Challenges in Tai Chi Training As a student, you can expect many challenges to come up during your training in a group class and your practice at home. Try to hold a positive approach, seeing challenge as opportunity. Tai Chi and Qigong are life-long practices, there will be times you are enthusiastic and highly motivated…
Motivation in your Tai Chi Practice “Motivation gets you going, but discipline keeps you growing. That’s the Law of Consistency. It doesn’t matter how talented you are. It doesn’t matter how many opportunities you receive. If you want to grow, consistency is key.” — John C. Maxwell First let’s look at the difference between intrinsic…
Hibernating Bear Tai Chi Do you live with chronic illness and want to try a different approach to building resilience in mind and body? The Hibernating Bear system draws from traditional Tai Chi, Qigong and meditation practices to help support chronic pain, chronic fatigue, those living with a different health baseline than the norm, senior citizens…
When Resources aren’t Enough A delve into the Tai Chi learning process, looking at the ebb and flow of training a life-long art. When learning Tai Chi, there are several highs and lows along the way. Sometimes students will say “The resources aren’t enough”. As an instructor and student, I would like to share my…
Tai Chi Qigong Fall Prevention “Falls among elderly cost NHS £2.3bn a year” Reported by the Independent Newspaper in 2017. “Falls among elderly people may be costing the NHS in England up to £4.6m a day.” Reported by the BBC in 2010. “Pensioners can cut the risk of falls by a fifth by practicising…
What is your Goal? Tai Chi, Qigong and Meditation Training Being your natural self Maybe it’s easiest to start with my goal, or rather my journey. I am striving to be myself, it is as simple as that. So my goal in my Tai Chi, Qigong and meditation training, practice and play is to travel…
Music for your Practice Tai Chi and Qigong It’s always difficult to find good quality new music for your Tai Chi and Qigong practice. Composer Nick from www.aroshanti.com has created a series of relaxation albums that are first-rate. Aroshanti remains one of my favourite musicians for practising Tai Chi. His music is a great accompaniment…
February Taiji Push Hands Seminar Our friend Mat Ward of Inner Harmony School will be returning to Horsham in February 2014 for the second workshop focusing on Tai Chi partner work, push hands, sensitivity training, throwing away our hard strength and learning to yield. Join us for an afternoon of Tai Chi exploration, self discovery…
Chen Taiji Cloud Hands The Chen style Tai Chi movement “Wave Hands like Clouds” (Yun Shou) can be performed as a standing silk reeling drill known as ‘double palm front silk reeling’ where both arms follow a positive/yang circle, or in the form the same movement is coordinated with a side stepping motion. The hands…
Knee Alignment Tai Chi Improving Posture in your Tai Chi Practice In Tai Chi and Qigong practice, correct knee alignment is often neglected which can lead to pain, injury and long-term damage. As the largest and most complex joint in the body the knee is more likely to get damaged than other joints. The knee…
Importance of Silk Reeling Silk reeling is at the centre of Chen style Tai Chi training, helping the student to develop strength, internal energy, co-ordination, body awareness, unity in movement, relaxation and grounding. Also known as Chan Si Gong; Chan (pulling), Si (silk) and Gong (skill achieved through applied effort). Silk reeling is a set of…
Peng Lu Ji An Chen Tai Chi – Silk Reeling Practice This foundation drill of Chen style Tai Chi covers the four primary martial movements of Peng (ward-off), Lu (rollback), Ji (squeeze press), An (push down). Read more on the Eight Basic Movements of Chen Style Tai Chi and the Development of Chen Tai Chi. …
Chen 18 Form Resources For my Chen Tai Chi students, here are a variety of Chen style 18 form videos from YouTube to help you practice at home between classes. The Chen 18 form was created by Grand Master Chen Zhenglei and is a condensed version of the Chen 74 form, known as the old…
Rooting in Tai Chi One of the main principles in Chen Tai Chi training is rooting / grounding / sinking / balancing. This principle combines three concepts: Chen (pronounced chuen) which means rooting and sinking Qi to Dantian Zhongding which means central equilibrium, stable and balanced. Song which means applied relaxation. Without a root there…
Struggle is Opportunity I would like to share this article ‘Struggle for Smarts’ written by Alix Spiegel with you all. The content of this article relates well to how we learn Tai Chi and Qigong. The main focus is that in the modern Western world, we tend to see struggle in the learning process as…