ZEN YOGA

The Art of Zen Yoga combines the gentle, flowing movements of Tai Chi, the energized breathing of Qigong and the deep, relaxed stretching of Shanti Yoga and the calm serenity of meditation. Zen Yoga is much more than a set of physical exercises, through integration of body, mind and spirit Zen Yoga creates flexibility, health, vitality and peace of mind. No matter what stage you are along your journey, be it totally new to exploring breath and movement or an accomplished martial artist, Zen Yoga can assist you in connecting body, mind and spirit. WHAT IS ZEN YOGA? Healthy Body - Calm Mind - Awakened Spirit Zen Yoga (Tai Chi - Qigong - Yoga) Zen Yoga is the creation of Aaron Hoopes based on more than twenty-five years of study, training and instruction in the yoga, the martial arts and meditation. It is a holistic system that covers the fundamental needs of physical health, mental clarity and spiritual peace. It allows anyone, regardless of age, physical fitness or state of health the ability to become more aware of the present moment and provides simple skills to help live a more enjoyable, fulfilling life. Through integration of body, mind and spirit Zen Yoga cultivates flexibility, health, vitality and peace of mind. SLOW DOWN

EXPAND YOUR HEART

NOURISH YOUR BODY

CALM YOUR MIND

HONOR YOUR SPIRIT

LOVE YOURSELF The pace of modern life is characterized by hectic social and economic activity. We generate stress in our daily lives as our concentration is fractured and our energy is sapped. Exercise is put on the back burner so that we can have more time to focus on the myriad of things that vie for our attention, when what we should be doing is becoming more aware of what is going on within us.

Zen Yoga seeks to assist this process. Its benefits include: Stress relief
Too Busy to Relax original poetry by Aaron Hoopes

Too busy to relax they say... complaints, excuses everyday They sound so weak, so stressed, so tired... a mundane world in which theyre mired No time to sit and just be quiet... their minds a rush of thoughts, a riot No chance they have to hear the sound... of natures wonder all around Of birds and trees and clouds and air... too much work, its just not fair This really seems quite sad to me... so much to do, no time to be

Breathe I say and move a bit Then after that we can just sit And watch the world at its own pace There is no rush, its not a race And if it were, what is the goal? Where are you going mind, body, soul?

Too busy to relax I hear... these words seem like theyre based in fear Tired, weak and too much stress... how did our lives turn such a mess? We dont need to look above... to find a place thats based in love Turn instead and look within... find your self, it is no sin Forgive, let go, open your heart... it is the only place to start Think on that and you might find... throughout your life you have been blind

Breathe I say and move some more Run, walk, jump, stretch on the floor Move your body, get up and go Feel the energy, let it flow Dont get caught in negative Habits that wont let you live

Too busy to relax? Not true!... this hoax must end, it starts with you If all you do is just the same... you never will escape this game Do something new, do something Zen... begin right now, not if or when Do one thing different, or two, or five... change how you live, become alive Do or do not, there is no try... step off the cliff and start to fly Begin with this, you wont go wrong... remember to breathe, deep and long.

Healing - including release of toxicity and improved blood circulation Qigong Energy Healing Qigong (also spelled Ch'i Kung and pronounced 'chee gong') is a powerful system of healing and energy medicine from ancient China. It is the art and science of using breathing techniques, gentle

