Healing Center: Yoga and QiGong with Michael Fahey: Truro, Nova Scotia

The classes are open to all age groups.

The philosophy is "You start from where you are". There is no competition. Students are encouraged to go easy at first, and to observe. No one is required to do everything in the class - always honour your own body.

In an hour and a half class, we begin with relaxation. Over and over again, I hear “it’s the relaxation that we enjoy the most”. People don’t know how to relax: having a guided relaxation, starting at your feet and moving to the top of your head, is a great way to learn.

After relaxation, we do the breathing exercises: pranayama. When was the last time you were conscious of your breath? The breath is really the most precious gift we have. We stress food and water, but the breath comes first. Deep abdominal breathing is the basis of all the yoga postures.

The alignment of the body is essential in the practice of the asanas (postures). This takes time and patience. You need to be gentle with yourself. Allowing the time to practice every day is a great gift to yourself.

What will the practice of yoga give you? You will learn to relax and breath. You will give yourself the gift of patience and gentleness.

In the words of Master Li Jun Feng, the three functions of qigong are:

Qigong is good for overall health. Through the exchange of qi, diseased qi is removed and fresh qi is gathered.
Qigong brings about the removal of negativities that lead to worry, sadness, anger, nervousness, fear, and a stressful life. As a result, one is free to lead a happy and carefree life. Modern medicine is good, but only provides a temporary solution. If people want to maintain their health, the energy-level in the body must be in balance; the emotions must become balanced and even. Since emotions can affect the physical body, the emotions and the physical body must be in harmony. This determines the quality of life.
Qigong opens the heart. As one experiences the opening of the heart, this allows the qi from the universe to go to the entire body, removing the negativities that rob one of a life of perfect well-being.

It is a kind of qigong. Qigong is like Chinese yoga. There are many kinds of yoga; there are many kinds of qigong.

There are forms of yoga and qigong that concentrate primarily on meditation. Some are designed for your physical well-being and to keep you young. Others are meant to unleash paranormal powers - feats, like the ability to move objects from a distance or the power to walk on glass and fire, or even the power to heal.

The primary purpose of the practice of Wuji Yuan Gong is to enable the practitioner to return to the natural state – to be in the flow, to be happy and contented, to always feel at one with the world – to have the experience of being in the state of grace all the time.

Both the moving and non-moving forms of Wuji Yuan Gong relax the practitioner. And when one’s body is relaxed, the mind quiets down – just like the clear waters of a still lake. A quiet mind leads to an open heart.

Everyone has experienced endless chatter running in their minds -- “why did she do this, why did I say that, what will happen tomorrow, I might get sick, he’s now angry at me…”. When the mind quiets down, it comes to rest in an open heart. And an open heart is a knowing heart. An open heart instinctively knows what to do in any given situation – without fear, without hesitation. And of course, an open heart is a giving heart because it is overflowing. It has a lot to spare. This is not the so-called “bleeding heart” that cries when it sees others suffer. An open heart has a fearless quality about it. A fully open heart has no fears. It loves effortlessly without reservations, without expectations.