NQA’s annual qigong conference set for Vancouver, Washington
The National Qigong Association’s 2012 annual conference will be held at the Vancouver Hilton in Vancouver Washington, July 27-29. NQA describes their organization as the “premiere membership organization for Qigong. (NQA.org)” NQA is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization that creates opportunities for people to learn about Qigong. They are well known for developing and distributing promotional information to the general public as well as promoting the workshops and seminars of their members, faculty and instructors. In addition to membership they also offer several types of professional membership certifications.
This is the 17th annual conference and this year the focus will be on Renewal-Realignment-Rebirth. There are several key note speakers scheduled as well as smaller workshops over the course of the weekend.
Solala Towler will speak about the Taoist Roots of Qigong. “Solala Towler has been editor/publisher of The Empty Vessel: The Journal of Daoist Philosophy and Practice since 1993. He has had eleven books published and his work has been translated into Dutch, French and Spanish. He is one of the founding board members of the NQA as well as past President. He has taught qigong and Daoist meditation for 23 years. Solala has been a student of the Eastern philosophy since 1969 and leads yearly tours to visit Daoist temples in the sacred mountains of China. He has also recorded four CDs of music for qigong, taiji, meditation, yoga and relaxation. (nqa.org)”
Master Zhongxian Wu is leading a workshop on Fire Dragon 12 Meridian Qigong. “Zhongxian Wu is the recognized lineage holder of various forms of classical Qigong, Taiji and martial arts. He synthesizes wisdom and experience for beginning and advanced practitioners, as well as for patients seeking healing, in his professionally designed workshops. He has authored 9 published books on Qigong, Taiji and other martial arts. Please visit www.masterwu.net for further details. (nqa.org)”
Ying Yang will present the Six Healing Sounds Qigong through a unique musical program. “Ying Yang was the featured solo instrumentalist for the Chinese National Song and Dance Ensemble, the premier traditional music troupe in China. A longtime qigong practitioner, Ying has taught Six Healing Sounds qigong at Kripalu Yoga Center, national tai chi events in the United States and at the May Clinic/University of Chicago Annual Conference on Complementary and Alternative Medicine. (nqa.org)”
Other presenters and workshops include:
- Debra Lin Allen: A Healers Guide to Qigong Therapeutics
- Christopher Anderl: Integral Qigong & Taiji: Practices for Renewal, Realignment, Rebirth
- Chris Bouguyon: Smiling Heart Qigong – Elderly Care Renewal and Rebirth
- Vicki Dello Joio: The Three Gates of Enlightenment: Wisdom, Joy and Abundance
- Francesco Garripoli: Qigong: A Tool For Personal Empowerment
- Gary Giamboi: Realigning Your Breath to Your Purpose
- Jan Gyomber: Tai Chi (Taijiquan) as Qigong
- Gayl Hubatch: Extraordinary Vessel Qigong As A Continuum for Renewal
- Eric Imbody: Empowering Intention
- Mark Johnson: Integrated Qigong: Which includes Renewal, Realignment and Rebirth
- Rebecca Kali: Qigong: Path of Renewal, Transformation & Rebirth
- Jessica Kolbe: Ancient and Modern Animal Frolics
- Gary F. Paruszkiewicz: Therapeutic Tai Chi in-a-Chair
- Michael Rinaldini: Intensive Practice: Qigong, Meditation and Silence
- Sandy Seeber: 8 Energy Circle Walking
- Cari Shurman: Kids and Qigong = Focus, Self-Esteem and Peace
- Matthew Sweigart: Taoveda Qigong Yoga Flow
Several registration options are available including a full conference fee ($395) which includes: all workshops, Friday keynote address, demos & reception and the Saturday keynote address and entertainment/social. NQA members receive a $15 discount off the full conference fee and partial day registration options range from $25-$175.
