Qigong (Chi Kung) & Taiji (Tai Chi) are ancient forms of Chinese exercise practiced for over a millennia to increase health and longevity of life. The practice includes meditation, breathing exercises, focused intention and movements all designed to move the Qi, aka Vital Energy through the body. Practicing Qigong or Tai Chi is a very gentle yet powerful way to heal and strengthen your the mind, body and spirit. It is the ultimate in self-healing for preventive medicine and health. It’s also a lot of fun and makes you feel amazingly good!

Terry Hodgkinson Shifu learned Qigong and Tai Chi from teachers in three countries. Canada, India and China. Hodgkinson Shifu returns each year to study with his teachers from India and China. In China the study focuses on Taoist practice and Shifu leads group trips for all who are interested in training with his Chinese masters on Wudangshan, (Wudang Mountain). 

Tai Chi and Qigong have in common the same basic focus called Qi (also known as Chi, Ki Prana etc), the same fundamental principle of relaxation, and the same fundamental method of slow and ease of movement with focused mental intent. In Tai Chi, Qi (energy) is used as mechanical energy. The opening of the meridians, meaning smooth circulation of Qi, allows one the unobstructed use of internal body mechanics through focused intent. Therefore, Tai Chi generally relates to the ‘energies’ of flowing physical movement, while Qigong’s focus relates more specifically to the ‘energies’ of organ function.

To sum it up, Tai Chi is generally more complex. T’ai chi forms involve a series of many moves. One T’ai Chi form can take months to learn and a lifetime to master. Qigong is often one single move repeated over and over, and sometimes does not involve movement at all, but will focus only on breathing.

Both are excellent, gentle practices for health and wellbeing. 

Baduanjin qigong (八段錦), also known as Eight Silken Movemets Brocade or Eight Treasures, is one of the most common forms of Chinese qigong used as exercise. The name Baduanjin suggests a silky-smooth quality (similar to brocade) to the body’s movements and energy. Baduanjin is principally a form of Medical Qigong, used as way to improve and maintain the practitioners’ health and vitality. 

Baduanjin consists of eight discrete exercises that focus on different physical areas and Qi meridians, with each of the movements repeated a number of  times.  Additionally, each of the movements may be practiced individually to reap the same health benefit. Baduanjin has standing and seated versions; however, the standing version is by far the most widely practiced.

Hodgkinson Shifu first learned Ba Duan Jin from his teacher Raj at International Meditation Centre in Pune, India almost 20 years ago and has been teaching it as part of his Chung Fu Martial Arts Meditation curriculum for 10 years now. Terry is often is called upon to teach at conferences and special events. Whether you wish to learn Ba Duan Jin in a group environment or through personal instruction, contact Terry Shifu and let him know and start enjoying the healthy benefits of this ancient practice. 

Wudang Qigong – Tai Chi can bring you great health benefits. When the five animals: tortoise, dragon, crane, tiger, and snake are practiced as a whole, one can obtain greater balance, flexibility, vigor, coordination, body awareness, blood circulation, organ health, and communication throughout the natural systems in the body. With time the practice can improve ones mental stability, as the training constantly strives to focus the minds energy and tame the disruptions caused by external distractions.

In each the Five Animals, the practitioner coordinates their breathing to match the push/pull energy of each movement. The flow of breath should always remain natural and relaxed, never forced or erratic. Posture is an important factor as well. Through this kind of training the body begins cleansing and revitalization. All in all, guiding the body and mind towards better health and longevity.

Yang Tai Chi 24 Movement Form was the result of an effort by the Chinese Sports Committee, which, in 1956, brought together four Taiji teachers – Chu Guiting, Cai Longyun, Fu Zhongwen, and Zhang Yu – to create a simplified form of Taiji as exercise for the masses. The creators truncated the traditional family style Taiji forms to 24 postures; taking about six minutes to perform and to give the beginner an introduction to the essential elements of Taijiquan, yet retain the traditional flavor of traditional longer hand forms that typically has 108 postures.

Originally Chen Chang Xing (1771-1853) developed the Chen Style T’ai Chi Ch’uan (Taijiquan) Old Frame Routine. He taught the Chen Style Taijiquan to Yang Lu Chan (1799-1872), who developed the Yang Style of Taijiquan. His grandson Chan, Yang Cheng Fu (1883-1936) modified and popularized the Yang Style Taijiquan, and published a number of books on the subject in the 1930’s