Chinese Yoga is a very simple system of stretching, breathing and movement exercises that can be practiced by any person regardless of age, size, ability, or health.

Unlike regular recreational sports - like jogging or tennis, oriental exercise systems such ch’i kung or tai ch’i, combine movement with relaxed joints, tendons and muscles rather than muscular tension, the arms and shoulders are kept in a relaxed state throughout. When this occurs, the circulation of energy and blood is increased, all of which has a positive effect on our long-term state of health.

Traditional Chinese believe that the body has an energy field and the main aim of Chinese yoga is to maintain or restore balance and harmony of mind & body through breathing and stretching exercises combined with meditation; offering individuals a way to achieve a relaxed, harmonious state and improve their overall health.

Many people associate Chinese Yoga as part of the martial arts system, yes there is a close link between the two but this does not mean they are inseparable; there are many people who practise Chinese yoga who do not practice martial arts.

The Goals of Chinese Yoga

1. To increase the vital energy (ch’i) circulating around our bodies.

2. To become aware of how our bodies work

3.To create a sense of wholeness and peace in our everyday life.

4. To increase our physical flexibility and strength through full ranges of motion, as well as gain smoothness and depth in breathing.

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When it comes to stretching forget the old saying “NO PAIN NO GAIN” this does not apply here, the rule is 'No Gain with Pain'.

If there is any kind of pain associated with the stretch it is wrong, the muscles are tightening or even becoming damaged, thus defeating the entire object of trying to stretch in the first place.

The stretch should be done slowly and gently, we should never feel uncomfortable or tense at any stage. Once we have reached out full stretch potential, it should be held for a few seconds before slowly releasing it. At no time should you bounce it to a stretch as this can seriously damage the muscles and tendons.

Stretch gradually and over time, there are no short cuts.

Even a modest stretch is good for us

There are lots of reasons for stretching on a regular basis.
• Helps to ease stiffness in the joins
• Maintains flexibility with advancing years.
• Reduces muscle tension
• Helps blood circulation
• Helps coordination
• Increase our range of motion
• Develop body awareness, getting to know ourselves better
• Helps reduce injuries and prepares us for exercise or strenuous physical work (warming up or warming down before and after sports)

Additional Benefits

Stretching the body has an additional benefit in an emotional or even spiritual sense, as we stretch we let go of our physical tension, leaving behind anger, resentment, jealousy and bitterness, this in turn makes us more relaxed, more tolerant, open-minded and happier.

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“On the outside looking in it is hard to understand, on the inside looking out it is hard to explain, one has to experience it to understand it”

Ch’i Kung (also written as qi gong and pronounced chee goung) is an exercise system from China that combines slow, gentle movement with calm gentle breathing, the origins of which stretch back many thousands of years.

Ch’i (qi), also known as ki in Japan, gi in Korean and prana in India, is the "air", "breath", “energy” or "life force", call it what you will, it is the energy that motivates, empowers and inspires all living things - everything from the greatest star down to the smallest of microscopic creatures. It is also considered to be subtle electrical energy that is present in all living organisms.

In the human body, ch’i flows through a collection of channels called meridians - mapped out thousands of years ago by ancient Chinese physicians - and through these meridians all the cells, bones, muscles and sinews are fed and nourished by life-giving energy (ch’i) every moment of ever day. References to Ch’i or similar type’s energy that sustains living beings are used in many belief systems, especially in Asia.

Kung (gong) is a general term meaning 'work' and is used in reference to anything that requires time, effort, patience and practice to perfect hence the term ch’i kung (ch’i gung) may be translated as 'Breathing Exercise' as well as 'Energy Work'

The soft gentle almost tai ch’i like movements of the ch’i kung exercises help to keep the body supple, improve blood circulation, while the breathing exercises help induce a state of relaxation, this helps reduce stress, thus helping to lower blood pressure and reducing the danger of a stroke. These exercises can be practised almost anywhere, at home or work, indoors or outdoors.

When we breath properly we take in more air, get rid of toxins out of our lung, more oxygen is passed around our bodies making our internal organs stronger and the ch’i is circulated far more efficiently than normal. By strengthening the ch’i we also strengthen the mind and the body, both internal and external and with daily practice ch’i kung can strengthen the overall state of health and increase resistance to illness.

There are many different types of ch’I kung exercises, there are individual exercises all with different names such as: - Tiger playing with ball, Carrying the Moon and Reeling the Silk. Then there are exercises that incorporate several exercises individual exercises grouped together and performed in a set sequence such as The Salutation to the Sun, The Eight Section Cloth and The Wild Goose.

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Ch’i Kung, under various names , has a long history in China, for more than 5000 years it was one of the best kept secrets in the world and became China’s most mysterious tradition, handed down from master to selected students for thousands of years, those fortunate enough to learn ch’i kung became members of an exclusive society known as nei-jia (the 'internal family') which included princes, poets, monks, martial artists, warriors and wise men, all dedicated the cultivating the 'way of life' or '‘Tao of Life’ (yang-shang dao)

The few classical texts in which information was recorded were deliberately written in obscure encodes so that only the well-practised members could possibly decipher their true meanings so that these texts were circulated and understood only among the inner circles of the ch’i kung world.

Today all that has changed, ch’i kung is becoming increasingly popular around the world and is widely recognised as an effective means of stress management and healing, it is also an extraordinary technique for developing a general fitness for the mind and body.

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Put simply, meditation is the art of getting to know oneself; we all play different roles in our lives, only ever showing a one part of ourselves,

At work the responsible employee --- At home the loving parent / partner --- With friends the good listener or the witty conversations

Rarely do we ever show the real us, sometimes, not even to ourselves, If we are honest there is always a part of us we do not like and try to hide it away, causing us to be discontented and negative with ourselves. These negative feelings affect our actions, if we feel discontented then our actions will show this, everything we do will be done half-heartedly.

Our first task is to find out who we are and accept what we find, both good and bad, if we can not think good of ourselves, how can we think good of others.

Through meditation we can all change in positive ways, it is a means by which we become increasingly self-aware and build up a strong sense of positivity about ourselves. Based on this we can then act in a more creative and positive way that will help both ourselves and others.

Some people think of meditation as a religion, it is not a religion, rather a kind of training aimed at bringing about the end of discontentment and negative emotions, offering us the techniques and ideas that help us to lead more satisfactory lives.

There is a Buddhist scripture called the “Dharummapada” which contains a verse: -

“A man may conquer a million men in battle, but one who conquers himself is, indeed, the greatest of conquerors.”

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