Not a Quick Fix Is Tai Chi or Qi Gong what you think? Lots of new students come into a class saying “I’ve always wanted to do Tai Chi, it looks so soft and gentle, with the wavy hands in the air.” People are drawn to the Classical Chinese practices for many reasons, and often…
Peng Jin in Tai Chi Peng jin is the primary principle in learning Chen Tai Chi. It is a whole body quality that times time, effort and patience to develop within your structure. Once established, it should always be present. When beginner students notice that their movements and structure looks different from their teacher, on…
I Forgot the Moves “I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.” – Bruce Lee Beginner students often get hung up on memorising the movements. This can make Tai Chi and Qi Gong a stressful and frustrating experience. Students often report…
Tai Chi for Heart Failure What is Heart Failure Heart failure is a chronic condition. When the heart muscle becomes damaged it is unable to heal itself, this results in blood/oxygen not pumping around the body as well as it could do. This creates stress on the body as it cannot function normally. Possible Damage…
Method Not Mimic Your Tai Chi Journey As a beginner when learning the internal martial art of Tai Chi or Qi Gong, it is important to learn how to move rather than mimicking the instructor. Without guided and personal instruction, the movements become mere choreography. If you simply watch and follow your Tai Chi or…
Benefits of Smiling A smile is simple, effective and free. In Taoist philosophy the smile is seen as the gateway to health, happiness and longevity. The foundation practice of the inner smile draws on the simplicity of smiling into the internal body as a way to cleanse the organs, cultivate Qi and balance positive/negative emotions….
Tai Chi and Hypermobility Joint Syndrome As a Tai Chi Instructor I live with hypermobility. The good news is that Tai Chi, Qi Gong and Meditation are all recommended ways to help manage the symptoms of this connective tissue disorder. I changed career in 2010 to become a Tai Chi and Qigong instructor when my…
Psoas Muscle in Tai Chi The psoas (pronounced so-az) muscle isn’t well known and yet plays a huge role in our bodies. It is the deepest muscle in the body and unlike most other muscles it lays buried. This muscle is vital for appropriate alignment/structure, full muscular range of motion and correct joint rotation. Location…
Living Well With Chronic Fatigue As a Tai Chi and Qigong instructor living with pain and fatigue, I cannot now remember a day without either. It is a difficult road to walk and one I wouldn’t wish on anyone. It’s an invisible condition that is often not recognised, validated or understood by society, doctors, employers,…
Tai Chi Standing Zhan Zhuang – Standing Still for Powerful Health Zhan Zhuang is a powerful internal practice where a fixed posture is held for a period of time. It is the foundation of Tai Chi and Qi Gong training, and is rooted in traditional Taoist practice. By holding a posture in stillness you can…
Taoist Six Healing Sounds Taoist Meditation Practice for Health, Happiness and Longevity Further to the article on the meditation of the inner smile, we can extend the practice to include the healing sounds. This ancient practice helps expel negative emotions from the organs, cleanse the organs and transforms them into positive emotions. This can be…
Tai Chi Trigrams How Taoist philosophy & the I Ching relate to Tai Chi Chuan practice. In Taoist philosophy, the 8 Trigrams are symbols of change found within the Book of Changes, known as the I Ching. Each trigram represents a unique set of characteristics; tai chi application, qi gong movement, natural identity, cardinal directions,…
Meditation of the Inner Smile PART TWO Taoist Wisdom for Wellbeing. The inner smile is a meditation practice using the five transformational energies: wood, fire, earth, water and metal, known as the five elements from the theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine. This second part of the blog series looks at the mid line and back…
Tai Chi Gift Vouchers – give the gift of a private class to a loved on – Our gift vouchers make a unique and thoughtful present for any occasion. Whether celebrating a birthday, wedding anniversary, or for Christmas and Valentines day, give the gift of Tai Chi, Qigong and Taoist meditation. Help make a positive…
Recommending Homeopathy Healing Introducing Eileen Scullion As an advocate for natural health, I would like to share with you my experience and recommendation of Dublin based Homeopath, Eileen Scullion of Homeopathy Healing. Eileen also provides online/SKYPE consultations that are available globally. Find her youtube channel here. Eileen helped me combat and manage the symptoms or…