Martha Hurwitz initially tried Soaring Crane Qigong as an antidote to cancer treatment. Drawn to the form’s preventive promise, she was surprised by the calmness, insights and day-to-day health her practice delivered. Martha is a former rock climber, sometimes dancer and longtime writer with a background in education. She brings an understanding of movement and appreciation of learning styles to her teaching of the Soaring Crane form. Martha lives near Two Dog, with her husband and two children. Contact Martha.
Martha is so very approachable, and provides clear and precise instruction. She has
carefully crafted the beginning series to allow us each time to explore the movements and
ideas, learn the vocabulary, and ask our questions. I find her very intuitive in providing just the
bit of information I am needing to move my practice along from month to month
— Carol Hartley
From "Meet the Instructors: Martha Hurwitz", September 2008 Two Dog e-Newsletter:
Hello Two Dog Community
It's been one year now that I've been teaching Soaring Crane Qigong at Two Dog Yoga. I'm so glad to officially be part of this community. I've known Two Dog through Annie: during mutual pregnancies while in a Little Two Dog class and in mom/baby groups while Annie built Big Two Dog. Annie's family was generous and supportive during my months of cancer treatment; Two Dog hosted a prevention presentation I gave in 2005. By the time I completed a qigong teacher training, Annie was hoping to add more health-based offerings at Two Dog. The timing was perfect.
Soaring Crane Qigong, the form I teach, is Chinese in origin. Using acupoints, meridians and qi, it works like a self-administered acupuncture treatment. Gentle, slow movements flow like tai-chi, with the gracefulness of fine choreography. Designed to bring health to all realms of being--physical, emotional, spiritual--Soaring Crane Qigong is more a form of meditation than exercise.
Qigong's preventive promise initially lured me to the form. Fear of cancer's return kept me taking classes and building a home practice--but over time, the effects of my practice became their own, healthier motivation. Now I practice for the evenness of mood and energy that mark my days, for the alleviation of physical symptoms of stress, for the ease of sleep, for the way I feel more brave, tolerant, patient, and more connected to the world around me, both physically and spiritually.
The Qigong community at Two Dog is vibrant, with beginning classes on evenings, weekends and daytimes, practice sessions twice a week, solstice potlucks, and free weekend park practices. Each season features a special-interest half-day workshop, such as Qigong for Therapists, or Qigong for Body Workers. As the Two Dog community grows, so do the Qigong offerings.
I'm happy to talk with anyone who might have questions about the form itself, or its fit for you personally. Thanks to Annie, and thanks to Two Dog!
best,
-Martha
