by Jocelyn Watkin | Oct 23, 2022 | Information |
All welcome to a special and fun series of SpinPoi classes with Jocelyn of Kia Ora Tai Chi. Thursday mornings, from 27th October to 1st December 2022, 11.45am to 12.30pm.
You’ll swing along with easy-to-learn poi movements set to music and finish with tranquil and peaceful tai chi. This is a fun exercise with a qualified instructor, which will boost fitness, strength, balance and well-being.
Attend just one class or come to them all.
Limited number of poi available. Bring your own pair of poi, if you have a set.
Venue: The Wharekai Room, Te Matariki Clendon Community Centre, 17 Palmers Road, Clendon Park, Manurewa, Auckland 2103.
Cost: $5 per person, per class
Ideal for: Seniors and beginners of any age and ability. You can do this seated, if you wish.
No need to RSVP, just come along. All welcome.
Questions? Please phone or text Jocelyn on 027 493 9851 or use the Contact Form
More info:
SpinPoi keeps your mind and body happy
by Jocelyn Watkin | Jul 15, 2022 | Information |
Nurture yourself with healing qigong so you can blossom with good health.
Qigong (pronounced ‘chee – gong’) is an ancient, Chinese exercise programme of deep, meditative breathing and flowing movements.
This is your opportunity to learn qigong in an interactive, online series of three sessions, which have been designed to improve your overall health and wellbeing, release tension, calm your mind and stimulate energy flow (qi) throughout your body.
Each session will include:
- Quietening your mind
- Comfortable ways to align your posture to allow free movement of healing qi (energy flow) throughout your body.
- Deep, mindful breathing to stimulate your qi and influence your body.
- Gentle physical exercise
- Qi and energy awareness exercises
- Tranquil meditation and contemplation
- Explanations, discussion and guidance with Jocelyn
Session 1, Online, Thursday 21 July, 6.30pm: Playing with waves, relaxing and calming breathing combined with gentle movements to feel the qi (flow of energy) in your body
Session 2: Online, Thursday 28 July, 6.30pm: Swimming dragon in the mist, graceful yet powerful movements to cultivate more qi and to tap into the energy that surrounds us.
Session 3: Online, Thursday 4 August, 6.30pm: Enter the flow, learning to form a ball of energy and to guide it to help soothe your body and support its healing process.
Pricing for “Nurture yourself with healing qigong” (all in $NZ):
- Session 1: $20 per person, including the video replay
- Sessions 1 & 2: $15 per person, per session for a total of $30, including the video replays.
- Sessions 1, 2 & 3: $13 per person, per session, for a total of $39, including the video replays.
Jocelyn’s evening class students in Manurewa can choose to use 1, 2 or 3 of their prepaid class fees instead of making an additional payment.
PayPal, credit card and online banking options are all available. Note: payment by credit card and PayPal will attract a processing fee of up to 3%. Please use the form on the “Contact Us” page to request the payment option of your choice. We’ll reply with all you need to know to easily arrange your payment.
Are you looking for an in-depth opportunity to learn more qigong? I offer a rare 3-day/2-night retreat experience on the healing power of qigong.
Are you ready to blossom into better health?
Where: Aotea / Great Barrier Island, Hauraki Gulf, Auckland
When: Friday 11 to Sunday 13 November 2022 (3 days/2 nights). Places limited to just 10 participants.
How magical would it be to have the key to even greater health and wellness with qigong? Absolutely, you too can enter this enchanted place.
This retreat is for anyone aged 18+ who is seeking to vastly improve their own health, self-healing and well-being and/or wants to de-stress and have a better life/work balance.
Find out more: https://www.kiaorataichi.nz/gt-barrier-island-retreat/
by Jocelyn Watkin | Aug 26, 2017 | Information |
No need to wait until New Year to take good care of your spine. You can do this now.
Bad backs are one of the most common reasons for doctors’ visits and missed work days. So, when your back is being a pain can tai chi help?
Yes, tai chi exercise has been proven to be a safe and effective intervention to reduce pain in those with persistent low back pain. Find out more about this research and discover the five ways tai chi can help you get back to better health with your spine:
- Proper body alignment
- Good posture / recognising the neutral spine position
- Build core stabilization
- Avoid certain body positions and movements
- Practice the four tai chi principles
Check out the details of these key five points here.
Understanding how your spine works and practicing the five key points (as above) are the essence of good spine health. Tai chi can help you to make the right moves and to reduce back pain. Practice tai chi every day, if you can. Don’t wait for New Year to make this happen. Like nature, we are happier and healthier when balanced and in harmony all of the time, not just once per year.
Take good care of your spine and it will take good care of you. Soon, you too could say kia ora (hello) to a better back.
It’s best to avoid certain body positions and movements
by Jocelyn Watkin | Aug 22, 2016 | Information |
Stand tall and deliver
No matter what you’re confronted with, always maintain an upright body posture. This is one of the four essential tai chi principles.
But… what does upright body posture mean? Well, it’s not that old-fashioned walking with a book on your head. That’s a recipe for stiff muscles plus a sore neck and back from trying to move so rigidly. What’s more, even if you did move like that the book would still probably fall off your head.
Upright posture and alignment means NOT leaning or hunching – whether forwards, backwards or sideways. Imagine if the top of your head was suspended from a golden strand of silk – this is a magical thread because it doesn’t cause any pain. Suspended like this, gravity helps the joints in your spine move into alignment so they are stacked sweetly on top of each other, like they’re meant to be. Your tail bone is centrally positioned at the base of your spine and slighted tucked under. You feel balanced and comfortable.
Imagine that you are now gently lowered to your feet. Take the weight evenly on both feet and keep your knees soft (slightly bent, not flexed straight). This will keep your tail bone and buttocks tucked under and your spine neatly stacked. Keep your head upright (but not tense or rigid) with your eyes looking straight ahead. This might feel a little strange at first but in time it will feel more comfortable.
So, why is all of this important? Because, with your head upright and with correct body posture and alignment you are more likely to:
- Release tension and pressure caused by bad posture
- Reduce stress and pain on the back and knees
- Reduce the chance of falling
- Increase your muscle strength and balance
- Improve your martial art (you will be much harder to be pushed/pulled off balance)
- Increase the Qi/energy flow, as this flows better in an aligned body
So, kia ora/say hello to upright posture and body alignment. They’re heaps better than just walking with a book on your head.
How not to do tai chi
Find out more:
Put the book in your head, not on your head
