Motivation
Movement
Meditation
- Sifu Carlton Hill
~ Carlton Hill's Tao Taiji Qigong (CHTTQ) ~
Was established by Sifu Carlton Hill in the year 1996 with a strong drive to spread health, happiness and enlightenment through the ancient art of Tao Taiji and Qigong. CHTTQ dispenses simple, minimalistic movements for maximum health benefits thereby elevating physical, mental and spiritual health.
What Is Qigong (Chi Kung) ?
‘Qi’ or ‘Chi’ means energy, and in yoga, it is called ‘Prana’. ‘Gong’ or ‘Kung’ means work. Therefore, the word Qigong (often spelt Chi Kung or Qi gong) means the exercise of your internal energy. It is a 5,000-year-old Chinese healthcare modality that has endured the test of time and is making a tremendous resurgence at the threshold of the 21st Century. Qigong exercises integrate body postures, movement, breathing and meditation for a healthy life, spiritual advancement and/or martial arts training.
Qigong is not a panacea but it is certainly highly effective health improving and maintaining practice. Benefits of Qigong are increasingly recognized worldwide and within scientific community. Qigong benefits range from mind relaxation and sharpening, stress relief to increased energy, vitality and helping to heal degenerative and chronic diseases. Literally millions practice Qigong exercises in China and around the world each day to successfully treat diseases ranging from hypertension to cancer.
What Is Tai Chi Chuan?
How Does It Relate To Qigong?
Tai Chi Chuan (taijiquan) commonly known as Tai Chi is an internal martial art. However, the majority of practitioners just treat Tai Chi exercises as a slow dance. Without a solid Qigong foundation, it is just a slow and gentle exercise and practitioners do not get most of the Tai chi benefits. At best, you just feel more relaxed and flexible by practicing it that way. Proper breathing and meditative techniques as well as the use of ‘qi’ are the keys to maximize the health benefits of Tai Chi.
In general, when practicing Qigong exercises daily, people experience faster health benefits than when they practice Tai chi. Even the world famous Tai Chi grandmaster Feng Zhiqiang recommends that people practice Qigong instead of Tai Chi to gain health benefits if time is an issue. However, practicing Tai Chi and Qigong at the same time is most beneficial. Qigong is the foundation of Tai Chi. Students learn to move their body and feel internal energy (qi or chi) and the use of the will to guide the energy as it flows through its channels (meridians). Practising Qigong exercises helps practitioners to learn faster the Tai Chi form and to access its internal aspects. Tai chi moves build upon the flexibility and internal skills developed through Qigong and bring them to a higher level, deepening the internal understanding and utilization of vital energy (qi).
