China Trip
Was...May 15 - 29, 2007
Sorry you already missed this wonderful trip. Stay tuned for a future trip...
Over thousands of years the Chinese have developed an understanding of energy that is integral to their health care system, their martial arts and their spirituality. The science of healing energy, known as "Qi Gong" (pronounced "chee-gung"), is a rich treasure house of practices for self-healing and harmonious self-development, as well as for the treatment of others. Qi Gong opens up our understanding and experience of human beings as "energy fields" within the greater energy fields of the earth and cosmos.
As a student of tai chi since 1967 and a mind/body therapist since 1980, I was inspired to take the first of my six trips to China in the early 1990s to study Qi Gong as it is practiced there today. I must say I have never encountered a more holistic system of health for body, mind and spirit, nor one that is more pleasurable to practice, nor one that can more profoundly transform and rejuvenate one's state of being in a matter of minutes. Most delightfully, in all my teaching of Qi Gong to people of all ages, backgrounds, conditions and walks of life, I have never met anyone who did not experience its positive and pleasurable effects.
My teacher, the prominent Qi Gong master and medical doctor, Wan Su Jian, Director of the Chinese Taoist Medical Qi Gong Institute and Hospital in Beijing, has once again invited me to bring a group of professionals and community members for two weeks of study and adventure as guests of his Institute. I assure you there will be no more satisfying or spirit-opening way of experiencing China than through the medium of Qi Gong study, or through the conscientious caretaking and friendship of the Institute staff.
Early mornings and evenings will be dedicated to learning Qi Gong self-development practices and to receiving treatment. Day trips to temples, parks and holy places, as well as to the Great Wall, the Summer Palace and other historical sites, will also be used as settings for Qi Gong training and practice. Participants will receive a certificate of study from the Institute.
Our trip will be highlighted by a major excursion into the heartland of some of China's oldest and most untouched heritage. We will travel south across the Chinese countryside by train to the semi-tropical lushness of Hubei to visit Wudong Mountain, one of the great Taoist temple complexes set amidst stunning natural beauty. Wudong (along with Shaolin) is regarded as one of the two great fountains of China's martial arts legacy, and the home of Chang San Feng, the famous Taoist monk often referred to as the originator of tai chi chuan. From Wudong we will travel northwest to Mianshan in Shanxi Province, another mountain that is also home to early Taoist pre-eminence and ancient Chinese history. The geography features cliffs, waterfalls and hidden caves, including grottoes with remarkable Buddhist rock carvings and sculptures.
Finally, we will spend time in Pingyao, a well-preserved traditional city that was a thriving merchant town during the Ming and Ching dynasties. Having never been modernized, it offers an unchanged glimpse into the architectural styles and town planning of Imperial China, complete with its quaint cobbled streets, inviting shops, and the only remaining Ming Dynasty rammed earth city wall. All this - in addition to our Beijing visits to the Forbidden City, Great Wall, Chinese acrobats, and much, much more - will make for an intoxicating cultural experience set in the context of regular Qi Gong training, treatment and practice that will leave you with more good energy than you know what to do with.
This is a trip designed to nourish you geographically, culturally, clinically, spiritually and, above all, with days of warm friendship. You will also be nourished with delectable northern Chinese cuisine sure to satisfy both vegetarians and non-vegetarians.
THE NITTY-GRITTY
- For this two-week adventure we will fly from Boston on May 15 and return on May 29.
- The total cost is $3990 (Assuming double-room lodging. Single room, add $320.)
- This price covers:
- your round-trip airfare from Boston (Ask us about departures from other parts of the country.)
- all travel, sightseeing and fees within China
- all meals and lodging, wherever we go
- all classes and training
- all Qi Gong/massage treatments you will be receiving
In short, all expenses within China except personal shopping, etc.
- For those just signing up, the first payment of $1995 is due immediately (of which $1500 will be nonrefundable). The balance of $1995 is due by the end of March.
- A daily itinerary of the trip will be available on request. Visa information, logistical details, and other relevant information will be provided upon registration. Feel free to call with any questions you may have.
- We look forward to welcoming all participants within range to a pleasurable day of meeting together prior to our trip, to begin to know each other and to share something about Chinese language, culture, etc.