Karin Philomin

Mindful Exercise with Karin

Please contact me by email or phone only if you are interested in setting up private instructor classes. Otherwise, I warmly invite you to make use of the other resources and community offerings special EVERY Tuesday at noon in Downtown Seattle. I provide many of these as volunteer activities and, whenever the hosting organization sponsors the events, often at no cost to participants. Thank you for respecting this distinction.

Alongside my certifications through Tai Chi for Health by Dr. Paul Lam in Chen and Sun Style Tai Chi, I specialize in Yang Style Tai Chi, with experience in both traditional and standardized forms, as well as a background in more martial and combat-oriented practices.

My journey into mindful movement began more than 25 years ago with Shaolin QiGong. I was searching for complementary approaches to support my recovery from a complex congenital, double-sided hip condition that had resulted in significant displacement of my body and, ultimately, a spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak. This serious, life-threatening complication was something Western medicine was unable to resolve for many years. My experience of living through this prolonged health journey profoundly shaped my understanding of recovery and led me to explore how movement, awareness, and other complementary practices might support the body alongside conventional medical care.

My scientific background has also strongly influenced this perspective. With a foundation in biochemical engineering and experience working in agriculture and environmental remediation, I have had the opportunity to see firsthand how biological, chemical, physical, and environmental systems are deeply interconnected. These experiences broadened my understanding of health beyond any single discipline and sparked a lasting interest in exploring holistic healing through a science-informed lens.

Today after a full recovery, I bring these perspectives together in my teaching. Through Tai Chi, QiGong, mindful movement, and integrated body-and-brain exercises, I encourage students to develop greater awareness, balance, coordination, strength, and resilience. Regular practice can become a valuable part of supporting rehabilitation, maintaining mobility, and cultivating a deeper connection between body and mind.

My goal is to create a space where ancient movement traditions and contemporary scientific understanding can inform one another, while respecting both the wisdom of traditional practices and the importance of evidence-based health care.

I invite you to explore a journey toward greater balance, vitality, and wellbeing through mindful movement