qigong

The Five Animals is a playful and expressive form of Qigong inspired by the tiger, deer, bear, monkey and crane. The aim is not simply to imitate the animals, but to explore their different qualities: the tiger’s strength, the deer’s lightness, the bear’s rooted power, the monkey’s agility and the crane’s balance and grace. This variety makes the practice particularly enjoyable while encouraging mobility, coordination and imagination.

Yang-style Tai Chi is a longer and more intricate sequence in which each posture flows continuously into the next. Its slow, rounded movements develop balance, coordination, weight transfer and an awareness of how power can travel through the whole body without unnecessary tension. It takes longer to learn than Shibashi, but that challenge is part of its appeal: the form gradually becomes both a movement practice and an absorbing exercise for the mind.

The Eight Brocades, or Ba Duan Jin, is a traditional sequence of eight exercises, each exploring a different pattern of stretching, opening, turning or strengthening the body. It is generally more structured and physically direct than Shibashi, but the movements remain slow, controlled and adaptable. The complete sequence is relatively easy to remember and provides a satisfying way to mobilise and engage the whole body in a short practice.