Qigong Day Course

I have just returned from a full day Qigong class given by my Tai Chi teacher. She has taught Tai Chi for 25 years and Qigong for about 15 years. The form she teaches was traditionally taught by a master to only 3 pupils who were personally chosen by himself. It was passed down in this way for nearly a thousand years. She was taught in China by the first master to be allowed to propagate the art more widely. He thought that it's benefits should be available to everyone.

It is a very pure, simple and accessible form of Qigong. It is ideally suited to modern life being supremely adaptable. There is no need to learn a complete sequence and practice the whole thing everyday. You can learn in stages and in each session, you do as much as you feel like at the time. Whatever you do adds to your 'chi bank'.

I had two objectives in attending the class. Qigong is an integral part of Tai Chi and is a great help in learning to experience and direct the flow of chi. It is easier to practice at home, with limited space, and I hope that it will help to make my Tai Chi practice more effective. I also took my wife, who has MS. Her mobility is greatly restricted and this form of Qigong is easily adapted to her needs. Another problem for her is fatigue. We are hoping that Qigong will boost her energy levels and do away with the need for drug treatment.

A very enjoyable day and a great group of people.

New Tai Chi Beginners Class

The first night of the new beginners class was a great success. A few people turned up who weren't at last weeks open evening. It was a very full class with not a lot of room, but a very positive atmosphere and an enjoyable night.

It was strange for me personally though. On the one hand, I was looked on by the beginners as someone who knows what he is doing. On the other hand, I still feel like a beginner myself. I have learned to go through the form on auto pilot, without consciously knowing what I am doing. I have always had a problem when we stop and break things down. I start to think about it and it falls apart. We went right back to basics, learning how to stand again and step between stances. And what do you know, I think about it and I struggle to do it!

It is going to be very good for me, to have another chance to really learn the basics. I have been told by more advanced students that there is a constant process of learning one new thing and being forced to re-evaluate everything that has gone before.

That sounds fine to me. As long as I am there and doing it, everything is just as it should be.

New Beginnings

The open evening was a great success and it looks like being quite a big beginners class. They signed up despite seeing some of the newer,less able pupils, (ie me) perform. Nobody seemed to notice that our careful positioning in the run through went west in the actual performance. Then we got to see some of the more experienced members doing 'push hands' as it should be done. There was also a demonstration of Tai Chi sword. Then a chance for all the prospective new members to have their first go at the first part of the form. A chat with some of the members still didn't put them off and now I'm really looking forward to next week.

It will be great to go back to basics again and have a chance to get it right this time. I've been making a point recently of trying to adopt more empowering beliefs. I had been thinking of Tai Chi as a journey but that implies that there is somewhere you need to go. Now I've decided to live in the moment. I'm here, doing Tai Chi and everything is as it should be. I have realised that you don't have to try to force it, it just sort of creeps up on you.

I want to make my website a better advert for Tai Chi. Everybody should at least try it.

Grace Under Pressure

Back after multiple internet and computer problems. I am starting to realise that nothing is a problem. Things are fine just the way they are and getting better. This is partly due to my constant diet of positive mental attitude these days. But, I would also like to think that I am now reaping the deeper benefits of Tai Chi practice.

It was back to class this week after a two week break. It was a break because, as usual, I got in very little personal practice. I was amazed that it went so smoothly. It was probably my most int he zone class ever. My body seemed to remember what my mind had forgotten. The first part of the form feels a part of me at last. And, I got almost to the end of the second section before faltering slightly.

This was a special session as tomorrow is an open evening before a new beginners class starts. We will be performing the form and there will be demonstrations of push hands and sword for prospective new class members. We paid particular attention to staying in synch and everybody seemed to be carried along by the energy. It was a real buzz.

The new beginners class has reminded me to take a look back to when I started and realise that I have made some progress after all. It is easy to always focus on a distant goal and feel that you are not moving.It's like trying to walk to the horizon. You don't have to compare yourself to perfection, you just have keep getting a little better than you were before.

My enthusiasm is renewed and I am really looking forward to tomorrow.

Top Class

An excellent class last night. My left knee was playing up a bit and not supporting me as well as it might. I got through it though and I even mostly remembered the form. After a while we broke off and paired up. The object was to go over the form and see how many of the Chinese names we could remember. For me, to begin with,it was none. But the exercise turned out to be beneficial in several ways. For one thing, I now do remember the names. I also learned to associate the movements with the names. It was pointed out that there are the movements that lead to postures, the Yang element and there are transitional movements that aren't actually a part of the move, the Yin element. The visible and the invisible. Knowing what constitutes 'White Crane Separates Wings' and what is the lead up to it makes it easier to remember the sequence.

