are famous in Chinese legends and history. In the spirit of cultivating immortality... (in the picture to the right), Mark has become the 9th Immortal.
One of our good friends recently remarked, “No one laughs more than Daoists.”
Come join us for the journey of a lifetime as we explore the immortality and vibrant good health at any age!
If you want to take care of your health & learn to do deep and profound Qigong—subtle energy healing for yourself & others; you will want to be part of our October, 2011 China & Tibet tour! Ccontinued from page 26) Since 1983, Mark
has founded Integral Tao Centers in Tulsa, OK, Taos, New Mexico, New York, Vancouver, Canada and in Cuba. He now resides and teaches in the Sonoma, CA area. He has been teaching throughout North America for nearly 35 years in a variety of formats: private sessions, on-going community classes, weekend and week long seminars and workshops. He is a certified Tai Chi tournament judge and has worked over 50 tournaments in the past 13 years. He has produced three video's: "Tai Chi for Healing",
"Tai Chi for Women" and "Tai Chi for Seniors" , which is the highest selling Tai Chi video in the country. (over 800,000 so far!) Mark is one of the founders of the National Qigong Association and is presently is a member of the NQA Advisory Council. Mark is the proud father of his daughter Sita. In his "spare time" he is a pilot and amateur astronomer. Mark may be reached at: 1-800-497-4244 E-mail: Mark@Chi-Kung.com Web page: www.chi-kung.com Web page: www.taichiforseniorsvideo.com
Tai Chi for Seniors - Tai Chi for Health Institute - Dao of Well Being
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Qigong Women in the Wilderness Retreat Ely, Minnesota
Standing Meditation
Time for Nature & Journaling
Spa Day with Aromatherapy Facials & Foot Soaks is a popular part of the retreat
Early Morning Qigong on our private dock.
Nature Trail to Kawishiwi Falls
Our retreats are famous for the amazing cuisine, featuring fresh organic ingredients & prepared specially for our group.
Dinner, time to enjoy good food and conversation.
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Tai Chi for Seniors - Tai Chi for Health Institute - Dao of Well Being
8th Annual Qigong Women in the Wilderness Retreat "A Stress Free Place in Which to Flourish" July 7 - 14, 2012 Ely, Minnesota, USA
A Special Retreat for Women: Combining Subtle-Energy Work, the Power of Women's Wisdom and the Wisdom of Play. Join Rebecca Kali and Cis Hager for a special week long retreat for women. Experience Rest, Relaxation and Renewal of Your Mind, Body and Spirit. Learn Tai Chi and Qigong under ancient pines, and along the shores of crystal clear lakes. Practice and play with techniques to reduce stress, increase energy, promote vital aging, health and healing which have been handed down from the Women‘s Wisdom of traditions that are thousands of years old. Gourmet meals specially prepared from fresh wholesome ingredients by our Professional Chef. Comfortable, cozy lodge setting. "Going Deeper" is the theme for this summer's QWW. In that spirit, we will explore the Phoenix Style at a deeper level than we have previously taught at the summer retreat. We will also go much deeper, to a more profound level, with other Qigong practices just for women including special workshops on Menopause and Beyond, Women's Sexual Vitality and Acupressure for Women. Introduction to Meditation Traditions will be part of each day's program, featuring an experience of a different style of meditation each day. Another daily delight will be "The Art of Tea" with daily excursions into the world of Chinese Teas and their benefits. ‌ and tasting! Other workshops will include Introduction to Qi Subtle-Energy for Healing Yourself and Others, Psychic Self Defense and Qigong for Stress Management, Feng Shui & more! Spa day is a popular feature of our retreat. By popular demand, we are delighted to include Restorative Yoga , Essential Oil and Qi Acupressure Facial Massage, Aromatherapy Foot Soaks, Acupressure for Women and more! A limited number of partial scholarships are available! Contact Rebecca for more info. We would love to have you join us!
www.Retreat4Women.com (800) 341-8895 or Kali@QiCentral.org
China & Tibet Tour— Journey to Shangri-La October 12 -28, 2011 May 11 -27, 2012 Join us for the journey of a lifetime...a life changing journey! Call 1-800-341-8895
There is still time to register for the October, 2011 tour. Our tours are life expanding journeys that will broaden your experience of the world at the depth YOU are seeking!
www.QigongChinaTrip.com
Tai Chi for Seniors Tai Chi for Health Institute 801 Tupper St. Suite 1111 Santa Rosa, CA 95404 Phone: (800) 497-4244 E-mail: Mark@Chi-Kung.com Web page: www.chi-kung.com Web page: www.taichiforseniorsvideo.com
Dao of Well Being™ P.O. Box 750 Ely, MN 55731 Phone: (800) 341-8895 E-mail: Kali@QiCentral.org Website: www.Dao-of-Well-being.com Website: www.Qigong-Alliance.org Website: www.QigongChinaTrip.com