movement, and meditation to cleanse, strengthen, and circulate the life energy (Qi) throughout the body. Qigong practice leads to better health and vitality and a tranquil state of mind. The practice of Qigong goes back thousands of years. It is one of the earliest known methods of diagnosis in Chinese medicine. Qigong involves reading the flow of Qi through the meridians and organs of the body. This is done by sensing the energy flow and directing Qi energy in a healthy and positive way. Shiatsu Shiatsu is an Eastern therapy of physical and energy rebalance. Usually it is often incorrectly defined as an form of massage, but it is much more than that. It acts through pressure with thumbs, fingers and palms applied to determined areas and points of the human body correcting internal dysfunctions, promoting health and treating specific illnesses. The vital Qi energy is the basic energy of the life of all livings beings. Qi flows in the human body through a series of interconnected channels, called meridians. The flow of Qi through the body is essential for physical, intellectual and emotional health and disturbances in this stream affect the body's state of health. Shiatsu is used to rebalance the energy by applying pressure to certain points along the meridians and encouraging a smooth flow of Qi. Kiatsu Kiatsu, like Shiatsu, uses the finger pressure therapy along the meridians to affect the flow of Qi through the body. Kiatsu, however, uses special breathing and relaxation techniques to assist the exchange of Qi energy between the both the practitioner and the patient. Reflexology Reflexology is a natural healing art based on the principle that there are reflexes in the feet and hands which correspond to every part of the body. By stimulating and applying pressure to the feet or hands, you are increasing circulation and promoting specific bodily and muscular functions. Increased will power Zen Tai Chi Gong blends deep breathing techniques with Tai Chi and White Crane spiritual martial arts to allow you to experience the full flow of energy through your body. Zen Tai Chi Gong offers you the opportunity to explore your flexibility with simple techniques that enable you to exist in the present moment fully and completely and realize your own perfection... Improved concentration UNDERSTANDING THE FIVE ELEMENTS by Aaron Hoopes The principle of the five primal elements is deeply embedded in Chinese philosophy and culture. They are considered as not only the five properties inherent in all things but also the five processes involved in the natural cycle of the world. Everything in existence is considered to have a relationship with the five elements. They are constantly engaged in a process of mutual interaction and change. Understanding the Five Elements is about recognizing the cycle of life and how it relates to your individuality and the experiences that make you who you are. The elements affect each other in a continuous process. The elements:

WOOD Wood represents growth. Its color is blue/green and is symbolized by the dragon. The Wood season is spring when plants are sprouting and new growth emerges. Its movement is toward increase. Wood is strong and rooted. People with strong Wood energy have clear goals. They are adept at making decisions and putting them into effect. People with weak Wood energy can fall under the control of anger and indecisiveness. The Wood element is related to the liver and the gall bladder. The liver stores blood, and regulates the smooth flow of Chi, while the gallbladder stores and excretes bile. Anger is the emotion that creates imbalance within the liver, while indecisiveness can affect the gallbladder. Typical Wood traits include; a systematic thought process, high morality, inner confidence, cooperativeness, and an optimistic life view. FIRE Fire represents growth reaching its maximum potential. Its color is red and is symbolized by the phoenix. The Fire season is summer when everything is growing with abundance. Its movement is toward maximum increase. Fire is hot and bright. People with strong Fire energy are charismatic and enjoy leadership positions. They enjoy expressing their views. People with weak Fire energy are susceptible to anxiety and restlessness. The Fire element is related to the heart and small intestine. The heart manages overall circulation while the small intestine is responsible for separating digested food and drink into usable and unusable parts. Anxiety can cause hypertension and palpitations of the heart. Restlessness can lead to urinary problems. Typical Fire traits include; decisiveness, confidence, intelligence, original thinking and a sense of adventure. EARTH Earth represents balance or neutrality. Its color is yellow and is symbolized by a cauldron. The Earth season is late summer when everything flourishes in sun-ripened fullness. Its movement rests in stability at the end of increase before decrease begins. Earth is productive and fertile. People with strong Earth energy are well grounded, nurturing and compassionate. They make good mediators. People with weak Earth energy are prone to digestive problems, diarrhea and a general lack of clarity of thoughts and feelings. The Earth element is related to the stomach and the spleen. The stomach starts the process of digestion, while the spleen receives and dispenses the energy from food and drink throughout the body. Digestive problems are directly related to the stomach while diarrhea and clear thinking problems are usually due to lack of proper energy disbursement by the spleen. Typical Earth traits include; organized, responsible, reliable, resourceful and disciplined. METAL Metal represents decline after reaching the pinnacle. Its color is white and is symbolized by the tiger. Metal season is Autumn when growth has stopped and things begin dying. Its movement is toward decrease. Metal is a conductor. People with strong Metal energy are self-disciplined and well-organized. They are comfortable maintaining structure in their life. People with weak Metal energy may have asthma, allergies or frequent colds. They can also have problems with deepseated sadness and often are affected by constipation or other bowel problems. They are often overly critical and unable to let things go. The Metal element is related to the lungs and the large intestine. The lungs move vital energy throughout the body while the large intestine is responsible for receiving and discharging waste. Breathing problems, colds and acute sadness are related to the lungs. Constipation and other bowel issues correspond to the large intestine. Typical Metal traits include; ambitious, determined, energetic, self-reliant and relentless. WATER Water represents decline reaching its maximum retraction. Its color is black and is symbolized by the tortoise. The Water season is winter when everything is dead or dormant. Its movement is toward decrease at its maximum. Water is cold and wet. People with strong Water energy are

