Anna York's Posts - Rising UP!2024-03-28T17:57:19ZAnna Yorkhttps://annayork.ning.com/profile/1fnxxvfhnsd57https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2993900076?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1https://annayork.ning.com/profiles/blog/feed?user=1fnxxvfhnsd57&xn_auth=noVideos For Back, Hip & Joint Pain!tag:annayork.ning.com,2017-03-06:6504582:BlogPost:170082017-03-06T17:00:00.000ZAnna Yorkhttps://annayork.ning.com/profile/1fnxxvfhnsd57
<p class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-6" style="color: #ff0000;"><b>2 Great Free Videos </b></span></p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-6" style="color: #ff0000;"><b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">For Back, Hip & Joint Pain</b></span></p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-6" style="color: #ff0000;"><b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> And More Flexibility!</b></span> …</p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-6" style="color: #ff0000;"><b>2 Great Free Videos </b></span></p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff0000;" class="font-size-6"><b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">For Back, Hip & Joint Pain</b></span></p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff0000;" class="font-size-6"><b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> And More Flexibility!</b></span> </p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002411507?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="500" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002411507?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500" class="align-center"/></a></span></p>
<p class="p3" style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-6" style="color: #ff0000;"><strong>Spinal Bending</strong></span></p>
<p class="p3" style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-6" style="color: #ff0000;"><strong>Back Pain Relief, Energy & Flexibility!</strong> </span></p>
<p class="p3" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;">10-Minute Seated Demo </span></p>
<p class="p4" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="http://annayork.ning.com/video/new-creation-qigong-spinal-bending-seated" target="_blank">Click Here!</a></span></p>
<p class="p4" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">This</span> <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Touching the Earth</span> <span style="font-size: 14pt;">movement is one of the most healing movements in the New Creation Tai Chi-Qigong repertoire. Many people experience immediate back pain relief or relief from sciatica. Other amazing benefits are increased energy from the opening of the spinal column, hip joint relief and detoxification. We are encouraging people in our classes to do this every day and many report great changes. Get on board and sign up for a 100 day Gong. We'll send a chart to help you get moving! Send Anna a note at: anna@annayork.com.</span></p>
<p class="p4" style="text-align: left;"></p>
<p class="p3" style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-6"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><strong>Hip Circles</strong></span></span></p>
<p class="p3" style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-6"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><strong>Relieve Stiff, Painful Hips & Joints</strong></span> </span></p>
<p class="p3" style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-5">10-Minute Seated Demo </span></p>
<p class="p4" style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-5"><a href="http://annayork.ning.com/video/new-creation-qigong-seated-hip-circles-1" target="_blank">Click Here!</a></span></p>
<p class="p4"></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="font-size-5" style="color: #0000ff;"><span style="color: #0000ff;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412195?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="500" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412195?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500" class="align-center"/></a></span></span></p>
<p class="p4" style="text-align: left;"><span class="font-size-4" style="color: #000000;">Hip Circles gently relieve arthritic pain and tightness in hip joints and the whole pelvic area, providing greater freedom of movement, more stability, and control while walking. More flexible hips means staying more active and getting better responsiveness in preventing falls. Get involved by doing a 100-Day Gong with us--a great way to join with others who are doing the same thing. Send Anna a note at: anna@annayork.com, and I'll send you a daily chart.</span></p>
<p class="p4" style="text-align: left;"><span class="font-size-4" style="color: #000000;">Have a great day!</span></p>
<p class="p4" style="text-align: left;"></p>
<p class="p4" style="text-align: left;"></p>
<p class="p5"></p>
<p class="p6"><span class="s1"><b> </b></span></p>Walking & Balance DVD: The Best Thing Ever for My Gait!tag:annayork.ning.com,2016-04-19:6504582:BlogPost:131592016-04-19T23:30:00.000ZAnna Yorkhttps://annayork.ning.com/profile/1fnxxvfhnsd57
<p><span class="font-size-4"><strong><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2865541093?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2865541093?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="350"></img></a></strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #000000;"><strong>ANNA YORK'S HEALING TESTIMONY </strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I looked in the full length mirror to check the fit on my new slim pants and was shocked to see that the left side of my hip was seriously deformed in…</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><strong><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2865541093?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="350" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2865541093?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="350" class="align-center"/></a></strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #000000;"><strong>ANNA YORK'S HEALING TESTIMONY </strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I looked in the full length mirror to check the fit on my new slim pants and was shocked to see that the left side of my hip was seriously deformed in comparison to the right side. The trochantor stuck boldly out, and there was a dip above and below where there was a significant deficiency of muscle to fill it out in a nice round curve like the right side. I had known for years that I had atrophied muscles on my whole left side because of nerve damage from multiple sclerosis. However, I had been doing gym exercises such as treadmill and elliptical, and I was hoping that I was building up the muscles and strength on that side. The protruding trochanter—and the continued weakness--let me know that my strategy was not working. I wondered if I was destined to be permanently deformed and weak on that side, with a persistently painful, crooked gait. That was in 2011.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-4"> <b>BEST TAI CHI MOVEMENTS FOR BALANCE & GAIT</b></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">In 2012 Peter Harmer and his research group in Oregon published a study about the best Tai Chi movements for restoring gait and balance in those who have Parkinson’s disease. The protocols were designed to challenge balance and gait in a variety of ways, including weight shifting, ankle sways and stepping diagonally forward and backward (to left and right) and sideways (to left and right). I figured if it was good for Parkinson’s it would be good for anyone—myself included! I adapted those Tai Chi movements and principles into a drill system that would make it easy and fun, and I began practicing daily. Soon I began seeing significant changes!</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-4"> <b>NEW CREATION TAI CHI MOVEMENTS BUILD SUPPORTIVE MUSCLES</b></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">As I began practicing the movements, I activated muscles I had never felt before on the insides and outsides of my legs and around my hips. I was sore in places that had not moved for years, a sure sign that the exercise was very different from the gym exercises I had been doing before. After a practice, I found that my gait was stronger and springier, and I quickly began developing overall stamina and strength. Some muscles I discovered, among others, were the <i>gluteus minimus, gluteus medius, semimembranosus</i> and </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">semitendinosus.</i> <span style="font-size: 14pt;">I was activating smaller, supportive muscles that are not significantly challenged by traditional gym exercises and machines. While these movements are part of traditional Tai Chi forms I had been doing for years, Tai Chi practitioners do them as transient movements within a larger sequence; they are rarely done as individual drills. Thus, while Tai Chi has been very healing and helpful for me, the usual practices did not go deep enough therapeutically into the specific muscles I needed to develop. That all changed with the Oregon research and the practice set I created based on that landmark research.</span></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2865531838?profile=original" target="_self" style="font-size: 19px;"><img width="350" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2865531838?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="350" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em><span class="font-size-3">Diagonal stepping, weight shifting and turning build supporting muscles.</span></em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-4"> <b>NEW CREATION TAI CHI MOVEMENTS ARE A FORMULA FOR SUCCESS!</b></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">Soon I developed strength I had not experienced for decades. I discovered that the diagonal stepping in various directions with Tai Chi movements constituted a valuable formula for success. It was those diagonal movements with weight shifting and turning that were building up the supportive muscles. The accompanying arm movements helped build the core of the body and develop the ability to move the upper and lower body independently as is required in a normal gait.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002415072?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="350" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002415072?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="350" class="align-center"/></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-4"><em><span class="font-size-3">Upper and lower body move independently, building core strength.</span></em> </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">The movements and drills I developed have become a core part of my own personal, successful rehabilitation and ongoing wellness regimen. I am now stronger than I have been for decades, and I am continuing to gain strength and stamina. These are movements I will benefit from for years to come!</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-4"> <b>DVD SHARES THE SUCCESS FORMULA!</b></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">In 2014, I created a new DVD, entitled <i>New Creation Tai Chi-Qigong for Walking, Balance & Strength,</i> to share these amazingly successful movements with others who need to build walking skills. I am proud that this DVD presents the movements in complete seated and standing formats.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">Many may want to start with the standing versions but use the seated versions for initial learning of more complex arm movements such as “Grasp Bird’s Tail.” Others who are not so mobile will get a great benefit from the seated movements that may help them gain enough strength to transition to standing exercise. There are plenty of options to meet a great variety of needs for exercise and rehabilitation.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-5"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HONMA0Y" target="_blank">Click Here to Buy on Amazon</a><br/></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-5"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQ0GvXTi13c" target="_blank">Preview Now!</a><br/></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-4"><a href="http://annayork.ning.com/page/videos" target="_self">Click Here for More DVD Options</a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-4"> <strong>HAPPY WALKING!</strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-4">Anna York</span></p>
<p></p>Tai Chi-Qigong & Fascial Fitness: Say No to Neanderthal Neck & Quasimodo Crunch!tag:annayork.ning.com,2016-02-15:6504582:BlogPost:129172016-02-15T17:00:00.000ZAnna Yorkhttps://annayork.ning.com/profile/1fnxxvfhnsd57
<p>So you just realized you have the incipient signs of the dreaded and deadly "computer slouch syndrome" that is reversing the evolution of homo sapiens and sending our once-noble human profile back to cave man status. Say hello in the mirror to <em>homo neanderthalensis!</em></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412104?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412104?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="350"></img></a> <span style="text-align: center;">Neanderthal…</span></p>
<p>So you just realized you have the incipient signs of the dreaded and deadly "computer slouch syndrome" that is reversing the evolution of homo sapiens and sending our once-noble human profile back to cave man status. Say hello in the mirror to <em>homo neanderthalensis!</em></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412104?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="350" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412104?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="350" class="align-center"/></a> <span style="text-align: center;">Neanderthal Neck Normal Neck Posture</span></p>
<p>Before it's too late, start doing some Tai Chi-Qigong exercises NOW that will help restore your physique to the Greek god-goddess you were intended to be!</p>
<p>Take a look at this picture of me with the lines drawn on my body that identify what Thomas Myers (super-guru of fascial fitness) describes as the Superficial Front Line (SFL).</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412191?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="400" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412191?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="400" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p>The two lines (A) that begin at the center front attach to the pubic bone and travel up just inside the collar bone through the SCM (sternoceidomastoid) muscle (B) and lead on up to attach behind and below the ear (C). We will deal later with the two lines that run down the legs.</p>
<p>In a previous post I described the ravages that occur when this front line gets habitually squashed down by computer slouch. In summary, squashing inhibits most vital human functions. When these upper lines are pulled taut by chronic postural collapse, the result is <strong>Neanderthal Neck</strong> (photos above) and what I call the <strong>Quasimodo Crunch</strong> <strong> </strong>(think Hunchback of Notre Dame).</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412282?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412282?profile=original" width="184" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Quasimodo Crunch (QC)</p>
<p><strong>More fun facts:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>For every inch your head posture sits forward there is an increased weight bearing load of 10 pounds, forcing the neck to work harder to keep the chin from dropping onto your chest. Think about wearing a bowling ball around your neck all the time, and you get the idea.</li>
<li>In worst case scenarios, the load bearing can increase by up to 70 pounds!</li>
<li>Increased pressure on the nerves at the base of the skull can cause headache, shoulder ache and reduced nerve transmission.</li>
<li>Abnormal neck posture is sometimes associated with eye and ear problems; just think about how Neanderthal Neck tends to force the eyes to turn chronically upward to see out toward the front. The cave man was better equipped than we are for this visual perspective because his nice sloping forehead didn't get so much in the way of his view. The downside of course was the smaller brain!</li>
<li>Stiff neck from head drop can decrease the ability to rotate the neck, making Neanderthal types a safety hazard while driving.</li>
<li>The Quasimodo Crunch can reduce lung capacity by up to 30%.</li>
<li>The Quasimodo Crunch squeezes the major organs, inhibiting circulation and cleansing in all of the major organs.</li>
<li>Can you imagine what this pose does for your bowels?! </li>
</ul>
<p>Now we are talking real health problems--not to mention public safety!</p>
<p>Here is a very simple exercise you can do throughout the day to counteract Neanderthal Neck and Quasimodo Crunch.</p>
<p><b>The Turtle</b></p>
<p>This is one of my favorite movements, imitating the turtle going in and out of its shell. Don't let the simplicity fool you! It is very ancient and very powerful, really working that front fascial line and counteracting Neanderthal Neck!</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412421?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412421?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p> A B C</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412552?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412552?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p> D E F</p>
<p><img width="500" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412676?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500" class="align-center"/></p>
<p>. G H</p>
<p><strong>A. Beginning: </strong>Begin the series with position A. Be sure to get in a <a href="http://annayork.ning.com/profiles/blogs/tai-chi-qigong-fascial-fitness-correct-computer-slouch?xg_source=activity" target="_self">good Tai Chi posture</a>.</p>
<p><strong>B. Chin down: </strong>Inhale and draw the chin down to touch the chest, arching the back of the neck. Bring the hands up under the chin.</p>
<p><strong>C. Extend Upward:</strong> Exhale and very slowly extend the hands downward toward the crotch at the same time you lift the chin up high with the mouth closed. This will give a nice stretch along the front line. Turn the eyes upward as high as possible to extend the stretch even more and exercise the eyes. Repeat at least 3 times.</p>
<p><strong>D. Chin down:</strong> Inhale and slowly return to the Chin Down position.</p>
<p><strong>E. Extend upward right: </strong>Exhale and extend slowly upward to one side. Keep the mouth closed as you extend and look far up to the right with your eyes. Press as far downward with the hands as possible. You will feel the stretch under the chin and on the SCM muscle on the side. Repeat at least 3 times.</p>
<p><strong>D. Chin down: </strong>Inhale and slowly return to the Chin Down position. </p>
<p><strong>E. Extend upward left: </strong>Exhale and extend slowly upward to the other side. Keep the mouth closed as you extend and look far up to the left with your eyes. Press as far downward as possible. You will feel the stretch under the chin and on the SCM muscle on the side. Repeat at least 3 times.</p>
<p><strong>Seated or standing: </strong>This movement can be done seated or standing. If seated, open the legs wide to allow the hands to push down. </p>
<p><b>Breathing relieves stress. </b>Doing deep breathing as you inhale down and exhale on the upward stretch is a great stress reliever, slowing down the respiration and lowering the stress hormones.</p>
<p><strong>Repeat often throughout the day: </strong>This movement can and should be done throughout the day for a quick refresher and powerful NO to Neanderthal Neck!</p>
<p>Let's keep evolving the human race forward, not backward!</p>
<p><strong>Keep the chin up!</strong></p>
<p><strong>Anna</strong></p>
<p><em>All rights reserved by Anna York, 2016</em></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>Tai Chi-Qigong & Fascial Fitness: Correct Computer Slouch! (Includes YouTube Link)tag:annayork.ning.com,2016-02-12:6504582:BlogPost:131172016-02-12T14:00:00.000ZAnna Yorkhttps://annayork.ning.com/profile/1fnxxvfhnsd57
<p>Everyone who uses a computer--who doesn't these days!--is a candidate for "computer slouch," a postural habit that can cause pain, deformation and dysfunction. This blog will describe the consequences of computer slouch, discuss fascial lines involved and show how postural elements of Tai Chi & Qigong can give longterm help.</p>
<p>This graphic from <a href="http://www.roypumphrey.com/the-desk-jockeys-guide-to-fixing-yourself/" target="_blank">Roy Pumphrey's website</a> stimulates…</p>
<p>Everyone who uses a computer--who doesn't these days!--is a candidate for "computer slouch," a postural habit that can cause pain, deformation and dysfunction. This blog will describe the consequences of computer slouch, discuss fascial lines involved and show how postural elements of Tai Chi & Qigong can give longterm help.</p>
