They are both low-impact forms of exercise, and I love the energy and mental boost I get from them! Let me be clear: it took me years to learn some of the moves; even today, I am not sure I have mastered any. But that is not the point. Tai Chi & Chi Kung are about relaxation, fluidity, slowing down, a sort of moving meditation, getting your body and mind in balance. Perfection should be the least of your worries (although the Tai Chi form does follow a specific sequence of movements, which will take a while to learn). And they are appropriate even for people with certain medical conditions (though, if you have any, you should really consult your doctor first), no matter how old you are. You also don't need any special clothing/shoes or apparatus; whatever you are wearing is probably 'good to go' :) ... so no excuses!

Over the past weeks, when meeting for a Tai Chi/Chi Kung lesson became impossible even in smaller numbers, Ellen began to share a lesson plan with several video links with us, and gave us a 'text nudge' a few minutes before the starting time of our classes. While I still ended up doing a few later, this has created the extra accountability that I needed to actually do the classes by myself, at home. And it has even allowed me to create some extra moments to practice my 'own moving meditation'.

Whether you are a novice to Tai Chi and Chi Kung or a more experienced practitioner, below are some of the Chi Kung and related videos Ellen suggested, which I liked most and which you can try too! Even though not all videos are in English, you can still just follow them and copy the exercises yourself. Remember to stay relaxed and supple...

Always start with a warm-up exercise. Then you can try any of the sequences suggested below (you can use one for each different day, or mix and match). This will get you to about 1 hour of exercise, but of course, you can stop before that. Even 20 minutes a day will make a difference! :) Will you give it a try? Let us know!

I hope you enjoyed it, and obviously a big 'Thank You' to Ellen!

You can also read about other ideas to 'Have fun alone' in my previous article here, or check out more about TRE (Tension/Trauma Release Exercises) here, both listing great options for and beyond this lockdown period.

Maybe you will join me in the coming weeks, as most of us will be practicing from home :)

Let us know what you liked most in the comments below...

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July 2021 Update: I have now also added several other videos that you can check out here! Another great selection from Ellen that I have used myself.