Qigong for absolute beginners

[soaring crane]

Hey there Bums,

 

I'd like to know what a first Qigong (Taiji-Qigong would count as well) session with raw, adult beginners would look like where you live.

 

Let's say the group is 10 or 15 middle-aged folks, none of whom have any clue what Qigong is, and no experience with anything Asian outside of a Chinese menu, if that. Let's say they read about it in a brief newspaper article and are just curious to see if it's something for them or not (and some of them are pretty skepitcal, let's just assume that, too).

 

What would be demonstrated or taught in that first encounter?

 

Or, from another angle, what was your first lesson like? What was the main focus? What was the mood like?

 

Thank you for any input,

 

Your,

 

Soaring Crane

 

Grus Grus

[Sloppy Zhang]

Hey there Bums,

 

I'd like to know what a first Qigong (Taiji-Qigong would count as well) session with raw, adult beginners would look like where you live.

 

Let's say the group is 10 or 15 middle-aged folks, none of whom have any clue what Qigong is, and no experience with anything Asian outside of a Chinese menu, if that. Let's say they read about it in a brief newspaper article and are just curious to see if it's something for them or not (and some of them are pretty skepitcal, let's just assume that, too).

 

What would be demonstrated or taught in that first encounter?

 

Well first of all, no one would show up

 

But, assuming they did, I'd pretty much try to explain everything in plain old english terms. Pretty much take all the Chinese out of it. Yup, I said it.

 

It would be about relaxing, gentle movements that go easy on the joints, and continuous breathing. No real demonstrations or anything, just, you know, "great way to relieve stress and get your body moving without it being too demanding, plus you can learn safe ways for your body to move so you can move easily and efficiently if you do need to do something demanding."

 

I'd stay away from anything about "energy" or something that would draw either intense skepticism or more serious thoughts about this being "foreign" or "unnatural" or "not right for them". Stick with breath and relaxation.

 

Or, from another angle, what was your first lesson like? What was the main focus? What was the mood like?

 

Thank you for any input,

 

Your,

 

Soaring Crane

 

Grus Grus

 

I learned from a book so..... whatever was in the introduction.

 

Yes, I said that too. No good schools around here. If you couldn't already tell, not a very worldly area

 

The main focus was on relaxing, ease and efficiency of movement, maximizing health, naturalness of breath and body movement- stuff that could be applied either realistically or philosophically to anything.

 

Best way to teach something, in my humble opinion, is to connect it to something they already know and understand, rather than to introduce a bunch of new concepts and terms, at least on the first day. As more people get into it and more comfortable with it, you can begin introducing the history, new terminology for familiar concepts, and all that good stuff.

Edited January 9, 2010 by Sloppy Zhang

[soaring crane]

 

Well first of all, no one would show up

 

Oh, but they will, they will. Or at least, they said they will

 

That was quite a good answer, and not too Sloppy at all, lol. Thank you

 

Goodnight from the GMT+1

[Sloppy Zhang]

Oh, but they will, they will. Or at least, they said they will

 

That was quite a good answer, and not too Sloppy at all, lol. Thank you

 

Goodnight from the GMT+1

 

Thanks, I was reading over it again and was worried I might come across as kind of a jerk

 

It's hard when a lot of people in your area are narrow minded, and the energy instructors around are frauds at best

 

So are you planning on teaching an introductory qigong course to middle aged adults who may or may not have experience in Chinese culture?

Edited January 9, 2010 by Sloppy Zhang

[erdweir]

Usually it looks pretty bad from my experience. Most people dont teach real stuff or dont teach it well. I recommend visiting ALL the teachers in your area, and expect to be disappointed most of the time. Dont be discouraged, trust your own judgement, check their lineages. It takes time, effort and luck(karma or merit, if you will) to find a good teacher. When you find one, appreciate it and follow their teachings diligently.

Edited January 9, 2010 by erdweir

[Guest sykkelpump]

for me the choice would have been easy.I would shown them falun gong.easy,including movement and zhan zhuang and sitting postures.A very very underated system with very quick results.Better than spring forest if you ask me.and very easy to learn

[Ya Mu]

Hey there Bums,

 

I'd like to know what a first Qigong (Taiji-Qigong would count as well) session with raw, adult beginners would look like where you live.

 

Let's say the group is 10 or 15 middle-aged folks, none of whom have any clue what Qigong is, and no experience with anything Asian outside of a Chinese menu, if that. Let's say they read about it in a brief newspaper article and are just curious to see if it's something for them or not (and some of them are pretty skepitcal, let's just assume that, too).

 

What would be demonstrated or taught in that first encounter?

 

Or, from another angle, what was your first lesson like? What was the main focus? What was the mood like?

 

Thank you for any input,

 

Your,

 

Soaring Crane

 

Grus Grus

 

Sometimes these folks are far easier to teach than people who "know" things that are related but not qigong. Folks like reiki "masters", acupuncturists who took a few hours qigong course in acupuncture school, massage therapists who took an "energy work" weekend in massage school, chiropractors who took 100 hr acupuncture training, etc; these folk are often (usually) more difficult to teach. Of course that is not to downplay any of those honorable professions - but they are not qigong and often bestow many misconceptions of what qi and qigong really is...

 

When I teach any group, they experience qi for themselves, not from anything I say.

[Mal]

Let's say the group is 10 or 15 middle-aged folks, none of whom have any clue what Qigong is, and no experience with anything Asian outside of a Chinese menu, if that. Let's say they read about it in a brief newspaper article and are just curious to see if it's something for them or not (and some of them are pretty skepitcal, let's just assume that, too).

 

Sounds like you've seen one of our Tai Chi classes One of my kung fu classmates runs a weekly Tai Chi class where I occasionally help out with teaching form.

 

When we advertise we might get 20~25 beginners as above. Class is

a simple mobilization warm up,

a few easy breathing exercises,

then having a go together at doing up to the 1st cross hands a few times.

(always fun watching the new people try to hide at the back of class and then not being able to see as we turn and go to the left )

 

We then split up into 3 groups (people learning the 1st, 2nd or final cross hands)

 

Come back together and all do shibashi as a group

 

Then the people that know the entire Tai Chi form practice that once together, while the others can watch or escape.

 

1h30min

 

We try not to talk about anything much, rather we get people to have a go themselves. There will alway be one or 2 people that have some idea and a few "deep" questions but when you have a group together and start talking about stuff, most of them get bored and switch off. Better to get them doing something.

 

Well first of all, no one would show up

 

That happens the next week

[Encephalon]

Edited January 10, 2010 by Blasto