<![CDATA[ - Blog]]>Thu, 19 Mar 2026 02:53:43 +0000Weebly<![CDATA[QiLife & The Science of Qigong]]>Sun, 22 Feb 2026 20:58:48 GMThttps://www.senbisamassagetherapy.co.uk/blog/qilife-the-science-of-qigong

How Ancient Practice Meets Modern Well-Being

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​Qigong May Not Be for You?

Qigong is a traditional Chinese mind-body practice combining:
  • Slow, intentional movement
  • Deep rhythmic breathing
  • Meditative focus
  • Relaxed, balanced postures
Qigong is often described as a moving meditation — but that barely scratches the surface. At its heart, Qigong is a life-nourishing art, a practice designed to cultivate vitality, emotional clarity, and longevity through the harmonious interplay of breath, movement, and intention. Simply, life flourishes when body, breath, and mind move in unity.
When you study your life, you may notice the need for unity via the manifestation of core desires that we all hold sacred: to nourish, revitalise, and extend our lives.
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Qigong Supports This Through Four Essential Pillars:
1. Nourishing the Body
2. Harmonising Breath & Motion
3. Cultivating Mind Motion
4. Preserving Sexual & Vital Energy

When we think about nourishing the body, without proper nutrients, the lifespan shortens. Qigong complements physical nourishment by improving circulation, digestion, and energy flow — helping the body absorb and use what it needs to thrive.

When we think about harmonising our breath, the breath is the bridge between the physical and emotional world. Triggering is an unfortunate daily occurrence but with deep quality breathing we can enhance our emotional fitness. When the nervous system is calm, the somatic body is vitalised.
When breath moves smoothly, life moves smoothly.

This doesn’t mean that you’re walking around, checked out of life, so numb that nothing resonates. It means that you’ve held on to your reasoning and cognitive abilities — just what you need to keep you safe and emotionally mature.

Which brings us nicely to the mind. Without a peaceful inner state, the mind can atrophy under the weight of anger, fear, grief, and stress. Qigong’s meditative focus helps dissolve these emotional burdens, restoring clarity and resilience.

In Taoist practice, sexual vitality isn’t what late night TV has brought us. It is part of our overall life force and the key to energy preservation, helping us maintain a strong internal reservoir of Qi.

But This Stuff is Ancient! Who Needs It Today?
Modern life pulls us in a thousand directions — mentally, emotionally, physically.
Qigong offers a counterbalance: a return to YOUR centre.

My ultimate goal of QiLife is to frame Qigong not as an exclusive luxury, but as a necessity for long-term wellbeing in modern life.
  • Without movement, the body weakens.
  • Without nourishment, vitality fades.
  • Without emotional balance, the mind suffers.
  • Without inner stillness, stress becomes the default state.
Qigong addresses all these simultaneously, making it one of the few practices that truly integrates body, breath, mind, and energy into a single, sustainable integrative health system. This is Qigong for modern life — grounded, practical, and deeply transformative.
More importantly, science is proving what I’ve been living for the past 25+ years. (Yes, I am smiling 😊).
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A review published in Focus: The Journal of Lifelong Learning in Psychiatry highlights how Qigong and Tai Chi influence the nervous system and emotional health.

1. Calming the Stress Response
Qigong activates the parasympathetic nervous system, helping to:
  • Lower cortisol
  • Reduce heart rate
  • Improve sleep
  • Ease anxiety and depression
2. Strengthening Brain Regions Linked to Emotions
Research suggests Qigong may influence:
  • The prefrontal cortex (emotional regulation)
  • The amygdala (stress response)
  • The insula (self-awareness)
3. Enhancing Interoception
By tuning into breath and internal sensation, practitioners develop:
Better emotional regulation
Reduced reactivity
Greater resilience
4. Potential Epigenetic Effects
Relaxation-based practices may shift gene expression toward:
  • Reduced inflammation
  • Improved mitochondrial function
  • Enhanced cellular repair
Some trials have even shown Qigong performs similarly to CBT for easing mild to moderate depression.
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​Bring This to Everyday Practice
It’s time to slow down so you can hear yourself. In a world of constant stimulation, Qigong offers an infallible way to reconnect with your body, build inner resilience, and offers an equipment-free way to extend your lifespan and quality of life.

It may not be for some but if you have a desire to reclaim your emotional clarity with ancient wisdom and modern clinical insight, step into a practice that strengthens vitality, resilience, and inner balance.

As research continues to validate its benefits, Qigong stands out as one of the most holistic practices for supporting mental and emotional wellbeing. I hope this has at least intrigued you.

When you click this link, you can start and try something right here. Enjoy!


