Ai Chi Newsletter
Spring 2024 Edition - PURPOSE
In this issue:
The Purpose of Ai Chi
On Purpose
Case Study: AI Chi &
Rheumatological Alterations
The Mystery of a Frozen Shoulder 4
AI Chi: Health In Movement
Ai Chi – Achieving Purpose
Finding Harmony with Ai Chi
Adapt Your Objective
Finding Meaning
What Ai Chi Can Offer 
Ai Chi, Inflammation, and
Vagus Nerve Stimulation
PLEASE USE THE FOLLOWING
NEW GLOBAL CONTACTS FOR
RENEWALS, CERTIFICATION,
AND EDUCATION:
Website: www.aeawave.org
Email: info@aeawave.org
Phone: 888-232-9283
912-289-3559
The Purpose of Ai Chi
1 Ruth Sova, MS / USA
2 Ruth, founder of ATRI, is recognized for her global contributions in Ai Chi and recently
authored her third book on the topic, Ai Chi – The Water Way to Health & Healing.
3
Ai Chi is one of the fastest growing relax- a flowing yet powerful progression. It is
ation and therapeutic modalities for wa- an efficient exercise program that de-
5 ter. It is a total body core strengthening creases pain and increases oxygen and
6 and relaxation progression that bridges caloric consumption simply with correct
6 East and West philosophies. Ai Chi in- form and positioning in the water. It is a
7 tegrates mental, physical, emotional, and perfect relaxation technique for highly
spiritual energy. stressed, over-challenged clients, and
8 it is ideal for creating improved range of
8 Ai Chi has been successfully used with
clients who have chronic pain (arthritis, motion, mobility, and balance. Ai Chi is
fibromyalgia etc.), chronic obstructive performed standing in neck depth water
9 using a combination of deep breathing
pulmonary disease, balance deficits, dia-
betes, multiple sclerosis, or other neuro- and slow, broad movements of the arms,
logical and orthopedic problems. Spine, legs, and torso. The Ai Chi progression
hips, back, shoulders usually have posi- moves from simple breathing to the in-
tive outcomes as well as those with pain corporation of arm movement, core, leg
or balance issues, and even pediatrics. movement, and more progressions.
It can be used in groups or one-on-one, Enjoy the following articles as you ex-
it requires no equipment. Hair and face plore more about the purpose of Ai Chi
stay dry. It is ideal in many situations. and how it can change your life and the
Ai Chi is a water exercise and relaxation life or your patients, clients, and class
program that has been created to help participants. Ai Chi is the best!
aquatic practitioners enjoy the water in
Client Handout
Read and share the client handout, Ai Chi Benefit by Ruth Sova. https://aeawave.
org/ATRI/ATRI-Articles With details on how Ai Chi can benefit many systems of the
body, this is a great resource that summarizes why Ai Chi is a valuable practice for
everyone.
On Purpose
By Ivan Amaral / Greece
Ivan is a melting pot of scientific, spiritual & therapeutic practices with almost three decades of experience in sharing these
concepts with others.
“What is purpose?” “How does it feel to
have a purpose?” “How can I get a pur-
pose?” “Am I lost without a purpose?”
Many spiritual traditions and schools
have tried, and some achieved, to offer
us “the path” within these questions.
There are commonalities, best practices,
and guidelines that both empower the
individual (lost in the storm of day-to-
day living) and the greater organism, that
is humanity.
There is one concept that I have found
particularly useful to save me from
drowning in tempestuous times, as well
as to offer a different perspective to cli-
ents going through challenging situa-
tions. Well, it is not quite a concept, it is
reality…really.
“What is my purpose?” As basic and as
simplistic as it may sound, to ask this
question we must be alive. Right? So,
perhaps, first and foremost the purpose
is to live. You know, simply being – alive,
living, breathing, perhaps moving and
eating and such. Interacting with the
world of experience around us, perhaps.
Perhaps in reality, (I think) it is complete-
ly irrelevant, at this level, what one does
with one’s life. This is THE point here –
you are aware you exist. Be and live in
any way you want or can. And just like
that, the basic purpose of life is fulfilled.
Does a plant question its purpose? Does
it consider if it should grow yellow pet-
als and rich pollen to attract bees? No; it
simply is what it is.
So perhaps we – first – need to simply
“be.” And as such, go towards actions/
thoughts/states that allow for this “be-
ingness” and promote our ability to clear
the unhelpful states at mental, emotion-
al, and physical levels. (Let’s be honest,
if we are unkind to people, we will not
have a very pleasant life, will we?) Allow
our awareness to deepen and grow to
the level of the soul or higher self. This
aspect of our self has common charac-
teristics in all of us, such as compassion,
wisdom, universal love, and selflessness.
From this level of awareness, it becomes
clear what our personal purpose may be
in the bigger context of humanity. Acting
towards and/or on this greater vision of
our self may be challenging but it offers
a deep feeling of connection and fulfill-
ment. There are many practices that can
support this process and Ai Chi is most
certainly one of them.
I feel that extending this is beyond the
purpose for this article so I would like to
share the following words that can be
used as a prayer or as part of a medi-
tation in the process of connecting with
our deeper purpose (slightly modified
from the writings of A. Bailey):

