FIWUF Health Qigong Summer Seminar 5.-7.9.2014 at Kuortane

FIWUF summer seminar has been organized more than 20 years. At the recent years it has been kept in Kuortane Sport Resort near City of Seinäjoki.

Kuortane is a small town near City of Seinäjoki in the middle of the Finland. It has a population around 4000 person. Seinäjoki has around 60 000 inhabitants. Whole area belongs to "Etelä-Pohjanmaa", Southern Ostrobothnia, which is a characteristic traditional Finnish rural area.

Kuortane Sport Resort is a national sports center with good facilities and it is frequently used by different groups from hobbyist to professional athletes.The place is great for various sports activities. All inclusive accomodation with two saunas beside the lake and a relaxing rural environment.

Master Ma Yongshi teaching Taiji Yang Sheng Zhang, Shifu Zhang Fang as a translator. Photo Tanja.

At this setting we started our seminar at Friday 5th of September. The teachers were from Beijing, China, Mr. Ma Yongshi from Tsinghua Univerity  and Mrs.Yang Hui Beijing Sports University. They have already arrived to Finland 2.9. to Helsinki and teached Dao Yin Yang Sheng Gong Shi Er Fa at Helsingin Wushu.

Practicing Taiji-Stick with Master Ma Yongshi. Photo Tanja.

After getting our rooms we started Taiji Yang Sheng Zhang with master Ma Yongshi. At the evening we had sauna beside the lake, swimming in a chilly lake from sauna, and grill party. The moon was almost full and we could see a lot of stars, moon and spectacular Northern Lights, which are quite rare at this time of year and location. At Saturday we had a very productive day. We completed Taiji-stick.

And got very detailed and good teaching from Master Ma Yongshi. Afternoon we studied Wu Qin Xi, Five animals play with Master Yang Hui. Master Yang first watched us doing the routine, then started to teach focusing on the problems she saw we did.

Master Yang Hui demonstrating Tiger movement, Shifu Zhang Fang as a interpreter.

Group photo with training dipolomas. 36 students from Helsinki, Oulu, Lappeenranta, Jyväskylä, Kuopio, Vaasa, Seinäjoki, Kannus and Lahti.

Teachers, Ma Yongshi, Yang Hui and Zhang Fang preparing for the Duan examination.

At the end of Satruday everybody got training diploma. And again we had beach Sauna, swimming, grill party, singing and dancing with Finnish music. No Nortern Lights this time but a beautiful late summer evening with friends.
 At Sunday we had the Duan examination. All together ten people participitated trying duans from 1. to 3.

Duan examination group. Natastha, Aki, Mikko, Ma Yongshi, Liisa, Yang Hui, Auli, Shifu Zhang Fang, Taina, Heikki, Satu, Minna and Jaana.

The three day seminar was nice, intensive filled with lot of new teacahing and nice atmosphere. Cordial thanks to masters Ma Yongshi, Yang Hui and Shifu Zhang Fang for making this great event. Thanks also to all participitants and Tanja Mäki-Jussila especially for organizing practical matters!

Story by Aki Korhonen, Dean of the Finnish Wushu Federation Qigong Branch.

Some more photos by Joni Kesti:

Auli Jussila from Oulu (blueish gray) and Jaana Meriläinen Helsinki (electric blue)

Spectacular serene night view past midnight.  Moon, starts and lake Kuortane.

Northern lights at Friday night.

People from Oulun Taijiseura (www.ouluntaiji.fi) at group photo.

Oulun Taijiseura with masters.

Duan examination Wu Qin Xi bear.

Piia and Auli from Oulu.

Jaana Meriläinen smiling.

Lisää kuvateksti

Heikki Pesu, Helsinki.