Newsletter

Posted 11 June 2020

Practicing in a Pandemic

I lost track of time. Being, as I was, in the uniquely privileged position of having less to do, fewer responsibilities during the earliest throes of COVID-19, I found myself with a feeling akin to unravelling. I don’t need to tell you that these are strange times, and so perhaps you can relate when I say that, in response, I dissolved. I don’t imagine I am alone in this regard; however, in the unearned luxury and relative security of self-isolation, I have certainly not been without support and stimulation: an unexpected collateral benefit of this pandemic is the veritable deluge of online offerings to educate and entertain, distract and direct. Tempted though I was by the sheer volume of consumable information available, I resolved to continue my daily Qigong practice in physical isolation. Luckily, Lee Masters, my Qigong and Chun Yuen Quan Sifu (teacher), followed suit, and quickly mastered the art of effective online teaching. Weekly Qigong and Chun Yuen Quan classes currently take place online as well as outside in person, weather permitting*. And this practice is exceedingly valuable during this time: many Qigong movements are excellent (and designed) for strengthening the lungs, immune system, and circulation. My own Qigong practice has thus been doubly beneficial, allowing me to simultaneously ease and engage my mind and strengthen my body and immune system. I am deeply grateful for the skill at this time, and for Sifu’s adaptability, patience, and dedication to her students. 

Posted 18 September 2013

What students say:

“I don’t know what I’d be like if I didn’t practise Qigong. I’d be all stiff and sore. My knee hurts and after an hour of practising – no pain! Every day when I do the warm up, at first it hurts and then it’s better. When I do the whole hour, my balance is better too.” ~ Lois Joyce

Posted 7 June 2012:

C A N A D A  ~  May 2012 Seminars.
Master Tse’s week-long visit to Vancouver Island has flown by in what seems like a day but a lifetime of inspiration has penetrated into the collective consciousness of the Tse Qigong Centre family here on the West Coast, to be retrieved, understood and reinforced little by little, over time.  Vancouver Island and Seattle students joined together and enjoyed every minute.

13 GRAB STICK
We had a lot of fun with this.  We were happy to be outside at the Glenora Hall and had two groups, some continuing from last year and some for the first time. Sigong explained that 13 Grab Stick, from the dynamic Chun Yuen Quan style, is a shorter stick and although you can’t cover a very big area with it, it is easy to carry, you can move it from front to back more quickly and it’s easy to handle.  You can also use it like a sword.
As our main purpose is developing good health, we identified how good this form is for posture, joints, co-ordination, calm mind and stronger body - the internal: heart, lungs, kidneys, spleen, liver and the external: muscles, bones, posture and tendons.  With proper use of our bodies, following the principles, and more variety of movements, we can help and prevent injuries.

COMMENTS FROM THE STUDENTS:

 Enjoyed learning more of this and like the feel of the stick twirling around my body and hand.  One definitely acquires agility from the form. Cherry

 This was very difficult for the first two days, but after finding a partial video of the course on the net and a few hours of practice at home, I found the last day was challenging, but somehow my brain was able to focus better and retain more muscle memory more quickly. So the last day was tremendous for me. Again, I would love to get a complete video of the 3 days of the seminar. It would be very valuable for me, and allow me to practice between classes (that is if you have 13 Grab Stick classes locally throughout the year).
I think Michael is a gifted teacher, and a very nice person. I find the Chinese culture to be fascinating, and to have far more depth than western culture.
I noticed some subtle, gentle changes in my brain as we progressed through the physical seminars. I feel that those would continue as I practice these movements.
I am interested in learning how to sense and move energy and now know a good way to start on the journey. Alan

This form is amazing. Due to the nature of my work, I often find that I overuse my shoulders. Of all the movement I have learned, 13 Grab Stick always takes care of my shoulder problems. The movement is challenging yet beautiful and I feel honoured to have the opportunity to learn it. Thank you for teaching us. Derek Fowler

I greatly enjoyed the seminars: the instruction, the people and the surroundings. Even though the movement in the forms was quite complex, the learning was made easy through step by step approach, and there was plenty of time to ask the questions.
This form is an energetic form and great fun to practice, it makes my brain and muscles work in a new way, since it is my first intro to practicing with a stick. Alla Ivanovich

I have only one previous experience learning Chun Yuen Quan "Xing Shou".  I found Chun Yuen Quan to be daunting to remember and learn proper postures, coordination of hands and feet, and total body transitions.  Sigong showed us beginners with much patience and compassion by slowing down and demonstrating these beautiful movements.  During practice other classmates helped me on what I don't remember.  After a lot of repetitions and stick dropping I began to relax, enjoy, and feel light and free.  I thank from the bottom of my heart all who have dedicated their lives to pass this skill on to the rest of us. Evelyn Melton

