YORK COUNTY, Pa. — Are you feeling stressed or burnt out this winter season? FOX43's Ally Debicki has exactly what you need!
Qigong Self Cultivation Class at the HRart Center in North York Borough, will help to cleanse and reset the body.
An over 5,000-year-old practice originating in China, right here in York County. Qigong is all about harnessing natural energy and bringing it into the body.
“The main objective for Qigong is an inner conscious harmony, so basically, when someone is practicing on a regular basis what they are going to achieve is that balance that we are all after,” said Samm Smeltzer, founder of the HRart Center.
Each movement and meditation focuses on opening up and cleansing our organs of negative energy. Classes are also synced with the time of year, to optimally recharge the body during each respective season.
“There are seasonal things that you can do to work with the organs with different seasons, so you get that boost at each differing time. It does boost your mood it just makes you feel really good,” said Jen Simon, Qigong participant.
In this winter-themed practice, we focused on healing the heart, spleen, kidneys, lungs and liver.
Additional benefits include reducing exhaustion and brain fatigue, better sleep, emotional coping skills and a general feeling of well-being.
The HRart Center encourages everyone to try the classes provided on Tuesday mornings from 9 to 10 a.m. and Wednesday nights starting Feb. 15 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
They are "pay as you wish" and are open to all, they just ask you to RSVP on their website ahead of time.
“It’s about movements, it’s about being open, and I think the one thing that they need to know is because the movements are so minimal if you just show up and you’re open, just be in the practice, then you will get the maximum benefit,” said Smeltzer.
“I originally started practicing because I was feeling burnt out like a lot of people who come. [I] was feeling a lack of creativity [and] I am an artist, so I was kind of feeling stuck. [I] just wanted to figure out a different way to take care of these things,” said Simon.
Simon says that group cultivation has led to a lighter life, and is so happy that she found this family within the community.
“What we are really passionate about is helping burnt-out professionals, so our big picture goal is to bring this to corporations to create wellbeing programs that help to give you back the energy to do your jobs and make things a little bit lighter because things have been so heavy,” said Smeltzer.
For more information about the HRart Center, and to RSVP for Qigong click here.