Description
Mimi explains each movement with an emphasis on the breath. She also includes a description of how each movement affects the body and the mind.
Major Topics
About Mimi Kuo-Deemer
Mimi’s inspiration, curiosity & love for Taoism, and the Five Elements practice, emerged as a complementary and yet distinct practice alongside her love of yoga and meditation.
In 2002, Mimi co-founded the Yoga Yard, Beijing’s first yoga studio, which she co-directed for 7 years before moving to the United Kingdom.
She now lives in Oxfordshire and teaches primarily at London’s Triyoga, where she co-teaches on their two-year teacher training diploma course as well as runs immersion training.
Mimi is a graduate of Stanford University and SOAS, University of London, where she earned a master’s with distinction in 2016 in Traditions of Yoga and Meditation. She has published yoga and Qigong DVDs-videos.
What is Qigong?
Qigong (chi kung) is an energy and intention based practice that works with the the body and spirit, so they are equally developed and cultivated.
Qi is defined as life force
Gong is defined as to cultivate or build.
Thus Qigong is the cultivation of life energy.
Qigong Exercises
5 Element Practices ~ Basics
Practices include:
- Warm Up for Meridians
- 5 Element Forms
- Wood Element: Nourishing our Roots
- Fire Element: Nourishing the Heart
- Earth Element: Nourishing the Mind
- Metal Element: Nourishing the Spirit
- Water Element: Nourishing our Deepest Wisdom
- Organ Mudra Meditation
Each form or set of exercises are in their own stand alone video and are well made and thought out.
While sometimes our qi can be healthy, balanced, and flowing, when we are stressed, tense, or unwell, it can become stuck, stagnant, deficient, or excessive.
Regular practice of the sequences in this element-based Qigong series can help maintain or re-balance the flow of energy in your body, supporting its innate ability to abide in a more balanced, healthy, natural state.
The Eighteen Forms and Eight Brocades ~ Flow
These are my go-to practices because they cover all the bases of the 5 elements.
In these Qigong videos, Mimi presents two well-known and accessible forms of Qigong practice: the Eight Brocades, and the Eighteen Forms. Both sequences are excellent routines for beginners and advanced students of Qigong.
The forms work with the qualities of cleansing the body while building strength and flexibility. They also are designed in such a way to promote health and balance in the body’s organ and meridian systems.
8 Brocades
The Eight Brocades practice, almost 30 minutes, works to clean the blood, increase health and vitality in the organs, meridians, and their associated emotional qualities.
8 Brocades Qigong Practice with Mimi
Mimi does an excellent job explaining these easy movements and connects them to our body and organs in such a way it becomes a healing practice as well as an exercise practice.
18 Forms
Mimi presents the eighteen Forms over 35 minutes with fluid, unbroken movements and visualizations that help us connect more closely to the elements of the natural world and bring us into a more compatible balance with the world around us.
1 ~ Pulsing or Harmanizing the Qi
2 ~ Opening the Chest 3 ~ Separating Clouds These 2 practices are for the heart and lungs. The arm movements help stretch the muscles and tendons around the shoulders and chest.
4 ~ Rainbow Dance An easy smooth motion streching out the spine and opening the ribs & chest and for me muscles in the grone.
5 ~ Rolling Ball By imagining you are rolling the ball the movement opens up the chest area and lightly twists the spine with easy movements that helps create flexibility.
11 ~ Touch the Sea Look At The Sky This practice is good for balance because you take your eyes off the horizon when looking at the sky or ceiling.
12 ~ Flying Peigon Spreads Its Wings A very soft practice that strengthens the legs and is good for the lungs and heart.
17 ~ Bouncing Ball This is good for balance and strengthing the legs.
These explanations are my own and Mimi has her own which are much better and go into more detail of how each affects your overall well-being.
These 5 Qigong forms create a variety of exercises that build strength and health.
Joan –
I have been searching for a Qigong video that goes into the purpose of each form without bogging down the flow of the movements. Mimi Kuo-Deemer does a great job.
I was streaming the Eight Brocade but wanted something more. Mimi’s Eight Pieces is a little more strenuous which I like because I feel that I am toning my arms and legs while stimulating and clearing the core meridians and organs.
I was trying to learn the Tai Chi short form but not having much luck. Mimi’s Qigong flow gives me the graceful movements that I was looking for while still providing the health benefits of Qigong.
Tai Chi actually helps with stress, flexibility, and balance, I never felt that it would have the same health benefits that Qigong can potentially produce. This video is going to be my go-to video for some time.
Jack –
Hi Joan, I love Mimi, Qi gong practices, and have several of her DVDs and online series.
Tai Chi is a little different where it’s a flow of movements. There are several good DVDs but none that really I connect with.
Thanks for bringing this up, I want to include several more exercise practices including Tai Chi, Yoga, and HIIT.