Moving in Accordance with Nature

Normal physiology and health within traditional Chinese medicine. 

A unique class meeting in 6 afternoon sessions, one meeting a month, covering health and the normal functioning of the body, mind and energetics within TCM. 

This program emphasizes understanding  and recognizing the normal movements of life as the basis for qigong, bodywork, acupuncture, herbal medicine, nutrition, and so on. 

In this program we'll move from the more general view of qi within nature and humanity to the specifics of how we grow, develop, renew and maintain ourselves. The core of this is based on step by step progressions for building an understanding of the normal processes of human life. 

This course is for: 

Those interested in understanding their own health 

Qigong and taiji practitioners and teachers 

Those thinking of going to acupuncture school 

Current students in acupuncture school Acupressure and bodywork professionals and students 

Acupuncturists who would like to study the norm vs pathology 

Other medical professionals who would like to understand the theoretical basis of TCM.

The fee for the course is: $180, $153 members, fee includes audio downloads of each lecture. 

This course consists of six afternoon lectures. Each lecture expands on the previous, making it important to attend all six meetings. However, if a lecture is missed, it can be downloaded and listened to prior to the next class. 

Meeting Dates: May 25, June 22, July 20, August 24, September 28, October 26 All meetings are from 1pm to 3pm. 

First Meeting May 25, 2013

 In our first meeting we'll focus on qi and the symbolic use of numbers traditionally used to describe the processes of nature and of life. This is a particularly important topic that is often left out of modern traditional Chinese medicine education. It provides a key of sorts for understanding the underlying logic of Chinese medicine. We'll also discuss the context of human life between heaven and earth and what we can do to begin nourishing life within us by moving in accordance with nature.

Five Tastes - Chinese Herbal Medicine for the Lunar New Year

San Francisco Botanical Garden

February 9th 10am-12 noon

With Sean Fannin and Peg Schafer

Traditional Chinese Medicine may seem exotic and esoteric, but it is deeply rooted in an awareness of nature and our own sensory experiences. In this presentation we will discuss nature and health and how traditional Chinese medicinal herbs are selected and used.This will include tasting different forms of Chinese herbs.

This session will also cover Chinese herb cultivation illustrating locally suitable Chinese medicinal plants with 40 samples.Students will be sowing Chinese herbs in 6 packs to take home and grow in pots or in the garden.

The regular cost of the program is $60. I have a special discount code that you can apply to get the SFBG member rate of $50. The code is "Five Tastes 202013"

To get more information or to order tickets please visit the San Francisco Botanical Garden website here:

http://www.sfbotanicalgardensociety.org/sfbgs_course_template.cfm?s=5330

Harvesting the Inspiration of the Spirits

Late Summer and Early Autumn in Classical Chinese Medicine: 
Harvesting the Inspiration of the Spirits

August 25th from 10:00am-11:30am

Free for Members

non-members: $25
registration fees of non-members support our low income programs

Jade Cloud Green Tea will be served along with a presentation on the qi of the summertime and early autumn, including the nature of the heart and the lungs, the shen (spirits), hun ("ethereal soul") and po ("corporeal soul")  the relationship between joy and grief, and simple, traditional guidelines for the upcoming season.

Please email or call (707) 763-8040 for more information or to confirm your place in the program.

Quiet Action: Quiet Qigong Workshop June 23rd

Within traditional Chinese medicine and qigong, quietness is not so much the lack of movement as it is the beginning of the proper movement. Developing quietness and the consequent rhythm of movement and stillness in life provides a powerful basis for cultivating health.
One of the simplest to learn yet most profound qigong practices, Quiet Gong forms the basis for all other practices within Medical Qigong. It trains the body, breath and mind to adapt to change and face challenges with inner stability and clarity. This is the exercise that is most commonly used by my teacher as well as in my practice to help people restore their health.
This workshop will include discussions on the philosophy of quietness, applying yin yang (quietness/activity) principles to daily activities and detailed instruction on the practices of Quiet Qigong.
The workshop will be on Saturday, June 23rd at the Center for Traditional Health Arts from 1:30-3:30. $35, $30 for members. Registration fee includes a CD with audio instructions and a follow-along practice session and follow-up articles. Please contact me for more information (707) 763-8040.

Elisabeth Rochat de la Vallee Program in Petaluma

Elisabeth Rochat de la Vallee with be doing a special two-part program in Petaluma at the end of the month!

The two-part program consists of an afternoon session on Monday April 30th and a morning session on May 1st. The first session will be "The Way of the Feminine and Suppleness within the Daodejing." Then, instead of our normal study group meeting, she is going to do a special session looking at the key chapters of the Daodejing discussed, with a character by character analysis. The ideal would be to attend both sessions if possible.

Dates and times are:

Monday April 30th from 3pm to 6pm: "The Way of the Feminine and Suppleness within the Daodejing"

Tuesday May 1st from 9am to 12 noon: "Character by character discussion and analysis of the key chapters presented"

The cost of the programs is $45 for one session ($40 for members) or $80 for both sessions ($75 for members). 

This is a fantastic opportunity to spend time with Elisabeth here in Petaluma. Elisabeth is an internationally renowned scholar and translator of classical Chinese medical and philosophical texts.  Elisabeth has been a major influence on my practice and philosophy - before I met her in San Francisco I seriously considered traveling to Europe to study with her. Now, here she is in Petaluma again! 

Last time we sold out ahead of time and I have already had people contacting me for this next presentation, so please contact me at (707) 763-8040 if you are interested in this great opportunity. 

Introduction to the Daodejing with Elisabeth Rochat de la Vallee

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.

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

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.

Cultivating Nature Workshop

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

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.

July 2 Classes

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

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

June 4th Classes are Full

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.

Two New Classes on June 4th

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

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.

Fu Tian Herbs Presentation - Sunday February 27th

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.

First Meeting of Classical Chinese Medicine Study Group

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.

Classical Chinese Medicine Study Group

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.

Chinese Medicinal Plant Walk

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