Walk this way....

Venture Outdoors Tai Ji Players joined me May 1st for our first monthly Mindful walking practice with guided QiGong and Tai Ji . Can you glimpse the river on our right?

We had a wonderful time together in Riverview Park, Oakmont.

(See a related post from April "What Goes Around Comes Around:We are all Interconnected')

We had a delightfully diverse group for this first Venture Outdoors session. One young married couple in their 20's invited their mother-in-law -- a couple in their 60s joined us -- a serious runner interested in Chi Running and Chi Walking, two working women in midlife, my yoga and meditation buddy Gentleman Jerry (80+ years old) and last but not least, a Mom of three - who's husband arranged for her to attend - as part of his entire week-end birthday celebration package for her !!!

I had a lot of fun introducing one of my favorite Pittsburgh sites for walking and Tai Ji practice and we topped it off with a social walk along the beautifully landscaped walkway and some window-shopping up on Allegheny River Blvd, Oakmont.

I'm looking forward to our next offerring -- June 12th - same location -- each month. New-comers are welcome to join us -- and maybe we'll have some returnees developing their practice.

If you are in the 'burgh -- check it out! Registration at http://www.ventureoutdoors.org/

If you are elsewhere on the globe and are practicing mindful walking and/or Tai Ji out in nature -- I'd love to see your pictures and read about your experience -- do add your comments at the bottom of this entry!

Yours in Wellness, Gratitude and Reverence for All Life,
Suzen Sharda Segall

This blog post can be reproduced in its entirety with the following information:

© Suzen Sharda Segall 2010, CelebratingtheInnerHealer.com

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Blog: www.celebratingtheinnerhealer.blogspot.com

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Suzen Sharda Segall, Wellness Personal Trainer/Consultant, designer and facilitator of BodyArts Therapeutics, has provided an integrated approach to health and wellness for a wide variety of populations, internationally,for over thirty-five years

I'm Back!

Wow -- I can't believe it's over a month since I posted here --with all great intentions to share with you several times a week --once I returned from the Caribbean Holistic Holiday. Not so suprising that with all the intensity of preparing for my presentations there and disrupting my own natural rhythms before and during the cruise, and with the four additional wellness journeys scheduled soon after my return, plus further abundance of wonderful special events I presented at in Pittsburgh April and May 1, I simply found myself in need of time out -- offline -- to restore inner balance along with managing my first laptop crash -- (she breathes out) interesting how our internal rhythms and outer forces dramatically mirror one another at times -- Sad to say my tango time and choir rehearsals also got shelved temporarily.

So little by little, I am restoring my energy and enjoying blooming where I am planted -- at home -- enjoying anew my re-established daily and weekly life-enhancing self-care practices and activities with like-minded seekers of peace and joy -- all the while continuing to Celebrate the Inner Healer! So how are you doing with the dance of activity-rest this Spring-Summer season of huge change?

I've included here a great photo of the unique Earth Day birthday celebration on the river in the 'burgh where I was honored to share some QiGong and Tai Ji Dance of the Five Elements. I was also guided to lead Joan Adibi's women's circle in a special birthday blessing spiral dance/chant. No picture of the dynamic spiraling hug to Joan --no mp3 of us chanting, but here is the lovely blessing written by the Sufi teacher Hazrat Inayat Khan:

May the blessing of G-d rest upon you,
May G-d's peace abide with you.
May G-d's presence illuminate your heart,
Now and forever more.

Namaste ~ I See You
Yours in Wellness, Gratitude and Reverence for All Life,
Suzen Sharda Segall

This blog post can be reproduced in its entirety with the following information:
© Suzen Sharda Segall 2010, CelebratingtheInnerHealer.com

Listen at: http://tinyurl.com/
Blog: www.celebratingtheinnerhealer.blogspot.com

Or on its unique radio channel at:

Suzen Sharda Segall, Wellness Personal Trainer/Consultant, designer and facilitator of BodyArts Therapeutics, has provided an integrated approach to health and wellness for a wide variety of populations, internationally,for over thirty-five years

World Tai Chi Day Pittsburgh + 70 cities worldwide

The April 24th worldwide Tai Chi Day heralded many community-building events -- I want to give you a glimpse of a local and global example from that day. I'm also dedicating my upcoming June 12th Venture Outdoors Mindful Walking with Qi Gong and Tai Ji event to the mission of WED World Environment Day and Water Matters Global Conference here in Pittsburgh on June 5th.

