ZELIENOPLE — A group of residents at Passavant Retirement Community joined in a rendition of "Silent Night" recently, with silence among their primary goals.

Except for an audiotaped accompaniment, the group delivered the song without sound by acting it out with a form of sign language.

The residents were doing Sign Chi Do, a form of exercise meditation. Also called "the art of moving prayer," the program was developed by Dr. Anne Borik, a marshal artist and medical doctor.

Although its name suggests similarity to tai chi and other activities of Eastern origin, Sign Chi Do is different.

Chi for instance, often signifies life energy as it derives from Chinese language. But to Borik, chi relates to the Chi Rho, Greek letters that form the symbol for Christianity.

"It allows for people who are Christians to engage in something that brings a sense of relaxation and energy to the body without really stepping outside their faith base," Borik said, noting the "Do" symbolizes her status as a doctor of osteopathic medicine.

"By the way, 'Do' means 'the way' in Japanese. In the Korean language chi do means 'to pray,'" Borik added.

A native of Pittsburgh now living in Arizona, Borik began to develop the program about 10 years ago, after her grandmother suffered a stroke.

"The part of her brain that was affected was the part that was responsible for language and movement. The physical therapist said she should go to a tai chi class or some kind of relaxation (activity)," Borik said.

But the Eastern philosophies behind those programs were foreign to her grandmother's Christian background, so Borik took action.

"I developed something that spoke her language: the language of prayers," Borik said.

Borik's program had positive results beyond incorporating religious faith. The use of sign language, for instance, stimulated parts of the brain unaffected by other types of movement.

Borik gained this knowledge through two pilot studies conducted at Arizona State University and one at the Barrow Neurological Institute's Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center. The studies looked at blood flow to the brain.

"The theory is that breathing, movement and intention increase blood flow to all four parts of the brain," she explained.

While breathing and movement are present in other forms of exercise meditation, intention is unique to Sign Chi Do.

"Instead of emptying the mind, we are encouraged to fill it — to bring intention," she said.

"I guess the idea is to show that the Sign Chi do program is a technique that helps energize the body, to bring a sense of relaxation in a way that allows you to be grounded in prayer."

Cathy Reid, the resident services coordinator at Passavant who leads the Tuesday class, agrees.

"I think it's a feeling of oneness with God and daily meditations with God," Reid said. "This is another way of doing it."

Although Passavant also holds a second weekly Sign Chi Do class in which participants are standing, the class Nov. 24 consisted of seven women seated in chairs.

Reid led the group as the women used gestures to act out lyrics like "Let me be healthy this day from sunup to sundown. Let me be happy this day from sunup to sundown. Let me be holy this day from sunup to sundown."

Kim Groves, manager of the Passavant fitness center, likes the results.

"This is probably the truest form of mind, body and spirit exercise I've come across," she said.

Reid agreed, noting the activity is more spirit than exercise.

"It's complete relaxation," said Marie Musser, 86, a member of the class.

"It's to keep us busy and keep us doing something," added Mary Shanahan, 88.

Reid, Groves and several of their colleagues were trained as Sign Chi Do leaders in June, when Passavant hosted a facilitator workshop retreat.

Of 35 people attending the training, five were from Passavant. The others hailed from as far as Texas, Maryland and Virginia, Reid said. Borik led the three-day seminar.

Although Borik has held annual training seminars in Arizona for about six years, the Passavant event was the region's first.

"This year I wanted to do one on the East Coast and the West Coast," Borik said, noting more than 50 attended this year's West Coast event.

"We have close to 200 facilitators around the country," she said, noting a presence now emerging in Australia.

At Passavant, staff and residents are happy to host the program.

"We're a faith-based community, so we are always looking for programs that are based on that," Reid said. "It falls in with our mission, and it's a holistic approach."

"The spirit moved us here," Musser agreed. "When we all get together, it's a feeling of oneness."