Qigong Class Schedule: May 4 - 10, 2026
“The Energy that Made the Body Heals the Body”
Mantak Chia
The quote above from a Chinese herbalist inspired me as I prepared last Saturday’s Tao Yin workshop.
Mantak Chia, the teacher who brought Tao Yin to the West, often begins his instruction by saying “This is a breathing practice.” That sounds simple, but it’s not; not if you’re a “Type AAA” person, as Jane M. described herself yesterday. It’s challenging to move in and out of unfamiliar, initially uncomfortable positions while using your breath, attention and imagination to relax and soften the areas of tension you are discovering. As Mantak says “The positions show you where the tension and stress are. As you move and breathe into the tension, you melt the tension away.”
It’s important to understand that the positions we encounter in Tao Yin are just pools and riverbanks for the energy to flow in and out of, they are not end- goals to be achieved. The “how” you move toward or through those positions brings the transformative changes to your fascia and opens circulation through the meridians. That’ s the purpose of Tao Yin, not the accomplishment of any endpoint like getting your head to your knee. This nearly effortless approach dissolves stress out of all the layers of our being, not just our muscles and joints.
This where the quote above comes into focus. As we Type A’s learn to let go of our tension-creating excessive efforts and simply follow the streams of circulation and consciousness within, we nestle comfortably into a state of profound healing. It’s that wonderful technique of using only 50-70 percent of the effort we know we have within, in order to accomplish much, much more. We connect to the mysterious Qi that created us, and continues to recreate and heal us, as we learn to steer away from stress and into flow.
Note: If you would like a video of last Saturday’s Tao Yin workshop, please email me at cris@criscaivano.com. Price of the video is $35 via payment options listed on my website.
Workshops, Community Classes, and Special Events for May:
Saturday, May 9, 10:30-12 Qigong for Springtime, Hotchkiss Library, Sharon Ct. Please register for this free, in-person class at (860) 364-5041. Weather permitting, we’ll practice outside under that big, beautiful tree.
Friday, May 15, 10-11:30 Shibashi Tai Chi/Qigong, Millbrook Library. This special, 90- minute in-person and online workshop will introduce you to one of the most widely practiced and popular forms in the world. Created by Dr. Lin Hu Sheng in 1979, Shibashi consists of 18 flowing, gentle movements designed to promote circulation, relaxation, flexibility, and health. I encourage you to attend in person, if possible. Please register for this free, special event at Millbrooklibrary.org (Attention, Vassar LLI students from last year: this will be a perfect review for you!)
Saturday, May 23, 10:30-12: Stretch Like a Tiger, Twist Like a Dragon: Springtime Qigong at Innisfree Gardens. There is nothing like practicing Qigong together in this lovely, peaceful garden. Here’s the link to read more and to register for the event:
Qigong for Springtime — Innisfree GardenSAVE THE DATES: Harvesting the Energy of Trees with Qigong, at Kripalu. July 26-29. Harvesting the Energy of Trees with Qigong | Kripalu