WORKSHOPS
international in person-, online-, and semi- online workshops
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Walking Clinic
June 5th 1:30pm - 5:30pm
The average person walks around 38500 hrs in their lifetime or in other words a distance of roughly 5 times around the earths equator. That being said and when you think about how essential walking is in your life it's safe to say that this is a highly important ability and one with massive impact on our lives in general. It impacts our social life, general health and well-being, our perspectives and possibilities for travel, work, pleasure and even our spiritual and personal growth.
"Walking Clinic" is one of my oldest signature programs that I've been teaching and refining over the last 20 years and this is the first time I offer it as a 4 hour intensive here in Dahab that contains all the tools and infos you need to improve the way you walk significantly. And just for the record we are talking about regular walking! Not any strange walking as new age sport with loops or anything like that thing. Pure day to day usable regular walking. So the good news is once you got the how you have plenty of opportunity to practice anyway as you are doing it daily 😉
The goal is to provide a learning space so that by the end you are capable of
- restructuring the arches of your feet
- move with significantly reduced pressure in the joints in your legs, your spine and your shoulders
- benefit from improved cardiovascular and lymphatic flow
- perceive more ease, joy and flow in movement
- have a more natural posture
- and walk with more radiance and self confidence
Here some pointers as to why walking and the associated mechanics in the body are so essential for our health and well-being (which is the main focus of this workshop).
> the feet are our structural foundation and any misalignment or functional deficiency in feet and ankles translates upward affecting the spine shoulders and neck
> whenever there is stiffness in certain parts of the body that compensates for functional problems in others movement becomes limited, body awareness is reduced and so is the relationship with yourself in general. Stiffness leads to hotspots in the structure that are more susceptible to injury and long term damages. These compensational patterns also affect balance, coordination, and even lymphatic and cardiovascular health.
> how effortless we walk has a huge bearing on how we move through life, how much resistance we perceive and how easily we are successful in our endeavours.
> spinal health, breathing rhythm and heart rate are either restricted or positively impacted depending on our gait pattern
> a conscious highly physiologically correct use of our feet naturally provides a solid physical sense for being grounded which in turn positively impacts our mental and emotional health
The workshop is designed to take you from the complete foundations to a competent user of feet legs and the upper body (which all people should be). You will find techniques to sustainably restructure the arches of your feet, reduce pressure in the knees and subsequently the spine while walking, and we will step by step piece together what is one of the most complex movement patterns us humans can perform (neurologically walking is highly complex).
Separate exercises will highlight every aspect of the mechanical chain, from ankle movement, weight distribution, how to generate forward momentum, the role of the lumbar spine, the counter-rotation of the upper body and the role of the suboccipital muscles (the area that connects the skull to the spine).
Bring something to take notes, as it will be a highly practical workshop yet also containing a lot of information, because you can only sustainably adjust when you understand why.
All levels welcome! No entry requirements. If you have been injured recently and are unsure whether or not you can safely participate please contact me personally to discuss this.
Location: Zen Garden Dahab
Time: Thursday June 5th 1:30pm - 5:30pm
Price: 1100 EGP/ person (just under 20 Euros)
If you are an Egyptian local or long time Dahabian (defined as minimum 6 months uninterrupted stay in Dahab/ you might be asked to proof this via entry stamps) contact me directly for a discounted price.
Your trainer:
Hi, my name is Egwin. I'm in the space of natural movement and consciousness development for more than 35 years and have varied background in both western and traditional Chinese medicine, several massage and complementary healing methods as well as in Qigong, Taiji, martial arts, Yoga, acrobatics, dance, Alexander Technique, meditation, body centered psychotherapy, somatics and embodiment practices. Several years ago I founded Beyond Systems, a system free approach to natural movement and consciousness development with a focus on teaching fundamental principles of body, mind, emotions and energy that can be applied in virtually any kind of practice and life situation.
