Meditation, Qigong, Taiji, and Daoist
Arts
Classes in the Northern
Berkshires
Classes for Winter ’23-’24
Living a Daoist-based Life in Today’s World
The Fall and winter 2023-2024 classes will be centered on the concept of living a Daoist-based life in today’s world. One course will include the instruction of Qigong and Taiji; a second course will be an examination of Daoist principles, including the Dao de Qing and The 49 Barriers To Spiritual Growth.
Classes are 75 minutes in duration for each course. The Taiji Course will begin with Qigong to encourage the flow of the body’s Qi; this is followed by one hour of Taiji instruction. The Water Taiji form is comprised of 33 movements, and in total takes approximately 11 minutes to perform. While that sounds simple, the form will take between 20 – 25 classes to learn, and then a lifetime to perfect.
The Daoist Arts classes will also be 75 minutes, and will include an examination of the two principle documents – The Dao de Qing and The 49 Barriers To Spiritual Growth, as well as the Law of The Heart.
Classes are held at 139 E. Quincy Street, with parking and access off E. Main Street between #384 and #396. A Meditation Garden is under construction at the training center, and the facility is open to the air while the garden is being built. The Daoist Arts classes are held indoors.
Please use the Contact page to schedule your first class. No prior experience is required.
I have been a student of Michael McGrath of Blue Heron Stillness since January 2020. In my opinion, Michael is an excellent teacher and is very knowledgeable in Taiji, QiGong, and Meditation. Since I started learning from him, I have noticed improvements in my overall health, focus, and flexibility. I look forward to learning more from him and I am very fortunate to be his student.
Qigong and Taiji
Qigong, exercise matched to breathing, circulates qi throughout the body. Taiji, a moving meditation, manages and directs the qi. Together, they are 2/3 of a Daily Daoist Longevity Practice. Shui Taiji, Water Taiji, is soft, slow and smooth, with 33 movements. Qi, developed in the legs, directed by the hips, manifested in the hands. It is the Taiji of the Five Immortals Temple on White Horse Mountain in Hubei Province, China.
Meditation
Meditation. Being both the observer and the observed.??The cultivation of stillness, cornerstone to a Daoist Longevity Practice. Cushions are provided for the open-air teaching. The meditation platform is in the midst of a Meditation Garden under construction that when completed will provide a tranquil and serene setting for instruction and practice. Instruction is offered individually in the meditation room.
Workshops & Lectures
If your business or civic group is looking for a speaker, or interested in a meditation workshop, I am available for engagement. Whether curious about Temple life, or meditation, or Daoism, or a daily practice for the cultivation of stillness, I can offer an entertaining presentation to satisfy curiosity and interest. I’ve spoken to artist and museum groups, as well as private businesses in the health care industry.