Tao Yin is often referred to as “Chinese Yoga”. The practice is closely associated with qigong, tai chi and kung fu.
These exercises open the body – releasing tension and improving the circulation of Qi and Blood. You feel light and loose afterwards.
Most exercises are performed seated or lying down. This encourages the mind to slow down and notice how the body feels in its resting state. There’s a strong meditative component to Tao Yin practice, cultivating the internal energies mentally and spiritually as well as physically.
Improving strength and flexibility of the spine and psoas muscles are emphasized in Tao Yin. These are crucial to maintaining upright posture therefore free-flow of Qi and Blood through the torso.
Poor posture not only results in back, neck and jaw pain. The compression it places on our internal organs compromises their function. Imagine what happens when, for example, your bowels are all squished up making it hard for food to move through… which is precisely what the average person spends most of their day doing when hunched at a desk!
I incorporate Tao Yin elements into treatments a lot, prescribing at least one exercise to most clients for home practice. Doing this bit of work for yourself to complement what happens when you’re on my table not only helps you get better faster; it builds your set of self-care tools to keep your body running better longer.
My monthly Mindful Madness classes are a modern adaptation of Tao Yin concepts that I created to appeal to members of the local community who don’t feel comfortable on a standard yoga class. It’s all about experiencing and enjoying changes in how you feel…
I’ll be teaching a special free Tao Yin class at the Logan Eco Action Festival (LEAF) on Sunday 27th May 2018 from 1:30pm-2:30pm. Love to see you there.
Tao Yin Exercise – Twist Body Like a Snake
Note: yes, my blogs will get better. This is my first ever attempt at writing one. Yay Me!!!
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