<p>This graphic from <a href="http://www.roypumphrey.com/the-desk-jockeys-guide-to-fixing-yourself/" target="_blank">Roy Pumphrey's website</a> stimulates questions about how our computer posture behaviors could prognosticate a disturbing future for humankind.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412254?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="480" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412254?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="480" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p>Computer slouch shortens what Thomas Myers* calls the Superficial Front Line (SFL) of the body's fascia, the lines of which are depicted in this photo.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412319?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="200" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412319?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="200" class="align-center"/></a>The shortening of the SFL results in the following:</p>
<ul>
<li>The Quasimodo profile (Hunchback of Notre Dame)--note evolutionary photo above.</li>
<li>Forward head posture can become chronic, affecting head turning and gait.</li>
<li>Forward tilted pelvis, creating back and hip pain</li>
<li>Neck, shoulder and back pain.</li>
<li>Restricted breathing due to shortening of the SFL and collapsing of the lung cavity.</li>
<li>Restricted circulation to the major organs of the body, (heart, liver, lungs, spleen) due to collapsed SFL.</li>
</ul>
<p>So how can Tai Chi and Qigong help?</p>
<p><strong>Posture training and body awareness</strong></p>
<p>Tai Chi and Qigong movements are based on principles of correct posture because efficient, powerful, healthy movement cannot occur without being grounded in good posture. Therefore, Tai Chi-Qigong teachers constantly place emphasis on awareness of body position and correction of any imbalances and misalignments. It's really great to attend a class because during our daily work and stress we develop bad habits that escape our awareness and tend to become ingrained. A good Tai Chi teacher will offer an objective eye and model appropriate positions. Tai Chi classes provide companionship in raising our awareness of how we position and move our bodies. As we see other people straightening out and see the resulting healing and energy improvement, we get ideas about how we can improve our own habits and relieve accompanying pain. Regular attendance and continuing practice increases our awareness of what we are doing throughout the day that is causing physical stress and pain. Awareness empowers us to make change--and that is a great thing!</p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WC2C3LFSpcs" target="_blank">Heaven or Preparation Posture--Video Version from Tai Chi-Qigong 7-Day Healing & Rejuvenation Plan</a></strong></p>
<p><strong>Text version is below:</strong></p>
<p>Here are some key elements of Tai Chi posture as exemplified in the basic, beginning posture for Tai Chi and Qigong :</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002415605?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="250" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002415605?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="250" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p></p>
<p><b>Standing and sitting (feet together)</b></p>
<ol>
<li>Stand or sit in a relaxed manner with the feet together or about a shoulder's width apart.</li>
<li>If you are seated, move out to the edge of your chair. </li>
<li>Stand with your back straight, shoulders relaxed and knees slightly bent.</li>
<li>The crown of the head should be up as though suspended from a string.</li>
</ol>
<p><b>Feet together</b></p>
<ol>
<li>First, focus attention on your feet.</li>
<li>Put your feet together.</li>
<li>If standing, balance the weight on the point just behind the ball of the feet (the Kidney One point).</li>
<li>Focus on getting a strong connection between the feet and the earth, feeling the energy and sensation through the feet.</li>
</ol>
<p><b>Straight spine</b></p>
<ol>
<li>Now focus your attention on your lower back</li>
<li>Place your hands on your back below the waist and gently rock the hips up and back and then gently forward so that the hips are tucked under.</li>
<li>Notice now that your back will be flat. Your knees will be slightly bent. In all of our exercises the knees should never be locked out but should always have a slight curve. The hips should be tucked under. </li>
</ol>
<p><b>Shoulders and chest open</b></p>
<ol>
<li>Now, focus your attention on your shoulders.</li>
<li>Roll them forward, inhaling, then roll them back on the exhale so they open up your chest, allowing more breathing room. Allow the shoulders to relax downward.</li>
<li>Repeat three times. </li>
</ol>
<p><b>Shoulders down</b></p>
<ol>
<li>Now inhale and draw your shoulders up toward your ears as far as you can, and hold them there for a moment. Squeeze . . . Then exhale and let them slowly drop down and relax. Take a breath and relax the shoulders downward even more, perhaps releasing an “Ah” breath. One more time, squeeze up toward the ears, and then let them come down, relaxed.</li>
<li>Repeat three times.</li>
</ol>
<p><b>Crown up, chin tucked</b></p>
<ol>
<li>Now focus your attention on the crown of the head.</li>
<li>Tuck your chin in and extend the crown of your head upward toward the sky so that your back and neck are in a straight line. </li>
<li>Think of your body as being suspended from a string at the crown of your head. The body is in perfect alignment and balance.</li>
<li>The eyes should look softly into infinity.</li>
</ol>
<p><b>In summary:</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Feet are together</li>
<li>Knees are slightly bent</li>
<li>Hips are tucked</li>
<li>Back is flat</li>
<li>Shoulders are relaxed and open</li>
<li>Chin is tucked</li>
<li>Crown of head is up as though head and spine are suspended from a string.</li>
</ul>
<p> This is the Preparation or Heaven posture that is the foundational position. This position, along with breathing, constitutes the most fundamental exercise of Qigong and is often practiced for long periods of time. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WC2C3LFSpcs" target="_blank">For a video version, CLICK HERE!</a></p>
<p>Correct computer slouch! Improve the future evolution of the human race! </p>
<p>Anna York</p>
<p>Copyright by Anna York, 2010</p>Tai Chi-Qigong & Fascial Fitness: Relieve Back Pain! (Includes YouTube Link)tag:annayork.ning.com,2016-02-03:6504582:BlogPost:130172016-02-03T22:30:00.000ZAnna Yorkhttps://annayork.ning.com/profile/1fnxxvfhnsd57
<p><span class="font-size-3">As we get older, many of us get up in the morning with aches and pains, feeling a little tight, feeling like we just can’t get moving. Even worse, we might have back pain that is severe enough to be disabling. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><b>In this blog we will look at “Touching the Earth”</b><span> as a great Qigong movement for relieving back pain by stretching the line that Thomas Myers calls “The Superficial Back Line” or SBL. <span>Thomas Myers,*…</span></span></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">As we get older, many of us get up in the morning with aches and pains, feeling a little tight, feeling like we just can’t get moving. Even worse, we might have back pain that is severe enough to be disabling. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><b>In this blog we will look at “Touching the Earth”</b><span> as a great Qigong movement for relieving back pain by stretching the line that Thomas Myers calls “The Superficial Back Line” or SBL. <span>Thomas Myers,* the world’s leading expert on the body’s fascial system, recommends Tai Chi as a great way to increase the body’s resilience by systematically stretching the fascia from many different directions and angles. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-3"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412200?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="250" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412200?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="250" class="align-center"/></a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The SBL line, as depicted above runs from the toes, underneath the foot, up the calves and hamstrings and over the top of the head to the brows. Forward bends help stretch this line.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“Touching the Earth” is probably my favorite movement and one of the most healing in my catalog. We do it regularly in my classes, and I personally do many variations of it on a daily basis to keep my body feeling good. The move begins in an upright position, and the body folds at the hips, maintaining a straight back until ultimately folding over toward the earth. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412860?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="100" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412860?profile=RESIZE_180x180" width="100" class="align-center"/></a></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413035?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="100" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413035?profile=RESIZE_180x180" width="100" class="align-center"/></a></span></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002415282?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="100" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002415282?profile=RESIZE_180x180" width="100" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Myers recommends that bends be done with the knees straight for the fullest fascial stretch, but I always teach this movement with slightly bent knees. Almost all of the people in my classes are seniors, and few are able to lock out the knees. When doing this move in a standing position, I encourage students to extend the hips upward toward the sky at the bottom of the movement in order to get more of a stretch down the hamstrings and calves and into the foot. The return to standing employs a curved back stretch that feels wonderful and relaxes the entire body.</span></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-3"><br/></span></strong> <strong><span class="font-size-3"><a href="https://youtu.be/qmbMl6SBMtY" target="_blank">YouTube Link for "Touching the Earth."</a><br/></span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-3">This and many other movements are in </span></strong><strong><span class="font-size-3">my DVD, "New Creation Tai Chi-Qigong for All Abilities," <span style="color: #0000ff;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/New-Creation-Tai-Chi-Qigong-Abilities/dp/B008FS7YIK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449253126&sr=8-1&keywords=ANNA+YORK" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0000ff;">available on Amazon.</span></a></span> </span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-3"><br/></span> <span class="font-size-3">Here are some more benefits of "Touching the Earth:"</span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Opens space between vertebra for better neural transmission.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Inversion improves circulation to body's organs.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Cleanses the lymph system.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Relaxes the entire body.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Stimulates endorphins and healing hormones, produces a sense of well being.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Much more!</span></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Look for more Tai Chi movements that work the fascial web in future posts. </span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Have a great day!</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Anna </span></p>
<p>Copyright by Anna York, 2016</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Sources:</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Thomas Myers, <i>Anatomy Trains, </i>Elsevier, New York, 2014.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Thomas Myers, “Staying Fit All Life Long: 10 Tips for Fascial Fitness.”</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><a href="http://www.embody-work.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Tom-Myers-10-Tips-for-Fascial-Fitness.pdf">http://www.embody-work.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Tom-Myers-10-Tips-for-Fascial-Fitness.pdf</a></span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Notes:</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">The tips for fascial fitness that I use in these blogs are based on Myers’s “Staying Fit All Life Long.”</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Most of Myers’s exercise examples in <i>Anatomy Trains</i> are drawn from yoga asanas, so my Tai Chi examples are drawn from my own experience and application to his principles of fascial movement. Therefore, interpretations of effectiveness according to his principles are purely my own and are intended to spark dialogue rather than to serve as authoritative statements.</span> </p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>Try This Quiz About Body Shape!tag:annayork.ning.com,2016-01-30:6504582:BlogPost:132132016-01-30T00:30:00.000ZAnna Yorkhttps://annayork.ning.com/profile/1fnxxvfhnsd57
<p>See if you can answer the following quiz:</p>
<p>Imagine that we could magically make every part of the body invisible except for the specific, single anatomical system of our choice.</p>
<p>Which physiological system, standing in space and moving as in life, would show us the complete, recognizable shape of the body. Check all that apply.</p>
<p>A. The skeleton</p>
<p>B. The nervous system</p>
<p>C. The muscular system</p>
<p>D. The circulatory system</p>
<p>E. The fascial system</p>
<p>F.…</p>
<p>See if you can answer the following quiz:</p>
<p>Imagine that we could magically make every part of the body invisible except for the specific, single anatomical system of our choice.</p>
<p>Which physiological system, standing in space and moving as in life, would show us the complete, recognizable shape of the body. Check all that apply.</p>
<p>A. The skeleton</p>
<p>B. The nervous system</p>
<p>C. The muscular system</p>
<p>D. The circulatory system</p>
<p>E. The fascial system</p>
<p>F. The respiratory system</p>
<p><strong>Answer before scrolling down!</strong></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><b>Incorrect answers:</b></p>
<p>A.The skeleton: The skeleton is made of bones that are encased in muscles, fat and connective tissue of many kinds and by itself does not resemble the shape of the living body. To the contrary, it is more like the shape of a body long dead. </p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002411124?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002411124?profile=original" width="188" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p>C. The muscular system: This is a gotcha! While most pictures you see of the muscular system do indeed have much of the shape of a body, the pictures do not portray the muscular system exclusively but almost always include tendons, ligaments and other connective tissue that are part of the fascial system, otherwise called “myofascial.” Thus they portray two systems, not one.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002411298?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="250" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002411298?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="250" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p></p>
<p>F. The respiratory system as a stand-alone system does not give us the shape of a body. </p>
<p><b>Correct answers:</b></p>
<p>B. In 1548 Vesalius created this picture showing the nervous system as having the shape of the human body. A strictly accurate version would not include the spine, but for the 16<sup>th</sup> century he did an amazing job of showing that the nervous system is integral to every part of the body! The famous Body World exhibits, shown in museums around the world displayed a modern anatomical version. </p>
<p> <a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002411605?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="250" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002411605?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="250" class="align-center"/></a> <a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412456?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="250" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412456?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="250" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p>D. Vesalius also created this drawing of the circulatory system, which is the second whole-body system. The Body Worlds version is the amazing modern depiction.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412535?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="250" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412804?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="250" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p>E. The fascial system is the third whole-body system that defines the shape of the human body. Pictures of the fascia alone are few because study of the fascia is so new (since the 1990’s). The picture on the left shows a dissection of the fascia that does not include the skin but does include the fat and the collagen matrix around the fat. The donor is on the right side.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412902?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412902?profile=original" width="252" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p></p>
<p>So how did you do? Share with a friend and see how they do!</p>
<p>Have a great day!</p>
<p>Anna York</p>Fun Facts About Fasciatag:annayork.ning.com,2016-01-29:6504582:BlogPost:132082016-01-29T12:00:00.000ZAnna Yorkhttps://annayork.ning.com/profile/1fnxxvfhnsd57
<p>In this blog we will discover some <b>fun facts</b> about fascia that may surprise and enlighten, as well as dismantle some old ideas about how our bodies function.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002411114?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002411114?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="350"></img></a></p>
<p></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Here is a picture of the fascia around muscles and bones. You have seen this when you have eaten a piece of steak or other meat. For a long time people…</em></p>
<p>In this blog we will discover some <b>fun facts</b> about fascia that may surprise and enlighten, as well as dismantle some old ideas about how our bodies function.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002411114?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="350" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002411114?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="350" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Here is a picture of the fascia around muscles and bones. You have seen this when you have eaten a piece of steak or other meat. For a long time people thought the fascia was just kind of like cellophane around the muscle.</em><em>Read on to see how complex it is. </em></p>
<p><b>Fascial tissues have 10 times as many sensory receptors as muscles do.</b> Thus, the senses of proprioception and kinesthesia (your sense of where your body parts are positioned and how they are moving) are related more to the function of the fascia than to the muscles. For this reason, instead of saying you feel sore muscles, it might be more appropriate to say you feel sore fascia. At least you might want to raise awareness of the importance of the fascia as part of your body in order to better meet its needs.</p>
<p>For every spindle in the muscles, there about 10 receptors in the surrounding fascia. Some of these are:</p>
<ul>
<li><i>Golgi tendon organs</i>--measure load and stretch in fibers.</li>
<li><i>Paciniform endings</i>--measure pressure.</li>
<li><i>Ruffini endings</i>--inform the central nervous system of shear forces in soft tissues.</li>
<li><i>Interstitial nerve endings</i>--report on all of the above plus pain.</li>
</ul>
<p>In contrast to the old idea that fascia was just plastic wrap around the muscles, the new research shows that fascial tissue is quite complex and plays crucial roles in a great variety of bodily sensations and functions. For example, making love would be a lot less interesting without the fascia with all of its sensory receptors! Making love is no doubt the world's most favorite way of nurturing the fascia!</p>
<p><b>Fascial tissue is more elastic than muscle. </b>Fascia contribute to the elasticity of the body and to your body's resilience in movement, more than the stretch in muscles. Thus, when you are "feeling a stretch," you are probably feeling it more in the fascia than in the muscles. Furthermore, when you stretch, you are activating the entire fascial web of the body, not just certain muscles. Remember the idea that when you pull on one strand of a spider web, you stretch the whole web. Thinking about the body in terms of fascia is a way of viewing it more holistically than as pieces and parts. Whatever you do to one part of the body affects the whole system--so take good care of yourself--and feel it all over!</p>