Tarze is the director of Senbisa Holistic Health and QiLife Foundation and has been practicing qigong, meditation and breathwork for over 25 years, teaching professional organisations and community groups in the healing arts of lifestyle medicine and wellness stacking using traditional, ancestral, complementary and integrative healthcare.
]]><![CDATA[These past few years of COVID and the current cost of living]]>Tue, 06 Sep 2022 10:33:33 GMThttps://www.senbisamassagetherapy.co.uk/blog/these-past-few-years-of-covid-and-the-current-cost-of-living-crisis
These past few years of COVID and the current cost of living crisis has given us reasons to experience every emotion under the sun.


Shock, disbelief, fear, panic, a desire for normalcy. Feelings of burnout, anxiety, resilience, kindness and unconditional caring in times of need.


Grief is a big emotion.
Grief for a loved one, a lifestyle, grief for the loss of a job, loss of a relationship or grief for a loss of a pregnancy.


'Time is a great healer' is  empathetically said to soothe the soul in times of loss.


Which is often better than the outpouring of emotional glue which never lets you forget 'oh, what a tragedy it is', thus making time and healing stand still for you.


Well meaning and comforting words can sometimes be muted by other emotions associated with grief such as guilt, anger or just a feeling of being all alone in the world.


And let's be fair.
Much of the world isn't dealing too well with the financial downturn the world is experiencing right now.


Why would they?


For many, this would be their first experience of something opposite to the 'do what you want, have what you like' mantra, played on repeat over the past decade or so.


Inner emotions create a life of their own. They create certain images in your mind of never being happy and of always being sad.


These inner emotions reinforce the pathological thought-images. Words in the mind that whisper 'this is too much, I'll never get over this' magnify themselves to keep that feeling of grief swirling within their being.


The thing is, because of the stifling effect of grief it often affects how you deal with people and respond to other situations.


There are a lot of people out there that can't handle the problem that they created from the depths of their spirit.


Not to worry though. They are not alone. A lot of people are having trouble figuring out how to overcome their grief and while some make it happen, for others it's a uphill battle.


If you are feeling that you could do with some help you may want to consider some trusted alternatives.


Let's take a look at the top remedies that should be a part of your home remedy kit so you have a simple idea about each one and how they work.


• RESCUE REMEDY
• IGNATIA
• NATRUM MUR
• ACONITE

You can watch the the full vlog for details about each of these remedies.

https://youtu.be/1vX_8mT3bXI


Knowing about these remedies will give you an opportunity to deal with grief in a natural, non-addictive, non-debilitating way.


So take the time to look after yourself and know when your body is needing help.

Peace pays always




Remember to
LIKE  SHARE  SUBSCRIBE
@senbisa IG
email: support@qilife.co.uk
Text: 07915 301370
_______________

For homeopathic remedies, remedy kits and advice, contact:

[  ] Ainsworths 020 7935 5330
[  ] Khamitic Therapeutics ref: merit
mukuqesua@khamitic-therapeutics.com
]]><![CDATA[Summer Solstice 2020]]>Sat, 13 Jun 2020 23:10:17 GMThttps://www.senbisamassagetherapy.co.uk/blog/summer-solstice-2020Let's Do It!
Time to prepare for a change in energy!
This special fasting period 21st -24th. Eating clean at the 4 quarters of the year synchronizes our body's and the many functions. All systems depend on how well the liver functions for their optimum functionality hence why quarterly detox aids the liver with its elimination and rejuvenation of blood, lymph, and other necessary bodily function.  The liver is also part of the immune system which is governed by our lungs, skin and intestines. As we approach the "hot and dry" energy of summer, we also start to lose a minute of daylight after the 24th. To ready ourselves, we cleanse, purify and strengthen our organs. 

Start eating clean a few days before the 21st to help build constitution help manage chronic health conditions. ​

Vegetables Good for Your Live

Alfalfa sprouts:
Artichoke, globe:
Bean and seed sprouts:
Beetroot:
Broccoli:
Brussels sprouts:
Cabbage:
Collards and kale:
Dandelion:
Fennel:
Garlic:
Jerusalem artichoke:
Leeks:
Onions:
Parsley:
Radish:
Turnip:
Watercress:

Turn Back Time
Aim to eat clean by removing processed foods from your diet, fried foods, sugar and reducing salt.
There's a lot of bad oils in food. You can help yourself a lot by investing in quality cold pressed Olive Oil or Avocado Oil. Use it to drizzle on food after its been cooked as opposed to cooking with oil.It's a good idea to eat the required fruit and vegetables necessary to build immunity and maintain optimal health during this time.
3 meals per day with a 4-5 hour gap between each meal This is ideal. This encourages the production of essential growth hormones. So no grazing folks! But of course keep your fluids up and drink water or water with a slice of lemon or lime. 2 litres per day should suffice.

