Tai Chi Easy™, a type of meditation, involves a series of slow, rhythmic movements accompanied by deep breathing, performed in a slow, repetitive manner.  Each one-hour session consists of gentle physical exercise and mental focus (6).  You will need the physical ability to stand unassisted for at least 20 minutes.

Tai Chi Easy™, a combination of Tai Chi and Qigong, builds strength without much exertion and recovery time.  Gentle stretching, breathing, and mental focus are deepened and broadened during each successive class. Some squatting, lunging, and turning are incorporated in these classes.

Both Tai Chi and Qigong are ancient Chinese exercises that promote optimal health and vitality.  In general, Tai Chi (pronounced tie-chee) emphasizes balance, harmony, and stress reduction (1-5, 8, 11, 12).  Qigong (pronounced chee-gong) is the practice of harnessing your life energy (Qi).

Four Parts to Your Tai Chi Easy™ Classes:

• Breathing practices – designed to trigger relaxation responses, increase oxygen flow, and provide energy
• Mindful movements – five gentle exercises (see below) that relax, flex, and stretch your body to help improve balance and coordination, increasing blood and lymph flow (7)
• Self-applied massage – emphasis is placed on reflex points on hands, ears, feet, neck and scalp; intended to relax your whole body (9)
• Meditation – focused, intentional centering of your mind on the present to calm your emotions and with Spirit (10)

Five Mindful Movements Per Set (Your Choice of Moving, Standing, or Sitting):

• Harmonizing Yin and Yang (Active/Passive Energy) (Parting the Wild Horse Mane)
• Brush Knee, Send Chi
• Cutting Through to Clarity (Repel the Monkey)
• Cloud Hands
• Gathering Energy from the Earth and Heavens

Clothing and Footwear:

Comfortable loose (casual wear) clothing, comfortable flat sole shoes (e.g., Moccasins or sneakers).   Some of your classes may end outside, but most will be held indoors.

 Pre-Work:

None.  Come ready to have some fun!  Please call Dr. Cathy Rosenbaum, Tai Chi Easy Practice Leader at 513.607.3495 or 513.248.3727 at Miami Township Civic Center 6101 Meijer Drive Milford OH for more information and to pre-register for the next six-week session beginning in August 2024.

“When you cultivate balance and harmony within yourself, or in the world – that is Tai Chi.  When you work and play with the essence and energy of life, nature and the universe for healing, clarity and inner peace – that is Qigong.”  – Roger Jahnke

References

1. Harner et al. Tai Chi: Moving for better balance- development of a community-based falls prevention program.  J Physical Activity Health 2008; 5:445-455
2. Health benefits of tai chi: what is the evidence? Can Fam Physician 2016 Nov: 62 (11): 881-890.
3. Zou et al. Tai chi for health benefits in patients with multiple sclerosis: a systematic review.  PLoS One 2017 Feb 9:12(2) e0170212
4. Benefits of tai chi for fibromyalgia.  Pain Manag 2018 Jul 1:8(4): 247-250.
5. Murley et al. Influence of tai chi on self-efficacy, quality of life, and fatigue among patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy: a pilot study brief.  J Holist Nur 2019 Dec; 37(4): 354-363.
6. Jor’dan et al. Long-term tai chi training is associated with better dual-task postural control and cognition in aging adults.  Adv Mind Body Med 2018 Summer;32(3):4-11
7. Klein et al. Qigong and tai chi as therapeutic exercise: survey of systematic reviews and meta-analyses addressing physical health conditions. Altern Ther Health Med 2019 Sept;25(5):48-53.
8. Conboy et al. Tai chi for heart attack survivors: qualitative insights. BMJ Support Palliat Care 2019 Apr 4.
9. Powerpak CEU for Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians 2019. Augmenting pain therapy with self-massage.
10. Chen et al. Meditative therapies for reducing anxiety: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.  Depression and Anxiety 2012: 29:545-562.
11. Convergence of the Nobel fields of telomere biology and DNA repair.  Photochem Photobil 2017; 93:229-237.
12. Protocol for the MATCH study (mindfulness and tai chi for cancer health): a preference-based multi-site randomized comparative effectiveness trial (CET) of mindfulness -based cancer recovery 9MBCR) vs tai chi/qigong (TCG) for cancer survivors.  Contemp Clin Trials 2017; 59:64-76.
13. Curry et al. Case series of multiple health benefits in those undertaking extended Qigong practice as a complementary self-care practice in an outpatient pain clinic.  OBM Integrative Complement Med Pain Management June 28, 2019.