Are you ready to devote time to preserve the health of your joints, improve your balance and coordination, refine and deepen your breathing, mobilize hidden resources of strength, and release self-harming habits and patterns that no longer serve you?
Have you contemplated the transformational possibilities available to you within the Chinese wisdom lineage — and are prepared to take a deeper dive into the powerful healing and enlightening practices available to you there?
Yi Quan (say YEE-CHUEN) consists of brief, easy-to-learn postures, exercises, and meditations that improve skills used in Tai Chi, Qigong, sports, and everyday life. Like Tai Chi, Yi Quan is both a healing art and a vocabulary of martial arts skills.
But unlike Tai Chi, it does not require learning a long and complex choreography. Rather, the founder of Yi Quan, Master Wang Xiangzhai, took a radical approach to healing, body energy management, and athletic training by asking a simple question:
“What is the quickest and most direct way to help people realize their innate potential, without imposing a ‘system,’ a new form of conditioning that might limit awareness and expression?”
The beautiful Yi Quan movements provide a complete wellness workout. Yi Quan is ideal for beginners and all levels, as it does not require previous experience in the healing arts or Chinese medicine.
However, body training is only half the answer. Yi Quan includes sophisticated methods of healing imagery to cultivate mental focus, relaxation, inner peace, and your connection with nature.
Ken Cohen is a Tai Chi and Qigong Grandmaster, and a winner of a Lifetime Achievement Award in Energy Medicine, who has practiced Chinese healing and contemplative and martial arts since 1968. He is one of the most significant teachers of the mystical underpinnings of Chinese culture in our generation — particularly because he’s known for his friendly and engaging teaching style, making ancient healing arts easy to understand and a joy to practice.
Ken received his training in Yi Quan directly from a student of the founder, Master Wang Xiangzhai (1885-1963), as well as from other second- and third-generation students.
While they’re practice-oriented, these principles will also be delightfully explored through anecdotes of the old masters. If you prefer learning with a touch of fun, embark on Kens course, in which he shared this original and rare system with wit and wisdom — using a blend of story, Qigong insights, and standing meditation exercises to refine your posture, align your breathing patterns, and replenish your energy reserves.
The Direction Energy Should Flow
How Qigong Improves Coordination
The Science Behind Qigong
— Lorelei Chang, Dancer, Artist, and Qigong Master: “Ken Is One of the Most Qualified Living Treasures in the Qigong World”
— Michael Gelb, Bestselling Author: “Ken Is the Rare Combination of Profound Scholarly Wisdom and Actual Practice at the Very Highest Level”
— Dr. Mardi Crane-Godreau, Former Assistant Professor at Dartmouth Medical School: “Ken Is an Amazing Teacher With an Amazing Depth and Breadth of Understanding of Qigong”
In this 7-part energy-work intensive, Ken guides you through the fundamental skills you’ll need to embark on a path toward mastering the perfect martial art for practitioners who value the flowing movement, energy, and poses of Qigong and Tai Chi — with an emphasis on ease, grace, simplicity, and a mature spiritual perspective.
This course features step-by-step teachings and experiential practices from Ken. Each session builds harmoniously upon the previous ones, so you’ll develop a complete holistic understanding of the practices and principles you’ll need to cultivate vital energy, deepen your flexibility, improve your balance, and increase your strength — for longevity, wellness, and an awakened mind. Your purchase includes 24/7 ongoing access to your course content, allowing you time to review the materials at your own pace and integration.
Discover the key elements of Yi Quan posture, including simple ways to relax more deeply, the importance of bent knees to put spring in your step, how to release constriction in your spine, and the role of your abdomen in deep breathing.
Practice five standing meditation postures to improve alignment and build a reservoir of strong, resilient Qi. Close the standing meditation by practicing Xiu Xi Shi, the Posture of Relaxation: a specific way of shifting your weight, which gently massages your feet.
Then, learn the first of five Yi Quan methods of meditative walking and how it can reduce stress and add joy to your everyday life. The founder of Yi Quan said that it “... awakens the mind of the ancient Buddhas” — a realm of emptiness, free of thought and worry.
Ken teaches each technique slowly, carefully, and with plenty of time for review.
In this session, you’ll:
Standing Meditation is considered one of the Si De — the Four Virtues of the Human Being, which are Lying, Sitting, Standing, and Walking. One of the goals of Qigong is doing these most basic, everyday activities with ease, grace, and enjoyment. Movement starts from the stillness and tranquility of standing. If you can’t stand properly, you can’t move properly.
You will review the five core postures of Yi Quan Standing, and deepen your practice with Yi Quan traditional guided imagery meditations. Then, proceed smoothly from Standing to Movement — maintaining a quiet center in the midst of activity.
