CTHA Blog

Foundations of Medical Qigong Workshop

2012-01-16T11:21:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-18T21:51:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-18T14:28:00.001-08:00

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

2011-10-06T10:35:00.000-07:00

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.

The Chinese Medicinal Herb Farm - Book Release!

2011-09-27T14:51:00.001-07:00

Peg Schafer's book is set to be released in November!

This book will be a fantastic resource for those interested in cultivating Chinese medicinal herbs, or even those simply wanting to understand Chinese herbs at a deeper level.

Peg has comprehensive information on cultivating each herb that is covered and I wrote a brief medicinal section for each one as well.

You can pre-order the book at: http://www.chinesemedicinalherbfarm.com/

Medical Qigong Ongoing Group - Second Meeting 10/15/11

2011-09-27T14:42:00.000-07:00

We had a great first meeting of the new ongoing Medical Qigong group. We covered a variety of related topics, including upper spine mobility, developing whole body movement within the Moving Qigong, a demonstration and discussion of the whole system and our group practice, of course.

At our second meeting on October 15th we will continue to look at mobility issues, begin to work on some progressions for developing hip and leg mobility and strength and analyze the Second Moving Gong (Taiji Kai He Gong), as well as group practice and discussions!

The group is pretty full but feel free to contact me if you are interested in participating.

Swimming Fish Gong & Monkey Paw Gong Demo

2011-08-26T11:15:00.000-07:00

These are two advanced Medical Qigong exercises that I was asked to demonstrate.

Cultivating Nature Workshop

2011-08-13T13:29:00.001-07:00

Saturday, September 17th 1:30 -3:30, $35

This class will cover Classical Chinese Medicine approaches to the healing process through cultivating a relationship with nature, understanding the rhythms and movements of qi and developing awareness. We will explore passages from classical Chinese texts, discuss traditional Chinese characters and images and cover traditional practices for connecting with nature and our own nature

Ongoing Medical Qigong Group

2011-08-13T13:14:00.000-07:00

First Meeting, September 17th from 9:30-11:30, $25

My goal with this ongoing group is to provide support for qigong development through creating a group dynamic, discussing topics that relate to Medical Qigong and Chinese Medicine in depth, teaching intermediate and advanced exercises and providing a gathering point for discussion between group members.

Group practice is an important complement to daily practice and will form the foundation of the ongoing group. In this first meeting we will also discuss the nature of qi, different levels of qigong practice and the background of this system, and I will demonstrate the complete moving gong of this system with commentary.

Please contact me with any questions.

Qi, Nature & Perception

2011-08-03T20:36:00.000-07:00

This is a 3 minute audio clip of a discussion of qi that was made at Mt.Shasta. The photo below is of the creek that you can hear in the background.

Qi, Nature & Perception.MP3

July 2 Classes

2011-06-18T21:53:00.000-07:00

Medical Qigong - Saturday July 2nd from 9:30-11:30

This workshop will cover three types of exercises: Meridian Daoyin Gong, Standing Meditation exercises and Sou Gong (Closing/Locking Qigong).

The fee for the workshop is $35.

The Art of the Heart - Saturday July 2nd from 1:30-3:30

This workshop will cover the Classical Chinese Medicine view of the heart, mind and emotions,

with an emphasis on how the principles and practices that support mental clarity apply to modern life.

The fee for the workshop is $35.

If both workshops are going to be taken, the fee for the day is $55.

These classes are getting full but I still have a few spots in each one. Please call (707) 763-8040 or email me at sean@traditionalhealtharts.com for more information or to register.

Nourishing Life - Nutrition Workshop Download Available

2011-06-18T15:03:00.000-07:00

Nourishing Life: An Introduction to Chinese Medicine Principles of Food & Nutrition

Download in MP3 & PDF format

I am happy to have this available now in our online shop. This program includes downloads of the two hour audio recording of the workshop and an e-book in PDF format of the handout for the class. The recorded workshop covers practical Chinese Medicine principles of food and nutrition that are easily applied to modern life, optimizing your diet to meet your individual needs and goals, eating with the seasons, and balanced eating to enjoy your food.

http://cthashop.blogspot.com

New Biodegradable Packaging

2011-06-14T11:20:00.001-07:00

If we ship your herbs to you, you might notice that your herbs are arriving in a new grey package bubble mailer. I was happy to find these as they are fully biodegradable, are also recyclable, and actually have an extra adhesive flap so you can reuse them if you like.

