Raleighwood, NC: Fighting Resegregation

Six Healing Sounds: A Transformative Chi Kung Workshop at Meredith College, Oct. 22 - Nov. 19

Taoist Ways to Transform Stress into Vitality

I'm going to be offering a Chi Kung workshop at Meredith College as one of their Community Programs' Health, Wellness, and Fitness Courses.  Each workshop session will begin with simple Chi Kung movement exercises and then will focus on a meditation practice including vocalizations called the Six Healing Sounds.

The deadline for registration is October 15th and the course will run for five Thursday night classes from October 22nd to November 19th from 7 to 8:30 pm.

This is one of a series of ancient Taoist practices revealed to the West by such figures as Master Mantak Chia who has developed the Universal Healing Tao system as an approach to teaching this amazing transformative work.

You can get more information about Six Healing Sounds at Master Chia's site but what that may not reveal is just how powerful the process of clearing out negative energy related to specific organs through visualization and vocalization can be.

Actually, I'm not sure how to communicate that myself other than to tell you that after years of study of a variety of approaches to personal and spiritual growth, I eventually found that such Taoist practices, especially when combined with Tai Chi, consistently deliver results that keep me coming back for more.

When I practice regularly, I find I'm both more peaceful while also being able to function in the world more effectively.

If you find such things of interest, you can ask me any related questions in the comments or via:
clydesmith(at)culturalresearch(dot)org

You can register at the Meredith site by simply scrolling down to the Chi Kung: Six Healing Sounds entry and clicking through to Register Online.

I'll be honest, I'm not a Master, I have no plans to become one, but I am certified to teach the basic movement and meditation practices of the Universal Healing Tao system and I'm convinced that, whether you're a beginner or a more advanced practitioner of related approaches, you will find the work well worth your time.

For a bit more on my background, please see my Dancing Tao web essay that reveals some key aspects of my personal journey as a dancer, meditator and Taoist practitioner.

[Note: I need to update links and information for the Dancing Tao web essay and the Universal Tao instructor listing because I am now based in Raleigh, NC and some links have also become outdated.]

gamingSPARK Sep. 18 & 19: Check Out the Work of Local Game Designers Friday & Saturday

gamingSPARK, part of this year's SPARKcon activities, takes place this weekend with a focus on locally created video, web and mobile games.

This region has already become an important part of the game industry but this event offers a chance to see what's bubbling up beneath the surface from local creators including students.

You can find out more from the gamingSPARK site or from the press release below.

gamingSPARK to Highlight the Triangle's Video Game Designers and Developers

Creators will show off their homegrown masterpieces at the Raleigh Urban Design Center - Sept. 18-19, 2009

WHAT: Local students and video game developers will show off their latest projects at the first-ever gamingSPARK, a creative showcase of homegrown video games in a broad range of categories including Serious, Casual, Mobile , and Student.

In addition to checking out locally created games, attendees will enjoy an exclusive demonstration of Alii Motion Technology presented by Alex Lian of Duke University . This cross-platform technology has the capability to turn any standard webcam into a motion controller for a casual, fun, real-action gaming experience.

gamingSPARK will also host a tournament of epic proportions by bringing Gears of War 2 to the masses. The Gears of War 2 Tournament will be open to anyone who wishes to participate.

WHEN: Friday, Sept. 18 from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 19 from 1:00 - ?

WHERE: The Raleigh Urban Design Center , located at 133 Fayetteville St. Mall, Suite 100 (on the corner of Fayetteville and Hargett St.).

WHO: The talent showcase will include:

Serious Games:
"DARTT: During Action Review Tactical Trainer" Submitted by: Chris Hazard of Hazardous Software Inc.
"Virtual Peace" Submitted by: Patrick Herron
"Venuegen" Submitted by: The Venue Network

Casual Games:
"DQ Tycoon" Submitted by: Spark Plug Games
"Creeper World" Submitted by: Virgil Wall of Knuckle Cracker
"Neotokyo" Submitted by: Studio Radi-8

Student Games:
"Alii Motion Technology" Submitted by: Alex Lian of Duke University
"Spectral Assult" Submitted by: PiRadical Studios (A group of 9 NC State students)
"Quark" Submitted by: Mitch Johnson of Wake Tech

Mobile Games:
"StickWars" Submitted by: John Hartzog
"Aya Go" Submitted by: Spark Plug Games
"Witch's Workshop" Submitted by: Spark Plug Games
"Hyper Word" Submitted by: Bee Appi

About gamingSPARK
gamingSPARK was coordinated by Megan Wood, with support from local game industry professionals Christy White, Steve Greene, Troy Knight, Jeff Palumbo, Jason Sponaugle, Meghan Murphy, and Alexander Macris. The event sponsored by The Escapist, Triangle Game Initiative, GameFrog, Integrated Audio Video at Southpoint, Spark Plug Games, and Funcom. For more information visit www.sparkcon.com/2009/09/18/video-games/.

Press Contact for gamingSPARK Event:
Megan Wood, Themis Media, mwood@themis-media.com, 919-806-4209