Instructors In-Depth
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Sarah Horn
Class: Qigong
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What is the most common question people want to know before signing up for your class?
People have often never heard of qigong and want to know what it is and how it fits into the framework of meditation. I like to share with people that qigong is an ancient healing/energy practice and that it is the foundation of Traditional Chinese Medicine and other ancient Chinese healing and martial practices such as acupuncture and Kung Fu.
In fact, the long qigong form that I teach in my Sunday classes, the Hands of the 18 Luohan, is a form created in its original form by Bodhidharma, a Buddhist from the 6th century B.C. who is also the founder of Ch'an Buddhism (Zen Buddhism in Japan). The Hands of the 18 Luohan is part of a system called Luohan Gong that has been passed down, along with Shaolin Kung Fu, through the lineage of the Shaolin monks.
Qigong is the practice of cultivating, flowing, and refining the quality of one's chi, or life force/energy. The three essential characteristics of qigong include relaxing the body, quieting the mind, and regulating the breath. It is a deeply somatic practice, in that it is a process of developing awareness and alignment of the whole being, including the body, mind, and spiritual center (heart).
I like to think of qigong as Meditation in Movement. Similar to seated meditation, there is the practice of developing specific focus for the purpose of connecting to body, developing awareness, and quieting mental chatter. Ultimately, the purpose is to support us on the journey of connecting to our true nature, and to the true nature of the Universe. Qigong does all this through gentle movements that are accessible to everyone!
What unexpected insights or lessons do students take away from your class? How would your class fit into a person's meditation journey?
Students often comment to me after class how they appreciate the movement aspect of qigong. There are many forms and practices within the umbrella of qigong, including seated meditation, medical qigong, qigong nutrition, and studies of the 5 element system of Chinese/Taoist philosophy and the 5 constant virtues, or universal laws. However, during my qigong movement classes, the focus is on integrating the principles of qigong through gentle, moving exercise.
Students who come to Mayu Sanctuary are looking to advance or begin their meditation journey, but it's not uncommon for sitting to be difficult, either physically or mentally. In fact, movement practices such as yoga and qigong were classically designed for the practitioner to then be able to sit still in meditation for long periods of time. I often hear from students that being able to move while practicing meditation techniques is a very helpful way to connect to their body and ease into a quiet mental state.
What little-known fact would your students be amused to know about you?
When I began studying and practicing qigong in 2008, I knew absolutely nothing about it. What's more is that I was incredibly uncomfortable in my body and mind, and even felt quite a bit of skepticism toward the practice. What sold it for me is how much I have transformed, and continue to transform, over these years, even beyond my expectations. And that is precisely why I keep coming back to these practices: They help me know myself and to live in a way that is more connected and joyful!