Imagine if you can learn to do this when life seems chaotic!
In this session, you’ll:
Outward energetic and inner alchemical synergies begin to stir as you combine standing postures with healing imagery for deeper relaxation, mental silence (stilling the “monkey mind”), and opening your senses to the healing power of nature...
... while also reviewing and moving through Walking Meditations 1, 2, and 3 — and integrating a fourth called Luo Xuan Jin (Spiraling Power). This fourth technique winds and turns like the spinning of a silk cocoon — and is thus also known as Coiling Silk.
By practicing Coiling Silk, your tension dissolves and energy knots unwind — adding depth and enjoyment while increasing the health benefits of your practice.
In this session, you’ll:
Move from what the Chinese call “the skin” (superficial learning) to “the bones” (deep learning), discovering the hidden dimensions and delights of Yi Quan with an exploration of Liu Mian Li (6-Direction Force) — sensing the space around your body and becoming aware of the field of Qi that we live in.
You’ll enjoy Dragon Standing and Eagle Standing practices to open your joints, increase your reserve of vitality, and soar to new heights of consciousness. Then, Ken leads the final core Walking Meditation, practiced slowly as a moving meditation or quickly for aerobic conditioning.
You’ll also learn about the deep connection between Yi Quan and China’s favorite sport: the martial arts (wu shu ) — at the highest level of martial arts, the ego is defeated and you discover the spiritual warrior within. The module closes with a discussion of Yi Quan principles, based on writings of the founder, Wang Xiangzhai.
In this session, you’ll:
In the fifth century BCE, Lao Zi, the founder of Taoism, declared, “The highest good is like water.” Water is supple and adaptable, assuming the shape of its container. It is responsive — notice how even a gentle breeze produces ripples on a quiet pond. Yet water is also a source of great strength, for when supple power is concentrated, it becomes a mighty wave in the sea.
In this module, you’ll learn to flow gracefully as though swimming in the air. Then for contrast, you’ll discover how Yi Quan helps you develop core strength through a principle called Zheng Li (Contending Force), in which you imagine moving against resistance, as though the air has become as thick as molasses.
Our bodies are made mostly of water. Is it any wonder that water-like movements restore our innate and most natural potentials and abilities? As Master Wang Xiangzhai, founder of Yi Quan, said, “The ordinary is the extraordinary.”
In this session, you’ll:
Is it possible to move and sense as a whole human being, rather than fragmented, in bits and pieces? To what extent is health a state of connection — and disease one of disconnection?
Yi Quan includes brilliant ways to restore broken or fragmented connections — so that the upper body communicates with the lower body, right side with left side, inner nature with outer nature. As you review Yi Quan methods, you’ll explore this principle of connectedness and Whole-Body Internal Force.
Ken then speaks about how Master Wang Xiangzhai was a close friend of some of China’s great artists — and that Chinese arts such as painting and poetry are based on principles similar to Qigong. He introduces you to this broader cultural context of Yi Quan by reciting original translations of 1,000-year-old Chinese poems that celebrate the beauty of the natural world.
In this session, you’ll:
Yi Quan is based on a balance of form and formlessness — specific exercises to improve posture and movement skills and cultivate a state of being free of limitation in a formless realm without thoughts, images, or worries.
In this module, you’ll review the core wellness workout and many of the auxiliary exercises and meditations. Then Ken shares a fascinating story of how Master Wang developed a new, creative approach to personal training called Jian Wu (the Health Dance).
Ken demonstrates and lead you in a spontaneous way of combining techniques from the Yi Quan repertoire into a completely unique, improvised dance, and then give you pointers on how you can create your own health dance. The health dance may be tailored to individual needs and can range from slow and meditative techniques to moderate or full-speed movements for conditioning and stamina.
In this session, you’ll:
In addition to Ken’s transformative 7-module virtual course, you’ll receive these special bonuses to complement the course and take your understanding and practice to an even deeper level.
Read Ken Cohen’s original translation and commentary on the biography of Master Wang Xiangzhai, founder of Yi Quan, and inspiring quotes from Wang’s writings. You’ll explore insightful reflections on Yi Quan’s comprehensive approach to somatic education, martial arts, and spiritual development. Also included is an outline of techniques that will be explored in the course and a list of resources for further study.
Be guided through powerful meditations developed by Yi Quan founder Master Wang Xiangzhai — to help you cleanse and refresh your body and mind. Learn the Dew Drop Shower Meditation to wash away stagnation, the Autumn Leaf Meditation to still the monkey mind, and the Rings of Power Meditation to harmonize with the Qi of the universe. Wang believed that these unique methods of mental focus were essential to understanding and expressing the full potential of the human spirit.