Moving Gong

2011-06-03T14:55:00.001-07:00

I've had students asking for a video demonstration of some of the basic movements of the Moving Gong - so here is a brief demonstration of the Three Gates Gong, First Moving Gong and Second Moving Gong.

June 4th Classes are Full

2011-05-26T15:29:00.000-07:00

The Moving Qigong workshop from 9:30-11:30 and the Chinese Medicine Nutrition workshop from 1:30-3:30 on the 4th are both full.

I will be recording the nutrition workshop though and will have that available as a download.

If you would like to be on the waiting list (in case of cancellations) for either class please call us at (707) 763-8040.

Medical Qigong Counting Patterns

2011-05-25T13:40:00.000-07:00

I am excited to finally have this Medical Qigong practice aid available! This downloadable CD (MP3 file format) is meant to be played on your iPod, iPad or computer while you practice. It follows the format of the weekly qigong class that I taught for years, with counting patterns, verbal cues and relaxing background music.

This format allows great flexibility, as you can choose to practice just the Quiet Gong, one of two options for the Moving Gong, or a complete sequence of the Quiet Gong through the Moving Gong.

There is a sample of the first counting pattern and more information at our Online Shop

Instructions for using iTunes with Downloaded Files

2011-05-25T13:33:00.000-07:00

Here are the instructions for using iTunes with the downloaded audio files from our online shop. Keep in mind that if you just want to play these files on your computer just download them and double-click them to start playing.

iTunes directions:
1. Download the four Counting Pattern files to your computer ''desktop''.
2. Open your iTunes and make a new playlist - call it whatever you like that you'll remember
3. Use your mouse to drag and drop the files from the computer desktop into the open iTunes window onto the new playlist. ( In order to drag the files from your desktop to the iTunes playlist you may need to resize your iTunes window smaller in order to see the downloaded Counting Pattern files on your desktop).
4. On your computer iTunes Library playlist that you made you will see the downloaded tracks listed. Before "syncing" the list to your iPod or other device, uncheck the track titles which you do not need for your current practice. When you then sync with your device the downloaded tracks are ready for you to use.

Two New Classes on June 4th

2011-05-04T13:27:00.000-07:00

Medical Qigong - Moving Gong - Saturday June 4th from 9:30-11:30

This workshop will cover the philosophy of movement within Medical Qigong, the First Full Moving Qigong (Taiji Dongzuo Gong) of Comprehensive Medical Qigong, the Second Moving Gong parts 1 & 2 and adapting to seasonal and environmental changes with Qigong.

The fee for the workshop is $35.

Nourishing Life - Chinese Medicine Principles of Food and Nutrition - Saturday June 4th from 1:30-3:30

Some of the most common questions that I hear in the office are:

How come I ate just what I was "supposed" to and felt bad?

What foods should I eat and avoid?

What is the best diet to follow?

The answer to these questions is simpler than most people think. It is all about understanding your own body and following a few simple principles that allow you to eat the foods that work for you in a way that works for you.

This workshop will cover practical Chinese Medicine principles of food and nutrition that are easily applied to modern life, optimizing your diet to meet your individual needs and goals, eating with the seasons, and balanced eating to enjoy your food!

The fee for the workshop is $35

If both workshops are going to be taken, the fee for the day is $55.

Medical Qigong Workshop in the Garden - May 22

2011-04-26T12:42:00.000-07:00

This introductory Medical Qigong workshop will be at Quarryhill Botanical Gardens in Glen Ellen. This is the first introductory workshop that I have taught in almost two years and I am excited to have it in such a beautiful setting. We'll cover Quiet Qigong, Three Gates Gong and Closing Gong with an emphasis on using nature for healing.

This is a benefit for the Garden. You can register by calling (707) 996-3166 or visiting their website at http://www.quarryhillbg.org/home.html

The class is scheduled for May 22nd from 9:30-11:30.

New Interns

2011-04-04T21:20:00.000-07:00

Leslie, my previous intern, has finished acupuncture school last month and moved on. Good luck and best wishes to Leslie!

I am very happy to have two new interns, John and Katie, both of whom are very interested in Chinese herbal medicine, students at AIMC Berkeley and already doing great work in our herb dispensary. I'm looking forward to working together with them for some time!

