Qi Gong with Ken Gray

Qigong* is an ancient Chinese system of healing that combines breathing techniques, fluid movements, and meditation to relax and strengthen the body. Qigong is appropriate for any level of fitness.

In Ken Gray’s classes, the movements are done in both seated and standing positions, but could be done entirely sitting down. After a warm-up of stretching and breathing, the class does a sequence of T’ai Chi Chih movements that are slow, controlled and continous. Some of them could be described in terms that are used in traditional exercise classes: the participants do squats, semi-squats, and side bends, for example. But these exercises are not a goal in themselves. They are part of a sequence of movements based on the principles of tai chi.

Studies of the medical benefits of qigong demonstrate its healing ability. If you ask Ken’s students, they’ll say his warm and cheerful teaching style also has healing benefits!

Ken Gray has been teaching qigong for over 12 years, to seniors and to cancer patients, and his trademark is his cheerful outlook. Qigong is the art and science of using breathing exercises, gentle movement, and meditation to improve circulation and overall health. Whether Ken teaches qigong to seniors or to cancer patients, his approach is the same: relaxed, gentle, humorous, and respectful.

Ken started studying qigong, shiatsu and Chinese philosophy in the early 1990s. Hospitals such as Memorial Sloan Kettering and medical schools such as Weill Medical College have organized conferences about complementary therapies for cancer. Ken has taught qigong in both places. He has also taught as a volunteer at Gilda’s Club, a cancer support organization, for over a decade.