Greek Shaolin Cultural Organization
少林希腊文化組织

It is probably the very first time in Greece that public nursery schools take the initiative to host the arts of Shaolin. Thus the 10th – 12th and 3rd Public Nursery Schools at Kordelio in Thessaloniki, via the Greek Shaolin Cultural Organization, were very positive for a presentation, in an attempt to educating the teachers of the beneficial actions of the arts of Shaolin and in particular Shaolin Qi Gong and Shaolin Rou Quan (soft fist) [chin: Shàolín róu quán 少林 柔拳]. The teachers and children were anxiously waiting for master Miao Yuan – Vassilopoulos Ioannis who is an official martial arts master of EPOS.

This action aimed at first presenting with evidence-based data, the effects of Shaolin Rou Quan -the ancient form of the well known Tai Ji- and Qi Gong in children of nursery schools and their teachers too.

The environment was particularly positive and this was quite obvious by the questions and the well spotted queries of the teachers. Very recent published studies were presented, clearly mentioning the benefits that children can enjoy while practicing the arts of shaolin Qi Gong and Shaolin Rou Quan. A quite detailed reference was made, concerning significant (numerically statistically) improvements on psychosomatic aspects of the health of young pupils such as, immune system, cognitive function, hyper-activeness (attention deficit), sleep quality, stress, anxiety, respiratory (asthma), fear, performance, focus, rehabilitation, emotion, balance, obesity, bullying, flexibility … as well as the affects on special diseases like muscular dystrophy, autism and many others.

It was elucidated that a lot of people associate Rou Quan with the third age, and this quite logical. However, the benefits of such exercise can be seen from childhood and get enormous as time goes by. There was a small talk about the modern tendency of mixed martial arts, which from one hand can indeed boost up the self confidence, but not necessarily tilt peace and inner balance.

Shaolin Rou Quan and Qi Gong concurrently develop a health body in a healthy mind. A gentle personality with sensitivity/empathy towards fellow beings and the environment. This fact levered the talk up the cornerstones of practice via the martial virtues (shaolin wu de) and the five skills (shaolin wu gong) that gradually develop in every Rou Quan practitioner.

A chance was given, to clarify the definition of the term Tai Ji, its evolution route, the abbreviated versions of the first system of Tai Ji and the influence that Shaolin Rou Quan had on their development.
 
Later on, traditional shaolin qi gong drills were presented to the teachers and quite hesitatively some children tried to sneak some moves and imitate.

Soon after that, there was a presentation of a section of the first weaponless routine of Shaolin Rou Quan. An unprecedented for their age silence, covered all children, making teachers wonder… They were very happy and offered master Miao Yuan some of their paintings. Some of them were familiar as their parents are students of Miao Yuan at Kordelio.

The supervisor of the sector mrs Giahanatzi Athina (who is also a Tai Ji practitioner) and the teacher mrs Karageorgou Thomai thanked Miao Yuan and suggested to repeat the presentation at some point in the near future. They were willing to suggest this form of exercise at the parents association and set up classes in the nursery school.

The Greek Shaolin Cultural Organization proves daily and puts into practice the versatile nature of the arts of Shaolin, and  their multidimensional applications at all ages and body-types.