Tai Chi & Qigong

Two complementary paths to movement, awareness, balance, and wellbeing

Tai Chi and Qigong are traditional Chinese practices that bring together movement, breathing, and mindful attention.

Although they share many principles, they are distinct practices—each offering its own way of exploring movement, awareness, and stillness.

Both can be gentle or challenging, simple or deeply layered. They can be practiced standing, moving, or seated, and many movements can be adapted for different abilities and levels of experience.

How Are Tai Chi and Qigong Related?

Tai Chi and Qigong share many qualities: relaxed movement, mindful breathing, balance, coordination, awareness, and an emphasis on moving with greater ease.

The distinction between them is not always a sharp one.

Tai Chi generally involves learning a connected sequence of movements known as a form. As students become familiar with the movements, they explore posture, balance, coordination, relaxation, and the connections between one movement and the next.

Qigong often uses individual movements, shorter sequences, breathing exercises, or quiet meditation to cultivate awareness and a sense of balance.

Tai Chi incorporates principles also found in Qigong, and Qigong exercises are often used to complement Tai Chi practice.

You do not need to choose one over the other. Many people find that the two practices complement each other beautifully.

What Might You Experience in Practice?

Every class, teacher, and student is different, but practice may include slow and mindful movement, gentle weight shifting, balance and coordination, breathing awareness, relaxation, standing or seated Qigong, Tai Chi forms, and periods of quiet or stillness.

Some days the practice may feel physical. Other days you may become more aware of your breathing, your balance, or how much unnecessary tension you are holding.

There is no need to arrive already flexible, coordinated, calm, or experienced.

You begin where you are.

Explore Each Practice

Whether you are curious about the flowing movements of Tai Chi or the gentle, mindful exercises of Qigong, we invite you to learn more.