You can find more information and register from the following links:
Online conference registration
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Robert Downey Jr. honored for his dedication to Chinese medicine & martial arts
https://youtu.be/xfSMn7DvwII
Recently, Robert Downey Jr. was honored with the 2012 Robert Graham Visionary Award by Yo San University. According to Yo San University President Larry Ryan, Yo San’s highest honor “is named after the late Robert Graham, an international artist and sculptor, and husband of Anjelica Huston. Mr Graham is best known for his work on the FDR Memorial in Washington DC, the Duke Ellington Monument in NYC and the great bronze doors of the Cathedral of Our Lady Queen of the Angels in Los Angeles. Until his death Mr. Graham was a supporter and member of the Board of Trustees of Yo San University. [The] Robert Graham Visionary Award is conferred every year to an individual who is an advocate of Traditional Chinese Medicine and whose life is characterized by outstanding achievements. (January 2012 issue of Wellness Magazine)”
Robert Downey Jr. was chosen for this award because of his tremendous recovery over the last 10 years, in both his professional and personal life and to his commitment to Chinese Martial Arts and Chinese Medicine. Downey, overcame many hurdles, obstacles and dark days to achieve his current level of success and peace of mind.
In an interview with Men’s Journal Magazine (May, 2010), Guy Ritchie (Director of Sherlock Holmes), Eric Oram (Downey’s Wing Chun Sifu/Teacher) and Robert Downey Jr. describe how he went from not being able to get insurance companies to bond him for movies and how he could not get any roles, to his current phenomenal box office success with both the Sherlock Holmes and Iron Man franchises. Downey stated that Chinese Martial Arts and Chinese Medicine saved his life and he attributed both to his remarkable recovery. According to Downey, “this is all about focus…Wing Chun teaches you what to concentrate on, whether you’re here or out in the world dealing with problems. It’s second nature for me now. I don’t even get to the point where there’s a problem. (Men’s Journal Magazine, May, 2010)”
If you have been following the Taoism Examiner then you already know that Taoism is the root of Chinese Martial Arts and Chinese Healing/Medicine. Since Taoism has over 6,000 years of success perfecting the Body, Mind & Spirit it is no surprise that its “branches” would produce these dramatic changes.
Congratulations Robert Downey Jr. on this award as well as your dedication to self improvement and cultivation. May you become an example for others of how they can find hope even in their darkest days.
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(Article) Earth day celebrations at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Taoism has a long history of conservation; including botany, zoology and biology, in fact the ancient Taoists are the originators of these sciences. According to the late Professor Joseph Needham in Science and Civilization in China, “The Han time [206 BCE-220 CE] was one of the relatively important periods as regards the history of science in China… Much was done in… the beginnings of systemic botany and zoology… (Volume I, Sections 1-7, p. 111)”
Dr. Needham, further elaborates in the same volume of the “…numerous botanical and zoological monographs, of which Han Yen- Chih’s, ‘Chu Lu’ (Orange Record) of 1178 [CE]…it deals in detail with all aspects of citrus horticulture, and was the first book on the subject in any language—but besides this there were monographs on bamboos, lichis, aromatic plants, cucurbits, and flowering trees, as well as Crustacea, birds and fishes. (p. 135)”
Animals from around the world were brought to China so they could be studied and “cared for” at the Imperial Zoo. The imperial zoo was incorporated into the Forbidden City during the early 1400’s and visiting the zoo remained one of the favorite activities of the imperial families throughout the dynastic/imperial period. There are many paintings of exotic animals being presented for safe keeping at the imperial zoo, including animals from Africa, Australia, New Zealand and the Americas.
It is in this Taoist tradition, especially through the sciences of biology, botany and zoology that the world is waking up to its responsibility of conservation. The recent Earth Day celebrations at Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom theme park featured two days full of activities.
The events coincided with the release of a Disney Nature film: Chimpanzee (a collaboration with The Jane Goodall Institute). Last year’s Earth Day event coincided with the release of African Cats.
