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Tai Chi and Multiple Sclerosis
Recent evidence published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows a consistent tai chi exercise program improves balance, reduces falls, and improves other functional capacities better than resistance training and stretching.
Susan Matthews is a neuroscientist, and 30-year tai chi master who developed Brain Workshop™ - Balance and Exercise Program for Mobility Impaired. Since 2003, this program has helped thousands of persons with neurological damage or brain injury including Parkinson's Disease, stroke, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, and chronic pain. Please see the following updated page and also read the pages suggested in the Guide.
Brain
Workshop™ & Tai Chi for a Healthy Brain and Nervous System.
Nervous system, balance, memory, aging, brain injury, Seniors, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, neuropathy, multiple sclerosis, stroke, PTSD, ADHD, stress, depression, sleep, inflammation, neuroplasticity, Dancing with Chi™, nutrition, fall prevention, meditation, relaxation , instructor certification.
Susan Matthews has designed Brain Workshop™ training based on her personal research in spinal cord development, stroke, retina, neuroendocrinology (brain hormones), and dopamine neurophysiology (Parkinsons), as well as on current scientific evidence-based practices. Matthews is an anatomist, biomechanist, and a 30+-year Chinese Internal Martial Arts (tai chi/qigong) practitioner and teacher.
Bain Workshop™ Seminars are offered nationally. If you would like to sponsor a Brain Workshop™ seminar with Susan Matthews please email Susan Matthews at mail@susanamatthews.com.
Private Consultation via Skype and Private Retreats may be a good fit for those not in the local Four Corners Area.
What are the important components of a tai chi program or any exercise program for Multiple Sclerosis? Watch the following 10-minute video on Five Key Elements for Neuroplasticity. Learn how to exercise to maximally activate the brain to repair, change and grow.
Check out the Spiral Anatomy™ Training Course for great packages including
many of these videos. Modules provide stepwise training on major topics!
Spiral Anatomy™- Movement and Energy Training
for Tai Chi, Sports, Chronic Pain and Rehabilitation
Brain Workshop™ videos are available for home practice:
Brain
Workshop™ Whole-Brain Exercises- Use Mind Power and Movement to Change
Your Brain
Brain Workshop™ Mind and Movement Exercises for Whole-Brain Function and Brain Health make it really possible to change the structure and function of the brain. By training your mind (mindfulness) and movement that involves whole-body integrated movement, you can change your brain. Susan A. Matthews, using decades of experience, combines the ancient secrets of Tai Chi with cutting-edge science to produce a powerful system which you can use to tap into the power of the mind and movement to change the way you think and feel, to reverse age-related changes in the brain, to rehabilitate and regain lost function after stroke or brain injury. Integrate these ancient Tai Chi principles to maximize any exercise for improving brain health and brain function and to maximize mind-body connection. Both Volume One and Two of Brain Workshop™ are now included in Spiral Anatomy™ Module 2 along with balance training and more.
Volume
One: Integrating Neuroscientific Principles is mostly lecture
that presents an introduction to how the brain processes information and,
using that information, how to use specific patterns of movement to activate
and create new neural pathways in the brain. Learn how we use mental practice
and visualization to tap into the power of training the mind to affect
mental, and physical, well being, and even to repair brain injury.
Volume Two: 12 Key Exercises to Activate the Brain are combined
to provide a full one-hour practice session. The constant rhythmic motion
is profoundly relaxing. The 4 parts include: 1) Spinal Dynamics, 2) Head
and Neck Circulation, 3) Mental Practice, and 4) Left/Right Brain Synchrony.
In each part we focus on both a physical exercise and mental exercise
that involves a visualization of energy movement.
The beginning focuses on the dynamics of the spine and the concept of
central equilibrium. This is the physical straight spinal column relaxed
and balanced in gravity along with fluid energy dynamics created by movement
and the mind.
Mental Practice is described for each movement where exercises are designed
to train the mind to work within the physical body, generating a visualization
of energy flow. The exercises teach you to create a strong root, or sense
of balance, how to cultivate a sense of qi, and a method of effortless
walking with intent, focus, and energy.
Exercises to balance left and right brain activity have powerful effects
both mentally and physically. Here, the mind is trained to move the body,
balanced around a singular point of focus.
