The Meeting Point
In her book Hidden Path, (ISBN 978-0-9555617-0-2) published by Oshadhi Publishing, Vanessa Graham describes her first meeting with Kevin Crawley. "I felt naturally drawn to Tai Chi " (... one day our local teacher was ill ...) "and his tutor came to take the class. I was immediately taken by his quiet steady manner. He did not converse with the group, just started teaching and left without a word at the end. Instinct told me he could give the answers I needed, and I asked my teacher to see if he would take me on a one to one basis. That was in the hope that the energies could be used to heal my skin complaint. He took me on. I appreciated the calm and stillness that surrounded his teaching, slowly when learning the Tai Chi form I began to get a better feel of the energies. When our regular teacher left, Kevin took over the class," (... and now, nearly 5 years later,..) he is moving on to practicing Falun Gong, which he, (personally) feels channels his energy more effectively than does Tai Chi ." In the July 2004 issue of the (US-based) New England Journal of Medicine, researchers at Stanford University showed that the most powerful predictor of lifespan is what the authors call "Exercise Capacity". The study involved 6,213 men, the average age was 59 years. Each man walked on the treadmill, while sensors monitored heart rate and a mask assessed oxygen and carbon dioxide flow. The researchers were able to estimate each man's maximal exercise capacity based on a lifestyle questionnaire. The researchers followed up each man later, the average follow up period was six years, and found that, after adjustment for age, the man's exercise capacity was the best way to predict which men would have died during follow up and which would live. This applied to all the men, with or without cardiovascular disease. Men with the lowest exercise capacities, measured as between 1.0 and 4.9, had about FOUR TIMES the risk of death than men with the highest exercise capacities, meassured at 10.7 or more. Even small improvements in exercise capacity can reap big benefits. As the study's authors put it, each improvement in fitness, no matter how slight it may seem, can help lengthen your life, and, according to researcher NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) are the calories we burn up just by fidgeting, moving around and changing posture! Scientists at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, USA studied obese and slim people over 10 days and found that on average the obese people stayed still for 2 hours longer than the slim ones! 2 hours being sedentary means around 350 extra calories not being used up, so .... you could just fidget for a bit!! "Dan Earthquake", endurance swimmer and former heats competitor in "The Strongest Man in Britain Competition" offers free exercise and dietary advice. If you have a specific question you can send it, and a reasonable sized ssae to: Dan Earthquake, P.O. Box 3471, Bilston, West Mids, WV14 6YB. To live a healthy life you must, to the best of your ability, look after your back. The Back Show is now an annual event held in London. Here is a link, which contains useful information, to the 2007 show. The name means 'finger pressure'. It is sometimes referred to as 'acupressure', as in Acupuncture without needles, or, as a form of Japanese physiotherapy. These descriptions are partially correct. shiatsu, theory views the body as a holder of Ki (Chi). Ki is a form of energy for which there is no equivalent in English or Western philosophies. Ki involves moving smoothly, in an unrestricted manner, in meridians, using the power of the body through the muscles, bones, skin and tissues. This movement gives a feeling of being well. The Oriental approaches to medicine do not separate the mind and the body as we do in Western medicine. So, along with this smooth flow of Ki, comes a spiritual sense of well being, of being happy with oneself and one's life.
One who affirms himself is not recognised
One who shows off has no credit
One who knows others is smart
One who knows himself is brilliant
One who speaks does not know
One who knows does not speak
The Sage holds on to oneness and becomes the model
in the land
Precisely because he does not compete
Nobody in the land can compete
With him
Wisdom consists of being led by your own inherent nature -
no more
See and Hear yourself
People who only see and hear others
And never see and hear themselves
Constantly try and control others
And are constantly jealous of what others
Possess and enjoy.
Welcome to Ki Therapies,
a company registered and run by Kevin Crawley. From being a banker, Kevin turned his career into that of Tai Chi teacher; Tai Chi healer (Buqi); and Qi-gung instructor. He has learnt and taught shiatsu, and practiced reiki healing; oriental massage; palmistry, numerology and graphology. Kevin taught Tai Chi at Morley College, in Central London for some years; he instructed in Tai Chi at "in-house" classes at the Foreign Office in London, and undertook staff Tai Chi sessions at tthe HQ of the Department of Social Security, also in Central London. At Chichester, East Sussex, Kevin demonstrated to a conference of more than 300 GPs. He ran his personal Tai Chi classes in Brighton, Burgess Hill and Haywards Heath, West Sussex.
Kevin's friend David runs Tai Chi classes in the London SW14 area, a regular class is on Wednesday evenings.
What is Rising Phoenix Tai Chi and Qigong? Without the use of drugs or special equipment, these ancient exercise systems, based on Taoist principles and Traditional Chinese Medicine, can help those who practice Tai Chi to achieve better health, and to live a longer, more harmonious, life.
Tai Chi Chuan and Qigong, (pronounced Chi Kung), use a sequences of graceful, gentle movements, developed by martial arts masters centuries ago. These promote wholeness and health, through body alignment, which is achieved through gentle stretching, and folding, and opening of joints. Natural breathing and the releasing of habitual tensions in the body, and mind, also helps participants connect with their own sense of well-being and vitality.
Tai Chi , though, is more than just an easy-going work-out. Researchers have systematically reviewed nearly 50 separate Tai Chi studies to reveal some wide-ranging health benefits that confirm this.
Vol. 164, No. 5, 3/8/04, "Tai Chi Helps People with Chronic Health Problems". Alison McCook, Reuters Health, 3rd October, 2004.
T. Edwin Atwood: "It's not how long you exercise. ... It doesn't need to be marathons or running, just walking briskly every day for half an hour is a great risk modifier".
Osteopaths use manual methods to find tense and tender areas, and stretch muscles, and to mobilise joints. In the UK they are governed by the General Osteopathic Council: tel. 020 7357 6655. This treatment is not usually available on the NHS. The underlying philosophy behind osteopathy is that the body has a natural tendency to heal itself, but this can be disrupted by imbalances of the body structure. Treatments are normally done by using gentle stretching and mobilising techniques, and are usually helpful for sports injuries; back pain; neck pain; joint pains, arthritis, headaches, migraines, work strain; repetitive strain injury; muscle strains; sciatica, and general stiffness. Shiatsu is a non-invasive form of massage that originates from Japan.
Brett McBain, Holiday Co-ordinator Therapeutic Holidays Centre,
http://vegetarianresort.com .
Charity and Oreo's Hamakua Retreats: www.oreosrainforestretreat.com