We ended with 2 person drills. Using Brush and Push to defend against punches. I find this really useful. It makes you realise that the way you do these things in the form is the most effective way. It is surprising how little force is needed with the proper technique. Eventually, you resist the urge to tense up and try to use muscle power. The advice is that when practicing with a partner, you imagine that they are not there. When practicing the form you imagine that they are there. This is a great way to move with 'intention' but without tension.

Unfortunately, there are n classes for the next two weeks. I really will have to discipline myself to practice at home. I also need to do a LOT of stretching before next time.

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Being Present

One of my other interests is SCUBA diving. For me, a major plus for it is the fact that when I am on a dive, I am absolutely in the moment. I never, ever think about anything else. No dry land activity ever came close to it until I found Tai Chi.

Each class begins with a warm up to loosen the joints and allow Chi to flow. This is followed by a period of Tai Chi walking meditation. I usually end up being intensely.... I was going to say focused but that's not the right word. Unfocused is more like it. I am in an almost hypnotic state and I am usually disappointed to have to stop. When I am in the ready position, waiting to begin the form, that mindset is still with me and as I relax my upper body my fingertips are tingling.

My first run through of the early part of the form is intuitive and flowing but that is as good as it gets. When we reach the part that I am just learning, the mind gets in the way. Then as we go over it again and start to break down the movements, I am totally back in 'reality' and it is hard to get the feeling back again.

I want to enjoy the process and let things take their course, but I can't help thinking that it will be nice when Tai Chi is in my blood and I can complete the form without any thoughts intruding.
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The Benefits of Tai Chi Exercise

Don't take my word for the benefits of Tai Chi exercise. Read what the Mayo Clinic says about it.

Tai chi: Stress reduction, balance, agility and more - MayoClinic.com: "Tai chi appears to offer both physical and mental benefits no matter what your age. It's used to:

• Reduce stress
• Increase flexibility
• Improve muscle strength and definition
• Increase energy, stamina and agility
• Increase feelings of well-being

Tai chi hasn't been studied scientifically until recently. Preliminary research shows that for older adults, in particular, practicing tai chi regularly may:

• Reduce anxiety and depression
• Improve balance and coordination, reducing the number of falls
• Improve sleep quality, such as staying asleep longer at night and feeling more alert during the day
• Slow bone loss in women following menopause
• Reduce high blood pressure
• Improve cardiovascular fitness
• Relieve chronic pain
• Improve everyday physical functioning

I can attest to many of these benefits myself but one area where I am desperately lacking is flexibility. I really need to practice more. I have even bought something that looks like some medieval torture implement to try to get more movement in my legs. Anybody know any painless ways to stretch?

Out of Adversity

If you are always focused on the horizon, it is easy
to become despondent at your apparent lack of progress.
Sometimes you need to look back to where you started to
appreciate how for you've come. I am just back at work
after nearly a year off through stress and depression. I
was stuck in the mindset that it was the worst thing that
had ever happened to me. But with hindsight I realize
that it has been an amazing year of personal growth. It
forced me to take a hard look at my life and decide that I
had to make some changes. I have done a lot of soul
searching, reading, listening to audio programs and talking
to people whose opinions’ I respect. I have come out of it
with my passion for life restored and several new interests
that I believe will be life long. One of the best of these
is Tai Chi.

I had read that Qi Gong might be beneficial to my wife’s'
health, she has MS. I found it nearly impossible to learn
from books, so I decided to look for a teacher. I found
the choices to be limited in my area so I instead joined a
Tai Chi beginner’s class. This was a double benefit as I
could learn about the control of the flow of chi and be
able to help my wife and, I could get out of the house,
meet new people and start getting the exercise that I
sorely needed. It turned out to be a very lucky decision.
I happened on a good school with an excellent, experienced
teacher. She is able to teach all the essential aspects of
Tai Chi and also teaches a very simple, elegant form of Qi
Gong. I have read a lot about Tai Chi recently and there
seems to be the usual tendency to get into 'my style is
better than your style'. I have come to believe that the
quality of the teacher is more important than the style you
choose.

I have found that the benefits of Tai Chi are everything
that I was led to expect. I have already lost some of the
aches and pains I had from poor posture, my balance has
improved, I have better muscle tone and I have even lost
weight. And this is when I am inexperienced, barely
competent and have been very lax about practicing outside
of the weekly class. Due to beginning while I was in the
depths of my previous problems, I have found it very
difficult to learn and retain the form. At least I hope
it's because of that! Progress may be slow but I can look
back and see that there has been some. And I am in it for
the long haul and I intend to enjoy the journey.