UKTQF in the Lake District

Since the United Kingdom Taiji Qigong Foundation took up residence in the Lake District things have been on the up. Through this Courses offered by the UKTQF people are able to learn and use the simple practices of Qigong and put to good use the skills of many Chinese Health and Medical. These skills are easy to learn they can be and are being practised by people of any age, changing their outlook and helping to improve their health.

The practices of Taiji Qigong can be profoundly valuable, as they were for Tony Bennett, who had been searching for many years of struggling with a chronic health condition, he was eventually to find what he was looking for in the Chinese Health Art of Qigong:

‘I am confident in saying that practising Qigong has made a fundamental contribution to the stabilisation of my health. I am now able to return to work.’

Increasingly people are becoming interested in alternative ways to maintain their health and well-being. Many are now seeking advice and therapy from complementary and alternative practitioners, including those with chronic conditions that do not respond to conventional Western medical treatment.

Most alternative therapies and practices are based on and apply a knowledge of what can be referred to as the body’s energy system ­ Acupuncturists, Bowen therapists, Shiatsu practitioners, to name just a few. The understanding and practise of these therapies grew out of something called Qigong.

Thousands of years ago, Chinese Health Practitioners discovered that using their minds and making particular movements had a benefit to their physical well being and their mental health. It was out of this understanding that the current ‘energy’ therapies grew. This knowledge was passed down from generation to generation, and is now available to people in this country through the learning and practise of people who have spent many years studying in China.

One such group is the UKTQF, who have spent years dedicating time and practice to learning these skills and ideas from masters around the world. In establishing the Foundation the they are making that knowledge available to people in the Lake District as well as the U.K. and Europe.

Qigong and its development into Taiji for Health is now accepted by major institutions. For example, the World Health Organisation officially recognises Qigong and Taiji as being of benefit to people suffering from chronic conditions such as MS and ME. It is accepted by our government that teaching Qigong and Taiji to elderly people is a successful preventative measure, reducing the incidence of damaging falls.

Dr. Margaret Birks Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon suggests:

‘That Qi Gong and Taiji are desirable activities for people of all ages and levels of fitness. They offer many benefits, some measurable and some less tangible, to body systems, mental health and spiritual well being. Thus aiding the attainment of the WHO definition of health (a state of well being and absence of disease).
Dr Margaret Birks MB BS BSc MRCS

It is great for all at the UKTQF to see more people looking at ways of taking control for their own well being and learning the skills of Taiji Qigong. There is nothing more rewarding than positive feedback from attendees of workshops who reaffirm the benefits of the practice and the affects it can have on day-to-day living and health. People interested in coming to workshops organised by the UKTQF or developing Taiji Qigong as a means of career development should contact us.