Head and Neck Exercises provide an abundant blood supply to the brain.
Head and neck massage, relaxation and meditation can increase circulation,
particularly to areas damaged by stroke or brain injury as well as open
doors to higher consciousness. We strongly advise ordering the Three Major Visualizations videos that were produced to expand and enhance Brain Workshop.
Spiral Anatomy™ Module 2 - Balance plus Brain Workshop™ Collection: Best videos in one package. Order/Download only $39.95
***Read this article on:
Using Tai Chi & Qigong for Chronic Stress, Anxiety, PTSD, Depression, Sleep Disorders
Brain Workshop™ Visualizations
As a neuroscientist, I consider visualizations to be some of the most important information I teach. Visualizations are extremely beneficial to the brain and nervous system. Check out the Relaxation and Meditation page in the Study Guide found in the menu bar at left. Brain Circulation Visualization and methods of building and circulating energy is now included in Spiral Anatomy Module 1. It is highly recommended that you order both Spiral Anatomy™ Module 1 and 2 for the best collection of videos organized in a step-wise progression of vital information and practices.
Spiral Anatomy™ Module 1 - Building an Energy Body Collection: Best videos in one package, $100 value. Order/Download only $39.95
Spiral Anatomy™ Module 2 - Balance plus Brain Workshop™ Collection: Best videos in one package. Order/Download only $39.95
Brain Circulation Visualization video is an extension of the non-moving meditation that guides you to fill
the brain and body with energy, light and love. This visualization/meditation practice
brings spiritual energy and earth energy to the heart, profoundly affects
sense of well being calming the nervous system, reduces fear and anger, and trains the mind to bring
healing energy to specific affected areas of the body.
This practice benefits sleep and reduces stress, anxiety and depression. This daily bedtime practice is step one for everything. 19 min.
Get Balance Visualization is an extension and expansion of the visualization on Brain Workshop focusing on Zhong Ding central equilibrium line. Focus on Zhong Ding is a major moving meditation (mindfulness practice). It creates superior balance. It creates a mental focus that reduces energy expenditure by increasing stability when walking or hiking. It increases one's connection with energy of the earth. 37 min.
Walking Visualization Meditative walking with zhong ding. 23 min.
More about Brain Workshop™ Whole-Brain Exercises- Using Mind Power and Movement to Change Your Brain
12 Key Exercises for Brain Health
1) Arm Swings with Mental Intent on Central Equilibrium (Zhong Ding)
2) Gathering Energy using Mental Intent for Up/Down Energy Movement
3) Spiral Up and Stretch
4) Head and Neck Massage
5) Relaxing, Qi Filling Breath Meditation
6) Zhong Ding Rooting and Stretching
7) Left/Right Sinking
8) Qi Walking with Central Equilibrium
9) Sitting Figure-8 Qi Circles
10) Open the Back
11) Backwards Bicycle Punches
12) Arm Swings with Central Equilibrium and Bicycle
These two volumes contain elements of Brain Workshop training for speeding neural repair and plasticity in patients with movement disability such as those who are recovering from stroke, brain injury, or who have progressive neurological symptoms as seen in Parkinson's Disease.
They also contains tools and specific movement principles for therapists to use to aid in learning and memory acquisition. For example, speech and reading therapists can incorporate rhythmic movement as a right-brain activity to facilitate left-brain repatterning.
Similarly,
this mind-body integration training uses movement synchronization and
rhythm coupled with mental practice that effects both physical and mental
balance.
Email Susan for more information: mail@susanamatthews.com
Upon registration for any Brain Workshop™ Seminar, each participant is encouraged to use the videos Brain Workshop™ Mind and Movement Exercises for Brain Health- Training Your Mind & Movement to Change your Brain as an excellent introduction to five aspects in her workshops central in her approach to movement, tai chi, and brain health. She explores them in class and works with participants to understand their meaning and how they may be incorporated into any modality:
First, movement with synchronicity, rhythmicity, and symmetry has been linked to brain activation during memory acquisition, states of consciousness, locomotion, neural repair, and rehabilitation.