<p><b>Fascial tissue is plastic and can be remodeled and changed.</b> It responds to the following:</p>
<p><i>Injury.</i> An injury in one part of the body ripples through the whole system, causing a variety of effects, including pain, compensatory action, tightening of fascia that restricts movement in the body--and much more.</p>
<p><i>Habitual behavior and positional patterns.</i> Postural habits, such as slumping, hunched shoulders, and crossing the legs can set the fascia into certain configurations that may cause pain and dysfunction. Likewise, positive behavioral patterns, such as good posture and regular exercise can enhance body function and keep the fascial tissues pliable and pain free. Your way of life, daily habits, exercise patterns and much more imprint themselves on your body's fascia creating an impression that all the world can see.</p>
<p><i>Habitual emotional patterns.</i> Emotions affect the way we hold our bodies and the tension we feel as we go through each day. Stress causes a tightening of the fascia so that there is less resilience in the system. Emotions cause a wide variety of responses in the fascia, including pain and dysfunction. </p>
<p><i>Gravity.</i> Fascial tissues respond to gravity, oh yes indeed! Most notably, we see this happen with wrinkles that hang down as we age and fat tissue that pulls toward the ground and hangs from the body in ways that make us distressed when we look in the mirror. The action of gravity on the fascial tissues is thus one of the big economic drivers in industries of plastic surgery, make-up and fashion. </p>
<p><i>Exercise:</i> Researchers are exploring the ways that specific training can enhance fascial elasticity and enhance the whole body’s resilience. Indications are that it takes longer to train the fascia than it does muscles. Ideally training of both should proceed together to maximize benefits and avoid injuries. If there is only emphasis on muscles, the fascia could be stretched or torn if over burdened, creating a need for longer term recovery or rehabilitation.</p>
<p>In summary of our fun facts, we see that fascia is crucial to our sensory experience of the world and is important in our body's elasticity and flexibility. Our fascial web is plastic, meaning that we can change it in either positive or negative ways by our actions and lifestyles--which is good or bad news, depending on how we manage it!</p>
<p> In a future post we will look at some types of exercise, including Tai Chi, that nurture fascia. </p>
<p>Have a blessed day,</p>
<p>Anna York</p>
<p>Copyright by Anna York, 2016</p>
<p>Sources:</p>
<p>Thomas W. Myers, <i>Anatomy Trains: Myofascial Meridians for Manual & Movement Therapists. </i>Elsevier Ltd., New York, 2014.</p>
<p>Thomas Myers, "Fascial Fitness: Training in the Neuro-Myofascial Web," <a href="http://www.ideafit.com/idea-fitness-journal">IDEA Fitness Journal</a>, <a href="http://www.ideafit.com/idea-fitness-journal/2011/april">Volume 8, Issue 4</a>.</p>
<p><i> </i></p>Fascia Give the Body Its Shapetag:annayork.ning.com,2016-01-27:6504582:BlogPost:132062016-01-27T22:00:00.000ZAnna Yorkhttps://annayork.ning.com/profile/1fnxxvfhnsd57
<p><strong>In a previous post <a href="http://annayork.ning.com/profiles/blogs/nurturing-the-body-s-fascia-definitions" target="_self">("Nurturing the Body's Fascia: Definitions")</a> we defined "fascia" as the network of connective tissue</strong><span> that holds our organs and tissues together, protects our nervous system and helps us move in a harmonious way. Healthier fascia means better flexibility and mobility. This series will ultimately explore how Tai Chi and Qigong can help nurture…</span></p>
<p><strong>In a previous post <a href="http://annayork.ning.com/profiles/blogs/nurturing-the-body-s-fascia-definitions" target="_self">("Nurturing the Body's Fascia: Definitions")</a> we defined "fascia" as the network of connective tissue</strong><span> that holds our organs and tissues together, protects our nervous system and helps us move in a harmonious way. Healthier fascia means better flexibility and mobility. This series will ultimately explore how Tai Chi and Qigong can help nurture the body's fascial tissues.</span></p>
<p>In this blog we will take a look at how the fascia gives shape to the body--and how new information about fascia changes our view of ourselves and how to care for our bodies.</p>
<p> <strong>The fascial web can be described as a tensegrity system. "</strong>Tensegrity" is a combination of "tension" and "integrity," and can be pictured as a structure of bones pushing out and creating tension in the body while the fascial tissues hold the bones together, pulling them in. There are many images of tensegrity on the internet, and it is fun to look at the principle from many perspectives such as the construction below by Marcello Pars from tensegrity.wikispaces.com. The wooden sticks represent the bones and the strings represent the fascia.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002410989?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002410989?profile=original" width="268" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p>Here is a view in the shape of a human, done by Tom Flemmons (<a href="http://www.intensiondesigns.com">www.intensiondesigns.com</a>)</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002411039?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002411039?profile=original" width="179" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p><b>Fascial tissues create the body's shape.</b> If you remove all of the fascia from the body as a whole piece, it would be recognizable as the shape of the person. Here is an amazing picture of a fascial dissection of a female, done by Gil Hedley (<a href="http://www.gilhedley.com/">www.gilhedley.com</a>).</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002411080?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002411080?profile=original" width="350" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p>Seeing the whole "bag" of fascia all together may now help you make more sense of the idea of tensegrity. The body is still recognizable without the inner structure of bones. The bones fit inside the bag that holds them together. Furthermore, fascia makes a web throughout the body, surrounding muscles, organs and a multitude of structures within the body.</p>
<p>Contrast this picture of the body with more traditional views of the body as being composed of bones enwrapped with muscles and tendons. This type of picture is typical of those we have always seen in doctor's offices, textbooks, charts, and even on the sides of gym equipment.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002411119?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002411119?profile=original" width="210" class="align-center"/></a></strong></p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>Questions immediately begin to arise:</strong></p>
<p>Why haven’t we seen these views of the human body before?</p>
<p>What have anatomists done with all of the fascia during dissections? Didn’t they see it? If so, what did they think about it?</p>
<p>How does getting a different picture affect the way we think about our bodies and how we interpret what is happening in them, including movement and sensations such as pain?</p>
<p>How does the idea of fascia and its pervasive nature in the body affect they way we care for our bodies, including the way we exercise?</p>
<p><strong>Paradigm shift. </strong>The questions are endless. The shift in our paradigm of the nature of the body recalls the shift of thinking when Galileo’s telescope and observations deconstructed a falsely conceived universe in which the sun moved around the earth. A whole new universe opened up and raised questions about the place of human beings in the world and universe.</p>
<p>Those who study fascia think about a different paradigm within the universe of physical bodies, not just human bodies but animals as well. It is an exciting new world that is just now being opened up by research.</p>
<p>In future blogs we will continue our exploration of how new understandings about fascia can affect our thinking about ourselves and our everyday behaviors, including the way we exercise. The more I learn about fascia, the more I understand that Tai Chi is a great way to nurture the body’s fascia. The insights and wisdom of the ancient Chinese are being illuminated by modern research. That is an exciting idea for those of us promoting health and well being through these ancient arts.</p>
<p>My DVD, "New Creation Tai Chi-Qigong Muscle, Joint & Fascia Warm-Ups," brings ideas of fascia together with good everyday Tai Chi practice. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Creation-Chi-Qigong-Muscle-Fascia-Warm-Ups/dp/B018677DB2/" target="_blank">Click here to purchase on Amazon</a>.</p>
<p>Sources: Thomas W. Myers, <em>Anatomy Trains: Myofascial Meridians for Manual & Movement Therapists. </em>Elsevier Ltd., New York, 2014. Also, Thomas Myers, "Fascial Fitness: Training in the Neuro-Myofascial Web," <a href="http://www.ideafit.com/idea-fitness-journal">IDEA Fitness Journal</a><span>, </span><a href="http://www.ideafit.com/idea-fitness-journal/2011/april">Volume 8, Issue 4</a>.</p>
<p>Have a great day!</p>
<p>Anna York</p>
<p>Copyright by Anna York, 2016</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>Nurturing the Body's Fascia: Definitionstag:annayork.ning.com,2016-01-25:6504582:BlogPost:132042016-01-25T23:30:00.000ZAnna Yorkhttps://annayork.ning.com/profile/1fnxxvfhnsd57
<p><span>The most recent addition to the New Creation Tai Chi-Qigong video library is: New Creation Tai Chi-Qigong Muscle, Joint & Fascia Warm-Ups. This blog begins a series that explores the importance of fascia and how Tai Chi can be an important practice for nurturing the fascia to enhance harmonious movement and reduce pain.</span></p>
<p><span><strong>Fascia is the network of connective tissue</strong> that holds our organs and tissues together, protects our nervous system and helps…</span></p>
<p><span>The most recent addition to the New Creation Tai Chi-Qigong video library is: New Creation Tai Chi-Qigong Muscle, Joint & Fascia Warm-Ups. This blog begins a series that explores the importance of fascia and how Tai Chi can be an important practice for nurturing the fascia to enhance harmonious movement and reduce pain.</span></p>
<p><span><strong>Fascia is the network of connective tissue</strong> that holds our organs and tissues together, protects our nervous system and helps us move in a harmonious way. Healthier fascia means better flexibility and mobility.</span></p>
<p><span><span>Anatomical concepts have largely been based in the past on the interaction of bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments, giving the study of the body a strong mechanical, "pieces and parts" orientation that coincides with the reductionist methodology of Western medicine. Since around 1990, however, the role of fascia has become much more important in thinking about the body and in developing a wholistic paradigm of how the body moves and functions. </span></span></p>
<p><span><span><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412357?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412357?profile=original" width="304" class="align-center"/></a></span></span></p>
<p></p>
<p>Fascia surrounds muscles, tendons, nerves and separates skin and fat from muscle. If fascia were extracted from the body as a whole, the fascial web would show all the shapes of the body, inside and out, as per the depiction above. Thomas Myers, an expert in fascia, describes it this way:</p>
<p>"It would be just one big net with muscles squirming in it like swimming fish. Organs would hang in it like jellyfish. Every system, every organ and even every cell lives embedded within the sea of a unitary fascial net . . . the body--and the fascial net in particular--is a single connected unity in which the muscles and bones float."</p>
<p>You have seen fascia as the white stretchy tissue around the outside of pieces of beef or other meats. You have probably thought of it as "that extra stuff" that you don't want to eat. Anatomists in the past have taken a similar view of fascia as "extra," not know its function and tending to remove it to get down to the "real" functional parts such as muscles, ligaments and tendons. Until the early 1990's fascia was rarely included in pictorial representations of anatomy.</p>
<p>The fascial net extends throughout the body and could be pictured as like a spider web: If you pull on one corner of the web, the entire web will respond. </p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412505?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412505?profile=original" width="259" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p>Here is an actual picture of what fascia look like. </p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412640?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="350" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412640?profile=RESIZE_480x480" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p>Fascia is made up of three main elements:</p>
<p><strong>Fibers</strong>--collagen (12 types).</p>
<p><strong>Glue</strong>--colloidal gels otherwise known as GAGs (glycoaminoglycans) and more easily described as mucous or "snot" in its various manifestations.</p>
<p><strong>Water</strong>--surrounds and permeates the cells, mixes with glue and keeps fibers wet and pliable. </p>
<p>The fibers are held together by the mucous glue, hydrated by water. If there is less water the glue causes fibers to stick together more and stretch less; if more water, the fibers slide along each other and allow more stretching. Thomas Myer says the body alters the composition and proportions in a great variety of ways that could be compared to items you buy at Home Depot: wood for bones; silicon rubber for the cartilage; lots of string, wire, tubing, plastic sheeting, rubber bands, cotton, nets, grease and oil--and much more. </p>
<p>These ideas and images are now circulating among professionals in research and fitness, but they have not yet become a major part of the dialogue among the general public about how the body functions and how to keep it healthy.</p>
<p>It is my belief that Tai Chi has an important role to play in nurturing the body's fascia and in creating a body that moves harmoniously and without pain--hence, the title of my new DVD: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Creation-Chi-Qigong-Muscle-Fascia-Warm-Ups/dp/B018677DB2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Creation Tai Chi-Qigong Muscle, Joint and Fascia Warm-Ups</a>--<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Creation-Chi-Qigong-Muscle-Fascia-Warm-Ups/dp/B018677DB2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">available on Amazon!</a></p>
<p>TUNE IN TO FUTURE POSTS TO EXPLORE MORE ABOUT FASCIA AND TAI CHI.</p>
<p>Anna</p>
<p></p>Hand Massage in the Healing Your Hands DVDtag:annayork.ning.com,2016-01-15:6504582:BlogPost:130012016-01-15T15:52:23.000ZAnna Yorkhttps://annayork.ning.com/profile/1fnxxvfhnsd57
<p>The New Creation Healing Your Hands DVD presents hand massage in a way that is highly accessible and easy to use for almost everyone. Instructions are simple and straightforward with familiar imagery (such as "milking the cow") for the various movements. It is an approach that can provide comfort, healing and pain relief for everyday situations and needs. It is also a great way to share healing and comfort with someone you love. </p>
<p>The hands have many acupressure and acupuncture points…</p>
<p>The New Creation Healing Your Hands DVD presents hand massage in a way that is highly accessible and easy to use for almost everyone. Instructions are simple and straightforward with familiar imagery (such as "milking the cow") for the various movements. It is an approach that can provide comfort, healing and pain relief for everyday situations and needs. It is also a great way to share healing and comfort with someone you love. </p>
<p>The hands have many acupressure and acupuncture points that address different parts of the body and that can be used to heal a great variety of conditions and diseases, including respiration, circulation, digestion, elimination, congestion, headache and much more. In addition, doing the hand massage provides an overall wellness chi treatment that keeps the body feeling good, increasing warmth, circulation, flow of chi--and, so very important, strengthening the immune system. Doing the massage as presented will relieve stress, clear toxins from the body and help you feel better all over. </p>
<p>The Healing Your Hands DVD presentation does not include instruction for massaging specific points for specific diseases or problems. If you would like to get specific, there are many internet charts of pressure points on the hands; it should be noted, however, that they are not always consistent in their presentation. Unless you want to spend a great deal of time going into the details, I recommend just enjoying the massage on the DVD. You can get a lot of benefit without worrying about the technicalities.</p>
<p>Below is a chart of the pressure points on hands that will give you an idea of some common points and areas on the hand:</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412293?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412293?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p>If you would like a much more technical presentation that is designed for professionals and that specifies the precise acupuncture points and their uses for healing, click on the link below. The presentation is in Chinese with English subtitles.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hands-Massage-English-Subtitled-CreateSpace/dp/B004X46RLA/ref=sr_1_23_dvt_1_wnzw/ref=sr_1_23_dvt_1_wnzw?_encoding=UTF8&keywords=hand%20exercises&qid=1452820508&s=movies-tv&sr=1-23" target="_blank">Chinese acupuncture hand massage</a></p>
<p>I hope the Healing Your Hands DVD will help you find comfort and healing that you can use easily in your everyday life and share with those you love.</p>
<p>Blessings,</p>
<p>Anna</p>Tai Chi-Qigong: A Whole-Person Approach to Restoring Function (MS, Stroke, Parkinson's, Arthritis)tag:annayork.ning.com,2013-02-08:6504582:BlogPost:11062013-02-08T00:34:34.000ZAnna Yorkhttps://annayork.ning.com/profile/1fnxxvfhnsd57
