Sheng Zhen Healing Qi Gong is a unique seated form of exercise developed by Master Li Junfeng. This gentle form of Qi Gong is ideal for loosening stiff joints, restoring focus and mental clarity, producing deep relaxation, and promoting overall health. The movements are easy to perform for all fitness levels, and are ideal for anyone with lower extremity difficulties, such as knee or hip pain. The meditative element of Sheng Zhen Healing Qi Gong also helps calm the mind, reduce stress, and balance emotions.

Thomas Najar is a licensed acupuncturist and certified Qi Gong instructor. He left a career in hi-tech to pursue a healing career and has been teaching Qi Gong and practicing acupuncture since 2016. A native of Wisconsin, he’s lived in Austin for the past 20 years and is passionate about healthy living through fitness, nutrition and meditation.

Join Ms. Cristen for Storytime every Saturday. This program develops early literacy skills through story sharing, music, games, and activities. All ages welcome!

Join us on the first Saturday of the month for a Sensory-focused Storytime!

• Xiaoqing Zhu, a PhD from Stanford and currently a tech lead in a Fortune 500 company, whose favorite side job is to teach and learn from her kindergartner.
• Wendy You, a college finance professor, who finds it more challenging to teach her five-year-old than to teach a college class.
• Celine Wright, an MBA and finance executive who worked for many large companies and had managed many difficult mergers and acquisitions projects, realized that her three young kids are the most difficult, but fun, projects of all.
• Lan Luan, a research professor of biomedical engineering at UT, who finds it extremely fun to guide and observe young children including her own 4-year-old son to grow physically and intellectually.

The Westbank Library has supporting materials for this program. Ask a staff member if you are interested.

The Westbank Community Library District offers a Sensory Storytime at the Laura Bush Library, Sundays at 11:00 a.m. These storytimes are for children ages 3 – 8 who are on the autism spectrum or are prone to sensory overload. A parent or caregiver is required to attend with their child. Participants will enjoy stories, songs, and a variety of sensory activities. Because this is a specialized storytime, participation is limited to 12 children.

Interested in joining us? Please fill out and submit the registration form.

Get help with all of your technology from a tech-savvy teen. Bring cameras, laptops, questions about social media, apps, or anything else that comes to mind! Our tech-savvy teens will provide one-on-one help with all your technology questions.

@ Westbank Library on Sundays from 12 p.m. – 2 p.m.

@ Laura’s and Westbank Library every Tuesday of the month from 5 p.m.-7 p.m.

Are you a teen interested in volunteering? Check out the volunteer page for more information.

Qi Gong (pronounced chee gung) is an ancient Chinese health care practice that integrates physical postures and gentle movements, breathing and focused mind. “Qi” means vital energy or life force, and “gong” means accomplishment, or skill that is cultivated through steady practice. Together, Qi Gong means cultivating energy and is practiced for health maintenance, healing, and increasing vitality.

In this one hour class, we will learn the different qi gong movements that help reduce stress, increase vitality, and build stamina.

Sandra Medina Bocangel is a physician from Mexico with a specialty in physical medicine and rehabilitation, and a Master in Oriental Medicine and Acupuncture. Her offices are in Austin and San Antonio. She has been practicing meditation for 15 years, and is a Zen Buddhism student in Austin.

You’re never too young for storytime! Our littlest book lovers stroll in to Infant Storytime to hear fun songs, stories, and fingerplays, followed by open free-play with other wee ones. Designed for children from 0 to 12 months old.   

As life brings its inevitable ups and downs, whether they be large or small, learn how to bring new awareness and perspective to these changes in this weekly book group facilitated by Elizabeth Hoisington.

This group will be discussing There’s a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem by Wayne W. Dyer. Book discussion will continue for 13 weeks, covering a chapter per week:

• 9.10 & 9.17: Chapter 1
• 9.24 & 10.15: Chapter 2
• 10.22 & 10.29: Chapter 3
• 11.5 & 11.19: Chapter 4
• 11.26 & 12.3: Chapter 5

Elizabeth Hoisington is a meditation facilitator, dedicated to assisting people in the journey of mindfulness. She has practiced meditation for the past 17 years, facilitates a weekly mindfulness meditation at the Westbank Library, Mindful Eating Workshops at the YMCA, in addition to yearly Children’s Mindfulness Programs in local Austin. Some former clients include The Graduate School of Integrative Medicine, Freescale, Central Health, and various health facilities.

Elizabeth brings mindfulness meditation into the workplace as well as having a private practice in Austin, where she works with clients on an individual basis. Elizabeth attended the University of Santa Monica, receiving a Masters in Spiritual Psychology. Prior she attended the University of Colorado receiving a Bachelors of Fine Arts. Additionally Elizabeth has been through the 8-week University of Massachusetts/MBSR (Mind-Based Stress Reduction) Course, and Certified through the Mindful Schools for K-12.