Tai Chi: Beginners Qigong and Meditation with Autumn Hayes Every Saturday at 10am

Join Autumn Hayes is the founder of Two Fish Tai Chi and Arts for a restorative session of Qigong Tai Chi with meditation in our calm space for wellness at OEP Athens.

Autumn Hayes is a writer, educator, life coach, and poet. Her work ranges from teaching tai chi to leading philosophy and English seminars to writing sci-fi pilgrimage poems, contemporary sonnets, movie reviews, pop-culture pieces, and choreopoems in Greek. Her love for movement, language experiments, and mashups comes from a lifetime of traveling between cultures and crossing borders. A former dancer and athlete, she has read, performed, and presented in Los Angeles, Australia, and various cities in Texas.

We are thrilled to have Autumn at Stretch and Shine here at OEP Athens and we know that you are going to love her energy and skills she brings to every Tai Chi session.

Qigong is an ancient Chinese practice that combines gentle movements, controlled breathing and meditation to improve physical and mental health. The name translates to "cultivating life-force energy" (Qi means energy, and Gong means skill or work).

The Three Core Pillars

• Body Movement: Slow, flowing postures that stretch and strengthen muscles.
• Breath Control: Deep, rhythmic breathing synchronized with your movements.
• Mind Intent: Focused meditation to calm thoughts and channel internal energy.

Main Types of Qigong

• Medical Qigong: Used in traditional medicine to heal illness and boost immunity.
• Martial Qigong: Designed to increase physical power, speed, and stamina.
• Spiritual Qigong: Practiced for mindfulness, inner peace, and spiritual growth.

Is there a difference between Tai Chi and Qigong?

Qigong is the broad foundation of energy cultivation, while Tai Chi is a specific martial art built upon that foundation. In short, all Tai Chi involves Qigong, but not all Qigong is Tai Chi.

Tai Chi is one of the most amazing ways to build strength, realign your body and mind. Open to all levels we are looking forward to welcoming you to our classes here at OEP Athens.

All classes at OEP Athens are limited to 6 places so it's vital to book in advance to avoid disappointment.

All necessary equipment is included and after your session feel free to enjoy a complimentary matcha latte upstairs in our community space.