Oriental Wisdom

10/11/2025

I’d like to share this informative conversation by my teacher, Simon Blow, on Qigong and its role in supporting people through cancer treatment and recovery.

This discussion explores how gentle movement, breath, and mindful intention can help activate the body’s natural healing energy. It touches on emotional support, immune function, and simple practices that can help people find a sense of calm and connection during challenging times.

If you’re curious to experience Qigong for yourself, I run classes in Blackheath on Friday afternoons at 4pm. It’s a wonderful opportunity to explore this gentle practice and discover how movement can bring ease, grounding, and presence.

Feel free to get in touch if you’d like more information or to join us.

About this Episode:In this inspiring conversation, we explore the powerful connection between Qigong, cancer recovery, and integrative oncology. Discover how...

06/11/2025

Supporting Your Digestion in November

In Chinese medicine, the body follows a daily rhythm called the Chinese Body Clock, where each organ system has a 2-hour period of peak energy. From 9–11 am, the energy is strongest in the Stomach, making this the ideal time for a warm, nourishing breakfast. Try porridge or congee, or a fresh omelette with herbs, spinach, or asparagus — these foods help support digestion and strengthen the Earth element, which thrives on warmth and nourishment.

November marks the transition from spring to summer — a time to gently prepare the body for the heat ahead without chilling the belly. The Earth element loves sweet or neutral flavours and benefits from cooling, hydrating foods in moderation. As the weather can shift between warm and cold days, let your meals adapt too — choose lighter, cooler foods when it’s hot, and return to warming, cooked meals when the temperature drops.

Simple ways to support Earth:
* Eat warm, cooked foods that are easy to digest
* Enjoy grounding, sweet seasonal vegetables
* Pause and be mindful during meals

For more guidance on nourishing your Earth element through diet, lifestyle, and self-care, check out my Earth eBook
https://www.orientalwisdom.com.au/product/nourishing-the-centre-food-as-medicine/

04/11/2025

Spring into Movement with Qigong – Fridays in Blackheath

I’m back from my Qigong immersion in China, and my Friday afternoon classes are running again!

Spring is a time of growth and renewal — the perfect season to get moving, stretch, and open your energy. Qigong is gentle yet powerful: it supports your body to adapt to seasonal changes, nourishes your vitality, calms your mind, and helps you feel grounded and energised.

Join me every Friday to reconnect with your body, cultivate calm, and enjoy the benefits of this beautiful ancient practice.

When: Fridays, 4-5pmpm
Where: Blackheath Fitness Centre

Comment below or send me a message if you want to know more.

04/11/2025

Spring into Movement with Qigong – Fridays in Blackheath

I’m back from my Qigong immersion in China, and my Friday afternoon classes are running again!

Spring is a time of growth and renewal — the perfect season to get moving, stretch, and open your energy. Qigong is gentle yet powerful: it supports your body to adapt to seasonal changes, nourishes your vitality, calms your mind, and helps you feel grounded and energised.

Join me every Friday to reconnect with your body, cultivate calm, and enjoy the benefits of this beautiful ancient practice.

When: Fridays, 4-5 pm
Where: Blackheath Fitness Centre

Spaces are limited — comment below if you'd like to come along

02/11/2025

Eat with the Season this November!

November is full of fresh, vibrant produce that’s perfect for nourishing your body and supporting your natural rhythm. Seasonal eating not only tastes better but also aligns with the energy of spring — helping your body feel more balanced and energised.

Check out what’s in season this month and let your meals reflect the colours, flavours, and abundance of spring: Sydney Markets – What’s in Season

Try incorporating these fresh fruits and vegetables into your meals — from bright greens to juicy reds, golden yellows, and sweet oranges — and enjoy the benefits of eating in tune with nature.
https://www.sydneymarkets.com.au/markets/produce-market/whats-in-season/spring-2020.html

02/11/2025

Thu, Oct 16 — This morning we started with our usual 6.30am Qigong — Guigen first, then the Wudang Longevity form. Master Simon learned the longevity form directly from Grand Master Zhong Yunlong, and practising it here, in the misty Wudang Mountain courtyard with those incredible views, made the energy feel so alive. After meeting Grand Master Zhong, the practice felt even more meaningful — a reminder of how place, lineage, and intention come together to nourish body, breath, and mind.

After breakfast, I took a brief walk down the hill to a little viewing platform we had noticed on the bus ride home yesterday. It was a beautifully peaceful spot to spend a few moments meditating on the misty mountains.

Back up the hill, we caught the bus to Monkey Valley for our final 5 Animal Qigong practice with Master Xia. My husband joined us today, doing his own form of Qigong with resistance bands while photographing our practice in whatever shelter from the rain we could find. This was our last session with Master Xia, and we celebrated with a group photo as he gave us all a PASS.

Lunch was at the restaurant in Monkey Valley again

02/11/2025

02/11/2025

Wed Oct 15: Our day began, as usual, with a 6.30am qigong practice in the fresh misty morning air - today it was the 6 Unity Qigong (Liu He Gong) — a form I sometimes teach in my Friday afternoon classes.

