Tai Chi – Qi Gong
Voor NL scrol je naar beneden. You’ve probably seen them before—whether in real life, in a movie, or in a documentary about China. People moving together in a group, performing a sequence of postures that seem to flow effortlessly into one another, like a slow, graceful dance. There’s a good chance this was Tai Chi and/or Qigong.
Tai Chi Tao and Qigong originally come from Chinese and Tibetan martial and movement traditions. Today, they have evolved into forms of movement that promote health and well-being. The goal is to activate the body’s self-healing capacity through relaxation and movement (Yin and Yang). The sequences, performed almost in slow motion, help your CHI (QI) to flow. Chi can be translated as life energy, similar to prana in yoga. Chi is present in everything and can be experienced in everything: from practicing your daily Tai Chi/Qigong flows to simply inhaling the scent of a flower or enjoying a homemade apple pie.
We share Tai Chi and Qigong based on the Wu Wei principle. This can be translated from Chinese as “the effortless effort that allows us to flow the way water flows.” It is the idea of effortless action that lets us move naturally, like water. Both Tai Chi and Qigong are rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The absence of unnecessary tension is the foundation of all exercises. When we let go of unnecessary stress, space is created for healing of body, mind, and soul. A wound is best healed by gently caring for it and… leaving it alone.
The five elements of Traditional Chinese Medicine (earth, water, wood, metal, and fire) are all interconnected within our bodies. They are linked to your organs and to the seasons. These elements form the foundation for the movements in a Tai Chi or Qigong flow, influencing how your body functions and increasing your body awareness. Over time, you learn to listen more closely to your body and trust its signals.
Tai Chi – Qigong is suitable for all ages. At the moment, we do not yet offer classes in Haarlem. If you would like to learn more about the possibilities, please contact Jitske via the contact page on this website.
The element of Wood, representing the season where it all begins, Spring. In spring we germinate, we grow, we want to make space for what is to come, we are curious and we may experience a restless feeling. Its direction is East and the organ connected to Wood and Spring is the Liver. Detoxing what we held in Winter. Wood’s color is green.
The element of Fire respresents the season of Summer. In Summer we grow into full bloom. We tend to go out more, in general we are more open joy, to love, to expand and make camp fires late at night. These are typical characteristics of the Heart, the emperor of all organs. Its direction is South and the corresponding color is red.
The yellow Earth element is representing Late Summer. When we still feel the warmth, yet we know it is time to slow down and harvest what we sowed in Spring. The earth element is the centre and the source. The organs almost in de middle of our bodies are the Stomach and the Spleen, playing a centre part in de digestion of what we feed ourselves with (how we source ourselves).
The Metal element represents the slowing down and the more inert season of Autumn/Fall. We draw inward, narrowing our space, to harvest from what Spring and Summer brought us and to prepare for Winter. We let go, like trees let go of their leafs Metal is less bendable, so asks for a lazier approach. Its direction is West, the colors are white and grey. The organs connected are the Lungs and the Large Intestine.
The Water element is representing Winter. We draw further inward, taking space to rest and retain for Spring. To hybernate. Water is the biggest circle as our bodies are water for more than 60%. Water contains, can take any form, its direction is North and the color is blue. The organs connected to the Water element are the Kidneys, which are seen as the essence of our being in TCM.
The Lotus flower (our logo) In Eastern cultures, the lotus flower is a powerful symbol of purity and the cycle of life, just as the five elements and their cycle. Each night, the Lotus submerges into the water, only to rise and bloom again with dawn. This cycle of rest and renewal serves as a metaphor for life, death, and rebirth, also reminding us that new opportunities might arise from difficult situations.
Tai Chi – Qi Gong
Je hebt ze vast wel eens gezien, in het echt, een film of in een documentaire over China. De mensen die in een groep synchroon bepaalde houdingen doen die elkaar moeiteloos lijken op te volgen. Als een langzame dans. Grote kans dat dit Tai Chi en/of Qigong was.
Tai Chi Tao en Qigong zijn van oorsprong Chinese en Tibetaanse gevechts- en bewegingstechnieken. Tegenwoordig zijn ze verworden tot bewegingskunst die de gezondheid bevordert. Doel is het zelfhelend vermogen van je lichaam aan te spreken via ontspanning en beweging (Yin en Yang). De haast in slow motion uitgevoerde series zorgen er allemaal voor dat je CHI (QI) gaat stromen. CHI laat zich vertalen als levensenergie. Net als de PRANA uit de Yoga. De Chi zit in alles, en kun je ook ervaren in alles. Van het dagelijks doen van je Tai Chi / Qigong flows, tot het opsnuiven van de geur van een bloem of zelfgemaakte appeltaart.
Wij geven Tai Chi en Qigong vanuit het Wu-Wei principe. Dit laat zich uit het Chinees vertalen als “the effortless effort that allows us to flow the way the water flows”. De moeiteloze moeite die ons laat stromen zoals het water stroomt. Tai Chi en Qigong zijn allebei gebaseerd op de Traditionele Chinese Geneeskunde. De afwezigheid van onnodige spanning is de basis van alle oefeningen. Laten we onnodige stress weg, dan is er ruimte voor heling van lichaam, geest en ziel. A wound is best healed by gently taking care of it and,…. leaving it alone.
De 5 elementen uit de Traditionele Chinese Geneeskundige (aarde, water, hout, metaal en vuur) zijn allemaal met elkaar verbonden in ons lichaam. Ze zijn verbonden met je organen en met de seizoenen. Ze vormen de uitgangspunten voor de bewegingen van een Tai Chi of Qigong flow die weer doorwerkt op het functioneren van je lichaam en jouw lichaamsbewustzijn. Zo ga je steeds meer naar je lichaam luisteren en op de signalen van je lichaam vertrouwen. Tai Chi – Qigong is voor alle leeftijden. Op dit moment geven we nog geen les in Haarlem. Wil je weten wat de mogelijkheden zijn, neem dan contact op met Jitske via de contactpagina van deze site.