Tai Chi & Qi Gong: A Path to Health & Wellness starts Wednesday, March 25

6-WEEK COURSE

Visiting Teacher Shaka Georges (See bio at registration site.) Limited Space Up to 12 students.
Dates Wednesdays, March 25 to April 29 (3/25,4/1, 4/8, 4/15, 4/22, 4/29)
Time 6:30pm to 7:45pm
Level Beginning to Intermediate
Course Fee $60 paid in advance online. (Refund up to 4/28)
Location NCMC, 2 Park Place, Newark, NJ 07102

ENROLL NOW: ncmc-taichi-qigong.eventbrite.com

Description Tai Chi is known as “meditation in motion.” The practice of Tai Chi emphasizes the awareness of our body, mind, and the world around us, as well as the interaction of the three systems. Tai Chi teaches you to pay attention to your movements and the transition of your movements. This allows you to remain cognizant and engaged as you carry on your day to day activities. You are therefore more likely to avoid dysfunctional habits such as poor posture and movements that may lead to falls or painful muscles. Additionally, studies have shown that this focus improves your mental health. The thinking, mindfulness, or awareness required and bolstered by Tai Chi has been shown to improve your cognitive ability and actually make your brain grow!

Objective To help develop an active lifestyle in order to improve health and wellness.

Curriculum        

Week 1 Breath and Posture: Practice of deep breathing and walking meditation.
Week 2 Relaxation and Movement: Standing meditation and Wave Hands Like Cloud.
Week 3 Qigong Exercise: Practice of the 8 Pieces of Brocade and the Muscle/Tendon Changing.
Week 4 Opening of Tai Chi: Breakdown of the Tai Chi form into individual postures.
Week 5 Tai Chi Short Form: The practice of the 37-Movement Short Form.
Week 6 Putting It all Together:
In-depth performance of the Short Form.

ENROLL NOW: ncmc-taichi-qigong.eventbrite.com

A fee-based program of Newark Center for Meditative Culture.

Contact us with questions at info@newarkmeditation.org.

REVIEW: A Day of Firsts — The First Retreat in Our First Home

ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 23rd we held our first retreat in our first home at 2 Park Place. The topic was Community-Building with Clarity & Compassion. You can see from the faces of the students that it was a wonderful experience! It was fitting that Rebecca Li led the retreat as she has been supporting programs with NCMC since 2012.

We are grateful to her for dharma and meditation teachings as practiced by Dharma Drum, to Leslie of I’m So Yoga for her yoga session, and to Kathryn Davis of Heart of Mind Radio for her qigong session.

And what a great team of volunteers we had! Thank you to Ella and Ivette for their retreat day support, to Tenisha for social media promotions, and to her daughter Ariyan for the fantastic photos. We are grateful for the delicious vegan meal, a kind donation prepared by a veteran caterer, Vijaya Dharmapuri.

A special thanks to Jennifer, General Coordinator; Vijay, Food Coordinator; and Javier, Deputy Coordinator, as well as to Andrea, our Treasurer, for registration coordination.

The students were awesome, engaged, and attentive — comprehending with keen awareness the powerful yet invisible dynamics of community.

See more photos in our Retreat Album on Facebook.

Why Do Tai-chi? … Why totter?

We often totter with our bodies as well as in our minds. This flowing, ancient movement practice can provide balance and equilibrium to both. It gently brings energy up and grounds us in the moment releasing us from our distracted selves. Tai-chi can be applied anywhere — from behind your desk to how you turn to greet someone. Whether you are a millennial trying to de-stress, in mid-life recuperating, or a senior wanting to bring back youthful pliability, this practice can bring you well-being and a sense of oneness.

Weekly Tai-Chi with Shaka | Wednesdays 6:30 to 7:20pm | 2 Park Place, Newark NJ | Fee-based, Youths free 14-17 accompanied by parent. | There will be no class on November 27th.

ATTEND NOW

 

Tai-Chi Classes with Shaka: 6-Week Fall Series begins Wednesday, November 13th

2 Park Place  |  Newark, NJ
Wednesdays, 6:30 to 7:20pm
November 13th 2019 to January 8th 2020  

Teacher: Shaka Georges

In this six-week series, you will be taught the Tai-Chi Yang short form and qi-gong exercises. It’s a gentle, healing, and easy-to-learn movement practice that you can develop to skillfully use the theory in your daily life. Youths aged 14-17 are welcome for free accompanied by an adult. Come as you can or join the entire series at a discount. There will be no classes on Nov. 27th, Dec. 25th, and Jan. 1.

