Meridian Touch Japanese Qigong
Meridian Touch Japanese Qigong
While seemingly new, Meridian Touch Japanese Qigong has its lineage in Chinese medicine, Taoist qi cultivation exercises and Zen principles of breathing and mindfulness. It is based on the Zen Imagery Exercises of Shizuto Masunaga who developed Zen Shiatsu. Meridian Touch Effortless Yoga (also known as Meridian Touch Japanese Yoga and Meridian Touch Japanese Qigong) was developed by Darryl Aiken-Afam, a martial artist of various systems, at the request of his Shiatsu teachers as a way to cultivate qi and develop balance for the Shiatsu practitioner. It is traditional for any qi worker (acupuncturist, acupressurist, herbalist) to practice qi cultivation exercises to maintain healing integrity. Darryl added the dimension of gentle movement and compassionate partner support to the Zen Imagery Exercises with the gracious approval of Masunaga’s family and Masunaga’s school Iokai Center of Shiatsu.
There are two main practices of Meridian Touch. The first is the conscious hara (belly) breathing as a way to bring attention to the truth of the body at the moment. The second is the formless aspect of the asana. There is no perfect form, but with each breath we let go and honor the limits of the body and what it may tell us. The movements of Meridian Touch Japanese Qigong stimulate the flow of qi through the meridians and are grouped by Five Elements from Chinese/Japanese medicine system as a way to address imbalances to be shifted. The feeling-attention to both breath and body creates a whole body sense of being present in the moment that relaxes the thinking mind and refreshes the body.
The movement and partnering in Meridian Touch allow for the sense of the middle way: never forcing (too tight), never unaware (too loose). Movement is an added support to qi flow. Pairing with partners engages our mindfulness, our compassion and our body awareness to feel the other’s existing situation and support her being present to her body and at the same time being present to ourself. We touch (literally) into our interconnectedness with each other.
In classes and private sessions, my objective is to give clients a felt sense of body awareness and a nonjudgmental appreciation for the body-mind’s ability to meet the body’s truth. Also there is the joy to feel the breath’s importance in connecting with one’s natural aliveness, to not be separating from the body and only existing through the mind.
Because of the importance of never overextending and being mindful of the bodies limitations, Meridian Touch Japanese Qigong is especially wonderful for those who feel that yoga or energetic exercises are beyond their abilities.
Take a class click here.
While seemingly new, Meridian Touch Japanese Qigong has its lineage in Chinese medicine, Taoist qi cultivation exercises and Zen principles of breathing and mindfulness. It is based on the Zen Imagery Exercises of Shizuto Masunaga who developed Zen Shiatsu. Meridian Touch Effortless Yoga (also known as Meridian Touch Japanese Yoga and Meridian Touch Japanese Qigong) was developed by Darryl Aiken-Afam, a martial artist of various systems, at the request of his Shiatsu teachers as a way to cultivate qi and develop balance for the Shiatsu practitioner. It is traditional for any qi worker (acupuncturist, acupressurist, herbalist) to practice qi cultivation exercises to maintain healing integrity. Darryl added the dimension of gentle movement and compassionate partner support to the Zen Imagery Exercises with the gracious approval of Masunaga’s family and Masunaga’s school Iokai Center of Shiatsu.
There are two main practices of Meridian Touch. The first is the conscious hara (belly) breathing as a way to bring attention to the truth of the body at the moment. The second is the formless aspect of the asana. There is no perfect form, but with each breath we let go and honor the limits of the body and what it may tell us. The movements of Meridian Touch Japanese Qigong stimulate the flow of qi through the meridians and are grouped by Five Elements from Chinese/Japanese medicine system as a way to address imbalances to be shifted. The feeling-attention to both breath and body creates a whole body sense of being present in the moment that relaxes the thinking mind and refreshes the body.
The movement and partnering in Meridian Touch allow for the sense of the middle way: never forcing (too tight), never unaware (too loose). Movement is an added support to qi flow. Pairing with partners engages our mindfulness, our compassion and our body awareness to feel the other’s existing situation and support her being present to her body and at the same time being present to ourself. We touch (literally) into our interconnectedness with each other.
In classes and private sessions, my objective is to give clients a felt sense of body awareness and a nonjudgmental appreciation for the body-mind’s ability to meet the body’s truth. Also there is the joy to feel the breath’s importance in connecting with one’s natural aliveness, to not be separating from the body and only existing through the mind.
Because of the importance of never overextending and being mindful of the bodies limitations, Meridian Touch Japanese Qigong is especially wonderful for those who feel that yoga or energetic exercises are beyond their abilities.
Take a class click here.