<p><span class="font-size-4"><strong>Part 3 of a series on Tai Chi-Qigong for rehabilitation.</strong><br></br></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413352?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413352?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="200"></img></a> When one of our body parts stops functioning, let’s say an arm, there is such a mental, emotional and physical shock that we tend to focus our attention on that one part. If only that arm would move again! We direct a lot of our…</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><strong>Part 3 of a series on Tai Chi-Qigong for rehabilitation.</strong><br/></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413352?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="200" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413352?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="200" class="align-left"/></a>When one of our body parts stops functioning, let’s say an arm, there is such a mental, emotional and physical shock that we tend to focus our attention on that one part. If only that arm would move again! We direct a lot of our energy toward it, often forgetting that it is attached to more functional parts, such as the shoulder and back—and indeed to the rest of the body. Those other, more functional parts could be giving that weak part a boost if we could just see the arm as connected integrally with the rest of the body and get the whole thing moving as a unit. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">In Tai Chi-Qigong class we work with people as whole people, not as pieces and parts. This is important for people with all kinds of injuries, neurological trauma, diseases and disabilities. Let's take as an example four people with stroke who all had tightness and paralysis on one side. Here are some ways we worked on the whole person that ultimately helped the arms and hands improve function:</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><b>Posture:</b> Posture is one of the fundamental elements of Qigong (Chi Kung) that we work on every week. Getting the body in alignment positions the body so that the various parts can function efficiently. Elements of Qigong posture include the following:</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">• Feet parallel, about a shoulder width apart—provides a good foundation for all movement</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">• Knees slightly bent, hips tucked—helps center the torso, keeps the legs loose and flexible</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">• Flat back—enhances nerve function through the straight spine</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">• Open chest, shoulders back—positions shoulders and arms so they are able to move more efficiently. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">• Shoulders down and relaxed with a long neck—helps relax shoulder and neck muscles. (Tight chest and shoulder muscles often accompany a frozen arm and hand, so the whole shoulder, chest and neck area needs to be opened and loosened in order for the arm to function.)</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">• Crown of head up, straightening spine more, giving a feeling of being very tall.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">The tall, aligned posture not only positions the body for efficient movement but also gives an emotional and psychological uplift. The process of alignment raises awareness of all of the body parts and their relation to each other.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><b>Breathing: </b> Qigong breathing centers in the “dan tien” in the abdomen but encompasses the entire body through “whole body breathing.” Each movement offers an opportunity for breath to open the body very gently and yet very effectively in a unique way so that the whole body is stimulated and enriched, even those parts that are not accustomed to moving. Tissues that have been dormant or barely active are infused with oxygen through better blood circulation. Old toxins are cleared out of tissues. The brain is infused with oxygen, increasing alertness, attention and concentration. Breathing prepares the way for the physical, mental and emotional work of restoration to proceed. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><b>Slow, gentle movement and “extending:” </b> Slow, gentle Tai Chi-Qigong movement begins to open and gently stretch muscles and ligaments that have been locked in place for a long time. This is a process that can only be done gently and gradually so the body is not overstressed. During these gentle movements, there is often an instruction to “extend,” subtly stretching muscles, tissues and ligaments a little more, opening up and loosening joints and making the body more supple. The picture above shows an extension during a movement called "Push Up the Sky.” Many Qigong movements have some element of “extension.” </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><b>Core work and “waist turning:” </b> In Tai Chi-Qigong we teach a special skill of articulating between the upper and lower torso by turning at the waist, a movement which provides a powerful workout in the body core. Gaining awareness and control of the body core, centered in the “dan tien,” has a great variety of benefits for the whole body, including improved gait. Waist turning can provide up to 24 inches of side-to-side range of motion for a forearm and hand, even when the forearm and hand remain inactive. This range of motion extends the reach of a weak arm and hand and allows more easily manipulating objects in tandem with the stronger arm and hand. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><b>Relaxation: </b> The ability to relax the body is a powerful foundation for restoring function after any body trauma. Proper body alignment, breathing, slow gentle movement and “extending” enhance awareness of many subtle aspects of the body that have previously been hidden or unacknowledged. One becomes aware of places that are tight or “knotty” or “locked up” and there is an opportunity to focus attention on those places and intentionally release tension. Repetition of movements and principles during a single session and over several weeks, develops empowerment to release tension and relax various parts of the body at will so that after a while the entire body begins to feel more supple and at ease. The relaxation of muscles allows more overall flexibility in the body so that the stiff or even paralyzed parts can achieve a greater range of motion. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><b>Energy work:</b> Qigong energy exercises include visualizing moving the energy around the body in a variety of ways, coordinated with breathing. For example, one of the most fundamental energy paths is the microcosmic orbit, which begins in the abdomen, goes down between the legs, up the back, over the top of the head and back down to the abdomen. “Moving the energy” around this path with coordinated breathing has a great variety of benefits. One is that the person begins to get a sense of the connectedness of the entire body and begins to feel it come alive and sometimes even tingle or warm up with energy. There is increasing sensation in the skin and muscles and tissues and a feeling of getting in touch with the body at a deeper level. Practicing moving energy through various paths enlivens the body and even provides ability to intentionally warm up cold extremities. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">In Qigong, the entire body becomes alert and ready to do the work of rehabilitation. We garner all of our resources as a person and learn how to unite them in achieving our goals of physical function and personal empowerment. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><strong>Preview DVD: <a href="http://www.annayork.ning.com" target="_blank">New Creation Tai Chi-Qigong for All Abilities</a></strong><b> </b></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><b>Copyright by Anna York, 2010</b></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><i>[This is the third of a series on Tai Chi-Qigong for Rehabilitation. See the Archive for others.]</i></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><i> </i></span></p>
<div><span><i> </i></span></div>Tai Chi-Qigong for Stroke Recovery When Progress Has Plateauedtag:annayork.ning.com,2013-02-08:6504582:BlogPost:11072013-02-08T00:31:45.000ZAnna Yorkhttps://annayork.ning.com/profile/1fnxxvfhnsd57
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Second Article in a Series on Tai Chi-Qigong for Rehabilitation</strong></span></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413116?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413116?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300"></img></a></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">Ralph and Maria, two people in my Chi Kung class, both had strokes many years ago, and when they came to my class, they had not had therapy for some decades. It often happens that once progress…</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Second Article in a Series on Tai Chi-Qigong for Rehabilitation</strong></span></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413116?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="300" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413116?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">Ralph and Maria, two people in my Chi Kung class, both had strokes many years ago, and when they came to my class, they had not had therapy for some decades. It often happens that once progress “plateaus,” therapy is suspended. There is an assumption that the patient has made all possible recovery and there will not be enough benefit to spend further time, energy and money. Nevertheless, Ralph and Maria both made significant progress in their range of motion and their ability to use their hands and arms for activities of daily living. Here are some reasons why this improvement might have occurred.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><b>Brain plasticity:</b> Paul Bach y Rita, a famous neuroscientist who began his work in the 1960’s, became interested in late rehabilitation of strokes after his father recovered from a disabling stroke. Bach y Rita became an advocate of brain “plasticity,” which includes the idea that the brain is able to reorganize and change itself throughout life—even into old age. He argued that learning plateaus such as those in stroke recovery are temporary, that they are part of a learning cycle. Stages of learning are followed by periods of consolidation, during which it seems there is no progress being made. Nevertheless, there are internal changes that help new skills become more automatic and refined. Thus, after a “plateau,” there is a new opportunity for increased progress and recovery of function. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">Ralph and Maria had a very long plateau, possibly because their strokes occurred before the recent research on brain plasticity and they did not know they could continue to progress. When they came to Tai Chi-Qigong class, we did exercises that helped them go to a new level. Ralph began to use his weak hand in tandem with his right hand for all kinds of activities of daily living that he previously did one-handed. Maria’s rehabilitation doctor noticed her progress and suggested new therapy sessions for her. Ralph and Maria are examples of the power of our brains to renew themselves and reorganize to overcome old stroke symptoms.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><b><i>Tai Chi-Qigong and stroke recovery</i></b></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><b>Whole person approach:</b> Tai Chi-Qigong has several inherent qualities that are highly supportive of stroke recovery, even after many years. The whole body approach described in a previous blog is very important because every part of the body has to be recruited to assist the weak parts. The more body parts that are recruited, the greater the brain stimulation and the more robust the supporting neurological connections will be in the brain. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><b>Stimulates new brain connections:</b> Tai Chi-Qigong moves parts of the body that are not usually moved, stimulating the brain to create new, fresh connections. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><b>Repetition reinforces connections:</b> Repetition many times during a single session and over several weeks reinforces the new connections. The more practice participants do between classes, the more reinforcement and the more stable the neurological connections and functions become.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><b>Practical movement:</b> One of Paul Bach y Rita’s principles of recovery was that exercises should be as close to normal, everyday activities as possible. Unlike weight lifting and using various types of gym machines, Qigong movements are required to perform basic functions of everyday life. Thus, each exercise contributes directly to better practical performance of walking, reaching, grasping, turning, balance, coordination and much more. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><b>Qigong is accessible: </b> Long-term rehabilitation exercises need to be easily accessible so they can be done several times a week and throughout the day. While gym work, swimming and aerobic workouts are good, they require going to an outside facility and often spending money that disabled people cannot afford. After learning Qigong movements, anyone can do them in the home in a small space, at any time of day, seated or standing or lying down. It is an immediately available, very practical, ongoing, life supporting practice that can continue fruitfully throughout one’s life. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">Tai Chi-Qigong is a great component of an overall program of rehabilitation and long term maintenance for stroke and many other chronic disabling conditions.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">Preview our new DVD: <a href="http://www.annayork.ning.com" target="_blank">New Creation Tai Chi-Qigong for All Abilities</a>--coming soon!</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><b>Copyright by Anna York, 2010</b></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Reference: Norman Doidge M.D., <i>The Brain that Changes Itself. Viking, New York, 2007, pp. 24-25.</i></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><i>[This is part of a series on Chi Kung and Restoring Function after Stroke. Principles also apply to many other conditions. See Archive for other articles on this topic and on exercise and rehabilitation.]</i></span></p>Tai Chi-Qigong: Restoring Lost Function from Stroke, MS, Parkinson's, Spinal Cord injury, much more! Part 1tag:annayork.ning.com,2013-02-08:6504582:BlogPost:11042013-02-08T00:30:52.000ZAnna Yorkhttps://annayork.ning.com/profile/1fnxxvfhnsd57
<p><span class="font-size-4"><b>Part 1 of a Series on Tai Chi-Qigong for Rehabilitation</b></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><b><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2865514409?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2865514409?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="200"></img></a></b></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">Jeff and Maria had strokes many years ago, and were attending my Tai Chi-Qigong (Chi Kung) class during the summer to see if they could restore some lost function. Others in the class had Parkinson's,…</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><b>Part 1 of a Series on Tai Chi-Qigong for Rehabilitation</b></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><b><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2865514409?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="200" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2865514409?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="200" class="align-left"/></a></b></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">Jeff and Maria had strokes many years ago, and were attending my Tai Chi-Qigong (Chi Kung) class during the summer to see if they could restore some lost function. Others in the class had Parkinson's, MS, spinal cord injury, and other conditions. That summer we all learned a lot about putting the power of Tai Chi & Qigong (Chi Kung) to work to make us stronger and more functional.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">Jeff and Maria have one weak side, including a shoulder and arm that are paralyzed, and at the beginning of the summer each had a hand that was drawn up into a tight fist. Each has his or her own unique strengths and weaknesses. Before the end of the summer, Jeff and Maria and others in the class were making significant progress. (You can meet Jeff in our new video. He is in the pic on the back left.)</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">In this first blog I will focus on four key principles of Tai Chi-Qigong that I employed in helping these people--and people with many other types of disabilities--restore function from neurological damage. Later blogs will detail applications for each principle.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><b>Whole person approach:</b> The first key to my strategy was to view each person’s disability in the larger context of the whole person. For example, we would not just focus on the hand, but would see the hand and its function as an integral part of the function of the arm, shoulder and upper body. We would continue to do foundational movements that engage the whole body. That is the Qigong approach—we are whole persons and all the parts work together. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><b>Brain plasticity:</b> I was also primed with research on the plasticity of the brain by such people as Edward Taub, Paul Bach y Rita, Michael Merzenich and other neuroscientists, all of whom have made breakthrough contributions in understanding how the brain can regenerate itself after traumatic events such as a stroke. I was hoping to apply their insights to my own work.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><b>Neurons that fire together wire together:</b> One of their findings I was keeping in mind is that “neurons that fire together wire together.” Adjacent parts of the body, such as shoulder and arm, are wired into adjacent parts of the brain. Moving the shoulder stimulates neurons in the brain that are also closely connected with the arm neurons. The practical application of this principle was that I would work the parts of the body that are next to the dysfunctional areas and expect that they would stimulate their neighbors both in the body and the brain. Tai Chi-Qigong is especially good for this because the slow, mindful movements raise awareness of the body and help the practitioner isolate and focus on very specific muscles and sensations. I would employ movements to target not just the weak areas, such as a tight hand, but also the more functional areas that were nearby, including arm and shoulders.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><b>Shaping:</b> Another key idea, from Edward Taub’s research, is the principle he calls “shaping.” Shaping occurs in rehabilitation therapy when very small movements are repeated many times and are increased in small increments, a strategy that can significantly boost restoration of lost function. Once again, Qigong is especially good for implementing this strategy, because we repeat small movements many times and gradually extend them out, challenging the body and mind to go farther than before. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><b>Pay attention:</b> Michael Merzenich discovered that paying close attention is essential to long-term changes in the brain. When actions are performed automatically, without paying attention, changes do occur in the brain, but they do not last long and the benefits to the body are not robust. Playing music, reading, talking on the phone and watching TV will probably water down the effects of exercise and rehab work. If you want to get the deeper brain benefits of a workout, better pay attention! Qigong is great for implementing this principle because in Qigong the mind is as important as the body. Attention and visualization are powerful components of all movement, breathing and energy work and are at the core of our work in Tai Chi-Qigong class.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><b>Mental practice:</b> Alvaro Pascual-Leone of Harvard Medical School proved that doing mental practice of a skill, such as playing the piano, produces the same changes in the brain map as actually doing the physical practice. Although their improvement was not as rapid, those who “imagined” playing a certain sequence of notes on the piano had the same changes in the motor signals to their muscles as those who did physical practice. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">This is great news for people who have disabilities and whose energy does not allow them to do as much physical practice as they would like or as is necessary to regain and maintain function. Mentally practicing new skills and reviewing old skills can support an overall program of physical exercise and therapy.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><b>Energy work:</b> A key element of Tai Chi-Qigong is the energy work. “Chi” means energy, and “kung” or "gong" means discipline or practice. Thus, at its heart Qigong is about developing, maintaining and increasing the body’s energy through consistent, disciplined practice. This is accomplished through certain breathing techniques, through physical movements and through specific energy exercises that include breathing and visualization. Besides cleansing toxins and improving energy and stamina, this work also stimulates production of endorphins and other hormones that lift mood and support a positive attitude that is so necessary for doing rehab. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">Pascual-Leone and other neuroscientists are confirming what Tai Chi and Qigong practitioners have known for thousands of years. Mental practice is a core aspect of these ancient arts and helps account for their powerful healing effects throughout the ages. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">These are some basic principles I find effective in doing Chi Kung with people who have disabilities resulting from stroke and from other neurological conditions. Stay tuned! I will be building these out in succeeding excerpts.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"><b>Copyright by Anna York, 2010</b></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"><b> </b></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-4" style="color: #993366;"><b>Preview new DVD: </b></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-4" style="color: #993366;"><b><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXizWoXdJ4c" target="_blank">New Creation Tai Chi-Qigong for All Abilities.</a></b></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-4" style="color: #993366;"><b> </b></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><i>References: </i></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">There are now many articles and books describing recent research on the plasticity of the brain. Here are a couple of good overviews.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">Norman Doidge M.D., <i>The Brain that Changes Itself. Viking, New York, 2007. </i></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">Sharon Begley, <i>Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain: How a New Science Reveals Our Extraordinary Potential to Transform Ourselves. Forward by the Dalai Lama. </i> Ballantine Books, New York, 2007. </span></p>Tai Chi-Qigong: Moving Mountainstag:annayork.ning.com,2013-02-07:6504582:BlogPost:28522013-02-07T23:42:51.000ZAnna Yorkhttps://annayork.ning.com/profile/1fnxxvfhnsd57
<p><span><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2865534254?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2865534254?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300"></img></a> One of the Chi Kung movements we do most frequently in my classes is called “Move the Mountain.” This movement is powerful in building physical strength, and it is also a powerful symbol for moving any kind of huge obstacles in life, whether they be in relationships, illness, emotions, or even in community, national or world problems.</span></p>
