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Welcome to the Fun with Qigong Blog and Website

This is the site of Dr. Robert B. Bates DC, MMQ, an avid Qigong practitioner, Qigong teacher, and Qigong healer. Robert is also a licensed Doctor of Chiropractic, Cranio-Sacral Therapist, Medical Qigong Therapist, and Lymph Drainage (Dray nahj) Therapist.

Good Qi to You

A Blog and a Website

This website is divided into two main parts: An ongoing blog of articles and announcements and regular web pages with information. Go to the Master List of Principle Articles page to scan the list of posts. See the “Pages” section to the right for more information.

This website and blog is all about the great healing and movement art known as Qigong (say “chee gung.”) Qigong is a an Ancient (and modern) approach to wellness and healing. In fact, it has been used as a primary healthcare for thousands of years.

See the Master List of Principle Articles from the Blog

The Fun with Qigong website celebrates and elucidates the power of Qigong for self-healing. Learning new exercises, sets or forms—or deepening your understanding of a move—or set is satisfying, and good for you. Qigong is fun to practice.

On this site, in both the blog posts and pages, are descriptive articles of Qigong, explanations of Qi and Qigong, photos of exercises, videos, exercise suggestions, and even a few opinions. There is an ever-growing collection of self-empowering exercises, prescriptions for all kinds health issues.

Fun with Qigong Qigong DVD

The Fun with Qigong DVD is available by clicking the Buy Now button below. This DVD is an excellent introduction to the fascinating and energizing world of Qigong. It is only $19.95 (U.S.) plus shipping. These exceptional healing exercises are easy to learn and gentle on the body, suitable for almost anyone.

Delightful Dozen DVD

If you have learned the Five Flows Qigong, the Delightful Dozen will expand and deepen your skill. If you haven’t learned the Five Flows, you might want to go back and learn it first.

The Delightful Dozen is slightly more advanced than the Five Flows, but you can learn it as a first set if you choose. It is also an introductory set for Qigong.

In terms of the flows of Qi as defined on my Fun With Qigong: Five Flows DVD, the Delightful 12 is mostly balancing, with some charging and some centering.

For this video I again take out mysteriousness and make Qigong as accessible as it truly can be. With principles taught on the DVD, you can gain great benefits from a regular Qigong practice.

I hope you gain rich rewards from your learning, practice and eventual mastery of the Delightful Dozen.

If you want the DVD you can pay through Paypal, or with a credit card.It is just $19.95 plus $3.99 shipping and handling.

Delightful Dozen DVD

 

Upcoming Courses in Whatcom County

Simple Taiji and Healthy Joints Qigong

8-Week Course

When: March 05 to April 26, 2013

Times: Mondays and Fridays from 12:00 to 1:00.

Mondays at 6:00 pm

Cost: $80.

Where: At Robert Bates’ studio in near Bellingham, WA.

You may also attend any classes in Lynden, WA on Tuesdays or Thursdays.

Simple Taiji and Healthy Joints Qigong

8-Week Course

When:  Jan 08  to Feb 28, 2013 Tuesdays and Thursdays, 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Cost: $80 for the entire series
Location: Body in Balance Studio
Address: 8837 Guide Meridian, Lynden, WA 98264
Sign Up: (360) 354-0359

You may also attend any classes at the Axton location on Mondays and Fridays.

Simple Taiji is Advanced Movement

Many times I have heard from people who tried to learn Taiji (Tai Chi) that the moves were too complex and the form was too long to remember. Instead of using their class and practice time to learn healthy principles movement, they would mostly be overwhelmed. The Simple Taiji Form solves that problem. This form consists of just two postures repeated six times, plus some transitions. By investing a shorter time in learning the moves, you are able to explore many principles of Taiji Qigong. You aren’t spending all your efforts in remembering (and forgetting).

The Simple Taiji form will strengthen your whole body, lower your blood pressure (if needed), improve the health of your spine, replenish your energy resources, improve your breathing, aid your digestion and elimination, and release tension. Daily practice of this little form will make your life better, healthier and probably longer.

