Path with Harmony
Qigong for the Awakening Woman
Path with Harmony
Qigong for the Awakening Woman
Path with Harmony
Qigong for the Awakening Woman
Path with Harmony
Qigong for Awakening
The Tao of Women
Where Feminine Wisdom, Qigong and the Tao Te Ching Merge
Online Tuesdays at 11 am CST
Women Have Be Kept Silent For Far Too Long
From ancient China to modern-day Afghanistan and closer to home, women's voices have been silenced.
The Tao of Women, inspired by Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching, links ancient Taoist philosophy with feminine wisdom. Shortly before his death, Lao Tzu was persuaded by his followers to record his life's teachings in the form of 81 chapters or verses. His Tao Te Ching, "The Book of the Way," has been a source of philosophical reflections for millions. Authors Pamela K. Metz and Jacqueline L. Tobin have used the same format in their desire to recapture and present the wisdom generated from centuries of women's lives with the hope that this wisdom will not be lost. The Tao of Women means
"The Way of Women." They knew intuitively that if they were to remain still and listen carefully, they would be guided by the voices and messages of our female ancestors.
Embody the Wisdom of The Tao of Women with Qigong
Many people have read the Tao Te Ching, but few have put it into practice.
I will guide you on a journey through the Tao of Women. I will read a passage and help you immediately embody the wisdom through Qigong practice.
This helps you “imprint” the wisdom of the Tao of Women into every cell of your body.
People often try to control what they cannot.
Instead of trying to control outcomes, the key to living a healthy and happy life is to live in flow and let go of control.
In this journey, you will learn and embody the concepts of flow and living your life in harmony with the rhythms of nature. Through the embodiment of this wisdom, you will live your life as if you’re floating on a gentle current of life.
Qigong and The Tao of Women
Embody Timeless Wisdom by Weaving Qigong with the Tao Te Ching
Join us online on Tuesdays at 11 am CST. Together, we will read a passage from the Tao of Women and then weave it into a simple Qigong practice.
This is a free offering because the Tao is for everyone, and when we know we are a part of something greater than ourselves, we belong.
This is my service and devotion to the community. I don't want finances to prevent anyone from joining and receiving the gifts of this wisdom path.
Women's Stories
As the authors introduce us to their book, they explain that women's stories have not been brought to light and examined through publication or even spoken about until relatively recently. These stories are hidden in the quilts we sew, the baskets we weave, the pottery we design, the songs we sing, the poems we create, and the families we raise- the messages of entire lives encoded in the female traditions.
All women share the power to create; we are the origins and endless possibilities of life. In several brief, poignant meditations, the authors attempt to capture this power and explore the many perspectives and roles of women throughout the ages.
The Women Who Have Gone Before Us
Countless generations of women have gone before us. Tales of the remarkable lives of ordinary women have either been lost to time or forgotten altogether.
We recognize that women no longer gather at the well; mothers and daughters no longer sit side by side; grandmothers are left with no one to teach. The primary lines of women's communication, already delicate and tenuous, become more and more removed from our daily lives.
The Tao of Women
8 Fluid
"The wise woman can take the shape of her space but does not lose her form.
It is not essential to her nature to stay inside the lines.
She does not give up that which holds her together; therefore, she is free."
-Metz and Tobin
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The Secret Language of Women
As the authors were writing The Tao of Women, an article by Ms. Norma Libman appeared in the local newspaper, reporting the recent discovery of a 1,000-year-old secret language once used by women in China. This secret language, called
Nu Shu, ("women's script"), was developed as a means of communication in a society where only men were publicly allowed to read or write. In stark, simple characters, women communicated despite their oppressions. By design, this language is small and simple. It is easily deciphered by the trained eye, but virtually insignificant to those who do not know what to look for. Nu Shu would be sketched between the vertical lines of traditional Chinese writing or sewed into handkerchiefs, fans, and napkins sent as unassuming gifts. The authors discovered that only a few elderly Chinese women still use Nu Shu in their personal lives, having been taught the skill by their mothers and grandmothers. They (Pamela and Jacqueline) immediately knew that this secret form of communication had to be preserved and cherished.
The Ancient and Mystical Tao
The chapter headings of this book are illustrated with the Nu Shu translations. How appropriate for the ancient and mystical Tao to be in partnership with the mysterious female language in a book that presents a contemporary telling of the ways of women. The traditional Chinese characters have been added not only to show the stark disparity between the two forms of communication, but to exhibit how the original placement of the Nu Shu might have appeared. The authors hope to achieve a balance of male and female, the masculine and the feminine. Women have survived by understanding balance and wholeness: being female and giving birth to males, being gentle to overcome obstacles, and stepping back to get ahead. We celebrate and embrace this female wisdom.
