Chi Kung (Qigong) - the art of deep listening

There is no ‘one thing’ that heals our suffering and wounding.  There is no ‘one thing’ that heals PTSD, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, anxiety, depression..…  This is what you learn as you search for a life beyond pain.  You give up on the ‘one thing’, the ‘magic wand’ and you start to find all the small things that cumulatively, over time, help.  

My step by step search led me to Chi Kung (Qigong).  Chi Kung was one of the most significant caring, supporting and liberating practices I found in helping me meet the remnants of terrifying and painful emotional experiences I held in my body.  As a body psychotherapist, I was able to incorporate this  gentle practice into my life as way of releasing habitual patterns of suppression and restriction of energy and emotion.  My Chi Kung practice was something that I could do for myself, alone, and it helped to centre and ground me whilst also introducing me to flexibility.  These were learnings that had a profound impact on my inner and outer worlds. 

Like somatic psychotherapy, chi kung helps regulate the autonomic nervous system and can help bring about a “biological completion” as the aroused nervous system is brought back into balance.   Used in conjunction with psychotherapy and counselling with a trauma informed therapist who emphasises connection between all parts of the self, Chi Kung can be an extremely powerful resource for healing trauma, as I personally discovered.

There are many different forms of Chi Kung.  I personally recommend the approach developed by The College of Elemental Chi Kung where I trained as a Chi Kung Teacher.    They describe their approach as one which ‘incorporates classic styles and philosophies with modern body mind and energy concepts.  The approach explores body and chi awareness as a way to deepen into our internal chi flow through movement, stillness, meditation, and breath.  A creative space is sought to allow our essential nature to express itself and bring about transformation to an innermost reality.’

Thalbert Allen, Director and Co-Founder of the College of Elemental Chi Kung will be teaching the full series of Elemental Chi Kung workshops at the big room cic in Macclesfield throughout 2020.

If you would like to find out more about these workshops email me: hayley@thebigroom.org