“My Soul has purpose, power and will. These three are needed on the Way of Liberation.

My soul must foster Love among the sons of Humanity. This is its major purpose.

I, therefore, Will to Love and tread the Way of Love.

All that obstructs and hinders the showing of the Light

must disappear before the purpose of the Soul.

My will is one with the great Will of God: that holy will requires that all humans serve,
and unto the purpose of the greater good of all, I lend my little will.”

Ai Chi Newsletter | 2 | Spring 2024 Edition

Case Study: AI Chi & Rheumatological Alterations
By Cesar Petronio, Doctor of Biomedical Sciences, Licensed in Kinesiology & Physiatry / Argentina
Cesar, an Ai Chi Master, is a university professor, physical education teacher, physical therapist, specialist in neurological reha-
bilitation and hydrotherapy, and magister in public health.

CLIENT TREATMENT WITH AI CHI POST-TREATMENT COMMENTS

41-year-old male diagnosed with child-
hood rheumatoid arthritis (Still’s disease)
since the age of 10. “I felt like blades
going into my groin, my hands swelled
a lot, and there was a sharp pain in the
rest of my body. It wasn’t until I was 11
that they (doctors) started giving me the
right medication; it took them a year to
realize it was RA (rheumatoid arthritis). At
16, when I was riding on a horse, I noticed
that I didn’t have as much opening in
my hips; at 27 I had a total joint replace-
ment in both hips. During this period, my
C3 and C4 vertebrae were fixed. Nowa-
days, I compensate the non-movement
of these vertebrae from the waist. Today
the greatest pain is in the right shoulder
and the left shoulder to a lesser degree.
From what I understand, I lost a lot of joint
function on the right side; so, when mov-
ing my arm at a certain angle the bones
begin to rub against one another within
the joint.”
(SHORT VERSION)
The client attended 12 weeks of Ai Chi
short version sessions from May to July
2023. He completed 24 sessions (18
aquatic environment and 6 land environ-
ment), lasting from 20-30 minutes to 1
hour. Progress was made in quantity and
quality of movements evaluated with the
Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ)
and Quality of Life-Rheumatoid Arthritis
Scale II (QOL RA II) questionnaire. Assess-
ments were performed twice: one before
treatment and one after the 24 sessions,
without major differences between them.
Shoulder mobility improved functionally,
and less pain was measured in the lum-
bar region (VAS 7); sometimes the pain
disappeared. The client maintained limit-
ed mobility in his neck although chewing
function has improved. Shoulder mobility
increased; the patient feels that he has
improved his functionality since start-
ing the Ai Chi short version program with
significant benefits as reported.
“Cesar, to add, that beyond being able
to look forward I also have less difficulty
opening my mouth, which I notice when
eating. And I want to highlight and thank
you – since we started to work out, the
improvement of my shoulder pain (VAS
8-9 at the beginning) is very significant.
This has decreased to lower levels of
momentary discomfort. Thank you very
much!”
Author’s Note: In my opinion, I can con-
clude the importance of the use of this
great therapeutic tool (Ai Chi) to coun-
teract and/or alleviate chronic diseas-
es. However, it must be studied more
in-depth to provide more evidence to
determine with certainty how use it in a
general way for an effective rehabilita-
tion protocol.

