[Reserve the Dates] 

Special Qigong Fasting (Bigu) Training 

With Dr. Kevin W Chen

服气辟谷  清肠练气  延年益寿

[October 4-7, 2017  in Baltimore, MD] 

Background:  Energetic fasting, or Bigu (避谷), has long been a tradition for health  and longevity in Daoist & Buddhist practice.  There are many documented benefits from reduced calorie-intake and fasting, especially in terms of slowing down aging process, detoxifying body, cleansing digest system, and increasing bio-energy balance.  A recent research reported that fasting for 2 days could promote cell regeneration of the immune system. The 2016 Nobel Prize for medicine (Autophagy) supports the health benefits of fasting.   A recent review of fasting studies in scientific literature (Longo & Mattson 2013, Cell Metabolism) came to the conclusion that “fasting has the potential to delay aging and help prevent and treat diseases while minimizing the side effects caused by chronic dietary interventions.”   In June 2000, a national conference was hold in Penn State University to explore health benefits and scientific research of  Qigong Bigu with 500+ attendants.  With appropriate guidance and careful monitoring, Qigong fasting (with gulping qi and other qigong exercises) can be a safe and effective way for health and healing, and for boosting outcomes of Qigong practice.  http://www.scribd.com/doc/40294944/Bigu-Conference-Report-PennState-June-2000

Some recent studies (Cheng et al. 2014; Brandhorst et al. 2015) reported that fasting can regenerate the entire immune system, here is how:  http://themindunleashed.org/2015/01/fasting-can-regenerate-entire-immune-system-heres.html    Brandhorst et al (2015) claims that “A periodic diet that mimics fasting promotes multi-system regeneration, enhanced cognitive performance, and healthspan.

http://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/abstract/S1550-4131(15)00224-7

Fasting is also important part of Yang-Sheng practice in China, Dr. Martin Eisen wrote a nice article about energetic fasting for Yang Sheng a while ago.  Here is a link about his article: http://yang-sheng.com/?p=3874.

Health Ambition web site summarizes the benefits of fasting in more details, it may be a good place to get you started: https://www.healthambition.com/benefits-of-fasting/

Here is another article by Stephen H. Buhner talking specially about the health benefits of water fasting.  (We are doing water only during Qigong fasting.)

Dr. Michael Mosley made a documentary on “Eat, Fast and Live Longer” for BBC. Here is a link to view the entire documentary:   http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xvdbtt_eat-fast-live-longer-hd_shortfilms  It is not surprised that scientists have long been interested in the relationship between fasting and longevity.

What: With years of personal experience and study of Bigu, Dr. Kevin Chen will offer his final teaching of Qigong fasting at Baltimore before leaving University of Maryland.  The class will teach principles of Qigong fasting, turtle breathing, skin-breathing meditation, and a set of fasting Qigong exercises with instruction and Q&A. Dr. Chen will share the techniques on how to cleanse and purify your body, including the liver, kidney and lungs.  Cleansing your body & blood of toxins helps balancing your energy!  Students have joint Dr. Chen twice a year in the past for this type of training & spiritual practice…. The class will not only make your fasting easier and less suffering, but also share some ancient wisdom on diet and body cleanse in daily life.

When:     October 4-7, 2017  (Wednesday to Saturday)

• October 3-6 (Wednesday–Friday): 6:30 to 9:00pm
• October 7 (Saturday):  12:00 to 2:00pm

Where:  

• The Conference Center at UMROI (Old Kernan Hospital)
• 2200 Kernan Drive,  Gwynn Oak, MD   21207  (with Free Parking)

Cost & Registration:  $140 for four-day classes ($110 for repeated students) when pre-registration by September 27, 2017.

• Pre-registration by Sept. 27:  $140 ($110 for repeated students)
• After Sept. 27:  $160 for regular, $130 for repeated students.
• $50 deposit required (non-refundable) when registering
• 10% discount offered to UMB/UMROI employees, students & seniors 65+
• Pre-registration required, class is limited to the first 30 participants
• Registration closes by October 3, or when class limit is reached.

Click HERE to download the Fasting Registration Form_2017;  return the signed registration form with payment to register (limited to 30 participants, so please register earlier for your spot).

 

Note: The conditions that may not be appropriate to go through energetic fasting (Bigu) at this moment:

• Those who is currently having mental disorders, or a history of mental illness.
• Extreme physical weakness, or those who are so ill that cannot take care of themselves.
• Patients with following severe symptoms: internal bleeding or vomiting blood, ulcer perforation, serious infarction particularly, severe heart disease and angina pectoris, severe kidney disease, and the stage 2-3 pulmonary tuberculosis.
• The patients who have long-term use of insulin or epinephrine, or the liver, kidney and other organ transplant recipients.
• Growing children (under 17) and adults with less than 85 lb. in weight.

Please email Dr. Kevin Chen at Qigong4us at Gmail.com for more information.  Thanks!

You may join us in the FREE meet-up group for discussion and updates:

Selected Testimony from previous participants:

“Since the fast, I have only taken 3 half doses of my blood pressure medication.  My pressure now runs  between 115-135/51-75  without medication…..  I lost my taste for high carb/high sugar foods that I know are not good for me.  — M.C.

“I felt incredibly at peace, happy, energized, healthy and upbeat. No chatter in my brain.  I felt energized and comfortable in my skin and felt like I could finally get enough air.  My stomach stopped hurting…. The shoulder, neuropathy pain, and tingling in the feet and hands went away.  Afterwards, I was shocked that I was able to increase my range of stretch on my radiated side much more.  The skin on my face looked bright and felt extra soft.  I also noticed that some stubborn keloids that I had on my lower left abdomen healed in the center so that I had an inch of healthy healing in the middle of a very long keloid scar….  I felt wonderful during the fasting.”  — F.H.

“This has changed my mind about water fasting.  I have fasted with fresh vegetable juice many times before; now I can clearly see definite benefits of water fasting.  The teachers were very informative, they helped me to release fears!” — C.W.

“Very interesting challenges. It lets you get in touch with yourself, appreciation for water, breathing and qigong exercises, and their role in healing…. (my) alleges were less, feet were better, and feel clear headed.” — M.F.

“Digestion better; mindfulness improved; meditation more focused…. If take the principles offered in the class, a person’s health will vastly improve.” — R.D.

“Very nice experience… My joint pain in hips & shoulders has been much less.” — P.T.

“I felt this fast was extremely successful!  It was my first time and I actually fasted for a week, because I felt so good during the fasting.  I had a wonderful time and it was mind-opening.  It broke a lot of my assumptions about food and the body and was a lot of fun in the group setting.” — F.H.