Quiet Cloud
Tai Chi & Qigong
WHAT IS TAI CHI & QI GONG
Qi means energy in all living things
Chi means ‘ultimate’
The history
Tai Chi, and its older cousin, Qi Gong* (pronounced "ch‘i kung") are part of Traditional Chinese Medicine, which dates back several thousand years and were an essential part of the Chinese health care system. During the cultural revolution much of the traditional Chinese culture was lost including Tai Chi, which is now making a resurgence.
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The Chinese knew that an inanimate body is prone to illness, so as part of an overall health package they created dances, or movements, to keep people active. These movements were modelled on nature (such as the bear, the crane, the tiger) and they emulate the flow of nature. The basis of these movements came from Taoism, which in its simplest form is "go with the flow". These movements later formed the basis of Qi Gong.
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Tai Chi is a martial art. Its original name means “grand ultimate fist” and was considered the ultimate martial art because its external softness disguises the power within. A powerful inside wrapped in a soft shell. It was designed about 700 years ago as defensive martial art. As time changed it absorbed the principles of Qi Gong and while it can still be used as a defensive martial art (including with weaponry), it is mostly used to promote health and wellbeing. Through gentle, fluid motion, combining body, mind and breath, it creates a "moving meditation".
*Qi Gong translates into 'energy exercises'
If you're in a boat and want to travel from A to B but you only have a sail, you can't fight against the wind, you need to tack and use the wind to get to your destination. Using the wind as a support even if it's not at your back.
This is the essence of Qi Gong, to be able to utilise the energy around us and maximise the positive impact of that energy flow within our bodies so we can enhance movement, learn better balance and enjoy life longer.
HOW DOES TAI CHI HELP
The Why
We want our classes to be as accessible as possible. If you walk into a class with 40 people you might hide in the back, or get in your car and leave. However, if there’s a small group of similar looking people who are welcoming then you’re more likely to jump in and have a go. At Quiet Cloud, not only do you get tried and true exercises but you work with a group of like-minded people. It provides an environment for meeting, for coming together, and having some fun while moving your body and improving health and wellbeing.
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Quiet Cloud offers specialised classes for people suffering from illness or significant impacts of ageing. These are separate from our Beginners Classes and General Classes but everyone is welcome to attend whatever class they feel comfortable in.
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In these classes I teach skills that enable you to do more, reach more, stop the shrinkage of your world as you age, giving you confidence to move around your environment and even the outside world. My practice and teaching are aimed at improving the quality of life for all people by using Tai Chi and Qi Gong as part of our toolkit to attain this.
Quiet Cloud aims to combine the western scientific method with ancient eastern philosophy. This combination is a powerful vehicle for health and wellbeing. Our classes don't contain anything that isn't backed by modern scientific research so you know what you're learning has proven results and it is also reinforced by thousands of years of refinement through practical application.
Having better balance has a huge impact on an ageing population. If you have a fall after 60 years old, there's a 30-40% chance you wont come home. If you can minimise the risk of falling in the first place, or learn how to fall safely, or learn how to get off the floor if you do fall, then you're making your life less risky.
WHY I RUN QUIET CLOUD
My Story
I used to work for the corporate world. I flew all over the world for my job and I was exhausted. I found moving my body harder and harder. Eventually, I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and even just getting out of bed became debilitating. My mental and physical health deteriorated. So, what do you do when you feel unwell? You move home.
Having tried Yoga, which I found too challenging, I turned to Tai Chi. My mother was a deputy chief instructor for the Australian Academy of Tai Chi and her classes were so good. It wasn’t a quick fix thing, like anything worthwhile you have to work at it. In amongst the healthy bodies in the classes there were people who would come with injuries or recovering from surgeries or cancers or lymphoma. Many of them experienced increased flexibility, and they would start to feel more confident and relaxed in their body and mind.
I was so enthused with my own positive outcomes that I became a qualified instructor with the Australian Academy of Tai Chi and was with them for 4 years.
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Quiet Cloud grew out of a desire to help people who are ageing and having mobility issues like myself. As a woman in my 60s I want to be able to help other people like me to find some peace within their bodies, have confidence to be able to enjoy the outside world, and build a community of people here to enjoy it together.