Ai Chi Newsletter | 3 | Spring 2024 Edition

The Mystery of a Frozen Shoulder
By Katrien Lemahieu, ATRIC / The Netherlands
Katrien has 30-plus years of experience in aquatics, has been a presenter and lecturer worldwide since 2005, ad is the CEO of
the educational institute, Kataqua.
Although a lot of research can be found
for adhesive capsulitis or frozen shoul-
der, a lot surrounding this diagnosis is still
a mysterious phenomenon. It is a very
painful pathology, with a long recovery,
sometimes even up to three years. It af-
fects about 5% of the population (and is
unfortunately growing in the past years)
and affects females up to 4 times more
than males. The non-dominant shoulder
is more prone to be affected, but in about
15%, the contra-lateral shoulder also be-
comes affected within five years (Mezian,
Coffey and Chang 2023).
It is still it is hard to find the exact cause.
It could be idiopathic, sedentary lifestyle,
post-traumatic, or secondary to oth-
er pathological conditions. Even mental
issues, such as depression, stress, and
anxiety, could be associated with a fro-
zen shoulder. According to a latest re-
view of Phansopkar and Qureshi (2022),
the pathology is characterized by “cy-
tokine-mediated synovial inflammation
with fibroblastic proliferation”. Different
therapies have been utilized, but none
have led to a standard protocol. Each cli-
ent shows an individualized response to
treatments, some require only stretching
while others need surgery.
One thing we know, almost all researched
or reviewed patients enjoy the warm wa-
ter therapy option. Even in the early stage,
the pain levels decrease almost immedi-
ately, as they can focus on breathing and
relaxation. A good step towards healing is
using Ai Chi as the provider of small, yet
You find sometimes that a Thing which seemed very Thingish inside you is quite
different when it gets out into the open and has other people looking at it.
Ai Chi Newsletter |
purposeful movement. Ai Chi can teach
the freedom to move, slowly and steady,
with awareness on positivity. The se-
quences provide progression and give
motivation to move more and to move
better, with no pain involved.
Early frozen shoulder, called freezing,
is the initial painful phase that is most-
ly worse at night that gradually leads to
increased restriction of the glenohumer-
al joint ROM. In this stage the first series
can be done: contemplating and floating,
with small ROM, plus uplifting, enclosing,
and folding. Focus on breathing and flow
in movement, no pain. Emphasize a wide
stance with proper foot positioning, stabil-
ity, and expanding range of motion.
The second phase, frozen (adhesive), with
stiffness and continued glenohumeral
joint mobility, is generally less painful, yet
still with very limited motion. All moves
mentioned above can be repeated and the
new sequence is added: soothing, gather-
ing, freeing, and shifting. Focus on a good
rotation in upper body, maintain shoul-
ders at same level, and increase range
of motion slowly. Continue to emphasize
breathing, turning the hips along with the
upper body, and good foot positioning.
Accepting, accepting with grace, rounding,
and balancing can also be added if there
is no fear of weight shifting and the one
leg stances. No pressure should occur in
the shoulder area. Movement comes from
core and leg balance, not from sculling or
other use of arms to assist.
4 | Spring 2024 Edition
The third, recovery part is the thawing
(defrosting) phase showing gradual re-
turn of range of motion, slowly building to-
wards better daily functioning, and re-de-
velopment of strength and stamina. The
sequence from accepting to balancing
can be repeated here, with more speed
and force applied if possible. Try to build
towards better endurance and stamina.
Gradually work towards adding flowing,
reflecting, and suspending. Adding travel
is good for better mobility and adds more
resistance. Focus on good balance and
posture in all moves and build towards the
full Ai Chi sequence. They will enjoy this,
experiencing more freedom in movement
range without pain while also seeing im-
provement in daily function and more mo-
tivation to proceed their ‘workouts’.
Although clients realize a frozen shoul-
der might involve a long recovery period,
you can coach them all the way through
by repetition and distraction of the focus
on their upper area. From my experience,
Ai Chi is one of the best options to teach
those who are affected by this mysterious
phenomenon. Clients loved the Ai Chi ex-
perience and most continued with class-
es after the shoulder had healed – they
enjoyed the aquatic environment, loved
being in small groups, and looked forward
weekly ‘trip’ (some even come in twice a
week!) Once they feel the positivity that
water brings, they can become addicted.
“Trust the process, from healing to health!”
Pooh, “The House at Pooh Corner”
AI Chi: Health In Movement
By Vanina Delfino, Watsu Practitioner, Ai Chi Certified / Argentina
Vanina is the CEO of Acquamar, an Educational Aquatic Center in Buenos Aires Argentina, is an AEA Training Specialist and AF