Second, mental practice, including visualization and movement imagery, are receiving greater significance for treatment potential. New imaging techniques show that when you visualize going over movement in your mind (imagery), neuronal (nerve cell) activity in the brain actually mirrors that movement. This capacity of the nervous system is just beginning to be explored in brain injury research and treatment. Tai Chi and other ‘internal’ martial arts training tools greatly enhance mental agility by tapping into the mind connection between visualization of internal energy (qi) and movement.
Third, balanced, integrated, left- and right-sided movement is accompanied by balanced brain activity. Such movement activates the motor and sensory neural circuitry of the whole brain. Balance is accomplished by using two major components of training: 1) “central equilibrium training,” and; 2) mechanical spiraling in the joints.
Fourth, engaging and integrating multiple sensory systems both physically and with mind intention, wakes up the entire body and brain, and can speed up the healing process. These systems include visual, kinesthetic, the sense of gravity and position, muscle load, stretching and contracting, sensors in the skin, and the sensation of qi (vital energy).
Fifth, using these techniques and others to train the mind achieves three levels of adaptation. First, increased awareness of the sensation of internal qi energy flowing in the body. Second, the ability to direct internal energy and physical movement to flow in harmony. Finally, the training cultivates awareness of, and harmony with, the energetic movement in the space surrounding the body.
Program Dates and Details
Brain
Workshop™ Programs are presented in Seminars offered nationally. For current schedule or if you
would like to sponsor a Brain Workshop seminar with Susan Matthews please
email Susan at mail@susanamatthews.com.
For
current schedule of workshops in Southwestern Colorado, Laguna Beach,
CA, and Wilmington, NC, email or call:
Susan Matthews at 970-903-5723, mail@susanamatthews.com.
Professional Development: Participants may receive Certification for
Brain Workshop™ Clinic for Neural Rehabilitation and are eligible for
CE Hours (8). Another link to 10-minute Brain Workshop Intro.
Testimonials from participants!
—Parkinson's Disease
After being diagnosed with Parkinson's (experiencing tremor, fatigue, balance issues and sleep issues) over a year and a half ago, I started working with Susan and Brain Workshop exercises.
I can say today that, rather than progressing in symptoms, I am not progressing. My doctor is thrilled. Balance is not an issue! I use Susan's breathing and meditation techniques for getting back to sleep at night, and I can quiet my tremor to a great degree.
Instead of stiffening, my body is moving and becoming more flexible than it has ever been in all my 64 years. My spine has become straight again! I am opening up rather than closing down. I will continue to practice this method for the rest of my life and tell my friends.
Thank You , Joseph
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"Susan came to an ongoing group in Leland, where we live, and led us in a one-hour class. We found her knowledge of anatomy and style of working with energy and body movement so appealing that we invited her to our home for a private session. We now regularly use two of her DVD's for practice. And we are so pleased and excited that she is returning for a full day!"B & V
Hello Susan,
I want to thank you and the staff of the White Oak Institute for the seminar on Saturday. The wealth of information was a blessing. The DVDs are useful in helping my wife and I put new life into our long time practice of Tai Chi Chih and also to enjoy the new form you presented at the end of the workshop. Again, I thank you for coming to Asheville. All the best! Roger Wheelock
—Multiple
Sclerosis and Brain Workshop
Dear Susan,
It is difficult to find words adequate to describe the depth of my gratitude to you. You gave of your time, your energy, your compassion, your wisdom 100% yesterday, to such an extent that it seems to me as if that aspect of yourself who taught me is forever with me. I am profoundly grateful for what you have shown and given me - and how flat those words fall next to the actual experience. Gerry, too, was transformed by hope and thankfulness yesterday, and in fact both of us were moved to tears on the drive home. You are a healer and teacher in the deepest sense of those words.
Today I am in no pain whatsoever, and am still walking better - though I have not practiced yet today. My tiredness last night was delicious and normal - no fatigue or exhaustion, just a sense of pleasant glowing accomplishment and readiness for rest. You were so right yesterday when you said that we had pushed through to a new level - for me, it represented the "forced evolution" that comes from walking a genuine spiritual path: the sensations and new information were slow to process by the time the afternoon tai chi class started, but by sitting and absorbing, watching and feeling, the integration process began and will never stop - it is a dynamo.
Thank you and bless you always, Susan.
Connie