Some of the activities included (Jackie Ogden, Ph.D., Vice President, Animals, Science and Environment, Disney Parks):
- “Asia (Maharajah Jungle Trek)—Families [could] play a supermarket game and learn how their purchases…make a big difference for wildlife and wild places.
- Africa (Pangani Forest Exploration Trail)—Children [could] observe and identify chimpanzee tracks and clues left behind along trails as they move through the forest.
- Rafiki’s Planet Watch, courtyard—Outside Conservation Station, guests [discovered] fun ways to spend time in nature with their families and find “Chimpanzee”-related merchandise, as well as face painters and caricature artists.
- Rafiki’s Planet Watch, inside Conservation Station—Families [could] visit the Chimpanzee Research Station and participate in a variety of activities based on real conservation work. Guests also [could] talk with cast members who work on conservation projects around the world and learn about the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund.”
Visitors were thrilled when Jane Goodall made a surprise visit and answered questions from the crowd/guests. VIP guests were able to take part in a Safari weekend which included: “a campfire with the doctor complete with s’mores and stories and a breakfast with Dr. Goodall and Disney characters in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge’s Backstage Prop Shop. In addition, a special Backstage Safari Tour [gave] guests the opportunity to see Animal Kingdom in a different, behind the scenes light. (Melinda Gregory, Walt Disney World for Grown Ups)”
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(Article) Tai Chi theme park planned near Mt. Wudang in China
Erica Orden reported in the Wall Street Journal that “a Los Angeles-based entertainment group plans to co-develop a $3.1 billion theme park and resort in China‘s Hubei province with a local investment firm, two people familiar with the project said. Ikonic Entertainment Group will plan and design a martial-arts-themed park, as well as a $50 million live show, one of the people said… Ikonic is a new entity co-founded by Tony Christopher, head of Landmark Entertainment Group LLC, an entertainment production company. Landmark has a history of creating amusement-park attractions, including “Terminator 2: 3D” for Universal Studios Florida and “Jurassic Park—The Ride” for Universal Studios Hollywood.”
To place this in more relative terms, a Hollywood amusement park company; which has built some of the most successful amusement park rides in the U.S. is planning on building a major theme park at the foothills of Mt. Wudang, the birthplace of Taiji Quan (Tai Chi Chuan).
On the surface, this may sound like an exciting opportunity, probably a dream come true for most kids growing up in the 1960’s-1980’s, which arguably was the golden age for Kung Fu & Martial Arts movies. Some historical and background information is required, however, to fully understand the ramifications of this plan.
What is Tai Chi?
Taiji Quan (aka Tai Chi Chuan), is a highly sophisticated Internal exercise developed by Taoists for the specific purpose of cultivating the body, mind and spirit. Many people describe Tai Chi as an internal martial art; however, this view focuses only on the minor benefit of practicing Tai Chi while neglecting the major purpose and original intention.
Tai Chi as practiced today is based on the cultivation exercise created by Zhang San Feng (Chang San-feng). Zhang San Feng was a famous Taoist Priest/Minister who developed the Tai Chi system on Mt. Wudang, and eventually built the Wudang Temple as a Taoist School/University. Most accounts state that Zhang San Feng was already an accomplished Taoist when he traveled to the famous Shaolin Temple and after a few years mastered all of the Shaolin techniques and then founded the Wudang Temple to further practice and teach Taoist cultivation.
Based on two Classical Taoist texts, the I-Ching and the Tao Teh Ching, Tai Chi is rooted in Taoist philosophy and science. This is why, if you were to literally translate Taiji Quan into English, you would get a rough translation of “The Supreme Ultimate…” Tai Chi was designed to be the Supreme Ultimate cultivation, which is unfortunately, rendered down by many of its practitioners to just a martial art or merely an exercise. It is this lower form of Tai Chi that the theme park will most likely feature, as the highest and truest form of Tai Chi would never be used for the purposes of entertainment.
