Sally Yasukawa has a great interest in the anti-ageing or longevity attributes of Oriental philosophies of health and wellness, particularly traditional Chinese medicine and Internal Martial Arts. Traditional Chinese medicine [TCM] is first and foremost a form of prevention of ill-health. Over it’s vast history a great many means has been found to maintain youthful vigor into old age. It is primarily because of their knowledge of how our bodies energetic systems functions that they have been able to devise various therapies and movements that specifically access and activate this system.
Sally teaches a variety of these therapies and exercises in classes and workshops. For a detailed list of styles available click on Qi Gong Styles Available tab above. Current classes are listed below:
QI GONG CLASSES
Weekly classes combine both movement and meditation, with a focus on breath and intention to calm the mind. Held on Wednesday evenings, 6.30 – 8.00 pm, Central Coast, NSW Australia.
New 10 week term beginning 13th October 2010 running through to 15th December.
Each class runs for 80 minutes and is open to all people of any level of physical fitness.
Please call before coming to a class in case we are going to be outside.
Cost: $82.50 for 5 weeks or $20 per individual class.
DAOIST LONGEVITY QI GONG
In the style of Wu Dang Shan Daoist Monk, Master Yuan. This is one of the oldest forms of Qi Gong, dating back 3,000 years. It is also known as Ba Duan Jin or Eight Pieces of Brocade and is similar to the Qi Gong of the Shaolin Temple monks.
Each of the movements benefit different parts of the body and Qi-network and are a means of maintaining the health of your Qi. The movements regulate all internal organs, from your heart and lungs in the upper torso, to your kidneys and intestines in the lower abdomen. Twisting movements regulate liver and spleen and stimulate kidneys. They relieve fatigue; increase inhalation and thus improved oxygenation of cells; invigorate the muscles and bones of the whole body, particularly back, neck, shoulders and waist; help relieve high blood pressure; improve circulation of Qi, blood and oxygen; assist in regulating fluid metabolism; relax the nervous system; calms the mind; sharpens your ability to focus and connect you with the Dao.
Daoist Longevity Qi Gong is a great way to condition your body’s Qi network which in turn provides you with improved health.
TAI JI QI GONG ~ SHI BA SHI
Tai Ji Qi Gong is a form of Qi Gong that resembles Tai Ji Quan in terms of the flow and the fact that the movements train you to “stand firm as a mountain, flow like a great river and walk like a cat”. Shi Ba Shi translates as Eighteen Movement Style. As with other forms of Qi Gong, Shi Ba Shi strengthens your Qi, regulates and mobilises the Qi of your meridians which in turn benefits all internal organs. Shi Ba Shi also calms the mind, regulates blood pressure, oxygenates blood, and has many similar benefits to Ba Duan Jin mentioned above.
I was first taught Shi Ba Shi by Pamella Anthony of Namaskar Healing Centre in Bonville on the mid north coast of NSW. I subsequently learned the intricacies from Master Zhang Hao via DVD. As I have had many years experience in Qi Gong and Tai Ji Quan, I was able to understand the basics from Master Zhang Hao’s excellent presentation.
CHEN’S HEALING QI GONG ~ XU JING NEI YANG GONG
This is a set of 12 movements which offer profound benefits ~ physically, mentally and emotionally. They strongly activate and generate Qi while also strengthening and toning muscles; massaging internal organs helping them to function more efficiently; and improving blood circulation ~ which is good for everything!
They also calm and settle the mind allowing you to deal more effectively with stress; helping you to stay centred and grounded.
My teacher was the late Master Doctor Chen Hong Lin, who a profound Qi Gong Healing Doctor. This set of Qi Gong exercises is what he taught his patients to help them heal as well as to those who wanted to maintain and improve their health.
FRAGRANT HEART QI GONG
This is the only Qi Gong I have learned that specifically feeds the Middle Dan Tien or Heart Centre [as opposed to the Lower Dan Tien which all other Qi Gong's energetically feed]. This consists of a sequence of 15 movements of the arms only. It is easy to learn, requires no particular concentration and really helps with clearing upper body energy stagnation, ie stiff shoulders or neck, as it powerfully activates the meridians and energy centres of the arms, chest, neck and head. This tends to transform the energy and opens the meridians to allow Qi to flow fluidly.
The history of this Qi Gong set is that when practised several times daily over time has the potential to clear all meridians in the body, not just those of the arms. Naturally enough since all 12 of them are connected like a continuous series of canals or rivers, flowing one into the next until returning back to the beginning. It is most useful in helping conditions like asthma, arthritis, stress related sleep problems.
This is a wonderfully simple series of Qi Gong movements that can be done independently or used as a warm up for other forms. Either way, it helps to open one’s heart centre to allow the free flow of Universal Qi.