As we get used to the “new normal,” there’s a greater sense of ease and fresh challenges.

We’re all facing the reality of life right now, which is quite different than it was a few weeks ago.

Now more than ever, we have to rely on our own inner resources to support us and keep us strong.

You might have noticed I recently added a Friday morning chi gong class… and you might be wondering where the heck that came from!

Why is she teaching chi gong now?
Is she trained in it?

Chi gong is a form of energy cultivation, and considered one of the pillars of Chinese medicine.

It’s a mind-body, breath-movement healing art that balances the natural forces of yin and yang, or expansion and contraction, to put it simply.

As you know, I’ve become immersed in yin yoga over the years, and have taught and trained oodles of students. Yin yoga has its roots in daoism, and so does chi gong.

The Five Element Theory of Chinese medicine is an area of curiosity and thirst for me, and I’m in the process of completing a new course, Chinese Medicine for Yoga.

The way each element expresses itself through the seasons, the compass of cardinal directions, colors, and emotions, and the correlation with the organs and meridians fascinate me.

I began practicing chi gong about 18 years ago, the same time I started yoga.

Ever since, it’s been part of my daily routine, primarily to prepare for my seated meditation.

It’s been so life-changing for me that I knew I had to share it at some point.

Chi gong nourishes my body and mind in a way that I can only describe as aqueous. I feel hydrated, and a deep sense of inner flow that’s hard to explain, but goes beyond anything I’ve felt in yoga or meditation.

It has a particular way of circulating the blood without taxing the heart and lungs, and with its roots in Chinese medicine and Five Element Theory, it deeply connects me to nature.

The therapeutic aspect of working with the meridians in chi gong – like in yin yoga and acupuncture – gives me an inner vitality that feels bright and brilliant.

I’ve never been able to relate to or cultivate a pranayama practice, and chi gong weaves breathwork with movement in a way that fills a similar need in me, and feels very different than yoga or meditation.

There are over 7,000 forms of chi gong, and it’s existed for thousands of years. It’s a slow, flowing, methodical practice… yet I sweat! And I’m not a sweater.

There’s an undeniable common thread among all my practices – and in my life – that always guides me to the next step.

Like the other practices in my life, chi gong has deep roots in tradition and ritual that speak to me and play a central role in my approach to teaching.

Chi gong has been particularly meaningful these days, as we maneuver through this Pandemic Portal. I continue to practice with my teacher, and I get SO much out of it.

If what I’ve shared today is speaking to you, join me for chi gong on Friday! I would love to see you.

Send me an email michele@michelesapanaro.com, and I’ll send you the Zoom link and payment info.

Have a question about chi gong? Leave a comment below.

Warmly,
Michele