Nature Fitness and Tai Chi Health

Just what is nature fitness class and what do you do in class?
Written by instructor Lyn Hicks. 

I teach this class outside when I can for it is more valuable to do any type of fitness outside. We are caught in rooms, offices, gyms, buildings all day long. The rewards just in air quality as you are increasing your breathing is enough to do things outside. The trees emit oxygen and take in our CO2, so there is an incredible exchange  and clean, fresh oxygen.

We are more present and participating in the movement of our body when we are outside. We smell, hear, feel the air and maybe even have to pay attention to where we step. This present awareness is good for our sensuality, our aliveness and vitality. We are actually participating in what we are doing in full alert which supports the body in so many ways. It also gives  our mind and body a rest from all the rambling and intense feelings of anxiety or hurry. Our presence in nature is calming, soothing and resetting on a cellular level. Indoors has so much electricity and currents in the air that use our body to balance electrons. This creates oxidation which deteriorates our body systems. When we go outside, there is none of that, the negative ions outside fill our electrons shells so they are not unstable. Health wise, doing any fitness in nature is so beneficial on many levels.

During my class, you learn practices that  I call Tai Chi health. In some books, the movements I do are considered Qigong, which is the medicinal use of movement and the base of all martial arts. I was taught through an oral line of teachers from Maria Soledad from South America, The Dragon Gate Tai Chi Line. I do not teach the usual Tai Chi practice. I teach the health moves that we do every day and some of the wake up practices to keep the body fluid, aliven the organ systems and keep our body in a flowing energy. It reminds us what flow feels like, the pace we should be moving and how the body feels in this relaxed yet alert state.

 This is what I am required to do for my health as a teacher and it is practical health. You can take the moves I teach you and after a few classes, use them in your life to reset yourself if you are stressed, tired or needing fresh oxygen. I am all about being practical, finding tools we can use anytime of day to recenter ourselves in presence. These health moves are perfect and easy.

We also walk, chat about energy and the flowing energy of oxytocin. This hormone is present when we are in the parasympathetic system. We all need to learn of this system and find ways to get our body working in this relaxed, renewal nervous system. Our world runs in high adrenal stress and it is killing our body. Understanding this, the ways to shift yourself in a moments notice and practicing being in oxytocin trains our body to do it naturally. It is our healthful way of our body and supports regeneration and rejuvenation. We just have been  hanging in too much stress, panic and craziness for it to balance. A little practice and it will naturally use both systems more optimally.

We also clear our chakras in a variety of ways. I am in a Himalayan line of The Northern Gate, where Aharaj Yoga is used to strengthen the body and immune system. This allows us to get rid of that anxiety energy that is just stored in our bodies. It supports us to lightness,  feeling clearer and more focused. We gain angst energy in just living,  to clear our field with easy processes gives us a lighter attitude. We also are less likely to flip out on someone or some situation for we are using a practice to release stress before it builds up into illness or emotional explosion.  I will be teaching a weekly Tuesday evening class in September of just Aharaj Yoga. This art taught me to feel my energy field. It is so valuable in understanding our bodies, our health and our connection to the world.

I  teach numerous other eastern art katas I have learned in my 7 year study that support well being. Sometimes kidney practices for they our vital life organ in Chinese medicine and regulate our water which is the majority of our physical make up. I share some yoga asanas that I find healthful to support our spine. Sometimes we do breath movements that reset. I see what I need, what the students are needing and share from the vast practices I know. I am most interested in sharing tools with others that they can use in daily living throughout their day to reset. 

I was taught the yoga of living. So all is yoga, all moves can be made healthful, bring us to presence and support us in reset in a minute or two because that is often as much time as we have. My journey has been to gather tools for this. We are heading through our day, something occurs that throws us off or into stress and I have a plethora of physical, mental and emotional tools that take moments to reset myself back to control and direction. These are what I teach.

We do it outside if weather permits for there is not greater air supply or healing space to move in. We reset our spirit, minds, emotions and bodies in one practice. That is practical to me and less time needed. I encourage you to join me either Saturday am at 9:30 am or Tuesday mornings in August at 9:30 am. We meet at the Room at Meadowbrook and then go up to Lake Nockimixon, less than a mile away or hang here in the gardens and a woods trail out back. 

I look forward to sharing this with as many who want a true understanding of their body vehicle, how to move it to health and how to claim the right energy to be moving about the world it. A fun class and the practices are easy to do on your own at any time. Both classes are for men and woman.  Aharaj Yoga is more of a masculine practice but woman need it to strengthen their vital body.

Nature Fitness
Saturday and Tuesdays weekly, 9:30 am in August at the Room at Meadowbrook, $15
Aharaj Yoga
Tuesday evenings, 7 pm in September  at the Room, $15
Check our class listing of all our healing classes here. 
Details about Lyn Hicks and her classes can be found on her site lynhicks.com.