Managing Expectations in Tai Chi As a beginner Tai Chi student there are some key things to know before you start training, that will make the first steps into your Tai Chi journey much smoother. When you start a new exercise programme it is easy to bump into barriers that will stop you doing something…
Michael Smith Soma Dao Qigong Dr Michael Smith is as a doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Functional Medicine who has also trained in internal martial arts, Qigong and Taoism with lineage holders of the traditions. Michael’s YouTube channel has instructional Qi Gong videos and practice sessions that combine his personal and professional experience of…
Zhan Zhuang Video Course A Free Programme for Beginner Students Standing like a tree – Standing Pole Zhan Zhuang is a stillness meditation which is a unique and powerful method to awaken the body in stillness. It is an ancient internal Taoist practice to cultivate mind and body. Learn to re-wire your habitual posture, integrate…
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…
Attending Group Tai Chi Classes Blending to Green One of my teachers passed on this method to me in my earlier days of teaching group Tai Chi and Qigong classes. This message is so important when working in any group environment, to consider and become aware of how you hold yourself. One aspect of Tai…
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…
John Blue Snake and Turtle Qigong Instructor John Blue from SnakeAndTurtle.com has a new youtube channel and Patreon page dedicated to sharing healing qigong movements and meditation teachings. He is an experienced qigong instructor with a Master’s degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine and is a lineage holder in Taiji Quan, Qigong and meditation. He lives in…
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 The Qigong wall squat is a dynamic whole body movement. An ultimate squat that develops leg strength, power, balance and body awareness. The stretching and relaxing wave like motion in the spine gives circulation a boost, helps the body detox and massages your internal organs to aid their functioning. As a beginner…
Learn to Breathe Well for Life In ancient Eastern cultures breathing is seen as fundamental to life-long health. This has become lost in the modern world, leaning more on pharmaceutical companies to provide us with ‘better health’. Learning to breathe more effectively can have a profound effect on how the systems in your body function….
Tai Chi Does Not Heal The ‘ask the teacher’ question this month is from an email I received which said that Tai Chi: “healed my childhood knee problems and bad tendonitis in my arm, neither to return again, despite not continuing Tai Chi” “Can it repair and strengthen ligaments that were injured or are weak…
Fang Song in Tai Chi One of the most important Tai Chi principles is fang song = 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 tension. I describe it to my students as the…
Tai Chi Hurt My Knees There are many barriers to starting something new, whether a hobby, new job or leisure activity. We are our worst enemy sometimes and our minds will throw up all sorts of reasons why not to do something. When we start something new, our minds will also try and dissuade us…
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. Yin Yan Theory (Heart and Kidneys) The kidneys (water element) and the heart (fire element) represent…
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…