August 2026 Newsletter

Dear Friends,

This Saturday, we begin a new monthly focus: the root, the feet, ankles, knees, and hips that everything else is built on.

Every step begins there. So does balance, and so does much of what later shows up as back pain. An uneven stance, a tight ankle, a locked knee: these tend to surface higher up as strain, sometimes even disturbing sleep. Stress compounds it, tightening the muscles and blocking the flow of qi. The way in is not to push harder but to work low, with awareness, release, alignment, and strength. (Read the full post for how we work with it)

If you, or someone you love, lives with back pain or has grown less certain on their feet, this month is for you. Our live online Saturday class begins August 1st. Forward this to a friend and invite them to join.

根深叶茂 (gēn shēn yè mào), when the roots run deep, the leaves flourish.

Warmly,

Master Yang Yang, PhD

In this clip, my student Rodney Owen and I practice push hands, where two partners try to uproot each other. No shoving, no force. The one who stays rooted, aligned, and calm is the one left standing, not because they are stronger, but because their structure holds.

The same principle sits behind back pain and behind balance.

An unrooted foundation gets uprooted by ordinary activities: a long day standing, an awkward step, a moment of stress. That is when strain moves upward and shows up as pain, or as a stumble. Watch the feet first, then the ankles, knees, and hips. Rooting, relaxation, orientation, and coordination are all doing quiet work before anything visible happens.

In the Saturday online class, we practice standing, shifting, and stepping on your own two feet, building the same rooting, alignment, and relaxation you see in the clip. Slowly, safely, at whatever pace your body allows, every Saturday morning.

One month later, it was still holding.

In our published randomized controlled trial of 350 people, participants saw meaningful improvement in pain-related disability and quality of life, along with better sleep. The part that stays with us is what happened after. A month past the end of the program, those gains were still there. Roots work the same way. Slow to build, slow to leave.

“Participating in each class has subtly contributed to improving my posture and balance, lessening the pain in my sacrum fracture, and eliminating the pain in my left hip. A friend mentioned last night that I was walking better, more quickly and with greater balance. I am truly amazed and grateful.”

Joan, Spine Class member

• Saturday Spine Class, live online, 10 to 11 AM ET. New rooting focus begins this weekend, August 1, 2026. Weekly, all levels, open to anyone living with back pain or other chronic conditions. Learn more or purchase here.

• Sunday Chen Tai Chi Cannon Fist, live online, 10 to 11 AM ET on eight Sundays, September 13 to December 13, 2026. Includes recordings through January 17, 2027. Intermediate and advanced. Learn more.

• Kripalu Workshop, in person at Kripalu (Stockbridge, MA), November 20 to 22, 2026, featuring our special guest, Dr. Roger Härtl. Learn more.

• 2027 Camps, in person at Blowing Rock Conference Center in Blowing Rock, NC.. Fundamentals Camp (June 1 to 6) • Cannon Fist Camp (June 6 to 11). Pre-enrollment is now open. Learn more.

Also from WaQi, for dedicated students of Chen Tai Chi.

Cannon Fist (Pao Chui) is the advanced second form of Chen Tai Chi, the oldest style of Tai Chi, which dates back about 400 years. Cannon Fist took its present form as the second routine roughly 200 years ago. This fall we continue the form from movement 27, working on agility, core power, silk-reeling, and injury prevention through traditional Chen-style martial training. Relatively few practitioners worldwide have the opportunity to study it. Dates and enrollment are listed above.

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