The Peaceful Pika Qigong
Join Our Online Practice Session
Enjoy a mini-vacation to refresh during your busy week
Thursdays 7:30-8:30 pm, Mountain Time
Try your first session for free!
Subsequent sessions: $10 each (e-transfer)
The Peaceful Pika is a warm community of qigong practitioners who gather weekly to practice and support each other.
Our group sessions are open to all levels, from beginners to experienced practitioners. We believe in the power of qigong to promote physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
Fill out the contact form below for the Zoom link!
Want more information? Find out more about qigong and what to expect in a practice session.
What to Expect in a Practice Session
You will join the online session using the link provided in reminder the emails. Before joining, find a location for your practice that is quiet and private. You will need space to raise your arms above your head and to swing them around your body. You will also need somewhere to sit for the seated, guided visualization. You might also enjoy wearing comfortable, layered clothing that allows free movement of your arms, having something soft to stand on (like a yoga mat), and having some water on hand to drink.
A. Grace Montgomery is our practice leader. She will do the practice with you while explaining and demonstrating each exercise. The practice starts with centering exercises, then moves into about 30 minutes of easy-to-follow, gentle, relaxing “active exercises”. This is followed by a short, seated, guided visualization, and finally by a cool-down.
It is normal to experience feelings of warmth, coolness or tingling when you practice qigong. It is just the qi moving, and nothing to be worried about. Depending on what your body needs most, you might find the practice relaxing to the point that you want to have a nap afterwards. Or you might find it invigorating and you will feel ready for productivity afterwards. This can change session to session and is solely a reflection of what you need most at the time.
What is Qigong?
Qigong (pronounced “chee-gong”) is a health and wellness practice that is at least 3,000 years old. It combines easy-to-follow, gentle, relaxing movements, with breath, sound and visualization. It is used to improve physical, mental and spiritual health. Qigong can be done while standing, sitting or lying down, so is accessible to those of all fitness levels.
The benefits of a regular qigong practice can include increased energy, improved health, better quality sleep, a clearer mind and improved mood.
Qigong moves qi through meridians, or channels, in the body. You can think of it as being like water flowing in a stream. The qi channels are the same ones that acupuncturists use during acupuncture or acupressure treatments. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), unobstructed flow of qi through bodily channels leads to health, while blockages, imbalances or stagnations result in illness. During qigong, we promote health by moving qi and opening channels.
Why Qigong?
It can help with
Mindfulness
Qigong promotes mindfulness and inner peace through gentle movement and focused breathing.
Stress Relief
Practicing qigong has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, promoting a sense of calm and relaxation.
Energy Flow
Qigong enhances the flow of energy throughout the body, fostering vitality and overall well-being.
Balance
Qigong helps to restore balance and harmony within the body, mind, and spirit.
Community
Practicing qigong in a supportive group setting fosters a sense of community and belonging.
Holistic Wellness
Qigong promotes holistic wellness by integrating movement, breath, and mindfulness practices.
Meet Our Qigong Instructor:
A. Grace Montgomery
I discovered Spring Forest Qigong in Dec 2012. At that time, my mental and physical health had taken a beating from an overly demanding job and undiagnosed neurological condition. From my first session of Spring Forest Qigong, a number of my symptoms decreased significantly, and stayed decreased for several days. So, even though I thought “qi and all that” were a bit far-fetched, I couldn’t argue with the results. I kept with it, and the more I learned about Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the more it all made sense. Fast forward to today, and I am a legacy level 3 Spring Forest Qigong practitioner and practice session leader. I have also studied other forms of qigong and am learning about the related practice of nei gong.
Not able to keep these healing tools to myself, I have been leading private practice sessions since 2014 and public practice sessions since 2019. In 2020 my public practice sessions went online. Leading online has been particularly rewarding since I can practise with friends who live in other cities and countries. And I hope to make more practice friends as time goes on.
Leading qigong is a natural progression from my many years teaching dance. I love helping practitioners modify exercises to match their ability levels. As someone with a very active mind, learning a moving meditation allowed me to finally approach the skill of mindfulness that had eluded me for so many years in seated-only meditation styles. In this way, I feel more qualified to teach qigong than I did dance. I’ve had to go (and am still going) the hard miles with the aspects of "mind" that make qigong difficult.
When I'm not leading qigong or dancing, I like to spend time in the mountains, garden, crochet and do science.
I hope you will join me, and the Peaceful Pika community, on our journey towards increased self-awareness, peace and compassion for all sentient beings.
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