Program Leader Trainer.
In Western medicine there has been a
growing interest in the role of the mind
and its application in physical healing. At
the same time, there has been an impor-
tant recognition of the role of the body in
psychotherapy for psychological healing.
Ai Chi is a way to experience body and
mind in connection as the human body
moves delicately towards health in a flu-
id and sustainable medium: water. Ai Chi
involves breath control and, at the same
time, both functional activity of the body
and mind in a nourishing, warm aquatic
environment.
Mental health is an integral and essential
component of health. The World Health
Organization (WHO) constitution states:
“Health is a state of complete physical,
mental and social well-being and not
merely the absence of disease or infir-
mity.” An important implication of this
definition is that mental health is more
than just the absence of mental disorders
or disabilities. Mental health is a state of
well-being in which an individual realizes
their own abilities, can cope with the normal
stresses of life, can work productively, and
is able to contribute to their community.
Ai Chi is active relaxation in the water, co-
ordination, and balance training; it’s the
individual preparation for Watsu. It com-
bines posture, breathing, and relax
Ai Chi Newsletter |
ation. This technique could collaborate to
comprehensively address mental health.
In my facility, our first targeted popula-
tion for Ai Chi was adults experiencing
pain or stress. Nowadays, we encourage
everybody to join our sessions and take
a break in their lives, while moving slowly
and mindfully.
At first, we introduced Ai Chi as an ending
to our aquatic fitness sessions. As time
went by, we designed sessions purely and
exclusively for this technique.
The main benefits of Ai Chi involve in-
creasing flexibility and range of motion,
balance, coordination, and agility of move-
ments. Ai Chi can help improve muscle
weakness, decrease stiffness and general
pain, and reduce stress and fatigue.
There is a positive correlation between
Ai Chi and pain relief. This might be ex-
plained by the effect of water on pain re-
ceptors, the pressure and viscosity of wa-
ter reduces stimulation of these receptors,
which lowers pain perception. The buoy-
ancy of water also decreases the gravi-
tational force on the muscles, promoting
muscle relaxation and lower pain levels.
Managing pain may relieve anxiousness.
Any healthcare professional who utiliz-
es bodywork as part of their practice will
benefit from using AI CHI.
5 | Spring 2024 Edition
Teaching with Intention. Our intention is
that students, through the practice of the
sequence, can transfer safe and effective
movement patterns to the activities of
daily life. Our aim is to reduce stress and
fatigue while performing at their own pace.
We challenge them to slow down the pace,
almost until they reach stillness in motion.
Circular movement, breath control, tran-
quility, and moving with nature all repre-
sent the Ai Chi philosophy.
The water level should be at shoul-
der height and the feet, as the body’s
support base, should be anchored to
the bottom of the pool. With the inhale,
palms turn up; with the exhale, palms
turn down. Each movement is repeated 3
to 6 times and on each side of the body.
Usually, a single session lasts for about
half an hour. The Ai Chi progressions are
designed to present increasing difficulty
as skills develop.
With a goal to “…slow down thoughts and
the daily whirlwind…”, our students re-
port that Ai Chi practice helps to improve
mental focus, align their spine, and sta-
bilize their shoulders and hips in search
of balance. With continued practice,
participants gain better movement con-
trol and become more efficient in their
movements. Ai Chi allows them to expe-
rience health in movement.
Ai Chi – Achieving Purpose
By Mary Wykle, PhD, ATRIC, AEA, Ai Chi Master Trainer / USA
Mary is the President of MW Associates and specializes in aquatic program development for all populations for ATRI, AEA, and the
National Spine Health Foundation.
What is your purpose in life? How do you
achieve it? It can take years to find the
meaning behind every action in your being.
Achieving our individually unique purpose
requires setting personal intentions. In-
tentions are the building blocks to achieve
something you want or plan to do. Inten-
tions are steps toward a clear picture of
attaining your purpose. Meaningful inten-
tions are not stressful nor based on difficult
decisions. You set and forget and then al-
low life to simply flow.
Ai Chi provides a pathway to set inten-
tions – each session and each person may
have a different one – and the end result is
achieving the goal desired. Ai Chi and mind-
fulness are types of meditation where the
focus is on being intensely aware of what
you are sensing and feeling. It involves the
practice of developing the ability to bring
one’s attention to the present moment
without evaluating your feelings. Ai Chi is
an effective warm water body mind prac-
