Let's face it - the world we live in today is very demanding. Increasing urbanization, technology and digital overload, financial and relationship problems, haste, consumerism are causing most people to be far more stressed and under far more pressure than ever, and our delicate physiological mechanisms to become out of balance. This results in people's disconnection from nature, overemphasis on the thinking mind and misalignment with the energies of the seasons. 

The concept of the key energies yin yang and jing, qi and shen (translated as essence, vitality, spirit or heart-mind) has formed the basis of the rich Chinese culture and its many traditions, mythology, medicine, arts, crafts and various aspects of daily life for centuries. All these areas are related to the path of heaven and earth (yin and yang). The ancient Daoists believed that man exists inseparably between heaven and earth and that there is a mutual relationship between these three (heaven, earth, man). To live in the Dao therefore means to live in harmony with the energies of heaven (yang) and earth (yin). 

Exercises that incorporate twisting, turning, screwing, whirling, bending, undulating, sinking down and rising up, wiggling etc. are often associated with the natural movements of snakes, serpents and thus dragons. Many Qigong forms, sets and specific Qigong movements have been called "Dragon" forms , sets or exercises.

In Chinese thought and as understood by Daoists, the invisible life force, qi, pervades the entire universe, Heaven and Earth, and everything is interconnected by it. As the key attribute of nature is changeability, or transformation, so the flow and change of qi takes place according to the changes occurring between the two seemingly opposite but complementary energies, Yin and Yang.

Being the people of the so-called Western world, we live in a world of dualisms that entail judgments and evaluations, followed by our reactions. Active - passive, strong - vulnerable, success - failure, generous - selfish, black - white. In every situation, if one thing represents good for us - then the other represents evil.

Have you ever seen such a weird blog title? Maybe it made you think: 'walking' is an easy thing, but why walk a circle? Only cats and dogs chase their tails spinning round and round. And what is 'bagua'? And finally what does that all together mean?

This year Chinese New Year started on 1st February 2022. Some call it Chinese New Year, some call it Lunar New Year, and these names are equivalent. It is called Lunar New Year because it begins with the rise of the 2nd new moon after the winter solstice. Usually celebrated for multiple days, China's New Year is called Spring Festival and it ends after two weeks, that is on full moon, with the Lantern Festival.