Geelong Tai Chi

Yuan Ji

gtaichi — Tue, 21 May 2013 04:01:47 +0000

San Francisco group gives dance demonstration in Monterey The Monterey County Herald Posted: 05/19/2013 05:07:34 PM PDT Updated: 05/20/2013 11:46:49 AM PDT Click photo to enlarge Bosco Song, center, leads a group in a session of Chinese yuan ji dance… (DAVID ROYAL/The Herald) 1 2 » Bosco Song leads a group in a session of Chinese yuan ji dance at Custom House Plaza in Monterey on Sunday. According to Song, president of the San Francisco Yuan Ji Association, yuan ji is a mixture of martial arts, physical therapy, meditation, dance and quigong exercise. The group was on a one-day visit from San Francisco.

Playing the PiPa position

gtaichi — Tue, 21 May 2013 03:59:49 +0000

F.C. Tai Chi Students Perform for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

F.C. Tai Chi Students Perform for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month MAY 20, 2013 12:12 PM0 COMMENTS AND 3 REACTIONS In celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Sun & Moon Taiji One was selected to perform for Asia Heritage Foundation’s Fiesta Asia Street Festival on Saturday. Sun & Moon Taiji One’s instructors Mickey and Melody Lee and seven of their students demonstrated Tai Chi forms (Yang and Chen styles), weapons, and martial arts applications synchronized to music on the Central Martial Arts Stage. Sun & Moon Taiji One performers are pictured above posed in “Pipa” position. (Photo: Courtesy Mickey Lee)

Yin Yang Bapanzhang

gtaichi — Tue, 21 May 2013 00:44:23 +0000

The art of Yin Yang Bapanzhang was passed in nineteenth century by Dong Linmeng (Dong Menglin; also called Bi Dengxia) in Henan Province to his three disciples: Xue Yonghe, Li Zhenqing and Dong Hanqing (said to be another name of Dong Haichuan). Li Zhenqing (ab.1830-1900; native of Ba County in Hebei Province) learnt the art about 1850 and in the 1870s brought it to his hometown.

Li Zhenqing’s three most famous students were Liu Baozhen, Xiao Haibo and Ren Zhicheng, author of famous book “Yin Yang Bapanzhang”.

Ren Zhicheng (1878-1967) was one of Li Zhenqing’s last disciples and learnt the art together with his three brothers. Ren wrote a book “Yin Yang Bapanzhang” (he actually dictated the book to his student, Gao Zhikai – also known as Gao Junkui – who wrote it down) and published it in 1937 at his own expense.

The art is still popular mainly in Wen’an County, where Ren Wenzhu, one of most famous experts of Yin Yang Bapanzhang, has his martial arts school.

Ren Zhi-cheng or Jia Xiang was from Hebei province, Wenan county, Beidou village.
At age 13, he and his brothers Zhizhong and Zhihe became disciples of Li Zhengqing
learning the art of Bapan Huanzhang” Eight Pan Revolving Linking Palm”. They
trained in the ‘wuji” style and endured two years of “standing” practice, before Li
Zhenqing departed. The brothers were then reported to have begun the study of
“Flower Fist (huaquan) with Xue Yonghe. After two more years, Li Zhenqing
returned and continued training the brothers in leg gongfu (quan tui) along with
various other hand methods. After seven years of additional training they had become
extremely fluent with their skills, becoming extraordinarily fast and nimble. Ren
Zhicheng, was said to have the mannerisms of a hermit and so he infrequently had
social contact with any high ranking officials and consequently his name was not well
known to the public. When he was twenty seven years old he reported that he had met
an extraordinary master who had taught him Yinyang Banpan Zhang.

Prima Ballerina recommended & Harvard Medical School endorses Tai Chi

gtaichi — Mon, 13 May 2013 22:31:50 +0000

Prima Ballerina recommended Tai ChiPrima Ballerina recommended Tai Chi

Dame Margot Fonteyn de Arias, DBE, was an English ballerina of the 20th century.

