Taiji

Welcome! I am so pleased that you joined our little band of Taiji folk…I really love our class, and the energy that everyone brings to the group. It is important to me that we all learn and grow together, so I want you to know that I am here to help you in any way that I can, and I know that you will have gifts of learning for me too. If you want to know what Taiji can do for you in terms of health and wellness...read this article.

Currently, our class times are at 8:00a.m. on Tuesdays (advanced class), Thursdays (everyone), Saturdays (everyone). There is a nominal fee of $5 for class, payable on Saturday each week.

By way of introduction, remember that Taiji stands on a four-legged stool each of which is integral to the understanding of the art:

For some overall history and information about Taiji, Qigong and Chinese martial arts see the following:

In terms of my instruction, below is the Yang Style Short Form laid out as a set of photographs and instructions in two parts and a video of the entire form:

Additionally, here is Eight Brocades Qigong Form laid out as a set of photographs and instructions and also as a video:

We also study the Yi Jin Jing Qigong Form. The form is presented as a .pdf below .

Below are two clips of the form being practiced by other teachers:

You will notice both similarities and differences, but each of these is close to what I have been teaching you in class.

Lastly, here are the Taiji Squares  as a word document, and as a video (this is a big file so it will take time to download). The point of practicing the squares is that within the short form there are moves that are only performed on one side of the body. The squares drill allows us to practice actions extracted from the form to both left and right and also moving forwards, backwards and at right angles. Consequently, each action is repeated eight times: to left and right in each of the cardinal directions.

 I also promised you some links. The links below are very close to what I am teaching, and I am sure that you will notice some subtle differences both in what I do and between the links…this is natural. Each instructor has their own emphases, and I have had several instructors over the years, learned three different styles of Taiji and am coming at this from decades of martial arts training and also as a practitioner and clinician in Chinese medicine, so my teaching is a reflection of that combination of learning. The most important thing for me, is that you learn at your own pace, and that you take what is useful to you. Taiji contains its own lessons for each of us, and perhaps that is one of its greatest beauties.

 If you want to know what is possible in Taiji as a sport check out these videos