Ancient Wisdom for The New You: July 2014

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Tai Chi Class Warm-Up Video

I have had some students request a video of the warm-up we do in class so they can use it at home to warm up before training. It took me a little while to get around to it, but I've finally finished it and I hope you all find it very helpful. Enjoy.

Pan Gen Qigong Video Series (23 videos)

After several weeks of working on this series it is finally finished and available for everyone to enjoy.

As with the other video series we have posted, the first several videos in this series walk you through each stationary and moving posture of Pan Gen Qigong. The last 6 videos are follow-along videos that contain no instruction and are simply meant to make it easier for you to schedule a video into your day, to make practicing easy to time and accomplish.

Pan Gen Qigong (roughly translated as "Turning Foundation" Qigong) is for developing internal power and a strong root for internal martial arts training (such as Tai Chi). However, the benefits of developing internal power and a strong root extend beyond martial arts training into everyday life. It is believed in traditional Chinese medicine that ailments are a direct result of imbalanced energy flow through the body. Because this Qigong set places a great deal of importance on developing your internal energy and circulating it through your body, and the postures aid in directing the energy to break up blockages, this Qigong set can easily be used for health purposes, as well as martial purposes.

For the internal martial artists, the stationary postures aid in developing your root while stationary and the moving postures help you maintain that root while walking in a particular pattern.

I hope you all find this series and this Qigong set useful and I hope you enjoy practicing it as much as I do. Enjoy!

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

No Tai Chi Class on the 4th or 7th

This is just a quick heads up for those students who missed the announcement in class. There will be no evening Tai Chi class on Friday July 4, 2014 nor on Monday July 7th, 2014. Classes will resume as usual on Wednesday July 9th. Have a great time on your 4th of July weekend and be safe! We'll see you in class on Wednesday.

Tai Chi Compass Wall Hanging

Traditionally cardinal directions are used to teach Tai Chi forms. It helps students understand which way to turn when moving from one movement to the next. Most forms start "facing south". Although, it is not important to face actual south, hanging this piece on a wall in your training area will help orient you. Always start your form facing this piece. If you step to the left, you have stepped East. If you then step forward, you have stepped South. If you turn right, you have turned toward the West. That is the footwork for the beginning of the Yang Style 103 Form. Using the cardinal directions makes instructions easier to follow, which makes this piece ideal for practicing Tai Chi or learning Tai Chi via distance-learning technology.