In Healthy Joints Qigong You Will Learn

  • Joint Rotation exercises for clearing the joints and increasing range of motion
  • Joint Expansion practices for increasing the space between bones
  • Joint Pulsing practices for building Qi in your joints
  • Joint Strengthening exercises to add more resilience to your joints
  • Joint Massage techniques for bringing blood, Qi, and lymph through joints
  • Bone Breathing meditations for clearing the joints and charging them up

Joint Motion Exercises Can

  • Lubricate the Joints through motion
  • Help you feel better. Joint exercises can decrease arthritic and creaky pain
  • Decrease calcium and other mineral buildup
  • Help you stand and be taller: Expand the body, rather than be compacted
  • Decrease the chance of injuries
  • Be used as a wake up in the morning
  • Be used as a warm up before being physically active
  • Increase your flexibility
  • Restore much lost joint health

Some Reasons for Qigong Joint Exercises

Health is movement and movement leads to health. Stagnation, in contrast, leads to illness. Impaired joints decrease the amount and types of movement you can do. While it is important to stretch and exercise the muscles and soft tissues of the body, the joints also need to be “stretched” and exercised. As a general rule, gently and frequently moving them in through their natural range of motion, helps them heal, helps them reconfigure closer to the way they were meant to work. If we exercise our joints we will be healthier and feel better. The joints have no blood flow, so they depend upon your movement to pump the synovial fluid through, and the toxins and detritus out.

 

World Taiji and Qigong Day

Free Workshop

Come enjoy the satisfying, slow, salubrious movements of Tai Chi and Qigong!

Every year, the last Saturday of April is World Tai Chi and Qigong Day. All around the world at local 10:00 AM practitioners of these two sibling arts will be practicing in community groups. I too am holding a free Qigong workshop as part of this of celebration.

Everyone is Welcome

No experience is necessary to come. Beginners are welcome. Experienced practitioners are welcome too. We want to build a big field of Qi we can all share. This workshop will happen whatever the weather: sunshine, rain, or clouds. Of course, if it rains, we will go into the studio. Wear clothes and shoes that are easy to move in. If you are unable to attend, you might want to practice where you are at 10:00 (if it is a calm place.)

Location:              The Village Green in Fairhaven (behind Village Books)

When:                     Saturday, April 27, 2013

Time:                      10:00 to 11:00 am (Come 10 to 15 minutes early.)

Cost:                       Absolutely Free!

From the World Tai Chi and Qigong Day Website

“[This] annual event is both moving and inspiring, as people from over 65 nations in hundreds of cities, and all 50 US States, come together to wrap the world, in a global Tai Chi and Qigong movement.”

“Our primary mission is personal and global health & healing. We work toward this goal by educating millions of the emerging medical research on Tai Chi and Qigong, explaining the nuances of Tai Chi & Qigong in plain language, and connecting people with local teachers.”

 

2013 Taiji and Qigong Class Schedule

Series A

Monday January 07 to Friday, March 01, 2013

Taoist Five Yin and Yang Plus (Movement Set)

Golden Ball (8 actions of Qi) (Single Exercise)

Simple Taiji Form 1 (Formal Sequence)

Series B

Monday, March 04 to Friday, April 26, 2013

Healthy Joints Qigong (Stretching)

Simple Taiji Form 1 (Formal Sequence)

Series C

Monday, April 29 to Friday, June 21, 2013

Qigong Self-Healing Massage and Point Therapy (Massage)

Introduction to the Five Animal Frolics (Walking Set)

Series D

Monday, June 24 to Friday, August 02  (2013 (Note: six-week series)

Five Flows Qigong Set 2 (Movement Set)

8 Pieces of Brocade (Stretching Set)

Series E

Monday, Sept 02 to Friday, Oct 25, 2013

Five Flows Qigong Set (Movement Set)

Six Healing Sounds (Healing Sounds)

Easy Belly Breathing (Breathing)

Series F

Monday, Oct 28 to Friday, December 20, 2013

The Delightful Dozen (Movement Set)

Old Man Looking at the Reflection of the Moon in the Tide Pool (Healing Sounds)

Spherical Breathing (Breathing)