Body & Brain brings healing practice to Madison Valley

Tai Chi-based Body & Brain has opened a new location in Madison Valley, offering free trial classes through the month of May.

“In tai chi, people will focus and talk about the dantian, and it’s kind of the energy generator in your abdomen,” said Body & Brain Madison Park manager Brianna Sieberg.

Every class offered by Body & Brain will focus on core strength, as it relates to stabilization and balance.

Body & Brain was founded in 1996 by Ilchi Lee, who began teaching healing exercises and yoga in South Korea in 1980. There are now Body & Brain centers around the world focused on Brain Education, including in the Puget Sound region.

Before the center between City People’s Garden Center and Cafe Flora opened at 2921 E. Madison St., the nearest location was in Ravenna Park, but Sieberg said she didn’t see people coming there from here, making Madison Valley a good spot for attracting new clients south of State Route 520. She’s already had a good number of clients follow her from Kirkland, she said.

“I was also in Tacoma, but I don’t see anyone who’s going to come up her from there,” Sieberg said.

She began practicing tai chi in 2001, but stepped away during a stint doing consulting work at Microsoft. After a decade of that, she said she was having issues with stress and poor sleeping habits.

“I came back to this practice at some point, and then I was able to kind of heal myself,” Sieberg said. “I felt I understood it better the second time I came back.”

Body & Brain offers a number of group and individual classes, including yoga tai chi, shoulder healing, aura readings, acupressure, and chakra healing focused on the seven main energy centers in the body, Sieberg said.

“We have essential oils that are connected to each one,” she said.

Body & Brain classes are accessible to people of all ages and physical conditions, Sieberg said, and focus on managing stress, improving energy, relaxation, breathing, strength and flexibility.

“A lot of people have trouble meditating because they can’t stop their chattering mind,” Sieberg said, which is something instructors can help clients learn to quiet throughout their busy day.

The idea of tai chi and energy can be strange for the uninitiated, Sieberg said, which is why all through May people can take a free introductory class to get a feel for it themselves.

“In tai chi, they’re moving their hands with the energy,” she said. “That practice is actually pretty meditative.”

Learn more at bodynbrain.com/madisonpark or call 206-402-6538.