Miso Soup

2011-04-01T20:59:00.000-07:00

Miso has been in the news a lot lately in regards to radiation, etc. I have always felt though that there are many good reasons to include it regularly in your diet and wanted to re-post this (from June of 2010) recipe that I regularly use and recommend:

To make miso soup, start by bringing 4 cups of water to a boil. Add 1 piece of Kombu seaweed that is about 3 inches by 3 inches (it best to rinse the seaweed first in cold water). Reduce heat and simmer covered for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and add a small handful of dried Bonito (dried, fish shavings). Let sit for several minutes then strain. Put 2 teaspoons (or more depending on taste preference) of miso paste in a bowl. Mix in one cup of the base that you have prepared and add a small pinch of Wakame seaweed. All of these ingredients - Kombu seaweed, Miso paste, Bonito, and Wakame seaweed - are available at an Asian market.

Welcoming the Rawlinsons

2011-04-01T20:54:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to welcome Ian and Cindy Rawlinson to our offices! They are both very skilled, long term practitioners of Five Element Acupuncture and will bring a great amount of experience and knowledge with them. I've known them for many years and am happy to continue our association with them here!

Nourishing Life Booklet & Newsletter Update

2011-02-14T21:21:00.000-08:00

I've had people asking for the PDF booklet that I sent a link for in the last newsletter. The booklet is called Nourishing Life: Traditional Chinese Medicine Principles of Individualized Nutrition.

Here is a link to the free PDF: http://traditionalhealtharts.com/misc/NourishingLife.pdf

Also, I've been a bit behind in sending the newsletters lately as I've been working on a writing project with Peggy Schafer that has taken all my spare time. That is wrapped up for now, so I'm hoping to send the next newsletter out fairly soon.

Fu Tian Herbs Presentation - Sunday February 27th

2011-02-14T21:15:00.001-08:00

I'll be doing a presentation for Fu Tian Herbs in Oakland on Sunday, February 27th from 10-12 for practitioners and students of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

During the presentation I'll discuss using domestically grown Chinese medicinal herbs, specifically herb extracts, in a clinical practice. I'll talk about the traditional uses of formulas and single herb prescriptions when using domestically grown herbs and we'll taste samples of the herb extracts that we discuss. I'll also discuss areas of conservation, quality and purity of herbs here and in Asia and possible ramifications of that for the future of TCM. All in all this should be a fun, interactive morning, with time for questions, discussions and experience with the herb extracts.

Pork Chops and Bacon Kale over Congee

2011-01-28T21:02:00.000-08:00

I have had people asking about ways to serve congee and also ways to serve pork, so here is one of my favorite meals combining the two: pork chops with bacon kale over congee (a recipe for congee is here: http://traditionalhealtharts.blogspot.com/2010/11/slow-cooker-congee.html

In addition to the congee you'll need thin cut pork chops, olive oil, one bunch of kale, 2 slices of bacon (all natural preferably), raw walnuts and, if you like, umeboshi paste.

To prepare the pork chops heat up a large pan to medium with a tablespoon or two of olive oil, rub the chops with olive oil and then add the chops to the pan. Brown them for a couple of minutes on each side, then turn the heat down and cover them until they're done, turning them occasionally. Once they're done take them out and cut them into strips.

To prepare the bacon kale, chop the bacon into small pieces and cook in a pan or wok. Chop the kale while the bacon is cooking. Once the bacon is cooked, remove from the pan and set aside, and add the kale to the pan. Stir-fry the kale until it is done and then stir the bacon back in.

For the garnish, dice 1 or 2 walnuts and toast them in a pan or oven. The umeboshi paste can be purchased at an asian market or health food store (you'll only need a tiny bit of the paste per serving - about the size of a dime or so depending on taste).

Most of the prep and cooking can be done simultaneously - it should only take about 20-30 minutes total (not counting the congee, of course).

Serve the pork chop strips and bacon kale over the congee with the garnish on the sides.

Chinese Medicinal Herb Farm Internship

2011-01-27T10:30:00.001-08:00

Peggy Schafer is going to be starting up the 2011 medicinal herb farm internship in March - I'll be teaching there in the mornings. Here is the announcement:

Would you like to gain understating and deepen your relationship with Chinese herbs through their cultivation? Perhaps you are concerned about losing access to herbs and thus are interested in being a part of the development of Chinese herbs as a domestic emerging market? How about access to better quality herbs than is commonly found in the marketplace. Or maybe you are a grower seeking to diversify your production? Besides offering seed and field grown herbs the Chinese Medicinal Herb Farm operates as an experimental farm to explore these possibilities as well as aid herb conservation. Our internship program allows those interested in hands on knowledge and experience in all aspects of growing and harvesting Chinese herbs with the guidance of Peg Schafer; educator and nationally recognized Asian herb grower.

