Spring Newsletter - Mind Body Movement with Christine

Welcome to the Mind Body Movement Spring Newsletter

Spring does not arrive loudly. It returns in subtle ways with longer light, softer air and early morning birdsongs. Spring is the slow remembering of movement, the earth and the body saying yes to life again.

The Spring season is about soft expansion, potential and creativity. In Traditional Chinese Medicine Spring correlates with the element of Wood, the source of rooting down to grow upward. Wood being strong yet flexible, grounded yet desires to move. New growth and sprouting plants gives us the color green, the color of new beginnings and hope. The spirit animal of the Spring season is the Dragon, offering us spiraling motion and lightness as well as feeling solid, strong and brave. In Spring Qigong we support the Liver and Gallbladder Meridians which are responsible for the smooth flow of Qi from the Winter Qi stored in the Kidney Meridians. The Liver Meridians also support the emotions of clarity, balance, assertiveness when in harmony and when out of alignment can results anger, frustration, stagnation. The healing sound of the Spring season is “schhuuuuu”, a sound to release stagnation, anger and to welcome clarity.

Spring is time to set goals. To be determined and directed while being fluid and flexible. The spirit of the Spring season invites gentleness instead of urgency, curiosity instead of pressure, and slow movement instead of forcing.

with gratitude, Christine

Current Classes and Offerings

Tai Chi Qigong Mind Body Movement Program

Tuesdays 9:30am at the Coeur d’Alene Library (No Class May 5, 2026)

This is a FREE ongoing program (donations gratefully accepted). You can join us any week or every week. All are welcome. See my website for more information on this and other classes.

Try Qigong with Hugging Tree

Visually, it looks just like its name…hugging a tree. Yet we are internally doing so much more than that. This Qigong movement invites us to root down, expand, compress, breathe and move with steadiness and softness.

Begin in a basic balanced stance, with your feet shoulder width apart a slight sinking in your knees and a lifted crown, arms soft and relaxed at your side. Bring your arms up from your side in a wide circle, like arms around a giant tree. Draw your fingers towards each other palms facing your body as if you are now giving the tree a gentle hug. Expand arms back out and repeat. Inhale as arms expand and exhale as your arms bring your fingers together to almost touch. Visualize the deep rooted connection on your feet on the earth. Feel the subtle sinking in your knees. Find the rhythm of your breath coordinating to the movement of the arms, inhale expansion and exhale drawing inward. Release the tension and feel the softness by dropping your shoulders and your elbows, allowing them to sink down. Notice the energetic connection within your palms as they face your body creating a space of connectivity. Explore doing this movement while sitting down, finding your roots and discovering your expansion and compression. When you are ready to complete the Hugging Tree Qigong movement, inhale with expanding arms and exhale allowing the arms to float back down to your side. Close your eyes and go through a few more breaths, maybe even with a gentle smile forming, knowing you have received this nourishing hug.

Want more Tai Chi Qigong?

Online Tai Chi Qigong

There are many great people and organizations out there. Some that I really enjoy are linked below. Most have free videos to watch, as well as paid courses to take.

Other In Person Tai Chi

Lake City Senior Center lists a Tai Chi program on Tuesdays at 9:00am

Hayden Senior Center lists a Tai Chi program on Wednesdays at 9:00am

As I hear about more places teaching or sharing Tai Chi Qigong locally I will make sure to pass that information on as well.