Longer step leading to the next level: IWS in Helmond, May, 2015

Tony took us on an adventurous journey letting us work on the moves of the set. He helped us to make our step longer and turn and stretch more. He showed us the next level of raise hands and we had great fun working on it ourselves.

On the fourth day we worked on wave hands like clouds and the movement got smoother and rounder. It felt like a perpetual motion.

The participants were eager to learn and had so many questions that Tony limited the amount of questions per session. One question per person! The most asked question was: please show us again.

In the past few months we organized a raffle as a fundraiser for the Fenway International Centre. During this workshop we had the draw and we raised 2500 euros.

We were very lucky that many volunteers helped to make this a workshop to remember.

After lots of hard work it was great to sit down to wonderful meals prepared by the kitchen crew.

Tony has given us an insight of what he has in store for CIT week. We can’t wait!

 

New reception area for the Centre in the Netherlands

From now on we can receive all our guests in style, because we have a very nice reception in the entrance hall of the Taoist Tai Chi Society Centre Netherlands in Helmond.

Come and feel welcome too!

Women and the Taoist Tai Chi® arts Program at Fenway

Building E is open and ready – here are some photos from the first program held at the Fenway. Karen Laughlin lead the Women and Tai Chi program that had 92 people at it. It was a wonderful program held in our brand new International Center, featuring lots of Taoist Tai Chi® arts , interesting story times, and great food.  It was nice that the program ended on International Women’s Day.

Record number of participants at the Beginners Weekend at the UK National Centre in Edinburgh

Beginner weekends are growing in popularity in Great Britain and here’s why:

“I felt so welcome” – Marzena (38)

“Perfect environment” – Maggie (63)

The first Beginners Weekend at the UK National Centre in Edinburgh started on Friday 13th February (lucky for some!) with a warm welcome to all. There was a total of 66 participants, from all five of the branches in Scotland, Edinburgh, Aberdeen Angus, Highlands and Islands, Scotland West and Strathtay. We were delighted to have the opportunity to share Taoist Tai Chi®  arts with such a positive group.

Friday 19:30 to 21:30

Arranged in rows and columns – new beginners in the first few rows, assistants to the sides, and leaders at the front – we did the first 17 moves. It was lovely to see the beginners making such positive progress throughout the evening. The leaders and assistants made quite an impact in their red t-shirts. Towards the end of the evening we had a taste of the next 17 moves, in preparation for the morning session.

“Utterly relaxing and tingly” – Fiona (27)

“Loved the relaxation and sense of calm” – Jane (59)

Saturday 10:00 to 13:30

An atmospherically foggy day was left behind for a bright practice hall full of relaxed, smiling people. Throughout the session we progressed to move 54, with a break to watch “A Moving Meditation for Body, Mind and Spirit’’ giving first-hand accounts of the many different ways Taoist Tai Chi®  arts have affected people’s lives.

There was plenty to talk about during the tea break, and beginners and experienced members chatted away happily. You can see how well the orange t-shirts stood out in the photographs.

“I feel as if I’m walking better” – Peter (60)

“I like the focus on helping each other – whatever stage you get to, you can always help someone” – Sarah (40)

Sunday 10:00 to 13:30

Carrying on to move 73, we looked more closely at Brush Knees in particular, with an emphasis on keeping the tigers mouth open – a good reminder for all. There was an opportunity to see the movie “Motions of the Tao“, based on the opening of the Temple at Darcy Street in Toronto, and gain an idea of the richness of the culture and history available in the Taoist Tai Chi Society. This was further highlighted in a “walk the walls” session, where groups were given a guided tour of the hall. As with all good things, we soon ran out of time, but clearly the weekend had made quite an impression of all of those attending.

“This great foundation will allow me to drop into different classes to suit my schedule” – Teja (35)

“It’s been really good not waiting a week between classes – it sinks in better and flows” – Jody (34)

We hope to run another Beginner Weekend later in the year – bring your friends!

Atlantic Region Celebrates Chinese New Year

Participants from the Atlantic Region gathered at the Regional Centre in Halifax to celebrate Chinese New Year. The planned week-end event was shortened to one jam-packed day because of an impending storm. The day was filled with Tai Chi practice and instruction. We chanted the North Star Sutra together, a first time experience for some of our participants. Perhaps that is why the chanting seemed to us to have extra power and spirit, and our first-time participants felt uplifted and energized, and all of them wish to continue the practice.

A banquet was held in the evening with 56 participants and guests attending. The meal was served in traditional banquet style, one course at a time. The star of the meal had to be the traditional whole fish served to each table: in this case, a large and succulent sea trout. It was very clear that the diners more than appreciated the culinary efforts and expertise demonstrated by our participants who cooked all day so joyfully and fed us so well.