This program will follow the seasonal progression of growing herbs from seed sowing and pot culture in the nursery to field production covering soil management, planting, cultivation, harvesting and drying of leaf, flower, seed and root herb crops.

Sean Fannin, an accomplished practitioner from the Center for Traditional Health Arts will start each session with Medical Qigong. This introduction and ongoing practice will develop Quiet and Moving Qigong practices while gaining practical understanding of the theories.

The eight session program runs from March through October, the second Saturday of the month. Hours are from 9-3. Interns should be in good physical shape and be prepared and committed to work to the best of their ability. The program is $400. If you are interested please email Peg at pschafer@sonic.net.
We will hold two open houses in February to get acquainted. A visit to the farm is mandatory for intern consideration. Please email a short blurb describing what you are looking for and why you are interested, and any agricultural experience you may have, as well as any health considerations.

First Meeting of Classical Chinese Medicine Study Group

2011-01-18T20:34:00.000-08:00

We had our first meeting of the new Classical Chinese Medicine study group last Saturday. It is a really nice, diverse group and we had a great initial meeting. This first session was primarily overview, with discussions on how to analyze characters, and applying that to the characters for yin, yang, tian (heaven), di (earth) and Dao. These characters essentially form the first line of Chapter 5 of the Suwen, and we had a good group discussion of the meaning of that first line as well.

Our next meeting is set for Saturday, February 26th from 9:30-11:30. If you are interested contact me as there is room for a couple of more people and this would still be a good starting point.

Winter Holiday Office Closure

2010-12-21T21:12:00.000-08:00

As usual, we will be out of the office from Christmas to New Year's for the winter holidays. We'll be back in the office on Monday, January 3rd.

From the Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, this time just after the solstice is ideal for focusing inward, spending quiet time with friends and family and conserving your energy.

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-21T21:02:00.001-08:00

Wishing you health, happiness and good fortune in the coming year!

From Sean, Lori, Bill, Erin and Leslie

(and Lily, of course!)

Slow-Cooker Congee

2010-11-26T14:17:00.000-08:00

Congee (or "Jook") is a wonderful, easy to digest, highly nourishing rice porridge dish. This recipe falls under the category of "more things to do with stock." I often recommend this when people need to restore their energy, and seasonally, it is one of the most appropriate dishes for consolidating the energy in the winter.

Start with 4-6 cups of stock and 2-4 cups of water (depending on how concentrated you want to make the congee) for a total of 8 cups of liquid. Put this in your slow-cooker/crock-pot. Add 1 cup of short grain white rice (I like Koda Farms Kokuho Rose). Turn your slow-cooker to low and come back in 6-8 hours. About 20 minutes before you're ready to take it out add about an inch of fresh ginger cut into matchstick size.

This will make 4 servings. Serve it topped with pork, sauteed greens and freshly toasted walnuts - or whatever else you like!

Note: To make this on the stovetop increase the fluid to 10 cups, bring to a boil and then simmer on low until it is ready, probably an hour or so. Again add the ginger 20 minutes or so before its done.

Opening the Middle Dan Tian in 3 Gates Gong

2010-11-24T12:52:00.000-08:00

Using Bone Stock in Everyday Cooking

2010-11-20T14:34:00.000-08:00

We are now in the time of year where the energy is moving inward. This is a great time to use bone stocks in your everyday cooking to support the energy and nourish the kidneys. I'll post a recipe soon for slow-cooker congee using pork stock, but in the meantime, start using a small amount of stock - around a tablespoon or so - when you steam vegetables and cook rice. Just mix it in with the water and you have a quick way to get concentrated nourishment that consolidates the qi and supports the essences.

To make stock follow the recipe: Making Bone Stock

Classical Chinese Medicine Study Group

2010-11-11T19:14:00.000-08:00

I am going to be starting a new Classical Chinese Medicine study group in January. I have led an ongoing group for a number of years (except last year), with Elisabeth Rochat de la Vallee supervising and meeting with us twice a year, when she is in the area. In the past we have focused on the Neijing Suwen, working with key chapters in Chinese.