tice shown to assist focusing and centering
our minds. It has a significant effect on the
autonomic nervous system as it appears to
Finding Harmony with Ai Chi
By Shinzo Fujimaki / Japan
Shinzo, a world-known Shiatsu master, has a deep knowledge of ancient healing techniques and is an intuitive healer.
The Fire Element. In Oriental medicine we
seek balance in nature as well as in our
bodies and minds. In the western coun-
tries, the fire element is predominant, and
we tend to place a higher value on it. For
example, our life styles are fast paced, lack
regularity, and there is a high pressure to-
ward success (accomplishments). Fire is
an exciting element but also very stress-
ful. If we have too much fire (hyper-active
Yang) we can reduce immunity, resistance
Ai Chi Newsletter |
enhance a balance between the parasym-
pathetic and sympathetic components,
creating a sensation of relaxation.
Intentions can include reduction of stress.
Stress is a physiologic reaction that is part
of the body’s innate programming to pro-
tect against external threats by activating
the sympathetic nervous system. Whereas,
reducing blood pressure may be the goal of
someone else. The diaphragmatic breath,
the slow round movements, the touch of
the warm water on our skin, and the em-
brace of the flowing water around us, pro-
vide pathways to these goals.
Intentions can focus on improving cogni-
tion through the repetitions of the postures,
which can become meditative. Another
day, focus may be calmed with visualization
as you progress through each move. Ai Chi
can reduce anxiety, either through a silent
practice or with soothing music in the back-
ground. Immersion improves blood flow to
the body and brain affecting every part of
our being. Studies have also shown Ai Chi
to be effective for PTSD, addiction, depres-
sion, and suicide prevention when the par-
to disease, and have various challenges
such as insomnia, hypertension, digestive
challenges, anxiety, heart palpitation, etc.
This means the essence of fire naturally
dries up the important element of “water”
that causes other challenges in our bodies
and minds, such as weakness in the lower
back, knees, reproductive system, as well
as fatigue, slow digestion, paranoia, etc.
Ai Chi and the Water Element. In our dai-
ly life it is very difficult to slow down. Our
6 | Spring 2024 Edition
ticipant acknowledges the challenge and is
ready to plan steps or intentions to achieve
that goal.
Participants may come wanting a gen-
tle exercise program for acute injuries or
chronic challenges, back pain, or cardiovas-
cular disease. One day the intention may
be on balance, another day on movement,
or even developing core and leg strength.
Others may enjoy the connection to others.
Developing intentions for each session – it
may take multiple sessions to achieve an
intention before moving to the next – is the
pathway to achieving the desired purpose.
Without setting goals or intentions, you
cannot achieve the purpose defined. Each
person will have their own intention for the
session. The leader should not try to define
the purpose or intentions. When the lead-
er defines the session goals, objectives will
not be achieved and the personal purpose
of each will not be accomplished. Every
person has a purpose and Ai Chi can be-
come an emotional release. Let Ai Chi flow
and individual intentions will lead to achiev-
ing the desired purpose.
bodies and minds cannot relax easily.
Slow and smooth Ai Chi movement med-
itation (similar to Tai Chi) is an excellent
solution to balance our fire energy with
the water element by nourishing Yin. Ai
Chi helps us to feel and listen to our in-
ner energy. Because Ai Chi is practiced
in water, it helps the Yin (water) energy
to grow and to bring Yin and Yang – Wa-
ter and Fire – into harmony for a healthy
body and mind.
Adapt Your Objective
Mimi Rodriguez Adami, BA / Italy
Mimi is the director of Ipopressivi Italia and President of the IHC, International Hypopressive Council.
When thinking of purpose, the first thing
that often comes to mind is “what” to do
and “why” do it. It’s very cut and dry. I
teach an exercise class because I want
to train the participant in whatever ac-
tivity I’m teaching. However, I’d like to
approach purpose more as a “how”, dis-
connecting it from the activity, while at-
taching it more to the emotional quality
surrounding the activity.
I firmly believe that everyone is born with
a gift. This gift can be a beautiful voice,
a sense of humor, a good head for math
and numbers, or just an amazing smile.
Sharing that gift is our life’s purpose,
which means including it in whatever we
decide to do to make a living or just to
involve in our daily activities and interac-
tions with others. A gift can also be the
ability to recognize how to adapt Ai Chi to
land-based exercise. This form of adap-
tation and sharing opens the door to the
success of our Ai Chi activities wherever
they may be.
Ai Chi is a gift in and of itself; it’s a gift
that Jun Konno has left us to share
with others – our clients, patients, and