We were privileged to welcome the Nova Scotia Minister of Finance, Diana Whalen and her daughter. Minister Whalen spent a good deal of time happily conversing with people as we made the rounds to wish everyone gong hei fat choi

At the end of a very full day and evening, those members who had some hours to drive were sent off to get home safely before the blizzard hit. The local folks stayed behind to clean up, and got everything set to rights in short order –

 

a perfect ending to yet another joyous time of practicing and working together.

 

Wonderful Winter Warmer Workshop Colchester Jan 24th and 25th 2015

What a way to start the year. Forget the low temperatures and icy atmosphere outside; tai chi will keep us keep warm.

Led by Marsha Eberhardt almost 200 participants improved their circulation and enjoyed learning about Master Moy’s heritage and how it influences the “way we do things”: balance, roundness, softness, elasticity and working together. Our understanding of the Taoist Tai Chi® arts grew as we were encouraged to consider its place (and translation) as ‘the grand ultimate’, a teaching about the universe and how to live within the universe.

It was great to see many people who came for their first workshop. Together we enjoyed Marsha’s relaxed but direct and clear instruction and reassurance as she told us not to worry, but just to enjoy what we’re doing and keep coming.

We worked on balance and being centred. The image of being like a tree rooted to the ground helped, as did the idea of explosions, for three dimensional expansion, and getting right to the top (there’s always more up), and everything moving together. Our feet were encouraged to talk to each other. Working in large and small groups we helped each other improve.

On Saturday the lovely evening meal was a Chinese New Year celebration with short talks and stories about the Chinese zodiac, the year of the wooden goat and the lantern festival, noisy party poppers and bubbly grape juice.

Happy New Year greetings were brought from Marsha on behalf of the FLK and International Boards, Ankie Boumans & Paul Davies for the ERC and Crispin Barker on behalf of the directors for GB. The National Board members then shared a toast with the group. Gung hey fat choy!

On Sunday we started with an hour of chanting before the workshop, another wonderfully, warming art that filled the hall with meditative sound and resonance.

With Marsha’s generous, light hearted and enthusiastic guidance we tried to stay balanced, keep the body as a column, keep our feet connected and feel the softness of it all. The start of the set and the carry tiger sections then began to seem really smooth and elastic, continuous and strong, and wonderful.

It was an inspiring workshop with an atmosphere that was good humoured and hard working. The group tasks and the general organisation seemed to work well and the food was amazing. Yes, warm instruction, warm people, warm hall, warm tai chi and hot food drove away the winter blues.

We’ll do it all again here in June when it will also be warm outside, and for 5 days! Come and join us.

Looking back on an eventful year: 20 Demos for the 20th Anniversary in Hungary

As the Year of the Goat approaches and it’s time for reflection on the past few months, it is clear that the year soon to be ended has been one of the most eventful periods in the life of the Taoist Tai Chi Society of Hungary. In addition to the anniversary celebrations, a series of 20 open-air demos was organized nationwide. The demos were held in various cities from late March to mid-December. 

The aim was to find locations for the 20th anniversary public demos where people had the opportunity to join in and try out the Taoist Tai Chi® arts. The members and instructors of the Society talked to those interested, answered their questions about Fung Loy Kok Taoist Tai Chi™, shared their own experience, and distributed leaflets in which new beginner’s groups were also promoted.

Events to come were announced on the Society’s website, and short accounts as well as photos of past demos were shared with the public. Participants were largest in number at the demonstration held during our summer workshop: more than 200 enthusiastic people were present.

Beginners regularly tell that they first encountered the Taoist Tai Chi® arts at one of the public demos. This positive feedback encourages us to continue with the tradition of open air events, so that Tai Chi will be made available to as many as possible.

You can find a short report (in Hungarian) and a few pictures about all of the demos on the following page: http://www.taoistataichi.hu/20-perc-az-egeszsegert 

Fung Loy Kok has opened the doors to a new temple on Steeles Avenue!

The doors are officially open at the Wong Dai Sin Temple, and the shrine enlivening will take place on Monday February 2nd at 3.30PM.

Click here to view the invitation and location details

 

 

 

More Photos from the Central Region Program in Dunedin

Some more photos of the Central Region workshop in Dunedin. A few shots of the small group practice. The others are from people eating lunch and enjoying the local Farmers Market in downtown Dunedin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pictures from the Fenway: Central Region Program Jan 14 – 18

The view of our newest home, the Fenway International Centre, taken from a boat tour of the coastal islands offshore from Dunedin on Sunday, January 11th.

More Tai Chi at the Fenway from this Thursday morning. We will be there again bright and early in Friday and On Saturday morning as well I hear!