The Tao of Movement
A Guide to Chinese Medicine for Movers
Discover your body as a landscape where the seasons alternate.
The Tao of Movement is an exceptional practical guide for everyone working with the body and movement—dancers, performers, physical theater actors, instructors, therapists, athletes, yogis, bodyworkers, and Qigong practitioners. In this book, Zuna Vesan combines her many years of experience in dance with knowledge from traditional Chinese medicine and Qigong. This unique book is the result of seven years of research connecting dance with the principles of Chinese medicine, carried out through the projects Dance and Medicine and Dancing Qigong, which included practical seminars, lectures, research, and international studies.
It offers valuable insights into maintaining health under greater physical strain through the Chinese medical view of the “organ world.” The book addresses prevention, injury avoidance, and support for healing their consequences. It also explores psychological aspects such as stage fright, success and failure, overcoming pain, the inability to release mental tension after performance, and the significance of crisis as part of personal development.
The book offers:
- a cyclical approach to movement according to the seasons,
- the movement qualities of the five elements (phases of transformation),
- detailed connections between organs, meridians, and movement,
- ways in which the yin-yang principle influences balance in the body and creativity,
- a perspective on Qi as a practically accessible energy,
- movement exercises and impulses for personal body exploration,
- meridian maps experienced through movement,
- ideas for creating a new movement vocabulary,
- inspiration for teaching movement and working with students,
- simple recipes and seasonal health tips,
- space for notes, discoveries, and returns.
This is not a book to read just once. It is a compass, a guide, and a companion on your journey.
Some of the main themes of the book:
How can Taoist philosophy enrich the life of a modern mover?
The human body and its energy sources
Channels of Qi – meridians and their use in movement expression
The power of Qigong in the profession of mover
Food quality for a mover
The organ system as a well-functioning state
Psycho-spiritual aspects of organs
What is Yin and what is Yang?
Yin and Yang and the human body
Yin and Yang transformations of body’s and mind’s needs
What should a mover do during winter, spring, summer and autumn?
Diet for each season
What are the kidneys in charge of in the body of the mover?
Knees of a mover
Pregnancy, childbirth and subsequent convalescence
Moxibustion (moxa) in the mover’s first aid kit
Movement, tendons, blood quality and physical performance
Tendon injuries and their treatment
Muscles – their capacity, but also their shape
Muscle abuse during movement
Psychic connections and symbolism
A mover on a journey
And many many more :-).
The book was published in English in November 2024 by Singing Dragon.
We plan to release it in Czech as well, by the end of 2025.
Read the foreword by Charlie Brittain
Read the interview with Zuna about the book
Some extracts from the book you can find on this blog
Some reviews
“Tao of Movement is a groundbreaking guide of Chinese medicine for movers and performers of all backgrounds. Zuna Vesan expertly connects the ancient wisdom of Chinese Medicine and Qigong with dance, movement with the realities of the demanding life of a performer. Highly recommended for all performance professionals to help create an empowering existence of physical and mental health, by honoring the systems of the body and finding harmony with external factors. Finally, an approach for those seeking longevity and sustainability in their performance and physical practices.”
– Julianna Bloodgood, physical theatre performer, actress and teacher
“The Tao of Movement by Zuna Vesan is a book rich with information about movement and health specifically aimed for movers. Written from Zuna´s seasoned experienced eyes, we follow her trail of research as she unravels the mysteries of the body and its vulnerabilities. Her writing contains concrete and clear explanations of how our lifestyle can protect our resilience agains illnesses with tips, instructions and informations. This is a book to be read by everyone, but particularly those in the dance profession who yearn for a healthy, creative and meaningful life.”
– Susan Quinn, director of Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance
“Dance is one of the purest human expressions of Tao. Dancers must know their own bodies and they must be able to heal when needed. Zuna Vesan has given us an erudite book that is profoundly steeped in dance, medicine, healing, culture, and nature. She testifies to a life of peak movement and reveals the spirit within dance. An essential book for dancers, martial artists, qigong practitioners, healers, and all who follow Tao.”
— Deng Ming-Dao, 365 Tao, The Lunar Tao, Scholar Warrior, Chronicles of Tao
“From the very first page Zuna Vesan takes the reader directly into the very essence of this beautiful book. In a humble, yet very clear and at the same time soft and poetic way, one is taken on a journey through the wisdom of ancient Chinese art of healing and maintaining health. This book is a treasure written by someone with profound knowledge and deep experiential understanding of the topic. I highly recommend this masterpiece to anyone interested in healthy motion from an eastern point of view.”
— Monika Steinkasserer, physiotherapist, healer, dancer
About the author
Zuna Vesan Kozánková is an active dancer, dance teacher and choreographer. However, she also works with the body on a therapeutic level. She studied shiatsu and acupuncture, and is active as a practitioner of these healing disciplines and as a Qigong teacher. She has been teaching for 30 years and since 2002 she has run her own shiatsu school in Slovakia.
Zuna focuses on a deep understanding of the theory and its connection with practice, as well as on connecting Qigong with dance, and on teaching Chinese medicine through movement. Zuna is the author of the internationally respected projects Dance and Medicine and Dancing Qigong. She teaches in professional dance schools, but also leads workshops and retreats for the public.
Zuna is a writer too. The book The TAO of Movement is her fifth book, first one in English.
Listen to the podcast with Zuna about this book on The Material for the Brain Podcast (2024)