2026 Events
Public talks · Workshops · Programs · Camps
Advancing evidence-informed Tai Chi and Qigong
Upcoming
November 20 - 22, 2026
Workshop
Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health
Tai Chi and Qigong for Back Pain
Improve Sleep, Reduce Stress, and Restore Balance
An in-person workshop at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health exploring Tai Chi and Qigong as gentle, intentional practices for relieving chronic back pain while enhancing sleep, stress regulation, balance, and confidence in everyday movement. Participants will engage in slow, intentional movement, stillness, and meditation practices to strengthen the core, support spinal stability, and examine and transform the roots of stress and anxiety.
The workshop reflects evidence-informed principles studied in a randomized controlled trial of Tai Chi and Qigong for chronic low back pain and includes clinical perspectives from honored guest speaker Roger Härtl, MD. Recent clinical research on a virtually delivered Tai Chi and Qigong program for chronic low back pain, published in the North American Spine Society Journal, will also be discussed.
Dates: Friday–Sunday, November 20–22, 2026
Format: In-person workshop
Location: Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, Stockbridge, MA
Registration: Through Kripalu Yoga & Health
Learn More
Past
April 30 - May 1, 2026
Oral presentation: advancing evidence-based Tai Chi and Qigong for back pain and whole-person health
Interactive session: participants experiencing stillness and movement in practice
Oral presentation: sharing results from a 350-participant randomized controlled trial
Conference Presentation at Harvard
Advancing Evidence-Based Tai Chi for Back Pain and Whole-Person Health
Dr. Yang Yang presented both scientific findings and experiential training at Harvard Medical School, engaging researchers and clinicians in the integration of traditional Tai Chi and Qigong with modern clinical research.
Scientific Contribution
Oral Presentation
Virtual Tai Chi and Qigong for Low Back Pain: Results of a Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial
Dr. Yang shared findings from the 2024 randomized controlled trial evaluating a fully virtual Tai Chi, Qigong, and meditation program for adults with chronic low back pain. The presentation highlighted clinically meaningful improvements in disability, pain, sleep, and quality of life, and demonstrated the potential of a scalable, non-pharmacological intervention.
Experiential Teaching
Interactive Session
Experiencing Traditional Tai Chi and Qigong: Core Training Principles for Back Pain and Whole-Person Health
This guided session introduced core training principles drawn from traditional curricula—including stillness, awareness, and intentional movement—and demonstrated how their integration supports back pain relief and whole-person health. Participants engaged directly in practice, gaining a felt understanding of the method.
Key Takeaway
Effective Tai Chi training integrates both stillness and movement—an approach that is often underrepresented in conventional research, yet essential to achieving meaningful clinical outcomes.
Organizer: Osher Center for Integrative Health, Harvard Medical School
March 19, 2026
Master Yang with Jaspal Ricky Singh, MD
Grand Rounds Presentation
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine
Virtual Tai Chi and Qigong for Chronic Low Back Pain: Clinical Evidence, Mechanisms, and Next Steps
This Grand Rounds presentation reviews findings from a large pragmatic randomized controlled trial evaluating a virtually delivered Tai Chi and Qigong intervention for adults with chronic low back pain. The talk examines functional outcomes, rehabilitation-relevant mechanisms, and implications for long-term self-management.