Ai Chi Newsletter |
friends. Each person’s own gift can be
adapted to the kind of Ai Chi lesson that
is offered, whatever the objective may be
and wherever the exercise is performed,
in water or on land. Learning the Ai Chi
method and class structure and then
adapting it to one’s own competencies
can influence the kind of lesson offered
and the kind of clientele that will partic-
ipate. However, recognizing and using
your “personal gift” will ensure the suc-
cess of your program and attract partic-
ipants to your classes.
Through the education process, the Ai
Chi professional can adapt the class to
specific objectives including clinical, re-
laxation, mobilization, respiratory, re-
habilitation or postural. Some of these
class objectives may be included in the
type of gift that the professional has. For
example, a soothing voice to support re-
laxation or a keen eye to recognize pos-
tural dysfunctions and deviations. Most
movement professionals find purpose
in guiding others and the gifts of empa-
thy and compassion certainly help them
achieve their goals.
STAY TUNED
FOR MORE DETAILS!
AI CHI DAY SAVE THE DATE
7 | Spring 2024 Edition
After decades of dedicating my profes-
sional life to aquatic fitness activities, life
has taken me in another direction and Ai
Chi has followed me to land-based ex-
ercise: hypopressive exercise and the
Multidisciplinary Hypopressive Method.
The MHM is a tool that can be adapted
to all movement activities because it ba-
sically uses the diaphragm for postur-
al re-education and a breathing tech-
nique that removes pressure on the
pelvic floor. The 3-dimensional inhale
expands the ribcage laterally, anterior-
ly, and posteriorly; the “uplifted” exhale
draws the abdominal and pelvic organs
upwards, while depressing the scapulae
and shoulders.
While Ai Chi is an aquatic experience, we
can recognize its adaptability to land activi-
ties by accompanying the slow, fluid move-
ments with our particular, hypopressive
breathing techniques to protect the pelvic
floor, preventing incontinency, prolapses,
and other pelvic dysfunctions. Adapting
Jun Konno’s gift, Ai Chi, makes it available
to all, anytime and anywhere. That seems
like a pretty good purpose to me.
SATURDAY
JULY 27, 2024
Finding Meaning
By Patti Crimer, COTA/L, AEA/ATRI Professional, Ai Chi master trainer / USA
Patti was an Occupational Therapy Practitioner until she began specializing in aquatic therapeutic interventions using Ai Chi via
her organization, Activities for Wellness.
Our lives are often busy with noise and
chatter. How often do we experience the
inner self, listen for purpose, and rest into
peace and silence? The breathwork of Ai
Chi offers a holistic gift that you expe-
rience in your body, mind, and soul, al-
lowing you to find purpose through many
changes in the cycle of life. Breath, which
we have been doing since entering the
world from our mother’s womb, means
“spirit” in the Greek translation. We can
get out of sync with life transitions that
change or catch our breath but intuitive-
ly we seek to return to homeostasis.
Ruth Sova shares, “Science and tech-
nology confirm what we’ve always been
doing in Ai Chi… breathing patterns which
are linked with emotions, cognition, and
perception. In 2023, Aarhus Universi-
ty researchers in Aarhus, Denmark, re-
viewed studies that analyzed human and
animal imaging that showed the brain-
breath connection and how breathing
influences the brain. Brain rhythms are
closely tied to the rhythm of our breath.
We are more sensitive to the outside
world when we are breathing in, where-
as the brain tunes out more when we
breathe out. The brain and breathing in-
tertwine beyond survival, studies show,
impacting our emotions, our attention,
and how we process the outside world.”
The study is available in Psychological
Review (2022; doi:10.1037/rev0000391).
Respiratory rhythms of the predictive
mind.(apa.org)
Transitions through the circle of life don’t
wait for anyone. Being mindful of breath
during Ai Chi provide needed moments of
restoring, releasing, and pleasure linked
with improved emotions, cognition, and
perception. As I lose my inner chatter or
stress, I am freer and continue FREEING in
a peaceful, prayerful cloud of Ai Chi, just as
the creator would deem for the creation.
I had not been able to return to the Ai Chi
practice in a therapeutic pool for reasons
beyond my control for many years. My
2024 goal to return is now fulfilled. I am
finding purpose through Ai Chi again. I
am the receiver/client with all its benefits
after a knee replacement, hip replace-
ment, post traumatic brain injury, and
arthritis.
I have experienced bliss and the healing
effects through Ai Chi practice for more
than 25 years, as have most of my stu-
dents and clients. Since Ai means love,
and Chi means energy, it is purposeful
for any age, young or old. Variations are
numerous and adaptable for each per-
son. The breathwork and awareness is
needed in our world to thrive with peace
and love. Ai Chi is universal love, to prac-
tice and share with others.

