Monday, August 10, 2009
Animals do it. Plants do it. We all do it. Stretching that is.
Stretching is an act of nature. Place a plant in the shade and soon its leaves will be stretching to reach the light. Tree roots stretch to drink water running deep in the earth. A balled-up napping cat unfurls into wakefulness.
From reaching for items on a high shelf to bending over to tie shoes to looking back to reverse the car, stretching is an essential part of our daily lives. And as we age, the muscles tend to tighten and joints stiffen, making stretching difficult and uncomfortable.
A regular stretching program will elongate muscles and increase flexibility while at the same time relax the mind and dissolve stress and tension in the body. Balance and posture are also enhanced through extending the torso and limbs.
Another benefit of stretching is the clearing of blockage in the meridian system, channels that carry vital chi (energy) throughout the body. According to Chinese medicine, health is compromised when energy flow becomes stagnate. Stretching with coordinated breathing stimulates chi circulation, supporting the self-healing capacity of the body.
Health enthusiasts will have an opportunity to experience a stretching program designed to move you beyond physical limitations to a poised body full of vigor and ease as Abide in Chi presents Chinese Yoga with Healing Qi on October 17.
Developed by the Health Preservation Association under the direction of Grandmaster Jiang Jian-ye, this simple ten-form exercise combines Tai Chi, Chi Kung (Qigong), stretching, breathing, and balance with the concepts of meridian theory and Taoism.
In the three-hour workshop, students will engage in standing, natural flowing stretches, increase awareness of the body’s energy network and come to appreciate the role of stretching in our fitness and well-being.
The form consists of gentle stretches and twists that massage internal organs, extend joints and muscles and improve energy, blood and oxygen circulation. Chinese Yoga with Healing Qi is a very simple but highly effective form that can be practiced anytime, anywhere in limited space without a mat. No prior yoga, tai chi or qigong experience needed.
The workshop will be held Saturday, October 17, 2009, from 2-5 p.m. at Ibeyond Pilates, 13825 S. Dixie Hwy, Miami, FL 33176. $80 by September 17, 2009 (includes refreshments and bonus HPA T-Shirt . $100 after September 17 (doesn’t include T-Shirt). To register and for more information, visit www.abideinchi.com or call 305-343-6365.