The format for the study group is very collaborative and interactive with discussions and presentations. The group works together and as individuals to make a functional (i.e. for our own understanding) translation of the text which will give people experience with reading and writing classical Chinese - it truly is "Chinese Medicine from the Classics." This is something that I love doing!

I am looking at starting mid-January of 2011. I haven't set a specific date or time yet, but we previously have met on a Saturday or Sunday morning from 10-12 or so. This will be an ongoing group so there is not a set timeframe in terms of number of months, etc. We usually meet once a month as a group (except for December due to holidays and what-not) and then twice a year with Elisabeth. After the first meeting people should have an idea of whether it is something that they would like to continue on an ongoing basis. The group is ideal for practitioners or students of Chinese Medicine, or those with some background in the basic theories of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Contact me at http://traditionalhealtharts.com/contact.html if you are interested or have any questions.

Using A Gaiwan to Prepare Tea

2010-10-18T14:33:00.001-07:00

I have had many people ask me the best way to prepare tea. Of course, everyone has their own preference, but I like to use either an yixing clay teapot or a gaiwan. As shown in the photo to the right, a gaiwan set consists of the gaiwan container, which is shaped like a cup with a saucer and lid, and a teacup or pitcher to pour the tea into once it has brewed.

Step 1. Put the tea in the gaiwan (the cup shaped container with the lid).

Step 2. Rinse the tea by pouring boiling water (or cooler water for green tea) into the gaiwan over the tea.

Step 3. Carefully, using the lid as a strainer, pour the rinse water from the gaiwan into your teacup to warm the cup. Pour out the rinse water once the cup is warm.

Step 5. Prepare the first round of tea by filling the gaiwan with boiling or just boiled water (again use cooler water for green teas) and cover, letting steep for 15-30 seconds or so. Once it has steeped pour into your teacup (or cups), using the lid as a strainer. Sip and enjoy!

This can be repeated multiple times, with slightly longer infusion time each round.

Lily Photos

2010-09-24T12:35:00.000-07:00

People have been asking for some photos of Lily, so here they are. The top photo is Lily at Mt.Shasta, sampling the local fare. Then Lily with Maracas, Lily playing with Elisabeth Rochat de la Vallee and finally, Lily joking around with Dr. Bear (Iwashina Anryu) and Lori.

Harmonizing with the Season

2010-09-17T09:59:00.000-07:00

I will be sending out the second newsletter in the current series of newsletters soon. The series looks at the practical, adaptable methods, practices and approaches to health that are detailed in the Chinese medical classics. This current newsletter focuses on harmonizing with the seasons, with an emphasis on autumn (because it is autumn, of course). I discuss this in the office a lot, as the seasons have a tremendous influence on our energy, emotions and overall health.

In the autumn it is easy to get overwhelmed and burnt out. There is a reversal of the qi - from the outward, open movement of the summertime, to the drawing in or harvest of the autumn. This makes it easy for heat to accumulate in the chest, leaving us feeling overwhelmed and reactive. It is important to take the steps to keep yourself in harmony with the season.

The key themes of autumn are discernment, boundaries and letting go of what is not essential. It's ok to work hard (essential even), but that work needs to be on the things that matter. If you are feeling overwhelmed, ask yourself, what would happen if I didn't do (fill in whatever you like here)? If the answer is "not much" then don't do it. Spend the time on what is more essential to you and you will be on your way to more fully participating in the movement of autumn.

In the newsletter article I'll have more on this.

Salt Chicken

2010-09-09T21:41:00.000-07:00

From the Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, chicken has a warming effect on the body. This recipe is great for this time of year (and even in the summertime) as cooking the chicken in salt "cools" it, making it more appropriate for warmer weather - and very tasty.

All you need is a whole chicken and 1 pound of good quality sea salt (not table salt).

Put the salt in a wok or large cooking pan. Heat the pan on high until the salt starts crackling. Lay the chicken on top of the salt, turn down to medium and cover. Cook for 50 minutes and you're done!

I like to serve this over rice with steamed greens or stir-fried vegetables and mushrooms.

Chinese Medicinal Plant Walk

2010-08-28T14:02:00.000-07:00

Quarryhill Botanical Gardens in Glen Ellen, CA

Saturday September 4th from 10 - Noon

Every year Peg Schafer and I lead this medicinal plant walk at Quarryhill Botanical Gardens. Quarryhill is an amazing, world-class woodland garden specializing in Asian plants. We'll see and talk about a variety of rare and commonly used Chinese medicinal plants in terms of cultivation and usage. This is a great opportunity to see, learn about and get a feel for the live herbs in a beautiful setting.

