Abstract

How to live well and long - teachings from the Chinese nourishment of life (yangsheng) tradition
Introduction to the nourishment of life (yangsheng)

As the 2000+ year old Yellow Emperor's Classic tells us so clearly, waiting for disease to arise before taking action, is like starting to dig a well when we are already thirsty. Learning (and teaching) how to promote health and resist disease is fundamental to the practice of medicine, especially in modern times when a flood of chronic non-infectious disease threatens to overwhelm health services worldwide. Luckily the greatest minds in Chinese medicine have devoted themselves to this subject and we can draw from this wise tradition to help us live longer and more fulfilling lives. This presentation will cover the four main pillars of yangsheng - cultivating the mind and emotions, diet, exercise and sleep.

An introduction to the practice of slow deep breathing and movement drawn from the Chinese internal practice (qigong)

One of the great treasures of the Chinese yangsheng tradition is the threefold cultivation of jing (body), qi (breath) and shen (mind). This is embodied in the Chinese 'internal arts', including qigong, neigong, tai chi and other soft martial practices. This combined theoretical and practical session will teach simple methods of slow, deep and transformative breathing, and slow, mindful movement (qigong) which everyone can learn to practise and which can be easily taught to patients to help them make signifcant changes to their body and mind.

This session will be a roughly 50/50 mix of theory and practice. Peter will discuss the enormous physical and psychological benefits that come from qigong (the cultivation of body, breath and mind), and we will then do some qigong to put these into practice. Please wear loose clothing and soft, flat-soled shoes.