Portland Qigong Classes (Deprecated)

The first step on any path with studying qigong is health. We use qigong to enhance our immune systems, alleviate many of the most common health issues, increase energy, lose weight and strengthen the body. This practice has been used for thousands of years to create holistic health.

Immune enhancement and stress relief go hand in hand. Modern life loads constant stressors on us, which take a toll both physically and mentally. These strains build up tension in the body and distort us toward poor health. Qigong is a practice of re-balancing. The breathing exercises trigger a deeply relaxed state in the body. They calm and clear the mind and let us take a healthier perspective on our troubles. After an excellent healing qigong session, we feel much like a good massage, relaxed and free.

Depleted energy levels are often the result of constant, low-level misuse of ourselves. The practice of this internal art simulates the energy meridians of the body to promote well-being. It also retrains how we move, breathe and stand throughout our days. We learn to be more natural and efficient in our actions and breathing. This avoids over-taxing our systems. This continual refinement becomes the art of being well. As we grow more aware of how our actions are affecting us, it gives us power. With awareness, we can consistently make choices to enhance ourselves and stop depleting our energy.

The qigong practice is a systematic approach to strength and weight loss. By re-aligning our actions toward health and wellness, we generally become more active. The big secret that no gym or diet plan wants you to know is that to be strong and maintain a healthy weight, we need to move more. The modern lifestyle is primarily sedentary. By choosing enjoyable small activities throughout the day you’ll actually burn more calories. This is a big deal: maintain a higher metabolism if you work out hard for an hour but sit for most of your day.

The qigong practice is a systematic approach to strength and weight loss. By re-aligning our actions toward health and wellness, we generally become more active. The big secret that no gym or diet plan wants you to know is that to be strong and maintain a healthy weight, we simply need to move more. The modern lifestyle is largely sedentary. By choosing enjoyable small activities throughout the day you’ll actually burn more calories and, this is the big deal, maintain a higher metabolism than if you work out hard for an hour but sit for most of the rest of your day.

After we develop a foundation of health and energy, there is much we can do. Some qigong forms extend strength beyond belief. Other forms harden the body, creating extreme bone density and resistance to injury.

The internal forms give you the skill to adjust your state of mind at will, clarity, calm, precision focus, deep relaxation. These are all states we can access readily if we have been properly trained to do so. This ability can then enhance all of our other pursuits.

"My studies at NWIA have taught me to relax, helping me overcome the fast pace of modern life. This low impact exercise is perfect for me, I can improve my flexibility as I work muscles I have never developed in my previous 60 years."  -George

Your training in the qigong phase of our classes will focus on learning a basic set of forms to build the foundation of health. The expert instructors at Northwest Internal Arts prioritize helping you develop a strong personal practice. The classes are taught to emphasize your memorization of the qigong sets. Your health shouldn’t have to depend on anyone else, doctor or not. With a solid qigong practice, it doesn’t have to. After you have built your foundation, your practice will be personalized depending on your goals. What you want can be accomplished. We will show you how.

“My stress level is down.. I’ve lost nine pounds [in less than 2 months]… I enjoy it!” -Becca