The Tradition of Passing Along Women's Herstories
In an effort to revitalize the tradition of passing along women's herstories, we are encouraged to use this book as a journal of our thoughts, theories, questions, and stories. It is time for us to connect, communicate deeply, and speak to one another about what it means to be a woman. An address is provided at the end of the book for you to send the authors your favorite reflection. It could be a poem, a drawing, a story, or advice. Any personal reflection is welcome.
These passages are teachings for living life as a woman, the wisdom we want our daughters to have.
What lessons would you like to pass on?
What lessons connect us all as women that you want to share?
When the Silence is Broken and the Code is Deciphered
Although women have survived throughout history by living in silence, their power can be heard by those who listen. Women in all cultures, without their own voice or language, oftentimes without the ability to read or write, have always found ways to communicate.
The Tao of Women is a modern day version of the Nu Shu language. Read between the lines, and you will find the eternal language of women. It remains a secret only to those who do not try or want to understand. With these verses, translations, and Qigong practices, we break the silence, claim our wisdom as women, and know that which connects us all.
When the silence is broken and the code deciphered, we discover the thread of female tradition that connects us as women. This Tread can serve as a guide through the labyrinth of life's unfolding passages, guiding us along the path walked by so many before us. The Tao of Women is woven with this thread.
Hear the Voices of Our Grandmothers
Speak the verses aloud to yourself and with each other. Let them move you. Weave them into mindful Qigong practices. Hear the voices of our grandmothers and their grandmothers in the silences between the words. Visualize our connections to each other over time and space and culture. Remember the women who came before and the daughters who follow.
The Tao of Women is our legacy.
Together, we will pass it on.
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The Tao of Women
61 Receptive
"Streams and rivers are welcomed into the ocean. Accepting everyone, no one is left out. When one knows she is a part of something larger than herself, she can relax.
The river floods when its banks are full. Respect your limits; just do what you can do."
-Metz and Tobin
Logistics and Important Details
When you sign up, you’ll receive a welcome email with the Zoom link and all the important details you’ll need to join our live, real-time community practice.
Personally, I love practicing with a group—it creates a beautiful synergy that fosters connection and shared energy.
For those who prefer other platforms, I’ll also stream the practice live on YouTube and Facebook, so you can join us wherever you feel most comfortable.
Each week, we’ll end with a short time for discussion, allowing us to reflect and connect more deeply. To further explore and process as a community, you’re warmly invited to “Meet Me at The Well,” a monthly women’s circle held on the new moon.
I can’t wait to share this journey with you!
Meet Your Guide
I'm Maria Chowhury, a midwife, herbalist, ceremonialist, and qigong teacher who carries on the legacy and traditions of the wise women's ways.
It is my honor to share this practice with you.
I did not write this book, and I do not receive compensation for promoting it. When I reached out to Pamela to get her permission to use her book in this way, she fully supported and encouraged this project.
It is my sincere hope to honor the wisdom path that both Pamela and Jacqueline and so many others have paved. And that I leave a trail of footprints for others to follow.
It is my honor to share this practice with you, and I look forward to what emerges when we gather.
You can learn more about me and my training here.
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Testimonials
"Maria creates a sacred space that is so much more than just Qigong. Within these sessions, I notice I am connecting to the ancient lineage and potency of these movements, while also experiencing a deepening connection to my own capacity to heal and expand this body. There is such sweetness in exploring this embodiment practice within the holding space of others who are also deepening into their own power and vulnerability. Maria creates a safe space for us to lean into our edges, opening to the healing potential within each one of us, that is potentiated in the holding of the whole circle of people."
Jaime K. Hardy, Ph.D.
Qigong practitioner
"Maria is full of embodied feminine wisdom to share! I’ve been acquainted with her for many years, love her herbal offerings, and am so glad that she is now teaching Qi Gong. Qi Gong has long been a favorite of mine, and I’ve enjoyed many classes from different teachers. In Maria’s classes, I'm always pleased and enriched by her unique and heartfelt ways of sharing this ancient form of healing. Thank you, Maria, you bring a new life to this practice!"
Barbara Hannelore
Author, Artist, Mentor
WomensWayMoonCycles.com