Two to three evenings a month the Clearwater Library becomes a center of alternative health, healing and spirituality. Participants sit quietly meditating or stand in a circle gently swaying or bouncing on the balls of their feet.
Since August, a small group of residents have been meeting on the second, fourth, and when there is one, fifth Wednesday evenings of every month at 6:30 to practice a relatively new form of Qigong (pronounced ‘chee gong’) called Spring Forest Qigong. Alternative healing is often considered ‘new age’ or unconventional, but qigong has been rapidly gaining mainstream acceptance.
“We’re here to help each other learn how to heal,” explains Spring Forest Master Jerry Wellik. “The big strength of meeting is that we’re all in this together. The whole idea is to balance your energies.”
“It’s a type of synergy,” says practitioner Liz White. “Like-minded people working together, we’re greater than the sum of the parts.”
Spring Forest is a revolutionary approach to the ancient Chinese art of healing, qigong.
Twenty years ago founder Chunyi Lin, who had used the 5,000-year-old practice of qigong to heal his arthritis pain, created Spring Forest as an easier, yet still powerful alternative to the time-consuming and complicated version of qigong he had used.
He comprised it out of four parts that work together: breathing, gentle movements, mental focus and sound. He called it Spring Forest after spring’s restorative powers and the connective quality of trees, and established his Spring Forest Qigong Center for Healing and Wellness in Eden Prairie, MN.
Today there are hundreds of groups practicing across the U.S. and in nearly a dozen countries overseas.
“Everything is energy,” Lin states on his website. “’Qigong’ means ‘chi,’ or energy, and ‘gong,’ work.”
Wellik was introduced to Spring Forest and Master Lin in 2002 after he’d begun having severe headaches and nothing was working to alleviate his pain. He began to do the exercises and his headaches went away. While attending the Wellness Center he went through all the Spring Forest levels of training, and then took additional training in Level 1 and Level 2 to become a trainer himself. He became a master just this past June.
“Most of us don’t even realize how stressed out we are,” Wellik explains. “At the core of most illnesses is stress. Everything is a form of energy, and when we get sick our energies are out of balance. Spring Forest Qigong helps to even everything out, and when your energy is balanced everything just works.”
“I have a very traditional background, so for me to follow any type of Eastern healing is very unusual,” says practitioner Kathryn Tasto.
“It’s phenomenal the happiness people can access through Spring Forest. For me, it started by coming when it wanted to, but recently I’ve learned that I can bring happiness forth. I haven’t had a down day in months, which is unusual considering my past. The healing is wonderful but for me, that’s the real treasure. It empowers you, you realize that you have the power to decide.”
White adds, “The effects seem subtle for a long time, then suddenly you turn around and feel, wow!”
Sue Haller, a newcomer to Spring Forest, acknowledged, “I’m completely relaxed during the meditation and I feel so peaceful afterwards. It’s just such a healthy way to spend an evening, and I love the energy of the group.”
Wellik practices Spring Forest every morning and says he feels good all day. “You never see this man frowning.” smiles White.
Spring Forest Qigong can be practiced at home or in a group setting. Along with the group at the Clearwater Library, Wellik leads sessions twice a week at St. Cloud State University. Anyone interested in trying out Spring Forest or just learning more about it is welcome, no religious beliefs are required. The library offers books on the different levels, and you can also visit the official Spring Forest website at www.springforestqigong.com.
‘Energy cannot be created or destroyed, but energy can be transformed.’ - Master Chunyi Lin.
