Taiji Qigong Workshop

The visible part of tai chi practice — the forms, the movements, the postures — is the outer expression of something happening internally. Most practitioners train the outer expression for years without developing the internal dimension that makes it effective. This workshop addresses that gap directly.

Taiji Qigong is a complete training sequence for the internal foundations of Chen style tai chi practice. It does not require any prior knowledge of tai chi or qigong. What it requires is a willingness to slow down, pay attention to what is actually happening inside the body, and learn to work with the body’s own intelligence rather than against it.

For a deeper understanding of the standing practice that anchors this workshop, read the Complete Guide to Wuji Standing.

The Six Components

Loosening Up

A systematic series of joint rotation exercises moving through every major joint area of the body — neck, shoulders, spine, hips, knees, ankles. This is not a generic warm-up. Each exercise is designed to restore the natural range of motion that daily life progressively restricts, to pump synovial fluid back into joint spaces, and to prepare the body for the more subtle internal work that follows. In 35 years of chiropractic practice I prescribed variations of these exercises to patients with every kind of joint condition. They work.

Zhan Zhuang — Standing Post

Zhan Zhuang involves holding a specific posture in stillness — without movement, without physical tension — while directing attention to specific areas of the body. This technique programs the nervous system for the internal qualities of tai chi movement. When you later perform the movements of a form, those qualities are generated internally rather than produced by external muscular effort.

Most practitioners underestimate this practice because nothing appears to be happening from the outside. What is happening on the inside is the foundation of everything else in the training. The workshop gives participants direct experience of this and a method for continuing the practice independently.

Kai He Qigong — Opening and Closing

Kai He means opening and closing. This is a very old and very specific technique that combines movement, breathing, and internal awareness to open and close the joints, soft tissues, and organs rhythmically. It can be practiced standing, sitting, or lying down. The practice strengthens Qi flow and supports the body’s healing processes at a level that conventional exercise does not reach.

The workshop covers the complete Kai He sequence including Reverse Breathing, Raise and Lower Hands, Open and Close Hands, and seated practices.

Chansijin Gong — Silk Reeling

The foundational silk reeling exercises of Chen style tai chi, practiced as a qigong sequence to develop the continuous full-body spiral movement that generates internal power. This section of the workshop develops both the health benefits and the martial foundation of silk reeling through the core fixed-stance patterns. For the complete silk reeling workshop, see the Silk Reeling Power Training workshop.

Spinal Qigong

A simple but extraordinarily effective spinal opening movement practiced standing. The weight of the head and arms creates gentle traction along the entire length of the spine, releasing compression, realigning vertebrae, and restoring the natural curves of the spinal column. In my chiropractic practice I taught a version of this exercise to virtually every patient with back pain. The results were consistently better than any passive treatment I could provide. Two minutes daily produces cumulative benefit that compounds over months and years.

Wuji Standing

The practice of genuine stillness. Stand with correct alignment, close the eyes, and do nothing. This sounds simple. It is not easy. The mind wanders constantly. The body fidgets. Habitual tension reasserts itself. But with consistent practice, something begins to shift. The nervous system learns to move from its chronic stress state into genuine recovery. The body begins to release tension it has been holding for years without knowing it.

Wuji standing is possibly the single most valuable practice I know for managing chronic stress and its effects on the body. I have practiced it every morning for 57 years. The workshop gives participants the correct method and the experience of genuine stillness that makes them want to continue.

Who This Workshop Is For

This workshop is appropriate for practitioners of any background and experience level. No prior tai chi or qigong experience is required.

It is particularly valuable for people dealing with chronic stress, joint problems, or chronic pain who want a movement practice specifically designed to address the root causes rather than the symptoms. It is also valuable for experienced tai chi practitioners who want to develop the internal dimension of their practice, and for teachers from any movement tradition who want to understand the internal training methods of the Chinese martial arts.

The Weekend Workshop

The Taiji Qigong workshop is offered as a weekend format — two full days with approximately 12 hours of training. This is enough time to learn all six components of the sequence and develop sufficient familiarity with each to practice independently.

Participants leave with a complete daily practice they can sustain on their own — a 20 to 30 minute morning sequence that addresses joint health, nervous system regulation, internal power development, and meditative stillness simultaneously.

See all available workshops at the Workshops page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between qigong and tai chi?

Tai chi is a complete martial art that contains qigong as one of its internal training dimensions. Qigong more broadly refers to practices specifically designed to cultivate and circulate vital energy — Qi — through movement, stillness, breathing, and intention. Taiji Qigong as taught in this workshop is qigong drawn directly from the internal training methods of Chen style tai chi. It is not generic qigong but the specific internal cultivation practices that develop the qualities necessary for both health and martial effectiveness in tai chi.

Is this workshop appropriate for people with physical limitations or chronic pain?

Yes — in fact, people dealing with chronic pain or physical limitations often benefit most from this workshop. All six components can be modified for individual physical conditions. The spinal qigong and wuji standing in particular require no strenuous physical effort and are often most powerful for people whose bodies are in the most distress. My background as a chiropractor means I teach with constant awareness of the physical realities participants bring with them.

How long does it take to see results from this practice?

Most participants notice something within the first week of consistent daily practice — a reduction in morning stiffness, a slight improvement in sleep quality, a greater sense of ease in the body. Significant changes in chronic conditions typically develop over three to six months of daily practice. The effects are cumulative and compound over time. The limiting factor is never the practice itself but the consistency of the practitioner.

Can this workshop be combined with other workshops?

Yes — the Taiji Qigong workshop pairs naturally with the Introduction to Chen Style Tai Chi workshop as a combined weekend or multi-day event. The qigong sequence provides the internal foundation; the introduction workshop develops its expression in the form. Contact me to discuss designing a combined program for your group.