Happy Chinese New Year, Rooted Alchemy community. As we transition into the Year of the Fire Horse, it’s worth taking a moment to reflect on the Year of the Wood Snake we’re leaving behind. I was born in the Year of the Snake—specifically a Fire Snake—so the fact that Rooted Alchemy began during a Wood Snake year is not lost on me. It feels meaningful that this community started during a time associated with growth, coiling potential, and quiet development beneath the surface. Now we step into the energy of the Fire Horse — expression, freedom, vitality, and forward movement. In Five-Element theory, Wood generates Fire. Wood grows, gathers strength, and then becomes fuel. Fire illuminates, warms, and transforms. In that sense, this transition feels very natural — what we rooted and cultivated now has the chance to ignite and express itself. If we look at the Snake and the Horse themselves, there’s an interesting common thread. Both animals move from their center. Both are deeply connected to their core and capable of fluid, adaptive mobility within their environment. In Tai Chi terms, they embody connection to the central axis — the Tai Chi line — and the ability to integrate smoothly with what surrounds them. This is exactly what we cultivate in practice: stability without rigidity, freedom without chaos, movement that is both rooted and alive. Wood energy puts down roots. It draws nourishment from the ground and establishes structure. Our community has been doing just that — quietly taking shape, building foundations, and growing stronger together. Fire energy brings warmth, visibility, and momentum. As we move into the Year of the Fire Horse, may that fire energize our practice in a sustainable way — not a flash that burns out, but a steady flame we can carry throughout the year. I’m genuinely excited to see where the Rooted Alchemy Tai Chi and Qigong community goes during this dynamic and auspicious cycle. Happy New Year, everyone. Gong Xi Fa Cai.

Hello February! February carries a quieter, reflective energy — a beautiful time to nurture consistency and reconnect with practice. 🗓 Live Schedule : 🌿 Every Tuesday & Thursday • Weekly Qi (Qigong) — 8:00 AM • Qi & Flow (Tai Chi) — 8:30 AM 🌿 Every Sunday (except 2/15) • Weekly Qi (Qigong) — 9:00 AM • Qi & Flow (Tai Chi) — 9:30 AM ⚠️ February 22nd will be canceled as we honor Chinese New Year weekend ⚠️ ✔️ All times are Pacific Time (PST) ✔️ All sessions are recorded and available in the community classroom ✔️ Live links are in the Calendar tab (and posted a day before)

🌿 February Qi Gong Check-In Welcome to February’s Qi Gong Check-in . This is a supportive space to show up for your practice, build consistency, and move together as a community. Whether you joined a live session, practiced along with YouTube inside the community, or completed a self-paced course, it all counts. What matters most is that you showed up. This thread will stay pinned for daily check-ins, connection, and encouragement. ⸻ ✅ How to Check In Each Day After you finish your practice, post a short check-in using these four steps: 1️⃣ Intention What did you want to focus on or cultivate today? 2️⃣ Practice What practice did you do today? Live session, YouTube, or self-paced are all welcome. 3️⃣ After How do you feel after completing your practice? One short sentence is perfect. 4️⃣ Visual Share a photo or short video of your practice, your screen, or your setup. ⸻ ✨ Sample Check-In Intention: To slow down and reconnect with my breath Practice: Live Session 12-21-2025 After: Feeling grounded, calm, and present Photo or video attached ⸻ There’s no right or wrong way to participate here. Show up in a way that feels good to you, support others when you can, and enjoy the process. One day. One breath. One practice.

This mornings routine was the 8 Standing postures. I had no specific expectations, but knew, as always, that something would come from the video. I started, off video ,with some loosening drills to prepare myself. This morning is cold here in southern Spain with an outside temp of just 4º. I say this because by the time I was 12 minutes into the video, I could really feel the heat building. During the bending forward exercise I was beginning to take exceptionally deep breaths and exhales. Now I don't know if this is a natural process, but I started to feel very slightly dizzy. No big issue, however I wanted to mention it. I feel that I have a lot of work to do on my balance. The Golden Rooster stance is very difficult. I can manage 1 or 2 on the right leg but the left, impossible. Any tips would be gratefully received. Many Thanks

First of all, thank you to everyone who participated in the New Year, New Qi 10-Day Challenge! Your consistency, presence, and genuine effort were incredibly inspiring to witness. This challenge truly showed what it means to practice as a community — with curiosity, dedication, and an open student’s mind. 🏆 Here are the winners🏆 🥇1st - @Santi Escriu Prize Includes: - $100 Gift Card - Premium Handmade Tai Chi Stick - Custom Rooted Alchemy Hoodie - 30-Minute Private Practice Session with Sonny 🥈 2nd - @Benedetto Manzella 🥉 3rd - @Davida Smith Prize Include: - Premium Handmade Tai Chi Stick - Custom Rooted Alchemy Hoodie - 30-Minute Private Practice Session with Sonny And we're not done yet.... 🎁 We have surprise gift for all participants! 🎁 Because this challenge was so inspiring and your commitment did not go unnoticed, we’d like to give EVERYONE who joined the challenge a custom Rooted Alchemy T-shirt as a small token of our gratitude. Your diligence, sincerity, and willingness to show up truly embody the spirit of practice. ⚠️ I will personally direct message all participants to arrange the prizes and surprise gift, so PLEASE MAKE SURE TO CHECK and expect a message from me ⚠️ We’re excited to continue creating meaningful experiences, challenges, and gatherings that support your Tai Chi & Qigong journey and deepen your practice. Thank you for being part of this growing, supportive community — we can’t wait to practice together again soon🌿