T'ai Chi, Qi Gong, Meditation, and Yoga in Towson, MD

As acupuncturists, we often recommend to our patients that they take exercise classes to further enhance their health and promote faster healing. Often times we are recommending less mainstream classes like yoga, qi gong and tai chi because of their low impact. These classes can be intimidating to many of our patients who have no experience with these types of exercises.

When planning our new office location, we decided it would be an excellent addition to our practice if we could offer classes that we often recommend. We felt it would be more beneficial to our patients if they could take these classes in small groups to improve safety and effectiveness in conjunction with their medical treatment.

Our integrative philosophy has always been to create communication across the various medical modalities in our practice. We feel our patients will receive the greatest benefit by incorporating healing on every level: physical, mental and spiritual. As practitioners we were often hesitant to recommend a yoga class to someone with chronic or severe pain because we felt they may increase their risk of injury without direct supervision.

Our classes are designed to offer hands on instruction for every participant to protect people's health and make sure they are receiving maximum benefit for their effort. Our instructors have a depth of experience and training in helping individuals to achieve their health and fitness goals.

On your next visit, ask us which classes may benefit you.

CLASS DESCRIPTIONS

T’ai Chi (Taiji)

with Jeff Herrod
Gentle yet supremely demanding, the slow, meditative movements of T’ai Chi explore principles of Yin and Yang.  Appropriate if you prefer a no-impact, sustained-effort exercise but do not require extreme conditioning; correct practice improves balance and leg strength, develops contemplative relaxation, and cultivates ch’i for general wellness.  This is a regular instructional class and may be taken concurrent with the Morning Practice.

Fee: $75.   Preregistration required (min 4/max 8).

   > Click here for current schedule.

Morning Practice: T’ai Chi (First Section)

with Jeff Herrod

No prior T’ai Chi training necessary.  Millions of people worldwide begin their day with T’ai Chi Ch’uan.  Start your day settled and energized by this ancient system.  This practice meets every weekday morning.

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Private T'ai Chi

with Jeff Herrod

By appointment only. Call to set appointment.

$45 – 30 min (one-on-one)
$70 – 60 min (one-on-one)
(if 2 people - $20 more (30 min) and $30 more (60 min)

QIGONG CLASS

with Jeremy Harlow

Ancient Teachings of the Eight Pieces of Brocade

The form is called Gu Chuan Ba Duan Jin or "Ancient Teachings of the Eight Pieces of Brocade." It consists of eight individual exercises, some of which have multiply moves and variations. Each of the movements is designed to stretch and strengthen a specific part of the body and stimulate a particular organ-energy system, while also bringing the whole system into balance. This system of Qigong was designed to strengthen the body, to balance the vital functions and tonify the internal organs, to build immunity and resistance, and to drive stagnant energy and toxin residue from the body and energy pathways. All levels of experience are welcome.

Fee: $120. Preregistration required. DOWNLOAD FLYER BY CLICKING HERE!

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PRENATAL YOGA

with Heather Marchese, RYT

Join us for this 8 week hatha yoga class to help you relax and prepare for your upcoming birth. Class size is limited to six for maximum personal attention. We will cover breathing techniques and yoga postures. Please bring your own mat. Other yoga props will be supplied during class.

Fee: $120. Preregistration required. DOWNLOAD FLYER BY CLICKING HERE!

BASIC VINYASA YOGA

with Laura Mannarino

The word vinyasa means flow. Flow is attained by linking the breath to the movement of the body and staying mindfully connected to the body. Classes will also include yoga philosophy, pranayama (breath work), relaxation, and aromatherapy. Benefits of the practice - reduce stress,relax the mind and body, tone muscles, detox the body, improve posture, balance and flexibility.

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THERAPEUTIC YOGA BASICS

with Kristin Quinn

Gentle yoga exercises, breathing techniques, and meditation designed to release tension in the back, neck, and hips. Stress reduction, a calmer, more focused mind, joint freedom, better flexibility, and improved posture are just some of the benefits of taking this class. Perfect for beginners or those looking for a more restorative practice. Bring own mat.

Fee: $96. Preregistration required.

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8-Week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Class

with Gina L. Sager, MD, RYT

This class presents mindfulness meditation, breath work and yoga as critical skills for managing life's challenges.

These practices enable participants to see the value and preciousness of the present moment, open to the possibility of transforming crisis into opportunity, and minimize the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual tolls of ordinary and extraordinary stresses. The class is based the curriculum of Jon Kabat-Zinn and his group at University of Massachusetts Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Healthcare and Society, with whom Gina has done training. Dr. Kabat-Zinn is an internationally known teacher and author of Full Catastrophe Living; Wherever You Go , There You Are; and Coming to our Senses.

My classes include elements of yoga, ayurveda, meditation, and even some traditional Chinese wisdom. Although the class is based on the ancient Buddhist practices and philosophy of mindfulness, I aspire to present a class that is balanced and available to all people, regardless of spiritual or religious tradition.

So the work of mindfulness is about learning to pay attention moment to moment, without judgment…paying attention intentionally in each moment. And in each moment we always get to choose what gets our attention. The practices teach us how to change the mind to understand that things happen, many of which we can’t change; yet regardless of what occurs, we ALWAYS get to choose how to relate. So we don’t have to change what we’re thinking, but can always change our relationship to what is already so, or how we’re thinking about what is already happening.

