I’m enjoying learning tai chi. However, I feel like I’m bouncing from one class to the other. I’ve done the seven day challenge, and I’ve done brocade and I’ve done ocean stepping a few times. Is there another seven day challenge that I should be looking at or is the Hunt and Peck method the way to go? Mike

Hey Rooted Alchemy family 🌿 We’re always looking for ways to improve the quality of this community and the live sessions we share together. Today we had almost 20 people on the live call, which is really special to see. As we continue to grow, we want to make sure these sessions stay intentional, valuable, and supportive of your practice. Your honest feedback helps us do that. If you have a moment, we’d love for you to answer the quick poll below and, if you feel called, leave a comment as well. Quick check-in How satisfied are you with the live sessions so far? 💡 Optional reflection (comment below):If there’s anything you’d love to see more of or improved in future live sessions, feel free to share. For example: - Quality of streaming or audio - More time for Q and A or Chi Talk - Longer or more structured practice - More interaction or discussion - Encouraging more cameras on - Timing or pacing of the session No pressure to write anything long. Even a short note helps us continue shaping these lives in a way that serves you best. Grateful to be practicing alongside you 🙏

The Friday Qi/chat was very interesting and very informative. I took some notes that I know will be helpful to me throughout this year's practice. The "Standing Posture /Body Alignment" was a plus for me because I now understand that different standing postures might emphasize different internal effects depending on one's intent. Also, I have a better understanding of the "Dantian" and the 3 centers: awareness, breathing and activation. The future direction looks great and I'm looking forward to a year of focus, energy, intention and a new awareness. Thank you, Sonny, and thanks to our community for staying strong and committed to Taichi/Qigong 🌱♥️

The Qualities of the breath. The breath is something that is intrinsically linked to our practice and something that is often overlooked in other physical practices. You can look up and google many different kinds of breath work and even become a certified master of breathing;). So how does qi gong view breathing? Well first, let’s not over worry about breathing wrong or incorrectly. If you are currently alive then your breath is doing a great job of keeping you functioning and thinking, especially since the brain uses way more oxygen than almost any other part of the body, so thank your breath for all those good ideas:). Rather than think that we need to control our breath, instead look to become a student of your breath. Listen and observe for how it is already working alongside your movement and posture doing a great job without you ever having had to do a thing. To quote Sun Tzu, “The breath sets the strategy”, and how we connect to our breath is directly related to our concept of ‘song’. By taking the mental posture of a student, we can then relax into the deeper systems that bring stabilization and ease into our state. It is also good to know that the air we breath and exchange with the environment is an aspect of environmental Qi, which is something different from the qi we are observing within our system. The beauty of the breath is that it is something we can use to ‘shine a flashlight’ or “create resonance” within our entire body, but the respiratory process is contained within some very specific spaces and uses logical mechanics. Overtime, there is an integration of sensory inputs that will help support and benefit the system. It is as simple as beginning to learn more about the breath and how to interact and perceive it. Below are a list of qualities we can learn to observe and look for in our breath. These are intentions that we can carry with us to gently influence the nature and quality of our breath over time. Remember, intention is like a rock you cast into a pool. We are looking and listening for the splash and ripples and feeling for the change in current. They are also guides for further study as we can begin to learn what other aspects of our practice need to be present and cultivated to draw out these qualities more easily.

Hi Rooted Alchemy family! We’re excited to share that we’ll be having a live Qi Talk session with Sonny! 🗓 When: Friday, Jan 30th at 5:00 PM (PST) This is a relaxed, open conversation space where you can bring your questions, curiosities, and reflections around Tai Chi, Qigong, philosophy, training mindset, or how these practices show up in your everyday life. 💬 If you have a question or topic you’d love to explore, please drop it in the comments here. That way, Sonny can review them and help guide the conversation with intention, creating a richer experience for everyone. We’d love to see you there and share this space together 🌱