A silence filled the air Saturday as various tai chi and qigong instructors and practitioners sunk their hips and glided across a grassy baseball diamond during the third annual World Tai Chi and Qigong Day at Skinner Butte Park in Eugene.
Even runners and bike riders on the path along the Willamette River joined in and celebrated.
“It’s fun that even the joggers are stopping by,” said Le Allen, tai chi practitioner and Eugene resident. “The rich community support and the acknowledgment of the ancient art was vital to this event.”
Eugene’s own World Tai Chi and Qigong Day celebration on Saturday was a free event that promoted the related disciplines of tai chi, a moving meditation that focuses on graceful movements and calm breathing, and qigong, an art and science that uses postures, breathing and concentration to gather one’s life energy.
The event originated in Kansas City, Mo., thanks to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Its goal was to share the physical and mental benefits of the Chinese martial arts that have become a growing interest in the museum’s study of Chinese medicine. It also sought to direct people to martial arts teachers in their communities.
Suman Sensi – tai chi, qigong and yoga instructor and organizer of World Tai Chi and Qigong Day from the Eugene Wellness Center- said the occasion allowed community members to experience various styles of tai chi and qigong from several teachers. He also said the demonstrations could help people become more aware of their physical and mental well-being.
“We want people to bring balance and health to their personal life,” Sensi said. He said he thought this was achieved during World Tai Chi and Qigong Day because the instructors and participants shared their knowledge and experiences in the Chinese culture.
Paul Naylor, a physiology and biology major at the University who practices tai chi and yoga, said the event was informative.
Naylor, who was one of the 75 participants, said he was exposed to the many styles and applications of tai chi and qigong. He also said he was happy to see people come together and exchange their energy and art with each other.
That is partially why Machiko Shirai, a University tai chi instructor, decided to demonstrate.
“To teach tai chi in class is just a way to make a living,” she said. “But to get together outside for natural healing is a very big event. I like to get involved to get everyone involved.”
The Oregon Research Institute, a nonprofit research institution that studies human behavior and development programs to improve individuals’ health, supported World Tai Chi and Qigong Day because it wants to spread the physical benefits of tai chi and qigong training, according to the group’s Web site.
ORI Senior Research Scientist Fuzhong Li said the event gave its participants some insight into how tai chi and qigong training can improve their health. In fact, he said, tai chi and qigong practice has been scientifically proven to reduce blood pressure, increase the quality of sleep and decrease the rate of falls in men and women older than 60.
For further information on these studies, contact ORI at 541-484-2123 or connect to its Web site at www.ori.org. For more information on World Tai Chi and Qigong Day, go to www.worldtaichiday.com.