Tai Chi

Meeting Details

What we do

This group began in April 2005, with new intakes in September 2005 and 2007. We play the Cheng Man Ch'ing 'Short Form' Tai Chi sequence - a slow tranquil flow of moving postures in a set sequence that takes around ten minutes. We have around fourteen regular members and are starting a new beginners group next September (2010). However, if you are keen and have already had some Tai Chi experience you are welcome to visit us to see if our present group would suit you.

Learning Tai Chi is a bit like learning the piano - you need to set aside time to practice daily, even if it's only for ten minutes. Once you have got to the point where you can remember the sequence, then you can enjoy 'playing' the form in different ways. Regular practice of Tai Chi not only helps to keep you flexible and to improve balance and co-ordination, but also relieves stress, bringing calmness and tranquility into our lives.

Each class begins with warm-up exercises which illustrate basic principles of Tai Chi. We then play what we know of the Form together, revise the new posture we learnt the previous week before going on to begin the next posture in the sequence. There is always plenty of time for individual practice and questions. You might like to read the feedback from some members of our current group on their experiences of learning Tai Chi.

There is a DVD and video available for purchase from 'The Rising Dragon School of Tai Chi' which people find really useful for revision - especially if you have missed a session or two.

Reports

March 2010:
Thanks to the support of the ‘Improvers’ group who led revision sessions while I was in Tanzania, the second year Beginners' class is progressing well and we hope to complete the Yang style Short Form Tai Chi sequence by the summer. We continue to enjoy several different sets of Chi Kung warm-up exercises, including Flying Crane, and some of our group have been on a local Yi Jin Jing day course led by famous master, Dr Faye Yip. We will try to incorporate some of these exercises into our classes next year.

This summer the last class will be Friday July 16th. We will start again August 20th for 2 sessions of consolidation before the new Beginners join us. Phone if you want more details.

Meanwhile on Sunday 16 May, the Tai Chi community of Great Britain will try to beat the World Record for the greatest number of people playing Tai Chi at any one time. Read more about this . . .

Jane Willis

November 2009:
We’ve had an interesting term: some enthusiastic new members, a new Shibashi sequence and a joint ‘celebration’ with other Tai Chi players from the Leisure Centre classes. We shared forms, learnt some new sequences, watched a most impressive Sword Form and finished with a Jacobs Join lunch. In December a Tai Chi teacher from Cockermouth came and shared some new exercises with us. If you have had some past Tai Chi experience you are welcome to join us. Past group members are also welcome to 'drop in'. The next beginners' group will be starting in September.

Jane Willis

June 2009:
Both Beginners and Improvers classes have really blossomed this year; there have been quite a number of combined classes (whenever I have been away) where members have worked together on a ‘self-support’ basis, doing the warm-up Chi Kung exercises and going through our Yang style Short Form, helping each other.
We have had two visiting tutors and have learnt some lovely new Chi Kung sequences, including the Flying Crane Chi Kung, which can also be done seated. I (as tutor) am also undergoing some training and may even 'qualify' this autumn.
There will not be a new Beginners class starting this September but people with some experience of Tai Chi are welcome to visit the group to see if they would like to join. We meet every Friday at Castle Street Centre at 9.30 (Beginners) and 10.30 (Improvers) for an hour each. We begin again on September 4th and continue till December 18th.

Jane Willis