strong, fearless and determined. They are able to persevere through hardship by relying on will power. People with weak Water energy are susceptible to urination difficulties as well as to fertility and sexuality problems. They can be fearful and withdrawn. The Water element is related to the bladder and the kidney. The bladder receives, stores, and excretes urine. Water metabolism dissipates fluids throughout the body, lubricating it, and accumulating in the kidneys. The kidneys also gather, store and dispense water and fluid throughout the body. Urination problems are directly related to the bladder while any issues involving sexuality or fertility come under the influence of the kidneys. Typical Water traits include; intuitiveness, expressive, flexibility, persuasive and diplomatic. The elements themselves can be thought of as symbols to describe how everything in the world relates to everything else. An analogy between the features and actions of something, and the characteristics of the five elements can be made so that the properties of things that are similar to those of wood are classified as wood; those things similar to fire, as fire, etc. Directions, for instance, can be classified according to the five elements. East is classified as Wood because the ascending characteristics of wood are similar to the sunrise. South is classified as Fire because the heat of fire is similar to the warmth found in the south (at least in the northern hemisphere.) West is classified as Metal because the descending characteristics of metal are similar to the sunset. North is classified as Water because the coldness of water is similar to the cold found in the north (again the northern hemisphere.) Finally the center is classified as Earth because it is the balance or neutrality of the directions, the reference point. Each element is intricately entwined with the others. There are two main cycles within the Five Elements: the Promotion Cycle and the Controlling Cycle. Promotion Cycle The promotion cycle is similar to the relationship a mother has with a child. The child is unable to reach its potential without nurturing from the mother. Wood promotes Fire. Fire cannot exist without Wood to burn. Fire promotes Earth. The ashes that result from a Fire become Earth. Earth promotes Metal. Metal is created deep within the Earth. Metal promotes Water. Metal gives off Water vapor. Water promotes Wood. Wood cannot grow without Water. Controlling Cycle The Controlling Cycle is sometimes called the destroying or conquest cycle. The relationship can be thought of as similar to an elder disciplining a child. Wood controls Earth. Wood displaces Earth as it grows. Earth controls Water. Water flows where the Earth leads. Water controls Fire. Fire is doused by Water. Fire controls Metal. Metal is melted by Fire. Metal controls Wood. Wood is cut by Metal.