All proceeds benefit Quarryhill Botanical Garden, $15 non-members (of the Gardens) $10 members.

(707) 996-3166

www.quarryhillbg.org

The Way of Tea

2010-08-13T16:28:00.000-07:00

I often talk about the health benefits of tea in the office. However, a high quality tea also provides a deep and quiet enjoyment and, traditionally, is even seen as as way to cultivate one's awareness and sensitivity.

The tea itself is fundamental, but we also need pure water (ideally spring water, but most of us don't live by a pure mountain spring, so as fresh and pure as possible), a teapot or gaiwan to brew the tea, a kettle to prepare the water, and of course, a source of heat. These basic elements reflect the Five Elements or Phases of nature: Wood/Greenery (tea), Fire (heat source), Earth (clay or ceramic pot), Water (well, water) and Metal (kettle).

Perhaps the most important element in all of this, however, is you! Sitting quietly with a few friends, slowly sipping your tea, notice the color and aroma and let the flavor roll back along your tongue. Notice the feeling in your mouth and throughout your body as the qi of the tea begins to circulate. This quiet pleasure is part of the Way of Tea - Cha Dao.

Qigong Demo at Dr. Rong Rong Zheng's Banquet Part 2

2010-08-10T15:18:00.000-07:00

Here is the second part of the moving qigong demonstration I did at Dr. Zheng's banquet. This shows the advanced moving gong and closing gong (and lots of waiters - there was so much fantastic food!). See below for part 1.

Newsletter Series

2010-08-07T12:31:00.000-07:00

Within Chinese medicine, health is not simply the absence of disease, it is a dynamic changing state that embodies efficient living and allows us to fulfill our potential. There are actually a small number of important things that we can do that are necessary for this. Every day in the office I discuss some of these things with people and see how well they work. The nice thing about traditional Chinese medicine is, even though it may sound different or even esoteric at first, it is first and foremost practical and adaptable; it is about what works over the long term.

With this in mind I have decided to write a series of newsletter articles on the methods, practices and approaches to health that are laid out in the classical texts and are applied to our modern lives. The first newsletter in this series will be emailed out soon.

This series will encompass the following topics:

Living with Awareness

Following the Seasons / Natural Rhythms

Food and Nutrition

Restorative Practices

Movement / Physical Training

Health Interventions

The primary themes within all of these interrelated topics are awareness, simplicity and effectiveness.

If you would like to subscribe to the newsletter you can sign up on the main page of our website (just scroll down to the form ) at Center for Traditional Health Arts. Once you have joined the mailing list check your email for the confirmation letter (which you'll need to confirm your newsletter subscription).

Making Bone Stock

2010-07-22T16:15:00.000-07:00

I often recommend bone stock for restoring the energy and providing condensed, high quality nutrients. Within Traditional Chinese Medicine, making this is extracting the essences of the animal that provide tremendous nourishment.

This is the basic way to prepare bone stock:
To make bone stock, start with 4 pounds of beef or pork bones (pork neck works really well). Pork bones will be more cooling, while beef will be a little warming. Bake the bones in the oven at 350 for 20-30 minutes. Then put the bones in your stock pot, add 1 gallon of water and 4 tablespoons of rice vinegar and bring to a boil. Cover and turn down to a simmer for around 8 hours. Strain the bones and let the stock cool. Refrigerate what you will use within a week and freeze the rest. As it cools it is normal for it to solidify into gelatin. This can be used for making congee, as the base for soups (diluted with water) or added in small amounts to soups, stir fry, steaming water for vegetables, cooking grains, etc.

Qigong Demo at Dr. Rong Rong Zheng's Banquet

2010-07-12T23:01:00.000-07:00

I've studied with my teacher, Dr. Rong Rong Zheng for the past 19 years. In April there was a banquet honoring her accomplishments and celebrating her 70th birthday. It was a great time with patients, doctors, friends and family coming from China, Japan and all over the US.

As part of the event Dr. Zheng asked me to do a demonstration of the Moving Qi Gong. Here is a video of the first half of the demonstration. I’ll post the demonstration of the six advanced exercises and closing exercises later.

