Students always seem to be searching for things to help them escape the stresses of school. Among many of the options available for student to ease stress, Tai Chi is a new option for students at Creighton.

Tai Chi, a flow rhythmic movement of martial arts, has been known to improve focus and decrease stress among other things. Tai Chi involves the individual and is never used in defense.

The internalized flowing movements of tai chi help alleviate stress. Dawn Stazko, BGS, RCP, began teaching Tai Chi, QiGomg and yoga 40 years ago. She will be leading Tai Chi classes at Creighton beginning Sept. 29 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Stazko said there are numerous benefits of Tai Chi, including lower blood pressure, lower heart rate, a decrease of stress, an increase of concentration and a sense of overall well-being.

She also stated that from personal experience that she attained a better sense of how her body moves and how it reacts to movement.

Another important part of Tai Chi is that it reinforces proper breathing patterns, which have also been known to decrease stress. Later in her life, in recovery of spinal surgery, she realized the effects Tai Chi had on her body.

“The nurses were constantly alarmed that I wasn’t using hand railings, and in the confidence I had in my body very soon after surgery,” she said. “Because of Tai Chi, I had gained knowledge of how my body worked and this discovery to the nurses led to classes being held during rehabilitation at hospitals.

“Within a college campus, I believe that when a student follows a Tai Chi routine, their focus and concentration will drastically improve. The quickest way to reduce stress is to change breathing patterns, and tai chi helps in changing it.”