I'm excited to provide these insights into walking and how positively it can impact every ones life.
This event is not therapy. While there will be enough time to go into details of individual needs please understand that it is not the time and space to focus on just one extreme case. Contact me if you are uncertain whether participation can be beneficial for you.
Zhan Zhuang Gong
Qigong Standing Practice/Meditation
Zhan Zhuang Gong or Qigong standing practice is a corner stone of many traditional Chinese mind body practices. It can be considered a standing meditation of sorts where exact postural alignment, clear intention and sometimes specific breathing meet.
The purpose of the exercises is to create a natural strong structure, develop good grounding both physically, energetically and psychologically as well as a clear focused mind. Due to it's simplicity it is accessible to most people no matter their background or training status. Zhan Zhuang Gong has significant health benefits (see ore below) and is a valid tool to gain emotional balance, and calmness in ones mind leading to an overall sense of relaxed clarity, grounding and self confidence.
This workshop gives you all the necessary information and practice you need to be able to implement this method in your day to day lfe to enhance vitality, structure and health.
We will go over the most important structural aspects in great detail and you will learn ways to use your mind to gain deeper control over your physical and emotional status.
While standing the body posture supports the mind going into a more neutral present awareness state while at the same time initiating deep physical processes. There is a certain element challange to standing like this but it is more so mental than physical in nature when done correctly. All the how and why, both energetically, psychologically and scientifically will be explained in the workshop
Typically a practice time of about 15 min is already extremely beneficial to ones overall health, wellbeing and mental alertness all the while promoting a calm and centered base state.
Some of the benefits of practicing Zhan Zhuang Gong are:
- improves grounding
- supports a healthy effortless body posture
- gently trains the muscles
- improves bone density
- supports endurance in all forms
- builds self confidence
- increases energy levels
- boosts the immune system
- helps to access deep lying tension patterns
- can be used to dissolve deep rooted emotional blockages
- helps to train the mind body connection
- improves your ability to deliberately govern the body
- balances the hormonal system
- helps to balance emotions
- clears and centers the mind
- brings you into the present moment
- and many more
stay tuned for new dates and locations
Shaolin Basic - Qigong
online workshop 4,5h via Zoom
strengthen the body (muscles, tendons, bones)
build energy (increase levels of life force Qi, increase bioelectricity)
increase focus
support the immune system
boost the mood
no prerequisites required - open to all normally healthy
A powerful short set of 5 primary poses that are smoothly connected with linking moves guided by our breath. Preparation- and distribution exercises at the beginning and end of the set round up this gem of a training set to elevate ones energy levels and boost immunity at the same time. Whether as a morning starter or in between to refresh body and mind the set is uniquely suited to re-connect and elevate with comparably little time needed.
more details available shortly
start practicing daoist meditation
daoist meditation - foundation
online workshop 4,5h via Zoom
getting started - basic practices
philosophical foundation
main energy channels
directing Qi (life force energy)
reverse abdominal breathing
Daoist meditation is unique in it’s practice in many ways yet often provides a great starting point to ones meditative practice due to it’s natural clarity, use of ones mind and breath. In this foundation workshop we explore the basics of getting started with ones daoist meditation practice. Daoist meditation is well known for its rejuvenating, energizing and clarity fostering effects. It nourishes body, mind and soul, calms the nervous system and balances the bodies energies.
no prerequisites required
more details will be available shortly
Reset - Recharge - Expand
Energy and Grace
a 3 day immersive in person experience to re-calibrate the body, clear the mind and build energy
somatic stretching - to reset and relax the body
“movement hygiene” - to balance tension and connect to the body
developmental movements - to break out of old patterns
resting and recovery positions - to relax the body and re-calibrate posture
body centered meditation - to improve grounding and expand focus and energy
An amazing, short yet powerful experience to re-connect with the body, calm the mind, reset and balance the nervous system and come home to oneself.
no prerequisites