<p>When we move the…</p>
<p><span><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2865534254?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="300" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2865534254?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300" class="align-center"/></a>One of the Chi Kung movements we do most frequently in my classes is called “Move the Mountain.” This movement is powerful in building physical strength, and it is also a powerful symbol for moving any kind of huge obstacles in life, whether they be in relationships, illness, emotions, or even in community, national or world problems.</span></p>
<p>When we move the mountain in class, each individual has the opportunity to imagine an obstacle, something personal or in the life of someone else, that seems impossible or immovable. It could even be a national or global issue, whatever is on a person’s heart. Most people have these challenges in their lives and are struggling with how to handle them. </p>
<p>“Move the Mountain” provides a means to channel one’s energy in a physical way that is also archetypal and that stirs deep fountains of faith and perseverance. There are mountain images in all religious faiths, and there are many stories of mountains being moved. As soon as we talk or think about moving a mountain, those stories and images undergird our own personal resolution. We re-tell the stories and apply them to our current problem. We feel the power come up inside of us to join forces with the heroes and mountain movers of the past. </p>
<p>Deciding to move the mountain in a physical and yet also a symbolic sense allows us to be realistic in naming the hugeness of the problem. And yet it also inherently announces that it is possible to overcome it. </p>
<p>As we approach the mountain, it is important to envision the challenge clearly and focus all of our energy toward accomplishing the goal. Thus, all distractions must be laid aside. We slow down our thoughts and movement to match the task. We know that the mountain will not jump—it will move slowly. Slowing things down helps us see deeply into all aspects the situation and prepare ourselves to address them. </p>
<p>Physically, we take a strong stance, position our hands as though they are up against a huge obstacle, and shift the weight forward slowly, pushing with the hands. The key is to keep the mind focused and the intention clear. The rear leg roots deep into the ground and drives forward, moving the whole body. The weight shifts forward to push the mountain. We exhale deeply and slowly, extending the energy out through the palms and forward against the obstacle and yet also, somehow, into and beyond the mountain, into the realm of possibilities. We visualize the mountain moving. </p>
<p>Moving mountains is not magic. Various great stories describe the effective components. The Lord says through the prophet Zechariah that it is not by might nor by power but by God’s spirit that the mountain shall be moved. Jesus says that if one has faith the size of a mustard seed, it will move a mountain and cast it into the sea. In Tibet, a story of a Buddhist master describes a man moving a mountain through perseverance and long-term discipline. We must conclude that moving mountains is spiritual work but that there is a physical component that tests us to the core. And there are both spiritual and physical outcomes. The physical mountain is moved, but we are changed and transformed in the process. We become mountain movers.</p>
<p>When I was doing the big move to a new home recently, I employed all of the above aspects of moving mountains. It seemed an impossible task, but I did “Move the Mountain” with Tai Chi-Qigong—and also with vision, concentration, intention, power, might, perseverance and faith. All aspects of my being came to focus, and the job was done. </p>
<p>Moving the mountain with Tai Chi is a great way to power up for any task we face in life.<a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2865534254?profile=original" target="_self"><br/></a></p>Tai Chi-Qigong: Posture and the "Power Chair"tag:annayork.ning.com,2013-02-07:6504582:BlogPost:31282013-02-07T23:42:35.000ZAnna Yorkhttps://annayork.ning.com/profile/1fnxxvfhnsd57
<p style="text-align: center;"><span><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413017?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413017?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300"></img></a> “I’ve heard it over and over, but I never got it until today!”</span></p>
<p>Mary came into class literally glowing and looking different as she sat in her electric-powered chair. Mary has CP, and previously she was kind of scrunched down in her chair and tilted over to the side. She was unable to get her feet to rest squarely on the…</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413017?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="300" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413017?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300" class="align-center"/></a>“I’ve heard it over and over, but I never got it until today!”</span></p>
<p>Mary came into class literally glowing and looking different as she sat in her electric-powered chair. Mary has CP, and previously she was kind of scrunched down in her chair and tilted over to the side. She was unable to get her feet to rest squarely on the footpads, so during our exercises, she mostly did the breathing and some gentle motions with her hands. That’s the great thing about Chi Kung! If you can breathe, you can benefit! And even small movements can begin to get the body energized. The thing was that Mary persevered. She kept coming to classes ever since they began a couple of years ago. </p>
<p>We talk a lot in class about mental practice, and we often repeat the mantra, “See it with your mind, feel it with your mind, do it with your body.” All those times Mary was coming to class she was doing a lot of work in her mind. She kept hearing about posture, and even though she couldn’t sit up straight, she took it to heart. She visualized what it would be like to sit up with her feet on the floor. Now here she was rolling into class sitting up straight! She couldn’t wait to tell us all what had happened.</p>
<p>Mary got a new seating arrangement in her chair that helps her sit erect, greatly improving her posture. Now, instead of looking at me somewhat from the side, she looked directly at me! I am sure the new posture also helped her to breathe better and thus to have more energy. New footpads helped her feet rest squarely on them so that she had a sense of being connected and having some control of her balance and movement through her feet. </p>
<p>Mary is usually rather quiet, but on this day she could hardly stop talking for excitement. She wanted everyone to know how different she felt because she was able to sit up straight. All of those in the class were excited for her. We love to celebrate the victories! </p>
<p>Later, in an e-mail. Mary described her experience this way: </p>
<p><i>I've heard it over and over, but I never got it until today--How much correct posture and having your feet firmly planted and spaced apart affects you psychologically and spiritually. There is this attitude shift--a sense of myself as a strong person and presence; like I'm not a person to mess with. I don't mean that in a defensive, angry way, just some kind of quiet reality that's absolutely true and unshakeable; non-negotiable. It's lovely. Gives new meaning to having a "power chair."</i></p>
<p>Mary is now able to put into practice what she was visualizing in all of those classes. We are happy for Mary, and we would like for everyone to have their own version of a “power chair” that boosts the self image and gives confidence to face the world with a smile!</p>Qigong: "I Bought Hiking Boots!"tag:annayork.ning.com,2013-02-07:6504582:BlogPost:31262013-02-07T23:42:09.000ZAnna Yorkhttps://annayork.ning.com/profile/1fnxxvfhnsd57
<p><span><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412943?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412943?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="350"></img></a> Counting elephants in Kenya—not your typical everyday activity! But Jenny loves travel and that’s where she had her most recent adventure. She spent two weeks in the nature parks in Kenya roaming the tundra in search of wild elephants. Jenny has multiple sclerosis, but you can tell she doesn’t like to let it slow her down! </span></p>
<p>Today Jenny was waiting to…</p>
<p><span><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412943?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="350" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412943?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="350" class="align-center"/></a>Counting elephants in Kenya—not your typical everyday activity! But Jenny loves travel and that’s where she had her most recent adventure. She spent two weeks in the nature parks in Kenya roaming the tundra in search of wild elephants. Jenny has multiple sclerosis, but you can tell she doesn’t like to let it slow her down! </span></p>
<p>Today Jenny was waiting to share her Chi Kung adventures with a group of therapists gathering to hear me talk about how Chi Kung can benefit people with disabilities. As we sat waiting, a grin spread across her face and she said, “You know what I did last Friday?” </p>
<p>“No, tell me!” I said in anticipation. </p>
<p>“I bought a pair of hiking boots!” </p>
<p>“Really!” </p>
<p>“Yeah! I haven’t had a pair for years! I used to hike all over India and Africa, but a few years ago I started stumbling. We finally figured out that it was because I have MS. And I haven’t done that kind of hiking for a long time.”</p>
<p>“Wow! So what happened with the boots?”</p>
<p>“It’s what I’ve been learning in Chi Kung class. I started becoming a lot more aware of my body and what I’m doing and how I’m standing. I’m always standing on my right leg and didn’t realize that I can’t pick it up to move it when I’m pushing down on it! So I figured that out! I have to distribute my weight equally.” </p>
<p>“That’s wonderful!” I said. About that time the program was starting, so we turned our attention to our audience. When it was Jenny’s turn to share, she went into more detail. She told how it has been a big help to learn how to “tuck” her hips and open her knees as a way of achieving a stronger, more stable position. Then she “roots” her feet to get a good connection with the ground. ”Rooting” is an activity that has been producing plenty of excitement in our classes. Lori, who was sitting next to Jenny, was cheering her on because she has her own stories of the power of rooting. Jenny noted how the Chi Kung works together with other strengthening exercise she does in the Sports Center. Thus, Chi Kung is part of an overall program for helping her achieve her goals of becoming stronger and of getting back into doing the things she loves to do—like counting elephants! Buying the hiking boots was her way of saying, “I’m excited about life!” </p>
<p>I’m excited for her too! I remember long years of disability when I thought I would never see my favorite Rocky Mountain trails again. Then, not too long after I started practicing Tai Chi and Chi Kung, I went back on the trail to the Maroon Bells, one of the prettiest places in the world, at least for me, because of the precious memories connected with it. When we have lost something precious, it is that much sweeter when we begin to regain just a little of it again. We feel empowered not just in our physical bodies but also deep in our spirits. The small victories become beacons of light that lead us on to hope, to believe, to strive for our dreams and to make them come true.</p>Tai Chi Saved Me! "Rooting" Prevents an Accidenttag:annayork.ning.com,2013-02-07:6504582:BlogPost:29522013-02-07T22:11:09.000ZAnna Yorkhttps://annayork.ning.com/profile/1fnxxvfhnsd57
<p><span><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412939?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412939?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="250"></img></a> Lori came rolling into class with something to share. Lori has multiple sclerosis, and because of weak legs and spasticity she has her feet strapped down to her electric wheelchair footpads. We had been practicing “rooting” in class, and that’s what Lori wanted to talk about. </span></p>
<p>“Rooting” is the fundamental principle in Tai Chi and Chi Kung of getting a…</p>
<p><span><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412939?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="250" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412939?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="250" class="align-center"/></a>Lori came rolling into class with something to share. Lori has multiple sclerosis, and because of weak legs and spasticity she has her feet strapped down to her electric wheelchair footpads. We had been practicing “rooting” in class, and that’s what Lori wanted to talk about. </span></p>
<p>“Rooting” is the fundamental principle in Tai Chi and Chi Kung of getting a strong connection with the earth through the feet. The imagery is that the feet have roots growing down deep into the earth so that you are firmly planted and control your movement, balance and coordination through a strong foundation. </p>
<p>Those who do martial Tai Chi want to be firmly rooted so they can hold their position and not be knocked over by an opponent. In everyday life, being rooted means that you are centered, balanced and ready to move easily from one position to another—and that you are not easily pushed around. </p>
<p>Think of a tree such as a mighty oak. The root system for a large tree must be strong, and the whole tree must be strong and yet supple, able to stand tall and yet also able to sway with the wind. Similarly, in order to have a good root in Tai Chi, the whole body needs to be grounded and ready to respond appropriately in any situation. Having a good root also means having a clear mind and calm emotions and being sensitive to the environment around you so you can respond as needed.</p>
<p>So how can people who are in wheelchairs get a good root? First of all, we practice both the physical and mental aspects in class. We press one foot deep down into the earth, sometimes pressing down on the knee with the hand in order to emphasize the strength of the root. This is not so easy for people who are weak or have paralysis or tremors or some other condition that makes it difficult to use their feet. That’s what makes the mental practice so important. We all say together, “See it in your mind, feel it in your mind, do it in your body.” </p>
<p>That’s what Lori had been practicing, not knowing that rooting would have important practical value for her. It happened while she was going down the street in her motorized chair. The strap holding her foot to her chair unexpectedly came off, and she suddenly realized she was in trouble. Her foot could fly out and be injured, and, without the foot anchored, she could lose her balance and fall. She instantly told herself to “root” and pressed her foot down into the wheelchair footpad. She went two whole blocks rooting her foot to stabilize herself and prevent an accident, a remarkable feat! </p>
<p><span>Lori continued to practice, and two or three weeks later she was back at class again, wearing a “So there!” smile on her face that suggested another triumph. She said, “There’s something different about me—see if you can tell.” O</span>ther members of the class looked but didn’t see anything right away. </p>
<p>She said, “Anna will be able to tell.” </p>
<p>I gasped when I looked down at her feet and saw that they were both resting quietly on her footpads with no strap on either one. “Lori, what happened?”</p>
<p>Lori had got new footpads for her chair, and it was going to take a couple of weeks to put the straps on. She had been practicing rooting and decided she was feeling confident enough to try going “footloose.” We all cheered her on! All her practice was paying off.</p>
<p>So many times during all the years of my training and practice I have come to the point where I feel like I want to step out and try something I’ve been working on, but I’m not sure if I can do it. There is a feeling of hope and yet caution, of excitement and yet reticence. I may think about it for a while and begin to do it several times before I actually get up the courage. I imagine it, sense it, feel it in my mind, try it out a little at a time. Then, one day, all of a sudden, everything comes together in that special moment—the time, the place, the inspiration, the courage, the assurance. I take off that brace or do that movement or go out on my own, and—Yes! It’s there! I can do it, I succeed!</p>
<p>When these events occur, we can feel ourselves grow. We are not stuck, we are moving on! Let's share our stories. They inspire us all to keep on rising! </p>
<p></p>
<p><em>"They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes. and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit." (Jeremiah 17:8)</em></p>
<p></p>The Disabled Maharajah: An Inspiration to the Worldtag:annayork.ning.com,2013-02-07:6504582:BlogPost:24982013-02-07T22:09:14.000ZAnna Yorkhttps://annayork.ning.com/profile/1fnxxvfhnsd57
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412884?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412884?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="350"></img></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Major-General H.H. Maharajadhiraja Maharana Shri Sir Bhopal Singh Bahadur, Maharana of Udaipur</p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Udaipur is the most beautiful city we visited while in India. Little did I know that one of its most noted Maharajahs was disabled with Potts curvature of the spine, a disease that paralyzed him from the waist down…</span></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412884?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="350" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412884?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="350" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Major-General H.H. Maharajadhiraja Maharana Shri Sir Bhopal Singh Bahadur, Maharana of Udaipur</p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Udaipur is the most beautiful city we visited while in India. Little did I know that one of its most noted Maharajahs was disabled with Potts curvature of the spine, a disease that paralyzed him from the waist down before the age of 20. I discovered this amazing person when I was privileged to ride in the secret elevator up to his private quarters in the Udaipur Palace, which is now a museum. The elevator is not normally opened to visitors and is not on the museum map. However, our guide knew about it and arranged for us to use it because of my walking disability. It was a great moment in my ongoing discovery of India.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002415940?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="300" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002415940?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300" class="align-left"/></a>Maharana Bhopal Singh not only had a physical disability but also had tuberculosis. At one time his diseases reduced his weight to a mere 50 pounds, and it was feared he would not survive. However, as with so many people who have disabilities, he had a mighty spirit. The Maharajahs of Mewar were the only rulers that never succumbed to the Mughal Emperors, remaining independent for over 1500 years. Maharana Singh inherited the inner power and courage of his ancestors. Although he never fully recovered, he ruled his state of Mewar for 25 years during the massive changes brought about by Independence and the departure of the British. Among the rulers of over 600 independent states in India, he was the first to accede to the newly formed state of India, leading the way for many others to follow. The grateful Government of India nominated him as “Maharaj Pramukh”, the only title of its kind in all of India. He was also assigned the privilege of retaining his title and of having the 19-gun salute, higher than all others in his class. (<em>Note: "Maharana"is similar to "Maharaja" but is considered by some as being more honorific</em>.)</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Maharanah Singh used his massive wealth for the good of his people. He was a relentless reformer in education, justice and environmental improvements, establishing schools for girls, reforming the justice system and improving industrial and agricultural works. </span></p>
<p><font size="3">Maharana Bhopal Singh lived during the same time as President Franklin Roosevelt, who also achieved greatness in spite of his disability. It is possible that the struggle with their own personal weaknesses helped these leaders to develop inner resources to overcome the enormous political challenges of their times. They are an inspiration not only to those with physical challenges but also to the world.</font></p>
