The Art of the Heart

Courage & Stillness

Embodying the Power of Winter
a one-day workshop exploring the wisdom of
Acupuncture, Aikido, Chinese Herbs & Qi Gong with
Sean Fannin • Grayson James • Ian Rawlinson
Saturday, November 1st 2014
9:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M.
840 Western Avenue, Petaluma
Acupuncture CEU’s pending for 6 hours
Winter is a time of hidden power. Within nature it is the season of rest and consolidation and yet for many of us it is often one of the busiest and most stressful times of the year. In this class we will present practices and principles that cultivate inner quiet and harmony with the season that enable us to face the challenges of the holidays with courage and skill. This is the Art of the Heart in the win- tertime. Through short lectures, experiential exercises and discussions we will examine ancient concepts and see how these ideas can be applied to our lives today.

Acupuncture
Winter, in Chinese thought, is a season for rest and renewal. It is the most yin time of year when nature is dormant. Just as nature rests, it is also a time for us to be quiet so our reserves are restored and we can meet the coming spring with renewed vitality. In this part of the workshop we will examine how we can live in a way that is in harmony with winter, with particular reference to managing of our reserves of qi and cultivating stillness. With simple experiential exercises we will explore how to apply these ideas to our lives.

Aikido
The term Aikido is often translated as “the way of harmonizing with the universal energy of life.” Aikido is a Japanese martial art that aims to protect oneself from harm while also protecting the opponent. The principals of Aikido are universal and can be readily applied and practiced in our daily lives without any martial arts training. In this work- shop, we will cultivate both our power and our stillness, as we practice centering, relaxing and listening with our whole bodies to the challenges unique to the winter and holiday season.

Chinese Herbs & Qi Gong
In this program Sean will cover traditional Chinese medicine principles and exercises to cultivate quietness and encourage restoration within the challenges of the winter season. This will include practical exercises for trans- forming seasonal stress and in-depth instruction and group practice of some of the most fundamental exercises within medical qigong.

Ian Rawlinson B.A. B.Ac. LicAc. has studied Oriental healing traditions for 40 years. In 1980 he began his studies of Five Element Acupuncture. What led him to study this tradition of Chinese medicine was the emphasis it places on treating not only the body, but also the emotions and the shen or spirit. Working with patients with this integrated approach has absorbed him for over 30 years.
Grayson James holds a 5th degree black belt and teaches the martial art of Aikido at Two Rock Ai- kido in Petaluma. He applies principles of Aikido in his organizational consulting work to develop strong collaboration, alignment and leadership performance with executives and their teams across diverse industries throughout the U.S. and internationally.
Sean Fannin, CH, Dipl.CEM is a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine, specializing in tradi- tional Chinese herbalism, Medical Qigong, and client education. He has worked in a clinical practice that is based on the Chinese medical and philosophical classics since 1992. Sean’s primary interest is in classical Asian philosophy and its application to modern life. This has formed the basis for his clinical practice, teaching and writing.
Location: the class will be held at: 840 Western Avenue Petaluma CA 94952

For inquiries about the class content contact: Sean sean@traditionalhealtharts.com 707.763.8040 or Ian: ian90@sonic.net 707.762.4309 or Grayson: grayson@gjamesconsultants.com 707.696.8167

Space for the class is limited and preregistration is required
Fees: Before October 15 the fee is $130. After October 15 the fee is $165
Cancellations made before October 21 will result in a full refund less a $50 administrative fee. No
refunds will be made for cancellations after October 21. 

The Foundations of Medical Qigong Workshop

Foundations of Medical Qigong

with Sean Fannin

Saturday, August 23rd

from 10 am to 4pm

Tuition:$100

Member Rate: $90

Our morning session of this workshop will include detailed instruction on the practices of Quiet Qigong and discussions on medical qigong and the philosophy of quietness and efficiency within daily life.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.

In the afternoon session we will cover the philosophy of movement within Medical Qigong, and detailed instruction of the Three Gates Gong, First Full Moving Qigong (Taiji Dongzuo Gong) of Comprehensive Medical Qigong, and the Second Full Moving Gong parts 1 & 2.

This comprises the fundamental practices of this system of Medical Qigong. On completing this workshop students will be able to begin a daily practice on their own and to attend our ongoing monthly group. 

This is the only Foundations of Medical Qigong Workshop that I am planning on teaching for the remainder of the year. 