This class trains us to do just that. Together we practice working with breath, re-inhabiting the body through the practices of yoga and yoga nidra, and learning to work with the mind by practicing formal sitting meditation. There are homework assignments weekly including 4 guided CDs for home practice-1 Body scan, 2 yoga and 1 sitting meditation. We practice together in class, but if you wish for your life to really change, you are invited to take this work seriously, do the homework as offered and really let it infiltrate all parts of your life.

Fee: $425. Preregistration required. DOWNLOAD FLYER HERE!

> Click here for current schedule.

JEFF HERROD

Jeff has been practicing T’ai Chi Ch’uan for over 35 years. He has studied in both America (with Mr. Herman Kauz, Mr. Robert W. Smith and Master Benjamin Lo) and Taiwan, RoC (with Master Liu, Hsi-heng and at the Shr Jung Institute in Taipei).

Jeff has been teaching The Simplified Yang Style T’ai Chi Ch’uan of Professor Cheng, Man-Ch’ing in the Baltimore area continuously since 1992. In addition to his duties at IHC, Jeff maintains a studio in Catonsville, MD, where he conducts classes and workshops of an advanced nature, including T’ai Chi T’ui Shou (Sensing Hands).

Jeff was charged by his teachers with the task of handing down this T’ai Chi Ch’uan to the rising generation of T’ai Chi players. Following that guidance, he hopes to provide his own students with some sense of the Tao of T’ai Chi Ch’uan and some of the skill to realize that Tao in their own lives.

Jeff’s other interests include rock climbing, swimming, orchids and Chinese tea. For more information, visit his website at www.ElementaryTaiChi.com.

JEREMY HARLOW

Jeremy brings a wide variety of experience to Dances with Spirit LLC of which he is the owner. He is a co-founder of the Qi Center of Maryland, which is a Qigong school that offers a Qigong teacher certification program. Through the National Qigong Association, Jeremy is a level III certified Advanced Qigong Instructor and Qigong Clinical Practitioner. He has been studying and practicing Native American Ceremony and shamanism since 1996. In addition to his experience as an energy practitioner and mental health nurse, he has studied the healing and martial arts since 1994. Graduating from the Baltimore School of Massage in 2001 and from nursing school in 1999, Jeremy specializes in several bodywork techniques, with his core practice emphasizing Transformative Therapy and Energy Healing.

KRISTIN QUINN

Kristin has earned her 200hr certification as recognized by the Yoga Alliance.

Over a twelve month period she trained at the Silver Lotus Training Institute and Center for the Healing Arts in Rehoboth Beach, DE. Kristin worked directly with the founder of the institute, Susan Hamodock, who has created her own style of yoga, called Svadhyaya Yoga. "Svadhyaya" literally means "study of the self," and this gentle, therapeutic form was developed from Susan's experience as a psychotherapist. Kristin received the benefit of Susan's vast experience with many different styles of yoga, including studies in Vinyasa, Iyengar, Ashtanga, and Kripalu styles.

Kristin has received in-depth study of yoga philosophy, anatomy and physiology, the chakra system, meditation, and practical asana and pranayama training and experience. It is her intention to begin a more therapeutic practice, eventually assisting physicians and psychotherapists, to offer an alternative to patients with health concerns.

Kristin is a highly sensitive and caring teacher who strives to connect with her students so that she can understand how best to serve their needs and intentions. She is deeply committed to bringing the therapeutic benefits of yoga to the general public in a more modern, "acceptable" way. She intends to make the practice of yoga more relevant in our society by taking away the misunderstandings, including the practice of religion or difficult contortions, and bringing an exercise to the public that is incredibly valuable to the quality of their health and overall enjoyment of life.

For more information, please visit her website, www.ecyoga.com

LAURA MANNARINO

Laura began practicing yoga in 2005 while living in Shanghai, China. She discovered the amazing benefits for mind, body, and spirit and has been practicing ever since.

She completed the 200 hour teacher training course with Kim Manfredi through Charm City Yoga. Come let her guide you through a practice that will leave you feeling great mind, body, and spirit!

GINA SAGER

Gina L. Sager, MD, RYT is a retired board-certified general surgeon, named one of Baltimore’s Top Docs in October 2000. She permanently left the practice of traditional Western medicine in May 2002 to explore her long time interest in holistic healing. She’s had professional training with Jon Kabat-Zinn in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, studied and practiced Buddhism in the Tibetan tradition, studied at Tai Sophia Institute in Maryland and is certified in Integrative Yoga Therapy.

She has used the wisdom of Ayurveda for personal healing since 2000, has recently completed a 60 hour certificate in Ayurvedic Nutrition with renowned author and teacher Amadea Morningstar, and works with Calvert’s Gift Farm, a small family owned organic farm in Sparks, Maryland to encourage the use of seasonal, local, organic produce for health and well-being. She is currently incorporating this work with her Ayurvedic and mindfulness training to offer seasonal, farmer’s market-based workshops on food, eating and self care in Baltimore.

She has taught Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction since 2004, yoga and yoga nidra since 2005, and teaches in yoga teacher training programs at Golden Heart Yoga in Annapolis and Tranquil Space in Washington DC. She also offers her programs to cancer patients and their families at HopeWell Cancer Support.

Gina believes that her path is to share what she has learned on her transformative journey by offering others the opportunity to reconnect with their own deepest nature, and learn to care for themselves using these ancient, holistic practices. You can visit her online at www.ginasager.com or email her.