<p><em><span style="font-size: medium;">Below are pictures of Maharana Singh's wheelchair and toilet chair, as well as FDR's wheelchair.</span></em></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002416869?profile=original" target="_self"><font size="3"><img width="300" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002416869?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300" class="align-full"/></font></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img width="200" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002418336?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="200" class="align-right"/></p>
<p><font size="3"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002418618?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="300" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002418618?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300" class="align-left"/></a> </font></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"> </span></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>Getting Around in India with a Disabilitytag:annayork.ning.com,2013-02-07:6504582:BlogPost:25742013-02-07T22:07:24.000ZAnna Yorkhttps://annayork.ning.com/profile/1fnxxvfhnsd57
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-3"><b>Planes, Trains and Automobiles</b></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><b><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413009?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413009?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="400"></img></a></b> There is a greater variety of ways to travel in India than just about anywhere we have been--bullock carts, tuk-tuks, tongas, motorcycles, bicycle rickshaws and much more. You may want to try some of these for brief rides, but here we will…</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-3"><b>Planes, Trains and Automobiles</b></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><b><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413009?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="400" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413009?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="400" class="align-center"/></a></b>There is a greater variety of ways to travel in India than just about anywhere we have been--bullock carts, tuk-tuks, tongas, motorcycles, bicycle rickshaws and much more. You may want to try some of these for brief rides, but here we will talk about the best major modes of transportation if you have a disability.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><b>Airports: You Are Royalty!</b></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Your cane, walker or wheelchair is the magic wand that will open royal service for you in airports and hotels. Indian airports have a highly trained cadre of assistants who are on the lookout for people who need help. In each airport I had my own personal guide who stuck with me from beginning to end, guiding me and my husband past alluired passes. Their service far exceeds anything we have in the United States, so sit back and relax. There is no need to worry about the daunting distances and long lines.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">As always, (even though you are royalty), have your bags well marked and keep an eye on them. Be sure to put small, valuable items, even souvenirs, in your big suitcases for checking. Overly zealous security people may surreptitiously stick items in their pockets while giving you a hassle with fake concern about international hijackers. That happened to us twice, once with an item of jewelry and once with a small marble elephant. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><b>Car, Driver and Guide:</b> Traveling with a disability requires care in choosing your mode of transportation within the country. We settled on having our own car, driver and guide for all of our touring, a strategy that has worked well in our other travels to China and Tibet.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><b>Full-time Facilitator?</b> We considered having a full-time travel facilitator for a higher price, but decided we did not really need one because we would have a guide for all tours. If you have a serious disability, a full-time facilitator could be well worth the cost. This person would travel with you at all times and handle all needs that may arise.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><b> </b><b>SUV or larger car:</b> Be sure you specify and get an SUV style car (or larger) with four doors and plenty of cargo space for your luggage and wheelchair, if you need to take one. We had a Toyota Innova, which was plenty large for us, but we would have needed larger if I had taken along a wheelchair or scooter.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><b>English speaking driver.</b> Specify an English speaking driver who can actually speak some English. Our driver was with us throughout the entire trip, so we spent a lot of time with him in wild, congested traffic and on long stretches of highway. Being able to communicate with us effectively was important to meeting special needs in a variety of situations when we did not have a guide with us. Guides were usually local to the particular city we were visiting. This is a crucial element if you do not have a full time facilitator.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><b><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413111?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413111?profile=original" width="556" class="align-center"/></a>Luxury Trains.</b> We were very excited about taking a luxury train trip and actually made reservations on the Royal Rajasthan on Wheels. It is not only an exotic ride in Maharajah-like comfort, but I also felt it is the best way to travel with a disability, being pampered and cared for at all times. Another advantage is that it is possible to see considerably more in a short amount of time than with a car because you travel at night, eat on the train and arrive ready to tour in a new city the next day. All food, guides and transportation are covered in the fee. Unfortunately, the only train available did not run because of a lack of passengers during the pre-Christmas season. At all other times of year, reservations must be made far in advance. There are several luxury trains for one or two-week trips and many trains throughout India for shorter trips and day excursions. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Planning well in advance will help you get the kind of transportation you want and need.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-3"><a href="http://annayork.ning.com/photo/albums/disability-travel-to-india" target="_self">Click Here for My India Photo Album</a></span></p>
<p></p>India with a Disability: Get a Great Tour Companytag:annayork.ning.com,2013-02-07:6504582:BlogPost:26902013-02-07T22:06:44.000ZAnna Yorkhttps://annayork.ning.com/profile/1fnxxvfhnsd57
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Get a Great Tour Company, Not Necessarily an Expensive One!</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413096?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-right" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413096?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="400"></img></a></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">If you have a disability, you need to get a great tour company that will fulfill you special needs, no matter how challenging they are and how exotic your…</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Get a Great Tour Company, Not Necessarily an Expensive One!</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413096?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="400" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413096?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="400" class="align-right"/></a></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">If you have a disability, you need to get a great tour company that will fulfill you special needs, no matter how challenging they are and how exotic your destinations.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Your initial investigations to find a tour company will yield some very expensive options, which are tempting when you feel uncertain about your ability to navigate strange places with a disability. My main goal was just to be sure someone would take good care of me and my needs, and I thought we would have to pay a high price. Fortunately, friends in India suggested Tamarind, an Indian tour company that gave us fantastic service and was half as expensive as British and American counterparts. Tamarind is a huge Indian company that contracts with many smaller ones, providing a pool of excellent guides, drivers and cars. Since they are probably providing service for the foreign companies as well, you might as well get the lower rate. I corresponded by e-mail with a tour company in Pune and worked everything out quite well. Above, our fabulous Delhi guide, Anil, was up to any task, even breaking up a traffic jam in Old Delhi.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><b>Be very clear and detailed about your needs</b>. Letting your agent know what you require will help assure a safe travel experience. Since the quality of hotels varies widely, it is a good idea to insist on five-star hotels and to ask for accessible rooms. Four-star hotels and older hotels may not have safety features such as grab bars.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><b>Allow extra time for every attraction</b>. We found that two nights was better than the usual one night in each city. Touring in India can create an exhausting sensory overload from the large numbers of people and the wild, congested traffic. It’s better to have time to really enjoy what you do see rather than pack too much in and not enjoy anything. In some places, such as the large cities of Delhi and Mumbai, there is so much to see that you may want to put down roots for a few days, take it easy, and enjoy a few sights each day with some shopping excursions to spice things up. At the end of the day it’s great to have the comfort of a good hotel, good food, and reliable service. Of course slowing it down can significantly increase your expenses, so you have to strike a balance that is good for you. Some cities, such as Agra, are not tourist towns and are not worth staying except to see the main attractions.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"> Your tour company agent will be able to offer a lot of good advice, but ultimately it will be up to you to make final decisions about what you want to do and actually can do. Thus, it is necessary, even with the best agents, to probe and meticulously check all details.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-3"><a href="http://annayork.ning.com/photo/albums/disability-travel-to-india" target="_self">Click Here for My India Photo Album</a></span></p>Disability Travel in India: The Best Exotic Grand Imperial Hoteltag:annayork.ning.com,2013-01-29:6504582:BlogPost:26882013-01-29T16:30:00.000ZAnna Yorkhttps://annayork.ning.com/profile/1fnxxvfhnsd57
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412969?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412969?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="400"></img></a></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-3">It's a Good Idea to Book Early!</span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">I was a bit late in booking my hotels during the high tourist season in India, a mistake that launched us into unexpected adventure. With all the five-star hotels full, we found ourselves in the Grand Imperial Hotel in Agra for two nights while visiting…</span></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412969?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="400" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002412969?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="400" class="align-left"/></a></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-3">It's a Good Idea to Book Early!</span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">I was a bit late in booking my hotels during the high tourist season in India, a mistake that launched us into unexpected adventure. With all the five-star hotels full, we found ourselves in the Grand Imperial Hotel in Agra for two nights while visiting the Taj Mahal. About a hundred years ago the Grand Imperial must have been a truly grand place--but that was a hundred years ago. Today it is a shadow of its former self, wrinkled like an old call girl but putting on make-up and a brave face as it slowly sinks further into old age.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"> Our room was cute and quaint, boasting features modern hotels lack. We encountered the first of these when were handed a large brass key on checking in. The outward swinging double doors on our room were fitted with a fist-sized brass lock with a sliding security bar—delightfully colorful and quaint! But it took us ten minutes and aid from the bellman to get it open! Inside the first set of doors was another set that swung inward and also had its own sliding brass bars to secure the doors from the inside. This was a heritage hotel. We grabbed our bags and stepped through the door to adventure.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Taking a look around, we spied the 1960’s style tube TV that took up an entire large desk. A quick test revealed it was for looks only, not for watching. The beds were no doubt sensual with elaborate hangings once upon a time, but now the carved poles stuck up in the air unashamedly naked, leaving everything to the imagination. Lacking closet space, we used the bed posts to hang our clothes.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413120?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="400" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413120?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="400" class="align-right"/></a></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"> An attempted call to the front desk revealed that we had three phones in the room--and none of them worked! We went down and told the desk, and soon there was a long parade of people coming to work on the phones. Indians try very hard to please their guests, and they work very hard to fix any problems. Sometimes they go a little overboard. One time we had four people chattering away in concerned tones and plugging cords in and out of outlets. The men worked for an hour before dinner, and then they came back and did a lot more testing for two hours after dinner. They were not always in the room, but they kept making test calls. The phone would go ring, ring, ring and I would pick it up and it would go buzz, buzz, buzz, then I would put it down and it would go ring, ring ring. Over and over, ring ring ring, buzz, buzz,buzz, ring, ring ring. I honestly did see a great deal of humor in the situation, but humor begins to fade after a long day in Indian traffic, thinking that you may die at any moment by hitting a cow. Finally, in my pajamas and ready for bed, I defensively unplugged all the phones. Never fear! Indian service to the rescue once again, knocking loudly on the door. I said, "Please, no more phone calls!” But now it was a matter of national pride to fix the phones, so they came in and plugged them all back in again. Once more, ring, ring, ring, buzz, buzz, buzz, ring, ring, ring. I determined that that next attempt would be the last! Sure enough, ten minutes later, with eyelids heavy as bricks, I picked up the receiver. No buzz! “Hullo,” I said in disbelief. A staticy voice said, “Madam, we are glad to inform you that your phones are working.” The national pride was saved!<a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413276?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="350" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413276?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="350" class="align-center"/></a></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"> But that was only one adventure in the Grand Imperial Hotel. There was a very large and very noisy wedding party outside our room on the lawn. It got louder and louder as the night went on and ended with fireworks. The fireworks were going off while we were trying to figure out the light switches. Indian hotel rooms always have about 25 to 30 electrical switches, some of them for the various lights in the room and a couple for each electrical outlet. At the Grand Imperial, we simply could not figure out how to get the lights to work at the right time, in the right way. There were some we couldn't get to go on and some we couldn't get to go off. Don was running back and forth across the room in his underwear, poking different switches. Finally, when he poked one, a loud BOOM! of fireworks went off. Don jumped up in the air and shouted, and all the lights in the room switched on and off a few times all by themselves. By this time we were laughing so hard we collapsed on the bed in tears.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"> But that was not the last adventure in the Grand Imperial Hotel! I reached for the toilet paper and the toilet paper dispenser fell apart on the floor. I got in the bath tub and grabbed the grab bar, which broke off and fell dangling into the tub. It was obvious it had been fixed many times before. Then, when I went to dry after my shower, I reached for a towel and it felt like a Brillo pot scrubber. I suddenly remembered the people I had seen washing their laundry in the river and drying it on the mud banks, not too far away from where the water buffaloes were wallowing. It seems that the people doing their laundry at the river might have been working for the hotel!</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"> We stayed for two nights in the Grand Imperial Hotel. In comparison, the other hotels we stayed in were quite luxurious--but none was as fun and entertaining. The only really big problem was that I picked up some kind of intestinal bug while we there that stayed with me through most of our trip. I called it the Grand Imperial Bug (GIB) since it had several symptoms characteristic of our stay there. It flashed on and off spontaneously, looked like river mud and occasionally went BOOM!</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"> At the end of the day, while the Grand Imperial was entertaining, our stay there highlights the need to make reservations in advance if you are traveling with a disability. I was able bodied enough to deal with the broken grab bar and other inconveniences, but I could have had a serious accident. There is adventure enough in just making the trip. I recommend planning ahead and having a nice stay at the Sheraton!</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-3"><a href="http://annayork.ning.com/photo/albums/disability-travel-to-india" target="_self">Click Here for My India Photo Album</a></span></p>Exploring India's Golden Triangle with a Disabilitytag:annayork.ning.com,2013-01-19:6504582:BlogPost:25722013-01-19T17:30:00.000ZAnna Yorkhttps://annayork.ning.com/profile/1fnxxvfhnsd57
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2952882452?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2952882452?profile=original" width="640"></img></a></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Even though physical challenges may slow us down, a bold heart and courageous spirit can help us fulfill our dreams. I have multiple sclerosis, and I like to dream big and travel to exotic places. My husband and I recently traveled to India, a trip that originally seemed impossible since I use a cane, walk very slowly, and need a wheelchair…</span></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2952882452?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2952882452?profile=original" width="640" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Even though physical challenges may slow us down, a bold heart and courageous spirit can help us fulfill our dreams. I have multiple sclerosis, and I like to dream big and travel to exotic places. My husband and I recently traveled to India, a trip that originally seemed impossible since I use a cane, walk very slowly, and need a wheelchair for airports and longer distances. I was not sure if I could get around and see all the things I wanted to see with my disabilities. I need not have been so anxious. We had a great experience that was fun and boosted my self confidence.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"> If you also yearn for adventure and have visions of seeing the legendary treasures of the Mughal Empire, a trip to India’s Golden Triangle may fulfill your dreams, even if you use a wheelchair other assistive device. You can see many major monuments, such as the Taj Mahal, Humayun's tomb, the ghost city of Fatehpur-Sikri, and the Amber Palace in Jaipur by wheelchair. With a terrific tour guide and good planning, you can even explore places off the beaten track and come back home with memories to last a lifetime.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-3"><a href="http://annayork.ning.com/photo/albums/disability-travel-to-india" target="_self">Click Here for My India Photo Album</a></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Here are a few keys to having a successful trip if, like us, you have a modest amount of time and are mindful of your budget. Those who have more time and money may opt to enjoy traveling like a Maharajah on one of the luxury trains or by joining one of the other sumptuous tours available in India. No matter how you decide to travel, here are some things to keep in mind if you are physically challenged.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"> <b>Plan far in advance</b></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">The first key to success is to plan far in advance. Winter in India is November through January, which is the perfect time to go, especially if you have sensitivity to heat. Northern India’s weather was practically perfect in mid-December, with dry, sunny days in the mid-70’s and cool nights in the 50’s and sixties. Plan to go during the winter season and you will be able to enjoy the exotic sights in shirt-sleeve comfort, throwing on a light jacket or sweater in the evening. Planning far in advance will assure that you get the quality of hotels and service you need during the high travel season.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">In the next blog, I will describe and adventure with the Grand Imperial Hotel that resulted from not booking early enough. On the other hand, if you like this kind of adventure, you will know how to get it!</span></p>Travel to India with a Disability--Yes! You can do it!tag:annayork.ning.com,2013-01-14:6504582:BlogPost:23882013-01-14T18:00:00.000ZAnna Yorkhttps://annayork.ning.com/profile/1fnxxvfhnsd57
