Ah-Chi-Yo — Moving into "Essential Well-BE-ing"
The Name

The name Ah-Chi-Yo reflects the multiple elements of this blended, innovative practice. Relieving and clearing the ill effects of stress, Ah-Chi-Yo, most importantly, promotes an ever-growing depth of vitality and profound experience of well-being. Utilizing breath, sound and movement, Ah-Chi-Yo supports both the awareness and flow of energy through the system, and the integrated union, of body, mind and spirit — the cornerstone of real well-being.

The first component of the name "Ah" represents the use of the breath as the primal agency of life and healing. Every breath is an infusion of life. With the in-breath the vital element of oxygen is drawn into our bodies nourishing our lungs, our heart and our blood. It is the nutrient for our cells, organs and tissues. With every exhalation, there is a letting go of carbon dioxide and the release of toxins from our physical body.

From an Eastern perspective with every inhalation we also draw in "Prana," or from the western spiritual perspective "Spirit" which brings the finer energies that nourish the nervous system and the subtle bodies. Our breath is essential to our physical life. So the quality of our breath — the depth, the rhythm, the sensed awareness — is a quintessential aspect of well-being.

Fundamental to the practice of Ah-Chi-Yo is the simple practice of holding a focus on, and growing an awareness of, the movement of the breath through the body. The way the wave of the breath plays through your body can tell you a great deal about your level of tension or comfort.

Additionally, the sound of the aspirated breath that accompanies an easy, relaxed exhalation is the sound "Ah." This sound, "Ah," is the primal sound of exhalation. It is the "healing" sound that naturally arises in a human being experiencing relaxation, pleasure and letting go. This sound simultaneously opens the belly, the lungs and the heart — melting and releasing tensions and contributing to an overall sense of comfort and deep relaxation.

Working with both the breath and the sound "Ah," utilizing different rhythms and degrees of intonation, is a keynote of Ah-Chi-Yo. It is the movement of breath into and through the body that brings us energy, and our energy level is directly related to our level of vitality. In Chinese the name for this life energy (life force) is "Chi." And Tai Chi is the practice and art of moving  this life energy. So in Ah-Chi-Yo, we incorporate both the principles and movements of the ancient practice of Tai Chi drawing in the breath of life — "Chi" energy from our environment — and circulating it through the body with gentle, rhythmic, flowing movements that arise and return to stillness. 

Another key element of the practice of Tai Chi is cultivating and strengthening our capacity to find our center. There are many names for this center as it arises in different traditions — Tantian, Dantian, Hara, Kath — located in the lower abdomen. It is the sea of life energy within us. Intentionally accessing this internal reservoir of the "hara" in conjunction with awareness and movement allows this energy to circulate through our bodies to heal and nourish both the systems of the body (circulatory, endocrine, respiratory, etc.) and the internal organs.

The "hara," as the center of physical vitality in our body not only allows for an increase in strength and endurance, but because of its centering and grounding aspects, also exerts a stabilizing influence that affects both the heart and emotions and the mind and thoughts.

So "Ah" focuses on the elements of breath and sound, "Chi" contributes the components of energy and movement. So, what does "Yo" bring? "Yo" brings in the ancient wisdom of the many aspects of yoga and, of course, the underlying intelligence of its name. Yoga means to join together so it is a discipline that leads to union of body, mind and spirit within the individual and more broadly union of the individual with the universe.

There are many different branches of yoga. Most often, yoga is associated with the physical postures. But beyond these ancient postures, there are different paths within yoga. In addition to the yoga of movement, other branches focus on sound,  breath and thought to a name a few. And in Ah-Chi-Yo, we draw from the many different branches to affect the blending that supports the integrated union of body, mind and spirit.

Thus the name Ah-Chi-Yo is a shorthand that honors the multiple traditions and practices of healing which are woven together to help people in attuning more deeply to the flow of life through their body and the innate intelligence that can provide direct guidance in the process of Moving into "Essential Well-BE-ing."