Registration required at ncmc-tai-chi.eventbrite.com

A FEE-BASED SERIES
$60 per series (paid in advance; a $30 discount)
$15 per class (paid weekly at door come as you can at $90 for the 6-week series)
Free to youths aged 14-17 accompanied by adult

For more information contact us at info@newarkmeditation.org.

Cancelled: FROM KNEELING TO SELF-HEALING

An experiential day retreat exploring the revolutionary path of Self Healing via Self Knowing

Sunday, November 10th  |  10am to 4pm
Attend Full or Half Day  | Open to Men and Youth 14+
Index Art Center, 237 Washington Street, Newark NJ

Limited Seating. Register at ncmc-mens-retreat.eventbrite.com

The day will consist of a short talk on the critical importance of men incorporating Self-Healing protocols into their daily lives, Meditation, Qi Gong exercises, Sexual Health and Fitness, Wilderness Therapy, Medicine Drum Circle, and a talk about Healing Generational Trauma. Vegetarian lunch included.

Presenters:  Damani Saunderson, Khalil Maasi, J. Javier Cruz, Ihsaan R. Muhammad, Leslie Arthur, Ib’nallah S. Kazi (Presenter bio-notes available on the registration site.)

Suggested donation:
• Men Full-Day: $20 (10:00am-4:00pm)
• Men Half-Day: $15 (10:00am-1:30pm or 12:30pm-4:00pm)
• Young Men: FREE for ages 14 -17 accompanied by adult (limited tix)
• Male Students: $15 for ages 18 and over w/ID $15 (limited tix)
• Pre-Approved Volunteers: $10 (limited tix)

REGISTRATION AND DETAILS AT ncmc-mens-retreat.eventbrite.com

A donation-based program of Newark Center for Meditative Culture.

 

Free Six-Week Fall Tai-Chi Series in Military Park

Join us for another free six-week series of Tai-Chi Classes using the Yang short form and qi-gong exercises with Shaka Georges, visiting teacher with NCMC. Gentle, healing, and easy-to-learn movement practice. No registration required, join as you can. Weather permitting on the Meditation Lawn on Wednesdays from 5:30 to 6:30pm, Sep 11 through Oct 16. | A free program of NCMC in cooperation with Military Park Partnership.

Tai-Chi with NCMC in Military Park to begin September 11th

Join us in September for another free six-week series of Tai-Chi Classes using the Yang short form and qi-gong exercises with Shaka Georges, visiting teacher with NCMC. Gentle, healing, and easy-to-learn movement practice. No registration required, join as you can. (Shaka’s class will also run for 6 weeks in the fall.) Weather permitting on the Meditation Lawn on Wednesdays from 5:30 to 6:30pm, Sep 11 through Oct 16. | A free program of NCMC held in cooperation with Military Park Partnership.

Move That Chi on May 5th!

Spend the Cinco de Mayo afternoon doing a little African-Asian-American mindfulness!

HALF DAY WORKSHOP
Mindfulness, Meditation, & Martial Movement

Taught by Khalil Maasi with assistance by Andrea Lee

Sunday, May 5th, 2019  |  1:00pm to 5:00pm
Index Art Center, 237 Washington St., First Floor, Newark, NJ

This donation-based workshop is appropriate for all people and of any discipline — beginners through advanced students. Teacher Khalil will be using internal martial arts exercises, though this is not a fighting workshop. It is rather a means of using these disciplines for healing (energy work), mindfulness, and achieving a state of “no mind.” Guidance from Andrea will include a sitting meditation and sound healing meditation. Suggested donation of $25 adults/$15 students 18 or older. Youths 12-17 come free.

To attend go to: ncmc-spring-workshop.eventbrite.com.

A program of Newark Center for Meditative Culture.

You are invited to attend: MINDFULNESS, MEDITATION & MARTIAL MOVEMENT thru African-Asian-American Fusion HALF-DAY WORKSHOP

ATTEND EVENT

Sunday, May 5, 2019  |  1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Index Art Center, 237 Washington Street, First Floor Gallery, Newark, NJ

Taught by Khalil Maasi assisted by Andrea Lee

LIMITED SPACE!

Suggested donation of $25 adults/$15 students 18 or older. Youths 12-17 come free.

This workshop is appropriate for all people and of any discipline — beginners through advanced students.

