Introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine and Meridian Therapy

Do you wonder what "Qi" is? Have you seen the yin and yang symbol but don't really know what it means? Are you curious about how Traditional Chinese doctors observed nature to create one of the oldest and most effective forms of medicine?

On November 27 & 28th we will be conducting a 2 day "Introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine and Meridian Therapy" for Registered Massage Therapists and Health Care Practitioners.

Learn the concepts of:

• Qi
• Yin and Yang
• 5 Elements
• 8 Principle Diagnosis
• the 12 Meridians- location and uses
• the most effective acupoints points and how to use them without needles
• case studies
• intro to the ancient practice of Qi Gong

This is officially recognized by the CMTBC for 11.5 credit hours.

The goal of the course is to share information about TCM and learn practical concepts that can be applied immediately to patients and loved ones.

While this course is geared towards RMT's and health care practitioners, it is fully open to the public. If you or someone you know is interested, please call/email to register or for more information.

~Think Vitality!~

Qi Gong and the Practice of Focus

30 Day Vitality Challenge Day 9

There are many types of meditation, qi gong and breathing practices that have been passed down through the ages for thousands of years. It's very easy to get overwhelmed with all the different methods from different 'masters' or 'gurus.' In my experience, simple is best.

There is no 'right' way and no 'wrong' way. Well...there might be a wrong way depending on how you look at it!

Regardless of the technique, the first and possibly most important skill to develop is the power of focus. Focus is being able to hold a single thought or intention for a desired amount of time. Studies show that we have approximately 60,000 thoughts per day. Unfortunately, a lot of those thoughts are the same and repeat over and over in our mind. When we develop our ability to focus and hold a thought we reduce those 60,000 to maybe 40,000. As our mental muscles get stronger we can reduce it even more.

A simple practice is to breathe naturally and count your breaths. That's it. Decide on a number, maybe 30, and everytime you breathe in, you count "one." Most people will lose track of the number at around 7 or 8 at first, but stick with it. Soon, you'll be able to hold your focus and be ready to move on to more advanced techniques.

As part of the 30 Day Vitality Challenge I will do 20 minutes of breath counting today.

P.S. - I have finally set a date for the Qi Gong workshop here in Victoria!
August 21, so mark your calenders!

~Think Vitality!~