Tai Chi and Qigong practitioners from all over the world will be celebrating World Tai Chi & Qigong Day on Saturday, April 26. This is the sixteenth year of the global event dedicated to these healing arts, which always takes place on the last Saturday of the month of April at 10 a.m. local time.

More than 80 countries will participate in this special event, which educates the public about the health benefits of Tai Chi and Qigong, as well as promotes community by bringing together a diverse group of people to learn about and practice these healing arts, which originated in China. According to the 2012 Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi a crucial component of the day is to “bring people across racial, economic, religious, and geo-political boundaries, to join together for the purpose of health and healing, providing an example to the world.”

The first event inspiring the global movement was held in Kansas City, Mo. in 1998. CNN Headline News covered the Tai Chi exhibition and teach-in that attracted nearly 200 people, which inspired the event to grow nationally and internationally thereafter.

Tai Chi and Qigong make up a component of traditional Chinese medicine. Qigong is an energy healing technique that cultivates the energy of life—or qi—through body awareness and meditation, as well as static postures and dynamic postures. Through these, life force can flow more freely through practitioners, restoring mental, physical and spiritual balance The slow, controlled movements and breathing of the martial art Tai Chi foster physical balance, flexibility and coordination. Both practices improve health and healing by boosting the immune system, lowering blood pressure, reducing stress, pain and tension; increasing energy and improving circulation, mood, sleep quality and metabolism.

Come celebrate “One World…One Breath.” To find an event in your area, visit WorldTaiChiDay.org.

Those at home can also celebrate by participating in a free webinar by Dr. Roger Jahnke at 1 p.m. EST. Dr. Jahnke, director of the Institute of Integral Qigong and Tai Chi (IIQTC) is a doctor of Chinese medicine and has studied and practiced Qigong for more than 40 years. To sign up for the event, visit The Tai Chi & Qigong Way Webinar.

This is a compilation of World Tai Chi & Qigong Day events held worldwide in 2012

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObLgFrbP-AQ]