Healing Dragon
Steven Cardoza, M.Sc., L.Ac.
Qigong and Taiji Spring 2026 Class Schedule
Four new classes beginning in March, in person and live streamed over Zoom!
Opening the Energy Gates of Your Body
In this ancient foundational Daoist neigong (“internal practice”), your mind is trained to penetrate your body to safely, consciously control the flow of qi (life energy) throughout your body and release energetic obstructions. It builds internal strength by facilitating physical and energetic openness through relaxed stationary and moving practices that emphasize proper body alignments and Daoist breathing techniques. As more qi flows freely throughout the entire body, it relieves stress-related illness and chronic joint problems, increases overall health, maximizes movement capacity and energy levels, and deepens meditation.
Components of Energy Gates include:
• Standing Practice/ Outer Dissolving
In this stationary practice, a very detailed Zhan Zhuang (“Standing Like a Stake”) sometimes referred to as standing meditation, focused awareness is used to identify and feel energy gates that define a primary energy matrix within the body. Any qi stagnation or other obstruction that may be present can then be dissolved, allowing the gates to open more fully and function optimally. They influence all physiological processes, emotional and mental states, and more. This also prepares your mind for deeper meditative practices.
• Cloud Hands
The moving practice of Cloud Hands teaches proper body alignments while in motion and many of the major movement principles of taiji (tai chi), helping to further open the body, strengthen ligaments, heal or prevent joint problems, optimize qi flow and harmonize yin and yang qi.
• Three Arm Swings
The Three Arm Swings energize the sanjiao, or “three burners” (generally, the lower, middle, and upper regions of the body and their related organs), and relieve joint pain in the hips, arms, shoulders and torso.
• Daoist Spine Stretch
This unique spine stretch relaxes all the muscles of your back, neck and shoulders to relieve back problems, and begins the process of teaching control over movements of each vertebra individually. As the spinal cord becomes more elastic and supple, many neurological problems can heal.
DATE: First and third Sunday of each month, beginning March 1
TIME: 1:30-3:30 PM
MONTHLY TUITION (four hours of training and downloadable videos): $160
Dragon and Tiger Qigong
Awaken your body’s innate healing wisdom with this 1,500-year-old medical qigong system. Rooted in Daoism and Buddhism, its powerful yet gentle seven movements address all the internal organs and main energy pathways to help you build complete health.
Dragon and Tiger’s unique strength lies in working with the energy of the qi body (etheric field), surrounding your physical body. In that way, you quickly develop a sense of moving qi through the core qigong channels and associated acupuncture meridians within your body to promote deep healing and wellness, boosting your immune system, reducing stress, increasing energy, vitality and longevity. In China, Dragon and Tiger has been used to treat cancer and other degenerative diseases. At advanced levels of practice, it is a gateway to deeper spiritual cultivation.
It has many similarities to taiji (tai chi), but with only seven movements, it’s easier to learn, and has a more immediate focus on health and healing, supporting emotional balance and mental clarity as well. For a detailed introduction to Dragon and Tiger, see my youtube video here: https://youtu.be/X8q9t1GwlA0
DATE: First and third Sunday of each month, beginning March 1
TIME: 3:30-5:30 PM
MONTHLY TUITION (four hours of training and downloadable videos): $160
Jibengong/Ziyugong: Foundational and Self-Care Practices
Jibengong means “foundational practice", while ziyugong means “self care practice”. Some jibengong can be unique to a particular qigong or martial art, but the majority of jibengong and ziyugong practices are identical. Whether called jibengong or ziyugong depends on the purpose to which you are applying them.
Most are very simple practices that take a short time to learn, and may be practiced for just a few minutes to get their intended benefits. They incorporate a wide range of techniques, such as acupressure, paidagong (tapping and patting practice), Daoist yoga, qi sensitization, breathing practices, simple qigongs, meridian exercises, alignment practices, and tissue twisting, to name a few. These also fall within the designation Yangsheng, or “nourishing life”, that additionally includes diet, meditation, and other lifestyle considerations.
You’ll initially be taught each practice as ziyugong, learning their health benefits and the concept behind each technique. As most of these can be applied within Dragon and Tiger and Energy Gates qigongs, and in the taiji short form, you’ll next learn how they’re used as jibengong, foundational to those practices. As you build up a repertoire of ziyugong, you’ll be taught how to combine them into exercise prescriptions to address specific health issues and general wellness. In that way, on their own they can form the basis for a daily self-care program. You can see some examples of these practices here: https://youtu.be/BVQrcuDhKsw
DATE: Second and fourth Sunday of each month, beginning March 8
TIME: 1:30-3:30 PM
MONTHLY TUITION (four hours of training and downloadable videos): $160
Wu Taiji (Tai Chi) Short Form
In the western world, taiji is the best-known and most researched of the Chinese internal arts. While both a martial art and a healing art, we will primarily be focusing on its health aspects. Often described as a moving meditation and likened to “swimming on dry land”, taiji is highly regarded for its ability to foster harmony among body, mind, and spirit, generating a healthy longevity. Once learned, the short form can be practiced in just five minutes.
This taiji short form has 16 postures, with linking movements providing a smooth, unbroken flow from posture to posture. You’ll initially be guided through the external intricacies of each posture. As you progress, you’ll gradually learn all the neigong (internal work) that cultivates qi and makes taiji such a powerful practice. These include such things as bending and stretching, opening and closing, tissue lengthening, tissue twisting, Liu He (the Six Harmonies), the 4 primary Jings (energies), ding shi (holding postures within the form), and more.
Western research has proved that taiji improves balance, maintains bone density, increases flexibility and cardiovascular and respiratory function, boosts the immune system, and improves memory and cognitive capacity, among many other health benefits. Long known to support healthy aging, current research has verified that it reinvigorates stem cells, one mechanism through which it facilitates healing and increases longevity.
DATE: Second and fourth Sunday of each month, beginning March 8
TIME: 3:30-5:30 PM
MONTHLY TUITION (four hours of training and downloadable videos): $160
LOCATION FOR ALL CLASSES:
Trinity Episcopal Church
81 Elm St.
Concord, MA 01742
AND: Live streaming over Zoom.
Downloadable recordings will be made available for each class.
Discount if enrolling in more than one class!
Anyone enrolling in more than one class will get a 10% discount on all classes after the first one. If you’re not sure if you can absorb the material in two or more classes each month, you don’t have to commit to the whole course series. You’re welcome to try it out for the first month to see, and then decide by the second month which class or classes are right for you.
TO ENROLL, send your tuition payment here:
Zelle: daoist2@dslextreme.com
Paypal: daoist1@dslextreme.com
Early registration is recommended. Since space is limited, enrolling at least a week before the start date of your class will let me get an accurate attendance count and is greatly appreciated! Your tuition payment reserves your place in class. When enrolling, please include your name, email address, and in which class(es) you are enrolling.
If you are planning to pay at the door (cash or check only), let me know as soon as possible. In case any class is full to capacity, I can contact you to either save you the trip or see if a different class will work for you.
If attending over Zoom, early registration will make it easier for me to send you the Zoom invitation a few days before the class.
All participants will get a link to a recording of the full workshop within 24 hours of completion, available for download and review. No refunds after enrollment.