Welcome to Chi Academy

Chi Academy is an institution dedicated to the teaching of traditional arts in a modern way. Its aim is to provide methods to cultivate health and function effectively in modern society. The practices of this academy are suitable for all genders, race and ages.

Qigong is the practice of circulating and increasing energy in the body through breath and movement. Energy moves through the body in a network of meridians. Over time, through bad posture, habits and injuries these lines may become blocked or the energy stagnant within the body. Through simple guided movements we learn to breathe and move the body in a natural way that stimulates and loosens the fascia and soft connective tissue, slowly releasing trapped toxins, emotions and negative energy.

After a period of time, the practitioner will see an improved immune system, greater physical warmth and reserves of energy and resilience to face life’s challenges. The body will feel soft and supple and begin to move with grace and dexterity. There will be a greater sensitivity to the internal workings of the body and an increased ability to self-regulate.

The practices in this academy are lineage teachings from classical Chinese internal martial arts and Northern Daoist teachings. These teachings are part of a holistic set of cultivation practices that include movement arts, tea, calligraphy, incense and the Yijing.

Bernard Kwan

Bernard Kwan teaches mind and body principles that help realign the body and awaken the power of insight. This awareness allows you to make changes in your current attitudes and achieve peace, strength and balance in your everyday life.

He has studied a number of Eastern and Western practices, which include yoga, Qigong, martial arts (Aikido, Tai Chi and Baguazhang) as well as Zen and Taoist meditation for over 20 years. Integrating these variegated approaches, he provides multi-faceted approach to strengthen the mind and body.

He currently offers classes in Qigong, Tai Chi and Baguazhang, tea meditation and also offers private coaching and mentoring services.

Peace, Strength & Balance in Everyday Life

Living in a big city like Hong Kong is inherently stressful. Sometimes we find that we are assailed from every side — from work, from our family members, from our relationships and loved ones — and experience low energy levels and burnout. Empowerment comes from having the tools and knowledge to live in the way of peace, strength and balance. The methods that we offer train your body and your mind using the knowledge and wisdom of how to

• tackle certain difficult situations with effective strategies.

• see situations with clarity in order not to react unconsciously

• know when to act and when not act.

• train your intuition and see things with your inner compass

• realign your body and lifestyle to support a healthy and purposeful life

The basis of Embodied Wisdom teachings comes from traditional Eastern teachings, reinterpreted for a modern audience. These teachings strengthen the body and spirit to achieve peace and balance in everyday life.

The Method

The method involves using energetic practices such as Qigong and dynamic meditation to soften the body strengthen and nervous system. When the body is strong enough to withstand and process greater amounts of stress, then is it act confidently and decisively.

Meditation and visualization practices focus the mind, helping to bracket emotion, allowing us to see situations with clarity.

Finally through podcasts and recommended readings we cultivate newer perspectives to look at familiar situations differently, bringing unconscious material to awareness, thereby increasing empathy and compassion for the people we deal with every day.

Using traditional Eastern methods to teach Embodied Wisdom, strengthening your body, mind and spirit to be able to achieve peace and balance in this life.

Classes

Qi Gong and Tai Chi

Qigong is the practice of circulating and increasing energy in the body through breath and movement. Energy moves through the body in a network of meridians. Over time, through bad posture, habits and injuries these lines may become blocked or the energy stagnant within the body. Through simple guided movements we learn to breathe and move the body in a natural way that stimulates and loosens the fascia and soft connective tissue, slowly releasing trapped toxins, emotions and negative energy.

After a period of time, the practitioner will see an improved immune system, greater physical warmth and reserves of energy and resilience to face life’s challenges. The body will feel soft and supple and begin to move with grace and dexterity. There will be a greater sensitivity to the internal workings of the body and an increased ability to self-regulate.

The style of Qigong taught is Dong Yi Qi Ji Daoyin, a series of movements developed by Master Chang Liang Wei of Taiwan from his many years of study of the martial arts, taoist alchemy and yoga, meditation and breathwork.

Tai Chi is the martial art of softness in movement. Tai Chi has many important health benefits such as health, prevention of dementia, balance, flexibility, increased vitality and energy. While appearing to be akin to a dance, Tai Chi is and remains a martial art. Each of the movements has a martial application which is effective in self defence. Through studying Tai Chi, the student attains a very stable body structure and a grace and naturalness in movement. Advanced students will learn Tai Chi weapons and swordwork.

Bernard teaches Yang and Chen style Tai Chi. His teacher CS Tang studied under Yang Shou Chung and Feng Zhiqiang respectively.

Baguazhang

Baguazhang is an advanced martial art created by Dong Hai Chuan in the late Qing Dynasty. Characterized by nimble footwork and large circling and spiralling movements, this martial art wrings and twists the body, resulting in a thorough workout of the body and a spring coiling power

Bernard Teaches Gao Style Baguazhang which his teacher CS Tang studied under Ho Ho Choy.

Email Kwanboonlarp@gmail.com for enquiries.

Further Offerings

Speaking

In addition to his regular class offerings, Bernard gives regular talks on various topics to do with Chinese culture and philosophy, martial arts, mind-body awareness and mindfulness and Eastern approaches to health and cultivation.  

He can be booked for speaking arrangements on various topics. 

Tea

Tea has always played an important part in Chinese culture, both as a social lubricant as well as a means for focusing the mind. It has long been associated with Buddhism in China and Japan, which have created intricate tea ceremonies and practices. In addition to an aesthetic discipline, the way of tea can also be an energetic practice, a way to connect with energies of nature through the trees that birthed the leaves. 

Bernard offers tea talks and tea meditation exercises upon request. For qigong practitioners, tea provides an excellent way of training the mind and increasing sensitivity to how food and drink affects the energy in the body.

Yijing Study

The Yijing is seen as the master text from which Chinese culture is derived and contains knowledge and philosophy that teaches one how to navigate purposefully in the world. Generations of scholars have studied and grappled with this elusive text. Bernard offers private classes to study this and other classical Chinese texts.

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