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Movement, breath, posture, and focused awareness as practices for cultivating health, balance, and vitality.
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In the tradition of Chinese medicine, health is not only the absence of disease, but the harmonious flow of Qi — the vital energy that supports physical vitality, emotional balance, mental clarity, and spiritual well-being. For thousands of years, Chinese healing arts have used movement, breath, posture, and focused awareness to cultivate and regulate this internal energy.
Qigong (氣功), which literally means “cultivating vital energy,” is one of the foundational practices within Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). These ancient movement arts were traditionally practiced by physicians, monks, martial artists, and everyday people alike as a way to strengthen the body, calm the mind, improve circulation, regulate the nervous system, and support longevity.
In Chinese medicine, illness is often understood as a disruption or stagnation of Qi and blood. Qigong and traditional health exercises help restore balance by opening the meridians, supporting organ function, regulating breath, improving posture, and reconnecting the body with natural rhythms. These practices can complement acupuncture and herbal medicine by helping patients actively participate in their own healing process.
Our practice offers guidance in several traditional healing exercises and cultivation methods, each with its own unique history, philosophy, and therapeutic focus.
Ba Duan Jin, or the “Eight Brocades,” is one of the most widely practiced forms of Chinese Qigong. Dating back nearly a thousand years, this elegant sequence of eight movements was designed to strengthen the body, regulate breathing, improve circulation, and nourish the internal organs.
The movements are gentle, accessible, and suitable for practitioners of many ages and ability levels. In Chinese medicine, Ba Duan Jin is traditionally understood as helping regulate the flow of Qi through the meridians while cultivating relaxation, balance, flexibility, and internal awareness. Regular practice may support posture, mobility, breathing, stress management, and overall vitality.
Eight Brocades Qigong — Yang Bailong, Beijing Sport University
Eight Brocades Qigong — Yang Bailong, Beijing Sport University
Open the Ba Duan Jin video on YouTube
Wu Qin Xi, or the “Five Animal Play,” is traditionally attributed to the famous physician Hua Tuo during the Han Dynasty. This dynamic system imitates the qualities of five animals — the Tiger, Deer, Bear, Monkey, and Crane — traditionally associated with different organ systems and energetic functions in Chinese medicine.
Rather than simply mimicking animal movements, the practice encourages practitioners to embody different qualities of movement, breath, and spirit. Some movements cultivate strength and grounding, while others develop flexibility, agility, emotional expression, or lightness. Wu Qin Xi is often practiced to support mobility, coordination, circulation, emotional balance, and general well-being.
Five Animals Qigong with English Instruction
Five Animals Qigong with English Instruction