Here are 9 pages of CNN videos from around the world documenting WTCD events:

http://www.ireport.com/search/ireports?q=tai%20chi
You can further catch the wave of enthusiasm and harmony on http://www.worldtaichiday.org


PURPOSES OF WORLD T'AI CHI & QIGONG DAY:

1) To educate the world of the profound health & healing benefits of Tai Chi & Qigong for individuals, communities, and nations

2) To thank Chinese culture for creating and sharing these profoundly valuable gifts with the world

3) To bring together people across racial, economic, religious, and geo-political boundaries, to join together for the purpose of health and healing, providing an example to the world.

4) To give a powerful example of how the power of the internet can be used to foster global health & healing.

I'm in awe of how well these intents were accomplished -- shared vision is powerful chi!

I'm happy to report, BodyArts Therapeutics hosted a very sweet WTCDay gathering in Pittsburgh -- and though the threatening rainy weather kept us from The Point, we were very aware of the blessings of our waters as we danced and played at another favorite natural setting - Boyd Community Center. We had a few magic moments -- starting off as we walked silently,mindfully up the path to the entrance and enjoyed the small grove of flowering trees that began showering us --welcoming us --- blessing us with sweet pink blossoms!!! Concluding our practice - we learned that two of the players had birthdays that week-end - so we ended singing happy birthday to each and every one of us - deeply celebrating the inner healer in harmony with the nature within and around us.

Linked: One breath...One World.

Namaste, I See You
Yours in Wellness, Gratitude and Onenes,
Suzen Sharda Segall

This blog post can be reproduced in its entirety with the following information:

© Suzen Sharda Segall 2010, CelebratingtheInnerHealer.com

Listen at: http://tinyurl.com/

Blog: www.celebratingtheinnerhealer.blogspot.com

Or on its unique radio channel at:

Suzen Sharda Segall, Wellness Personal Trainer/Consultant, designer and facilitator of BodyArts Therapeutics, has provided an integrated approach to health and wellness for a wide variety of populations, internationally,for over thirty-five years

CHIGolf

I had a great time at the Wellness Fair for PPG Industries in Murraysville this week.

We're launching a TaiChi@Work lunchtime series and I was able to talk it up to a number of folks who missed the earlier Lunch and Learn event.

Coming off of the Holistic Holiday at Sea, with my introduction to SwingGolf from Les Bowlin, was great timing. I'm excited to see how the PPG new Tai Chi players apply what we share at lunchtime TaiChi@Work on the links.

I'm designing a separate cyber discussion group for CHIGolf that you are welcome to join -- and pass along to to your foursome. 'Tis the season for conditioning -- and I'm confident that practicing some QiGong and Tai Chi warm-ups can minimize the risk of typical opening season injuries (not to mention, shaving a few points off the scores!)

Anyone out there already practicing the principals of SwingGolf or the Tao of Golf, I'd love to hear from you!

And if you are in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania on Saturday April 24th or May 1st, and you would like to get a glimpse of my practice, you are welcome to join in some fun Chi experiences:

April 24th For World Tai Chi Day, we'll begin at 9:30 am at the fountain at Point State Park -- honoring and supported by our Four Rivers --

Players from all schools of Tai Chi are welcome to demonstrate their style as well. At 10 am we'll be joining in the world-wide wave of energy intending to breathe peace, in harmony with nature.

And on Saturday May 1 experience Chi with me -- with Mindful Walking and Guided Tai Chi practice sponsored by Venture Outdoors - in Oakmont.