I had shoulder surgery recently to repair a partially torn tendon in my rotator cuff from a fall.  Since the surgery, I have been practicing the first half of the 13 Grab Stick form from the Chun Yuen Quan system, which I learned last year.  I just learned the second part of the form in the latest seminar.  This form has been fantastic to exercise and gently stretch my healing shoulder.  My doctor and physical therapist are constantly remarking about how rapidly I am regaining full range of motion and strength.  I find the form to be challenging and whole lot of fun.  It really is good for body, mind and spirit.  It enhances strength, coordination, balance and confidence.  It is a great tool to help achieve good health and longevity.  As an added bonus, it has self defense applications as well. Kirk Knickerbocker

We had an opportunity to work in small groups to try out our diagnosis knowledge, looking at faces and hands.  This was fun and interesting and in the end, we realize that, though these skills help, what really tells us about a person’s health is our Skyeye. Bob Melton

 This form using a short and versatile stick is very dynamic, and enjoyable to practice.   We now have quite a lot of movements to "chew on" for another year.
I enjoy Tai Sigong's clear teaching style. He is very patient, answers all of our questions, and consistent in his form.  I find inspiration in both in his presentation of slow, move-by-move presentation as well as the fluid real-time flow.
We are so fortunate to have Tai Sigong Michael coming to Canada to share his precious skills and ideas with us. I extend my gratitude to Sigong Jessica who will follow up with us, and our Sifu Lee who carries the skills and attitudes so faithfully to our family here in Canada. Alisa

Lecture - a question: what is balance?  The discussion that followed led to a sense of how important it is to answer questions in a way that doesn't lead to so many more questions.  The use of accepted language is a tool for dispelling confusion.  This helped me to see that using this way is helpful to make the skill more accessible to more people.
All in all it was a wonderful time and I look forward to next year!  An important time for me was the opportunity to join in the Sunday dinner at Sifu's home because as a more informal gathering we got to relax a lot and Tai Sigong told stories and answered questions about things that did not come up during the seminars.  It was a very special time and so thank-you especially to Sifu for arranging this and also to Tai Sigong for making his time so available to us all. Brian

 I can’t wait to learn the rest of this form.  I love it. Cyrano

 Loved all the seminars very much, although if I were to choose my favourite, 13 Grab Stick would be the one.  The movements bring up a lot of Qi and prepare me for long hikes up the mountain. I will be practising the skill every day and I’m so excited for the next seminar. Cyrus

QIGONG HEALING AND DIAGNOSIS

Tse Sigong created a very interactive environment in our seminar at the Mercury Theatre, firstly by drawing out of us what health is and then looking at the main criteria necessary for healing others. Little by little, we are beginning to develop more understanding of what health actually is, how to recognize symptoms of health, or lack of health, in ourselves and  in others and how we can take responsibility for our own health.  Practising Qigong and Chun Yuen Quan, listening to our bodies and spending time with healthy people seem to be key.  No one who was there could fail to understand how important it is to be healthy in order to practise healing skills. Sigong also stressed the importance of finding simple and clear language to describe health and our skill, as many words can have such wide interpretations.
Before we heal, we need to fix ourselves first, then heal, then be sure to get rid of the negative energy afterwards because there is an exchange of energy and the healthy one gets weaker and the sick one gets healthier.
We also had an opportunity to work in small groups to try out our diagnosis knowledge, looking at faces and hands.  This was fun and interesting and in the end, we realize that, though these skills are very helpful, what really tells us about a person’s health is our Sky-eye.

COMMENTS FROM THE STUDENTS:

There were many good pointers on how to save Qi. Cherry

There was no hands-on massage taught this year.  Is this because of the principal that the healer must be healed before sharing energies this way?
Good practice to sit in groups and see if we can determine from looking at one another, what health issues each other need to work at.  Developing our skill and also challenging us as individuals to be open with others about where we are at in our journey to good health.
Tai Sigong was asking for everyone's ideas about what is healing which I appreciated because it seems that people have lots of ideas about what healing is and so I found it very helpful to the whole class that Tai Sigong was so open and willing to listen to everyone's ideas.  It got us all engaged in the process which made things more fruitful when Tai Sigong shared his perspectives/experience with healing work. Brian

The healing and diagnosis seminar lit me up.  Tai Sigong's explanation of sky eye offered a comprehensive explanation for experiences I have had during times past.  His explanation of near death faith healing (during the Sat night dinner) also gave a solid conceptual context for one such event in my life 11 years ago.  It was AWESOME to encounter someone who could make sense of these kinds of non-ordinary phenomena. Pat

This was a very interesting session for me, as I have some background in some of the concepts of TCM from years of using "Healing with Whole Foods" by Paul Pitchford to solve some of my own, my father’s and my dog’s various health challenges. I didn't see a printed copy of the material presented by Michael Tse, but it would be good to receive one, and I think good to hand them out in future. Alan

