Near-Death Experiencers
A gathering of those who have been to the “other side”
One of the common after effects of a NDE is difficulty in feeling grounded in this world. I have found tai chi to be very helpful in my own life in this regard. When I do tai chi on a regular basis, it reminds me that I do, indeed, have a body as well as a spirit. I use it to ground myself, feeling my connection with the earth. The abdominal breathing of tai chi grounds my breath in my body. Tai chi improves body awareness and has helped me to make friends with my body, recognizing subtle differences in energy, balance, pain and flexibility
from day to day. The focused breathing and gentle movement helps to release stress, leaving me in a more relaxed and focus state of being. _______________________________________________
In our time together during this workshop, I’ll introduce you to a short form of tai chi that can be used when you go home. We’ll also work with Qigong breathing exercises that can be used to calm and center you. We’ll begin with tai chi warm-up exercises followed by tai chi walking, the form itself, and then finishing with a little Qigong. You’ll learn the Sun Style Tai Chi for Health form as well as the Five Element Qigong
Tai Chi is a slow moving meditative exercise that has been around for 500 years. It is practiced by some 8,000,000 people in the world today, but, until recently, most of those people have been in the Orient. Tai Chi has survived the test of time because of its many health benefits including stress reduction and increased flexibility, strength, and balance.
In the past few years, modifications of the original styles and teaching techniques have led to an increased interest in Tai Chi in the United States. Traditional Tai Chi styles have been modified to appeal to seniors and people with arthritis who have limitations in their movement. These new gentle styles support the joints and decrease pain while increasing flexibility, strength, and balance. Studies have shown that people who do regular Tai Chi have fewer falls, greater flexibility, less pain, and a greater sense of well-being than do matched controls. Tai Chi also helps with stress reduction. Teaching methods have adopted a coaching style that suits the American culture. The teaching method emphasizes safety and encourages participants to listen to their own bodies.
This combination of gentler forms of Tai Chi and a coaching style of teaching have resulted in many more people learning Tai Chi in the United States over the past few years. Dr. Paul Lam, a Sydney, Australia family practice doctor and Tai Chi expert, has developed particular forms for people with arthritis, people with diabetes, and people with back pain. Each of these forms was developed by a team that included not only general physicians and specialists, but also physical therapists and physiatrists. Dr. Lam has developed a team of Master Trainers in the U.S. to teach potential instructors not only the form, but, also how to teach the form safely. His “Tai Chi for Arthritis” program has been adapted by the Arthritis Foundation of America as its official form that is taught in chapters throughout the country. His “Tai Chi for Diabetes” program is the official program used by the Diabetic Association of Australia. He is just now introducing the “Tai Chi for Back Pain” into the U.S. If you are interested in learning more about Tai Chi for Health or in ordering tapes, please go to Dr. Lam’s website, taichiproductions.com.
In our time together during this workshop, I’ll introduce you to a short form of tai chi that can be used when you go home. We’ll also work with Qigong breathing exercises that can be used to calm and center you. We’ll begin with tai chi warm-
In the past few years, modifications of the original styles and teaching techniques have led to an increased interest in Tai Chi in the United States. Traditional Tai Chi styles have been modified to appeal to seniors and people with arthritis who have limitations in their movement. These new gentle styles support the joints and decrease pain while increasing flexibility, strength, and balance. Studies have shown that people who do regular Tai Chi have fewer falls, greater flexibility, less pain, and a greater sense of well-
This combination of gentler forms of Tai Chi and a coaching style of teaching have resulted in many more people learning Tai Chi in the United States over the past few years. Dr. Paul Lam, a Sydney, Australia family practice doctor and Tai Chi expert, has developed particular forms for people with arthritis, people with diabetes, and people with back pain. Each of these forms was developed by a team that included not only general physicians and specialists, but also physical therapists and physiatrists. Dr. Lam has developed a team of Master Trainers in the U.S. to teach potential instructors not only the form, but, also how to teach the form safely. His “Tai Chi for Arthritis” program has been adapted by the Arthritis Foundation of America as its official form that is taught in chapters throughout the country. His “Tai Chi for Diabetes” program is the official program used by the Diabetic Association of Australia. He is just now introducing the “Tai Chi for Back Pain” into the U.S. If you are interested in learning more about Tai Chi for Health or in ordering tapes, please go to Dr. Lam’s website, taichiproductions.com.
FIVE ELEMENT QIGONG
DO EACH SEGMENT FOR 5-
EARTH: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent. Allow hands to make a circle at your Dan Tien (3 fingerbreadths below your belly button) with the palms facing you and your finger tips almost touching. Imagine the strength of the earth flowing up through your feet and legs into your seat of energy, your Dan Tien. Gaze quietly straight ahead. Take abdominal breaths.
AIR: Allow your hands to rise to your heart level with fingertips pointing toward the sky. As you inhale, your hands come out to shoulder width. As you exhale, bring them in as close as possible without touching. Use abdominal breathing. Imagine clean pure air filling your lungs as deeply as possible.
RETURN TO EARTH POSITION.
WATER: Step out slightly farther than shoulder width. Place your hand in front of your Dan Tien with palms facing toward the sky. As you inhale, lift your hands slightly and bring energy up through your legs. As you exhale, turn your palms downward and imagine the energy settling into your Dan Tien. As you do this exercise, imagine waves lapping at the shore of the sea.
RETURN TO EARTH POSITION.
WOOD: Place hands in front of waist with palms up. Circle hands up in a curve as if you are creating the trunk of a large tree. Inhale as you do this. Exhale as you turn your palms down and circle your hands down the level of your waist. As you do this exercise, imagine the strength of a tree and the growth that occurs with the presence of the sun and air and water. Imagine your own strength and growth occurring.
RETURN TO EARTH POSITION.
FIRE: Bring your hands to the left side of your body with the palms facing each other, left hand on top. As you inhale your hands will separate, much like the bellows the fan a fire. As you exhale they will come together. After 5-7 repetitions on this side, turn your hands over and move to the right side of your body. Your left hand will now be on top. Repeat the exercise 5-7 times. As you do this exercise, imagine your own fires of creativity and energy being fueled.
RETURN TO EARTH POSITION.
AIR: Allow your hands to rise to your heart level with fingertips pointing toward the sky. As you inhale, your hands come out to shoulder width. As you exhale, bring them in as close as possible without touching. Use abdominal breathing. Imagine clean pure air filling your lungs as deeply as possible.
RETURN TO EARTH POSITION.
WATER: Step out slightly farther than shoulder width. Place your hand in front of your Dan Tien with palms facing toward the sky. As you inhale, lift your hands slightly and bring energy up through your legs. As you exhale, turn your palms downward and imagine the energy settling into your Dan Tien. As you do this exercise, imagine waves lapping at the shore of the sea.
RETURN TO EARTH POSITION.
WOOD: Place hands in front of waist with palms up. Circle hands up in a curve as if you are creating the trunk of a large tree. Inhale as you do this. Exhale as you turn your palms down and circle your hands down the level of your waist. As you do this exercise, imagine the strength of a tree and the growth that occurs with the presence of the sun and air and water. Imagine your own strength and growth occurring.
RETURN TO EARTH POSITION.
FIRE: Bring your hands to the left side of your body with the palms facing each other, left hand on top. As you inhale your hands will separate, much like the bellows the fan a fire. As you exhale they will come together. After 5-
RETURN TO EARTH POSITION.