qi gong – Dr. Kathy Yep

You are invited: drop-in practice, 8 – 8:30 a.m. PT.
Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays, 30 minutes.
Open and suitable to all. No reservation necessary. Drop in. Online.

TO GO TO THE CLASS: Class: zoom link.

Bring open heart, cultural humility, and water. Come early or late. Leave early if needed.

****. Join qì gōng email list. ****

Still in your pajamas? Have sleep hair? Come as you are.
Practicing in a chair or lying down? All forms of practice are welcome.
We have had some furry family practice too. All are welcome.

Offered in spirit of generosity.
All donations go to folks on the ground in Maui (Mauna Medic Healers Hui) or Gaza (Middle Eastern Children Alliance) for food, water, medicine, medical care, shelter, clothes.
Recommended: Sliding scale. $1 – $10 per session, At end of month donate directly to MECA or send check to K. Yep, P.O. Box 1313 Monterey Park CA 91754.

Poems, cards, quotes, and art also welcome. No one turned away for lack of funds.

WHAT IS QÌ GŌNG?

Qì gōng (Chee gong) is connecting to, working with, and cultivating qì (flow, energy or life force). We do this by stretching and moving the body to open the energy pathways known as meridians or channels. Qì gōng can foster calm awareness and the relaxation response. Beyond the physical level, Qì gōng can be empowering because qì is in everything and everyone, including the earth and the sky. In this way, qì gōng can remind us that we are all interconnected even in the face of being torn apart, confronting a large and cruel system, or experiencing loneliness. Qì can nourish the sense and feeling that we are not alone. Practicing qì gōng has the potential to center interconnectivity — in contrast to dehumanizing, appropriating, tossing away, violating, extracting, or marginalizing.

WHO IS THIS FOR?

Whether its your first time or your 26th, all levels are welcome. I encourage you to practice the movements and breathing in a way that makes sense for you — whether sitting in a chair, standing, or lying down. If you come late or have to leave early, you are invited to participate. Feel free to share this with people. Bring cultural humility, an open heart, and water.

DA YAN/ WILD GOOSE QÌ GŌNG CONTEXT

I started to learn wild goose qì gōng because I was recovering from cancer and it was rough. I am cancer-free and have practiced this form close to 30 years. This knowledge system dates back over 1000 years, and is also known as dayan qì gōng. It is a comprehensive system of medical qigong that includes over fifty forms. Some are movement-based and others are sitting meditation practices.

The current understanding and practice of this qì gōng system is credited to Grandmaster Yang Meijun (27th lineage holder). Living past 100, Yang Meijun shifted the discourse and practice by becoming the first woman lineage holder and by teaching it to the public starting in the 1970s.

May our qi gong practice for the benefit of all so all beings do no harm and be free from harm.

WHAT: Free Drop-In Qi Gong Class

Qi Gong (pronounced chee-gong) is an ancient and contemporary Chinese exercise that combines movement, breathing, awareness, and body posture.

The goal is to learn simple practices to help people grappling with hard situations (e.g. COVID19, illness, natural disasters, chronic stress, violence, loss, imprisonment, inequities, etc).

WHO: Open to all. No experience necessary. This is a gentle class for folks of all bodies and abilities. You do not have to experience insomnia to take the class.

WHEN: First Wednesdays, 5:45 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. PDT and Third Thursdays, 12:15 – 1 p.m. PDT (from Jan. through end of May, 2021)

WHERE: Click here or go to https://pitzer.zoom.us/j/513664738

COST: The sessions are offered in the spirit of generosity. All are welcome regardless of funds.

JOIN THE QI GONG EMAIL LIST

TEACHER BIO: In addition to being a researcher and a tenured Full Professor at Pitzer College of the Claremont Colleges, I have practiced and taught qi gong for 25 plus years under the mentorship of Paul Li and Bingkun Hu, who learned from dayan qi gong lineage holder Yang Mei Jun. I am also a certified mindfulness facilitator and certified to teach Mindful Awareness Practices-1 from UCLA Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Behavior.

COMMUNITY PARTNER: From policy and advocacy to direct services and popular education, IM4HI is a statewide California organization that manifests the framework that “all humans are sacred across borders and bars” into reality.

CLASS CONTENT: As part of a pilot online health equity curriculum, I teach select movements from wild goose (da yan) qi gong. It is intended to be calming and nourishing according to traditional Chinese medicine. It is intended to address the ability to fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up rested. (Irwin et. al 2017).

I also teach some qi gong movements that engage with compassion according to traditional Chinese medicine. Research suggests a connection between compassion exercises and nourishing parts of your brain that impact decision making. (Neff et. al., Singer & Klimecki 2014) This is significant in the context of health equity. It is a simple practice to nourish us from the wear and tear of challenging circumstances (e.g. hypertension, violence, incarceration, racial profiling, national disasters, etc.)

I invite you to utilize any or all of the resources: live sessions, free videos, or written instructions available in over 25 languages via Capacitar.

NOTE: This qi gong class is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.