After breakfast, we set off for Monkey Valley (Xiao Yao Gu, the Carefree Valley) for a morning of Five Animal Qigong practice with Master Xia. While we had glimpsed the occasional macaques over the past few days from the bus, today the valley was peaceful, and no macaques made an appearance — the perfect setting for focused practice.

Monkey Valley was breathtaking. Arching bridges reflected perfectly in the water, small traditional boats rested along the riverbank, and an impressive statue of Laozi welcomed us to our practice site. We watched a group of children practicing Kung Fu, a beautiful reflection of the next generation engaging with these traditions. A meandering dock led us to our practice area in front of the tea house, its reflection mirrored in the still lake.

Lunch was enjoyed at a lovely restaurant nearby, where koi carp swam gracefully in the pond beside us. A persimmon tree stood proudly in front of the restaurant, catching my eye as it’s one of my favourite fruits.

In the afternoon, we returned to “Laozi Hall” for more Five Animal Qigong. As the sun emerged, the mountains and valleys glowed, making our practice feel even more powerful and connected to the surroundings.

After a full day of training, we returned to the hotel for dinner, and everyone headed straight to their rooms — a well-deserved rest after a day of movement, and absorbing the energy of Wudang.

02/11/2025

02/11/2025

Tue Oct 14: in the afternoon, the bus dropped us off in what looked like the middle of nowhere. Just a quiet mountain road, lined with trees, with only a simple stone marker by the side: “Laozi Hall.”

Laozi, or Lao Tzu, is the legendary sage of the Dao De Jing and the philosophical founder of Daoism — a figure representing naturalness, stillness, simplicity, and alignment with the Dao. To practise anywhere connected to his legacy carries a sense of quiet reverence.

We followed a narrow path from the roadside and soon emerged into a courtyard with an incredibly breathtaking view. Mountains layered into the distance, mist curling gently around the trees, and a sense of spaciousness that made it hard to look away. It felt like the land itself was inviting us to pause, to breathe, and to remember something ancient.

A sign near the main building described the site as the Laojun Temple, dating back to 1412. This temple honours Laojun — another name for Laozi in his deified form — and is part of Wudang’s long tradition of sacred sites dedicated to Taoist cultivation. The temple has been a place of quiet practice for centuries, where generations of practitioners have trained, meditated, and refined their spirit.

After taking in the view (and reluctantly pulling our eyes away from it), Master Xia gathered us again for another round of Five Animal Qigong. Practising those movements with such an extraordinary mountain backdrop made the experience feel even more alive. We continued for another 1.5 hours, feeling the forms settle a little deeper into our bodies.

On the bus ride back to the hotel, we passed terraces of neatly lined plants along the misty slopes — likely tea bushes thriving in the mountain climate. The sight reminded me of the discipline, structure, and care involved in making the most of what we have to look after ourselves: a perfect reflection of self-sufficiency.

Back at the hotel, we enjoyed dinner, followed by a quiet evening practice of the seated Baduanjin meditation before bed — the perfect way to finish such a full, rich day.

A day like this reminds me why I love sharing Qigong and Taoist wisdom with others.

02/11/2025

Tue Oct 14: Our visit to the Clear Ripple Taoist Academy in Wudang Mountain offered profound insight into the heart of the Wudang tradition. We were welcomed by Grand Master Zhong Yunlong, a 14th-generation inheritor of the Wudang Sanfeng Pai lineage and one of Master Simon Blow’s teachers.

Grand Master Zhong spoke about the integration of Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism, and how true cultivation rests on humility, self-sufficiency, and offering help without expectation of return. He reminded us that although many people may hear the same teaching, each will receive a different message depending on what their heart is ready for.

He emphasised that physical practice is only one part of internal cultivation. Heart study, diet, and living in harmony with nature are equally important. The moderate path prevents extremes from flipping into imbalance, and adaptability — to the seasons of the year and the seasons of life — is essential.

His seasonal reminders echoed the principles I teach in my own work:
• Spring: rising yang, expand your movement
• Summer: abundant yang, nourish the five organs
• Autumn: gather and store
• Winter: turn inward, rest deeply

He likened training to farming — tending essence, nurturing qi, refining spirit. Through consistent practice we cultivate stability, clarity, and strong, harmonious energy that naturally radiates outward.

This visit affirmed so much of what I teach in my seasonal self-care workshops and reminded me once again that self-regulation, groundedness, and alignment with nature remain the foundation of wellness.

30/10/2025

Transition from Spring to Summer, Support your health with acupuncture, My trip to China, plus new blogs, Qigong updates, Mar 2026 - Master Simon Blow's Katoomba Qigong workshop, Explore my Seasonal self care ebooks, Lemon Balm Clinic Wires fund raising for summer. This and so much more in my latest newsletter -

Transition from Spring to Summer, Support your health with acupuncture, My trip to China, plus new blogs, Qigong updates, Mar 2026 - Master Simon Blow's Katoomba Qigong workshop, Explore my Seasonal self care ebooks, Lemon Balm Clinic Wires fund raising for summer - dive into my newsletter and find....