What is Qigong?

Qigong has its origins in ancient China but spread through Asia in many different styles. It involves physical movements/exercises, usually combined with visualisation. We enjoyed taking part in some basic Qigong movements which Kim encouraged us to make in a slow, controlled, mindful way.

Feedback was very positive especially as for many of us this was the first time we had experienced Qigong. There was a sense of calm and focus within the hall as we reflected on the need for quiet and stillness in our daily lives.  We also shared ways of incorporating Qigong into our professional practice.

Kim generously offered a raffle prize of six hours of Qigong lessons at one of his classes. This was won by a very happy Eleni Thompson (pictured above) who, co-incidentally, is one of the speakers at the next meeting on December 5^th.  During the December meeting we will marking the first birthday of the group with cake and seasonal nibbles so it would wonderful to see as many people as possible.

Everyone is very welcome at the group which meets every other month. And we were so pleased that seven newcomers, some FHT members, some non-members, some partners and some friends, joined us for this meeting.  The more the merrier – and we certainly do value merriment in the group!

To find out more about this friendly group by clicking on this link FHT local support group  or contacting the Federation of Holistic Therapists directly.

It was wonderful to welcome 18 people to the first meeting of the local support group for holistic therapists in Chichester and Surrounding Area run in conjunction with the Federation of Holistic Therapists (FHT).

Our members represent a wide range of complementary and beauty therapies and we spent some time discussing the benefits of the holistic approach.  Indeed, instead of the usual introductions that everyone dreads, we began with a mini research exercise to celebrate and share our skills within the group. Whilst the most popular therapies were reflexology and Indian head massage, other members also offer Sugaring, Pedicures, Flower Essences, Homeopathy, Journey Therapy and Laughter Therapy.  We all felt excited that there was so much to learn from each other.

Our speaker for the evening was local aromatherapist Carole Holmes, owner of Mellow skincare products, who shared inspiring tips and ideas for using essential oils during the festive season.  Carole also introduced us to her massage candles and we enjoyed using the aromatic oil for hand massages.

Our Second Meeting – February 2012

It was a bitter cold evening outside but we were snug and warm in St Michael’s Hall! Around 14 of us gathered together to inspired by Jon Critoph, Education Development Manager at FHT. The subject was New Year – New Year! And Jon (pictured below with Mary Atkinson and Toni McGloin, Joint Co-ordinators of the group) shared tips and stories to help us look  at our business ventures and ourselves in a different way. It was the perfect tonic – and much appreciated by all. A few days later, several members told me that they had already used the techniques to good effect.

Feedback from the previous meeting was the chairs were a little hard so we are encouraging you to bring a cushion. Some people also found the hall a little hard to locate in the darkness of December and February – but Ronni solved the problem with a lit-up sign!

Our April Meeting

We were delighted to welcome so many new faces to our April meeting with Lisa Sturge from Laughterlines Coaching, giving us all a good giggle. The topic was Laughing is Good For You!  Lisa shared fascinating insights into why laughing brings so many benefits for health and well-being – and we took part in lots of laughter exercises. All in all, a very successful evening. Indeed, I enjoyed myself so much that I forgot to take any photographs!

Our June Meeting – Introduction to Chair Massage (please click to read blog entry)

Our Next Meeting – June 6th 2012 – Introduction to Chair Massage

Date: Wednesday 6th June 2012 – 7pm to 9pm

Venue: St Michael’s Hall, Summersdale Road, Chichester, PO19 6PN

Topic: Introduction to Chair Massage

Speakers: Rachel and Meghan from Jing Institute of Advanced Massage Training

On-site massage has become increasingly popular in recent years as office workers experience problems such as migraine and wrist RSI’s. During this interactive workshop we will be looking at some tried and tested techniques and self help exercises that can be adapted for use on an ordinary chair. This workshop is suitable for all – no bodywork experience required.

Rachel Fairweather and Meghan Mari have more than 30 years experience in the industry working as advanced therapists and trainers, first in New York and now throughout the UK. A truly dynamic duo celebrated as two of the best trainers in Europe by their students and colleagues. Rachel and Meghan have set up first level 6 (degree level) course in advanced massage in the UK. Last year they were awarded with the Camexpo Outstanding Achievement Award 2011 for their work in our industry.