Discover why the crane is such an important symbol of balance, meditation, and longevity — and how it inspired Chinese art, poetry, martial arts, and Qigong. This essay includes original translations and detailed instruction in Crane Breathing, a Taoist Qigong technique that deepens the breath, cultivating resilience and tranquility. Crane Breathing is one of the most famous, yet rarely taught, Taoist meditations for increasing your body’s supply of Qi in your primary energy reservoir.
“The ordinary is the extraordinary,” said the founder of Yi Quan. One of the finest examples of this principle is the Chinese art of tea, not so much a ceremony as an elegant way to open the senses and enjoy the aroma, taste, and Qi of tea. Beauty and enlightenment are found in the ordinary and the everyday. Tea transports you to tranquil pine forests and misty mountain vistas. Drinking tea is Qigong! Join Ken in his tearoom as he shares tea preparation and appreciation with you.
— Michael Lightner: “Ken’s Connection to Students Is Just Amazing”
— Gillian Carmody: “The Passion Ken Brings Is Absolutely Palpable"
— Andrea Malik: “I Have Never Had a Teacher Like Ken Cohen”
— Gita Brown: “Ken Is Such an Engaging and Effective Teacher”
— Kanti Jocelyn-Bisgaard: “Imagine my Delight and Surprise That I Was Able to Titrate Off My Antidepressants”
— George Hoffman: “Ken Is One of the Most Extraordinary Tai Chi Teachers I’ve Ever Met”
My expectations of this course were twofold. One expectation was to learn the fundamentals of Tai Chi. As important was to get my teaching from the renowned master and teacher Ken Cohen. The course was an awesome experience in all respects. As a Qigong instructor, I’ve gotten deeper insights for myself and my own practice, while as a student I’ve met a simply amazing teacher who teaches by heart. It has been an unforgettable experience, creating a long-term impact in all aspects.
— Adelina Baleanu, Aalborg, Denmark
Ken Cohen is a very learned scholar of this practice. When he teaches and shares, there’s a glowing passion that’s unstoppable.
— Leslie, East Patchogue, New York
With Ken’s excellent (and fun) guidance, and the replays for practice, it was easy to learn this form. I wouldn’t have thought it easy, or even possible to learn online. Thanks, Ken and The Shift Network.
— Brian, Pennsylvania
This experience has given me added focus and balance in my life, helping me embody my life journey as an empathic earth and light warrior. I highly recommend this course with Ken, and other courses from The Shift Network.
— Susan Griffins, Alexandria, Canada
Ken Cohen is a marvelous teacher, and I was thrilled to be able to study with him. His joy and love of all things Tai Chi and Qigong is palpable, and it inspired me, as a Tai Chi practitioner, to go deeper. I also greatly appreciated his love of Chinese art, culture, and philosophy, which is so important to the overall understanding of Tai Chi.
— Heidi (Haidi) Kestenbaum, Vienna, Virginia
Ken’s transmission is very clear, which made it easy for me to connect easily to the benefits of Tai Chi from the very beginning, even though it was my first time practicing this beautiful ancient art. This practice brings me joy, peacefulness, and more stillness. An important gift was to also connect my body as a whole and feel the subtle and physical in the same place, bringing a lot more body awareness and confidence.
— Sinéad Quinn, Alicante, Spain
I’ve learnt more about Tai Chi and Qigong from Ken, in one course, than from several local teachers over the years. Inspirational!
— Steve, Forest of Dean, England
I have a mobility disability and was still able to join in. Ken made it clear that if you need to do the work sitting, you can still do it. Sometimes I did. I was filled with an enormous amount of energy by taking part in this course, and I really enjoyed learning about/considering philosophical elements like movement and stillness. It was a brilliant experience. Thank you for letting me join in.
— Rosemarie, Derbyshire, United Kingdom
Ken Cohen is a powerhouse of information, and his smile is so full of warmth you feel like he’s your good friend. I wanted to learn more intricate details of each move and definitely received that.
— Cindy, Australia
Ken is a wise and highly inspirational teacher. He is gentle, understanding, and patient. A truly gifted teacher. Taking this course through The Shift Network greatly increased my joy and ease of learning... I love the playback, the transcripts, and perhaps most of all, breaking up the class into distinct videos so we can easily go to the section we wish to work on. Superb in every way!
— Myra, Morro Bay, California
Experience a unique opportunity to learn from Qigong and Tai Chi grandmaster Ken Cohen, world-renowned health educator and China scholar, from the comfort of your own home. Each session includes a streaming video and guides you to explore the perfect martial art for beginners and long-term practitioners alike.