Teacher Khalil will be using internal martial arts exercises, though this is not a fighting workshop. It is rather, a means of using these disciplines for healing, mindfulness, and achieving a state of “no mind”. Briefly, the disciplines we will be working on are:

1. Standing Meditation: Zhan Zhuang, Standing Like a Tree, a standing meditation that’s initial goal is to relax and release all the tension in your body. This method cultivates the body’s natural energy called chi — a simple practice with extraordinary mental and physical benefits.
2. Healing Science: Chi Gung (qigong) is a holistic system of coordinated body posture and movement, breathing, and meditation used for the purposes of health, spirituality, and martial arts training.
3. No Mind: This is a mental state called mushin in Japanese and wuxin in Chinese. Zen and Daoist meditators are said to reach this state, along with disciplined artisans and trained martial artists. They practice this mental state of emptiness, free from attachment, during everyday activities.

There will be sessions with Andrea who will offer a Sound Healing Meditation using Tibetan bowls and a Guided Sitting Meditation.

Besides sharing these mental, spiritual, and physical refreshments we will also provide a fusion of snack and beverage refreshments during break.

*VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: We need a few volunteers to help us with set-up and break-down, check-in desk, refreshment service/clean-up, etc. Contact the volunteer coordinator for the program, Jennifer Becher at jennifer@newarkmeditation.org to apply as a volunteer before registering for this program.

ATTEND EVENT

Presenter Bio-notes
Khalil Maasi is a lifelong student and practitioner of meditation, mindfulness, martial science and it’s related integrated systems of knowledge. To understand the fruit, you must understand the root. And the root in this paradigm is Khalil’s father, well-renowned meditation and martial arts Grandmaster Shaha Mfundishi Maasi. He teaches under Shaha Maasi’s tutelage their family system known as Moyo Kazi (Energy Work) through their organization The School of Heaven and Earth which is based in Baltimore, Maryland. Moyo Kazi is a system of Chi Gung (internal martial healing science) developed and based on the study of internal healing martial traditions from around the world. Khalil is also a initiated Yoruba Priest (Minister) in the traditional African/Nigerian spiritual system of Ifa (Isese) and is an associate Minister at The Ifa Temple Of Light in East Orange, NJ. Khalil often teaches the African connection to these practices during his classes and workshops. As well, Khalil is a certified child assault prevention counselor in the state of New Jersey working primarily in the Newark and Essex County school system.
Andrea Lee is a Preschool Assistant Teacher at Montclair Cooperative School in her hometown of Montclair, NJ. She is an intern organic farmer at Rabbit Hole Farm in Newark where she resides. She is a senior disciple of Reverend Jaganath Carrera, Spiritual Head and Founder of Yoga Life Society. She recently completed seminary training and was ordained a Yoga Life Minister. She is a certified Yoga instructor and performs Kirtan with Mirabai Catherine Moon. Andrea is founding Treasurer of NCMC where she also instructs in meditation and mindfulness and provides yoga and chanting sessions. Newark Center for Meditative Culture is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

ATTEND EVENT

A program of Newark Center for Meditative Culture.

 

Review: February 24th Retreat

The Art of Seeing and Bringing it Home

Teachers Rebecca Li and Shaka Georges guided once again an engaging retreat for NCMC — expecially important since the majority of the students were beginners. The students asked excellent questions during the Q&A’s. The reflections got personal and the students empathized, connected, and learn from each other because of it. Of concern to many was how to bring what they learned on the cushion home to the people they live with and see often.

A couple teachings that were taken home to practice were: a) See things for what they are and not what you think they should be. So pay attention as the ideas in your mind are most often not what is right in front of you, and, b) Suffering provides us with the opportunity to observe and experience our habits. We always have a choice to continue acting out our habits or free ourselves to expose the truth through mindfulness.

One student commented that they would take home the art of seeing people the way they are and another about how it helps to practice with others and to hear their questions about the practice.

We had one 10 year old participant who had lots of fun with the movement meditations and was the first to volunteer to show her drawing and explain it during the Art of Seeing workshop.

The vegan lunch was a hit! People came back for seconds and there were plenty of compliments. We thank our volunteers Elena, Marcus, and Teneka for their support at the retreat. And kudos to Elvis for his beautiful art photography of the program. We are especially grateful for the teachers Rebecca and Shaka for practicing with us.

And, as always, thank you to Lowell, director of Index Art Center, for providing assistance, and this time, such a colorful venue to experience… and well, see!