What Ai Chi Can Offer

MeeHee Park / Korea
MeeHee is a founder of Korea Aquatic Exercise Association and an AEA International Aquatic Training Specialist for 25 years.
In the book which I’m currently enjoying, (How to Go and Live in Heaven, Paradise, Water can bring you to a calmer, more
it is explores the concept that everything and the Land of Bliss While Living by Woo meditative state. It’s all about taking a
you have been searching for is within your Myoung; Cham Books LLC Jun 2022) break from the screen-fueled, fast-paced
mind. Truth, Heaven, happiness, success, Ai Chi can offer you and your participants rhythm of our modern lives. Performing Ai
and health are all within your mind. And the and clients a method for attaining many of Chi in the water can offer you a moving
top 10 things that people are looking for are these concepts we are searching for. meditation that redirects your body and
listed below. What are you looking for? mind. Ai Chi with closed eyes in warm, skin
For your peaceful relaxation, Ai Chi in the temperature water and the support of
1. Go to a world where one will not die water is a great method. Being around buoyancy allows me “lose track of where
and live eternally water gives our brains and our senses a the water ends, and my body begins” –
2. Be happy rest from over-stimulation. The position of similar to becoming one with Universe
3. Be successful wide squatting in shallow, tranquil water through my meditation. Gazing on the
4. Be able accomplish one’s goals often registers a change from more active water’s surface during Ai Chi, you can let
brainwaves to theta brainwaves. These go of thinking. The flow of water can eas-
5. Be healthy slower waves are credited with unleashing ily and quickly induce a mildly meditative
6. Have peace within a flow of creative ideas. It’s because of this state of calm focus and gentle awareness.
7. Become free from useless thoughts that I’m always thrilled and happy to get
and truly focus on the present in the water for relaxation. Water makes Spending time with Ai Chi, either alone or
8. Break bad habits me feel free, releases blocked energy, and within a group, can help create a sense of
lets me explore moves without excessive peace and tranquility.
9. Always have a grateful mind effort on my body.
10. Have successful relationships