In addition to the high-quality videos and MP3 audios, you’ll also receive session transcriptions. You can then review, print, and highlight the most important insights and practices you were given.
Between sessions, you’ll have the option of completing related exercises, practicing new tools, and answering questions to accelerate your learning and integrate each lesson.
We feel honored that Ken Cohen has chosen to partner with The Shift Network to offer this exclusive online training. This is a unique opportunity to learn from a world-renowned health educator, China scholar, and Qigong and Tai Chi Grandmaster whose powerful insights and pioneering work are helping us heal and awaken ourselves and our world.
If you’re serious about learning healing movements for a supple, energized body, balanced emotions, and an awakened mind, then you owe it to yourself to take this one-of-a-kind training.
If you’re ready to take the next step in evolving yourself, click the register button below to reserve your space now.
Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed! If you don’t absolutely LOVE Yi Quan Qigong — or don’t feel that it meets your needs — please submit your refund request form 2 weeks from your date of purchase and we’ll happily issue qualifying customers a refund.
Ken Cohen is a rare combination of expert practitioner, gifted scholar, and lucid writer. He manages to convey not only techniques, but wisdom. His work nourishes the clinician, the scientist, and, most importantly, the average individual looking for practical ways to enhance life and health.
— Elmer Green, PhD, author of Beyond Biofeedback
Ken Cohen is a healer who knows how to help the body heal itself and he works with his clients to ready them to participate — take charge of their own healing. He studied with Chinese Masters and in their own language: he has become an embodiment of the Tao in his movement and work.
— Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, author of From Age-ing to Sage-ing
Ken is a warm and remarkable man and a true enlightened teacher of great magnitude. A lover of truth and one who is doing something valuable with his “enlightenment”. For me, Ken is the embodiment of the ancient saying, “Do not look only at the flask, look at what it contains.” He is a walking-invisible-observer with a heart full of humor and joy. He is a precious warrior of the heart to those who encounter him.
— Samuel Avital, director of Le Centre Du Silence Mime School
Ken Cohen’s mastery of Chinese healing arts is rooted in a deep understanding of Chinese language and culture, giving him an extraordinary ability to express these arts from the perspectives of East and West.
— Madame Chu Xingyan, former professor Beijing Academy of Music
Without actually being in Ken Cohen’s presence, it would be very hard to believe that an American could have such a profound and detailed understanding of traditional Chinese culture. His movements express true mastery and a deep cultivation of the spirit of China. Kenneth Cohen’s dissemination of Chinese culture to the Western World is an enormous work and a glorious achievement.
— Tu Xinshi, editor, The Chinese American Post
Kenneth S. Cohen (Gao Han), MA, is a world-renowned Tai Chi and Qigong Grandmaster with more than 50 years of experience. A former collaborator with Alan Watts, he’s the author of the internationally acclaimed book, The Way of Qigong, and more than 200 journal articles on spirituality and health. Ken received his teaching certificate from the William C. C. Chen School of Tai Chi Chuan in 1974 and continued training with B. P. Chan and Madame Gao Fu. He eventually became the apprentice of Taoist Abbot Huang Geng Shi (1910-1999), an acupuncturist, Qi healer, and martial artist from China’s sacred Xi Qiao Mountain.
A leader in the dialogue between ancient wisdom and modern science, Ken was one of the first to teach Qigong in North American medical schools. His sponsors have included the Mayo Clinic, the Menninger Institute, the American Cancer Society, and numerous cultural organizations. He is the recipient of the Alyce and Elmer Green Lifetime Achievement Award in Energy Medicine. Ken is known for his friendly and engaging teaching style, making ancient healing arts easy to understand and a joy to practice.
Q: What is your refund policy?
A: Your satisfaction with The Shift Network and this course is our highest priority! We offer a satisfaction guarantee for a full two weeks so that you can try out the course risk free. The deadline to receive a refund is two weeks from your date of purchase. To request a refund, please click here to submit your Refund Application Form. Your refund will be processed within five business days and we will send you an email confirmation when your refund has been completed. However, we’d love to have a chance to address and resolve your concerns first. If there’s something we can assist you with, please email us at support@theshiftnetwork.com, and we’ll be happy to help!
Q: How long will I have access to my Course Homepage and materials?
A: Your purchase includes 24/7 ongoing access to your course content — online via your Homepage — unless refunded or otherwise specified. We currently don't have an expiration date for our online materials. This will allow you time to review the materials at your own pace and integration.
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A: Please visit our Customer Support Center, where you should be able to find the answer to your question or the solution to your problem. And if you can’t, you can submit an online request form and we’ll get right back to you.
