Seminars
The following seminars are offered as an extension of my private practice. They
are designed to supplement regular Chinese medical treatment. If you are not
currently a patient, but would like to attend a seminar, please contact me at
john@DenverChineseMedicine.com.
I also offer private instruction to current, regular patients in the areas of
Yoga, Qi gong, Tai chi chuan, and meditation for $45/hour.
Upcoming Seminars:
*** Check back for dates to be announced soon!
Acupressure 101
Learn location, therapeutic use, and techniques of acupressure for
daily health maintenance, disease prevention, and treatment of mild disorders.
Essential Oils and Chinese Medicine (with Mally Shaw, L.Ac., Dipl.OM., M.S.TCM):
Learn all about the use of professional grade essential oils for personal health. Mally will
also cover the use of essential oils in conjunction with Chinese medical diagnostic and treatment principles
for use in conjunction with regular Chinese medical and acupuncture treatments.
Meditation and Essential Oils:
We will learn and practice meditation with the aid of essential oils. Meditation is the foundation of, and
primary vehicle to, the highest levels of health. The use of different essential oils with the varying stages
of meditation can greatly enhance the power and effect of meditation.
Seminar Descriptions:
Qi Gong 101
Foundational theory of health, healing, and illness and how Chinese exercise
('qi gong', aka 'chi kung'):
- a) Fights illness on all levels (physical, mental/emotional, and spiritual),
- b) Supports the body in maintaining health, and
- c) Actively promotes the full development of human potential and attainment of perfect health.
With training and practice in the basics of breathing and meditation, and exercises to
train the body to attain full health, including:
- a) Flexibility and range of motion,
- b) Strength and stamina,
- c) Cardiovascular health, and
- d) Exercises targeting specific internal systems.
Detailed notes will be handed out, as well as be made available online to class participants.
Top of Page
Foundations of Health
This class reviews the basics of living a healthy life: diet, sleep, exercise, mood, meditation,
and appropriate medical care. For each area, we discuss exactly how it supports a healthy life and
how best to maximize that contribution.
The information presented is rooted in the hundred-generation lineage of Chinese medicine. Some of
the information is well-known, but much of it contrasts with common Western thinking. The idea for
this class was born from repeated discussions about these areas with patients. I realized that many
people have never been taught, for example, exactly what healthy eating means or what, really, we
should do with various moods. This class covers these 'basics' of good health.
If you are actively dealing with a health problem, sticking to these basics of health
will greatly assist. It is quite possible, in fact, that beating some illness may require adherence
to these basics (hence, my repeated discussion of these with patients).
If you are currently of decent health, following these foundations may actually improve
your well-being to the point that you realize you are actually quite unhealthy, when compared to the
level of health possible. This is very common in my practice. People make gains where they initially
saw no deficiency.
Top of Page.
Breathing and Meditation
The meditation style I teach is very simple to understand and begin. It -
- a) Serves as the foundation for overall health,
- b) Is the main vehicle to become healthier, and
- c) Is the eventual goal of perfect health.
All other practices and exercises, such as proper diet, regular exercise, acupuncture, herbs, etc.,
ultimately serve to assist in one's meditation practice. They help a great deal, but it is the meditation
that actually gets you to the highest levels of health. Exercise and diet, even acupuncture, without
meditation will only get you so far, and all attainment will be fleeting, without this mediation. Meditation,
by itself, is usually too difficult for modern Americans, without the assistance of good exercise and diet.
Meditation is easy to begin, but quite difficult to master. It will both reward and challenge you from the
first day you start to your 1,000th day of practice.
Meditation perfected is perfect health. It is both the vehicle and the goal. It can be practiced anywhere,
anytime and, ideally, is practiced everywhere, all the time.
Breathing is one of the most powerful - and simple - exercises you can do. When done properly
(which is, likely, different than the way you're doing it now) it has many benefits, including:
. Increased oxygen intake and circulation, leading to more energy
. Increased removal of carbon dioxide and toxic energies, purifying the lungs and the blood
. Massage of internal organs to assist in their functioning (spleen, pancreas, stomach, liver,
gallbladder, intestines, bladder, kidneys)
. Assists heart in circulation of blood (acts as a second pump), greatly reducing the
stress on the heart, while improving circulation
. Increases circulation to the brain
. Relaxes the whole body
. Actively and, with consistent practice, profoundly reduces stress
. Calms the mind (especially the 'drunken monkey' nature)
. Improves sleep quality, while reducing amount needed
Top of Page
Tai Chi Chuan
Tai Chi is one of, if not the, greatest martial art ever developed. Its effectiveness
is not derived from special techniques, unique kicks or punches, but instead from profound
philosophy applied to movement. Simply put, it is a very wise martial art.
This same wisdom is what gives the practitioner great health and longevity, which will be our goal in training.
The actual practice of Tai Chi looks like a smooth, flowing, slow solo dance. As could be guessed from its role
as a supreme martial art, though, looks can be quite deceiving. What appears simple on the outside, is actually
quite complex.
The 'rules' of Tai Chi are relatively easy to understand, but require hundreds of hours of practice to develop
thoroughly. Similar to meditation, the physical basics of Tai Chi can be practiced throughout the day, while
the philosophy can be applied in all areas of life to reduce tension and improve health.
This intro seminar will review the basics, both in philosophy and movement, and will give you enough to go
home and practice and get benefit. Follow-up seminars will continue in teaching you the complete Tai Chi form.
Tai chi class notes
Top of Page
Home Page
