Workshop article

Qi · medicine forum beginner Joined: 09 Jun 2006 Posts: 2

The ancient Chinese medical art of qigong is having a renaissance in
the Valley.

With increasing frequency, the self-healing practice is popping up in
health listings alongside yoga and tai chi classes. Instructors are
adding classes, and in some cases attendance has tripled in the past
year.

On June 24 and 25, author and grandmaster Hong Liu, among the most
recognized names in qigong and endorsed by celebrity clients Mel
Gibson, Julia Roberts and Michael Stipe, is offering a two-day
rejuvenation workshop.

Practitioners of qigong rave about Liu's ability to suggest effective
healing exercises.

"I was amazed. After two weeks of starting qigong practice, I started
to feel like myself again," said Annette Mattern, 56, of Scottsdale,
who has struggled with ovarian cancer for 19 years.

The side effects from hormone therapy, including bloating, night
sweats, bone pain and intense mood swings, caused Mattern to "jump in
the pool" of qigong. She attended a two-day seminar with Liu last
summer and experienced relief soon afterward.

"For anyone who has a critical illness, you feel like you've lost
control of your life. This type of healing art gives you a sense of
control," said Mattern, a cancer treatment and patient advocate.

Mattern is undergoing a new treatment for her cancer and said she
wouldn't have had the energy for it without qigong.

"What I tell people is that this is as gentle as it needs to be, as
intense as it needs to be and it's about movement that's been
specifically designed to restore the body to a state of wellness," she
said.

Liu, through an interpreter, said that healthy people also benefit from
qigong. The practice uses a series of movements and breathing designed
to unblock qi, or energy, along meridian pathways in the body.

"One of the areas that now has all of a sudden been elevated to a
science is preventive practices or preventive health. This is where
qigong can make a huge contribution," Liu said. "Qigong can go a long
way in staving off the onset of disease."

Liu is a Chinese physician who achieved the highest level of training
to become a qigong grandmaster. He came to the United States in 1991
and is based in Los Angeles, where he works to integrate Eastern and
Western medicine. Liu is working with the National Institutes of
Health's cancer research wing, exploring Chinese herbs that may have
significant therapeutic benefit in adjunct cancer treatment.

Although Liu's workshops do not follow a strict schedule, they often
unfold this way:

People introduce themselves and tell Liu why they are there. He defines
qi (energy), describing how it works in the body and why certain
exercises can help. He may demonstrate exercises for people with common
illnesses.

After lunch, people break into groups and learn more exercises. Liu
also discusses diet and healing foods.

The second day, he refines what people have learned and provides
one-on-one attention.

----
Balance and harmony
The biggest mistake people make that thwarts their health, Liu said, is
letting their bodies slip from harmony with their outward environment
and society.

Activity, lack of activity, food, emotions and relationships either
fuel energy and health or deplete it.

"What people don't realize is that this imbalance is a key factor that
leads to disease," Liu said.

One of the best ways to improve health is to adopt a positive attitude,
he said. This is not the same as ignoring internal aches and pains or
external aggravations. Being positive means adopting a more detached,
philosophical look at self, balance and awareness.

Ahwatukee resident Carolyn Tirendi, 39, said if that sounds too deep,
no need to worry. The therapies of qigong are something that anyone can
do, no matter their age, health status or whether they grasp how it
works.

Tirendi, a diabetic whose blood-sugar level is difficult to manage,
said that after attending a rejuvenation workshop in 2005, her
blood-sugar levels began to drop during daily testing.

"It happened so quickly," she said.

She did qigong exercises daily for three months and was able to reduce
her insulin dosages. Eight months later, Tirendi, a yoga instructor,
still has not needed to increase her insulin to previous levels,
although she no longer practices qigong every day.

"I couldn't necessarily explain it to you, but my sense is that
(qigong) is moving whatever was stuck, and as a result I'm improving my
health and flexibility in many ways," she said.

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Qigong

Pronounced: chee gung or chee gong.

Definition: Qi means energy. Gong means skill or work. The combined
word means the skill of attracting vital energy.

What it is: A series of gentle exercises, postures and techniques that
combine with proper breathing and focused intentions. Complementary to
Western medicine, qigong is believed to be safe for most people.

What it is not: A replacement for Western medicine.

How it works: According to the ancient Chinese healing art, qi flows
through a dozen pathways or meridians in the body. Blockages in the
meridians cause illness and disease. Qigong, like acupressure and
acupuncture, promises to unclog the meridians to encourage the free
flow of energy.

Reported benefits: Prevention and treatment of illness; reduced stress,
depression and chronic pain; lowered blood pressure; improved
circulation; a lessening of side effects from cancer treatments.

Details: qimaster.com.

====

Rejuvenation Series workshop

What: A two-day workshop of healing exercises with qigong grandmaster
Hong Liu, who has recommended exercises and treatments for celebrity
clients and others worldwide.

When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. June 24-25.

Where: Olympic Collection - Versailles Ballroom. 11301 Olympic Blvd.,
#204 Los Angeles, CA 90064 (Cross street: Sawtelle)

Cost: $350, which includes two-day workshop and follow-up weekly
practice classes. Also, once people attend workshops, they may audit
future workshops with Master Hong Liu for $25.

Details: (626) 445-4284 or email miracles@qimaster.com.

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