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-4">The Most Fun I Have Ever Had!</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-4"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2893299573?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2893299573?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="450"></img></a></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">I never wanted to go to India! I thought it would be hot and crowded and hard for me with my walking disability--especially with the weakness from an injury last year and the long,…</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-4">The Most Fun I Have Ever Had!</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-4"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2893299573?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="450" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2893299573?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="450" class="align-center"/></a></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">I never wanted to go to India! I thought it would be hot and crowded and hard for me with my walking disability--especially with the weakness from an injury last year and the long, difficult rehabilitation. I worried about airports and about getting around in many ancient monuments, forts and palaces. But my husband has Indian scientific colleagues he has been working with for 25 years, and an astronomy conference in Pune, India, provided the motivation to take the trip. I will do a few blog posts about travel with a disability in India. Right now, you can take the tour on my photo album by clicking on the link below. Have fun!</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-4"><a href="http://annayork.ning.com/photo/albums/disability-travel-to-india" target="_self">Photo Album: Travel to India with a Disability</a></span></p>Qigong for Stroke--Arm & Handtag:annayork.ning.com,2012-10-07:6504582:BlogPost:18412012-10-07T23:54:23.000ZAnna Yorkhttps://annayork.ning.com/profile/1fnxxvfhnsd57
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413352?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413352?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300"></img></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Push Up the Sky is great for arm and hand for those with stroke.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Strong hand and arm can assist the weak side.</p>
<p>Elaine, who works with stroke survivors, wants to know some specific exercises that will help with the arm and hand. Here are some of my suggestions.</p>
<p>I have numerous stroke patients…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413352?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="300" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413352?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Push Up the Sky is great for arm and hand for those with stroke.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Strong hand and arm can assist the weak side.</p>
<p>Elaine, who works with stroke survivors, wants to know some specific exercises that will help with the arm and hand. Here are some of my suggestions.</p>
<p>I have numerous stroke patients in my classes, and all have made significant progress in overall function and in use of the frozen hand and arm.</p>
<p>One of the keys is that Tai Chi and Qigong work the entire body, thus loosening and balancing all of the body parts that are associated with the affected portions. The shoulder muscles, back and neck are often frozen up, which does not allow proper function of the hand and arm. Loosening hips and stretching the opposite side of the body helps the function of the affected part by making the entire body more flexible and mobile. Inversions, such as Touching the Earth, allow the body to hang upside down with arms dangling, thus releasing tension in the entire upper body, including arms and hands.</p>
<p>Thus, there needs to be a wholistic approach to exercises for which Tai Chi-Qigong are especially well suited. In my view, Tai Chi-Qigong exercises are an essential complement to traditional physical therapy. </p>
<p>On my DVD are many exercises that work together to help people with stroke. Often people can do the exercises by giving an assist with the stronger hand and arm or by having someone assist them. One of the very best for hand and arm is Push Up the Sky, which employs interlacing and inversion of the fingers, a great incremental exercise for at-home work. Another great one is Clouds--but like I say, they all work together. I suggest you get the DVD on Amazon, take a look, and then contact me again with questions.</p>
<p>Here is the link: </p>
<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008FS7YIK">http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008FS7YIK</a></p>
<p>Blessings,</p>
<p>Anna</p>7 Tips for Using the New Creation Tai-Chi-Qigong DVDtag:annayork.ning.com,2012-08-12:6504582:BlogPost:8872012-08-12T21:30:00.000ZAnna Yorkhttps://annayork.ning.com/profile/1fnxxvfhnsd57
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-6">New Creation Tai Chi-Qigong DVD</span> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-5">7 Ways To Get the Most Out of Your Exercise</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413186?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413186?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="250"></img></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">The Chi Massage (7th Day) is a great refresher every day or even…</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-6">New Creation Tai Chi-Qigong DVD</span> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-5">7 Ways To Get the Most Out of Your Exercise</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413186?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="250" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413186?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="250" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">The Chi Massage (7th Day) is a great refresher every day or even more than once a day during stressful times.</p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">One of our members has purchased the New Creation DVD and has some comments and questions that others will probably be interested in. Here they are:</span></p>
<p><em><span class="font-size-3">"I really like the instructions you and your class provide on the DVD. They are very clear, not too fast, and very calming and strengthening. I have some questions: I am not sure how many "lessons" you recommend doing per day: I have been reviewing about 3 a day, just because I am curious, but wasn't sure if you meant for them to be practiced just one per day, or each one on a particular day of the week. Of course, I am sure I could benefit by doing each day's lesson more times, and more slowly and thoroughly. Do most people keep watching the video, or is it better to get to the point where you do it without the video (maybe outside in a quiet place)."</span></em></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">These are great questions. The main thing to remember is that you are unique. You will benefit from listening to your own body and developing a practice that is good for you and that makes you happy in body, mind and spirit. That said, below are some tips to help you explore the possibilities and develop your own program. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 19px;">Please feel free to check in with me about specific issues and questions.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><b>7-Day Healing & Rejuvenation Plan.</b> New Creation Tai Chi-Qigong offers a wonderful structure for rejuvenating body, mind and spirit. The DVD provides a series of exercises for each of the seven days of Creation, totaling approximately 15 minutes per Creation day. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><i><strong>Tip #1. </strong>One Creation Day each day of the week.</i> Do one New Creation DVD set each day of the week, covering the entire DVD weekly:</span></p>
<ul>
<li><span class="font-size-4">Provides a consistent practice that covers the entire set of exercises regularly.</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-4">Easy to learn and remember</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-4">Works the whole body on a regular basis</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-4">Opens all energy channels and helps keep them open</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-4">Provides a balance of meditation and movement</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-4">Encourages you to regularly set aside a convenient time each day</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-4">Allows a gradual strengthening of the body for those who may begin in a weakened condition or be in the process of healing from trauma, injury or surgery</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-4">Allows flexibility of adding an extra 15-minute set (or more) to meet personal needs.</span> </li>
</ul>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><i><strong>Tip #2. </strong>Mix segments according to personal needs.</i> Once you are familiar with the DVD, you may want to put together your own plan, mixing the New Creation segments--or individual exercises--according to your own personal needs and schedule. As you practice more, you will begin to know which movements you need to help you heal your body, calm your mind and a refresh your spirit.</span> </p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002415471?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="200" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002415471?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="200" class="align-left"/></a></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><i><strong>Tip #3. </strong>Focus on one movement per day.</i> One way to go more deeply into the movements is to do one full 15-minute segment and then pick one movement to be a special focus for a particular day<u>.</u> This approach gives you opportunity to improve your performance, strengthen particular parts of the body, and meditatively experience the nuances and benefits of the movement for your particular needs. You might choose to stay with the same 15-minute segment for the entire week, each day choosing a different movement out of the set for special focus.</span> </p>
<p><span>Moving the Mountain by shifting the weight backward and forward is an excellent movement to do repeatedly for posture and strength.</span></p>
<p><span> </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><i><strong>Tip #4. </strong>Focus on one movement per week.</i> Once you get deeper into the practice, you may want to focus on a single movement for an entire week. Doing this type of work has great benefits for perfecting performance, conditioning the body, and probing deeply into the body’s fine responses and changes.</span> </p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002418151?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="200" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002418151?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="200" class="align-right"/></a></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><i><strong>Tip #5. </strong>Focus on Meditation.</i> The “Beginnings” section holds some of the most traditional and powerful Qigong postures and meditations. You might choose one of the standing (or sitting) movements to do for several days, for an increasing length of time each day, gradually building strength in body, mind and spirit. Begin by holding the posture for just a minute and slowly build up, doing the breathing and micro-cosmic energy movement that is found in “Rest & Rejuvenation” on the 7<sup>th</sup> Day. These meditative postures are regarded as being foundational to the practice of Qigong and as providing some of the deepest benefits. Holding the Ball (right) is one of the most ancient meditative postures. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><i><strong>Tip #6. </strong>Do the movements with hand weights.</i> Some students have found that they can significantly improve their strength by using small hand weights as they move through the various exercises. Since the exercises move all parts of the body, all parts gain strength. This approach also gives an added boost to benefits of respiration and circulation. This approach is best applied after practicing the movements for several weeks--or even months--in order to be sure your muscles are adapted and able to do the exercises without strain or stress. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><i><strong>Tip #7. </strong>Chi massage daily.</i> Do the Chi Massage (Seventh Creation Day) every day, or even twice a day during stressful times, whenever you need to get re-centered and re-oriented. The chi massage will relax and refresh you in body, mind and spirit and keep the energy channels open. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">Stay tuned for more!</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">Blessings, Anna</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 19px;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 19px;"> </span></p>Tai Chi-Qigong for Christians--Brian's Storytag:annayork.ning.com,2012-06-19:6504582:BlogPost:4742012-06-19T22:10:26.000ZAnna Yorkhttps://annayork.ning.com/profile/1fnxxvfhnsd57
<div><span class="font-size-4"> <a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413134?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413134?profile=original" width="109"></img></a></span> <span class="font-size-4">Brian Strickler is a martial arts teacher and the owner of the Tsunami Dojo in Whitehall, a small town in southeastern Ohio. He contacted me when the grandparent of one of his students told him her doctor had recommended Tai Chi classes. She wanted to know if Brian could teach it, because she and some friends with…</span></div>
<div><span class="font-size-4"> <a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413134?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413134?profile=original" width="109" class="align-left"/></a></span><span class="font-size-4">Brian Strickler is a martial arts teacher and the owner of the Tsunami Dojo in Whitehall, a small town in southeastern Ohio. He contacted me when the grandparent of one of his students told him her doctor had recommended Tai Chi classes. She wanted to know if Brian could teach it, because she and some friends with MS wanted to attend the classes. Brian did some internet research and came up with my information. A delightful friendship has sprung up, and I recently sent him a prototype of my soon-to-be released DVD: <em>New Creation Tai Chi-Qigong for All Abilities.</em> New Creation Tai Chi-Qigong has classical Tai Chi-Qigong movements with a background narrative of the Genesis Creation story. </span></div>
<div><span class="font-size-4"> </span></div>
<div><span class="font-size-4">I asked recently asked Brian how it was going and roared with joy at his response, which is largely intact below:<b><br/></b></span></div>
<div><span class="font-size-4"> </span></div>
<div><em><span class="font-size-4">First let me say I was honored to watch your video. We have tons in common and one thing not in common to teaching. First, our Tai Chi and Qigong are very similar. One major difference is the way you teach and the way I was taught. I really like the Christian Expression of your Qigong. Its interpretation is new and refreshing. I would never have added Christian beliefs or expressed my personal beliefs in martial arts. I was taught that you pay your respects to gods and buddhas but don't rely upon them. Archaic for sure. Never did sit well with me.</span></em></div>
<div><span class="font-size-4"> </span></div>
<div><span class="font-size-4"><em>So, I took the good son method. I sat down and watched it again with my mom. She's had the hotline to the Lord forever. My mom loved it. She also pointed out that what I was missing in my martial arts was my own personal walk with God and martial arts. Well that settled it. I had to tell her the good news. See, two of my new Tai Chi students are Pastors. Go figure. I would usually say to insert God's sense of humor here. I've been asked to start teaching at their church. Just got the news today. As of the 12th of July we start teaching at their church, opening officially the first week of August. Amazing turn of events when you let the Lord guide you. As to them asking for fees, they said they would want me to tithe 10% of what we earn to the church. Unbelievable. But True. Sorry, rambling with excitement.</em></span></div>
<div><span class="font-size-4"><em> </em></span></div>
<div><span class="font-size-4"><em>Anyways, back to the video.</em></span></div>
<div><span class="font-size-4"><em>"Loved it!. . .t</em></span><span class="font-size-4"><em>he realism to the lessons with the people being taught either standing and sitting was refreshing. Loved the comments of my mom sitting beside me trying to guess everyone's ailments. [Students in the DVD class have MS, Parkinson's, stroke, and arthritis.]</em></span></div>
<div><span class="font-size-4"><em> </em></span></div>
<div><span class="font-size-4"><em>"It was fun. I wish you luck in your video, and my mom tells me she's going to buy your book and thinks your life story would make a great movie on Hallmark Channel.</em></span></div>
<div><span class="font-size-4"><em> </em></span></div>
<div><span class="font-size-4"><em>"Can't wait for you to get a pic of my first Tai Chi - Qigong class. I'm the youngest at 49. The oldest was on oxygen at age 83. Almost cried with the honor of him in my class. I've been blessed beyond my comprehension. Lord willing I'll figure it out sooner or later. Having fun for sure.<br/></em></span></div>
<div><span class="font-size-4"><em>"Living for a purpose led life. Hoping not to stub my toe.</em></span></div>
<div><span><span class="font-size-4"><em>"Brian, deshi"</em></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><span><span class="font-size-4"><em><b>_ _ _ _</b></em></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><span><span class="font-size-4"><em><b> </b></em></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="font-size-4"><em><br/></em> When I developed New Creation Tai Chi-Qigong, it was rejuvenating for me as a Christian to practice in a conceptual setting that was in tune with my own spirituality. I was hoping that it would also make the wonderful healing of these ancient Chinese arts more accessible to other Christians, who are often reticent to participate in Eastern practices. While the Genesis Creation story is not Christian <em>per se, </em>it is in Bible, and Christians are familiar with it. The imagery allows them to relax and enjoy the breathing, movement and visualization. I have discovered that the Creation story is uplifting and a way to heal and come together for Christians and for people of many backgrounds.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="font-size-4"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="font-size-4">I can't wait to hear more from Brian as his group gets started. Maybe we are starting a Tai Chi-Qigong Christian movement here!</span></div>
<div><span><span class="font-size-4"><em> </em></span></span><i> </i></div>
<div><div><span class="font-size-4"><em> </em></span></div>
<div><span class="font-size-4"><em> </em></span></div>
<span><span class="font-size-4"><em><br/></em></span></span></div>
<div><span><span class="font-size-4"> </span></span></div>
<div><span><span class="font-size-4"> </span></span></div>
<div><span> </span></div>Need More Time & Less Stress? Do Tai Chi-Qigong!tag:annayork.ning.com,2012-06-07:6504582:BlogPost:6272012-06-07T00:36:11.000ZAnna Yorkhttps://annayork.ning.com/profile/1fnxxvfhnsd57
