Longevity Through Balance: A Daoist Approach to Physical Training

In this session, Craig will introduce the Da Xuan tradition of Daoism and how we approach a practice of self-cultivation. In particular, the session will focus on the physical training aspect of the tradition (called Wai Gong, external training). Craig will go into details about basic underlying theory that frames the practices, such as the Yin and Yang concept, and how using these ideas to approach physical practices helps us to develop an embodied expression of simultaneous strength and relaxation. This unique way of physical training allows a transformation of the body that will reveal and remove hidden tension and train weak links. The idea is to maintain our health far into old age using a simple approach which allows us to easily integrate our development with our daily life. This strong physical foundation will also open the possibility of engaging with other physical activities in a balanced way, and is specifically designed to aid with meditation and energetic practices (such as internal alchemy and qi gong) for a truly united experience.