Here’s a great story from NPR, about how tai chi is like a “medication in Motion” for those suffering from heart failure or other heart troubles. Side effects? Increased peace, feeling of well being, greater capacity to breathe, handle stress easily and over all good feeling in the body and mind. Hmmm… a lot different from all those drugs out there which despite their potentially beneficial qualities, come with warnings, like, your head might blow off! And, tai chi and qigong work with your body and mind holistically, integrating the various parts as opposed to a more traditional allopathic approach which in the west tends to slice and dice the human body as if the old song, The leg bone’s connected to the thigh bone…“ wasn’t true. All our different parts are interconnected and the best treatment acknowledges that. So, of course you should see your doctor and get what ever treatment you need. I’m just suggesting what Dr. Andrew Weil and others advocate, the use of a more integrative approach.

So where ever you are, find a good teacher and start to go with the flow.

Photo by Robert F. Bukaty/AP from NPR web page.