She is widely regarded as one of the greatest classical ballet dancers of all time, but

few people knew that she highly recommended learning the art of Tai Chi. She even

lent her name and wrote the foreword and introduction to a Wushu Tai Chi health

exercise book, published in 1981. Below is an extract of what she wrote…..

“I was brought up in China between the ages of nine and fourteen and have

throughout my life retained a deep love of the country and her people. For centuries the Chinese have had a great understanding of the mind – body relationship. To those of us in the West who are encountering the ancient wisdom of

the Chinese for the first time, Tai Chi is among the most exciting discoveries.

It is a fascinating exercise and fitness program for the whole family – one that subtly engages the

mind and spirit in choreographic patterns of great beauty, in the swift movements of a hunter, the sophisticated co-ordinations of an athlete, the delicate balances of a gymnast, a gentle form of shadow

boxing and swordplay with the emphasis on fluidity. These exercises prevent diseases and call for

close co-ordination of movement and breathing. They stress relaxation, tranquility and naturalness,

and they promote strength and grace in harmony.”

Harvard Medical School endorses Tai Chi

Dr. Peter M. Wayne, is Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and the Director of

Research for the Ocher Center for Integrative Medicine, jointly based at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. An extract from his book……..

“CONVENTIONAL MEDICAL SCIENCE ON THE CHINESE ART OF TAI CHI now shows what Tai Chi

masters have known for centuries: regular practice leads to more vigor and flexibility, better balance

and mobility, and a sense of well-being. Cutting edge research from Harvard Medical School supports

long-standing claims that Tai Chi has a beneficial impact on the health of the heart, bones, nerves and muscles, immune system, and the mind. This research provides fascinating insight into the underlying physiological mechanisms that explain how Tai Chi actually works.”

Slowness And Timing

gtaichi — Mon, 06 May 2013 20:36:08 +0000

Slowness And Timing

The slow, continuous, circular, smooth, flowing movements of Tai Chi are conducive for Chi to flow in a very healing way, thus balancing any imbalances, eliminating any blockages, and healing any damage. Also by practising Tai Chi slowly one can enter a meditative state and nurture one’s awareness of the body and the self; as a consequence the movements become smoother and more fluid, with greater cortical control. People who wish to cultivate the healing effects of Tai Chi just go through the Tai Chi form at a slow tempo such that can be done with ease; then they gradually slow further to half speed, and subsequently to half that speed. It is arduous and awkward to move very slowly in Tai Chi, particularly for beginners, because it needs good coordination, flexibility, timing, and balance. Nevertheless the correct timing, etc in the forms will come gradually as one progress in their Tai Chi practice. Eventually, as one advances in Tai Chi one should be able to move very slowly yet with so much energy. When movements flow, Chi flows freely. When there is lower and upper body connection, Chi

ensues throughout the body – soothing, mending and yielding a state of wellbeing and mental calm. When done slowly the Chi will flow in unison with the movements, energizing the whole body.

Timing is also crucial in Tai Chi. Each body part must move in concert with every other body part, completing the movements with great precision prior to proceeding to the next form. This “connection” between body parts is necessary if one is to experience the full benefits of Tai Chi. Eventually this becomes complex because in Tai Chi not all of the forms are even in their velocity. To make the matter even more intricate some forms in Tai Chi have different speeds within the form before conclusion. Most people incorrectly believe Tai Chi to be slow and at an even rate. To practise all of these varying speeds in Tai chi one needs special advanced knowledge about the forms such that one can distinguish which need to be slower or faster, when to do them, and in what circumstances.

Here comes the crunch: all of this must come naturally from within the body. So do not control the speed, for example – it must happen spontaneously; It all originates from the super conscious and is guided by the spirit body. One does not have to think about it because when one is ready, it will tell you exactly how to perform the movement. Once this is achieved it will be the first time one’s Chi and movements are in ultimate harmony. It opens a whole new world to one’s training, and one will never go back to the old way of practising Tai Chi.

