ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, February 20, 1997 TAG: 9702200061
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: BEDFORD
SOURCE: JOANNE POINDEXTER STAFF WRITER
DEVOTEES SAY QIGONG delays aging, prolongs life and can fight illness.
Greg Trafidlo's voice is soft and soothing, like the creek that flows past his home hidden beneath the Blue Ridge Parkway.
There's nothing hurry-scurry about the 51-year-old Trafidlo. He practices being tranquil and in control of his body. He wants to teach others to do the same.
Trafidlo - known in the Roanoke and Bedford areas for his songwriting and singing - is a student of qigong (pronounced chee gong), an ancient Chinese art of natural healing. He has been teaching tai chi, one of qigong's many forms, since 1989 and earned certification in another form, chi-lel, last year.
Last summer, Trafidlo made a two-week pilgrimage to China to study chi-lel at what is known as the world's largest medicineless hospital. He came back as one of the first 15 non-Asians to become certified in the art.
"Qigong is good for anyone with mental, physical or spiritual problems," Trafidlo said. "It's the key to my life."
Most of Trafidlo's classes and lectures have been at the Sedalia Center in Bedford County, but he will hold classes in Roanoke in March and April.
Trafidlo describes qigong as a lifestyle change where you become more aware of everything you do in your life. It includes meditation movements and incorporates mind, breathing and body for a natural balance of energy called ch'i (chee).
Devotees say qigong delays aging and prolongs life. Practiced diligently, they say, qigong can improve heart disease, diabetes, emphysema and some cancers.
The American Medical Association says exercises, particularly those like tai chi that focus on balance, can reduce the risk of falling for the elderly.
Trafidlo can teach the mechanics of the healing arts in six hours. After that, students need to incorporate it into their lives, he said. "The more you do it, the more it helps," he said.
It's like learning to play a guitar or piano, said Trafidlo, who has taught about 100 people. "It looks like fun, but it's a lot of hard work."
People who practice qigong exercises for 100 days usually won't stop, because they can see the benefits, he said.
Bonnie Morton of Forest was looking for a method to reduce stress four years ago when she started taking classes under Trafidlo.
"I find it very helpful, especially the breathing techniques, and I find you are able to focus on relaxation," she said.
She said she now does the exercises every day. Before taking the classes, she would get colds and the flu, but hasn't been bothered by either lately.
"I feel good. I don't have aches and pains and the other factors of stress," Morton said.
Sharon Franklin of Lynchburg practices oriental art forms to enhance her physical and spiritual life.
"I've learned to be open and not worry, and I save energy," Franklin said.
She said she spends about 45 minutes a day on tai chi. The movements are not very physical, and the stretches are yoga-like, she said.
Trafidlo, a guitar and mandolin player, left Chicago in the early 1980s and moved to the Roanoke Valley to be closer to the bluegrass music he had performed for years. Working as a creative marketing director for the former Media Works, he met and started performing with Laura Pole, primarily for benefits and medical events. They married seven years ago.
They've traveled extensively, performing contemporary folk music, and have sung with Robin and Linda Williams. They have recorded several albums.
Trafidlo teaches qigong as a self-healing tool but incorporates the principles in his songwriting and relationships. It was while he was performing his movements and concentrating on his chi one morning, he said, that he found himself coming to terms with his father's recent, sudden death.
The rituals also help him balance his songwriting and singing career while he finishes work on his graduate degree, performs and teaches.
"I've learned to handle my frustrations and try to be more compassionate," he said.
Trafidlo will teach qigong classes in Roanoke at the Health and Wellness Center, 114 Mountain Ave. S.W., March 1 and 2. Call 985-0871 for information and cost. An April 5 class will be held at the Sedalia Center in Big Island. Call (804)299-5080. On April 6, a class will be held in Roanoke at the Lifestream Center, 2028 Brandon Ave. S.W. Call 344-3031.
LENGTH: Medium: 85 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: JANEL RHODA/Staff. Greg Trafidlo practices the Chineseby CNBart of qigong in his back yard in Bedford County every day. color.