Quiet Action: Quiet Qigong Workshop June 23rd

Within traditional Chinese medicine and qigong, quietness is not so much the lack of movement as it is the beginning of the proper movement. Developing quietness and the consequent rhythm of movement and stillness in life provides a powerful basis for cultivating health.
One of the simplest to learn yet most profound qigong practices, Quiet Gong forms the basis for all other practices within Medical Qigong. It trains the body, breath and mind to adapt to change and face challenges with inner stability and clarity. This is the exercise that is most commonly used by my teacher as well as in my practice to help people restore their health.
This workshop will include discussions on the philosophy of quietness, applying yin yang (quietness/activity) principles to daily activities and detailed instruction on the practices of Quiet Qigong.
The workshop will be on Saturday, June 23rd at the Center for Traditional Health Arts from 1:30-3:30. $35, $30 for members. Registration fee includes a CD with audio instructions and a follow-along practice session and follow-up articles. Please contact me for more information (707) 763-8040.

Elisabeth Rochat de la Vallee Program in Petaluma

Elisabeth Rochat de la Vallee with be doing a special two-part program in Petaluma at the end of the month!

The two-part program consists of an afternoon session on Monday April 30th and a morning session on May 1st. The first session will be "The Way of the Feminine and Suppleness within the Daodejing." Then, instead of our normal study group meeting, she is going to do a special session looking at the key chapters of the Daodejing discussed, with a character by character analysis. The ideal would be to attend both sessions if possible.

Dates and times are:

Monday April 30th from 3pm to 6pm: "The Way of the Feminine and Suppleness within the Daodejing"

Tuesday May 1st from 9am to 12 noon: "Character by character discussion and analysis of the key chapters presented"

The cost of the programs is $45 for one session ($40 for members) or $80 for both sessions ($75 for members). 

This is a fantastic opportunity to spend time with Elisabeth here in Petaluma. Elisabeth is an internationally renowned scholar and translator of classical Chinese medical and philosophical texts.  Elisabeth has been a major influence on my practice and philosophy - before I met her in San Francisco I seriously considered traveling to Europe to study with her. Now, here she is in Petaluma again! 

Last time we sold out ahead of time and I have already had people contacting me for this next presentation, so please contact me at (707) 763-8040 if you are interested in this great opportunity. 

Springtime Member Tea: The Movement of Life

April 7th from 1:30 -3:00

The Movement of Life: The Liver, Springtime, Movement and Growth

I am excited to hold our Springtime Member Tea in early April. We will discuss the Traditional Chinese Medicine views on the spring and the liver, particularly as it relates to movement and growth at all levels. We'll talk about the emotions, foods, and activities associated with the season as well as enjoy a Bao Zhong Tea and tea snacks.

This program is free for members.

Foundations of Medical Qigong Workshop

February 11th, 2012 from 9:30 - 3:00

Workshop Fee: $75, Special Member rate: $55

This workshop will cover the fundamental exercises of Medical Qigong, including the 
Quiet Qigong, Three Gates Gong, First Full Moving Qigong and Guan Qigong (Closing 
Gong). We will discuss the philosophy and theory of qigong as well to provide a context
and foundation for ongoing practice.

I only teach the foundation exercises a couple of times a year and it has been quite awhile 
since I covered this material in one day rather than two. This class is a prerequisite for
joining the ongoing Medical Qigong group that meets monthly.

I am pleased to offer a special discount rate for members as another benefit of membership 
(which will cover your membership for the month - a way to thank you again for your
support!). If you are not yet a member, joining when you sign up for this class will give
you the greatest benefit from your membership. 

Space is limited for this class. Please email or call me for more information. 

Radio Interview on Transforming Fear

I'll be on Mendocino Public Radio KZYX on Thursday, December 22nd from 9:00am - 9:30am. I'll be interviewed on the Family Connection with Laviva Dakers on working with fear from the perspective of classical Chinese medicine. You can listen live at : http://kzyx.org/joomla/

Office Updates

We have had a busy autumn with the normal bustle of the Center, the start of our membership program, our ongoing Classical Chinese Medicine and Medical Qigong Groups and our sold-out programs with Elisabeth Rochat de la Vallee! Elisabeth will be coming back in May -  I'll have more details as we get closer. 
We have several programs scheduled for November and December (see our class schedule on the side of the page) but all in all winter is a time for settling in and going deeper. 
The Center will be closed on Thursday November 24th and Friday November 25th for Thanksgiving. In December we will be closed on Monday December 26 and back in the office on Monday January 2nd. All of our other hours are the same as usual.

Introduction to the Daodejing with Elisabeth Rochat de la Vallee

Elisabeth will be here in Petaluma on Monday November 14th from 1pm to 5pm presenting an introduction to the Daodejing (Tao Teh Ching) and early Daoism. Most of Elisabeth's public programs focus on the Classical Chinese medical texts, so this is a fantastic opportunity to get her insight and analysis of this fundamental philosophical text that informs so much of the traditional Chinese health practices. The fee for the workshop is $50.

It is not necessary to have a background in Chinese Medicine, just an interest in Daoism, Chinese philosophy or Classical Chinese Medicine.

Please contact the Center for Traditional Health Arts at (707) 763-8040 for more information.

A bit about Elisabeth:

Elisabeth Rochat de la Vallee is an internationally respected scholar and translator of Chinese Classical Medical and Philosophical texts, as well as a practitioner of acupuncture in Paris. Her lectures are popular all over Europe and in North and South America for their unique depth, accuracy of detail and liveliness.

Dozens of Elisabeth's books and articles have been published in several languages. Her long time partnership with Father Claude Larre, produced such works as the 7-volume Ricci Dictionary of Chinese Characters, their translation of selected chapters of the Nei Jing, Ling Shu and Su Wen, as well as the set of 16 books transcribed from their English lecture series published by Monkey Press.

Elisabeth's passion for classical Chinese Medicine and philosophy, along with her dedication to teaching, make her lectures an inspiration.