PEOPLE affected by the neurological condition multiple sclerosis (MS) can join up for a new exercise activity

gtaichi — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 06:37:12 +0000

Tai Chi classes in Burnley to help MS sufferers

PEOPLE affected by the neurological condition multiple sclerosis (MS) can join up for a new exercise activity supported by the Burnley and Pendle MS Society Branch. The Tai Chi group was set up with the hope that the sessions will help people with MS to maintain a healthy lifestyle and also find some peer support. The sessions are for anyone living with MS in the Burnley, Pendle and surrounding areas. They will be held at 10.30am every Monday for an hour at Burnley Boys Club with access between 136 and 138 New Hall Road.

Helena Kean, instructor with Lighthouse Tai Chi, said: “We have just started the classes but it is a really friendly group to work with. “People come with different backgrounds and abilities but we can help them all enjoy some gentle tai chi.”

If you are in Geelong, Australia then email geelongtaichi@gmail.com

Dan Tian, Chi & 70

gtaichi — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 20:30:33 +0000

Feeling ch’i in the palms is a nice positive feedback, but it doesn’t really start there. It starts in the dantian. My suggestion, if you have not already done this, is to experiment around with the dantian motions. One key point is that if the dantian is going to turn either left or right, it must balance and turn on the ball-and-socket joint where the femur and pelvis connect, for one leg or the other. This is really the secret of single-weightedness I think.

When the weight is centered, as in the opening and closing postures, the dantian can really only turn in forward or reverse, analogous to the gears of a car. Turning over a center point, for example the perineum, while single weighted, is pointless as far as generating power. Actually, as you get more advanced there can be spiraling of the dantian even in the still, double-weighted, standing-post positions … but I believe that is a later stage.

There are thousands of other points one could make. But I think the dantian is the first consideration. Paying attention to its movements while doing the form will “wake it up” pretty soon, but not instantly. In my opinion, this is one of the first steps for learning Taijiquan, aside from learning the external movements of a form … which is actually intended to help “lead” the dantian’s awakening. Then, when you are feeling your ch’i in the dantian, it might be time to consider the palms and other places again.

The dantian becomes the center of all power, all movements. For reasons I can only speculate about, the Yang style (which I practice and teach) is not out-front enough in their teachings about the motions of the dantian. The most plausible explanation is that when the founder, Yang Luchan, was commanded to teach his art in the Emperor’s court in Beijing, he withheld some of his best stuff. But in recent years, the Chen family has been very generous in allowing this aspect of teaching to become more generally available. Ch’i is manifested when it is converted to Jing, which requires the application of the dantian motions and also the sense of peng power (a sense of the limbs and in fact a protective sphere around oneself being filled with ch’i. When the grandmasters talk about a conflict of ch’i versus ch’i, I believe what they are mainly referring to is the Taijiquan power of sensing movement before it happens. This is absolutely REAL, and exists to some degree in many martial arts, where it is trained in sparring (after several years of practice). However, Taijiquan trains the power very explicitly.

Anyway, if two Taijiquan masters face off, they would both have this “power” and their match might look sort of uneventful to the uninitiated. BTW, this is why Taijiquan is the ideal martial art for those of us who are past our athletic primes. The extra 2/10 of a second or so that we gain in reaction time is the difference. I am firmly convinced that you are young enough to become a Taijiquan master, if you are motivated enough to put in the time. There are some Qigong classics, as I recall, that are quite explicit that a 70-year old novice can gain mastery.

Crookston Tai Chi class gains popularity among seniors

gtaichi — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 18:57:59 +0000

Crookston resident and retired teacher Gaye Wick, 67, stays busy as a theater coordinator and assistant speech coach at Crookston High School, but considers weekly Tai Chi at RiverView Health to be her true time to relax.

“I feel that the health benefits are great. I think it is a heart-healthy way to exercise,” Wick says. Because Tai Chi offers therapeutic effects, RiverView Health offers the class for free and seniors are taking that offer with the primary hope of improving their balance. But some are finding many more benefits to the simple, ancient martial art of Tai Chi.

