Sundays, 10:30am - 12:30pm

October 4, 11, 18, and November 1

$160 for the 4-week series · $45 drop-in for the first class

Held outdoors in our clinic garden · Limited to 8 people · No experience needed

About the series

Autumn is when qi draws inward and downward. In Chinese medicine it's the Metal season — a time to slow down without dropping your responsibilities, let go of what's unnecessary, and prepare the body and mind for winter.

In daily life, that can look like:

  • Earlier bedtimes, earlier mornings

  • Slow-cooked, nourishing foods — soups, roasts, squash, root vegetables

  • Steadying the emotions through breathwork

  • Deepening close relationships rather than seeking new ones

  • Adjusting movement to support autumn's inward shift

The classical instruction for autumn movement is "do the rooster." Over four weeks, we'll explore what that means and how to practice it.

What we'll cover

  • Week 1 — Yin and yang in the body, and the autumn practice of "doing the rooster"

  • Week 2 — Balancing the pelvis and aligning the three Dan Tien

  • Week 3 — Four of the Eight Brocades of Silk, preparing for winter's stillness

  • Week 4 — Review, questions, and building a personal autumn routine

Each class combines qi gong, applied anatomy, breathwork, and principles from Chinese medicine and Daoist health practice. Work at your own pace and range of comfort.

HARMONIZING WITH AUTUMN THROUGH QIGONG AND CHINESE MEDICINE

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Meet Kurt Baker

  • It all started at age 14 when I attended my first Tai Chi class. The class was mostly middle age and elderly students. I was definably the youngest one there by far, yet as soon as I arrived, I knew I was in the right place. Unlike a typical studio space, we met outdoors in the redwoods. The teacher, Sam, pointed out that practicing outdoors amongst the trees is ten times better than practicing in a stale environment inside, because the “qi” was richer. I quickly noticed these older folks weren’t your typical seniors. Demonstrating extreme strength and tenaciousness, during the push hands (a form of grappling) portion of the class; yet at the same time these folks strove for sensitivity and a soft, light-handed touch. I later learned this was because they were applying the ancient Daoist philosophy as presented by Lao Zi in the book the “Daode Jing”, showing there was great power and endurance in softness when the body structure is well coordinated.

    I was sold and deeply in love. My martial arts studies, which took me to Taiwan at age 16, continues to this day and has led me to peruse other Asian health arts such as qi gong and Chinese yoga 

  • 2007 Certified for Chinese Massage (Tui Na) by the Center of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences. Beijing, China

    2003 Certified as a Zen Bodytherapy Practitioner by the International Zentherapy Institute. San Francisco, CA

    2003 Certified as an Acupressure Practitioner by Berkeley Acupressure Institute.
    Berkeley, CA  

    2002-Present Training Chinese internal martial arts at Inmotion Center. Albany, CA

    2001-2007 Traditional Chinese medicine apprenticeship. Petaluma, CA

    1994-1997 Tai Chi at Redwood Coast Tai Chi Association—age of 15. Mendocino, CA