Breathing methods in Taijiquan: a holistic approach
By Nabil Ranné
There are various ideas about breathing in Taijiquan, sometimes more vague and sometimes very rigid. As Nabil Ranné explains, the first thing is to develop natural abdominal breathing that supports both relaxation and a stable physical posture. As one’s Taiji practice develops further, the breathing should develop in relation to the other physical requirements. Here one should differentiate between ›normal‹ abdominal breathing and ›reverse‹ or ›inverse‹ breathing, the use of which depends on the effect one is aiming for and on the movement dynamics at that moment.
Cultivating Body, Breath and Mind
Or: what’s so great about Qigong?
By Peter Deadman
We all know that Qigong does us good, and that’s probably why we do it. But we can’t necessarily explain why this is so. In his article, Peter Deadman summarises some of the essential effects of Qigong practice and turns the spotlight on various aspects. These include the benefits of the gentle, spiralling movements for the fascia, the important effects of slow and deep breathing and how, ultimately, training the mind and developing empathy and compassion can help determine our quality of life.
Neurogenic Tremors
By Tjeerd Verbeek
Neurogenic tremoring is a natural method by which the body can regulate itself again following a situation of extreme stress and which helps the nervous system return to a normal state. This phenomenon can also be intentionally induced in order to achieve a state of deep relaxation and, in particular, to dissolve chronic tension in the area of the psoas muscle. Tjeerd Verbeek provides background information on neurogenic tremors and explains its benefits for practitioners of Taiji and Qigong. He makes suggestions for how you can induce this yourself, and points to issues that should be considered here.
Everything is Connected
Contact, touch, connection
By Helmut Jäger
Contact is a fundamental experience in our lives. The way we perceive contact with another person depends on many factors, and especially on the respective intentions of those involved. Helmut Jäger describes the unconscious responses that already take place in the body before touch actually occurs on the surface of the body, and how this touch leads to a connection between the previously separate subjects. The further effects of this connection are determined, for instance, by whether the situation is combative or therapeutic in nature. In tuishou we can explore this theme in a playful way.
Two Paths to Unity – a comparison of Daoist Qigong and Chan Mi Gong
By Sabine Schreiner
The broader term »Qigong« embraces a huge spectrum of exercises and systems. One very special type of Qigong is Chan Mi Gong, which arose from Tibetan Buddhist roots. In order to highlight its special qualities as well as its similarities to and differences from Daoist-influenced Qigong, Sabine Schreiner describes two exercises that resemble each other superficially but reveal significant differences in the way they are performed and the effects they have.