GENTLE TIPS
Remember! Covid 19 is still around even though the economy has opened up permitting mass movement of people. Limit exposure to viruses, pollutants and toxins such as car fumes, insecticides, pesticides.
Try your best to eat organic. Without optimized health there is no effective spiritual growth, development and wellbeing.
Breathing
First thing in the morning. In a clean odourless space. 7 beats in and 7 beats out.
​When you inhale, ensure to push the breath down and expand abdomen out. When you exhale, allow the abdomen to fall in without forcing it. Allow your shoulders to relax and avoid upper chest breathing.

Qi Gong
If you know the 5 organ healing sound Qigong, 2 or 3 sets for the day will give you a sweet boost. If you don't know the routine, join our online class. Register on the classes page.

Make a note of any health issues you have prior to the fast, e.g. high blood pressure, allergies, low vitality etc. Monitor these daily throughout the fast period.


Detoxing
Detoxification is a two-step process. The first step is to detach the free-radicals from your cells. Step two is to expel toxins from the body. Most people only manage stage one which allows for the toxins to back up into the liver and other organs. Precise nutrients, vitamins and cleansing herbs may assist you manage this process.



Get your free guide by email senbisamassagetherapy@gmail.com
You can also request your free detox and cleansing guide via our contact page. Simple enter your enquiry. .


]]><![CDATA[ENERGY SYNERGY]]>Tue, 17 Mar 2020 22:30:59 GMThttps://www.senbisamassagetherapy.co.uk/blog/energy-synergyWith a complementary blend of qigong, yoga and mobility exercise Nu Shu Ra is designed to synergise the vital energy flowing through our body. It's not new, but it should revive internal balance.


Each class focusses on harnessing the power of breath, balancing the functions of the organs with specific sounds and movements and improving and maintaining our suppleness.


Harmonising the infinite heavenly and the natural force of earthly qi with that of our own enhances the function of digestion, respiration, circulation and balance vital function.  The energies we tap from the universe through qi gong practice bypasses the physiological functions of the body and enter into the body's energy system directly through the qi gates, pulsating through the meridian networks as waves and currents of pure primordial energy.  


Unlike food water and air of Earth, all of which produce waste products in the body as they yield their energies- waste which pollutes the system and requires a lot of energy to eliminate- the primordial energy derived from stars planets and other astral sources fuel the body without polluting it. The supply of energy is unlimited and is the highest grade and is available if you learn to tap into it. 


For the realisation of anything in life it goes through stages. Each stage has different modes, functions, mantra, mudras and energy. 


In the meditative state, you instruct your spirit to act in a peaceful manner to find there is no-one or nothing against you. That your nature is an unconquerable peace. 
In this state you exercise the freedom from emotional dictates. Abdicating your freedom is the jealousy, anger, depression, maliciousness, envy, irritability to name but a few, that we can sometimes experience. Focused breathing through qigong is to start the journey to change the way you think, to change the way you feel, to change the way you act.


Our Nu Shu Ra classes make the practice of qi gong the only technology you'll ever need to hook your own personal energy system directly into the infinite web of universal free energy- the same energy that fuels stars and planets and creates all that is under heaven.


Weekly Wednesday's 6pm PAYG
St Johns church Carrington NG5 2DP

​]]><![CDATA[What's the Size of Your Inheritance?]]>Mon, 11 Feb 2019 13:13:52 GMThttps://www.senbisamassagetherapy.co.uk/blog/whats-the-size-of-your-inheritanceIn traditional Chinese Medicine the size of your inheritance is depicted by the amount of energy in the kidney meridian especially the kidney Jing essence. The Jing essence is like money in the bank. The more you have the more comfortably you can live. It's there as your essential reserve, the "rainy day" pot of funds. 

The Kidney Jing essence is vital for the fundamental make-up of your body: skeletal- the joints, reproductive organs including anus, hormones, growth, body fluids, renal, adrenal, spine, lumbar, teeth and inner ear. On a mental/emotional level, fear, procrastination or will-power help indicate the deficient, excess or balanced state of that kidney energy system. 

We receive a physiological feedback when the organ energy is diminishing or better put, when we are spending too much of our inheritance. The on-set of old age or premature aging. This could be menopause, weak immunity, ear loss, lower back pain, hormone deficiency, absent menses, andropause, (drop in testosterone) erectile dysfunction, incontinence and reduced tired energy. 

Other factors like being stressed out all the time, very hard work, lack of sleep, burning the candle at both ends, multiple pregnancies and regular and repeated ejaculation puts you on a path of spending all of your inheritance reserves. 

Ask yourself, do any of these symptoms sound familiar?  If the answer is yes then now's the time to get in front of them. 

To stop spending on your reserves we can cultivate our daily cash flow. This is the kidney qi. That's where Nu Shu Ra comes in. 
With the use of breath, gentle and stimulating exercises designed specifically to tone, purify and stabilize kidney qi, know that you can keep your inheritance safe.
Group practice is phenomenal because when we come together to do Nu Shu Ra we get more energy out of it than what we put in. 