<p><span class="font-size-4">“If I only had a few more hours in the day!” If this wish came true, a series of global catastrophes would immediately ensue. The Earth’s rotation would slow down, creating gigantic tidal waves worldwide, followed by floods and destruction of coastal cities. Longer days and nights would disrupt the biological cycles of all living creatures and global climate would change . . . </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">Enough already! So that’s not really what we…</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">“If I only had a few more hours in the day!” If this wish came true, a series of global catastrophes would immediately ensue. The Earth’s rotation would slow down, creating gigantic tidal waves worldwide, followed by floods and destruction of coastal cities. Longer days and nights would disrupt the biological cycles of all living creatures and global climate would change . . . </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">Enough already! So that’s not really what we wanted to happen when we wished for more time! No, we are just wishing for more hours because we want to fulfill our commitments and obligations in a more effective, fulfilling way--or because we want less craziness in our lives. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">Since we aren’t going to slow down the Earth, how about a different strategy? How about slowing down the time we already have so that we are able to accomplish all we need to do and also feel more peaceful in ourselves? Is that possible? Yes, it can happen by practicing Tai Chi and Qigong. Doing Qigong can actually have the effect of slowing down time so that you feel like you have more hours in the day. How does it work? </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">I am fascinated by those crime shows where they slow down the action in a crime scene so you can see the details of what happened. Or, they slow down a bullet so you can trace the exact path it took to its target. We are impressed when the slow, patient work of the investigators, visualized in this way, gives insight to understand and then power to take effective, thoughtful action. The crime is solved and the villain is brought to justice. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">While we don’t live in a crime scene investigation, we do normally live in a fast-paced, action packed world where time seems to fly by as we race from one activity to another. We multiplex, dividing our focus among several different ideas, people or tasks at the same time. In this pressure cooker of life we are usually focusing our attention on the <i>external</i> world, on what goes on <i>around</i> us, and a lot of important details and relationships get lost because we don’t have time to observe and nurture them carefully. Wouldn’t it be nice to slow down the bullet?</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">We are even less sensitive and may completely miss what is going on <i>inside</i> ourselves. How are our bodies holding up? How tight are our muscles? What is happening to our heart rate and blood pressure? How are we feeling emotionally? These are the crucial infrastructures that keep us moving efficiently through life—until we ignore them so long that they break down. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">Qiqong is the practice or discipline of energy in our lives, not just physically but in all dimensions. It begins with learning to slow everything down, beginning with the breath. When the breath slows down—you have to try it to believe it!---time seems to also slow down!</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">Breath is one vital function we have control over, and it is the master key to gaining awareness and control of many vital body functions. When we slow down the breath, we also slow down the heart rate and lower blood pressure. Stress hormones that usually hype the body into physical action begin to decrease, allowing more clarity of thought, more capacity to see details in the environment around us. Colors may begin to pop out, small movements may become more evident, insight into people and situations may be enhanced. Priorities may become clear.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">Slower breathing integrates with slo-mo Qigong movements that create awareness of fine muscles and of the flow of energy through the whole body. We can sense a movement sequencing smoothly from the feet up through the legs, into the back and then out through the hands. There is a feeling of connectedness to the whole body. Likewise the eyes slow down their movement and yet take in far more information. There is almost a sense of being an outside, objective observer to all that is happening inside and around us. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">When one first begins to do Qigong, there is often an immediate sense of relaxation in body, mind and spirit. As practice continues and becomes part of one’s daily life, there is a developing sense of being able to relax even in the midst of highly stressful situations. The breath is slow and even, the emotions are peaceful, the mind is calm and clear. Time seems to slow down, and senses, perceptions and thoughts become luminous, discernible, palpable. We are able to take them in our hands, mold them and send them out as authentic feelings, decisions and actions. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">It doesn’t take a cosmic event like slowing the rotation of the Earth to get some extra time in your life. </span><span class="font-size-4"><em>New Creation Tai Chi & Qigong</em> can help you go back before the beginning of time, before the world was created, before people, traffic and stress. Doing Qigong will help you slow down your inner cosmic clock and create more time for the things that are really important.</span></p>
<p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px;"><a href="http://annayork.ning.com/page/new-creation-qigong" target="_self">Find out more.</a></span></p>
<p></p>
<div><span> </span></div>Tai Chi-Qigong for Cerebral Palsy--Mary's Storytag:annayork.ning.com,2012-05-25:6504582:BlogPost:6172012-05-25T23:00:00.000ZAnna Yorkhttps://annayork.ning.com/profile/1fnxxvfhnsd57
<p><i><br></br> <a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413017?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413017?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="225"></img></a></i></p>
<p><i>"There is this attitude shift--a sense of myself as a strong person and presence; like I'm not a person to mess with."</i></p>
<p>Mary came into class literally glowing and looking different as she sat in her electric-powered chair. Mary has Cerebral Palsy, and previously she was kind of scrunched down in her chair and tilted over to the side. She…</p>
<p><i><br/> <a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413017?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="225" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413017?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="225" class="align-center"/></a></i></p>
<p><i>"There is this attitude shift--a sense of myself as a strong person and presence; like I'm not a person to mess with."</i></p>
<p>Mary came into class literally glowing and looking different as she sat in her electric-powered chair. Mary has Cerebral Palsy, and previously she was kind of scrunched down in her chair and tilted over to the side. She was unable to get her feet to rest squarely on the footpads, so during our exercises, she mostly did the breathing and some gentle motions with her hands. That’s the great thing about Qigong! If you can breathe, you can benefit! And even small movements can begin to get the body energized. The thing was that Mary persevered and kept coming to classes over a couple of years.</p>
<p>We talk a lot in class about mental practice, and we often repeat the mantra, “See it with your mind, feel it with your mind, do it with your body.” All those times Mary was coming to class she was doing a lot of work in her mind. She kept hearing about posture, and even though she couldn’t sit up straight, she took it to heart. She captured a vision of herself with a straighter body and with better posture that would help her feel better. She visualized what it would be like to sit up straight with her feet on the floor. She imagined it to the point that she went out and took action to get a new seating arrangement for her power chair. </p>
<p>So here she was rolling into class sitting up straight! Now, instead of looking at me somewhat from the side, she was looking directly at me! The new posture helped her to breathe better and thus to have more energy. New footpads helped her feet rest squarely on them so that she had a sense of being connected and having some control of her balance and movement through her feet. </p>
<p>Mary is usually rather quiet, but on this day she could hardly stop talking for excitement. She wanted everyone to know how different she felt because she was able to sit up straight. All of those in the class were excited for her. We love to celebrate the victories! </p>
<p><span>Later, in an e-mail. Mary described her experience this way: </span></p>
<p><span><i>I've heard it over and over, but I never got it until today--How much correct posture and having your feet firmly planted and spaced apart affects you psychologically and spiritually. There is this attitude shift--a sense of myself as a strong person and presence; like I'm not a person to mess with. I don't mean that in a defensive, angry way, just some kind of quiet reality that's absolutely true and unshakeable; non-negotiable. It's lovely. Gives new meaning to having a "power chair." I would never have thought seating could make that much difference!”</i></span></p>
<p>Mary's story is an inspiring lesson about the power of visualization. I could not have guessed how Qigong would help her. I could not predict what her healing would look like. She was empowered to go out and make changes that would bring a new image of herself into reality. Mary is now able to put into practice what she was visualizing in all of those classes. She can sit straight, breathe, and "plant her feet"--physically and spiritually. We are happy for Mary, and we know there is more healing on the way. We would like for everyone to have their own version of a “power chair” that boosts their self image and gives confidence to face the world with a smile!</p>
<p></p>
<div><span><br/></span></div>Tai Chi & Qigong for Parkinson'stag:annayork.ning.com,2012-05-18:6504582:BlogPost:6052012-05-18T08:00:00.000ZAnna Yorkhttps://annayork.ning.com/profile/1fnxxvfhnsd57
<p><span class="font-size-3"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413063?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413063?profile=original" width="426"></img></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-3"><em>Heaven & Earth is a great movement for Parkinson's, alternately stretching out each side of the body.</em><br></br></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Marcella had early onset of Parkinson’s at age 42. She came to a presentation I was giving on my recovery from MS, and she…</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413063?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002413063?profile=original" width="426" class="align-center"/></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-3"><em>Heaven & Earth is a great movement for Parkinson's, alternately stretching out each side of the body.</em><br/></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Marcella had early onset of Parkinson’s at age 42. She came to a presentation I was giving on my recovery from MS, and she immediately locked into the possibilities of improvement for her Parkinson’s. She followed up by attending the same Tai Chi and Qigong classes I was attending at least twice a week, in addition to other strength training and therapy. Tai Chi and Qigong not only dramatically improved her flexibility and mobility, but they also gave her a boost emotionally and psychologically as she realized she could control and even improve her symptoms. Improved balance greatly reduced the likelihood of falls. Learning an art with smooth, continuous movements gave her a feeling of joy and hope. Marcella became a “star” in presentations I gave to Parkinson’s symposia in the Chicago area, impressing participants with her ability to balance on one leg. Five years later, Tai Chi and Qigong are still an essential part of her recovery and wellness program.</span></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-3">Overall benefits of Tai Chi & Qigong</span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">There is a large body of research that has been done in China on the health effects of the Tai Chi and Qigong forms that constitute New Creation Qigong. Western scientific research is also proliferating that reveals a great variety of beneficial physiological, social and psychological benefits. Some of these are summarized below:</span></p>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Stress relief</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Induces relaxation response</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Lowers stress hormones </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Improves posture</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Improves respiration and circulation</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Enhances micro-circulation</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Increases balance and coordination</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Increases flexibility, range of motion</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Oxygenates the body</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Improves flow of energy through straight spine</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Improves digestion</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Lowers blood pressure</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Enhances immune system function</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Balances brain hemisphere dominance with the practical effect of increasing balance of activity on each side of body.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Raises awareness of the body and the way it functions</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Improves awareness of body position (proprioception)</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Those with Parkinson’s can benefit in the ways described above.</span></p>
<p><br/> <strong><span class="font-size-3">Specific Benefits for Parkinson’s</span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Those who have done research on Parkinson’s have recognized the beneficial effects of Tai Chi Tao and Qigong. A review in the Journal of Sport Science and Medicine has found the following benefits for Parkinson’s:</span></p>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Posture</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Balance</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Coordination</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Flexibility</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Range of motion</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Fall reduction</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Gait</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Mobility</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Ankle righting</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span class="font-size-3">These benefits accrue because Tai Chi Tao and Qigong work the whole body. Special attention is paid to postural work, accurate alignment of the body and joint placement, smooth weight transfer, and smooth coordination of neck, trunk, and upper and lower limbs. The unique “extension” in Qigong stretches helps keep the body flexible and mobile and helps counteract the tendency to stoop that often results in stumbling and falls. An example of “extension” is the “heaven and earth” movement shown in the photo at the top of the page.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Tai Chi and Qigong are a beneficial part of an overall recovery and wellness program for those with Parkinson’s.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Click on the link below to preview our new video!</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><a href="http://y2u.be/pXizWoXdJ4c" target="_blank">Tai Chi-Qigong for All Abilities</a></span></p>Tai Chi-Qigong for Heart Diseasetag:annayork.ning.com,2012-05-10:6504582:BlogPost:2732012-05-10T15:00:00.000ZAnna Yorkhttps://annayork.ning.com/profile/1fnxxvfhnsd57
<p><span class="font-size-4"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002414663?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002414663?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300"></img></a></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">I’m sure you know several people who have some type of heart disease. I certainly do, and I know from watching their struggles that it’s no fun. For example, my beautiful mother-in-law GG (glorious grandma), shown in the picture above, had heart trouble for many years, ultimately having a pacemaker inserted to…</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002414663?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="300" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3002414663?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300" class="align-center"/></a></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">I’m sure you know several people who have some type of heart disease. I certainly do, and I know from watching their struggles that it’s no fun. For example, my beautiful mother-in-law GG (glorious grandma), shown in the picture above, had heart trouble for many years, ultimately having a pacemaker inserted to help with her heart rhythm. She was a cheerful, inspiring presence, always offering an encouraging word to everyone she met. Even more powerful was her ability to face every day with courage and a sense of adventure. She was always willing to try something new, which is how she began attending my Tai Chi and Qigong classes at 89 years of age. Living up to her reputation as a super cool GG, she discovered Qigong was a good way for her to exercise and take care of her heart. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><b>Overall benefits of Qigong</b></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">There is a large body of research that has been done in China on the health effects of the Tai Chi and Qigong forms that constitute New Creation Qigong. Western scientific research is also proliferating that reveals a great variety of beneficial physiological, social and psychological benefits. Some of these are summarized below:</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">• Stress relief</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">• Induces relaxation response</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">• Lowers stress hormones </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">• Improves posture</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">• Improves respiration and circulation</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">• Enhances micro-circulation</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">• Increases balance and coordination</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">• Increases flexibility, range of motion</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">• Oxygenates the body</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">• Improves flow of energy through straight spine</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">• Improves digestion</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">• Lowers blood pressure</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">• Enhances immune system function</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">• Balances brain hemisphere dominance with the practical effect of increasing balance of activity on each side of body.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">• Raises awareness of the body and the way it functions</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">• Improves awareness of body position (proprioception)</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">Those with heart disease can benefit in the ways described above.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><b>Specific Qigong Benefits for Heart Disease</b></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">Qigong is especially good for those with heart disease because it helps lower several major risk factors, including high blood pressure and heart rate. It enhances modulation of the cardiac autonomic system. Many of the benefits are related to relaxation that comes through breathing, visualization and mental practice associated with the slow, gentle movements. Improved respiration enhances oxygen flow throughout the whole body, including blood, organs, tissues and cells. </span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">Remember Virginia at age 89! It’s never too late to start!</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><br/></span></p>