World Tai Chi and Qigong Day

Hong Kong, China

In case you are out and about on Saturday morning and see groups of people in the parks practicing some Martial Arts forms, April 30th is World Tai Chi and Qigong Day.  It is an annual event that is held the last Saturday of April each year to help promote the related disciplines of T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Qigong.  It is held in over 60 countries and has been going strong since 1999.

This multinational effort is ongoing and it's purpose is to expose people to the growing body of medical research related to Traditional Chinese Medicine and to help them fine resources and teachers in their own towns and areas.  Our class in Montclair, New Jersey will be at Verona Park this year and among other forms will be doing the Circle Walk Practice of Ba Gua Zhang which we have been studying for the last few months.

Ireland

World Tai Chi and Qigong Day's stated goals are to:

 1) Educate the world about emerging medical research revealing health benefits that Tai Chi Chuan and qigong offer.

2) Educate about the increasing use of these ancient Traditional Chinese Medicine modalities in business, education, penal and drug rehabilitation.

3) Provide a global vision of cooperation for health and healing purposes across geopolitical boundaries, and also an appeal to people worldwide to embrace wisdom from all the cultures of the world.

New Jersey, USA

If you are suffering with medical issues, emotional difficulties or if you simply want to learn how to use Qigong, Tai Chi and Traditional Chinese Medicine to cultivate better health, prevent illness; while also embracing, enhancing, and celebrating your spiritual connection to heaven and earth...seek out classes where you live.   

~ diane fergurson

You may also enjoy reading:
From Jing to Qi to Shen: An Interview with Healer Darren Orr
Eating with the Qi Diagram
Qigong: An Interview with Joanne Kornoelje

photos courtesy of Wikipedia and the Mir-Yam School of Tai Chi, Chi Kung and Meditation

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Wu Chi

When Karen Casey Smith designed the Black and White Mandala image for our interview with Jovita Wallace, she told me that it reminded her of Wu Chi....the Chinese creation story.  She then sent this piece to me along with her description.  It was so beautiful that we wanted to post the story with the image. Thank you Karen!

"It looks like creation... light, springing from the void, and brings to mind the Chinese creation story. Wu Chi (the infinite, potential) moves and gives rise to the Two, Yin and Yang (Tai Chi), which gives birth to the ten thousand things......."  ~ Karen Casey-Smith

WU CHI – ULTIMATE OF NON-BEING

Before the universe was created, there was nothing at all.  It was unnamable and beyond description.  There was no heaven, no earth, no sound, no smell, no color, no appearance.  It was in a state of chaos.  It is called Wu Chi.  Literally, it means “No Limit”, or “Ultimate of Non-Being”.  It may also be taken to mean “Absolute Infinity”, or “The Infinite”.

Wu Chi is the subtle origin of truth, the source of all creation, the fountain of all lives, the root of the universe and the mother of myriad things, therefore we call it “Tao”, the “Absolute Way”.

TAI CHI – SUPREME ULTIMATE

Wu Chi is the substance of Tai Chi. When Wu Chi moved it became Tai Chi. So Tai Chi is the function of Wu Chi.

In the Song Dynasty, the philosopher Chou Tun-I (1017-1073 A.D.) designed a diagram to represent Tai Chi in an ingenious way.  That is, with a circle (O) to represent Wu Chi in the state of calmness.  When it starts to move, then Wu Chi becomes Tai Chi. The circle was divided into two equal parts by a wavy line ().  So Tai Chi is the integration of Liang I (Yin-Yang) and the mother of heaven and earth.

From Ch’ang–Shih Tai-Chi Ch’aun: The Ultimate in Health and Self-Defense by Frank DeMaria

You may also enjoy reading:
From Jing to Qi to Shen:  An Interview with Healer Darren Orr
A Taoist Perspective of the Earth on Earth Day

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