“This is exercise based out of traditional Chinese medicine,” says Megan Scott, a RiverView Health staff acupuncturist and instructor of RiverView Health’s Tai Chi class. “You had grandparents teaching grandchildren.”

Scott teaches ‘Tai Chi Easy,’ developed by renowned Tai Chi expert Roger Jahnke to make the slow, graceful, controlled movements of Tai Chi easy to learn.

One of the benefits of practicing the movements of Tai Chi is increased relaxation, Scott says. “When people practice relaxation in class, they bring that mindset into their daily life.”

“The Tai Chi class is great for people who lead a really busy life,” Wick says. “It makes you stop and relax. It’s a good de-stressor.”

For all ages

Scott’s class doesn’t entertain a specific demographic, as middle-school students, middle-aged professionals and seniors are among the three to 20 people in attendance for every Wednesday night session since the class opened in Oct. 2012. Scott says attendance is “largely based on the weather.”

“There’s definitely people who become the regulars,” Scott says. “We have a core group of seniors.”

Tai Chi practitioners have reported improved physical balance, coordination, flexibility, decreased pain and tension, and improved cardiovascular health. The relatively small class sizes also allow Scott to assist and advise elderly participants one-on-one during classes.

“We want everyone to do it within their limits,” Scott says.

For seniors, Scott’s class also has an attractive social element that allows them to connect with people of all ages. Wick says she wants to eventually introduce all of her speech team members to Scott’s Tai Chi class.

“I knew Megan from the library,” Wick says. “I just knew Megan would make the class fun. She’s a good teacher. It’s an easy 45 minutes to spend doing something that enhances your health.”

Scott wants to see participants incorporating the exercise into their days, beyond the weekly class. “It is a way to take care of themselves on a daily basis,” she says.

The Obstacles in our Path - a Tai Chi story

gtaichi — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 22:48:00 +0000

The Obstacles in our Path
In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way. Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand – Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.

GrandMaster Fu Sheng Yuan 2007

Tai Chi combines intense mental focus with deliberate, graceful movements that improve strength, agility…

gtaichi — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 22:44:08 +0000

It’s easy to tell people to make exercise part of their daily routine. It’s not so easy to tell them what to do. Some folks like to run marathons or climb mountains. But if you would rather care for your body without risking life or limb or increasingly creaky joints, you might consider Tai Chi Chuan, the ancient martial art that looks like a cross between shadow boxing and slow-motion ballet.
Tai Chi combines intense mental focus with deliberate, graceful movements that improve strength, agility and — particularly important for the elderly — balance.

Practitioners praise Tai Chi’s spiritual and psychological benefits, but what has attracted the attention of Western scientists lately is what Tai Chi does for the body. In many ways, researchers are just catching up to what tens of millions of people in China and Chinatowns around the rest of the world already know about Tai Chi. Scientists at the Oregon Research Institute in Eugene reported last week that Tai Chi offers the greatest benefit to older men and women who are healthy but relatively inactive. Previous studies have shown that Tai Chi practiced regularly helps reduce falls among healthy seniors. The next step, from a scientific point of view, is to determine whether Tai Chi can help those who are already frail.
It can take a few months for the effects to kick in, but when they do they can act as a gateway to a new lifestyle. “Once people start feeling better, they often become more active in their daily life,” says Dr. Karim Khan, a family-practice and sports physician at the University of British Columbia.

Any form of exercise, of course, can do only so much. “For older individuals, Tai Chi will not be the end-all,” says William Haskell, an expert in chronic-disease prevention at Stanford University. “But Tai Chi plus walking would be a very good mixture.” Younger people probably need more of an aerobic challenge, but they can benefit from Tai Chi’s capacity to reduce stress.

The best thing about Tai Chi is that people enjoy it, so they are more likely to stick with it long enough to get some benefit. It helps when something that’s good for you is also fun.