Especially now, especially outside

Tai Chi – Chi Kong is a way to work on the soul through the body and release stress and energy barriers.
When we practice outside, surrounded by trees – we achieve greater relaxation.
We met up with Ojas, who instructs groups at Ramat Hanadiv
(Reading time: 2.5 minutes)

Ramat Hanadiv Gardens, Zichron Yaacov, Israel.

If you come to the Gardens on Wednesdays at 8:00 in the morning, you’ll see a group of people moving with hypnotic slowness on the lawn. The movement they’re practicing is Chi Kong and Tai Chi, martial arts based on styles of movement and world views originating in ancient China. The power of the practice is in balance and synchrony between body and soul. This is always helpful and essential, but particularly effective at the moment, when we’re all under stress, distracted, and lacking strength.

The group at Ramat Hanadiv (you’re welcome to join in on Wednesdays, details here) has been led for the last seven years by Ojas, an instructor of Tai Chi, Chi Kong, meditation and guided imagery for over 25 years. Ojas explains about the essence of movement: ‘Chi Kong exercises and Tai Chi katas work on the chi, the life energy, at three levels: physical, energetic, and mental. The exercises are a way to activate the chi, increase the feeling of vitality and release energy barriers in the body that develop due to stress and pressure or various physical problems’.

During complex times, like the current period, the mind escapes to disturbing thoughts and anxieties. Presence in the moment leads to release of tension.

אוג'ס עם קבוצת אנשים, מתרגלים טאי צ'י על הדשא ברמת הנדיב

According to Taoism and Buddhism, the two central ideologies that underlie these martial arts, the body and the soul are one unit; every mental-emotional problem has a physical expression, so movement affects all of these levels. Ojas emphasises that in the Chi Kong and Tai Chi methods, in contrast to psychology for example, we work on the soul through the body. The motto is soft, slow, flowing movement based on the following principles:

Flowing movement – when the body moves, all of its energy begins to flow, creating movement in the soul as well.
Slowness – the pace of life and the level of physical stress are interconnected. The body’s natural pace is slow, so as our lives become faster and more stressful – the internal tension increases. When we slow down, the level of stress decreases.
Softness – working on the body with no effort or minimal effort brings relaxation, tranquillity and softening at the physical and mental levels.

Breathing is the best way to release stress and calm anxiety. The way we breathe is very important in this martial art

What is the right way to breathe during training?

‘Breathing is the best way to release stress and calm anxiety. The way we breathe is very important in this martial art. The emphasis is on deep belly breathing (breathing deep into the belly, in contrast to regular breathing, which is high and shallow and directed to the chest). Through this breathing method the life energy, the chi, reaches the centre of the body, bringing stability, equilibrium, and mental balance’.

How does Chi Kong help us during tough times?

‘During complex times, like the current period, the mind escapes to disturbing thoughts and anxieties. Presence in the moment leads to release of tension. The mind is a factory of thoughts that always focus on something that happened in the past or will happen in the future.

There is one moment in life that is the vulnerable point of the mind, and that is the present. When we focus on the here and now, like when we practice breathing to a specific organ, we don’t think about other things and the mind is silenced. Moreover, the beauty of this art is that the exercises are simple and easy to remember’.

Training outside helps us connect to nature. Landscape, trees, and open landscapes have a positive effect on the state of our consciousness

What are the advantages of practising outside at Ramat Hanadiv?

‘According to Taoism and Buddhism, the two central ideologies underlying this martial art, man is a part of nature and his main objective is to return and find his self-nature. Training outside helps us connect to nature. Landscape, trees, and open landscapes have a positive effect on the state of our consciousness; therefore, the Chinese usually practice Tai Chi in parks. They believe that this landscape introduces happiness and life and releases the heart. It’s also better to practice barefoot, because when we stand, a kind of earthing takes place – a connection to the foundations of the earth, grounding. The fresh air, trees, and green landscape at Ramat Hanadiv and the clean, tidy space, are a kind of mirror, a beneficial effect of reflection from the outside in’.

If this conversation with Ojas has piqued your curiosity, and physical and mental tranquillity and calmness are exactly what you need right now – you’re welcome to try out a class and feel the beneficial effect for yourself.

The classes take place at Ramat Hanadiv on Wednesdays at 8:00 am.
They are suitable for all ages and do not require prior experience.
For details: Tai Chi in the Gardens – Time for a Time‑out!