Overabundance Becoming aware of the natural cycles that exists within all things allows you to see the world more clearly. Learning to balance the five elements helps to align the energy of your environment in order to create an atmosphere that is conducive to your obtaining access to your maximum personal energy. If you can learn to recognize when there is an overabundance of one or more of the elements within your self then you will be able to address this imbalance. Overabundance of Wood An overabundance of Wood can lead to inconsistency or lack of assertiveness. What often starts as an overzealous beginning is eventually left unfinished. The will grows weak. You become too passive, so that no action is taken. Other times you may become too dependent on the actions of others. There is a tendency toward laziness and procrastination, only doing just enough to get by. Work to gain control of yourself. Finish projects you start. Begin to make decisions without waiting for others to take the initiative. Assert yourself to shake off the lethargy. Overabundance of Fire An overabundance of Fire can lead to a lack of sensitivity and compassion towards others. There is a tendency to be forceful and impulsive, to drive through your agenda without a care for anyone elses thoughts or feelings. There seems to be an underlying impatience with everything. This impatience leads to frustration which, in turn, builds until there is an emotional outburst. Step back. Take notice of others around you and see if your actions are disturbing them. Relax there is no need for everything to be done immediately. Allow the possibility that there may be another way to do things. Overabundance of Earth An overabundance of Earth can lead to getting stuck in a rut of your own self-interest. There is a lack of desire for any type of adventure. Fear of the unknown leads to fear of everything new. Nothing new is attempted and nothing new grows. You begin to second-guess yourself as you lose faith in your intuition. Seek out change. Do something to shock yourself out of your routine. Do not be afraid to fail. Even if you dont succeed you will become stronger for having put in the effort. Overabundance of Metal An overabundance of Metal can lead to an aggressive thirst for power or wealth. There is an underlying aggressiveness. The mind becomes unreasonable and inflexible in its drive towards its goal. Like a thirst that is unquenchable, there is a continuous desire for more and more. Stop accumulating things. Be generous and give something of value away. It is fine to be autonomous and pioneering, but dont cut yourself off from humanity. Learn compassion. Overabundance of Water An overabundance of Water can lead to moodiness and depression. There is a tendency to become immersed in your own issues. You become insular and shun contact with others. Behavior often becomes subjective and unpredictable. Get out and meet new people. Start a new hobby. Do something that takes you out of your little box and lets you interact with the world. Everyone you meet is an opportunity to learn something new and different. Take a chance Each person has some combination of the Five Elements within them. Being aware of the Five Elements can give you insight into why you react in certain ways to certain situations. Modern readers are not expected to take the five elements and their application literally. Instead let them be symbols of very real states of body and mind and draw from them special insights into your individuality. Doing so will assist you in discovering the workings of the universe and yourself.

Toning and strengthening of muscles FINDING CHI by Aaron Hoopes Chi is the prime moving force both within the human body and outside in the universe. Chi is not breath, it is the power that makes it possible for us to breathe. Chi is not simply energy, it is what gives energy the power to be energy. Chi is the power behind movement and thoughtand it is everywhere. It is in the oxygen we breathe and the blood that flows through us. It is difficult to define chi concretely. It cannot be seen or measured, it cannot be touched or captured. It is everywhere yet we have no way to touch it, make it tangible, or even prove its existence. Therefore chi is a difficult concept to accept. The Western mind likes the tangible, the concrete, and the specific. It likes a scientific explanation that defines, dissects, and categorizes. Chi transcends explanation. It doesnt fit easily into a strict biomedical framework. It is simply indefinable. If, however, we are able to take a leap of faith and try to believe in the idea of chi, then maybe we can open our spiritual eyes and envision what our physical eyes cannot see or open our mind to understandings we cannot normally comprehend. The ancient Chinese believed chi flowed through the body along sacred channels called meridians, just as blood flows through arteries and veins. Traditional Chinese medicine considers blockage of chi, or even the incorrect movement of chi through the body, as the cause of both mental and physical disease. People with strong chi have a healthy and youthful appearance, a strong immune system, and are full of energy, while people with weak chi appear frail and haggard, tire quickly, and fall ill often. Chi within the body is like power in a rechargeable battery. Occasionally it needs to be replenished. The chi of the universe is inexhaustible, yet the body needs fresh chi to maintain its vitality. You take in food, water, and air and convert them to energy within your body. During sleep, while your veins are relaxed and open and your brain is calm, you are able to take in a fresh supply of chi. If you are stressed or nervous, you become rigid and circulation is blocked, you have difficulty sleeping, and your reserves of chi dwindle. When you are exchanging the chi within you with the chi of the universe, you feel healthy and vigorous. By energizing the body with chi it is revitalized naturally, enabling it to fight off illness and maintain good health. The vitality chi gives to the physical body is generally obvious, but it also gives vitality to your mind. Chi is not only physical energy, it is also mental energy. Realization of this is a key to becoming aware of chi in your life. Chi inside the body needs to be continuously connected with the chi flow of the universe. If it is unable to connect, it may become stagnant. This stagnation is usually due to insufficient circulation. If the blood cannot flow smoothly, then the chi will also be unable to flow smoothly. The most common place for this chi stagnation is in the extremities. The toes and fingers are at the furthest point from the heart and the first to be cut off when there is insufficient flow. The heart pumps oxygen - and nutrient-rich blood into blood vessels that carry it throughout the body. After circulating and delivering oxygen to all the cells and tissues, the blood returns to the heart through the veins, flushing out the old stagnated blood and removing toxins and poisons that have built up. The lungs add oxygen to the blood and remove the carbon dioxide. Then the blood starts through the circuit again. Physical movement assists this vital blood flow. Feeling this flow is the first step. Shake Stand up with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold your hands straight out in front of you. Relax the shoulders. Now imagine that your hands are wet and you are going to shake the water off them. Begin slowly and shake both hands loosely without tension. Continue to shake, increasing the speed as you get used to the feeling. The aim is to drain them of tension. Hold them loose and relaxed. Shake harder. Change to a side-to-side movement, as if clapping thin air. Next, switch to an up-and-down movement as if you were dog paddling. Shake them around in a circle. Let your elbows join in and flap about wildly. Next wiggle your forearms as if they were made of spaghetti. Continue for two minutes, alternating the kinds of shakes. Stop and let your arms hang down at your side, and rest for a moment.