 This skill has always been fascinating to me. Each time I have the chance to attend a Qigong Diagnosis seminar, I am reminded of how deep and far reaching the Dayan skill is! Qigong has helped me to heal countless injuries that I encounter in my work as a contractor. Last year, my mother fractured a bone in her lower leg. She experienced considerable pain at first, but when she used qigong massage techniques, she was able to relieve the pain and go to sleep. My family is thankful for this wonderful knowledge. Derek Fowler

I learned how to diagnose others by looking at their hands and face.  I was paired with 2 newcomers to the Tse Qigong Centre.  Lots of fun!  I was able to right away diagnose my partner who did have a broken nose which wasn't obvious if it was not for all the tips Sigong provided us. Evelyn Melton

I really enjoyed this seminar.  Not only did it cover the basics of ancient Chinese medical diagnostic practices, Michael Tse gave us a wealth of wisdom on how to live and how to protect ourselves from negative qi in our daily lives.  His deep knowledge of this subject yields fascinating insights into illness from the perspective of one of the most accomplished Qi Gong teachers, healers and practitioners alive today.  This precious knowledge is a true gem that one should count themselves extremely lucky to have received. Kirk Knickerbocker

The Healing & Diagnosis & his comments at Rivendell highlighted the difference between Eastern & Western thoughts for me which I found very encouraging as Alan & I agree with him. Peter

 This seminar was very interesting and informative, and a lot of fun.  Sigong provide us with a real insight into Chinese and Qigong healing methods.  I now have a much better understanding of the limited role of Western medicine in our lives.  I will always be grateful for this special insight as provided by our Sigong. Bob Melton

The Qigogng Healing Workshop was very helpful for everyday life: How to keep yourself healthy and preserve and keep qi, and how to diagnose problems by looking at the face and hands.
Annette Lampson

Thank you for sharing your skill with us and for continuing to raise the level of skill with every visit of our Sigong and  Tai Sigong. I enjoyed the the seminar very much. It confirmed something to me that I had been feeling for the last couple years: most things ( and life in general) are not as complicated as people sometimes make them. Tai Sigong has a great way of explaining  important correlations in very simple terms. His teachings help me appreciate the skill more and more every day.   I look forward to coming to class and hope to be able to participate in the next seminar. Katharina

A sky-eye opening evening, that gave me a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of our bodies. Master Tse's words inspired me to live a life of balance by moving my body into better health through Qigong practice. Bianca Sirianni

Break through!  When I can’t sleep (often an occurrence) now I do Horse Stance and it works. I relax and sleep. Lois

Very interesting and informative. Cyrano

All the information was very amazing. My eyes were opened to a lot of new things to look for and avoid! I really enjoyed the seminar and all the great advice about staying healthy and conserving Qi. Cyrus

JOINT OPENING AND CLOSING GONG

We were blessed to go deeper into the relationship between what Chinese culture calls the Seven Emotions and the internal organs and then, the next day Sigong talked about the Six Senses or Passions and how they affect the energy. He shares so much of the richness of the Chinese culture and wisdom which is in danger of being lost.
Sigong also answered questions about hand positions in Qigong practice and he talked about diet and the importance of warm food and drink.  Cold can damage your internal organs and it may seem okay when you’re young but it will catch you later…the Chinese have a saying: “Don’t laugh at someone else until you’re 66”, which became our catch phrase for the rest of the seminar.                                                                                                                                      

 COMMENTS FROM THE STUDENTS:

It was fun working in a group and learning big chunks of the form at one time. Cherry

The joint opening and closing seminar rapidly brought me in to a state of deep cleansing and relaxation.  I loved it. Well being. Pat 

I felt great after those sessions. Peaceful, centered, and energized all at once. I've got some back and hip issues from my past, and those gentle movements felt healing from that perspective. Again a handout or video of the movements would be great, as it would allow me to practice on my own between classes. Alan

It was nice we spent the time resolving our questions and polishing before moving on.
I enjoyed being the camera man for filming.  I got to see lots of demonstration for the juniors that I would have missed otherwise.

I always enjoy the part of a seminar where we're really learning a lot towards the end.  This year it was to the point of being challenged to remember it and then seeing how people work together to bring the puzzle piece they have to contribute and then we end up being able to keep the whole part. Brian

 After attending this seminar, I feel like I have a special gem to maintain and build good health. The movements of this qigong form made my joints feel strong and flexible. My work is very physical and this form makes my body forget that . A true Dayan treasure! Thank you for the opportunity to learn this beautiful skill. Derek Fowler

This form seems to have a magic way of expelling stiffness from my joints.
I feel a lot richer because I learned something I will be able to use and benefit from for a long time.
Alla Ivanovich

