Calgary

Calgary Dharma-Zen Tai Chi related post

Upcoming Retreat 4/16/10 – 4/18/10 Tai Chi, Chi Kung and Meditation at Ocean Resort, Vancourver Island, BC, Canadahttp://oceanresort.ca/events.html

Here is an article about my Tai Chi and Chi Gong Workshop in Manitoba, Canada June 2009.  If you are in the Manitoba area and would like to try Chi Gong, yoga, drumming, or music bowls, you can contact Ginette Hacault.  Her e-mail is:momma_yellow@yahoo.com


Finding the best way to treat yourself

Posted 2 months ago

Photo by Glen Hallick Ginette Hacault of New Beginnings in the middle of her labyrinth at her home west of Bruxelles. She uses the labyrinth to help people get rid of stress.

Photo by Glen Hallick Ginette Hacault of New Beginnings in the middle of her labyrinth at her home west of Bruxelles. She uses the labyrinth to help people get rid of stress.

By Glen Hallick

Ginette Hacault has found her calling.

From her home about two kilometers west of Bruxelles the former social counsellor has opened a consulting service she calls New Beginnings.

“I do one-on-one consulting for people who experienced cancer or a different immune deficient disorder,” Hacault said.

“My business is primarily to build people’s immune systems.”

She pointed out anyone can seek her services, which includes attending her day retreats.

One such retreat is scheduled for June 21 and will focus on Tai Chi and Chi Kung. For the retreat Hacault is bringing in Master Danny Lai from Taiwan and he will show participants the Asian martial arts exercise techniques.

“Chi Kung is a stretchy, bouncy type of exercise,” she said.

Tai Chi, already well known in North America, involves synchronized movements.

“It’s quite intense, there’s over 100 different movements,” Hacault explained.

Although she has a large grassy area to practice the exercises, she said there are two quonsets in case of rain. However the preference she said is for a person to be in contact with nature.

STRICKEN BY CANCER

With a background in psychology Hacault counselled homeless people in Calgary until she was stricken by cancer about two and half years ago.

“I intuitively healed myself, which means I quieted my brain and I paid attention to my higher self,” she said.

Hacault said her self-healing included nutritional supplements and spending six months immersed in nature. She said western culture needs to look to eastern healing methods and combine the two. Which is what she did for her cancer that included surgery.

Hacault said the body can heal itself by a person getting back in touch with nature, which in turn reduces stress. However she said such a process is not for everyone.

“What I believe is whatever you feel will heal you, is the best way you need to heal yourself,” she said.

“So if you believe [chemotherapy] will heal you then do chemo. I don’t suggest or advise doing what I did.”

Hacault explained New Beginnings also offers yoga, drumming, music bowls and labyrinths under one roof. The idea being to get people to relax and have them feel like they have been heard.

“People don’t feel like they have been listened to in our western medicine.”

She offers day retreats along with one-on-one counselling and family/group counselling. Although she can’t recommend nutritional supplements she does have a library for people to do their own research.

The one-on-one usually lasts two hours and Hacault is willing to meet the client wherever is suitable. And some of her methods include journaling, vision boards, and affirmation writing, along with talk therapy.

Hacault said the idea is have a person discover the healing process that’s best for them.

The article link:  http://www.carmanvalleyleader.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1598724

August 31, 2009 by Danny | No comments

Upcoming Retreat 4/16/10 – 4/18/10 Tai Chi, Chi Kung and Meditation at Ocean Resort, Vancourver Island, BC, Canadahttp://oceanresort.ca/events.html

The kind folks at MRI Technician Schools have ranked our blog in their list of 50 Best Blogs for Zen-Like Living:

Whether you are a Zen Buddhist or just want to lead a Zen life, these 50 spiritual and simplifying blogs and community web sites will point you down the path of enlightenment.

Explore the first sub-section to learn how to have a happy, fulfilled life through Zen-inspired lessons and mantras.

The second sub-section is dedicated to those who are seeking a more spiritual side of Zen like Zen Buddhism. Many of these blogs feature meditations and insight on the path to Enlightenment.