We work on our breathe to open us up and joint self healing sounds. Nu Shu Ra is a source of healing for the yin and yang of our entire make-up. 
Longevity and quality life is our goal and desire.

Nu Shu Ra runs every Wednesday at St John's Carrington, Mansfield Road Nottingham NG5 2DE 6-7pm. 
Classes in London and Birmingham. 
]]><![CDATA[BREATHE AGAIN]]>Mon, 15 Jan 2018 11:00:00 GMThttps://www.senbisamassagetherapy.co.uk/blog/breathe-again
​Every breath you take should be like silk. Smooth, silent regular and deep from the lower abdomen, the tan tien. In Qi gong, breathing this way helps moderate blood pressure, reduce anxiety and helps you enter the alpha state. In the alpha state brain activity is around 7hz-14hz which is an optimum state for meditation and learning. It engages the creative intuitive and imagination part of our senses. 
Try it. Sit with the back straight (though not rigid. So you have that slight "s" curve), shoulders down and relaxed. Breathe in through the nose, let the lower abdomen fill smoothly with air, as it fills notice it grows outward. The chest barely moves. That's great and what we want it to be. Exhale through the nose now, notice the abdomen goes in. In comparison to when we engage in rapid upper chest breathing we can hyperventilate. I was recently assisting a patient who did just that. With the breath rapid and panting from the chest, their hands locked, felt dizzy, the body was hot. The mismatch of oxygen to CO2 in the blood affected circulation in the extremities. 
Breathing from the tan tien is great for anxiety sufferers and for reducing the sudden state of stress. Now try it to a 1 second per count of "in for 4 beats, out for 4 beats". After 5 minutes, how do you feel? 
When we engage in qi gong, the deep rhythmic breathing, accompanied by focusing the mind directs the qi/life force/universal energy to self heal. This vibrant resonance has a positive effect on each of the organ energy systems. Basically, there are 10 paired organs: Liver- gall bladder, Lungs- large intestine, Heart - small intestines, Kidney -urinary bladder, Spleen- stomach. Each has a mental, emotional and physiological function. For example, a lack of joy, sadness, depression or excess excitability can be attributed to a deficiency or excesses in the heart energy organ system. So to learn to breathe correctly is the fundamental rhythm of a balanced life. 

​Has shown "that body energy must continuously flow to prevent stress and disease is a central tenet of Traditional Chinese Medicine. By clearing energy pathways called “jing luo” (经络) and removing blockages that cause pain and disease, qi can be balanced. Chinese Tuina (推拿) massage practitioners identify pathways with limited flow and use hand pressure to restore harmony and energy circulation....therapeutic benefits of Tuina massage helps balance our health holistically...."
]]><![CDATA[Why Tuina]]>Mon, 23 Oct 2017 20:30:58 GMThttps://www.senbisamassagetherapy.co.uk/blog/why-tuina
It's good if you have enjoyed a massage before. Tuina works along the same principles as acupuncture and acupressure. Tuina primarily uses hand techniques different to what you may have experienced before. On the first appointment you can expect to have a consultation. Back aches? Pain? Headache? Injury? Here you discuss your main complaint to give an idea of what to treat. Sometimes a main complaint could be an adjunct to another matter. But don't you worry about that. That's our job to figure out. 

Once that is done, kick off your shoes, hang up your coat. We'll ask you to take a seat on a chair or lay on a massage couch. These methods can be interchanged in a session.   With Tuina you don't need to fully undress like a Swedish massage. Keep the rest of your clothes on. Medicated oils can however be sometimes applied direct to specific areas of the skin. 

With your clothes on, a blanket is draped over you. This serves multiple functions. It keeps you warm and regulates body temperature. It also serves as a barrier, since the Tuina technique is very targeted to your needs and  encourages good qi flow around the body and within the muscles, tendons and joints. And of course, treatments will vary according to what you need.

What To Expect Post-treatment.
The typical sensations clients experience range from feeling wide-awake, energized, relaxed, tension-free, tender.  Feeling tender is dependent on the level of stress-tension in the body to begin with.  Drinking water will help hydrate and clear toxins. Consistency of treatments are valuable to keep the body balanced and in a receptive state to self healing. Keeping up with exercise, stretching and a balanced lifestyle at home too, may help prolong the effects of the treatment until your next scheduled visit.


Even a 30 minute session can bring some relief of symptoms. That's the power of Tuina. And as a 'taster' it's especially good if you are inquisitive about trying out Tuina technique. It's great for all ages. We'll get your body to function as young as what you feel!
 
Visit the services page and choose your preference. 
Or if you're ready, press the contact button to book your appointment!

Look out for the next blog on Qigong
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