Tai Chi Qigong group classes with Shoshana

About Shoshana:

My personal life experience taught me that Tai Chi Qigong is not only a source of tranquility.

In 2018 I fell and broke my left elbow. My physician wanted to operate on my arm and provided me with standard medicines, but I refused. I decided, instead, to rely only on the daily practice of Tai Chi Qigong. To the astonishment of everyone my elbow got 100% healed after three months of daily practice of Qigong.

Now I know that Tai Chi Qigong is also a tool for physical recovery and great enforcement of well-being.

By 2018 I already practiced Tai Chi for more than 15 years. While spending time in China in 2003, I enhanced my practice with the well-known master Wing Cheung, learning both Tai Chi Qigong Shibashi (for healing) and the basics of Tai Chi Martial Arts.

I am not a stranger to alternative medicine or sports; I was a competitive runner in my youth, and in my 20s I started practicing Yoga every day. For over twenty-five years I have been following a daily routine of a balanced diet, sports, Yoga, Tai Chi, and meditation. I have two teaching credentials (in Special Ed and Visual Arts) and an MFA degree in Visual Art from Claremont Graduate University, CA.

I am a writer and illustrator of books, and a Tai Chi Qigong instructor.

Join my online or in-person classes, and let’s enjoy harmony and well-being together.

About Tai Chi Qigong Shibashi:

Tai chi originated as an ancient martial art in China. ‘Qi’ or ‘Chi’ means energy, and ‘Gong’ or ‘Kung’ means work. Therefore, the word Qigong (also spelled Chi Kung or Qi Gong) means "the exercise of your internal energy". It is a 5,000-year-old Chinese healthcare modality that integrates body postures, movement, breathing, visualization, and meditation for a healthy life, spiritual advancement, and/or martial arts training.

Over the years, it has become more focused on health promotion and rehabilitation. The benefits of Qigong range from mind relaxation and stress relief to increased energy, focus, and vitality. It helps to heal degenerative and chronic diseases ranging from hypertension, depression, and insomnia to cancer. I concentrate on teaching Qigong Shibashi, which is a particular form within the practice of Tai Chi Qigong. It involves controlled breathing and a series of slow gentle movements. Its state is meditative, hence it is called by many “moving meditation”. It can be done anywhere, both indoors and outdoors, in large groups, small groups, or personal one-on-one sessions.

The movements of Shibashi are slow and graceful, and their rhythm echoes the flow of water. One does not need to be in perfect physical shape to benefit from the routine as movements can be adjusted to any particular physical condition. The practice brings students to a state of calmness and joy, and after a while, it can be done at home without a trainer.

In my class, I use relaxing music and add self-massage of the meridians (acupressure points) to the routine. I also bring along some practices from Tai Chi Wudang to strengthen the body, and some light exercises from the Feldenkrais methods. Within a short time, my students usually reach a state in which they acquire more self-control over their body and mind and a great sense of inner strength and tranquility.