Health|Fit|Age|Key Points

Key Points

Perhaps ask yourself ...

Am I interested in improving my health and well being. Chi Kung can help with anxiety, stress relief and back pain for example.

Do I need to be fit to start ...

Not necessarily, although it may help. You may find that practising Chi Kung basics involves stretching tendons, and muscles that may not have been used previously. If hypertension (high blood pressure) is a factor, a movement is only performed as far as comfortable, e.g. the head is not lower than the waist.

What about age ...

Age is not a barrier. The movements are slow and gentle, with the emphasis being on only move as far as what is comfortable for you. You will notice that given time and practise your body may have become more flexible with more freedom of movement.

Testimonials

Marulan Qi Gong Group. I joined the group in 2017 after seeing a advertisement in the local newsletter. The group welcomed me and I felt comfortable fitting in to the practise straight away. Jim the instructor is very patient, making sure everyone is able to follow his directions, breaking down the elements of practise when needed. I look forward to the Monday Qi Gong every week as my stress relief and relaxation, and enjoy the social interaction with the other ladies in the group. The mediation time before and after the practise, and handouts relating to acupuncture pressure points for various health ailments, complete the session.
Julie Kasza

When my Tai Chi class closed down after six years I was wondering what I could do to fill the void. Then I heard about Jim's Chi Kung class and I decided to go and see if it interested me. From the first moment I started to follow the routines I felt a calmness, an almost trance like feeling come over me and I thought - Yes this is for me. That was more than two years ago. I try never to miss a class and during the week use Jim's DVDs to work at home. I find Chi Kung very calming if I am stressed. The class is friendly and we have formed a nice social group, enjoying a coffee at the local cafe after class. On special occasions (Xmas) have been to Jim's home for an outdoor class followed by a Steamboat lunch. I was one of the three people that went on the Simon Blow tour to China last year and the visits the Shanghai Institute of Qigong and the hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine were some of the highlights of the trip. I felt very privileged to have been able to visit those places.
Diane Sanna

A bit about how Highlands Chi Kung evolved...

Perhaps the real start to teaching Chi Kung began with the greater part of 17 years as an instructor at a military cargo airdrop and air movement training unit. That invaluable experience in objective training and methods in tuition, lead to being granted a Certificate IV Workplace Assessor and Trainer (commonly called a Cat IV).

A further background was yoga until an unrelated injury made it somewhat likely that some of the postures might aggravate, or result in further injury.

In 2009 Qigong Master Simon Blow's web site was discovered; the beginning of a new path to health that started with a workshop in Da Yan (Wild Goose) Chi Kung. For more: https://www.simonblowqigong.com

Further workshops with Simon followed, culminating in an opportunity in 2014 to join his study tour to China. That study was centred on the Guigen form belonging to Medical Chi Kung, and benefited from the input of Dr Xu Hongtao, who at that time was Prof. (Chief Physician), integrated medicine, profession of Qigong medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences,CACMS, and who founded the Guigen form.

Further workshops in other forms with Simon followed.

From 2009 the experience gained in various Chi Kung forms includes workshops, related workshops, and Chi Kung study tours to China (English translations):

Reiki (related)
Wild Goose
Longevity
Heavenly Orbit Qigong Meditation
Eight Pieces Of Brocade, Shaolin & Wudang styles
Guigen
Tai Chi Qigong Shibashi
Six Unity Exercise
Zi Ran (just one translation is "naturalness")
King Ma's Mound (translated from Ma Wang Dui)
5 Elements

Classes

In 2016 I was persuaded to think about teaching a Chi Kung class at Marulan, a town 20 minutes north of Goulburn NSW. A start was made.

The Marulan group was formed in 2016, but ceased in 2021. 8 forms were learned, some being a style variant. Two of the group accompanied me to China in 2017 on another of Simon's study tours, attending a workshop at the Shanghai Qigong Research Institute studying the Liu He Gong form with Prof Xu Feng.

Interested in joining the class at Mittagong? For more on this: Chi Kung Southern Highlands.