Do you feel anything? The tingling sensation in your fingers is the fresh and clean oxygenated blood circulating through your hands. Now, imagine what it would be like to have your whole body feeling that way. Next we need to ensure fresh chi is getting to the area. Perform the Shake exercise for two minutes. At the end of the two minutes begin to massage the left hand with the right hand. Start with the left index finger and give it a thorough massage. Rub it up and down, back and forth. Lightly scrape it with your fingernail and then gently twist and pull it. Repeat this with each finger and then switch and do the same for the other hand. Concentrate on your breathing and imagine as you massage that you are breaking up any old, stagnant chi and letting it be washed away by the blood circulating through you. Feel the new chi entering the area, bringing a fresh vibrant feeling. Finish the exercise with another session of Shake. You can also perform a similar exercise with your feet and toes. It is important to be concentrating on your breathing while doing this exercise. Deep breathing exercises bring an abundance of chi needed to replace the chi being shaken out and massaged from your extremities. Visualize the chi entering your body and energizing your fingers and toes. Experience the feeling of chi. Since chi exists in the air we breathe and the blood that flows inside us, deep breathing brings chi and oxygen into the body, increasing blood flow, and thus chi flow, within the body. Once we are breathing properly we can try to touch the energy. Touching Energy Start in Standing Balloon Posture (see figure: photo to be attached) and begin deep Abdominal Breathing. Breathe slowly and deeply. Hold your hands out in front of you at shoulder height as if holding a balloon the size of a basketball. Breathe and relax for ten complete respirations in and out. Next, begin to imagine the balloon is actually a ball of chi energy between your palms. Relax and breathe. Gently begin to push your hands together lightly squeezing the ball between them. Relax and breathe. Next, slowly expand the ball by gently pulling your hands apart. Relax and breathe as you continue a slow expansion and contraction. Match the timing of your breathing to the motion of your hands through expansion and contraction. At some point you should begin to feel a subtle yet solid presence between your hands. That is chi. Dont focus on the feeling or you will find it quickly disappears. Instead, draw your focus back and concentrate on your breathing. Remember that chi is a subtle, invisible force that requires patience and the ability to relax until you feel it. Try to use only a small part of your awareness to observe the chi. When your mind and body are working together in a relaxed manner, a tremendous amount of energy is able to flow through your being, energy which is inseparable from the chi of the universe. It is everywhere. The key is not to force it, just slow down and relax long enough to become aware of it. Mindfulness The Keys to Meditation by Aaron Hoopes In true meditation there is none of the nonsense about emptying the mind or stopping your thoughts, or even contemplating your navel. That having been said, the Buddha listed roughly forty different methods of meditation and other ancient texts speak of over one hundred different ways to practice. There are more than enough books that go into the details of meditation methods, so I will refrain from doing that here. Just be aware that if you are having difficulty meditating, there are methods that might help put you into the ideal frame of mind. Everyone is different and the methods of reaching a perfect state of meditation differ for each individual. It is important to find a method of quieting the mind and relaxing the body that suits you particularly, but remember not to get caught up in the method itself. The act of sitting quietly and breathing is what is important. Set aside whatever time you can spare (five minutes in the morning and evening is plenty to start). Remember you are not doing this for anyone but yourself. It makes no difference to anyone if you sit for five minutes or five hours. It is the state of existing that matters. Awareness of the thoughts in the mind and the breath in the body is all you need to be

