Qi Gathering in July

Leading the Tao Te Ching Walk through Innisfree Gardens last Saturday with curator Kate Kerin was an illuminating experience. Kate knows the gardens inside and out, and I had been preparing my presentation for months. Still, we were both a bit surprised to notice and feel even more connections between the garden, the poetic words, and the energy-cultivating Qigong movements, once we were joined by a group of curious, open-minded people.  Really, how could it not be a special experience, in that setting? “Quiet the restlessness of the mind. Only then will you witness everything unfolding from emptiness. See all things flourish and dance in endless variation…” (Verse 16).  Judy K. was there and put it like this: “The more you do Qigong, the more you see Qi everywhere!” Exactly. Qi is everywhere. Or, as it says in Verse 4 “Tao is hidden, yet it shines in every corner of the universe.”

July is a wonderful time to cultivate inner energy, wherever you are. Here are some simple Taoist suggestions for how to build up your Qi supply:

1) Watch the sun rise.
2) Walk barefoot on the earth.
3) Stand near a large body of water.
4) Watch the sun set.
5) Gaze at the stars.

(I practiced #4 last night, as, after the rain ended, the sky lit up with glowing, slowly morphing pink and golden clouds. I sat listening to the birds, transfixed by the sky show, feeling deeply relaxed. Afterward, I slept like a log ---which is also a very good way to cultivate qi. 😊)

Last, but definitely not least, here another powerful suggestion for healing and strengthening your energy:

6) Breathe the air of trees.

This is the foundation of the course my colleagues and I are presenting at Kripalu from July 21-23. Based on ancient Taoist practices that, not surprisingly, are today being proven to have real, measurable effects on our health and well-being, we’ll teach you how to harness specific healing energy from each of five species of trees.  We will be outside much of the time, under the magnificent, old-growth trees and orchards of Kripalu. I know a few of our group of regular “Qi-sters” are already registered, which will make it even more special. Maybe you’d like to join us, too? I hope so!

https://www.criscaivano.com/blog/2024/6/9/35ygtn00dsq0kz302pqixwkn19bfv1