Cross Lateral Movements Connecting Left and Right Brain Hemispheres The Power of Natural Movements For fully functioning physical movements and motor control the whole brain must work in a co-ordinated way. There are 6 patterns of total body connectivity; breathing, core, spine, upper & lower body, body half and cross lateral. This article looks at…
Chen Tai Chi Livestream Online Group Classes via Zoom UK Join our Tai Chi and Qigong group livestream this autumn. Learn strengthening and relaxing movements from the comfort of your own home with our monthly subscription. These classes cover a variety of Chen Tai Chi movements with a dash of Qigong and loosening exercises. The…
Fixed vs Growth Mindset What kind of Tai Chi student are you? If you were to divide the population down into two types of learning styles, you could use the fixed vs growth mindset approach. Read through the characteristics of each, which mindset do you feel you are most like? In reality, it is not…
The Art of Pacing What does pacing mean and how can it benefit you as a life philosophy? Pacing is generally the opposite of how we have been conditioned and brought up. We live in an ever increasing fast paced and demanding world. It’s no wonder stress is one of the most silent and untreated…
Qigong Wall Squatting Wall squatting is an ancient Qigong whole body movement. This is the ultimate squat that develops leg strength, power, balance and body awareness. The stretching and relaxing motion in the spine gives circulation a boost, helps the body detox and massages your internal organs to aid their functioning. As a beginner there…
Online Tai Chi Testimonial Learning Chen Tai Chi via Zoom Dated January 2022 This online Tai Chi testimonial is written by one of my Chen Tai Chi students, who studies privately with me via Zoom. He came to my classes during lockdown after searching for a Chen style teacher that would teach online. “Nicola is…
Deception Training Body Language and the Mind Body Connection This article looks at deception training and the relationship between Tai Chi and Qigong movements and stillness meditation practice. The Stress Response What does the fear, stress, anxiety, scared, afraid, discomfort or nervous response look like in your posture and movement? Posture: Hands are hidden or…
Fang Song in Tai Chi The principle of dynamic relaxation and loosening. One of the most important Tai Chi principles is fang song which roughly means applied relaxation. To use the least amount of muscular contraction to perform a movement. Which means to release inappropriate muscle contraction, to loosen the joints and to reduce physical…
Summer Qi for the Heart Summer is an expansive time of year that is governed by the fire element and the heart in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Here are my suggestions for strengthening your heart in the summer months. The Heart in TCM The heart is a yin organ, paired with the small intestines, a…
Meditation Myths There is a lot of misinformation about what meditation and mindfulness are, mixed in with unnecessary stereotypes and superiority. For many this puts the stillness practices out of reach. When I teach meditation and mindfulness, I strip away preconception, expectation and myths. Simplicity is the key. On a basic level mindfulness and meditation…
Spring Qi for the Liver Spring is a time of re-birth and new growth. A time for outward expression, like the first signs of plant life that burst out of the earth. A time for new beginnings and waking up. Spring is governed by the wood element and the liver organ in Traditional Chinese Medicine…
Building Resilience in 2021 Do not worry, this is not a blog post with a humble brag about how I wrote a novel during the 2020 restrictions or learned how to perfect the art of the soufflé. Nope, I’m the average Joe, and have been on a roller coaster. Like many other community teachers, the…
Winter Qi for the Kidneys Winter is yin by nature, a time for consolidating, stillness and retreating within. It is a dark, cold, wet and icy time. The winter solstice is seen as absolute yin, with the tiniest spark of light within. It is easy for our vitality to become depleted in this season, as…
Support Small Businesses Help The Little Guys! One way we can continue to support small and local businesses without leaving the home, is to buy online. Whether gift vouchers for your local restaurant and massage therapist to use at a later date, or digital downloads from your favourite independent musician and digital artist, to online…
The Anti Guru Person Centred Teaching Style I describe myself as the anti-guru. My role as a Tai Chi and Qigong instructor is not to elevate myself onto a pedestal, and to ensure that you as a student don’t elevate me either. I’m the average person, living the same complex life, experiencing through the same…
