What is Qigong?

To embark on learning Qigong is to enter a path of empowering self-discovery. One takes leadership of one's life and gains direct ability to revitalize, relax, and restore one’s natural energies, establishing an inner environment that greatly enhances our health, success and enjoyment in life. Qigong, or energy work, is the skill of cultivating Qi. It provides physical development while integrating mind, breath and spirit. The result is energetic self-management achieved through a wide variety of movement arts & meditations connected with the natural world. Chi Rivers teaches Qigong practices over a wide range of applications & levels tailored to fit individual needs.

Benefits of Qigong

Qigong practice has helped many to turn around their health and achieve a vibrant, long life. Documented research has shown that consistent Qigong practice can alleviate or even eliminate a variety of problems including stress-related issues, high blood pressure, arthritis, ulcers, tuberculosis and heart disease. It fosters inner peace, supports strong immunity and stamina, builds integral muscle strength and maintains the health of our bones & joints.

Eight Treasures Qigong

The old masters’ 32 movement form is a uniquely effective set of movements that constitutes an in-depth energy workout designed to remove energy blockages, open the eight extraordinary channels and to enhance both physical stamina and energy flow throughout the body. It benefits all muscles and joints, internal organs and systems through a series of slow, standing movements and is particularly well suited for young and middle aged people without serious physical limitations or for anyone with previous physical training. Enjoying regular practice of Eight Treasures lays a firm foundation for a long and healthy life. This specific form, Pa Kun Dao-In, is a fundamental method of the Taoist spiritual path of complete development & achievement. Taught in Three Levels. 

Upcoming sessions:

• 9-hours Qigong Intensive: Move the stars
  Saturdays (January 31, March 2, and March 30), 9:30 am - 12 pm (225.- CHF or 250.- CHF includes Level 1 DVD)

• 9-hours Qigong Intensive: Great Bird
  Saturdays (May 4, May 25, and June 15),
  9:30 am - 12 pm (225.- CHF or 250.- CHF includes Level 2 DVD)

• 8-sessions Qigong: Move the stars
  Tuesday evenings (January - March, 2019),
  6:30 am - 8 pm (225.- CHF current patients or 250.- CHF + 35 CHF Level 1 DVD)

• 8-sessions Qigong: Great Bird
  Tuesday evenings (April - May, 2019),
  6:30 am - 8 pm (225.- CHF current patients or 250.- CHF + 35 CHF Level 1 DVD)

All Eight Treasures Qigong classes are taught in English and French.

Harmony Style Tai Chi

Harmony Style Tai Chi is a Taoist distillation of the popular Yang, Chen and Wu styles of Tai Chi Chuan. Harmony Tai Chi embodies the same natural principles found in the Tao Teh Ching.  Among its many benefits, the gently circular movement of Tai Chi deeply activates Qi and blood circulation in all joints, enhances balance and equilibrium and gathers energy. The harmonious dance of Tai Chi is known for its ability to reduce stress promoting smoothness, deep calm and poise in handling all life situations. Harmony Tai Chi teaches us how to preserve a safe, personal space by recycling one's energy and harmonizing conflict; deflecting negativity and welcoming positive energy. Tai Chi is an excellent study for performers, teachers, leaders and health care givers or anyone interested in discovering a gentle, self-strengthening way of moving with life. Taught in four levels.

Upcoming sessions: To be scheduled

Dao-In Chinese Yoga

An ancient predecesssor of all later Qigong practice, Dao-In is a system of energy adjustment practices that include sitting, lying, twisting and stretching exercise (some looking similar to Hatha Yoga), self-massage and meditation. It can be adapted for people of all ages and health conditions and can be performed during short breaks at work or in longer times of dedicated focus. Thus, it can be a useful, friendly, life-long tool to care for our muscles, joints, mind & emotions with deep potential for personal refinement. It counterbalances very well a life of intellectual work and is excellent to support and complement any practice of sitting meditation. 

Upcoming sessions: To be scheduled

Cosmic Tour Ba Gua

Circularity is the basic movement of all natural systems. Realizing the value of circularity, we develop the maturity to move around problems, avoid friction and keep our productive momentum. With Cosmic Tour Ba Gua, we discover the dynamic momentum of circular walking which becomes a spiraling dance uniting with different aspects of natural energy. As we walk, we apply a special body language of shifting postures and changing directions to extend from physical to spiritual nature. It is very energizing and brings delight in the free, expansive circular movement that mimics the stars and planets. Recent tests in China have showed that Cosmic Tour Ba Gua is outstanding to benefit healing, rehabilitation, promote health maintenance and to prevent disease.  Taught in nine levels.

Upcoming sessions: To be scheduled

Qigong for Back Pain

Specially selected Qi exercises designed to ease back pain & tension, build abdominal muscles, strengthen spinal alignment and improve circulation through stretching, toning, restructuring, meditation & imagery. Each student receives one-on-one hands-on instruction to renew their innate postural integrity to support a healthy back and strong body structure. Limited space to work in-depth - register early.

Upcoming sessions: To be scheduled

Crane Style Qigong

Our physical health & wellbeing are the result of our internal energy. This powerful qigong teaches us how to activate and harmonize our subtle internal energy with the environment through a a step-by-step standing movement meditation focusing directly on breathing & internal Qi circulation. This gentle style is excellent for stress-release, Qi refinement, and to increase both lung capacity and self-healing power that will greatly benefit all practitioners at any level. Crane Style Qigong is a physically less demanding form, requiring mostly a steady quiet focus to learn and perform making it well suited for someone with a physical limitation, recovering from illness or for seniors. A Single Level of six sections.

Upcoming sessions: To be scheduled

Taoist Meditation

In the same way that alternating times of activity and rest support our daily life, meditation and gentle movement (Eight Treasures or Tai Chi for example) mutually enrich each other for better results. There is a multitude of different meditation methods. All these Taoist meditation styles, from deep breathing to visualization, whether sitting, standing, lying down or walking, are rooted in the essential practice of inner quietude. We achieve quiet through a step-by-step process to settle superficial mental activity, deepen breathing function, balance internal energies and unite body, mind & spirit. A Taoist meditation class will be tailored to a particular context and will usually explore only one or two methods of meditation at a time, in order to keep focus on the simplicity of inner quietude.

Upcoming sessions: To be scheduled

Self-Healing Qigong

This is a series of specific, simple meditative forms that target the health of each of the primary organ systems in traditional Chinese medicine (Wood: Liver, Gall Bladder & nervous system; Fire: Heart & cardiovascular system; Earth: digestive & lymphatic system; Metal: Lungs, respiratory & excretion systems; Water: Kidneys, hormonal, genito-urinary & skeletal systems). Each utilizes the understanding of acupuncture points and channels to trigger the appropriate therapeutic response. They are mostly practiced individually to focus special attention on an area of need. 

Upcoming sessions: To be scheduled