Please call me at the center (707) 763-8040 or email me for more details or to register.

Presentation with Elisabeth Rochat: The Emotions within Chinese Medicine

An Introduction to the Emotions

within classical Chinese thought

and Chinese Medicine

with Elisabeth Rochat de la Vallee 

Elisabeth is an internationally renowned scholar and translator of classical Chinese medical and philosophical texts. This is a fantastic opportunity to immerse yourself in classical Chinese philosophy with one of the most well respected scholars in the field. Elisabeth's passion for classical Chinese medicine and philosophy, her dedication to teaching and her unique insight make her lectures a truly inspiring experience!

Tuesday April 29 from 2-5 pm

in Petaluma

Tuition: $45, $40 for CTHA members

Pre-registration is required and space is limited. Please contact us for more information  (707) 763-8040.

Medical Qigong Workshop

The Fundamental Exercises of Medical Qigong

with Sean Fannin, CH, Dipl.CEM

Saturday February 8 from 10am to 3pm

Tuition: $80, $65 for members of the Center for Traditional Health Arts
class size is limited • (707) 763 8040 • www.traditionalhealtharts.com

Our morning session of this workshop will include detailed instruction on the practices of Quiet Qigong and discussions on medical qigong and the philosophy of quietness and efficiency within daily life. 

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.

In the afternoon session we will cover the philosophy of movement within Medical Qigong, and detailed instruction of the Three Gates Gong, First Full Moving Qigong (Taiji Dongzuo Gong) of Comprehensive Medical Qigong, and Second Moving Gong parts 1 & 2. 

Holiday Newsletter

Our Holiday Newsletter is out! I've included a free download to our nutrition booklet (Nourishing Life), information on our free 12 week email series and the feature article "Obstacles." If you haven't subscribed, you can use the link below to get a PDF version of it.

Happy Holidays!


http://p0.vresp.com/fRUGU4

Chinese Medicinal Plant Walk at Quarryhill Botanical Garden

We (Peg Schafer and I) are doing our annual Chinese Medicinal Plant Walk at Quarryhill Botanical Garden in Glen Ellen on Sunday September 29! We will meet at 10 and walk until noon in the beautiful gardens, looking at the plants, discussing medicinal use and talking about cultivation.
The cost of the walk is $15 and goes to benefit the Botanical Garden.
This walk fills up every year so if you are interested you can reserve a spot by calling Quarryhill Botanical Garden directly at (707) 996-3166.

Environment Based Movement - new class dates open!

Environment Based Movement Class

Nature is wherever you are. 

Develop balance, strength, coordination and flow while learning to move comfortably in your environment, whether at home, on the street, in the park, or out in the wilderness. These basic movement skills and awareness practices form the basis of traditional Chinese movement and martial arts as well as being common to most traditional cultures.

This program will be 3 meetings, one Saturday morning a month for three months. It includes a specific movement program and exercises to train throughout the month to prepare the students for each subsequent session.
Session dates are: August 24, September 28, October 26.

The cost for the program is $120. The member's rate is $108. The class size is limited due to the nature of this program.
Class location will vary as we will be going to different environments to practice nature awareness and train our movement skills. This class is for all ages and abilities.

Have fun and enjoy moving freely as part of your environment!

Contact us for more information or to reserve a spot.


Feedback from a participant in our last session:

"I really enjoyed your Environment Based Movement class...

It was so helpful and non-threatening the way you tailored the class to fit each persons ability level, and showed us exercises and ways of moving that I could actually practice and do. You showed us all that we don't need a gym or fancy equipment, that wherever we are can be a practice area: stairs for the quadrapedal crawling, both forward and backwards; sidewalks for blind walking; curbs and benches for balancing; and door frames and wall for push-pull strength building. What amazes me is how quickly I see improvements in my balance and movements.

You also showed us that being aware of our environment is not just appreciatng the grand scheme of nature - trees, clouds, sky, etc, (which is important and relaxing), but also cultivating our sensory perception for the little things. Becoming familiar with our norm and then being aware of small changes in it that can trip us up. That was very important for me!

The simple daily routine you gave us was very helpful and manageable. I really like the balance exercises and how to "bounce off" obstacles to minimize injuries from falls. I am more conscious of walking in a balanced way, and it feels good!One of the most important lessons for me was changing my mind-set from "I can't" to "I can take small steps and move forward." Hopefully with practice I can recapture some of that freedom and joy in movement that every child is born feeling!"