Elimination Communication

2010-07-08T17:05:00.000-07:00

Elimination Communication ("EC"), sometimes called “Infant Potty Training,” is based on the observations that it is natural for infants and babies to cue their parents before they eliminate, that they can learn cues to facilitate elimination and that they do not want to sit in a soiled diaper (who does, after all). It is a soft, awareness based approach that is both amazing and totally natural, once you can wrap your mind around it. Following this gentle approach, we haven’t used diapers with Lily since she was 6 months old (she is now 10 months old).

There are several books that we have found helpful. You can order these from your local bookstore or use the links below to get them from Amazon.

Infant Potty Training, by Laurie Boucke. This is a more comprehensive look at EC with a cross-cultural perspective. A nice view on the subject from one of the people that began to re-popularize EC here.

Infant Potty Basics, by Laurie Boucke. This is more of the basic, how-to kind of information. Very practical and useful.

Diaper Free, by Ingrid Bauer. If you can find this used (it is out of print now) is a nice introduction although a bit repetitive. This is what we started with. I recommend getting the information that you need and skipping around from there.

Natural Parenting

2010-06-29T16:11:00.000-07:00

Natural Parenting sounds like a funny term (to me at least), but it essentially is about raising a baby with awareness and following the natural rhythms of development with the baby. This is all very consistent with Traditional Chinese Medicine, although these ideas would be a given in most traditional cultures. Lori and I have come across some excellent resources that I'll cover in an ongoing, series of posts, interspersed with my regular posts on Chinese medicine, philosophy, nutrition, exercise and so on.

These are all things that we do with Lily and we have been amazed at the results. Of course, I find Lily amazing anyhow, but that's just me. I think that these are great resources for parents, grandparents, caretakers, and others interested in an awareness, communication based approach to raising kids.

The first post in this series will be on Elimination Communication or "EC." I'll have that up soon.

Summertime - Harmonizing with the Season

2010-06-28T12:02:00.000-07:00

Now, just past the summer solstice (which is mid-summer by the traditional Chinese view) I have been thinking about the traditional recommendations for harmonizing with the summertime. Along these lines, I revised the following article that I wrote several years ago:

"The three months of summer are called prospering and developing the flower. Heaven & Earth intertwine and the Ten Thousand Beings flower and bring forth fruit..."

- Neijing Suwen, Ch. 2

The traditional recommendations for harmonizing with the summertime all have to do with finding the proper movement for moderating the fullness of the season. In other words, we must express the fullness and vitality of life that is inherent in the season, but be careful not to let the same fullness of the sun and the heat overwhelm the body.

To begin with, as we do with all of the seasons, we can look at our sleep & activity cycle as one of the most basic ways to govern the rhythms of the body. During the summertime it is recommended to go to bed later (within reason) and wake up early in the morning. This follows the movement of the sun: longer days and the increased light and warmth activate the energy and the body needs less sleep than in the other seasons.

In terms of our waking hours, the summertime allows the largest amount of activity during the day. However, it is important to protect ourselves from the extremity of the sun (even if we are not outside) by doing more activity in the morning and evening, and less in the middle of the day. In this way we won't become overheated or depleted by the influence of the sun, which is always the concern for this season. The Chinese character for this is actually a pictogram of a person who has eaten too much of something good and is overly full. While the light and sun of the summer is full of vitality, too much will leave us full and overheated.

In terms of exercise, Qigong should be practiced in the morning, facing the eastern direction or in the evening facing the west. We can also walk in the morning or evening, taking longer walks when time allows. The image of walking in the springtime was loose strides in the courtyard, staying close to home. Our image for walking in the summertime is a long ramble through the countryside, perhaps taking a nap under a tree or next to a stream during the heat of the midday sun.

It is fine to exert our strength in this season with our work and exercise, but we should remain mindful to not damage the fluids of the body (which are keeping us cool in the heat of the season) with excessive activity.

In terms of our mental state, it is recommended in the summertime that we act calmly and without anger, thus assisting the completion and fulfillment of the beauty of the season. The movement outwards that is inherent in the season should be followed naturally, without any extra force. Whether it is too much time in the sun and heat or too strong of an emotional response, an excess of outwards movement will press the qi and fluids to the surface, where they may be dispersed and lost.

Following these traditional recommendations for harmonizing with the season ensures the proper movement of qi within the body, helping to prevent illness and support vitality.

Miso Soup Recipe

2010-06-23T16:34:00.000-07:00

I have been recommending miso soup to a lot of people lately - it aids digestion, benefits the energy and provides great, tasty nourishment. Here is how I usually prepare it: