Tai Chi for Health

Chen Tai Chi Livestream

Byadmin 07/08/202230/09/2022

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…

Health | Posts | Posture

Qigong Wall Squatting

Byadmin 09/04/202214/08/2022

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…

Fang Song in Tai Chi

Byadmin 10/07/202130/08/2022

Fang Song in Tai Chi When training Chen Tai Chi, one of the most important principles is fang song, which roughly translates to applied relaxation. It is release of inappropriate muscle contraction, loosening of the joints and a reduction of physical tension. I describe it to my students as the absence of resistance. Over the…

Spring Qi for the Liver

Byadmin 14/03/202111/09/2022

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…

Chen Style Tai Chi | Chen Taiji Silk Reeling | Health | Posture | Tai Chi Form

Tai Chi for Spine Health

Byadmin 15/03/202003/09/2022

Tai Chi for Spine Health An Unhealthy Spine The spine is key to health. One of my teachers once said that Tai Chi and Qigong all focus on spinal health. We use the phrase ‘structural integrity’ when talking about the Tai Chi and Qigong posture. This means the posture is aligned correctly, to hold your…

Health | Meditation | Relaxation | Stress

Ways to Relieve Stress

Byadmin 11/03/202012/07/2022

Ways to Relieve Stress I would go as far as saying that stress is one of the most silent health disorders of our modern times. Managing stress is often overlooked and seen as trivial. There is growing pressure on everyone, to go faster, be more productive, achieve more, do more and so on. Before we look…

Self Managing Chronic Pain

Byadmin 14/11/201901/10/2022

Self Managing Chronic Pain For those living with chronic pain who would like to be active in their self care management, read over a number of free online resources that aim to naturally help. Explore gentle and powerful movements for both mind and body. Tai Chi, Qigong and meditation instructor Nicola lives with Ehlers Danlos…

Chen Style Tai Chi | Chen Taiji Silk Reeling | Posts | Tai Chi Form

Tai Chi for Over Thinkers

Byadmin 19/06/201914/08/2022

Tai Chi for Over Thinkers For people that tend to over-think, the slow moving practices of Tai Chi and Qigong can be a great way to calm the mind, restore grounding and connection to our physical bodies. The Buddhists practice ‘nowness’, is what we call ‘mindfulness’ today, a single point of focus. Our Tai Chi…

Chronic Pain Course

Byadmin 14/06/201915/09/2022

Chronic Pain Course ReMap Course Summary – March to June 2019 Wednesday 12 June 2019 saw the completion of the 12 week ReMap course, a movement and stillness class for those living with chronic pain. Over the duration I introduced the students to ‘Hibernating Bear Tai Chi’, covering a variety of Qigong, Chen Tai Chi and…

Health

Health Baselines

Byadmin 31/03/201930/07/2022

Health Baselines Learning to Take Care of Yourself In my classes I often talk about exercising and training gracefully to your own physical baseline. This phrase comes from my teacher Casey Kochmer, from Personal Tao. Read his article on baselines here. We all have a unique health baseline, that changes with the ebb and flow of…

Chen Style Tai Chi | Healthy Breathing | Meditation | Posts | Qi Gong

ReMap Pain Management

Byadmin 15/03/201915/09/2022

ReMap Pain Management Movement and Stillness for Health and Wellbeing March – June 2019 The Independent Arts charity launched a new project entitled ‘ReMap’ on 20th March in conjunction with the chronic Pain clinic to see how Tai Chi and Qigong aided life with chronic pain. This project is designed to help people manage their…

Chen Style Tai Chi | Health | Meditation | Posts | Qi Gong

Tai Chi Qigong for Ehlers Danlos

Byadmin 17/02/201916/08/2022

Tai Chi Qigong for Ehlers Danlos Exploring the potential of Tai Chi and qigong exercises to aid the genetic connective tissue disorder called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS). Instructor Nicola lives with hypermobility EDS, you can read her journey in health here. Living with a different health base-line from the norm comes with plenty of challenges, from…

Chen Style Tai Chi | Meditation | Posts | Qi Gong | Qi Gong Women

Ebb and Flow

Byadmin 14/02/201912/05/2022

Ebb and Flow Spring is near and life is beginning to return to the earth. My favourite time of year is about to erupt into pink and white blossom. Over the last months, my online lessons have flowed into similar paths. In the winter the challenges that come up during the practice and journey in Tai…

Chen Style Tai Chi | Posts | Tai Chi Form

Motivation in your Tai Chi Practice

Byadmin 20/12/201816/08/2022

Motivation in your Tai Chi Practice First let’s look at the difference between intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic Motivation This is when the urge to do something comes from within, for personal reward and personal joy without a goal in mind. You do it for the enjoyment and satisfaction of the activity. The source of…

Chen Style Tai Chi | Health | Posts | Qi Gong

Pain Instructs

Byadmin 02/10/201830/07/2022

Pain Instructs Training Tai Chi and Qigong during times of injury, chronic and acute pain can offer some unusual benefits. Simply put, pain instructs. It’s one of the responses in the body that is not subtle, it hurts and we react to it. When you experience physical pain in your Tai Chi or Qigong practice,…