MEDITATION
Meditation is becoming widely recognised in the west as a key practice for helping relieve stress and generally calming the mind.
Tai-Chi & Qigong are offered at the Academy of Eastern Arts as 'meditative exercises' to help relieve stress. Although not strictly meditation, Tai-Chi is often refered to as 'Walking Meditation'. Initially, when one learns Tai-Chi, the mind is focussed on the movements (contrary to meditation where the aim is to 'empty the mind of all thoughts'. Once learnt, the practitioner can move through the form freely from any thought allowing the Chi to flow and thereby aiding relaxation of both mind & body.
Qigong has literally thousands of variations and many forms adopt a truly meditative base. Various forms of Qigong are taught at the academy.