Mt. Wudang is considered to be one of the holiest sites among Taoists and is a very special place for a Taoist to practice the cultivation of their body-mind-spirit. It was with this consideration in mind, that Zhang San Feng chose Mt. Wudang as the location to build the Temple. Several of the Taoist buildings on Mt. Wudang are from the 7th century C.E. and were made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1994.
Ancient Temple built on a mountain considered to be Holy
There are several questions raised in this article that you are asked to reflect on. If Tai Chi was designed and is practiced as a Spiritual exercise, should this exercise be rendered down to a performance/entertainment level similar to dancing or acrobatics? Is Mt. Wudang the appropriate location for ANY theme park, given that it is regarded as a Holy Site and the Wudang Temple is a spiritual training center?
Would we applaud or approve of a theme park at another major religious holy site? How would we react to a Catholic theme park at the Vatican, a Jewish theme park at the Western Wall/Wailing Wall, or a Muslim theme park located around the Kaaba, in Mecca?
What is to become of humanity if we turn everything into a commodity, or if we begin to view everything through the lens of progress and advancement, all the while losing site of our wisdom and history?
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(Article) Australian research proves that Qigong helps Cancer patients
Qigong (aka Chi-Kung) is a branch of the Taoist self healing exercises or Tao of Revitalization and has been practiced for over 5,000 years by millions of people around the world. A University of Sydney research project confirms that “Cancer patients who used [Qigong] a combination of gentle exercise and meditation experienced significantly higher well-being levels, improved cognitive functioning and less inflammation compared to a control group… which deteriorated in all of these areas. (The University of Sydney, Australia)”
The benefits of reduced inflammation were particularly significant for the group practicing Qigong, stated Dr Byeongsang Oh, a clinical senior lecturer at the Sydney Medical School who led the study. The ten week project involved 162 patients, ranging in age from 31-86 years old; 34% of the participants were diagnosed with breast cancer and 12% with colorectal cancer. The group had two 90 minute classes per week and was encouraged to practice 30 minutes per day at home. In addition to the benefits already listed, the participants were pleasantly surprised when they noticed an increased satisfaction with their sex lives as well. Dr. Oh presented the results to the American Society of Clinical Oncology at a recent conference in Chicago.
Other studies involving Qigong and Cancer
This study is one of many recently that confirms the tremendous healing ability of the Taoist exercises, whether they are Tai Chi, Qigong or the Tao of Revitalization. Presently, the Richard Stockton College of NJ is conducting research regarding the ability of Tai Chi to reduce joint pain in breast cancer patients. In China, Dr. Pao Ling conducted a study with over 2,800 terminal cancer patients involving Qigong therapy as their treatment regimen. After a six month period 59% of the patients were cured or showed significant improvement and 41% showed no improvement. You read that correctly, that’s 59% of the people being cured or significantly improved with Qigong as the only treatment in only six months!
It is very promising to see modern scientists and researchers’ confirming what was previously discovered by Taoists over 6,000 years ago. The modern researchers do not understand how these “exercises” produce such miraculous results, however, the ancient Taoists did and still do understand the how and why.
How is this possible?
Dr. Stephen T. Chang beautifully summarizes the process in “The Complete System of Self Healing”: “The Internal Exercises were arrived at by ancient Taoists through careful study and application of the physical laws of nature and the natural principles of healing. Their conformity to these physical laws-the same laws that govern the human body-confer upon the Internal Exercises the special power to coax the diseased bodily parts back to its natural order, to health… When followed daily, they promote not only freedom from disease and pain, but also a wonderful sense of well-being that springs from the heart of the individual… [Taoists] emphasized that one could at the very least obtain perfect health and happiness during their lifetime. They felt that [everyone] had the right to live a life free of physical pain, mental disharmony and spiritual selflessness.”
Through these exercises, it is possible for humanity to live, develop and grow older without worrying about the ailments that most consider unavoidable or a byproduct of being alive. For the Taoists, perfect health, harmony and balance are our birthrights!
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