Get ready for our upcoming qigong course: The 8 Pieces of Brocade (八段锦 Bāduànjǐn) — one of the most beloved and time-tested practices in all of Chinese health culture. Dating back nearly a thousand years to the Song Dynasty, this sequence was created to strengthen the body, nourish the organs, and support everyday vitality. The name “brocade” refers to fine, elegant silk — a reminder that these movements weave health and energy through the body as beautifully and smoothly as woven cloth. At its core, the philosophy of the 8 Pieces of Brocade is simple: gentle, mindful movements can create powerful change when practiced with intention. Each piece focuses on a different function of the body — from opening the lungs and improving digestion to calming the mind and supporting the kidneys. Together, they form a complete system that balances strength and softness, grounding and lightness, effort and ease. A steady practice can help you feel centered, energized, and deeply connected from the inside out. Stay tuned. Stay rooted. Stay open🌱

The Taichi ruler stick will help to keep you in your space! I really needed this tool to help to train my body to find it's BALANCE... it has truly helped me! One of my favorite classroom practices is the Taichi stick!😉

On Saturday, I decided to practice yin‑yang Qi Gong on my own — no video, nothing, just me. I began with a warm‑up, as we do here at Rooted Alchemy, and I managed to complete the whole practice with each movement repeated 9 times — a full cycle of 9. I felt grateful to have done it fully, on my own. Afterwards, I had breakfast. I poured myself an espresso and, before taking the last sip, I gave the cup a little circular spin to gather all the crema flavors. Just before bringing it to my lips, I looked down… and there it was: a perfect yin‑yang in the foam. For me, it's a gentle sign, a synchronicity encouraging me to keep playing with presence and energy.

Yesterday, I had a very grueling 50K trail race in Golden, Colorado with a lot of technical climbing and descending. The balance I've gained from my Tai Chi practice translated into very sure-footed running on all the rocky terrain. Typically, in a run like this, I would have fallen a couple of times, but not this time!

“HAPPY THANKSGIVING” to our WORDWIDE QIGONG n TAI CHI FAMILY!!!!! We are THANKFUL for your dedication to your practice n the INNER PEACE n AWARENESS you CULTIVATE through your EFFORTS. May you FEEL the “LIFE GIVING QI”, through YOU, bringing RENEWED ENERGY!! May your QIGONG n TAI CHI JOURNEY continue to provide STRENGTH, helping you to face CHALLENGES with a greater sense of CONTROL n APPRECIATION!!!!!!!.