Yours in Wellness, Gratitude, and Fresh Air,

Suzen Sharda Segall

What Goes Around Comes Around:We are all interconnected

Some further musings on magical moments/gifts that the universe blessed me with during the Wellness Voyages 2009 and 2010:


I shared this 2009 experience in Cozamel with the players in the Mindful Walking with Tai Ji Dance of The Five Elements workshop last Friday morning before we visited Grand Turk on the Holistic Holiday at Sea:

Have you noticed that when you choose to stray off the beaten path and commune with nature and your inner healer, forces of the universe seem to come together to assist you?
My first Holistic Holiday at Sea journey was during my birthday week in March of 2009.


One day, before lunch, my travel companion returned from the Cozamel port and with some frustration reported she was unable to get beyond a small perimeter of shops to get to the beach for a quiet moment. I assured her that we'd go back together and I would find a way out of the tourist area and get us to the beach; she was eager to have me introduce her to the Tai Ji Dance. We meandered through the blockades and made our way to a main street. I simply walked from center, following my intuition.


Soon, I spotted the entrance to the beach -- which happened to be connected to the fancy hotel across the street. Walking a couple of feet into the entrance we were greeted by a native in a starched white uniform who politely asked if we were guests of the hotel. I proudly explained that we were guests of the Costa Fortuna, just here for a couple of minutes. My friend chimed in with a heart-felt plea: Can't we go down to the beach? My friend needs it for her health?


For some reason, the security guard permitted us fifteen minutes. We gleefully proceeded to the shoreline -- with rows of sun-bathers lounging behind us -- we faced the ocean and I began tuning to the rhythm of the waves...breathing to center....silently starting the Tai Ji Dance with fellow travelor following. As we finished, two American teenage men appeared. The older asked me "Are you having a class?" I said YES! and they asked to join in. "Sure!"


We proceeded to again Dance the Dance of the Five Elements -- and this time, I cued the three players with the story. It begins with: Before we start anything of importance, step back and clear the path....


We finished and the older teen asked "Can we do it again?" "Sure!" By this time, a mom and young daughter ran over and this Argentinean woman happily asked "Are you doing Tai Ji? Can we join you?" "SURE!" And bringing up the rear a 10 year old local boy with a cast on his arm tagged along too!


We danced the dance -- and again -- the first young man asked to do it again. He said "I haven't had this much peace for two years." My heart expanded, asking where have you been for the past two years? His response was "IRAQ". My breathe let go, we hugged heart-to-heart and I had the sweetest celebration of the Inner Healer in that moment.


My friend and I knew this was no accident and tearfully celebrated together the awareness that straying from the beaten path is a good thing!


Fast forward to March 26th 2010:

Later, Friday I went off the ship to Dance on the Grand Turk beach. Though it was very crowded, I managed to keep my feet immersed in the luscious water at the shoreline, and practiced my Medical QiGong sequence with waves pouring in, storing Chi - Life Force in through Kidneys.

After a series of purging exercises, I continued with building, toning, balancing and healing energy for each organ system and then ...out of nowhere - a MQG "Master" guided me - tweeked my hand position - gave me some tips to refine the movements -- and then simply walked away -- and I didn't miss a beat (rhythmically tuned to the waves) I continued the practice with these new refinements and soon, once again, the "Master" returned -- and encouraged me and offered another tip -- watching 'til I incorporated it, smiled and again, walked down the beach....... The photo above left my magical master out!

My experience was dreamy - and even stunning -- and in every cell I was grateful for the abundant giving-receiving dance of life - and the ever-deepening knowing that we are not alone --we are all interdependent -- and that our birthright is to thrive Celebrating the Inner Healer - in harmony with nature.

Praego, Praego, Praego! Thank you one and all!

Namaste,

Suzen Sharda Segall

This blog post can be reproduced in its entirety with the following information:

© Suzen Sharda Segall 2010, CelebratingtheInnerHealer.com

Listen at: http://tinyurl.com/

Blog: www.celebratingtheinnerhealer.blogspot.com

Or on its unique radio channel at:

Suzen Sharda Segall, Wellness Personal Trainer/Consultant, designer and facilitator of BodyArts Therapeutics, has provided an integrated approach to health and wellness for a wide variety of populations, internationally,for over thirty-five years