Click here to see the list and continue reading…

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For centuries, Chinese doctors have understood that the body is made up of nerves that carry eletrical energy around your body, through your spine and to your brain.

Western doctors understood nerves might carry electricity a few hundred years ago with the publication of Luigi Galvani’s (1737–1798) theory of animal electricity (galvanism) in 1791.

Chinese doctors prescribe Chi Kung for bursitis.

Western doctors prescribe pain pills.

Western doctors prescribe surgery for knees.

Chinese doctors prescribe Tai Chi.

Chinese doctors prescribe Tai Chi and Chi Kung as a daily practice to make illness and injury less likely.

I’m reading Wong Kiew Kit’s tome on Chinese Medicine.

Chinese Medicine Book

Good read.  In the book, Master Wong says anger doesn’t come from solely from external stimuli.  In fact, anger comes mostly from internal stimuli.  That’s why someone who meditates every day isn’t easily angered by external stimuli.  Someone who is meditating daily is calming the self.

Practice hard,

David

March 20, 2009 by David | No comments

In addition to the workshop in France, Danny’s heading back to the mountains to teach 3 workshops this summer:

http://www.crossriver.ca/dharmazentaichiqigongbuddhismretreat.asp

Length: Two days (two nights)
Difficulty Level: Easy to moderate
Dates: May 22-24; June 26-28; September 4-6, 2009

Retreat Itinerary


Day 1:
Arrive at CrossRiver Wilderness Centre by 7:00 p.m. After preliminary introductions with staff and facilitators, you will have the opportunity to discuss more about the coming weekend experiences, settle in to your cabin and the Wilderness Centre, and relax and enjoy the evening.

Day 2:
7:30 – 8:30 a.m. Qi Gong breath exercises
8:30 – 10:00 a.m. Breakfast & free time
10:00 – 11:30 a.m. Warm-up & Qi Gong exercises
(Includes stretching, standing meditation, and 12 Qi Gong movements – See YouTube Clip Below)
11:30 – 1:30 p.m. Lunch & free time
1:30 – 4:30 p.m. DharmaZen 24-style Tai Chi (See YouTube Clip Below)
(There will be a 10-minute rest break at least every hour; go to www.damazen.com
for an explanation of this Tai Chi style)
4:30 – 5:00 p.m. Tea time & Introduction to meditation
(Loose-leaf green tea from Taiwan, made Chinese-style in little cups; the meditation practices will be Buddhist-style sitting meditation)
5:00 – 6:00 p.m. Meditation
6:00 – 6:30 p.m. Break
6:30 p.m. Dinner & free time into the evening
(the Wilderness Centre in the evenings has many different spaces available for both
secluded time alone with a book or journal, as well as community time around the
campfire, or in the outdoor wood-fired hot tub)

Day 3:
7:30 – 8:30 a.m. Qi Gong breath exercises
8:30 – 10:00 a.m. Breakfast & free time
10:00 – 11:30 a.m. Warm-up & Qi Gong exercises
11:30 – 1:30 p.m. Lunch & free time
1:30 – 4:30 p.m. DharmaZen 24-style Tai Chi
4:40 – 5:10 p.m. Meditation
5:10 – 6:00 p.m. Discussion & question period; end of retreat

Note: there are only 12 spaces available in each retreat

Dharma-Zen Chi Kung I

Dharma-Zen 24 Movement Tai Chi Form

March 16, 2009 by David | 1 comment

As you know, unless you’ve been living in the Australia outback under a really big rock, Jet Li and Jackie Chan made an amazing movie called ‘The Forbidden Kingdom’:

Forbidden Kingdom Trailer

Here’s a link to their entire fight scene:  Jet Li vs Jackie Chan

That scene made the movie worthwhile.  How long have we been waiting to see that??

There are now rumors that they’ll do another film.  From  http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2008/03/18/jackie_chan_and_jet_li_to_collaborate_on:

Chan and Li said they want to shoot another movie together based on a script they started working on 15 years ago, but both stars refused to give details.

I hope it is so!  :)

David

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