This year I was continuing with part 2 of this Qigong.  We repeated part 1 at the beginning of the seminar.  I noticed some changes from last year, such as touching the toes 3 times each instead of once, and some other minor adjustments.  As promised, part 2 was more vigorous and challenging. 
I was recovering from a left knee surgery that was just 6 weeks ago.  By the end of the week I felt my knee improved faster than I had anticipated. I was able to do all the movements without any pain or aggravation.  Finally, I am glad and grateful that my Sifu Fowler encouraged me to come to the seminar in spite of my injury. Evelyn Melton

I have one of those jobs where I sit hunched in front of a computer monitor all day.  I have found that the Joint Open Gong form of the Dayan Wild Goose Qi Gong system has been extremely helpful in stretching my body to relieve the tightness that develops from sitting all day.  It also brings up the energy level when I get home feeling totally drained.  It has really improved my ability move freely and comfortably, as I did many years ago.  It also brings a feeling of well being and clarity of mind.  I strongly recommend this form to anyone who feels negatively affected by a sedentary job situation, or who has any sort of joint issues.  If you do the Joint Opening Gong form regularly, you will never have to worry about slowly losing your mobility as you age.
Kirk Knickerbocker

The Joint Opening & Closing Gong seminar was info overload for me but I realized that you haveto start somewhere. Peter

 For me, this was a continuation of last year's Part 1 of Joint Opening Gong.  I had difficulty in learning some of the new positions because I am a slow learner.  However, I look forward to working with my Sifu Fowler when we return to Seattle for weekly lessons.  I am grateful to have the opportunity to learn Joint Opening Gong and the many other Wild Goose Qi Gong exercises.  Qi Gong has greatly improved my life.  I am proud to be a student of Sigong Michael Tse, Sifu Fowler, and the Tse Qigong Center.
Bob Melton

The weekend seminar on Joint Opening and Closing Gong was very good:
We learned about how the 7 emotions relate to 7 organs, and how important it is never to go into extremities, but try to stay balanced in everything we do, feel, and think. To learn to be present, and yet relaxed.
When we got to the practical part of the seminar - learning new movements - this principle was clearly applied, as we had a good balance between practicing and relaxing/enjoying food, tea and good companionship - the social element being a very important part of practicing qigong, as Tai Sigong emphasized.
I happen to have arthritis in a couple of joints, and I am speaking the truth when I say that my joints felt much better after this seminar. Now I just have to keep practicing!
I am so grateful for Qigong, Sifu, Sigong, Tai Sigong, Yang Meijun, and the whole Qigong Family
BlessingsAnnette Lampson

Master Tse teaches forms with clarity and mastery. He conveys his extensive knowledge of Chinese philosophy in a fun and accessible way through enlightening stories and comprehensive explanations. The seminar infused the essence of Qigong practice and philosophy in a dance that uplifted and nourished my body, mind and spirit. Bianca Sirianni

I’m dinking hot tea – helps my tummy-aches. Am enjoying practising Joint Opening Gong and am slowly getting it. Lois

 Simple but powerful. Cyrano

 I really enjoyed Joint Opening Gong, it’s very relaxing and a lot of fun.  I am honoured to be taught such a beneficial skill. Cyrus

 Posted 4 October 2011

Hello to you all ~

 I wanted to share with you some thoughts that have arisen as a result of a conversation in class of late. We were talking about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I mentioned that I have a Qigong sister who suffered quite a bit from this.
When I talked to this dear friend, I asked her about her experience of how Qigong may have helped her.
She said that she has to remember that it is like when you earn money, it's important that you put your money in the bank and that you don't spend it all. She spoke about getting to understand her body more, what works and what doesn't, everyone being different, learning to listen to her body more regarding foods she eats, how you spend your time, etc.

 She said that the most important thing in her learning to be masterful around her illness was LETTING GO: the relaxation factor.

She had been SO determined to get well that it became a hindrance to her healing.  She expressed the image of FIGHTING disease and how tense your body language is when you think about fighting. She said she didn't start making progress until she accpted that she was ill. When she felt tired, she laid down. She could hardly move. She had to put one leg in front of the other to get anywhere. In her prior life, she had been very, very active, training horses. She learned to relax her whole body so that Qi could flow.
Every night she does the Level I warmup very, very gently and softly, not with a lot of energy, just stretching. Then she does Balancing Gong and meditation. She corrects the stress that her work on the farm has brought during the day, especially if she has been riding the quad a lot.
Particularly for those in the medical or healing arts world, it is so important to understand that in those professions, you give a lot of your Qi away to help others. She said that she may be the only mother in her country whose heart sank when her son was accepted for medical school just because it would be so difficult to stay healthy over a long period of time.
We are very blessed to have the skill we have to help to balance our energies and to let go of the adverse effects that our jobs can have on us, clear everything away and practise our beautiful movements with no mind.
Like the purple polo for this year says: "Be Peaceful. Be empty".
All my best to you ~~
~~ Sifu