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Tai
chi is an important aspect of my life, bringing
my body, mind and spirit into balance. As I
have taught tai chi over the years, I have seen
that balance as the outcome in students even
when it was not their initial goal in taking
the class.
Tai chi offers a groundedness and body sense
to people who have been intellectuals and spiritual
aspirants all their lives. People tell me that
for the first time in their lives, they are
really aware of their feet and how they are
connecting with the earth. They begin to notice
the subtle shifts in their bodies from day to
day and from moment to moment. And--they begin
to become more accepting of these variabilities
in their bodies and they begin to celebrate
the subtle changes that herald new awareness
and new flexibility.
For students who have been athletes and body
centered, tai chi often offers them a window
into a stillness and a focus that they have
not experienced previously. For the person who
has primarily lived in their body, tai chi with
its many steps and its attention to all aspects
of the body in each move encourages them to
really use their brains in a focused way. As
they learn the form and begin to feel the flow
of energy as they move through the form, there
is a spiritual sense of total connectedness
and completeness that is quite powerful. Body-centered
people frequently tell me that they have never
been able to sit still long enough to meditate
but that they achieve a meditative state as
they practice tai chi.
In addition to the enormous benefit of balance
of mind, body, and spirit, tai chi also brings
increased flexibility, decreased joint pain,
and increased balance to practitioners. There
are numerous studies
supporting these claims. I am available
to give lectures to the public and to hospitals
and medical schools about the research behind
the medical benefits of tai chi.
I have studied with Dr. Paul Lam, the Sydney
family physician who developed the Tai Chi for
Arthritis and Tai Chi for Diabetes programs.
Dr. Lam has certified me as a Master Trainer.
As such, I am certified to teach instructors.
I teach instructors in Tai Chi for Arthritis,
Tai Chi from the Arthritis Foundation, Tai Chi
for Arthritis Part II, Tai Chi for Diabetes,
and Sun Style 73 Competition form. It is a great
joy for me to share tai chi with groups in workshops
and classes.
Click to see upcoming
workshops and ongoing classes
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