Five Animal Frolics starting this Wednesday

Book now to try this fun and accessible qigong form. Access your inner tiger, deer, bear, monkey and bird, while improving your mental and physical wellbeing with gentle qigong exercises.

The 6 week course will take place at Leigh South (TocH) Community Centre, 32 Hope Carr Road, WN7 3ET, on Wednesday mornings, 10am-11am, starting 24 October. Only £27.

Email taiji@ahigherporpoise.com to book a place.

(: Happy World Mental Health Day :)

(: It's World Mental Health Day today. We all need to look after our mental health, so be happy and nourish mind and body with tai chi and qigong. :)

Qigong course - Wu Qin Xi or Five Animal Frolics

Wu Qin Xi or Five Animal Frolics, as its name suggests, is a joyful qigong form, suitable for all ages and abilities. In various stretches the qigong player endeavours to get into the spirit of each of the five animals: the powerful courageous tiger, the playful carefree deer, the calm steady bear, the clever nimble monkey and the graceful agile bird.

There will be a 6 week course on Five Animal Frolics at Leigh South (TocH) Community Centre, 32 Hope Carr Road, WN7 3ET. It will be on Wednesday mornings, 10am-11am, starting 24 October.

Pictures from World Health Qigong Day

 In spite of the rain a few hardy souls turned out for World Health Qigong Day in Lilford Park. We were sheltered by the Chinese parasol tree and did ba duan jin, wu qin xi, yi jin jing and dao yin yang sheng gong before we decided to finish off with coffee and chat in Costa. Thanks to David Clarke for the pictures.

3rd European Health Qigong games - The Journey

I want to share this BHQA video of memories of the European Health Qigong Games. I'm happy to have been a part of this.

World Health Qigong Day

I had a fabulous time at the European Health Qigong Games. It was inspiring being there with so many world class qigong players and teachers.

Now I'm home, the next thing to look forward to is World Health Qigong Day on Saturday 8 September.

More than 40 countries and regions will be taking part. Here is a map of the events organised by British Health Qigong Association instructors. As you can see on the map we will be having an event in Leigh, weather permitting. It will be held in Lilford Park, Elmridge, Leigh WN7 1HN from 10am to midday. I will be there along with other BHQA and Deyin Taijiquan Institute instructors Terri Owen and Joanne Barton.

If you are entering the park through the main entrance, go straight ahead and we will meet under the tree. You can also get into the park from the guided bus route along the side. The nearest stop is Holden Road on the V1 route.

But the qigong doesn't stop there because the week after I will be taking part in a qigong conference in Liverpool organised by the Qigong School at the Personal Energy Centre. It runs 14-16 September and you can book a place on Eventbrite here.

And there is still time to book a place on the Deyin Autumn Bootcamp. I have already booked mine. While this event is more focused on tai chi it does generally include some qigong as well.

Holiday and upcoming events

This is a reminder that there are no classes next week as I will be at the European Health Qigong Games in Hertfordshire. If you would like to go along you can find out more information here.

Classes start again the week beginning Monday 3 September, and as soon as I get back we will be getting ready for World Health Qigong Day on Saturday 8 September. There will be events all over the country and all over the world, and ours will be held at Lilford Park, Elmridge, Leigh WN7 1HN, starting at 10am.

On the same day, Master Tary Yip will be giving morning and afternoon workshops in Liverpool on qigong and 13 step Sun style tai chi. You can book with Angela here.

And of course it is never too soon to book a place on the Deyin Autumn Bootcamp on Saturday 6 October as these popular events often get booked up early. Free for members of the Deyin Taijiquan Institute there is always a good variety of quality teaching.