Ai Chi Newsletter | 8 | Spring 2024 Edition

Ai Chi, Inflammation, and Vagus Nerve Stimulation
Ruth Sova, MS / USA
Ruth, founder of ATRI, is recognized for her global contributions in Ai Chi and recently authored her third book on the topic,
Ai Chi – The Water Way to Health & Healing.
An article @the_holistic_savage says,
“When there is inflammation brewing in
the Gut or Periphery, this pro-inflamma-
tory message is communicated to the
brain via afferent Vagal fibers. The Brain
processes the message and then sends
an efferent anti-inflammatory signal
down the Vagus Nerve to help Neutral-
ize inflammatory signals in the Gut and
Body. This process is known as the
‘Inflammatory Reflex’.” This process is
enormously important for regulating “in-
flammatory flux and signaling” through-
out the body.
The vagus nerve has multiple branch-
es that diverge from two thick stems
rooted in the cerebellum and brain-
stem that wander to the lowest viscera
of your abdomen, touching your heart
and most major organs along the way.
Vagus means “wandering” in Latin (the
words vagabond, vague, and vagrant are
all derived from the same Latin root) and
that’s what the vagus nerve branches do
– they wander around.
In 1921, a German physiologist named
Otto Loewi discovered that stimulating
the vagus nerve caused a reduction in
heart rate by triggering the release of a
substance he coined vagusstoff (Ger-
man for “vagus substance”). The “vagus
substance” was later identified as ace-
tylcholine and was the first neurotrans-
mitter to be recognized by scientists.
Acetylcholine is like a tranquilizer that
you can self-administer simply by tak-
ing a few deep diaphragmatic breaths
with long exhales. Consciously tapping
into the power of your vagus nerve can
create a state of inner-calm while taming
your inflammation reflex.
The vagus nerve is the prime component
of the parasympathetic nervous system
that regulates the “rest-and-digest” (or
“tend-and-befriend”) responses. On the
flip side, to maintain homeostasis, the
sympathetic nervous system drives the
“fight-or-flight” response.
How do we activate the anti-inflammato-
ry reflex or stimulate the vagus nerve to
decrease inflammation? The diaphrag-
matic breath that we use in Ai Chi does it!
To practice deep diaphragmatic breath-
ing, inhale through your nose and exhale
through your mouth. Exhaling through
your mouth instead of your nose makes
your breathing a conscious process, not
a subconscious one. Into the nose and
out of the mouth is considered a ‘cleans-
ing breath’.
As you do this, your muscles will relax,
dropping your worries and anxieties.
The oxygen supply to your body’s cells
increases and this helps produce endor-
phins, the body’s feel-good hormones.
For decades Tibetan monks have been
practicing this to modulate the effects
of stress. They don’t practice these an-
cient techniques to improve their mem-
ory, fight depression, lower blood pres-
sure or heart rate, or boost their immune
systems, but all that happens with deep
diaphragmatic breathing.
Because most people have gut issues
and poor vagal tone, their inflammato-
ry reflex is poorly functioning. This in-
creases inflammation in the body and
brain, and then all the ‘issues’ show up.
When the pro-inflammatory signals are
too great, or the anti-inflammatory re-
flex isn’t working optimally, inflamma-
tion can start burning out of control. This
inflammation has also been linked to
mental illness and chronic diseases. Ai
Chi works because deep diaphragmatic
breathing is a potent drug-free alterna-
tive for treating inflammation.
REFERENCES
Bergland C. Vagus Nerve Stimulation Dramati-
cally Reduces Inflammation Stimulating the va-
gus nerve reduces inflammation and the symp-
toms of arthritis. Psychology Today, May 2016.
Sloan et al. RR interval variability is inversely
related to inflammatory markers: the CARDIA
study. Molecular Medicine April 2007.
Tracey KJ. Inhibition of inflammatory cytokine
production by cholinergic agonists and vagus
nerve stimulation. US Patent 6,610,713, 2003
Also: @the_holistic_savage

Cool Water, Ruth Sova

Any movement increases oxygen consumption and therefore creates heat and burns calories. If you work in cool water
you need to move faster, move further (ROM or traveling), and use other concepts to increase heat production. This
gets muscle oxygenation occurring and keeps clients comfortable. The large muscles of the body (quads, hamstrings
and gultes) require more oxygen than the smaller upper extremity muscles (biceps, traps, delts). If you do an aerobic
warmup first the cool water might work for your clients. Otherwise consider skipping the UE postures (and some of
the Trunk Stability postures) and begin with the LE postures. Get the large muscles firing and then start to incorporate
some of the other postures. Cool Water

Ai Chi Newsletter | 9 | Spring 2024 Edition