What is Qigong? Qigong is a gentle exercise that combines breathing with relaxation and movement to improve health, make joints flexible, correct posture and increase vitality. It is also a core component of traditional chinese medicine (TCM). "Qi" is usually translated as energy and "gong" means work, so Qigong becomes energy work, or exercise with your vital energy. If practiced regularly it can benefit many health conditions such as headaches, insomnia, stress, arthritis, asthma, myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), backache, heart problems, and poor circulation. Qigong can help strengthen your immune system so you become ill far less frequently. It can help to give you a better quality of life and sense of well being, right through into old age. Importantly you will find yourself more relaxed and better able to cope with the difficulties life can sometimes throw at us.

The system of Qigong we teach is called Kunlun Dayan (Wild Goose) Qigong - Dayan simply translates as big wild goose. It was founded by a monk called Si Dao An, whose name means "The Peaceful Way". This profound skill connects with Daoism, Buddhism, Chinese Philosophy of the Five Elemements, and Yin Yang theory. It originated in the Kunlun mountains of China during the Jin Dynasty (265-420 AD) over 1800 years ago. The Kunlun Mountains were a spiritual retreat for many Daoists seeking enlightenment, and it is while living here that Dao An was able to observe the many wild geese on the mountain and begin to imitate their movements. Dao An was actually a Buddhist whose teachings and accessible translations of Buddhist scripture influenced Buddhists and Daoists alike. However, it was while living on Kunlun Shan that Dao An's observations combined with chinese medical theory to set in motion the development of a rich and powerful skill that would heal illness, develop flexibility, and prolong life. Over the centuries 72 different forms were created, the famous Wild Goose 1st and 2nd 64 movements being the original foundation form of the entire Dayan system. Dayan Gigong is now highly evolved, a truly diverse and empowering health exercise passed down to us via 27 generations of dedicated Grand Masters.

Grand Master Yang Meijun, who sadly passed away in 2002 (at the age of 104!) was the 27th Generation Inheritor of the skill. She had learnt from her Grandfather Yang Tak Shan, who in turn had met a travelling Daoist monk as a teenager and become the first person outside the monk's family to
be taught the secrets of the Dayan system. It is predominantly because of Yang Meijun's extremely difficult decision to slowly open her skill to the wider public that we now find ourselves in the privileged position of being able to learn this rare and precious art.

Back to Top