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North Coast Opportunities Executive Director Patty Bruder and Board Chair Ross Walker joined State Sen. Mike McGuire on the Senate floor in Sacramento, Calif., on Wednesday, June 6, 2018, to celebrate Nonprofit of the Year. Courtesy photo. 

SACRAMENTO – State Sen. Mike McGuire announced that North Coast Opportunities – serving Mendocino and Lake County communities that led individual recovery and donation distribution efforts after last year’s Redwood Complex and Sulphur fires – has been chosen as the North Coast’s Nonprofit of the Year.

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KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Joanie Lane, a student of internationally renowned Qigong Masters Ken Cohen and Mingtong Gu, will be the guest presenter at this month's Companion Circle.

The educational and social gathering is Monday, June 18, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at A Positive Light Center for Spiritual Awakening, located at 6470 Kelsey Creek Drive in Kelseyville.

The event is open to the public and offered by donation.
 
Lane, a local meditation and Qigong teacher who has studied and practiced Chinese medicine and Qigong since 1998 will be leading participants in Royal White Tiger Qigong, her most recent class based on the martial arts discipline.

"Though Martial Arts were taught as techniques used in combat, they were also taught as part of the medicine that keeps the body in health and balance," noted Lane. "Today they are still taught by the masters in conjunction with breath work and movements that affect the positive and negative forces in the body."

Qigong literally means Qi (energy) gong (applied). It is series of movements and breath work developed in China and is an ancient means of moving and utilizing the universal energy that surrounds us. In Chinese philosophy there are yin and yang energies, the opposites that complement, according to Lane.

In Chinese medicine there are the hot and cold energies of the body. When out of balance, these energies can cause illness in the body and in the spirit. In addition to foods and herbs, Qigong was taught by the masters as a means to keep these energies in balance.

There are many lineages of Qigong, each utilizing different aspects of breath and movement, and include meditation, visualization and sound.

Also known as Qi Kung, Qi Gung, or Qigong, these different regional pronunciations of the same practice also point to the many different teaching styles because most masters encourage their students to develop a style based on the student's perception of how the energy works through them.

Lanehas developed her own “Healing Movement Qigong” class which is designed to stimulate the body's own natural healing process. Additionally, she is creating her latest course series, Royal White Tiger Qigong, which will be demonstrated and practiced at the Companion Circle.

JoAnn Saccato, mindfulness teacher, host of the Companion Circles, and Qigong practitioner herself, understands the important of this balance. "I use Qigong as a way to cultivate more energy when I feel low or drained," she offered. "It's particularly helpful for me in the winter when I'm less active and more susceptible to illness," she offered. "I've yet to do a session that hasn't left me calmer, more grounded and with deeper clarity."

Companion Circles are monthly gatherings for those curious about or committed to a mindfulness practice. The circles occur on the third Monday of the month from 6:30 P.M. to 8:30 P.M. The evening includes a guided mindfulness exercise, question and answer period, social mingling and the presentation.

Mindfulness is a popular health and wellness practice based on purposefully bringing a curious, non-judgmental attention to our present moment experience. It is a scientifically proven approach that helps reduce stress and stress-related illnesses, increase focus and attention, decrease incidences of and relapses with depression, reduce anxiety, reduce relapses in addiction, and aid with sleep and digestive disorders. It has also been shown to increase well being, life satisfaction and happiness, as well as improved social relationships.

Attendees are invited to wear comfortable clothing, bring a journal, and, optionally, a simple finger food to share. Tea and water are served.

There is a suggested donation of $10, though no one is turned away for lack of funds. A portion of proceeds from the monthly event is donated to Asian elephant rescue efforts working to free elephants in the entertainment field from harmful abuse.

For more information on Ms. Lane's work visit www.apositivelight.com or call 707-279-6031.

For more information on Companion Circles visit www.MindfulAndIntentionalLiving.com or call 707-350-1719.
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