concerned with. The Keys The body and the mind reflect each other. As one calms, the other relaxes and vice versa. Sometimes it helps to have some keys to concentration in order to bring the mind in tune with the body. These keys are general qualities of the breath that we want to have as a framework for our breathing. They work in two ways. First, by bringing quality to the breath within the body, we relax and enhance our breathing practice. Second, by focusing on these keys to concentration, we calm the mind and bring our thoughts into harmony with our breath. Deep and Long Breathing that concentrates on the keys of deep and long draws the air fully and completely within the body - not in the sense of inhaling to the maximum and tensing up the muscles, but in the sense of actually feeling the breath reach all of the deepest recesses within. Keeping the chest and surrounding muscles relaxed allows the breath to fill the lungs to their ideal capacity. Then inhalation and exhalation should be lengthened, allowing the body time to become used to the deep expansion within. The longer and deeper the breath, the more in tune with the natural world around us we become. Deep and long breathing relaxes the body, calms the mind, and focuses the spirit. Silent and Slow Breathing that concentrates on the keys of silent and slow allows even more relaxation. The silent breath is felt with the whole body instead of being heard. We become aware of the feeling of the lungs being filled. Slowing the breath relaxes the entire breathing process and extends the length of the breath to a point where it reaches a calm and natural state. Silent and slow breathing calms the body, relaxes the mind, and brings peace to the spirit. Soft, Even and Continuous Breathing that concentrates on the keys of soft, even and continuous brings completeness to the breath. Soft breath loosens the minds control over the breath allowing it to reach a more spiritual level. Keeping the breath even brings the mind into a meditative state where thoughts flow with the breath. Continuous breath is like a circle. Inhalation creates exhalation which in turn creates inhalation. Soft, even and continuous breath brings the body and mind together in a pure calm and relaxed state that allows the spirit to open up and expand. With the tranquility that meditation brings, comes an appreciation for life as you begin to truly observe the world around you. You also begin to experience improved health as your body relaxes and functions naturally without the blockage that stress and tension bring. Meditation is simply the practice of existing in a quiet place and turning the attention inwards. By concentrating on your breathing and letting your thoughts flow of their own accord, you can find a deep inner stillness that will help you deal with the stresses and tension of life.

By bringing into balance proper and effective breathing, movement and deep relaxation practices, we can become aware of and learn to access the natural energy of the universe. Zen Yoga is not necessarily meant to be a vigorous physical workout. Instead, it seeks to challenge you to realize your own potential by stretching, moving and breathing at your own pace. There are no comparisons with how well other people can do the exercises. If you are doing your best, that is the best way of doing it. It is not a competition. It is not a contest. It is simply a way to feel better and better, to be happy, healthy and enjoy life to the fullest. Deep within each of us lies the potential for perfection. This potential is spiritual in nature and is often blocked or displaced by the difficulties we face in life. Zen Yoga offers the opportunity to become aware of that spiritual essence and give it the nourishment it needs to grow and flourish. Zen Yoga is designed to be accessible to anyone regardless of their level of fitness. The most

important challenge is within. Train at your own pace. Learn what your own body can and cannot do.